Chapter 93: Almost a Word

Su Yutao sat on the bed, holding Qiansui. She felt a hand stroking her head, light and warm.

She heard a voice say, “Slowly, take your time.”

She took a deep breath and opened her mouth, trying to push the air out from her throat.

She remembered what Qiansui had said, that her throat could be cured.

She remembered the character from that morning, “early”.

She pushed harder, and harder again.

“Ah…”

It was soft and brief, but it was definitely a sound.

Not “hehe”, but “ah”.

At that moment, her whole body trembled with excitement.

She could speak.

She really could speak.

Lin Qingxue crouched by the bed, her hand still on Su Yutao’s head, waiting.

One second, two seconds, three.

Su Yutao’s mouth stayed open, but after the “ah” came out, nothing else followed.

She tried again. Still “hehe”, like a leaky bellows.

Her face flushed again, but that “early” never came.

Lin Qingxue’s hand slid down, came to rest on Su Yutao’s shoulder, and pressed gently.

She stood up, picked up her phone, and walked to the window.

Shen Nian was still waiting on the other side of the screen, wearing a look that said “I knew it”.

Lin Qingxue lowered her voice, and a note of disappointment crept in.

– She really said it just now, I heard it.

Shen Nian sighed.

– Xiao Xue, it’s not that I don’t believe you.

– But look at her now. If you say she spoke, who would believe it?

– Why don’t you record it next time and show my relatives?

Lin Qingxue looked back at Su Yutao on the bed. The little blind girl was holding the penguin, curled up under the quilt. Her face was still red, her mouth slightly open, as if she was trying, or maybe giving up.

She turned back, her tone flat.

– Okay, that’s enough. I’m hanging up.

Shen Nian wanted to say something more, but the screen had already gone black.

Lin Qingxue tossed her phone on the bed and walked back to Su Yutao.

She bent down, scooped Su Yutao out from the quilt, and pulled her into her arms.

Su Yutao didn’t dodge, didn’t stiffen. She just leaned into her and pressed her face against Lin Qingxue’s collarbone.

Lin Qingxue held her for a while, then gently rocked her, like soothing a child.

Su Yutao felt a little dizzy from the rocking, but she didn’t make a sound, just let herself be rocked.

Lin Qingxue looked down at her. The little blind girl’s face was no longer red, and her lips had stopped trembling. She was soft and limp in her arms, like a cat that had finally given up struggling.

She said quietly, “It’s okay, take your time. You said it this morning, and I heard you.”

Su Yutao buried her face deeper.

Qiansui whispered in her ear, “Host, looks like you’re not as scared of Lin Qingxue as before.”

Su Yutao gave a casual “Mm” in her heart.

When Lin Qingxue touched her just now, she hadn’t trembled, hadn’t shrunk back, hadn’t wanted to avoid it.

Not because she wasn’t afraid, but because she had figured something out.

She said to Qiansui in her mind, ‘Instead of asking me that, why don’t you check how much longer until the next main plot.’

‘I’m using a delaying tactic. I’m acting obedient to avoid getting hit. Only if I behave like a good girl every time will that sadist not beat me at night.’

‘After yesterday, I’ve come to see things more clearly.’

‘I’m just a blind and mute little girl. Without that violent woman, I can’t guarantee my own safety.’

‘Now, under that violent woman’s protection, nothing will happen to me.’

‘I just need to survive these few days, bowing my head and minimizing physical harm. Once the time comes and I get the props, I can fly far away.’

‘The only thing I can do now is let her do whatever she wants. I’ll just obey her.’

‘It’s a bit disgusting, but she’s actually really nice during the day.’

‘What a pity. A perfectly good person turned out to be schizophrenic, and a sadist at that.’

‘Right now I just want to kill her. I’m so mad. The more I think, the angrier I get. Stop thinking.’

Qiansui was silent for a while, then whispered, “Mm, well, the main… the main plot should have about one or two days left. Just hang in there.”

Su Yutao fell into thought.

‘Qiansui can apply for props for me to complete tasks. Then in the future, when I hit abuse novel plot points, should I first pretend it’s really hard, like I can’t get through, and then have Qiansui ask for props? That would make things easier, right?’

Just then, Qiansui suddenly spoke, and Su Yutao jumped.

“Host, um, I can enter your mind, you know. I can hear what you’re thinking. Exploiting bugs like that won’t work.”

“I do sympathize with you, and I really do want to help you apply for props.”

“But all my props need to go through the great Qianxia for approval before they can be given to me.”

“I did think about secretly getting you some props before, but the great Qianxia caught me, pinned me to the ground, and beat me up. My butt still hurts.”

Her voice got a bit teary. “I can only apply in situations like Lin Qingxue’s.”

“Her combat power is too high. You can’t run away even if you want to.”

“And even if you did run, you can’t see the road. Only in situations where there’s no way around it and you, as the host, have tried your absolute best, only then can I apply for props.”

Su Yutao listened, silent. She heard Qiansui’s sniffles coming from the little penguin in her arms and let out a sigh.

She patted the little penguin and gently comforted her. “Qiansui, you’re already amazing. Having the courage to apply for props for me… in my heart, you’re the best system.”

“Don’t cry. I’m sorry. You got beaten because you were trying to get props for me.”

“And I shouldn’t have thought about using you to apply for props. Okay, okay, you’re great, you really are. Stop crying.”

Qiansui heard her comforting words and made a rustling sound, like she was wiping her nose.

Then her voice came out, a little muffled, with a laugh. “Hehe, ah, I’m not that amazing. You’re the first host I’ve had, and doing these things for you is totally worth it.”

“Next time I go steal props from the great Qianxia, I definitely won’t get caught. Hehe.”

Su Yutao said nothing, just held the little penguin even tighter.

***

Lin Qingxue put Su Yutao on the bed and went to the living room to get the porridge and fried egg.

She sat by the side of the bed, spooned up some porridge, and brought it to Su Yutao’s mouth.

Su Yutao opened her mouth and swallowed.

Spoonful after spoonful, she ate obediently, without resistance or stiffness.

Watching her like that, Lin Qingxue felt the disappointment inside her slowly fading.

After the meal, she took the bowl away, then came back and sat down next to Su Yutao.

She turned to look at Su Yutao, who was leaning on her again with a dependent look, and her heart felt a little sweet.

Lin Qingxue gently laid Su Yutao down on the bed, then tidied up, ready to go out.

She glanced out the window. The sky was gray, clouds hanging low, like it was about to rain.

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