Snuggling for Survival: A Quick Transmigration Tale - Chapter 21

When Li Qing was not speaking, her lips were pressed together tightly without a hint of relaxation. Her eyes were not entirely clear, but they were focused enough to scare Yu Yu half to death.

Being held on Li Qing’s lap like this made Yu Yu feel incredibly apprehensive.

Energy was indeed surging in, but an unfamiliar body temperature was also unceremoniously entangling with her own. Yu Yu had never felt such a direct and visceral gap in their physical sizes.

When standing next to Ye Zi, Yu Yu felt they were roughly the same. Ye Zi had a standard female lead height of 1.6 meters, while she herself was only 1.58 meters.

Fine, even if she admitted she was only 1.58 meters, it was not her fault. This body was constantly falling ill, so it was only natural that she had not developed fully as a child.

But why did Li Qing catch her like a little chick? Even sitting on Li Qing’s lap, she was only just at eye level with her. This was inherently unfair!

Li Qing was the one who was drunk, yet Yu Yu was the one feeling dizzy.

Huffing and wanting to wiggle down, Yu Yu felt a mixture of embarrassment and genuine fear. This person loved Ye Zi so much. If Li Qing realized she had done something like this while intoxicated, she would likely never get over that mental hurdle. The first thing she would do is distance herself from Yu Yu.

Usually, the energy she gained was small, but at least there was a chance for continued contact. If she accidentally did something over the line and caused Li Qing to feel disgust or anger, it would completely cut off her path.

All in all, the risks outweighed the gains.

Staring into Li Qing’s eyes, Yu Yu did not think she could have a rational conversation with a drunk person, but she was terrified that Li Qing might retain some memories after waking up.

Mustering her courage, she shifted slightly, her voice trembling. “You, you are drunk. When you wake up tomorrow, you will regret this.”

Yu Yu felt guilty. The person in front of her remained dazed, the scent of alcohol lingering in the air. It was impossible to tell if she had actually processed the words.

In this position, her feet could not even touch the ground. Yu Yu tried to shuffle away again, but she was quickly stopped. A cold hand grabbed her ankle, followed immediately by the other.

Yu Yu’s scalp went numb. She was too scared to move. “Li Qing?”

The person being called did not answer. Her brow furrowed tightly as if she had realized she was grabbing the wrong place and could not pull Yu Yu back, so she let go.

Taking advantage of that momentary lapse, Yu Yu’s heart tightened. She scrambled down nimbly and, before the person beside her could get angry, she dragged a chair over to sit next to her. Staying close but at a safe distance, her tone softened.

“If there is something making you unhappy, you can talk about it.”

Not quite finished processing the fact that her arms were now empty, Li Qing stared blankly at Yu Yu for a long time.

That gaze fell on Yu Yu, and her small animal instincts immediately flared up. Yu Yu decisively grabbed both of Li Qing’s hands. “It is okay! I can be your most loyal emotional trash can!”

To show her sincerity, Yu Yu blinked her eyes, trying to build up some genuine emotion.

“I know everyone has times when they feel down. I am often like that too. But there has to be a limit to drinking! How about we stop here for today? You go wash your face to clear your head, and then I will take you to bed, okay?”

The tone was perfect, the emotion was perfect. She was the image of a caring older sister. Yu Yu secretly gave herself a thumbs up.

After listening to a whole basket of words, Li Qing remained silent. She just turned her head to look at her, her level of consciousness still a mystery.

Since she could not tell if Li Qing was about to go into a drunk rage, Yu Yu felt a sudden wave of awkwardness. Even holding the other person’s hands felt hot.

But she would be a fool not to take the energy. Even if it was awkward, she would not let go. Who knew when the next great opportunity would be? She had to grab what she could. Either way, she was the one profiting.

Even if Li Qing wanted to sit like this all night, Yu Yu would stay with her.

The two sat in silence for over ten minutes. Yu Yu felt that Li Qing had probably been struck dumb by the alcohol, though she was usually a woman of few words anyway.

But it did not matter. As long as she could hold her hand, silence was fine. While doing this mental preparation, Yu Yu even thought of an explanation for tomorrow.

She would simply say Li Qing was wasted and she was holding her hands to prevent her from doing something foolish. It would perfectly solve the problem of her taking advantage of the situation and earn her a favor from Li Qing.

Beautiful!

Before her wild imagination could finish its journey, Li Qing said softly, “I think, I have fallen in love with my best friend.”

At those words, Yu Yu froze. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she felt a wave of weakness. She had just bragged about being a trash can, but she had no idea how to actually comfort someone.

How was she supposed to solve an emotional entanglement like this?

[Six-Six, has Li Qing told everyone that she likes the female lead?]

[No! In the original plot, she only ever told the female lead. She has not even told her yet, but she is already telling you!]

Yu Yu: “…”

Her legs felt weak from the shock. Yu Yu swallowed hard, trying to untangle the messy ropes of thought in her head. Finally, she could only say awkwardly, “Liking someone is a very normal thing. Why do you have to drink? Drinking is bad for your health.”

Yu Yu almost bit her tongue saying that. The feeling of pretending when she already knew the truth was truly terrifying.

Inside, her heart was screaming: “I know! I know! I know exactly who you like! But you two will never work out! Give up on her! She will only cause you pain! Do not taste the bitterness of love!”

But the words coming out of her mouth were different. Yu Yu felt a surge of guilt. She lowered her small head, feeling utterly awkward and ashamed. She felt she was doing Li Qing a disservice, taking so much of her energy without being able to help her.

After hearing Yu Yu’s words, Li Qing’s eyes cast downward, and she seemed to let out a soft sigh.

Li Qing: “Mhm.”

Then, it became even quieter.

Yu Yu felt even more pained for her. This was the classic beautiful, strong, and miserable female supporting character. Why did she have to love the female lead? How could she possibly compete?

[Six-Six, does the plot have to go this way?]

[There is no strict requirement! We are just cannon fodder. The plot is just a convenience for us to absorb energy. Whether the world breaks down or the plot changes does not affect us.] The system’s initial words were normal, but after a pause, Six-Six began leading Yu Yu toward the edge of a crime. [Host, if you were bad enough, you could just lock her up! Cuddle every day! Put her in a little dark room so she cannot run away! Oh-ho-ho-ho!]

Yu Yu: “…” Thank you for the suggestion, but I do not dare.

Yu Yu even suspected the system was trying to set her up. But Six-Six’s words gave her a new train of thought. Li Qing’s pain all stemmed from liking the female lead. If she stopped liking her, would not the pain disappear?

The theory was great. The logic was flawless!

Yu Yu felt she could help this person who was about to suffer the bitterness of love. It would be a repayment for all the energy she had absorbed. Most importantly, if Li Qing moved on, Yu Yu would have even more opportunities to gain energy.

With that thought, she became more talkative. Yu Yu stared at Li Qing and began to comfort her. “There is more than just one kind of love in this world. If you suffer in romance, you can abandon it and turn to friendship!”

Li Qing froze, looking even more bewildered. Her hand moved, and Yu Yu, fearing she would pull away, gripped it tighter in a panic.

“I want to drink.” With both hands pinned, Li Qing frowned and turned her head toward the alcohol on the table.

Seeing her growing sense of grievance, Yu Yu hesitated for a second. “Do you want me to drink with you?”

“Okay.”

The answer came so fast it caught Yu Yu off guard, and Li Qing pulled her hand away just as quickly. Filling two glasses and handing one to Yu Yu, Li Qing’s voice sounded muffled. “We drink together.”

Yu Yu’s hand trembled as she took the glass.

“Can you not drink?” Leaning her chin on her hand, Li Qing narrowed her eyes and took a sip.

She was actually a bit more sober now, her mind no longer a total blank. Perhaps angry at herself for sharing her secret with Yu Yu, Li Qing’s attitude turned a bit sour. “If you do not want to drink, go to sleep. Do not stay here.”

Yu Yu was stunned. Was she being looked down upon?

Clutching the wine glass, Yu Yu’s eyes felt a bit moist. Li Qing looked at her with disdain. There was a shift in her gaze that Yu Yu could not quite identify.

Hesitantly, she took a sip. A sharp, stinging sensation immediately rushed up, and a strange flavor exploded in her mouth. Having never tasted anything like it, Yu Yu began to cough violently.

“Stop drinking. You are not suited for it.” The air was still thick with the scent of alcohol. Li Qing had become cold again, her voice soft and slightly raspy, yet it reached Yu Yu’s ears with crystal clarity. “There is no reason for you to accompany me.”

This pushy attitude caused Yu Yu’s temper to flare up.

She had only taken a tiny sip before, but now she tilted her head back and downed the entire glass. She could not even taste it, only the burning sting. Holding her breath, tears began to stream from her eyes.

But her tone remained stubborn. With her face and ears turning instant crimson, Yu Yu’s competitive streak was triggered. “I can learn the things I do not know!”

Li Qing laughed, a soft, mocking sound that seemed to dismiss Yu Yu entirely.

“You cannot learn it. Give up. You are not suited for it.”

Seeing her telling her to give up yet again, and despite the burning in her throat, Yu Yu’s temper rose. She felt this person was truly annoying. She was trying to keep her company, yet this was the attitude she got.

“Then will you give up on the person you like? If you do not give up yourself, you have no right to tell me to! You are clearly the one who cannot learn to give up first!”

“Shut up!” Those words felt like they had struck a nerve. The wine glass was slammed onto the table with a thud. Li Qing’s face looked terrible. “What do you know!”

Li Qing: “I admit it! I was a bit loud at that moment!”