Chapter 119: A Sermon Interrupted

After listening to Menglinna’s story, Yushi nodded calmly. “I understand.”

“Thank you for understanding!”

Caught between Nanaya and Jijige, Menglinna had finally found someone she could confide in.

“Yes,” Yushi nodded. “It’s just that I don’t get it—are you here to show off that two girls are fighting over you?”

Menglinna froze. “No, I’m not showing off… and it’s not like that at all! Two girls wanting me? There’s nothing like that!”

Yushi spread her hands. “But from what you’ve said, that’s exactly what it sounds like!”

“No, no! Why would they like me?”

Seeing that this counted as a consultation, Yushi couldn’t be bothered to kick Menglinna out. Since she was already using work time to listen to gossip, she said, “I’m willing to believe you, but everything requires evidence. Since you’re so confident, why don’t you tell me why those two wouldn’t like you?”

“Fine,” Menglinna thought for a moment, then nodded. “Let’s start with Jijige.”

“Sure.”

Yushi found it amusing—this archbishop was a big deal in the church, yet she was learning about her deeds through something like this.

“The reason Jijige won’t like me is simple: she’s a lesbian!”

“Huh?”

Yushi froze for a second at Menglinna’s firm declaration. Then she asked, “Can you repeat that reason?”

“Because she’s a lesbian (emphatic)!”

“Uh…” Yushi felt the helplessness of dealing with a patient hiding their true condition. “Is that a reason?”

Menglinna put her hands on her hips confidently. “Because of her orientation, of course she can’t like me!”

Yushi grabbed a stress ball from her desk and squeezed it. “Let’s set aside the archbishop’s orientation for now. I want to ask you: do you see yourself as a man or a woman?”

Menglinna fell silent. Under Yushi’s reminder, she suddenly realized a huge mistake she’d been making—

She couldn’t be ‘one of the bros’ anymore!

Seeing the expression on her face, Yushi understood about seventy percent. As a doctor well-versed in human nature, she knew Menglinna wasn’t going to say anything useful, so she took the lead. “Let’s put Jijige aside and talk about Nanaya’s situation.”

“Okay,” Menglinna quickly shook off her fear of the earlier misconception and started a new topic. “As for Nanaya, there’s no way she likes me.”

“A confident statement,” Yushi smiled. “Reason?”

“I hate to admit it, but I used to do terrible things to her. Though she’s kind of forgiven me now, she still wants revenge.”

Yushi’s expression stiffened. This weird claim didn’t match her understanding.

“What did you do to her?”

“Ah, something like bullying… and it seems to have left a deep impact on her!”

That didn’t sound like what Menglinna described at all!

Yushi suddenly said, “Could she have Stockholm syndrome?”

“No,” Menglinna thought and added, “She doesn’t tremble when she sees someone’s back on the third floor.”

“That’s more like Stockholm!” Yushi nearly flipped the table. “Get out, you troll!”

“Uh, okay,” Menglinna shrank her neck. “If you mean the symptom where the victim falls for the abuser, I don’t think she has that.”

Yushi took a sip from her water glass before slowly saying, “Even if that’s the case, how do you explain Nanaya’s behavior towards you? I’m an outsider, but your first visit was all with her, and last time with Pem’s commission, she was tailing you to help you capture them. To have that happen… you can’t call that revenge, can you?”

That hit the mark. Menglinna hesitated, then explained, “Maybe she’s just worried about me?”

“And why would she be worried?” Yushi tapped the table. “If she really held a grudge, she’d want you dead, right?”

“…”

Menglinna fell silent. She really didn’t know how to refute that.

But no matter what, she couldn’t believe Nanaya liked her.

After all, that little saint candidate had personally said she’d make her pay a hundredfold.

“Alright,” Yushi saw Menglinna’s hesitation and didn’t want to waste time. “Whether they like you or not, I think you have to make a choice now.”

“Choice?”

Menglinna’s eyes sparkled with pure stupidity.

Yushi found it funny. She pursed her lips and said slowly, “This is just my personal opinion, not necessarily factual, and not targeting anyone or anything. If you adopt my opinion and act on it…”

“Alright, alright,” Menglinna interrupted Yushi’s disclaimer. “So?”

“So, you have to choose between the two of them!” Yushi suddenly stood up. “Nanaya or Jijige—you have to decide.”

“Can I not choose?”

She didn’t understand what she was supposed to choose, or rather, she didn’t want to understand. She instinctively resisted.

“No, if you don’t choose, you’ll get beaten badly!”

For some reason, a nasty smile appeared on Yushi’s face. She seemed very interested in the word ‘beaten.’

Menglinna’s back suddenly went damp. If Yushi alone was this scary, then…

“Anyway, I suggest you think carefully,” Yushi smiled. “Make sure you consider it thoroughly!”

“Of course I will,” Menglinna stood up. “I don’t understand what you said, but thanks for listening.”

Yushi stared into Menglinna’s eyes for a moment, then suddenly laughed. “No, you don’t understand because you don’t want to understand.”

She glanced at the wall clock. “It’s time for my shift to end. Thanks for helping me kill the morning.”

“Ha, you’re slacking off at work?”

Menglinna, with her simple nun values, was shocked by Yushi’s behavior.

Yushi went ahead and opened the clinic door. An unexpected person stood outside.

“Peiji?” As soon as she said it, Menglinna realized her address might be wrong and quickly corrected herself, “Prosecutor Peiji, what are you doing here?”

“Just waiting for someone,” Peiji waved the bouquet in her hand. “I’ve been caught by my weakness, you know.”

Caught by a weakness yet smiling so happily? Menglinna couldn’t help showing a gossipy grin. “Ah, Doctor Yushi, your face is so red!”

Yushi stomped her foot hard, the heels making a loud noise on the floor. “The patient was so stupid it shocked me!”

Though she felt a bit better after talking to Yushi, the problem wasn’t really solved at all.

Menglinna sat in a chair, listening to Nanaya preaching the gospel from the podium.

Nanaya’s sermons weren’t as interesting as Menglinna’s, but she’d heard enough of Menglinna’s preaching to know that at least Nanaya was better than Jijige.

For Menglinna, though, she’d heard these gospel stories countless times. They were pretty boring.

But it was still a sermon; leaving now wouldn’t be good. Menglinna quietly moved to a corner spot.

Whether intentionally or not, she ended up right by a big pillar. The pillar blocked most of the front view, and the seat was in the back row, so it hid most of her height. With a little care, she could even sleep there without anyone noticing.

Though not really, her eyelids grew heavier. Eventually, her consciousness slowly drifted away.

—

“Thus the divine messenger granted the artifact to the two…”

Finally finished. The adventurers who came for spectacle dispersed.

Nanaya pretended to be busy packing up, managing to dodge two creators’ questions. After the boring adventurers left, she tossed her book onto the podium and began searching for Menglinna.

She’d noticed Menglinna as soon as she entered the hall—since she came in late, she sat way in the back. Nanaya hadn’t seen her leave.

She walked into the audience and found the famous spot for loafing.

Sure enough, Menglinna was hiding in the shadow of the pillar, secretly sleeping.

The adventurers were all listening intently, and this one was sleeping on the sly?

A brief disappointment flickered in Nanaya’s heart, quickly turning to anger.

So you’re irreligious—sleeping while others preach, huh?

Nanaya quietly sat next to Menglinna and studied her.

She had indeed dozed off, but she wasn’t lying on the table; her head leaned against the pillar, keeping her upper body upright.

This posture left her ‘big thunder’ sticking straight out, seemingly unprotected.

Nanaya couldn’t help leaning closer, facing Menglinna’s sleeping face directly.

Eyes tightly closed, long lashes resting on her cheeks, somehow proud.

Nanaya’s mouth went dry. To quench her thirst…

She swallowed. Her gaze moved down to Menglinna’s rosy lips.

Even in sleep, her expression was alert. Nanaya couldn’t help reaching out and waving a hand in front of her face, as if checking if she was really asleep.

No doubt about it. Nanaya grew bolder, reaching out to grab Menglinna’s loose golden hair.

This defenseless sleeping pose made her want to do something naughty.

Nanaya extended her hand, then quickly grabbed it.

Wouldn’t that be improper?

She’s still asleep!

Her inner demon popped out and shouted, “It’s fine. You’re the victim here. What’s wrong with a little revenge now?”

The inner angel also popped out: “Just apologize quickly after revenge so she won’t hate you!”

Nanaya frowned slightly. The more the angel said that, the more irritated she became.

She was getting revenge—why did she care if she was hated?

Her rebelliousness flared. Nanaya couldn’t help reaching out.

But unfortunately, lost in the storm in her head, she didn’t notice the real world. Her outstretched hand directly grabbed Menglinna’s ‘front armor.’

“!”

Startled by the grip on her chest, Menglinna woke up. Opening her eyes, she saw Nanaya’s resolute face.

Nanaya hadn’t expected to accidentally grab her chest either. But since it had happened, facing the suddenly awakened Menglinna, she didn’t panic. She maintained her usual indifferent expression.

For a moment, neither spoke. Menglinna was drowsy and hadn’t fully grasped the situation, so she kept quiet.

So Nanaya kept holding Menglinna’s ‘front armor,’ and they stared at each other in silence.

Finally, Nanaya broke the silence: “Did you know you fell asleep during the sermon?”

“So,” Menglinna looked down at the hand gripping her chest, “is this punishment?”

“Of course it’s punishment,” Nanaya squeezed harder. “Got a problem?”

It hurt a little. Menglinna couldn’t help saying, “Can I have a problem?”

“Yes.”

Nanaya let go. Just as Menglinna thought she was saved, Nanaya suddenly pinned her hands and pressed her against the pillar.

Though Nanaya was shorter, Menglinna was once again the disadvantaged one.

This was like a wall slam.

As Nanaya’s face drew closer, Yushi’s words suddenly flooded her mind.

She doesn’t actually like me, does she?

At that thought, Menglinna couldn’t help asking, “Do you like me?”

“Huh?”

The fierce momentum was broken by this sudden question. Nanaya looked at Menglinna in disbelief.

What was she talking about?

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