Chapter 118: The Unveiling of Liu Ying’s Intentions

Lin Qing watched Liu Ying, who had quickly run up to him.

Due to her rapid pace, she was now slightly out of breath.

Sweat beaded on her forehead, trickling down with each hurried breath.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes slightly downturned, yet her lips curved upwards in an excited smile.

As Liu Ying lifted her gaze, meeting Lin Qing’s eyes, her smile faltered. She instinctively raised a hand to cover half her face, unaccustomed to facing Lin Qing with her true appearance.

Liu Ying harbored deep insecurities about her appearance. It was only when she embodied Xiao Yu that she truly felt confident, effortlessly manipulating men.

She was a queen!

Men were her slaves.

They were only fit to lick her feet!

They lavished vast sums of money on her, all for fleeting pleasure—a foolish lot, rich in cash but poor in sense.

Liu Ying felt no resistance towards earning money so effortlessly.

For a very long time, she had envied beautiful girls, always surrounded by men, much like a stunning flower attracting countless bees and butterflies, driving them to infatuated madness.

However, Liu Ying knew she wasn’t a desirable blossom but a repulsive weed.

Therefore, the ability to command men’s eager attention through escort services filled her with a profound sense of accomplishment.

It satisfied her vanity.

And she gained money.

Why wouldn’t she?

Yet, if others were to discover this, she would be scorned and condemned.

She had to keep it well-hidden.

Nevertheless, even though Liu Ying had decided Lin Qing was her other half—two rats from the dark sewers, unfit for polite society—

She would never give up her escort work, even if she were truly with Lin Qing.

Even two rats would fight to establish dominance.

As long as she earned vast sums of money, Lin Qing would have no choice but to obey her.

Just as Lin Qing was with Su Yao, unable to resist, forced to let her have her way.

Ah!

Such was the allure of money.

****

“You are?”

Lin Qing looked at Liu Ying, who was still covering her face. Though he knew exactly who she was, Liu Ying believed her disguise was utterly flawless.

Lin Qing had no intention of exposing her, wanting to avoid startling the snake.

He had initially thought Liu Ying would continue to conceal her role within the school, ensuring they wouldn’t discover any clues. Yet, her sudden appearance before him now left him wondering what exactly she intended to do.

‘Did she intend to reveal her identity?’

‘No.’

‘If Liu Ying had planned to do that, she wouldn’t have bothered concealing her identity to approach him in the first place. It would be a pointless effort.’

“My name is Liu Ying, and I’m in the same class as you. This might be a bit sudden, but I truly want to be your friend!”

As Liu Ying spoke, a sincere expression graced her face.

As Lin Qing was closer, he could see the dense cluster of small freckles on her cheeks, resembling sesame seeds sprinkled on a flatbread.

The recent exertion of her run, which had flushed her cheeks, made the freckles even more pronounced.

Observing Liu Ying, whose face was marred by these blemishes, it was indeed difficult to associate her with the impeccably made-up Xiao Yu.

Sensing Lin Qing’s scrutinizing gaze, Liu Ying pressed her hand more firmly against her cheek. She didn’t fall silent, however, and continued to speak to Lin Qing.

“The very first day you transferred here, I wanted to be your friend!”

In truth, it was exactly as Liu Ying claimed.

She had been observing Lin Qing for a very long time.

She knew Lin Qing liked to sit and daydream, and also preferred to be alone.

She was the same way.

Therefore, they were truly a match made in heaven, destined to be together!

Since Lin Qing disliked the overtly charming Xiao Yu, then the less attractive Liu Ying would approach him subtly instead!

First, she would become his friend.

That way, she wouldn’t scare Lin Qing away.

When the time was right, she would transition from friend to lover.

She was confident that their shared traits, once they spent more time together, would make Lin Qing fall madly and uncontrollably in love with her.

Then, Lin Qing would also realize…

That a gloomy, incompetent person like him was unworthy of any other woman’s affection.

But she, Liu Ying, was different. No matter how useless Lin Qing might be, she loved him very, very much.

She loved him as much as she loved herself.

Therefore, he shouldn’t look at other women, nor should he fantasize about gaining anyone else’s affection.

His desperate eyes could only ever look at her.

Afterward, she would transform into Xiao Yu with makeup, presenting her perfect side to Lin Qing.

Lin Qing’s face would be filled with shock, and he would immediately kneel before her, apologizing profusely with a face full of regret. He would say that if he had known Xiao Yu was her, he would never have treated her with such coldness.

Lin Qing would beg her not to leave, his expression pleading for her not to abandon him.

At this thought, Liu Ying couldn’t help but let her lips curve upwards, revealing a neurotic smile. As it fell upon Lin Qing’s eyes, it made him wonder if Liu Ying was unwell.

‘Appearing out of nowhere, claiming she wanted to be friends?’

‘Did she intend to take a roundabout approach, using the identity of Liu Ying to get closer before doing something to him?’

‘If that were the case…’

‘It would be an excellent opportunity to turn her own scheme against her.’

‘Even if her current demeanor made Lin Qing dislike her, she would advance towards him without hesitation, until he saw only her in his eyes.’

‘If he were to actively approach Liu Ying, he might be able to obtain the information he sought more quickly.’

‘While he couldn’t directly inquire about the “Cool Skull” information, he could use subtle probing tactics.’

‘He could ask what had happened to her recently that led to such a profound change.’

‘However, the cost of getting close to Liu Ying would be enduring his aversion to her, constantly needing to control his emotions.’

‘It would be no small test.’

“Why do you want to be friends with me?”

Lin Qing pondered these thoughts, not immediately agreeing to Liu Ying’s request.

His subsequent question, however, genuinely stemmed from his bewilderment.

Liu Ying’s inexplicable approach, and now her desire for friendship… If she had ulterior motives, Lin Qing couldn’t fathom what was so special about himself.

Aside from the peculiar ability no one else knew about, his scrawny physique and gloomy attire made him the very embodiment of unpopularity in others’ eyes.

Let alone making friends, people wouldn’t even acknowledge him.

When Lin Qing had first transferred, this was exactly his situation. Although he later experienced verbal bullying from his deskmate, Wang Fanran, Lin Qing felt no joy from it.

He would have preferred to remain an unnoticed, invisible person, graduating quietly.

However, the current situation was much better than when he first arrived.

Su Yao’s relentless persistence and the approaches of Liu Hong and others had turned Lin Qing’s life upside down, dispelling the unwelcome solitude and bringing a cherished sense of liveliness and fulfillment.

Though troubles occasionally arose, and he had to manage Su Yao’s murderous impulses, Lin Qing didn’t dislike his current life.

In fact, he rather enjoyed it.

“Because you and I are the same kind of people.”

‘?’

As Lin Qing was lost in these thoughts, Liu Ying’s words immediately pulled his mind back to reality.

Countless question marks seemed to appear on his face.

‘The same kind of people?’

‘Had Liu Ying also been trafficked, or did she possess a strange ability?’

“We are both unpopular people. In middle school, I suffered verbal abuse from other girls, and you were bullied by Wang Fanran. Also, you like to be alone, a loner, and so do I! Those hateful people always pick on unfortunate souls like us to gain pleasure…”

Liu Ying had started speaking quite normally, but as she continued, her emotions began to escalate.

However, upon not receiving a reply from Lin Qing, Liu Ying suddenly remembered the purpose of her visit and quickly suppressed her surging emotions.

‘Today was her first time speaking to Lin Qing as Liu Ying, and she had accidentally gotten too carried away.’

‘Next time she spoke, she mustn’t get so excited.’

‘There would be plenty of opportunities in the future; she shouldn’t be so eager!’

Upon hearing Liu Ying’s words, Lin Qing’s lips twitched in a speechless manner. ‘I’m not so pathetic as to be a “wretch,” am I?’ he thought.

Though he had been imprisoned for ten years, he had now regained his freedom.

He could walk freely, and eat delicious food; Lin Qing didn’t feel pitiful in the slightest.

‘Were Liu Ying’s eyes blind?’

After much deliberation, Lin Qing concluded that enduring humiliation and lying in wait beside Liu Ying was not suitable for him.

However, giving up this opportunity just like that felt somewhat regrettable to Lin Qing.

‘If he couldn’t control his emotions, all his efforts would be in vain.’

The changes in the number of white skulls were connected to his unique ability, and Lin Qing yearned for a quick, concrete answer to finally put his mind at ease.

“But now, no one is bullying you anymore, so I want to be your friend. Let’s enjoy a wonderful school life together!”

Liu Ying suppressed the excitement in her heart, thinking that her recent emotional words would surely make Lin Qing agree to her suggestion.

‘After all, they were two parts of a shared destiny; neither could do without the other!’

‘If Lin Qing agreed to be her friend this time, Liu Ying decided she would treat him better in the future, ensuring he wouldn’t feel insecure or think she would abandon him.’

‘If they married in the future, although she wouldn’t give up escorting, the children would definitely be Lin Qing’s.’

‘If Lin Qing loved her, he would have to accept everything.’

‘He couldn’t refuse!’

Suddenly, Liu Ying recalled a scene from the red-light district. The unusual atmosphere between Lin Qing and Su Yao had remained like a thorn deeply embedded in her heart, impossible to extract.

This memory caused a sudden surge of anger within Liu Ying as she looked at Lin Qing, making her lose control and speak again.

“I know Su Yao is threatening you. Women like her, who are rich and possess only a beautiful face, merely use their advantages to toy with men! Liu Ying has grown tired of her, and now she’s playing with you! So don’t think she likes you just because she drives a luxury car and touches your face!”

Although Liu Ying had repeatedly reminded herself that no matter what the relationship between Su Yao and Lin Qing was, they would never end up together!

However, now that she was about to become Lin Qing’s friend, and later, an intimate lover, the matter of Su Yao absolutely had to be clarified now.

She couldn’t allow Lin Qing to remain infatuated.

“How do you know Su Yao is playing with me? Or rather, when did you see Su Yao and me interacting? Was it at school? Or in the red-light district?”

However, upon hearing Liu Ying mention Su Yao, Lin Qing, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke.

His words were sharp, his questions abrupt, and his tone aggressively forceful.

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