Chapter 112: It’s hard to explain

Sunlight, carrying the warm, cozy scent of blankets dried in the sun, slipped into her nose.

“Mm……”

Lin Yu let out a satisfied little groan, wiped the drool at the corner of her mouth, and rolled over.

She was back.
That familiar feeling.

Her own bed really was the most comfortable…

Damn it.

Ever since the “Rescue Luo Shaotian” plan began, she hadn’t slept in this bed, as herself, waking naturally, for a very, very long time.

No more pretending to be that timid, cowardly “Lulu.”
No more worrying about slipping medicine into milk.
No more having to walk with her legs clamped together in front of that damn straight man.

Ha—

It felt so damn secure.

Huu…

Lin Yu exhaled a long breath, feeling the heart that had been suspended for more than a month finally settle back into her chest.

Right now she wanted nothing more than to keep lying exactly like this—forever, preferably with a delivery of trash-food comfort snacks to soothe her battered soul.

Last night’s assassination mission felt like a distant dream, washed clean by the warmth of her blankets.

She couldn’t even be bothered to think about it.

What a shame Zeng-ge still lost his match last night. If he’d won, today would’ve been perfect.

The thought of the pro player she had supported for so many years failing to lift that damn championship trophy at the end of his career made Lin Yu’s nose sting.

Damn it…

He was so close.
Why couldn’t you just fight a little harder, you idiot?
So damn frustrating—wu wu wu!

Last night, hiding in her covers, she had cried her eyes out for this pro player.

Forget it. Don’t think about it anymore.

She rubbed her eyes—still swollen and red from crying all night—and pulled the blanket over her head, ready to go back to sleep.

But—

Vrrr— Vrrr—

The wristband on her nightstand began to vibrate.

“Tch…”

Lin Yu muttered irritably, stretched a hand out of the blankets, fumbled for the answer button, and brought the wristband weakly to her ear.

“…Hello…”

“Ah, Xiao Lin, still not up? It’s almost eleven. Young people should get more sunshine, you know.”

From the other end came Manager Qian’s smiling-but-not-smiling voice.

“…Manager Qian.”
Lin Yu’s voice was muffled, thick with sleepiness and morning crankiness.
“What instructions?”

“No need to say ‘instructions,’ Xiao Lin. Consider it good news! Your vacation this time has been quite long, and you’re about to exceed your limit.”

Good news?
Manager Qian sounded delighted.

“Last night’s micro-assessment—you passed beautifully. I’ve already submitted the report. The higher-ups were very satisfied.”

“And so, after a unanimous decision from management, starting today…”

“Your observation period is officially over.”

“Comrade Grey Crystal, welcome back to the team.”

“Oh.”

Lin Yu’s response was as flat as a cup of tap water.

Manager Qian didn’t seem surprised.

“Hahaha… Well, from now on, depending on project needs, the company will send mission briefs to your terminal from time to time. Remember to check promptly—don’t delay important work.”

“…Got it.”

“Alright then, continue resting. Recuperate well. The company still counts on your sharp blade to create more value for us.”

Beep— beep—

The call ended.

Lin Yu tossed the wristband aside, rolled over, and buried his head under a pillow.

Back to the team?
More overtime?

Screw you—
He was going back to sleep!

But he had barely closed his eyes for thirty seconds when—

“RING RING RING— RING RING RING—”

The even louder ringtone exploded beside him.

This time, it was the phone on the nightstand.

“F**k!”

Lin Yu’s patience snapped.

Without even looking at the screen, he swiped to answer, slapped the phone to his ear, and roared with all the pent-up rage of the morning:

“Manager Qian, can you stop already?! I SAID I KNOW! CAN YOU LET ME SLEEP OR NOT?!”

The other side fell silent.

The expected oily chuckle never came.

A few seconds later, a hesitant voice finally sounded.

“…Lin Yu?”

“—!”

The fury on Lin Yu’s face froze.

In the next moment, cold water seemed to pour down his entire body.

He shot upright, eyes wide.

The caller ID on screen read—

“Big Uncle?”

Only then did he remember—

This was the phone number Luo Shaotian had set up for Lulu.

I…

Oh shit!!!

Clack!

He slammed the hang-up button, hands shaking.
The phone slipped from his fingers and thunked onto the floor.

But Lin Yu had no mind to care.

There was only one thought in his head:

It’s over.

It’s completely f**king over.

He heard it.
Luo Shaotian heard his voice.

“I’m screwed— I’m so f**king screwed—”

Lin Yu paced back and forth, fingers digging into his bird-nest hair, desperately trying to force a solution out of his scrambled brain.

What to do?
What now?!

Call back immediately and explain the one who answered was “Lulu’s older brother”?

No!
That was total bullsh*t—Lulu had just “cut ties” with her family!

Play dead.
Pretend the call never happened.
When he calls again, pretend it was bad signal.

Worse!
That would practically scream guilt!

Then…

Send a message in Lulu’s voice explaining some creep grabbed her phone and accidentally answered it?

That was even dumber!
Making up stories still needs basic logic!

“Aaahhhhh—!”

Lin Yu buried his face in his palms and howled silently.

His brain felt like it was going to explode.

Every option he thought of—he shot down himself.
Every excuse had a hundred holes in it.

“What do I do what do I do what do I do—?!”

What would Luo Shaotian think?

That “Lulu” had been lying to him all along?
That he was being played like a fool?

Even worse—
If he connected this to the abandoned-factory blood battle…
And to him…

Lin Yu didn’t dare think further.

Time ticked by.

The room was terrifyingly quiet.
Only the clock’s steady tick—tock sounded like a tiny hammer pounding on his overstretched nerves.

He stared at his phone, waiting for the screen to light up again.

Waiting.
For Luo Shaotian to call.
Preparing to transform, use Lulu’s voice, and explain—

At this point, he could only gamble.
Say the phone was lost, picked up by a stranger.

Five minutes passed.

The phone was silent.

Ten minutes passed.

Still silent.

Twenty minutes.

Half an hour.

Lin Yu went from pacing, to restless, to finally… drained.

What’s going on?

Why isn’t he calling?

With Luo Shaotian’s personality, if he noticed something wrong, he’d immediately chase for an answer.

This silence—
was completely abnormal.

What was he planning?

Was he investigating?
Tracing the number’s location?
Or—

Had he already figured out something, and was on the way?

Ding-dong—

The crisp sound of the doorbell.

—!!

Lin Yu jolted like he’d been electrocuted.

He came straight here?!

Lin Yu tiptoed to the door and peered through the peephole.

Through the tiny fisheye lens appeared a silhouette he knew all too well.

Luo Shaotian stood outside, face cold, ringing the doorbell repeatedly.

Ding-dong— ding-dong— ding-dong—

Each press harder than the last, as if he intended to punch through the door.

Lin Yu clamped both hands over his mouth, not even daring to breathe.

Can’t open it.
Absolutely cannot.

Just pretend no one’s home.
If he loses patience, he’ll leave…

He will leave…

Lin Yu rushed back to the bedroom, grabbed his phone, silenced it, and returned to the door.

Right now he was like a terrified little hamster praying for the “predator” outside to leave.

He didn’t know how long it lasted, but eventually—

The doorbell stopped.

Through the peephole, he saw Luo Shaotian wait a little longer, then finally turn to leave.

Only when the figure disappeared from view did Lin Yu finally gasp for breath.

He slid down the door to the floor, exhausted.

He’s gone…

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling the wave of post-crisis weakness wash through him.

“Looks like… I managed to bluff my way past this round.”

But once evening came, when he turned back into Lulu and returned…

Who knew how that guy would react?