episode_0007

Xu Nian’s heart skipped a beat.

Damn system.

Where on earth did this “special meal” come from?

Can’t you improvise a little?

Did it really have to be exactly the same as the one Su Qingya made in the simulator?

Now we’re in an awkward spot.

“Uh, well, what’s so strange about it? Aren’t these all dishes you and I love? Cooking should start with the food you enjoy, right? Otherwise, how could anyone muster the enthusiasm to do it? Come on, try some.”

Xu Nian hastily brushed it off, deliberately keeping herself busy as she grabbed a bowl and chopsticks, picked up some fish, and with a faint smile revealing the tips of her little canine teeth, made a show of feeding Su Qingya.

“Here, say ‘ah.’”

Su Qingya didn’t open her mouth right away.

Instead, she went to the kitchen, brought out the dishes she’d kept warm, fetched another set of utensils, and picked up some fish, pretending to feed Xu Nian in return.

“Now you try mine, say ‘ah~’”

Xu Nian inwardly groaned.

Damn it!

Mutual poisoning?

Seeing who cracks first?

If Su Qingya cracks, fine—it’s not like Xu Nian could do anything to her anyway.

But if she’s the one who cracks first?

Snapped wings would be waiting for her.

“Nian Nian, how about we take turns feeding each other?”

Su Qingya pressed closer, relentless.

She even nibbled away the fish Xu Nian had offered, savoring it with the chopsticks still between her lips, unwilling to let go.

“Now it’s your turn, Nian Nian.”

Why does she look completely unfazed?!

Did gaining that special ability also boost her poison resistance way beyond normal people’s?

Then what about me?

I can’t eat this!

System?

System, save me!

But nothing answered Xu Nian’s plea.

Her so-called “system” was just a dumb machine, nothing like those chatty, life-saving systems others had.

Hers didn’t even have a store.

She could rely on no one but herself.

In desperation, Xu Nian scrambled through her past simulation results, hoping to find a solution.

The first and second simulations offered nothing useful, so she turned to the third.

She still had an unclaimed reward.

[1. Chess skills capable of defeating the town’s old masters]

[2. Master lockpicking—any door can be opened]

[3. A potent hallucinogenic dark elixir]

None of these are any help at all!

Suddenly, her gaze snapped to the daily quest.

[To deepen your bond with your girlfriend, pin her down on the bed and kiss her forcefully. Declare in a domineering voice, “Woman, you’ve successfully caught my attention,” then use “Purple Mood” to keep her in bed all day, preventing her from attending tomorrow’s banquet with another.]

Pin my hopes for survival on this…

Wait.

This might actually work.

Xu Nian’s mind was abruptly sparked by the absurdity of the task.

A plan formed in her head.

She opened her mouth as if to swallow the fish Su Qingya was offering but pretended to accidentally knock it off the chopsticks.

“Oops, how clumsy of me. Qingya, can you pick up another piece for me?”

Preempting any reaction from Su Qingya, Xu Nian spoke first, leaving her no room to protest.

“Sure, I’ll get you another piece.”

As Su Qingya turned to pick up more fish,

Xu Nian swiftly wrapped her arms around her from behind—locking her in place.

“Nian Nian, why are you hugging me?”

“Because you’re so soft and smell so nice. I just want to hold you tight. Can’t I?”

“You can, of course you can. Hold me as long as you like.”

Su Qingya’s voice was full of delight at Xu Nian’s sudden affection.

“Mmm… Qingya, do you have plans tomorrow?”

Xu Nian abruptly shifted the topic.

“Plans? Sort of. Why?”

“I want to go to the amusement park with you. Heard there’s a cool new ride. I really wanna try it.”

“The amusement park? Can we… do that the day after? I can spend the whole day with you then. Or if you really want to go tomorrow, I can… make time.”

Su Qingya sounded reluctant.

Just as expected.

Xu Nian guessed “tomorrow’s banquet with another” in the quest referred to the homecoming feast.

An important event—Su Qingya would naturally hesitate to cancel outright.

After all, it involved returning to her birth parents’ home to officially reunite with her roots.

Of course, Xu Nian knew if she pushed even slightly, Su Qingya would drop everything for her.

But how could she execute her reverse-yandere plan?

What inspiration had the daily quest sparked?

Heh~

To convincingly fake a yandere persona, she needed a trigger.

Straight-up acting would seem unnatural.

A flimsy suspicion would suffice—after all, yanderes only need a sliver of doubt to act.

Xu Nian decided to invent an imaginary rival.

Even if none existed, she’d pretend one did.

Just coaxing out the word “invitation” would give her the script to start acting and pressure Su Qingya.

“What are you doing tomorrow, then? Studying at the library? You’re already ranked first in our year—even during summer break, no need to grind that hard.”

“Oh, no. Someone asked me to treat them to a meal. I owe them a favor. It’ll just take lunchtime.”

“Huh?”

Xu Nian suddenly froze, looking up sharply at Su Qingya.

Treat… someone else to a meal?

After a pause, she forced sweetness into her voice.

“Who? A guy or a girl?”

“Mmm, a cold-looking boy. A stranger, really. He said he’d pick the place, but don’t worry—it’s just lunch. I’ll order for him and leave. Won’t take long.”

“Just lunch?” Xu Nian’s chest tightened, her expression twitching.

“Just lunch? Do you hear yourself? A complete stranger, and you’re treating him? Letting him choose the place?!

“I forbid you to go.”

Xu Nian’s face darkened terrifyingly. She buried her expression against Su Qingya’s back. Her once-gently swaying tail went still, and her grip tightened.

“It’s… really nothing. It’d be rude not to go. He saved my life, and I promised to repay him. All he asked was one meal—it’s the least I can do. I should at least show up.”

“Saved your life?” Xu Nian latched onto the key detail. “Explain. Now.”

“Ah, it’s… nothing serious. Nian Nian, let’s eat. The food will get cold.”

Realizing her slip, Su Qingya tried to change the subject.

But for once, frail Xu Nian’s grip was unbreakable. Even the chopsticks were knocked from her hand.

“Qingya… keeping secrets from me now?”

Xu Nian’s tail bristled upright, fur sharp as needles. A low growl and hiss seeped out.

“Nian Nian?”

“Qingya, are you betraying me too? Betrayal always starts with little secrets. That’s how people are—claim they’d never do something, but once they dip a toe in, they’re hooked. First time leads to a million more.”

Rising on her tiptoes, Xu Nian’s voice slithered into Su Qingya’s ear, hot breath scorching the shell again and again.

“Qingya… you’ve been naughty.”