"Big Sis... what are you doing...?" Chu Chu's voice sounded by their ears, startling the two who were entwined. Chu Lian immediately grabbed a blanket to cover herself and Liu Yanran, lifting her head to look at Chu Chu's faint silhouette, half-lit by the lightning outside the window, and asked awkwardly, "Chu Chu, what are you doing here so late?"
Chu Chu stepped forward. Something seemed to brush against her foot. She bent down to pick it up, and by the dim light, she saw a gorgeous long blade gleaming with a chilling sheen, mysterious patterns etched along its edge, radiating a heart-stirring aura.
Gripping the blade, she looked at Chu Lian—who was beginning to panic—and murmured, "Chu Chu... Chu Chu... Chu Chu was so worried about Big Sis, so worried. I wanted so much to share my discovery with you. I wanted so much for you to know my joy. I wanted so much for you to understand that I've already figured out your feelings. I wanted—so, so, so much—for you to know how happy I am... happier than when Big Sis kisses me..."
"And yet... I ran into this scene instead..."
As she spoke, she slowly advanced with the blade in hand. Her solitary figure and the cold gleam of the weapon looked especially chilling amidst the thunder and rain.
With her keen eyesight, Chu Lian could even see the gray, lifeless emptiness in Chu Chu's eyes, and the tears she couldn't hold back streaming down her face.
Her heart ached—but she knew she had to stop her first, before something irreversible happened.
Ignoring the fact that she was only wearing white lace stockings, Chu Lian jumped out of bed, rushed over, and wrapped her arms around Chu Chu from behind, whispering by her ear, "Be good, Chu Chu. It's okay. Big Sis is here..."
"She's not here..." As if sensing her target right in front of her, Chu Chu tried to swing the blade—but a slender hand had already grasped her wrist at some unknown moment, stopping her from bringing it down.
She struggled to pull her hand free, but it was futile. The difference in strength was absolute. In front of Chu Lian, even if Chu Chu's attributes broke into the Earth rank, she still wouldn't be able to pull away.
"Big Sis, you..." Perhaps the warmth of Chu Lian's embrace and this gentle yet forceful restraint helped clear her mind a little. She looked ahead at Liu Yanran, now dressed, and after starting that sentence, she didn't know what else to say.
"Be good. I'll explain everything in a moment. For now, let's put the knife down, okay? That blade isn't something auspicious. In the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use it, it's very dangerous." As she spoke, Chu Lian took advantage of Chu Chu's distraction and applied a bit of force, cutting off her circulation.
Her hand went limp, the blade slipping from her grasp. Chu Lian caught it smoothly and stored it away.
"I won't listen, I won't listen, I won't listen..." Clearly shaken by what she had seen, Chu Chu refused to hear anything. Without the blade, she regained some clarity—but became even more sorrowful, covering her ears and shaking her head desperately.
She had worked so hard—so hard to become someone worthy of Big Sis's acknowledgment, believing in her without hesitation.
She had already reached the point where she could fight alongside Big Sis, protect her from behind, and never let anyone bully her again.
She was so strong—so strong that as long as she wasn't injured, Big Sis would never be hurt either.
She loved Big Sis so much—always loving her, always relying on her, always, always, always...
So why—why did Big Sis keep hurting her again and again?
Why?
This time, she had even remembered that incident from childhood, broken through the false memories, and uncovered the truth hidden in time for so long.
Why did she have to see this now?
It was so laughable. She had worked so hard, done everything right, shown love for Big Sis more than anyone else...
And yet—why...
Why...
Her tears fell more and more, dripping onto Chu Lian's body as she held her, tracing across bare skin, blooming into a transparent rose over her heart.
Those were the tears of a sorrowful girl.
Those were their shattered hearts.
That was the punishment for hurting them.
That was a sorrow that could never truly be forgiven.
"Chu Chu, Big Sis has always seen your efforts," Chu Lian said softly, reaching out to caress her face and gently wipe away her tears.
But Chu Chu kept shaking her head, covering her ears, biting her lower lip so hard that blood began to seep out, adding a deeper layer of anguish to the moment.
"Chu Chu, listen to Big Sis, okay? If you don't listen, I can't explain anything. Do you really want to lose me?" Chu Lian sighed, pulling her hands away and whispering by her ear.
"Yanran and I... we share a bond from a past life," she said quietly, explaining her relationship with Liu Yanran regardless of whether Chu Chu would listen.
No matter how she put it, this was indeed her fault. However Chu Chu chose to blame her afterward, she would accept it.
But right now, she couldn't let a rift form between the two girls. If that happened, the chance that they would drift apart forever would be far too high.
She couldn't allow that.
So when she needed to be firm, she would be.
"After regaining memories of our past lives... we couldn't help ourselves..." Chu Lian continued, even though she knew the next words would sound like excuses. "You know how I get when I'm in the mood... I don't really care about the time or place... Don't you like that, Chu Chu?"
"Chu Chu... Chu Chu..." She had clearly been listening. Hearing that, Chu Chu's face flushed red, and she stammered, unable to respond.
"Chu Chu, that's just you trying to hide it," Chu Lian said decisively. She couldn't let Chu Chu control the situation any longer.
So after saying that, she leaned in and kissed her, tasting the faint metallic tang of blood on her lips. Seeing Chu Chu's wide, misty eyes slowly turn shy as she looked at her, Chu Lian finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This matter... was about to pass.
However, at that very moment, the half-closed door suddenly swung open.
Inori, Cai Ya, and Li Xiu'er appeared one after another in her line of sight.
This is bad... Why is it that when no one comes, no one comes—but the moment someone does, everyone shows up at once?!
Chu Lian was speechless. What kind of timing was this? Why did it feel like she was standing in an extremely dangerous situation?
Behind her, Liu Yanran, still on the bed, also noticed the three girls at the doorway and let out a startled cry, "Ya, Inori, Xiu'er—why are you here...?"
This can't be allowed to continue like this! Chu Lian made a swift decision. With a gentle push, she tossed Chu Chu back onto the bed, then activated Teleport, instantly appearing behind the three girls. She locked the door, stepped forward so her body brushed against theirs, and in the next instant, used another Teleport to bring all of them onto the bed.
"Ah—Chu Lian, what are you doing?!" The sudden shift made Cai Ya gasp, clearly startled by her actions, and she immediately shouted.
"Lian..." Inori looked at the nearly unclothed girl—wearing nothing but a pair of white lace stockings—with a complicated expression, as if lost in thought.
Only Li Xiu'er shut her eyes at once, her face flushed. Dressed in a blue-green camisole nightdress, she seemed to blend perfectly into the atmosphere, appearing especially ambiguous under the dim bedside lamp.
"What else can I do?" Chu Lian gave a faint, wry smile. "If I didn't do this, you'd all leave right away. What choice would I have?"
"Let me go. Do whatever you want, but right now, I just want to be alone!" Cai Ya refused to accept it. She liked Chu Lian, admired her—but that didn't mean she was willing to share her at a time like this.
She could pretend not to see those things in the past. Especially after Chu Lian had risked everything to save her, she had already felt herself falling completely, and she didn't want to think about it anymore.
But no matter what, she had her own pride. She would never allow herself to abandon that pride and do something like this.
She told herself she just wanted to be alone for a while. Whether that was truly the case—only she knew.
"No." Chu Lian shook her head, her tone resolute. Here, unless Chu Chu suddenly unleashed overwhelming power and used her strongest lightning magic to destroy the entire building, these girls—so much weaker than her—had no way of leaving her grasp.
She also knew that if she really let them go now, the misunderstanding and entanglement between them would only grow more complicated.
At her core, Chu Lian disliked trouble—and even more so the trouble caused by her own mistakes. She would never allow such a thing to happen.
They were hers.
In this life, in this existence—they had to be.
"If I let you go now, there won't be another chance. I absolutely won't allow you to leave!" In that moment, Chu Lian was like a tyrant, determined to enforce her will without regard for anyone else's opinion.
"Why are you so domineering?! Just let me go—let me be alone for a while, is that so hard?!" Cai Ya shouted, but tears suddenly spilled from her eyes.
All her strength, persistence, and pride were utterly shattered before this unreasonable, overbearing girl. She had wanted to carry that pride with her—but under such force, it simply couldn't stand.
The grievance and sorrow in her heart flowed out with her tears, laid bare before everyone.
"No matter what, I won't let any of you leave me. So don't think I'm joking..." Chu Lian had decided to go all in. If she didn't make things clear now, she might never have another chance...
"Chu Chu is my little sister—the one who has stayed with me the longest. Ever since she was born, our bond has never truly been broken. All these years, without her by my side, I don't know how far I would have made it. She's a bit foolish—sometimes she knows her efforts might not be rewarded, yet she keeps giving anyway. In terms of closeness and devotion, she's given more than anyone else."
Chu Chu's eyes widened at those words, filled with both joy and a trace of sadness. So... she was still just the little sister? But since Big Sis had acknowledged her like this, if she worked harder in the future, she would surely become the one Big Sis relied on most.
"Inori is my contractor—the beginning of my strength, and someone I've come to realize I can't live without through all our battles. In this world, I'm the only one she can rely on—and she's the one who understands me best. No matter what I feel, she senses it and comforts me in her own way. That's what makes her so endearing—and also what I owe her the most..."
Inori's complicated gaze gradually cleared, her crimson eyes shining like rubies, drawing one's attention as if inviting them to explore the emotions within.
"Yanran and I share a bond from a past life. If nothing unexpected happens, she's the one who would have accompanied me through an entire lifetime. After all, one was the Overlord of Western Chu, and the other the peerless beauty Consort Yu. A love passed down through the ages—when it merges in this time and space, the entanglement runs deeper than anyone else's. And yet now, she has to endure this... without complaint."
Liu Yanran smiled gently and lowered her head. "Silly... how could I not care? It's just because it's you, so I'm unwilling to dwell on it. I only wish that in this life, I can travel with you across all the lands we never saw before—the rivers, the mountains, the misty towers and rain-soaked pavilions..."
"As for you, Ya... our relationship is complicated. We're like lovers, yet also like friends. Like partners, yet also rivals. You have your pride, and I have my persistence. Neither of us is willing to abandon that final stronghold within ourselves for the other. If there's one beautiful thing I've gained on this journey, it's undoubtedly that moment on the rooftop—when our hearts resonated. It's a feeling I'll never forget."
Cai Ya turned her head away, unwilling to listen—but here, she had no choice. As for what she truly felt, only she herself knew. This girl had always possessed a unique independence that even Chu Lian found hard to read.
"Xiu'er, you're my cousin—and the one who has supported me the most on my path to fame. You've always given the most while asking for nothing in return. My feelings for you are complicated—like friendship, like protectiveness toward someone who supports me, and also a gentle affection. I don't know if I'm worthy of saying this... but I truly hope you can stay by my side from now on."
Though Li Xiu'er kept her eyes closed, she listened carefully. She had never asked for much—so receiving this promise was already enough. She said nothing, only nodded softly in agreement. Wasn't this how it was meant to be?
"So... will you all listen to me now?" Chu Lian took a deep breath. This was the moment that would decide their future.
If she couldn't gain their acceptance, she didn't even know if they could continue on together.
"Go on..." Cai Ya's voice came softly. Hearing it, Chu Lian felt a sense of relief. Willingness to listen meant her heart was already leaning toward her.
"Give me half a year. Within six months, I will reach a point where all of you can acknowledge me. I'll give it everything I have to prove that I'm someone worth relying on—someone worth walking alongside. No matter what the future holds, no matter how the world changes—even if we're separated by thousands of miles or countless dimensions, I will find you again."
"This is my promise—and my commitment. In these six months, many things will happen—so many that when we look back, we might smile at the memories."
"But no matter what, I will meet your expectations. And when that time comes, if any of you still feel that being by my side offers no safety or reliance... you may leave. I won't stop you..." Chu Lian closed her eyes, waiting quietly for their answer.
It felt like standing before judgment—heavy, uncertain.
She didn't dare open her eyes. She chose to listen instead—to hear their truest feelings.
As if understanding they couldn't part, as if knowing this was the best choice, the girls responded almost in unison with a soft, "Mm."
Chu Lian slowly opened her eyes, relief washing over her as she saw their expressions soften—
But then, Inori suddenly changed.
Her eyes turned a strange violet-red, her hair shifting to purple, and her aura surged instantly to the peak of the Heaven rank.
With a surge of power, all their clothes were torn apart—except for the most enticing stockings, which remained intact.
Then, accompanied by the purple-haired girl's soft laughter, all the girls suddenly felt something was wrong.
Their bodies moved uncontrollably, leaning toward one another—driven by a raw, undeniable desire, something deeply private and too shameful to reveal before others.
This is bad...
Outside the window, the rain grew heavier. Thunder roared like dragons within the dark clouds, the ever-changing weather of May fully revealing itself in that moment.
Somewhere, a cluster of lilies quietly bloomed in the rain—exquisitely radiant...