Jiang Ling grabbed her pajamas and dashed to the bathroom, swiftly locking the door behind her before collapsing against it, panting heavily.
What on earth had she just said—such bizarre, embarrassing things!
She couldn’t help but recall the cold, indifferent look in Lin Xiaoyu’s eyes, and her heart, which had been hanging on a thread, finally gave up.
Discouraged, Jiang Ling turned on the shower.
The scalding water made her let out a small yelp, and as she looked down, she noticed red marks swelling where the hot water had hit her skin.
It seemed she had sensitive skin that marked easily.
With that thought, she reached up and lowered the water temperature slightly.
It was still hotter than her usual showers, but surprisingly, it didn’t feel uncomfortable.
Was it because girls typically preferred hotter water?
Jiang Ling lathered up with soap, curiously and carefully examining her body, lingering in the bathroom for quite a while.
Half an hour later, Jiang Ling emerged wearing adorable bunny-ear pajamas, her bare feet leaving wet footprints on the floor as water dripped down her legs.
Lin Xiaoyu frowned at the sight.
“Did you dry off properly?”
“Huh?” Jiang Ling, still walking forward, looked confused.
Without a word, Lin Xiaoyu stood up, strode over, and pinned her against the nearest wall with a thud.
The sudden closeness made Jiang Ling’s breath catch.
She blinked innocently, gazing up at Lin Xiaoyu’s slightly displeased expression, and pressed her lips together.
A stunning, aloof beauty was wall-slamming her!
Realizing this, Jiang Ling’s heart raced uncontrollably.
“Um…”
“I’m a bit of a clean freak,” Lin Xiaoyu interrupted, her slender fingers reaching out to touch Jiang Ling’s cheek.
Jiang Ling’s body trembled faintly at the contact.
It was cold, completely different from how Bai Xue treated her—almost rough.
Lin Xiaoyu didn’t stop, her hand sliding down to Jiang Ling’s neck, collarbone, shoulders…
“Wait!” Jiang Ling snapped out of it and grabbed her hand, her voice a soft exclamation.
Lin Xiaoyu didn’t seem annoyed at having her wrist caught.
She stared into Jiang Ling’s eyes and said deliberately, “You didn’t dry off properly. You’ll get the bed wet.”
With that, she pulled her hand back, casually wiping the water from Jiang Ling’s skin onto her pajamas.
Jiang Ling realized she had indeed only halfheartedly dried off and conceded, “Okay, I’ll be more careful next time.”
“Mm.”
Satisfied with the response, Lin Xiaoyu slowly stood up, showing no intention of pressing the matter further.
This gave Jiang Ling a glimpse into her personality—likely someone cold and straightforward, indifferent to most things.
As Jiang Ling turned to say something, she caught sight of Lin Xiaoyu calmly stripping off all her clothes without a hint of hesitation.
“Aaahhh!” Jiang Ling, in a flash, reached out and switched off the wall’s light.
The fleeting glimpse of Lin Xiaoyu’s fair figure vanished into the darkness.
Lin Xiaoyu’s puzzled voice followed.
“Why’d you turn off the light? I’m still changing.”
“That’s exactly why I turned it off!” Jiang Ling retorted.
Lin Xiaoyu didn’t press the issue.
There was a faint rustling sound, likely her climbing into bed to sleep.
Jiang Ling suddenly remembered they were sharing a bed tonight, and her lips felt dry with nerves as she licked them.
It’s just sleeping together—best friends do this all the time!
Bolstering herself with that thought, she groped her way to the bed in the dark.
Thankfully, the double bed was large enough for two people to sleep comfortably with space to spare, so Jiang Ling relaxed and closed her eyes to drift off.
…Until a soft touch pressed against her back.
Jiang Ling had been lying on her side, facing away from Lin Xiaoyu, when she felt a warm body press against her, wrapping around her like an octopus.
The near-suffocating sensation made Jiang Ling struggle to breathe, but Lin Xiaoyu, clearly fast asleep, didn’t budge an inch.
As Jiang Ling squirmed, Lin Xiaoyu’s arm slid lower, settling snugly around her slim waist.
Jiang Ling gasped, a tingling numbness shooting through her lower back, her body going limp.
She thought that was shocking enough, but then Lin Xiaoyu’s hand started wandering lower.
Still touching?!
Jiang Ling writhed, on the verge of tears, but her efforts were futile.
…
The next day.
“Did you stay up all night?” Lin Xiaoyu asked, eyeing the dark circles under Jiang Ling’s eyes with confusion.
She’d slept unusually well, even having a pleasant dream about falling into soft clouds, her hands touching their warm, pliant texture over and over.
Waking up, the sensation lingered on her fingertips, leaving her reluctant to let go.
“…No,” Jiang Ling muttered, her words of complaint swirling in her mind but ultimately swallowed back as she shook her head glumly.
How could she say it?
You were clinging to me like a creep all night, groping me, and I couldn’t sleep a wink!
Since she was new here, Jiang Ling decided to let it slide and changed the subject.
“What do I need to do today?”
“Bai Xue will assign you something. Let’s go eat breakfast first.”
Outside the room, Jiang Ling spotted Mo Ran bustling in in the kitchen and greeted her curiously.
“Morning! You can cook?”
“Hehe, of course!” Mo Ran, busy with her cooking, gave Jiang Ling a proud wink.
“It’s a must-have skill for a top idol.”
Jiang Ling suddenly felt that, of the three people she’d met, Mo Ran seemed the most like a proper “idol.”
Mo Ran was making a Western-style breakfast—toast, bacon, eggs, simple yet delicious.
Everyone ate quietly, content, until Jiang Ling’s phone buzzed in her pocket.
Glancing at the caller ID, her heart skipped a beat.
She excused herself, saying, “I’ll be right back,” and stepped outside.
Taking a deep breath, she answered the landlord’s call.
“Jiang Ling, when are you paying the rent you owe?” The landlord, a middle-aged woman, spoke in a slow, almost gentle tone that somehow carried an oppressive weight.
Jiang Ling pursed her lips, forcing a dry laugh.
“Can you give me one more month? I’ll definitely pay.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to give you time, but you keep delaying month after month. How am I supposed to run my business? I know it’s tough for you, and I usually wouldn’t push, but you’re three months behind. If word gets out, what if everyone starts dragging their payments?”
The landlord’s tone was无奈 yet firm.
Jiang Ling’s throat felt dry as she scrambled for a response, only to be interrupted by a sharp female voice.
“Hey, you’re blocking the way.”
Jiang Ling looked up to see a graceful girl with golden twin-tails swaying in the breeze, dressed in a refined school uniform, a designer bag slung over her shoulder.
Her every move exuded an air of privilege.
Fang Wannan clicked her tongue at Jiang Ling, who was staring at her.
“I said you’re in the way. Can’t you hear?”
Her harsh words made Jiang Ling flinch.
The landlord’s voice continued buzzing through the phone, and Jiang Ling’s grip tightened, her voice barely a whisper.
“Sorry…”
Fang Wannan paused, taken aback.
“Wait, I didn’t mean it like that.” Seeing Jiang Ling’s pitiful, abandoned-puppy expression, she fumbled for words.
“Why are you standing here alone? Are you in trouble? Need help?”
The commotion drew Bai Xue and Lin Xiaoyu to the door.
They stepped out to see Fang Wannan—the notoriously picky and sharp-tongued “princess”—flustered and circling Jiang Ling, offering rushed words of comfort, while Jiang Ling crouched against the wall, clutching her phone, tears streaking her face as she sobbed softly.
What an odd scene.
“Let’s go. Don’t disturb them,” Lin Xiaoyu said calmly, turning to leave.
Bai Xue, however, stayed put, thoughtful.
“Why can’t we join them?”