Chapter 97: A Secret Revealed and a Sudden Confession

“Well… actually, the illustrations in Chi’s book were drawn by me…”

Ye Qing’s words were tinged with shyness as she confessed the embarrassing truth.

It was a common occupational hazard for illustrators: having their ‘spicy’ drawings discovered by those close to them.

“Ah, no wonder they looked familiar. And the style is so similar to Chi’s.”

“She sent me photos, you know…”

Gu Xuanyu smiled faintly, taking Ye Qing’s small hand and leading her forward at a leisurely pace.

“Speaking of which, the photos of me and Ye Qing are from three years ago. I think they’re still on your camera, aren’t they?”

At the mention of the camera, Ye Qing’s pupils trembled once more. She still vividly remembered what else was recorded inside.

It contained the deepest, most absolute secret—something that absolutely no one else could ever see!

However, Ye Qing hadn’t deliberately recorded these things out of some hidden, perverse interest. Rather, it was a precaution, an insurance policy.

Should An Yuexuan prove unreliable, these recordings would serve as the most powerful evidence to corroborate her identity, enough to convince anyone that this small, black-haired girl was indeed Ye Qing.

Yet, truth be told, Ye Qing herself lacked the courage to open and watch them.

Now, Ye Qing’s most pressing concern had been resolved. With someone helping to explain things to her younger sister, she no longer had to worry about being unable to defend herself.

Ye Qing was a meticulous person, a trait that was also strongly reflected in her younger sister. Therefore, Ye Qing could anticipate all sorts of potential doubts from the other party.

The most difficult flaw to explain was the origin of her ‘blessing’. She couldn’t very well tell Ye Yu that she had done something bad and scared ‘Little Qing’ away, could she?

The contents recorded in the camera, however, could perfectly explain what was meant by ‘Heaven Official’s Blessing’.

Nevertheless, Ye Qing would never, under any circumstances, unlock this top-secret archive unless it was absolutely unavoidable. Never!

It was far too mortifying! The thought of Ye Yu possibly introducing her to a younger generation with a mischievous grin—

“This is Big Brother Ye Qing… oh, no, no, it’s Big Sister Ye Qing. What? You don’t remember her? How could you forget such a beautiful older sister? She even held you when you were little!”

Just imagining it made Ye Qing wish she could die.

That camera, come to think of it, was quite old. Many things from her childhood had been recorded in it.

Back then, Ye Qing didn’t know how to draw, but she always wanted to capture the scenes she saw. So, she saved up her New Year’s money for several years and bought that camera.

However, Ye Qing particularly disliked filming herself. She usually only used it to capture landscapes, as she wasn’t fond of being in front of the lens.

Yet, in this regard, Ye Yu and Gu Xuanyu were surprisingly in agreement, always pestering her to take photos together. Over time, quite a few records accumulated.

‘I wonder if Ye Yu will dislike me as I am now? I look so much like her.’

‘No, Ye Yu should be a little taller.’

Ye Qing rubbed her delicate nose, deftly changing the subject.

“The photos are all safely stored in the album… Speaking of which, where is the healing ward? I’m still not very familiar with the way.”

“We’re almost there.”

Gu Xuanyu gently held Ye Qing’s hand, guiding her through the pristine white corridor. A faint scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, causing Ye Qing to frown slightly.

She detested that unsettling smell. Every time she recalled it, the aversion was overwhelming.

‘I hope this unease doesn’t come to pass for Chi.’

Ye Qing didn’t dislike fresh flowers, but only if they weren’t in a hospital. So, when she saw the vibrant red flowers painted on the wall, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of oppression.

“Is Chi alright?”

Gu Xuanyu gently shook her head, softly reassuring Ye Qing.

“She seems to be no different from before. Perhaps it’s because the treatment was timely…”

With that, Gu Xuanyu pushed open the door. The sight that greeted them was Shen Congqing peeling an apple by the bedside, and Liu Qingruo, radiating happiness, cheerfully slurping instant noodles on the bed.

The red-haired girl was radiant, holding the bowl of instant noodles in front of her and making continuous slurping sounds.

Her fragrant cheeks were puffed out, and as if to avoid hindering her noodle-slurping, she had even removed her black-rimmed glasses. Both her rosy cheeks and her squinted red eyes overflowed with pure bliss.

On the adjacent nightstand, two empty instant noodle cups, now only containing remnants, were stacked—clearly the result of a single meal. Coincidentally, they were all Ye Qing’s favorite flavors, and they looked somewhat familiar…

Ye Qing turned to Gu Xuanyu with a questioning gaze. The silver-haired girl scratched her face sheepishly, giving an affirmative reply.

“Yes, those are the instant noodles I bought earlier and kept at home…”

After Gu Xuanyu had bought that pile of instant noodles in a fit of pique, Ye Qing had never found an opportunity to eat them, either falling ill or being out. She never expected them to end up benefiting the gluttonous girl on the bed.

Generally, the Magical Girl Academy, especially the healing ward, offered far better food. Patients were typically provided with a variety of nutritionally balanced meals.

However, Liu Qingruo had grown fond of instant noodles during her hard times living alone. As soon as she woke up, she clamored for them, much to the amusement and exasperation of the two visiting girls.

Noticing someone enter, Liu Qingruo, whose pretty face was flushed from eating, finally put down her fork. She extended her pink tongue to lick the oily corners of her lips.

Her cherry-red lips, shimmering under a thin film of oil, appeared exceptionally vibrant, as if they too had become part of the deliciousness.

Seeing Liu Qingruo’s flushed cheeks, Ye Qing felt a warmth spread through her heart. All the gloom was dispelled by this warmth, leaving only the red-haired girl’s sweet, radiant smile.

It made her long to pinch those soft, squishy cheeks.

Ye Qing gazed at Liu Qingruo in a daze. This was the first time she had directly experienced the true meaning of ‘soft and adorable’.

After a long moment, a cough pulled her from her reverie. Ye Qing’s eyes refocused, and she realized that Shen Congqing had stopped peeling the apple and was staring at her and Gu Xuanyu’s clasped hands with a strange expression.

Ye Qing hastily withdrew her hand, avoiding Shen Congqing’s emerald green eyes.

From her small black bag, she took out the special book, *Exclusive Love*, meant for Liu Qingruo, using the opportunity to bury her face in the bag, suppressing her inner shyness.

She had forgotten. She had forgotten there was another yellow-haired jealous pot here.

“Xiao Yi, your book…”

Before Ye Qing could finish speaking, Liu Qingruo, who had been full of happiness just a second ago, suddenly dropped her smile without warning upon seeing Ye Qing. In the span of two or three seconds, her eyes welled up with tears.

As Ye Qing watched in bewilderment, the red-haired girl began to sob, sniffing pitifully, with no intention of stopping. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes, as if releasing an endless torrent of grievances, causing Ye Qing’s heart to ache.

Ye Qing used a tissue to gently wipe away the tears that were almost dripping down Liu Qingruo’s chin, simultaneously cleaning the oil from the corners of her lips.

For a moment, she didn’t know how to comfort her, until Liu Qingruo leaned on her shoulder and choked out:

“Teacher Qingyu, it’s over, everything is over!”

These words left Ye Qing utterly confused. She could only follow her lead and try to soothe her.

“What’s over?”

“My… my libido is gone!”

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