The Second Fall - Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Confession

Did the phone have a virus? Automatically accepting friend requests?

Or was she just clumsy this morning—thinking she had turned off the screen when she actually pressed “Accept”?

Lan Cixing doubted her phone, she doubted the network, and she doubted herself. The only person she didn’t doubt was Rong Yushu, who had just held her phone.

She was just about to enter the interface to delete the friend again when the phone began to vibrate continuously. Lan Cixing was forced back into the chat box with An Yu, intending to scold her for sending so many vibration alerts.

Instead, she saw a continuous stream of red envelopes. About a dozen of them. The number was still increasing; in the two seconds it took Lan Cixing to react, the old red envelopes had already been pushed to the top, replaced by new ones.

“Stop! I said I wouldn’t accept your red envelopes! And I didn’t intend to accept your friend request. Did you hack my phone to pass the request?”

Lan Cixing typed hurriedly. In the time it took to send those few words, An Yu sent two more red envelopes. Once the message went through, the red envelope rain finally stopped. Lan Cixing finally had some peace.

She didn’t even need to open them to know that each red envelope from An Yu contained 52,000 yuan. With dozens of red envelopes, it was another few million. Exactly which rich woman was so detestable—impersonating Rong Yushu, baiting her for information, and tricking her into doing reckless things?

Lan Cixing sat in her chair in a huff, reflexively crushing the plastic water bottle next to her.

“Hmm? Finally willing to reply to me. I thought you had softened your heart and accepted it yourself. Are you still unwilling to forgive Sister?”

An Yu typed very fast. When the message arrived, Lan Cixing’s anger hadn’t dissipated; she let out a cold “Heh” and sent back a meme.

“No need for that. An Yu, we’ve both laid our cards on the table, so let’s stop pretending.” Lan Cixing offered a brief explanation.

Even after a gulp of cold water, her anger wouldn’t subside. She really didn’t want to chat with An Yu.

“Which matter are you referring to?” An Yu seemed to know they had accidentally confessed a lot yesterday.

To be precise, Lan Cixing was the one who accidentally confessed. An Yu hadn’t said anything.

“The online dating thing. I am not the person you were dating online before. That was my younger sister, and the game account belongs to her too. You flirted with my sister while she was still in school and confused her. I only added you because I was angry and wanted revenge.”

“You’re really scum. How could you lay a hand on such a young girl and even open a “Dual Cultivation” space? Do you have no shame?”

Lan Cixing went all out, venting everything she had almost forgotten in one go. She expected An Yu to delete her. Instead, she only received a question mark.

“But, the person dating your sister wasn’t me either. This game account belongs to my cousin. She’s still in high school.”

An Yu’s new message triggered a brainstorm for Lan Cixing. The next sentence made her stop moving entirely.

“I knew the person had changed. You and your sister are nothing alike. The person I’ve wanted to chat with has always been you.”

“I know you can’t wrap your head around this immediately. Think about it carefully; I’ll be quiet for five minutes. You said before that you weren’t a student and were working. I wouldn’t get the wrong person.”

After that, An Yu really stopped messaging. Only Lan Cixing kept opening the keyboard, then scrolling up the chat box. After repeating this a dozen times, she finally exhaled, understanding An Yu’s meaning.

It turned out An Yu was just like her—acting on behalf of a sister involved in “early love” or online dating to test the sister’s online partner. It turned out they were both the older sisters of the original account holders.

What a massive blunder. Then, what were the dreams she had before? Lan Cixing pressed her temples, trying to suppress the throbbing pain. She took a deep breath, deciding not to think about the dreams for now; she needed to clear things up with An Yu first.

“You… you aren’t the person who liked “me”, so why are you so good to me, flirting and sending money, even saying you want to pursue me?”

Lan Cixing’s interactions with An Yu had always been based on the assumption that An Yu was the one dating Lan Bairan and that there was a foundation of feelings. But now An Yu was telling her she knew they were complete strangers. That made An Yu’s behavior even more suspicious.

Could it be that An Yu was someone she knew in real life? Someone like… Sheng Yuexiao?

“I was bored. Just having fun, why take it so seriously?” An Yu used the simplest words to brush it off without leaving a flaw.

Lan Cixing covered her face. She had forgotten that An Yu was a “rich second generation” who could casually give her millions as pocket money without a hint of regret, only feeling sorry that she wouldn’t accept it. A rich second generation who didn’t care about the family business was naturally bored and lacked emotional value; it was perfectly normal for them to flirt with someone online just for fun.

Lan Cixing was actually convinced by An Yu, and she wanted to give her indecisive brain a smack. Was she just going to believe whatever An Yu said? She couldn’t be so gullible.

“How am I supposed to believe you? What if you’re actually that scum Alpha who bullied my sister and you’re just acting with me?”

An Yu sent another red envelope.

“If I were a minor, I probably wouldn’t be able to send you this many red envelopes, right? School starts in two days in September; you can observe if I’m around or not.”

An Yu didn’t push her. Instead, she gave Lan Cixing time to believe her. It felt like a guide. Lan Cixing stared at the screen for a while but couldn’t see any trap waiting for her.

“No need for that. I have no intention of pursuing a relationship with you.” If she were to date, it couldn’t be online; that was too boring. Lan Cixing sent a look-of-disdain meme. Then she thought, even with a real person offline, she didn’t really want to date.

Lan Cixing breathed deeply, and a faint scent of white tea drifted out of her body. She jolted, suppressing the most ridiculous thought. She really just didn’t want to date—anyone.

As if anticipating that Lan Cixing would delete her again, An Yu’s messages popped up quickly. This time, it was a sort of threat. “Aren’t you afraid that if I’m bored, I’ll go back and flirt with your sister?”

Lan Cixing’s face soured. She really was afraid of that. She wasn’t at home now, and her sister’s school hadn’t started yet; she was playing all day without a care in the world. What if this pervert An Yu had nothing to do and went back to add Lan Bairan? Then wouldn’t her month-long undercover work be for nothing?

Lan Cixing stayed for the time being and didn’t delete An Yu. But she didn’t plan to respond to her either. She went straight into the bathroom to wash up.

Fifteen minutes later. Lan Cixing emerged from the bathroom drying her hair and picked up her phone, intending to see if her dear boss had sent her any messages. Upon opening it, she saw a photo from An Yu.

The face wasn’t in the shot, only half of her body. She was wearing tight clothes, seemingly in a dance studio, sitting in a chair and taking a photo of her back in the mirror. Her figure was exquisite, curvy in all the right places. The lines were hot enough to burn the eyes. Her skin was moist, with beads of sweat clinging to it.

The atmosphere was as intimate as a boudoir photo—a complete implication.

“This should prove I’m not a minor, right?” An Yu sent the message just as if she had timed Lan Cixing’s shower perfectly. This explanation added a layer of “decency” to the photo, which actually made it feel even more erotic.

Lan Cixing’s face flushed hot. Her fingers instinctively typed a response, but after seeing what she had written, she hurriedly withdrew it.

“Good daughter.” An Yu didn’t let her off easily.

“Play with Mommy properly, don’t think about acting rebellious anymore.”

A voice message played automatically. The voice was elegant and familiar. Combined with the look in the photo, Lan Cixing’s brain automatically assigned a face to it.

Rong Yushu’s face.

Lan Cixing’s phone dropped to the floor. Her body trembled as she crouched down to pick it up. An Yu’s figure was so similar to Rong Yushu’s. The voice was, too.

“Do Shushu and I look that much alike? You mistook me before.” A while later, An Yu’s message popped up while Lan Cixing was reviewing the dating show materials sent by Rong Yushu.

She paused, actually intending to ask exactly what was going on, and entered the chat box.

“The matching moles on the shoulder and collarbone. How could you have them too? Are you related to Shushu?”

“That, huh.” An Yu sent a new screenshot.

In the screenshot, “Rong Yushu” was leaning back in a hot spring, wrapped in a towel, looking enchanting. If zoomed in, it was indeed exactly as An Yu had shown in the photo that day. Lan Cixing recognized the UI around the screenshot; it was actually the game they had been playing.

“Taken in the game. Isn’t it impressive? No wonder you mistook me; I’m just your 2D Shushu. How am I doing as a body double?”

Lan Cixing fell silent. She was almost laughed in anger at the blunder she had caused.

“This damn game is in high-definition now?” After basically confirming that An Yu wasn’t the scum Alpha who bullied her sister, Lan Cixing’s attitude improved slightly. In the past, she would have fought with An Yu for three hundred rounds and then given her the cold shoulder.

“High-definition photography scenes unlock at 18,888 yuan. I bought you the gift pack, but since you haven’t been online these past few days, I had to try it out myself.”

Lan Cixing counted the cost of the gift pack and felt like collapsing. She knew this damn game was a money sink.

“We aren’t dating anymore, so there’s no need to send me money for gift packs. I’m not my silly sister; I can’t comfortably let an outsider buy me this and that.” Lan Cixing finally tried to stop her.

Before, when she was set on getting revenge on this “scum Alpha,” she could accept An Yu’s transfers and gift packs with a clear conscience. Now that the misunderstanding was cleared, Lan Cixing had her own principles.

“I’m happy to do it. It’s just small change.”

After reading An Yu’s explanation, Lan Cixing took back what she just said. She shouldn’t have shown any kindness to a rich second generation!

She happened to be free tonight. Lan Cixing prepared to play some ranked matches with An Yu, and while she was at it, check out what this high-definition mode was all about.

Before entering the game, Lan Cixing switched to the chat box with Lan Bairan.

“Xiao Ran, you don’t have a new online dating partner lately, do you?” Lan Cixing thought that since An Yu wasn’t the scum Alpha from her dream, the timeline for that event might not have arrived yet. She had to stay vigilant about the people around Lan Bairan.

“Sis, I really don’t. I broke up with the last one and deleted them; I’m studying hard!”

Having gone forever without her sister’s attention, Lan Bairan had been playing quite wildly. Suddenly seeing Lan Cixing’s message, she jumped up and looked around, letting out a sigh of relief once she confirmed her sister wasn’t there. She indeed wasn’t dating online.

But she was currently at her best friend’s house. On the bed. Lan Bairan swallowed hard. Luckily, her sister didn’t ask for a video call.

After entering the game and finishing the ranked matches, carrying An Yu to the first rank of the “Void Refining” stage, Lan Cixing finally clicked into the high-definition mode An Yu had unlocked for her.

It seemed to be a recent update. The mall was stacked with gift packs. This high-definition mode had about a dozen scenes to choose from, and each one cost extra. An Yu had given Lan Cixing the basic version. Since she wasn’t a dating partner anymore, Lan Cixing didn’t complain about An Yu being stingy and clicked in.

The basic version was the hot spring. Lan Cixing controlled her character, walking around, but she couldn’t see anything special. She tried moving the character to the edge of the hot spring; there was an interaction button, and when she clicked it, the screen went black.

After a half-minute load, a high-definition close-up of “Rong Yushu” appeared on the screen. Now it was truly clear. The modeling quality was excellent. The close-up was clearer than reality; she could see the skin texture, the fine downy hair, and the clinging water droplets. Even the eyelashes were individual strands. Lan Cixing zoomed in a bit and could see the water sticking to the tips of the lashes.

The damn game might be a money sink, but the money was indeed spent on improving game quality. Lan Cixing hadn’t heard of any other game with this level of modeling.

Taking advantage of the fact that Rong Yushu couldn’t see her, she blushed and scrolled down. She truly saw “Rong Yushu’s” neck and collarbone. The high-definition mode wasn’t adult-oriented after all; it seemed it could only show up to there. It didn’t quite match An Yu’s description. Lan Cixing assumed she just didn’t have enough “money power” to unlock more.

Looking at the collarbones was enough. Ordinarily, where would Lan Cixing get the courage to look at the real Rong Yushu like this? Her breathing quickened slightly as her fingertips brushed the game screen. Others could only look. But she had actually touched Rong Yushu’s skin. And kissed it.

The exquisite sensation flowed from her memory to her fingertips, lingering on her lips. Lan Cixing couldn’t help but take a screenshot, wanting to go back and look at “Rong Yushu’s” lips and eyes again. The modeling was just modeling, after all; it was a bit different from the real-life Rong Yushu. Lan Cixing wanted to adjust the model to bring it as close to the real person as possible.

Just then, the door was knocked open. Lan Cixing flipped the tablet face down to open the door. Her face was still burning.

Rong Yushu leaned against the doorway, observing Lan Cixing’s red earlobes. She arched a fox-like eyebrow, her smile carrying a hint of mockery.

“What were you doing to get so hot? Could it be that you’re listening to Yan Siyi and treating your gland?” They both knew the subtext.

Lan Cixing turned even redder, the color staining the whites of her eyes, turning them into pools of spring water. She really had been “treating her gland” just now.

“No wonder you closed the door on me. And here you said you were protecting me.”

Rong Yushu walked into Lan Cixing’s room, showing absolutely no awareness that she shouldn’t disturb Lan Cixing’s “treatment.” Hearing this, Lan Cixing looked down at the door lock. She remembered she hadn’t locked it; could it be that her door was the type that locked automatically upon closing?

By the time she finished pondering the lock, Rong Yushu was already sitting on her bed, picking up her tablet. Lan Cixing was too late to stop her. Rong Yushu saw the image in the game.

“I didn’t expect… that you love me so much. You even use my image to treat your gland. Is this that adult game you were playing before?”

High-definition mode was single-player only. An Yu only knew Lan Cixing was online but couldn’t see what she was doing. So, she had come.

Rong Yushu pursed her lips and scrolled up and down before Lan Cixing could kneel. She saw “her own” collarbones and the two matching moles at the end. Rarely did anyone notice where she had moles on her body. Lan Cixing’s observation had always been meticulous; she was a natural-born actor. Rong Yushu knew this, and the smile in her eyes grew wider.

“No, it’s not…” Lan Cixing’s foot really slipped, and she knelt before Rong Yushu. Luckily the rug in her room was soft; even kneeling so abruptly, her knees wouldn’t be injured.

“You don’t like me?” Rong Yushu put down the tablet and met Lan Cixing’s eyes. The fox-eyes were devoid of true emotion, the hidden smile turning into a sort of teasing.

Lan Cixing slowly retracted her neck, curling into a small ball. Originally, when kneeling, she still looked quite large, but at this moment, she truly became a puppy lying beside Rong Yushu. She whimpered without speaking.

Rong Yushu raised her foot and poked Lan Cixing’s chin. “Can you not answer my questions anymore?” Her tone was slightly stern. Like a master’s command.

“It’s not an adult game,” Lan Cixing hurriedly explained. Her chin just happened to press against Rong Yushu’s toes. A slight scratching sensation brushed her chin. Lan Cixing leaned back, happening to look up into Rong Yushu’s eyes.

The puppy’s watery eyes were sparkling. Rong Yushu withdrew her foot.

“But this person is only wearing a bathrobe and is about to soak in a hot spring.” She held the game interface in front of Lan Cixing. The zoomed-in position was even more excessive than Lan Cixing’s.

Lan Cixing almost fainted looking at it.

“Th-th-this is that game your little assistant cousin is playing. It’s not adult-oriented.” He Lanli was Rong Yushu’s cousin. Everyone had a cousin. He Lanli was indeed “keeping fish” online; Lan Cixing had personally seen several of her “harem.”

Coincidences flashed in Lan Cixing’s mind, making her suddenly sober up a bit, her gaze turning suspicious. Were they really not the same person?

But Rong Yushu was no longer looking at her; she was zooming in on the game interface, “admiring” herself in the game—the face Lan Cixing had molded.

“This doesn’t match at all. The face, the features… and my figure isn’t that bad.” She was quite disdainful of the version of herself that Lan Cixing had molded.

“Do you want to adjust it while looking at the real thing?” She let out a soft laugh and reached for her collar.

“No need!” Lan Cixing panicked and lunged to grab the tablet from Rong Yushu’s hand. She accidentally tripped. Lan Cixing thought her balance wasn’t that bad; she didn’t notice her knee had been tripped by Rong Yushu.

She fell onto the bed and was subsequently caught by Rong Yushu. Her hands and feet were both restrained. Lan Cixing lost the ability to think, the tablet still gripped in her hand. Rong Yushu had already bitten her ear.

“After looking at me for so long, you still adjusted it so poorly. When you were… before, did you not look at me closely?”

The sentence was close to a breath, the voice very light. It was ambiguous and seductive, yet it unexpectedly reminded Lan Cixing of the deep, bubbly voice An Yu used yesterday to prove she was an “Alpha.”

She bit her lip and turned her head, wanting to see Rong Yushu’s eyes. She needed eye contact to know what Rong Yushu really meant, but she couldn’t move.

“Let Sister help you adjust it properly.” Rong Yushu was not to be refused.

Lan Cixing was imprisoned in Rong Yushu’s embrace. Even after she started sweating, Rong Yushu wouldn’t let go, insisting on holding her. She wanted her to watch as she moved the model in the game.

Rong Yushu’s movements were quite practiced. She didn’t even make the mistakes a novice would make; she knew how to adjust the angles to stretch the details. The more Lan Cixing watched, the more confused she became. The dizzier she got, the more she heard a voice in her heart.

Could Rong Yushu have played this game before? But back in the entertainment circle, Lan Cixing wanted to get Rong Yushu into it, and Rong Yushu had refused her on the grounds of being busy with work. Could it have happened in these four years? But in these four years, Rong Yushu had even more work, with non-stop roles, almost seamless transitions between sets. Where would she find time to play games?

As she thought, Lan Cixing spaced out, her gaze becoming stagnant. Rong Yushu rested her head on her shoulder, noticed this from her peripheral vision, and quietly clicked something. She moved fast, finishing the click before Lan Cixing came to. Then she stuffed the tablet back into Lan Cixing’s arms and pinched her ear.

“There, good girl. You’re the only one who has seen my… next time you aren’t allowed to mold me poorly; it’s embarrassing for me.”

After an accidental nip, she finally let go of Lan Cixing and got off her bed. Lan Cixing dropped the tablet, not even looking at the adjustments Rong Yushu had made. Her whole body was hot and dizzy; she instinctively grabbed the hem of Rong Yushu’s shirt.

She had heard the “only one” line. She heard Rong Yushu’s almost doting tone. She heard that affectionate “good girl.”

She wanted to keep up with Rong Yushu. Not to be separated tonight. Lan Cixing became Rong Yushu’s little shadow again. After being held by her for dozens of minutes, she subconsciously followed her.

They had reached the bedroom door when Rong Yushu finally turned, pinched Lan Cixing’s hand, and leaned over.

“What is it, good girl? Following so closely. Do you miss me?”

Lan Cixing grew hotter, her eyes watery, her voice trembling. “I miss you…” Then she awkwardly tried to issue an invitation. “Didn’t you say you wanted me to stay with you…” She didn’t say the word “sleep.”

But how could Rong Yushu not understand? She watched this little brat forget her own name after being given some candy and suddenly burst into laughter. She poked her finger between her eyebrows.

“You come when you want to, and when you don’t, I can’t even call you. On what basis?” With a gentle push, she sent Lan Cixing out of her room.

Lan Cixing faced the door that blew a gust of white tea scent in her face, circles appearing above her head. Was she just rejected? But wasn’t it Rong Yushu who had initiated it before, wanting to sleep together? Rarely had she come around tonight, wanting to be with Rong Yushu…

Lan Cixing’s heart tightened; she actually began to dwell on this matter. This was not good. She shook her head; what if Rong Yushu’s meaning was just that she didn’t want her?

Lan Cixing silently moved back to her room and saw that the game interface on the tablet was still open. She pouted as she went to close it, only to find a message from An Yu.

“Baby, you finally came around and sent me a request to become Daoist partners.”

On the screen was clearly the invitation she had sent over:

I want to become Daoist partners with you~

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