Senior, you've gone too far

No, no, no, this is completely different!

Fang Qi stared at Lin Xiaoyou, his eyelids twitching!

Lin Xiaoyou? Afraid of Liguang?

Putting these two concepts together...

It just felt too absurd!

She had never been afraid before!

In the past, she would always try to get close, try to be intimate, and practically court death!

Always initiating physical contact! Always asking for hugs!

Always saying things like, "AI has no feelings, a real person is much better"...

He had to pull off all sorts of crazy maneuvers just to avoid triggering the "Last Supper" ending!

He couldn't even count how many times he had saved her little head!

Yet now, this "yandere switch" for Liguang, his "suicidal good teammate"...

Why was she suddenly afraid of Liguang?

He held Liguang's soft little hand...

He felt like his own head was about to start smoking like Liguang's!

Meanwhile, the silver-haired girl beside him was slightly turned, half of her body shielding him.

Her phoenix eyes curved into a soft arc, looking docile and obedient. The small hand with its fingers intertwined with his was gently stroking the back of his hand.

But her gaze fell quietly upon Lin Xiaoyou.

Her amber left eye held just the right amount of politeness and distance, while in her crimson right eye... that scarlet hue was flashing at a fixed frequency.

...She was "observing."

She was staring at Lin Xiaoyou's every expression, every movement, every rise and fall of her breath.

Fang Qi noticed this.

But he didn't say anything; he even gently squeezed her fingers to encourage her.

...Well done, wifey!

With his wife keeping an eye out, he felt very relieved!

Lin Xiaoyou, my good teammate, from now on...

Your little head is officially removed from my protection list!

"Senior—!"

"Are you even listening to me!"

Lin Xiaoyou's voice suddenly rose!

Her round little face was puffed up as she glared at him, her ponytail bobbing angrily.

"I've been talking for ages! And you're still just staring at me! It's creeping me out!"

She put her hands on her hips, her small chest heaving rapidly:

"I was kindly inviting you to go get some dessert, Senior!"

"If you don't appreciate it, fine, but you're not saying a word and just ignoring me!"

"Besides... being stared at by you like this makes me blush, okay..."

As she spoke, she actually covered her face with her hands, revealing only a pair of round eyes peeking out through her fingers.

She even blinked at him!

Fang Qi: "..."

...What are you covering your face for!

Don't think you can get away with this just by pretending to be a love-struck sweet girl!

Then he felt... a fingernail pinch the back of his hand.

Fang Qi: "..."

Wifey, don't interrupt my thinking!

Speaking of which...

Lin Xiaoyou should be just like An Lian right now, retaining memories of the previous loop in the form of dreams!

But unlike An Lian's terrifying experience, his only interaction with Lin Xiaoyou in the last loop... was that one time at the mall cafe!

He had rejected her at the cafe, saying "I only love Liguang," telling her that her affection was just an impulse, and that "you need a reason to like me"...

Then she had cried, saying "Liking someone is just a feeling, it doesn't need a reason," before being dragged away by her exasperated best friend.

...That was it!

So... even if she retained memories of the last loop through dreams, she shouldn't be afraid of Liguang.

Unless...

Fang Qi's pupils contracted slightly.

Unless, like An Lian...

She had also seen what happened afterwards.

With his permission... Liguang had slaughtered her way through the armed personnel in the entire building.

An Lian was silenced, he shot himself, and then Liguang... went completely berserk.

The subsequent scenes, those bloody, maddening, hellish sights...

If she had seen that, it would indeed be terrifying.

So, if Lin Xiaoyou had been there at the time, if she had witnessed Liguang's Asura-like massacre with her own eyes...

Then her current fear of Liguang would make perfect sense.

...She was at the scene?

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes.

In what capacity?

"Senior!!"

Lin Xiaoyou's shout rang out again, this time accompanied by the sound of her stomping her foot.

Fang Qi looked up to see that small face leaning a bit closer—but still keeping a step away.

She glared at him, her almond eyes full of dissatisfaction:

"You spaced out again! You ignored me again!"

"Senior, you're really too much!"

Her little mouth was pouting so hard you could hang an oil bottle from it!

Fang Qi: "..."

The silver-haired girl beside him was still "observing."

Her eyelashes were lowered gently, making her look tame and harmless, but Fang Qi knew...

Those heterochromatic eyes were capturing every micro-expression of Lin Xiaoyou.

His wife was now... concentrating on acting as a "lie detector"!

Any lie from Lin Xiaoyou would have nowhere to hide!

What he should do then was self-evident!

Create an opportunity for his wife, and make this "good teammate"...

Expose more flaws!

He stared intently at the bright-smiling, round-faced girl in front of him.

Saying nothing.

Pressuring her!

Sure enough, Lin Xiaoyou grew increasingly panicked under his stare.

Her smile began to stiffen, her little brows furrowed tighter, and her hands subconsciously gripped her skirt, crumpling the hem.

"S-Senior... what are you doing..."

Her voice carried a hint of a tremble, her almond eyes wide and round:

"Why do you keep looking at me like that..."

"And you're not saying anything... it's really scary..."

"Did... did I do something wrong? Say something, don't be like this...!"

As she spoke, her little mouth drooped, looking as if she was about to cry!

Fang Qi's gaze, however, grew darker and darker, the anger in his heart swelling!

What are you pretending for!

He had just gone through so much crap, that bizarre movie, those hollow audience members...

Right now, he was full of doubts, full of creeps...

And full of anger!

Seriously, sis... you "coincidentally" met us here, and you're still putting on an act!

If today's incident has nothing to do with you, I, Fang Qi, will change my surname to Liguang from now on!

He took a step forward directly, glaring at Lin Xiaoyou!

Startled by Fang Qi's sudden movement and glare, Lin Xiaoyou took another half-step back!

The silver-haired girl was also pulled a half-step forward by him, still pressing tightly against his side, their intertwined fingers tightening slightly.

The scarlet in her crimson eye flashed faintly, staring at Lin Xiaoyou's half-step retreat...

As if scrutinizing the reaction of prey!

"Wh... what are you doing, Senior!"

Lin Xiaoyou's voice was trembling a bit.

"Why are you acting so weird today...!"

Keep pretending...

But I'm not playing along anymore!

With such a super "lie detector" wife right by his side...

He was going to create an opportunity for his wife!

"Lin. Xiao. You!"

He spoke up directly!

Lin Xiaoyou instantly flinched slightly, her eyes widening, her voice sounding somewhat wronged:

"What's wrong, Senior? Why are you suddenly so angry..."

"Why did you suddenly call me by my full name..."

Fang Qi stared into her eyes:

"This thing today..."

"You're the one behind it, aren't you!"

Lin Xiaoyou looked at him in bewilderment: "Huh? What?"

Still pretending...!

"Tell me, you..."

Fang Qi stared intently into her eyes, emphasizing every single word:

"What. Is. Your. Relationship. With. Dawn. Company?"

The fluorescent lights overhead emitted a faint buzzing sound, exceptionally clear in the silent lobby.

The silver-haired girl tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on Lin Xiaoyou's face, though the flow of crimson in her red eye sped up just a little.

She... was also waiting for Lin Xiaoyou's answer.

Lin Xiaoyou blinked, her almond-shaped eyes... still full of utter bewilderment.

"Senior... what are you talking about?"

She asked subconsciously, her voice still carrying the daze of someone who hadn't processed the situation.

Oh?

Putting on quite the act, huh?

"I said—"

He stared at Lin Xiaoyou, his tone growing heavier!

"Are you the one behind what happened today?!"

"What exactly is your relationship with Dawn Company?!"

Lin Xiaoyou was startled by his sudden fierceness!

Her shoulders shrank back!

But the bewilderment on her face only deepened, her almond eyes widening into perfect circles:

"W-what happened today?"

She tilted her head, her ponytail slanting to one side with it:

"What about today?"

She blinked again, her face full of confusion:

"Dawn Company? What's that? Sounds a bit familiar..."

"Senior... what on earth are you talking about?"

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes, staring at her small face that was written all over with innocence...

And then he laughed.

"Alright, drop the act. I've already seen through it!"

He lowered his voice even further:

"You won't say? Then tell me... why are you here?"

His voice was deep and highly oppressive!

"This mall is so out of the way, this movie theater is so old, what... are you doing running over here? Why did we 'coincidentally' run into each other here?"

Lin Xiaoyou looked even more bewildered.

She blinked her eyes twice...

And then her eyes bulged!

Her small mouth formed an O shape!

Then her cheeks puffed out!

She looked at Fang Qi in disbelief! And then—

"Se—! Nior—!"

She stomped her foot, making loud thumping sounds on the floor!

"What are you talking about!"

She put her hands on her hips, her small chest heaving with anger!

Her eyes were also full of sheer disbelief!

"Wow! Wait, Senior—!"

"You, you, you! You don't... think I'm stalking you, do you!"

She glared at him, her almond eyes perfectly round:

"Senior!! Even though I do like you, Senior, but..."

"I, Lin Xiaoyou, am not the kind of pervert who stalks people, okay!"

She got more riled up as she spoke, her ponytail swishing back and forth behind her head:

"Senior, you're really going too far! To actually suspect me like this!"

"I'm mad! I'm really mad!"

As she spoke, she extended a small hand, poking her index finger in the air again and again as if trying to poke Fang Qi's suspicions right back at him!

"I came here because my best friend works in this old mall!"

"She's the store manager at the Tasty Milk Tea on the first floor! I came over to hang out with her!"

Saying this, she turned around and pointed angrily behind her:

"I just came out of her shop and was about to go window shopping upstairs when I saw you and Liguang coming from over there—"

She turned her finger, pointing in the direction Fang Qi had run from:

"—running out from over there! Running so fast! I was even going to ask what you guys were running from!"

She turned back around, hands on her hips, glaring at Fang Qi:

"And it turns out you just come right up and suspect me!"

"And babbling about some Dawn Company! And me being behind it!"

She paused, the bewilderment floating back onto her face as her small brows furrowed together:

"Dawn Company...? What in the world is that?"

"It sounds so familiar... Oh!"

She clapped her hands together, suddenly realizing:

"Could it be... the company that makes Liguang's brand?"

She tilted her head, blinking her eyes at Fang Qi with a little expression that said, I definitely guessed right, didn't I?

Then she huffed again, both angry and feeling wronged!

"Senior, you're so weird! What kind of relationship could I possibly have with this Dawn Company whatever!"

"I'm your coworker, Senior! My desk is right next to yours!"

"I can't even afford an AI companion like Liguang, so I can't even be their customer... Ahhh, I'm so mad!"

She worked herself up into feeling aggrieved, and her voice even took on a crying tone:

"Senior, you've really gone too far...! Boohoo..."

Fang Qi: "...?"

Ah...?

But after crying for less than two seconds, she suddenly sniffled hard, holding her tears back!

Then, hands on her hips, she glared at Fang Qi:

"No! Senior, you have to apologize to me!"

Her ponytail swayed behind her head, her small face flushed bright red:

"I, Lin Xiaoyou, walk straight and sit upright! I've never done anything like that!"

"On what grounds are you suspecting me?!"

She glared at Fang Qi, looking exactly like a cat with all its fur standing on end!

Fang Qi at this moment... was completely dumbfounded by her combo of reactions.

No, wait...

Is this girl's acting really that good?

He took a deep breath and was just about to speak—

"Master."

A soft and sweet voice suddenly rang out.

Fang Qi turned his head.

The silver-haired girl's gaze had already shifted away from Lin Xiaoyou's face. She was looking at him with her face slightly turned, the little star earrings swaying gently from her earlobes.

She was practically pressed against his body, standing slightly on her tiptoes, her soft red lips moving close to his ear.

Her warm breath brushed against his ear:

"Master."

Her voice was very light, soft and sweet but carrying a trace of seriousness:

"Judging by Miss Lin's heart rate, pupillary constriction, breathing rhythm, and muscle tension..."

"From all her physiological indicators—"

She paused, blinking her heterochromatic eyes, the crimson in her red eye flashing:

"She..."

"Should not be lying."

Fang Qi: "...?"

He froze.

...Huh?