Although Xia Mengxi already knew what kind of promise Lin Xue’er was referring to, for someone as cautious as her, broad information alone wasn’t enough to satisfy her.
Only precise and accurate details could give her a sense of security.
Thus, throughout the afternoon, Xia Mengxi took every opportunity to subtly probe Lin Xue’er for more information, hoping she might finally reveal what this so-called “promise” actually was.
Unfortunately, by the time school ended, she still hadn’t found out.
This forced her to stop her questioning-after all, Lin Xue’er was extremely sharp.
If Xia Mengxi kept “accidentally” bringing up the topic of the promise, Lin Xue’er would surely grow suspicious and might even realize that Xia Mengxi didn’t actually know what it was.
It seemed she needed a different approach, another way to uncover the truth about this “promise”…
Ah! She could use one of her own past goals from when she was imprisoned-starting by learning more about Lin Xue’er through her home.
With a new plan in mind, Xia Mengxi made a request as they left school.
“Xue’er… can I come over to your place tonight?”
“Hm? Sure! Now that you mention it, you haven’t been to my house since you went back to your hometown at the start of summer.”
Lin Xue’er agreed readily and even extended an invitation.
“Actually, no one’s home tonight. Why don’t you just stay over?”
“Eh? Ah, s-sure…”
Sleepovers were perfectly normal between friends, but let’s not forget the person Xia Mengxi was about to spend the night with was Lin Xue’er, the same girl who had just confessed to having feelings beyond friendship earlier that day.
So when Xia Mengxi received the invitation, she couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.
As for why she still agreed?
Pure reflex.
It… probably wouldn’t happen, right?
Based on what she knew of Lin Xue’er, she wouldn’t do anything… indecent before their relationship was official.
Even if she did… well, Xia Mengxi wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea…
The thought that tonight might be the night she lost her innocence sent a flush of anticipation across Xia Mengxi’s face.
But then she remembered she was a girl now.
Her excitement plummeted like a waterfall, leaving her feeling hollow and miserable.
Ugh, what am I thinking?!
She was going to Lin Xue’er’s house for serious business, not to let her imagination run wild!
To keep herself from fixating on unnecessary thoughts, Xia Mengxi focused most of her attention-both on the way home and after arriving -on planning how to investigate once she got to Lin Xue’er’s place.
Time passed quickly, and after having dinner at home, Xia Mengxi rested briefly before preparing to leave.
The moment she stepped out of her yard, she heard a familiar voice nearby-none other than Lin Xue’er herself.
“Good evening, Xiao Xi.”
“Good evening, Xue’er.”
After a brief exchange of greetings, Xia Mengxi followed Lin Xue’er from her yard into her home.
Upon stepping inside, she immediately sensed a chill in the air.
This atmosphere wasn’t just due to the minimalist decor-more so, it stemmed from the startling lack of daily necessities in the living room, so sparse they could practically be counted on one hand.
Could it be… that Lin Xue’er’s family relationships weren’t very harmonious?
Come to think of it, she had once speculated that Lin Xue’er might have developed psychological barriers due to her home environment.
That would explain why, when faced with actions reminiscent of her trauma, Lin Xue’er’s mind overreacted, ultimately leading to her dark turn.
She had subtle behavioral evidence to support this theory.
Back when she had asked Lin Xue’er about her parents, mentioning them had triggered an agitated reaction from Lin Xue’er in that instant.
Combined with her current observations of Lin Xue’er’s home, it seemed highly likely that family issues were the root cause of Lin Xue’er’s dark transformation.
“Highly likely” still meant uncertainty, however.
Being meticulous with information, Xia Mengxi naturally wouldn’t jump to conclusions.
So, she tried to coax details about Lin Xue’er’s parents from her.
“Xue’er, your home is so neat and tidy. Do your parents clean often?”
As she spoke, Xia Mengxi deliberately focused her attention on Lin Xue’er, carefully observing whether her words elicited any reaction.
Sure enough, the moment her words pointed to Lin Xue’er’s parents, she caught a flicker of unease in Lin Xue’er’s eyes-fleeting, lasting less than a breath, but still noticed by her keen observation.
“Yes, they prefer a clean environment, so the house is always spotless.”
“Always”
…That word choice was telling!
Using “always” suggested that Lin Xue’er’s parents were extremely particular about cleanliness.
Most people would describe their cleaning habits as “occasionally,” “regularly,” or “as needed.”
This implied that one or both of Lin Xue’er’s parents had obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
People with such tendencies are often critical, sensitive, and distrustful.
If their partner’s personality doesn’t complement theirs, the likelihood of family conflicts skyrockets.
This added another piece of evidence to her earlier argument.
“Xiao Xi, why don’t you head upstairs first? I’m preparing some after-dinner snacks, so it’ll take a little more time.”
“Sure! I’ll go up then.”
Knowing Xia Mengxi was coming, Lin Xue’er had already left the light on in her room.
So even though Xia Mengxi had never been to Lin Xue’er’s home before, she didn’t need to guess which room was hers.
But to gather more information, Xia Mengxi cautiously glanced downstairs after reaching the second floor, then quietly peeked into each room one by one.
Storage room, bathroom, guest room, master bedroom.
After categorizing the four rooms (excluding Lin Xue’er’s) based on their decor and size at first glance, Xia Mengxi entered the only room with its light on and door open.
“So this is Lin Xue’er’s room… I expected it to be much plainer.”
Due to the personality Lin Xue’er usually displayed, Xia Mengxi had assumed her room would be as unadorned as her character.
However, Lin Xue’er’s room was actually filled with many plush toys.
Some of these stuffed animals were placed on the bed, some on the carpet, and others on a dedicated display shelf.
“Well, after all, when Lin Xue’er isn’t in her ‘darkened’ state, she’s just a normal girl. This makes perfect sense.”
After briefly surveying the room’s layout, Xia Mengxi obediently sat on the rug where a low table was placed.
Now wasn’t the right time to search the room, so she didn’t take the risk.