Unwilling to Accept Reality: Lonely Autumn

Whirr!

In the quiet, deserted street.

One by one, black vortexes appeared.

Plop! Plop! Plop!

Bai Jun and the others fell like dumplings, one after another.

"Huh?!"

"What happened?"

"Are we saved?"

Liu Jianxing was baffled. Just moments ago, they were on the brink of death, weren't they? Who saved them?

And then, that timid voice echoed in their ears once more.

"Um... are you guys okay?"

"I know some healing techniques. Should I help you?"

"Oh... of course, if you don't need it, that's fine too..."

"Sor... sorry... did I say too much? I hope I'm not bothering you... I mean, I'm not really good at making friends..."

Bai Jun and the others looked stunned and turned their heads. There stood two figures.

One was like a blood-red rose in the night, exuding an intoxicating yet deadly beauty.

The other seemed awkward and uneasy, her eyes flickering away whenever she met their gaze, her hands nervously twisting together.

These two were none other than Mei Xue and You Xingxue.

Shangguan Miaoyin glanced at them and felt a surge of annoyance.

How annoying! It's always Mei Xue! Why does she keep showing up everywhere?!

Bai Lian, too, felt the same. Despite pretending to be a lifeless corpse, she recognized Mei Xue and the new girl.

How typical. Mei Xue always gets to show off.

Bai Jun didn't know who these two were, but he at least understood that they were the ones who saved them. So, he stood up and bowed, thanking them.

"Thank you for saving us. May I ask your names?"

Hearing this, Mei Xue pondered for a moment before replying, "I'm Mei Xue, and she's You Xingxue."

"No need for thanks. The Night is our common enemy."

"With its resurgence, the more strength we have, the better the chances of survival."

"For world peace, we should unite."

At these words, Bai Jun felt relieved, understanding that they were on the same side.

So, he forced a wry smile. "Sorry, it's kind of ironic. We've been on high alert for days."

"Yet we were still caught off guard by the Night King. If you hadn’t helped, we’d all be dead."

Mei Xue glanced at Murong Ci and the others, who pretended they didn’t know each other.

Hmm... They probably wouldn’t have died there.

However, this fake Night plot did bring a pleasant surprise.

After all, her master’s task was to infiltrate the righteous faction.

And the last thing Gu Yan had asked her was to save anyone still breathing.

So... She subtly glanced at the unconscious marionette Gu Yan lying on the ground.

This way, I’ve not only saved you and completed the fifth task but also fulfilled my master’s orders.

As for Deng Feng, as the heir of the Black Tortoise Gate, he certainly wasn’t worth saving.

This was hitting three birds with one stone. My master would definitely praise me highly!

And I can also get Gu Yan to reveal the whereabouts of my brother.

Once I find out, I’ll immediately report Gu Yan’s true nature to my master! Then I’ll dispose of this dangerous guy right away!

Thinking this, Mei Xue nodded subtly on the outside and looked at You Xingxue. "Go heal them."

"Oh..."

You Xingxue, a bit nervous, walked over.

She began treating everyone.

Because of her unique ability, she could learn any technique by watching it once.

There...

She looked at the injured marionette Gu Yan.

A hint of impatience flashed in her heart.

Now, it's time to ask Gu Yan for information about my brother!

....

....

The next morning, at the Leng Family estate.

The room was enveloped in the gentle, translucent light of dawn, resembling a thin layer of gauze. On a spacious and plush bed, Leng Qingqiu’s black hair cascaded like a waterfall, gently falling on the pristine pillow. Her serene sleeping face, with long eyelashes lightly fluttering, seemed to dance in the gentle breeze.

A subtle soreness in her back and shoulders spread softly within her, and Leng Qingqiu awoke lazily in this cozy morning.

"Mmm~~~ Why does my body feel so sore?"

Leng Qingqiu stretched lazily, her face, still half-asleep, showing a youthful charm. The drowsiness in her eyes was like drops of lingering dew, exuding a pure and endearing look.

Slowly, she sat up, her graceful posture unhurried, her black hair swaying gently with the motion. She then walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and immersed herself fully in the warm, vibrant morning light.

She opened the window.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she felt the gentle caress of the breeze........

But... after one, two, three seconds...

Leng Qingqiu's extraordinary memory, already superior to that of a normal person, began to gradually piece together a rather absurd and embarrassingly vivid recollection.

As time passed, those fragments of memories seemed to be activated by some mysterious force, surging into her consciousness.

"Huh?!!!!"

Her eyes snapped open, her hands clutching tightly at the curtains. She felt her palms wet and her body trembling uncontrollably.

Leng Qingqiu’s cheeks immediately flushed a faint peach color, which deepened into a vivid crimson, eventually turning as fiery and obvious as the flames themselves.

Her lips clamped tightly as she spoke in a hushed, embarrassed, and uncertain tone.

"Wait... Wait... Did I... Did I do something to Gu Yan last night?"

Leng Qingqiu’s heart pounded like a frenzied drum.

Those memories—her sudden emotional outburst, her tantrums and cooing, even her reckless cuddling and nibbling—how could she ever have acted like that?!

"No... Impossible..."

"Absolutely impossible!"

She mumbled to herself, unwilling to admit such a loss of composure.

Covering her face, she tried to push those absurd images back into the depths of her mind.

"Ha... ha.... It must be fake, it's all a dream, everything is..."

She attempted to convince herself, but the turmoil within her couldn’t be calmed.

At that moment.

【Don’t overthink it. It’s all true. You were quite bold last night, other me】

Xiao Leng’s voice suddenly resonated in her mind. Her words were light, but they hit Leng Qingqiu like a heavy hammer.

!!!

No way?! Did you mean it?!

"Did you control my body?"

"Answer me, Xiao Leng! There's no way I would’ve done such things!"

"It must be because you wanted to consume Gu Yan’s essence! So, you controlled me! It’s all your fault!"

Leng Qingqiu began rambling incoherently.

But unlike usual, Xiao Leng, who would usually counter back, remained oddly silent, answering——

【You’re right】

!!!

Upon hearing this, Leng Qingqiu was utterly defeated. Both ashamed and furious, she lashed out at Xiao Leng.

"What do you mean, 'I'm right'! I couldn’t possibly have done such things!"

"What about my image? How am I supposed to face Gu Yan? How would he see me?"

"It’s all over..... Waaahhhh!!! Everything’s ruined!"'

"My ice queen image!!"

Watching Leng Qingqiu, now completely broken, crying without any decorum, Xiao Leng came to realize just how much her other self had been altered by Gu Yan.

Just what kind of sorcery does this incubator possess? How could he influence her other self to such an extent?

Heh, I’m getting more and more eager to meet you.

And just then.

A message suddenly appeared in Leng Qingqiu’s mind.

It was from Shangguan Miaoyin, giving a report on the outcome of the fake Night incident.

...

...

A few minutes later, Leng Qingqiu had sorted through everything.

At the same time, she found herself feeling a bit lost.