Chapter 53: The Trap of a Day Off

All she knew was that she was in Lin Qingxue’s home.

In that person’s home.

She didn’t know what would happen next.

Qiansui was silent for a moment, then whispered, [Let me ask for you.]

Then there was no sound.

Su Yutao clutched the little penguin and waited.

A long time later, Qiansui’s voice sounded again, tinged with excitement:

[I found out! The main system said the storyline can be skipped! You’ve already met the daytime Lin Qingxue, so you don’t have to take that beating.]

[But…] Its voice grew softer again.

[But you need to meet that local bully’s underling. You don’t have to get beaten, just show your face. It’s like triggering a plot point in a game—just a brief encounter, and then you can run away.]

Su Yutao froze.

Meet?

How could she meet them?

She was curled up on the sofa in Lin Qingxue’s home. She couldn’t even get out the door.

Qiansui seemed to realize the problem too, its voice even smaller: [That’s right… you’re in her house now… you can’t even go out…]

Su Yutao hugged Qiansui tighter.

She couldn’t leave.

That person wouldn’t let her leave.

The daytime her thought she had just tripped, thought she needed rest, wouldn’t let her go. The nighttime her would never let her go.

She was trapped here.

Qiansui was silent for a moment, then whispered, [How about… I mark the location for you? When you can go out, you just go to that alley, run into those lackeys, no need to fight, just escape.]

Su Yutao hesitated.

She didn’t know when she could get out.

She didn’t know if that person would let her.

She didn’t know if she could ever leave.

But she wanted to try.

She wanted to follow the storyline.

She wanted to complete the mission.

She wanted to go back.

She nodded.

Qiansui sighed in relief: [Good. I’ve marked it. When you go out, I’ll tell you the way.]

Su Yutao hugged Qiansui tighter.

She didn’t know when she could leave.

But she knew she had to leave.

She had to meet those lackeys.

She had to follow the story.

She had to finish the mission.

She had to go back.

Take Qiansui back with her.

Footsteps came from the kitchen.

Lin Qingxue walked out with a bowl, saw her huddled on the sofa, and smiled: “Awake? Come eat breakfast.”

Su Yutao slowly sat up.

Lin Qingxue sat down beside her and handed her the bowl.

Su Yutao took it. It was warm.

She took a sip of the congee. It was soft and sticky. Just like that morning.

She remembered that rainy night, that corner, that bowl of hot soy milk.

She didn’t know if this path was right.

But she knew she had to walk it.

Lin Qingxue finished feeding her, took the bowl, and went to wash it in the kitchen.

Su Yutao curled up on the sofa, hugging Qiansui, waiting for the footsteps to head toward the door—then the closing of the door, then silence.

She waited for a while.

It didn’t come.

The footsteps came out of the kitchen, moved to the living room, and then sat down on the sofa.

Right next to her.

Su Yutao froze.

She didn’t leave?

Su Yutao pricked up her ears—no sound of changing shoes, no sound of grabbing a bag, no sound of keys.

She really didn’t leave.

Su Yutao hesitated, then reached out and tugged at Lin Qingxue’s sleeve.

Lin Qingxue looked down at her: “What’s wrong?”

Su Yutao pointed outside, made a walking motion, then tilted her head and mimed sleeping—you should go to school.

She remembered that the daytime her went to school every day.

Left in the morning, Shen Nian came at noon, returned in the afternoon.

Why didn’t she go today?

Lin Qingxue watched her gestures and laughed.

The laugh was very soft, very warm. She reached out and patted Su Yutao’s head: “I have the day off today. I have time to keep you company.”

Su Yutao stiffened.

Day off?

She has today off?

Then what about the nighttime her?

She’s not going out to kill today?

No—she doesn’t come out during the day.

She’s nighttime.

But if the daytime her is off, would the nighttime her also…

No no, nighttime knows, that’s not right either.

Not if daytime knows nighttime.

No no, nighttime doesn’t let her know, that’s wrong too.

Seeing her like this, Qiansui said in a frightened tone, [H-Host, don’t think about it. Calm down, calm down.]

Su Yutao’s hands began to tremble.

She remembered last night. That person had grabbed her neck, stepped on her head, thrown torn cloth in front of her, and said, “Next time you don’t obey, it won’t just be tearing up toys.”

That person said, “Keep shaking and I’ll throw you out.”

That person said, “Sleep or not? If not, get out.”

She remembered those sounds, those sensations, that fear.

Now this gentle person was sitting beside her, patting her head, saying, “I have time for you.”

The same face, the same voice, the same hands.

Su Yutao wanted to recoil, but she didn’t dare. She was afraid the nighttime her would know she wasn’t cooperating, afraid she would hit her again, afraid she would tear Qiansui again.

She could only stay stiff, letting that hand rub her head.

The hand was very warm, very light, but her whole body was rigid.

Lin Qingxue’s hand stopped.

She looked down at Su Yutao—this little blind girl was huddled in the corner of the sofa, clutching that broken penguin, her whole body taut as a bowstring.

Her hands were shaking, her shoulders were shaking, her lips were pressed tight, her face pale.

Lin Qingxue frowned: “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?”

Su Yutao shook her head.

Lin Qingxue reached out to touch her forehead. Su Yutao instinctively shrank back.

Halfway through, she stopped.

Can’t dodge.

If she dodges, she’ll get hit.

She leaned forward again, letting that hand press against her forehead.

The hand was cool, pressing against her forehead, very comfortable.

But she was still trembling.

Lin Qingxue’s hand rested on her forehead for a moment, silent.

Then she withdrew her hand, her voice a little muffled: “Are you afraid of me?”

Su Yutao shook her head.

She wasn’t afraid of the daytime her.

She was afraid of the nighttime.

But she couldn’t say that.

She could only shake her head.

Lin Qingxue looked at her like that and sighed.

She stood up, walked aside, and pulled out her phone.

Su Yutao pricked up her ears.

“Nian Nian, are you free today?”

Something was said on the other end.

Lin Qingxue said, “Yeah, come over. Little Tao seems a bit off.”

A pause, as if listening to the other person speak.

“I don’t know what’s wrong either. It’s just… she seems really scared of me.”

More words from the other side.

Lin Qingxue “mm”‘d and hung up.

She came back and sat down next to Su Yutao, not touching her this time.

Just sat there, quietly.

Su Yutao curled up in the corner of the sofa, hugging Qiansui, her whole body still tense.

She didn’t know what would happen when Shen Nian arrived.

She only knew she had to pretend.

Pretend like nothing was wrong.

Pretend like she wasn’t afraid.

Pretend the daytime her was a good person.

She had to pretend, or else she’d get beaten at night.

Before long, the doorbell rang.

Lin Qingxue went to open the door.

Shen Nian’s voice came from the entrance, loud and cheerful: “What’s wrong? What’s wrong? You said the little mute is off?”

Lin Qingxue stepped aside: “Take a look. I don’t know what’s up either.”

Shen Nian walked in, immediately spotting Su Yutao curled up in the corner of the sofa.

The little blind girl was clutching the penguin, her whole body rigid, face white as paper, hands still trembling.

Shen Nian frowned, walked over, and crouched in front of Su Yutao: “Little mute? What’s wrong?”

Su Yutao shook her head.

Shen Nian reached out and patted her head—Su Yutao didn’t flinch.

Not because she didn’t want to, but because she knew she couldn’t.

Shen Nian’s hand was very warm, as warm as the daytime Lin Qingxue’s.

But she was still tense.

Shen Nian looked at her like that, then turned to Lin Qingxue: “How long has she been like this?”

Lin Qingxue stood nearby watching, her voice a little muffled: “Since she woke up. I fed her congee, tried to keep her company, and she started shaking.”

“Mm, then… then when I patted her head, she flinched, then leaned back in, like… like she was afraid I’d be upset.”

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