Chapter 20: The Crimson Skull

“You can’t kill me, so why bother threatening me?”

However, Lin Qing remained unfazed by Su Yao’s threats.

He spoke calmly, devoid of any fear.

If Su Yao truly intended to kill him, she wouldn’t be uttering such ‘harsh words’ now.

Furthermore, her elaborate attempts to kill Li Mei last night stemmed from the fact that an accidental killing in self-defense, while dealing with a murderer, wouldn’t be considered a dark mark on her record.

Even though the crime of involuntary manslaughter was not minor, her backing by the Comet Group meant it could be resolved with mere connections and a sum of money.

Su Yao never worried about the culpability of murder itself; her only concern was accumulating a ‘dark history.’

Such a blemish would undoubtedly impede her future ascent to power within the group.

It was precisely for these reasons that Lin Qing remained certain Su Yao wouldn’t kill him. This was merely an outburst of frustration over her failed plans.

Consequently, Lin Qing had no intention of resisting; he was prepared to silently endure it.

Compared to Su Yao becoming a murderer, the current outcome was far more favorable.

After all, his decision was already made.

He would transfer schools.

Even if he lacked sufficient funds, he could work part-time to earn money. He simply wished to extricate himself from any further entanglement with Su Yao.

Before matters could further escalate, he chose to withdraw completely, his integrity intact.

It was undeniably a sagacious decision.

While Su Yao’s skull had yet to turn black… wait, what was this?

As Lin Qing lifted his gaze towards Su Yao’s head, he noticed that one of the ten white skulls, unlike the other nine with their shifting expressions, remained utterly motionless and expressionless.

The skull, originally white, had now turned crimson.

This sudden, unexpected change left Lin Qing frozen in place.

He had no idea what was happening.

He had seen white skulls, and he had seen black skulls, but a red skull was entirely unprecedented.

Su Yao hadn’t killed anyone last night; she hadn’t committed any sin.

So why had the skull above her head still changed?

“You’re quite clever, aren’t you?”

Lin Qing’s bewildered expression didn’t capture Su Yao’s attention. After speaking, she released her tight grip on his neck, yet remained pressed against his body.

She still rested comfortably on his chest, then reached out, pulling open Lin Qing’s hospital gown. Her hand brazenly slipped inside, making contact with his gaunt, bony chest.

Compared to boys his age, Lin Qing always appeared frail and vulnerable.

It was as if a mere gust of wind could sweep him away.

Yet, despite his slender build, he possessed the audacity to stand before her.

He had even extended his hand to block a knife…

How utterly intriguing!

Having shed the previous night’s exhilaration, Su Yao had regained a measure of rationality. She understood that no amount of misplaced anger would grant her what she truly desired.

She couldn’t kill.

Thus, she could only continue to toy with him.

“Lin Qing, don’t even think about transferring schools or moving away. I could even uncover Li Mei’s murder. Unless you’re dead, you’ll never escape my grasp.”

As Su Yao spoke, she lay sideways on Lin Qing’s chest.

Her warm breath brushed against his chest, sending a faint shiver through him.

However, Lin Qing, utterly consumed by shock, had no leisure to consider anything else.

Now, events had taken an unforeseen turn. Which part of the plan had gone awry?

“What did you do while I was unconscious?”

Lin Qing ignored Su Yao’s words, instead posing his question with a grave expression.

His urgent demeanor, however, only deepened Su Yao’s bewilderment.

‘Had something happened?’

“Thanks to you, the anesthetic dose was quite substantial. I only just woke up myself, so I haven’t had time to do anything.”

“These handcuffs?”

“Just a little trinket the bodyguards thoughtfully provided before they left. Nothing to worry about.”

“…”

Lin Qing knew Su Yao had no reason to lie about such trivial matters. Yet, if nothing had been done, how could the skull have turned red?

Could it be that by preventing Su Yao from committing murder, a red skull had appeared?

“What, has something interesting happened?”

Su Yao no longer sprawled across Lin Qing. She withdrew her hand from his gown, then propped herself up on either side of his body, leaning forward to look down at him.

Although Lin Qing’s overly long hair was still an eyesore, it was inconsequential at this moment.

The thought of Lin Qing’s unique nature made Su Yao’s eyes sparkle with excitement, completely dismissing any lingering grievances from the previous night.

“No, I just realized it’s time to return to school.”

Facing Su Yao’s sparkling eyes, Lin Qing merely shook his head, offering a response that was utterly disappointing.

In response, Su Yao puffed out one cheek in a slightly annoyed, yet utterly adorable, pout. Just as suddenly, the strength in her arms vanished, and she settled back onto Lin Qing’s chest.

Any sensible person would detect the evasion in his words; Lin Qing was undeniably concealing something from her.

Fortunately, time was on her side, and there was plenty of it.

Moreover, school was her domain.

“Indeed. But you seem to have forgotten something.”

“?”

“The class was thrown into chaos because of your fainting spell. The two students who scared you that day have become remarkably well-behaved, but your deskmate, on the other hand, has been having a rather difficult time.”

As if recalling something amusing, Su Yao flashed a mischievous grin. She didn’t keep it to herself, but deliberately spoke it aloud, intending to vex Lin Qing.

Women, after all, could hold quite a grudge.

The more she thought about it, the more entertaining it became. Su Yao eagerly anticipated how things would unfold.

Would Lin Qing be thoroughly dealt with?

As Su Yao giggled with unrestrained delight, the surging, soft sensation spread across Lin Qing’s chest. Yet, it failed to disturb his thoughts.

He had returned to the harsh reality.

The thought of the mess awaiting him at school gave Lin Qing a splitting headache.

When he first arrived to register for class, Lin Qing had envisioned actively getting to know his classmates and fully experiencing school life, hoping to make up for a decade of emptiness.

To that end, he had read numerous books the night before.

For instance, *The Art of Conversation*, *How to Help Someone with Low Emotional Intelligence*, *Be My Friend*…

The list was endless.

However, after the teacher assigned seats, his deskmate proved to be anything but easy to get along with.

Even without seeing the skull above his head, a brief interaction alone revealed Wang Fanran’s undisguised disdain and contempt.

Consequently, Lin Qing’s preparations had been entirely futile, finding no opportunity for application.

Lin Qing had no desire to fawn over anyone, nor did he wish to associate with someone like Wang Fanran. Therefore, even if it meant becoming a solitary, gloomy figure in class, he wouldn’t force himself into befriending bad company for any other reason.

When he truly thought about it, Su Yao, that wicked woman, was surprisingly the classmate he had spoken to the most.

He had explicitly intended to avoid her, to have no dealings with this terrifying woman.

As these thoughts quietly brewed, Lin Qing looked at Su Yao, who lay docilely on his chest. His hands, bound by the novelty handcuffs, could easily slip free the moment he clenched them into fists.

The instant his slender hands finally regained their freedom, Lin Qing’s first action was to push Su Yao away.

He needed to have a serious talk with Su Yao.