After Getting Bound to Both the Protagonist and the Villain at the Same Time - Chapter 10

“Jiejie,” Gu Mian asked tentatively, “do you know what it means when someone compliments another person’s hands?”

Lin Chuyi froze, her ears inexplicably warming.

“What does it mean?” she asked.

“It, it means.” Gu Mian’s words faltered.

She looked at Lin Chuyi, who still seemed a little naive. In that instant, Gu Mian clearly saw the thin, misty veil that lingered between them—unlifted, fragile, yet allowing them to share joy and sorrow under the guise of being “just good friends.”

But Gu Mian wanted more.

Could wanting something guarantee she could have it? She wasn’t confident enough yet. She was still inexperienced, not strong enough to shield her sister from life’s storms.

Besides, their bond hadn’t reached that level.

At the thought of Lin Chuyi possibly showing even the slightest hint of caution around her, a bitter taste rose on Gu Mian’s tongue.

She lowered her gaze and spoke softly, “It just means your hands are beautiful.”

Gu Mian decided to wait until the day her sister couldn’t imagine being without her, until Lin Chuyi shared the same longing. Only then could she be certain—and only then could they cross the veil without risking separation.

She wanted to stay close to her sister. Longer. For as long as possible.

Her hesitation almost let slip a hint of intimacy, but she caught herself in time.

“Truly, a word from you is better than a thousand others,” Lin Chuyi said, stifling a smile. She released Gu Mian’s hand and turned away. “Time for bed. I’m turning off the light.”

Gu Mian obediently snuggled under the covers. Her hand lingered in the air for a moment, brushing toward the smooth curve of Lin Chuyi’s back, then reluctantly withdrew.

“Okay.”

As soon as she spoke, Lin Chuyi switched off the bedside lamp and slid under the covers beside Gu Mian. The bed wasn’t large, so Gu Mian could feel the faint warmth radiating from Lin Chuyi, as if countless tiny tendrils of heat were gently soothing her frayed nerves.

Darkness enveloped the room, but Gu Mian didn’t feel suffocated. Lin Chuyi was right there beside her.

“Good night, jiejie,” she said, trying to sound calm. The taut string of tension in her chest loosened at Lin Chuyi’s soft reply.

“Good night,” Lin Chuyi answered.

“Don’t forget you have plans with Shen Qing tonight,” System 0927’s voice slipped into the dark, hovering in front of Lin Chuyi. Only the faint shimmer of its outline betrayed its presence.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Lin Chuyi said. “I’ll wait until Gu Mian is asleep.”

Since Lin Chuyi was bound by a contract with 0927, they could communicate freely in her mind. If Mengmeng or 0927 left temporarily, she could still summon them mentally.

She hadn’t told Gu Mian about Shen Qing’s arrangements—partly because Mengmeng had warned that revealing too much could affect her points, partly because there hadn’t been the right moment. Lin Chuyi thought it best to first arrange a meeting between Gu Mian and Shen Qing. Meeting face-to-face would likely make acceptance easier for both.

“Shen Qing is part of your work too,” 0927 reminded her. “She’s waiting for you.”

“Why do you speak so stiffly?” Mengmeng popped up, its childish, playful personality making it naturally sweet.

“I’m working,” 0927 said, precise and formal, just as its name suggested.

“Fine, fine,” Mengmeng bounced lightly in the air. “Give yourself some off-time. How about I take you out to explore this world? I sneak out to play when the host is asleep.”

Lin Chuyi glanced at Mengmeng, who quickly lowered her voice in embarrassment. “Occasionally, occasionally.”

Lin Chuyi smiled. “Go ahead, take 0927 with you. I’m here, nothing will happen.”

“Don’t worry!” Mengmeng grabbed 0927’s hand. “Chuyi’s reliable. Nothing’s ever gone wrong inside. The points we get from taking care of the host are always above average!”

0927 paused, then finally relented to Mengmeng’s pleading. “She’s been waiting for you.”

Unlike before, this wasn’t a purely businesslike statement. 0927 seemed to notice this, drifting away slightly, then ultimately left with Mengmeng.

Lin Chuyi lay back, listening to Gu Mian’s breathing gradually even out.

“Gu Mian?” she murmured softly. Gu Mian, drowsy and half-asleep, responded with a faint murmur.

She wasn’t fully asleep yet.

Lin Chuyi lay quietly for a while longer, waiting.

For some reason, sneaking off to see Shen Qing while Gu Mian slept brought a strange thrill—a mix of guilt and excitement that sharpened her senses in the dark.

She could hear Gu Mian’s gentle, even breaths, feel the warmth in each exhale.

Was it time?

Lin Chuyi slowly slid one leg out from under the covers, then her hand, and then half her body.

Lin Chuyi’s heart wouldn’t stop racing. Even the slightest hitch in Gu Mian’s breathing sent her nerves taut, like strings pulled to the breaking point.

She felt like a thief trying to steal a gem from a laser-guarded vault—every thin, crisscrossing beam slicing the space into narrow, terrifying corridors. She had to move with extreme caution, observing everything around her, if she wanted to succeed.

“Mm.” Just as Lin Chuyi was about to slide out from under the covers, Gu Mian mumbled something unconsciously by her pillow. Lin Chuyi froze instantly.

Only when Gu Mian’s breathing returned to its steady rhythm did Lin Chuyi softly test, “Gu Mian?”

No response—her breaths were calm and even.

Lin Chuyi let out a long, quiet sigh. She tiptoed out of bed, feeling the chill of the room. She slipped on a pair of loose-waist pants over her oversized T-shirt, her movements careful and deliberate as she opened—and quietly closed—the bedroom door, then the living room door. Once outside, she gently knocked on the door next door.

Shen Qing opened it far quicker than Lin Chuyi expected, as if she had been waiting there all along.

When Shen Qing saw Lin Chuyi, her eyes lit up.

Lin Chuyi was dressed simply in an oversized T-shirt and loose pants, yet the simplicity added an unexpected warmth. Her black hair fell like silk, catching the light just enough to give her a gentle, calming aura that immediately eased Shen Qing’s sharp edges.

Shen Qing instinctively bit her lip, feeling a tiny shiver of pleasant pain, and finally whispered, “Jie.”

Shen Qing’s room was stark and bare compared to Lin Chuyi’s, furnished only with a folding bed and a simple desk. Her recent injury had made things even harder.

But Shen Qing had grown accustomed to endurance and silence. She never spoke of her hardships—before, no one listened; now, she feared causing worry.

And yet, Shen Qing was quietly content with her life—because she had a sister now.

She repeated the word in her mind. “Jie” Even saying it aloud made her tongue tingle with sweetness.

“You’ve been waiting for me?” Lin Chuyi asked, noticing the faint marks along Shen Qing’s back from leaning against the wall. She stepped closer and smoothed out the folds in Shen Qing’s clothes. “Were you standing at the door this whole time after I left this afternoon?”

Lin Chuyi’s warm hand brushed against Shen Qing’s spine. Shen Qing felt it as a brief spark, her throat rolling with unsaid words, but she didn’t deny Lin Chuyi’s observation.

“I’m sorry—I didn’t think this through,” Lin Chuyi said, realizing she’d assumed Shen Qing could handle everything on her own, forgetting that she was still a student who needed care.

“It’s already fine.” Shen Qing had wanted to say that, but seeing Lin Chuyi’s concerned gaze linger on her made her hesitate. She pressed her lips together, saying nothing, wanting that gaze to stay a moment longer.

“Have you eaten dinner?” Lin Chuyi asked.

“Yes, some bread I bought at the supermarket earlier,” Shen Qing replied, remembering the sweet, milky toast. “It was really good.”

“We’ll get some more things for your place later,” Lin Chuyi said. System 0927 had been right—Shen Qing was now truly her responsibility.

And Lin Chuyi intended to protect Shen Qing fully, to take responsibility for her. “Once this stage of things is settled, we’ll see if we can make life better.”

Better.

Shen Qing felt the tiniest glimmer of hope for the future Lin Chuyi painted. Could someone like her really deserve something better? She didn’t know.

She felt like a child abandoned by the world, constantly hit by incomprehensible misfortunes. She had forgotten how she grew up, as years bled into each other: bullied, seeking help, only to receive empty criticism while retaliation fell heavier on her.

No one had ever told Shen Qing that she was worthy of love.

All around her were demons, and the only sky she could see was narrow and shrouded in mist. She knew asking for help wouldn’t bring peace, and silence only drew her deeper into the swamp. That’s why she had once clenched a piece of bloodied glass in her hand.

The world wouldn’t get better. Shen Qing gripped the glass tighter, her face impassive.

Did it hurt? Yes.

But soon, when she was with those people in hell, it wouldn’t hurt anymore.

Just as she was about to strike with the glass, a gentle hand reached toward her.

Shen Qing’s eyes moistened for the first time in a long while, as if a long-dry river inside her had started to flow again.

She was already grateful.

But why did she want more?

Jie.

“I have money,” Shen Qing said, her dry throat struggling. “I can help buy it too.”

Shen Qing had a scholarship and some allowances—not much, but it was all she could offer.

She finally understood why she had always saved every penny.

It was for this moment, to build a small home with the person in front of her.

A home.

She was going to have a home.

Shen Qing looked at Lin Chuyi, anxiously handing over the tightly-hidden bankbook.

Lin Chuyi had meant to refuse, but when she met the light in Shen Qing’s eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.

“Alright,” Lin Chuyi said. “We’ll do it together.”