Chapter 10: She’s not really a yandere, is she?

I’ve seen Sister Yuan in many forms.

She can switch effortlessly between cold, elegant lady and lively girl.

Sometimes gentle and caring like a mother.

Sometimes playful and cheerful like a kid.

Sometimes seductive and alluring like a succubus.

But these sides of her only show when she’s with me.

With outsiders, she’s always distant or politely aloof.

Except maybe with cute little girls.

She can play any role a woman could.

But the Sister Yuan before me now, like a queen, is a first.

Her eyes, looking down at me, hold an air of commanding arrogance.

Her other foot, still in its shoe, seems to trample the world.

I don’t mind the feeling of her black-stockinged foot in my mouth.

But could my drool please not drip from my lips?!

She held her phone, aiming the camera at me with her foot in my mouth.

Click.

“Feel free to lick if you like.”

“I’ve tasted you so many times, after all.”

“No, no, I don’t have that kind of XP.”

“The drool’s pouring out, and you’re still denying it?”

“If you like it, I can let you lick anytime.”

“Not just my feet—anywhere.”

“It’s just natural saliva!”

“I really don’t want to lick!”

She finally removed her foot.

I grabbed the glass of water on the desk and took two gulps.

I tried to steady my ragged breathing.

“Does the water mixed with my foot’s scent taste good?”

“It’s not good!”

“Please, give me a break.”

“Let me catch my breath.”

“Sister Yuan, that photo—what are you going to do with it?”

A devilish smile crept onto her face.

She waved her phone, a finger under her chin.

“Hmm… what to do?”

“I’ll keep it for now.”

“Don’t worry, I’d never show photos of you like this to anyone else.”

As she spoke, she grabbed a small mirror and held it up to me.

“Instead of that, you should worry about how you look.”

In the mirror, my clothes were a mess.

My face was still flushed.

My shoulders, collarbone, and neck were covered in lip marks and bite marks.

I could feel the sticky saliva when I touched them.

…This is not a look for public viewing.

Completely unacceptable!

If anyone saw me like this, I’d be the talk of the school!

“Xiao You, you don’t want anyone seeing you like this, right?”

“Don’t move.”

“I’ll clean you up.”

She wiped my neck with some tissues.

Then she pinched my cheeks.

“Be good, okay?”

“If you make me mad again, I’ll take photos you really don’t want seen.”

“Let’s head to class.”

“It’s my period next, I think.”

“You’re not hot, Young Master Lu?”

“Zipping up so high in this heat?”

“Mind your own business.”

“I like it this way.”

“Whatever makes you happy.”

“What’d Teacher Mo want?”

“That test I bombed.”

“She dragged me off to chew me out.”

“Keep your mouth shut, or you’ll get dragged off too.”

“I’d love that.”

“Alone time with Teacher Mo?”

“You’re probably the only one who’d hate it.”

I ignored him and slumped my head on the desk.

I looked at Sister Yuan, composed at the podium.

Can’t you look somewhere else during class?

Staring at me the whole time feels kind of inappropriate!

You’re not teaching just me.

“Lu You, stand up and answer this multiple-choice question.”

She pointed at the board, smiling as she called me out.

Oh no.

I was too busy dealing with Zheng.

I didn’t even look at the board.

How would I know the answer?

In a panic, the blue-haired girl in front of me pulled out her notebook.

She wrote a big “C” on it.

Then she quietly slid it onto my desk.

Saved.

“C.”

“Why C? Explain.”

Sister Yuan must’ve seen An Xue Ruo’s move.

She looked displeased and pressed me harder.

“Uh… well…”

“I guessed C.”

“Sit down.”

“This question…”

I sighed in relief and passed the notebook back to An Xue Ruo.

I whispered a thank you.

[No problem, we’re friends, right? It’s what friends do.]

Her notebook came back with that written on it.

My impression of her improved.

She’s actually pretty kind.

“What’s that, Young Master Lu?”

“Not enough with Teacher Mo, now you’re hitting on Goddess Xue Ruo?”

“Get lost.”

“I’m not into her like that.”

“I’m trying to focus on class.”

“Don’t bug me, or if I get called on again, I’ll say you know the answer.”

“Everyone else paying attention in English makes sense.”

“It’s Teacher Mo, after all.”

“But you, Young Master Lu, aren’t you immune to both school beauties?”

“What’s got you so focused?”

“Can’t I just want to study?”

“And what’s this ‘two school beauties’ thing?”

“You included Teacher Mo?”

Zheng perked up instantly.

He leaned in with a sly grin, whispering.

“Yeah, yeah, you didn’t know?”

“They voted for the new school beauty.”

“Teacher Mo and An Xue Ruo’s fans were neck and neck.”

“So we’ve got two school beauties.”

“Though Teacher Mo’s got more supporters.”

“But since she’s a teacher, she wasn’t really supposed to be included.”

I glanced around.

Everyone was fixated on the podium, almost unnaturally focused.

Except me.

Looking at the podium meant meeting Sister Yuan’s eyes.

In front of everyone, that’s way too awkward.

It feels like it could expose something.

“By the way, whose side are you on, Young Master Lu?”

“Who do you think’s prettier?”

The girl in front of me paused her note-taking.

She’d overheard Zheng’s question.

Sister Yuan’s heavenly voice filled my ears.

I thought back to her actions earlier.

Of course, I’m on Sister Yuan’s side.

I genuinely think she’s prettier than An Xue Ruo.

“I think An Xue Ruo’s prettier.”

But after she shoved her foot in my mouth, no way I’m saying she’s pretty.

Even if I didn’t mind the feeling of her foot there.

I kept my voice low, whispering right in Zheng’s ear.

I couldn’t be sure An Xue Ruo wouldn’t hear.

But I was certain Sister Yuan couldn’t.

Unless she planted a bug on me.

I don’t have a bad impression of An Xue Ruo.

Leaving her with a good one is a plus.

She did hear me.

She gave a soft laugh and started writing again.

But I felt a chilling gaze.

A deep, instinctive fear welled up inside me.

“I knew it!”

“Young Master Lu, you’re into sweet, gentle, age-appropriate girls like Goddess Xue Ruo, right?”

“I just said I think she’s prettier than Teacher Mo.”

“I didn’t say I like her type.”

“And what’s with ‘you’re into’?”

“Didn’t you say yesterday you thought Teacher Mo was prettier?”

“Yeah, but she’s too cold.”

“Compared to that ‘stay away’ vibe, I’m into Xue Ruo’s warm, approachable charm now.”

“You flip fast.”

“Good thing you’ve got no game, or you’d be a total player.”

“So, Xue Ruo or Teacher Mo—who’s your type, Young Master Lu?”

“Not counting looks.”

“You seem like you’d take it, so I bet you’re into Teacher Mo’s big-sister vibe.”

Take it?

In front of Sister Yuan, I do seem pretty passive.

But that’s not because I’m submissive.

She’s just too dominant.

“How do I seem like I’d take it?”

“I do prefer Teacher Mo’s type.”

“But it’s not about dominance or submission.”

It’s because she’s raised me since I was seven.

I have an indescribable fondness for her.

I don’t know what kind of “like” it is.

But I’m sure I like her.

“So, you’re not gonna make a move on Teacher Mo?”

“She calls you in for talks all the time.”

“You’ve got a shot, right?”

If her “talks” were just talks, I’d be thanking the heavens.

“Nah, that’s Teacher Mo we’re talking about.”

She says she’s trying to win me over.

But I don’t know how to respond to her feelings.

She hasn’t asked me to give her an answer either.

I don’t even fully understand what romantic “like” feels like.

How am I supposed to respond to her?

“Tch, you say no, but you know what you’re thinking.”

“No way you don’t have any feelings for Teacher Mo.”

“Picture this: a cold, aloof beauty teacher who’s only sweet and attentive to you.”

“Openly shows she likes you.”

“Takes care of everything for you.”

“Cooking and housework at pro level.”

“You don’t want to be pinned down by a big sister like that?”

“Hand everything over to her?”

“You’re telling me you wouldn’t fall for a perfect wife-material girlfriend like that?”

“Unless you’re into guys.”

“Get lost, you jerk.”

“You’re the one into guys.”

“I’d kill for a girlfriend like that.”

“If she’s a yandere, even better.”

[TL Note: “Yandere” is an anime/manga term for a character who is obsessively devoted, often to the point of extreme possessiveness or violence.]

“That’s my favorite type.”

Every word Zheng said hit home.

I was a bit shocked.

Except for the yandere part.

Sister Yuan… she’s not really a yandere, right?

She’s just a bit overly possessive and controlling with me, isn’t she?