After Getting Bound to Both the Protagonist and the Villain at the Same Time - Chapter 9

Lin Chuyi instinctively sensed a trace of danger, yet Gu Mian beside her seemed so utterly harmless.

But what kind of ill intentions could the protagonist possibly have?

Lin Chuyi felt a little baffled. Trusting Gu Mian, she naturally nodded. “Of course. We’ll always be good friends.”

Yet, when the time came, Gu Mian might not feel the same way. She would have her own circle of protagonists.

People like Lin Chuyi, who hated trouble, would naturally keep their distance. Eventually, the two would drift apart, going their separate ways. Lin Chuyi thought.

Gu Mian was the protagonist of this story. The agreement Lin Chuyi had signed with the system, Mengmeng, was merely to give Gu Mian a temporary foothold.

Lin Chuyi and Gu Mian were like two gusts of wind that happened to meet briefly—they would blend together for a while, only to disperse quickly, each returning to where they belonged.

Thinking about their possible upcoming separation, Lin Chuyi felt less resistant to sharing her bed with Gu Mian that night. “You go wash up, I’ll get the bed ready.”

“Will you sleep with me in the inner room tonight?” Gu Mian’s tone carried a hint of anticipation. It was such a simple question, yet Lin Chuyi felt her ears flush and her throat flutter as if brushed lightly by a feather.

Seizing the moment, Gu Mian added, “I want to sleep with you too. Let’s get things ready together.”

“No need. Go wash up. It’s been such a long day—I want to sleep early.”

Lin Chuyi gently pushed Gu Mian toward the washroom, then, startled by the soft, almost sugary sound of her own voice, quickly slipped into the inner room.

Gu Mian watched Lin Chuyi hop lightly off the sofa like a playful little deer. Her long, slender legs, partially hidden under an oversized T-shirt, seemed even longer and straighter, glowing subtly with a delicate sheen.

Gu Mian’s expression deepened. If only she could reach out her throat tightened, and the thought immediately retreated into the shadowed corners of her mind.

She washed up carefully, even washing her hands meticulously.

Looking into the mirror at her nimble, well-defined fingers, Gu Mian admired the hands that had once played the piano. A few inexplicable thoughts arose in her mind.

Glancing at her reflection, she noticed a faint, triumphant glimmer in her eyes—a springtime pride that even caught herself off guard.

Honestly, she didn’t remember the last time she had been this happy. And soon, when she fully regained her parents’ company and could provide Lin Chuyi with a stable life, if Lin Chuyi was willing, she, she wanted to never, ever be apart from her.

Lin Chuyi finished making the bed. She felt no caution toward Gu Mian and leaned against the headboard, playing on her phone while waiting for Gu Mian to finish washing up.

The orange glow from the bedside lamp touched Lin Chuyi’s profile, giving it a gentle warmth. As Gu Mian, damp from washing, passed by, the air around Lin Chuyi seemed to clear and refresh.

Lin Chuyi shifted, letting Gu Mian take the inner, more protected position of the bed.

It seemed to have always been this way, Gu Mian thought. From the very first day they met, Lin Chuyi had been watching over her, intentionally or not, protecting her.

If there was anything she could do for Lin Chuyi now, “If that high schooler needs anything, she can come find me too,” Gu Mian said suddenly, leaning against the headboard.

“Hmm?” Lin Chuyi’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Gu Mian, her surprise tinged with delight.

Gu Mian lowered her gaze awkwardly. “I, I happen to know a lawyer who’s a friend of my parents. Maybe they can offer some help within their capacity.” She turned her head slightly, hiding the expression on her face. She didn’t like Lin Chuyi’s attention wandering to others, but more than that, she didn’t want Lin Chuyi to strain herself over this matter.

Her sister already had her “troubles” to deal with. All that mattered was that her sister focus on her.

“Would this cause you trouble?” Lin Chuyi asked, initially thrilled to hear there was a channel to consult a more professional lawyer, but concern quickly followed.

Gu Mian was still inexperienced, and without the protection of her parents, would approaching those old contacts really be a good idea? Relying on personal favor was ideal, but if help didn’t come, Gu Mian would surely hit a wall.

Lin Chuyi had already positioned herself as Gu Mian’s shield. Gu Mian was her little one—she couldn’t bear to see her stumble.

“I can always look into legal aid myself,” Lin Chuyi said, putting down her phone and tilting her head to look at Gu Mian. Her body leaned slightly toward her, the orange light tracing the smooth curve of her neck and casting shadows along her back, the silhouette so graceful it seemed to imprint itself on Gu Mian’s heart.

Gu Mian’s throat moved as if swallowing something too large. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she forced herself to remain still.

“No need.” Her voice came out husky, carrying a faint rasp. Her throat tightened. “What’s yours is mine.” At that point, Gu Mian’s words faltered. Her thoughts twisted around something intangible, like being caught in the tail of a nine-tailed fox, the space around her charged with a subtle, tantalizing warmth.

Yet on the surface, she stayed disciplined, not daring to inch across the boundary she’d drawn on the bed.

“Then I’ll leave it to my dearest, dearest, dearest Gu Mian to ask around,” Lin Chuyi said, settling on the bed. Her knee brushed the imaginary line Gu Mian had drawn, and Gu Mian couldn’t help but glance down at it.

For reasons neither could understand, Lin Chuyi’s breathing grew both cautious and unconsciously quickened. She crawled under the blanket, leaning against the headboard beside Gu Mian.

Just as Gu Mian’s tension eased slightly, Lin Chuyi let out a small, “Oh?” She looked at Gu Mian’s hand. “I just noticed, your hands are quite pretty. Your fingers are so slender.”

Hands.

Gu Mian tensed instantly. For someone like her, hands were an intimate, private part.

But maybe, for her sister, it wasn’t? Or maybe Lin Chuyi wouldn’t mind such slender hands?

She worried. Had she known Lin Chuyi would comment on her hands today, she would’ve applied a few more layers of hand cream.

“Mm,” she replied softly, lowering her hand to hide it under the blanket.

“They’re really beautiful. Why the sudden gloom?” Lin Chuyi noticed the fleeting dip in Gu Mian’s mood. She reached out and gently held Gu Mian’s hand. The smooth, supple texture startled her for a moment. She examined the hand carefully, noticing the faint scent of hand sanitizer lingering.

Gu Mian’s hands were also commanding. For some reason, the word popped into Lin Chuyi’s mind. They were slender and delicate, yet carried an undeniable authority—like the hands of a potter shaping clay, softening it with just a flick, molding it effortlessly into the desired form.

Lin Chuyi’s heart skipped two beats. Just imagining shaping clay made her pulse quicken.

Gu Mian’s fingers curved, leaving an imprint in Lin Chuyi’s palm that seemed to burn straight into her heart.

Lin Chuyi’s throat tightened.

“Jie,” Gu Mian ventured cautiously, “do you know what it means when someone says another person has pretty hands?”

Lin Chuyi froze, her ears heating uncontrollably.