Because of Her... My Heart is Troubled

After helping Mobius tidy up her laboratory, Elysia left with Lin Li.

As soon as they were outside, she couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Li, did Dr. Mobius say anything bad about me just now?"

"...No," Lin Li shook her head. "This afternoon, I was telling her stories about my past. You weren't mentioned."

"Xiao Li's past stories? I want to hear them too." Elysia winked at Lin Li, her expectant gaze impossible to hide.

"...I'll tell you later when I have time. It's so late now, and I'm tired from talking."

Lin Li looked away, not sure where she was looking, as long as it wasn't at Elysia.

The moment she met Elysia's gaze, she couldn't help but recall what Mobius had said to her a few hours ago...

"Okay, Xiao Li, you can't forget, I'll always remember."

After receiving Lin Li's affirmative reply, Elysia was clearly overjoyed. A hint of slyness flashed in her eyes, and humming a tune, she swung Lin Li's hand back to their home.

Even after being in this world for so long, Lin Li would still pause for a moment whenever she arrived at this so-called home.

Elysia would always wait for her.

But today, something seemed to be wrong. Lin Li stood at the entrance, staring at the living room for a long time, but she couldn't bring herself to step forward.

"Xiao Li?" Elysia called out softly, pressing the light switch. The pitch-black living room was instantly bathed in light.

Lin Li snapped back to attention, looking at the gentle face of the girl in front of her. She opened her mouth, as if wanting to say something, the words seemingly on the tip of her tongue.

But in the end, she just pointed to the stairs and asked, "Have you been to the second floor?"

"Mhm, of course I have. Speaking of which, Xiao Li, you've lived here for so long and haven't been up there. Do you want to go up?" Elysia said with a smile, "I'll be your guide."

"...Such a small place doesn't need a guide, does it?" Lin Li said speechlessly.

"No, no, no, a guide is very important," Elysia's tone became serious. "Look, it's so dark up there, and Xiao Li, you don't know where the light switches are. What if you get scared going up alone?"

"And also, those dark places might hide some..."

"Stop!"

Lin Li rolled her eyes. "Do I look that timid?"

"Mhm."

"?"

Lin Li snorted, shook off Elysia's hand, and walked towards the second floor herself.

Elysia, of course, followed closely behind her. On one hand, she didn't want to leave Lin Li; on the other hand... it was indeed because she was afraid Lin Li would get scared.

Even though there was nothing scary upstairs, Xiao Li was still a girl after all. She couldn't possibly not be afraid of the dark, right?

When Xiao Li showed fear, that would be her cue to shine, Elysia·Super Brave·Hya, hehe.

Then Elysia was disappointed.

Because Lin Li was genuinely not scared at all. She fumbled in the dark, found the switch, and turned on the lights directly, revealing the entire second floor.

This floor had no bedrooms, only a recreational area and a semi-open study.

The study and the balcony were almost connected, something Lin Li had noticed when observing the villa from the outside earlier.

The bookshelves were filled with many books Lin Li had never heard of... which was normal, as she wasn't from this world in the first place.

The recreational area wasn't much, just a large space with several large sofas, a yoga mat, a treadmill, and a punching bag.

It seemed like this wasn't just a recreational area. Lin Li thought to herself.

Her shoulder was nudged, so she habitually turned to the left, but Elysia was on her right.

"So childish," Lin Li commented.

"How can Xiao Li say that? This is clearly full of childlike innocence," Elysia pouted her rosy lips and pulled Lin Li to sit on the large sofa.

The sofa was large, not in length, but in width. It could even accommodate two people sleeping on it... though it might be a bit cramped.

Elysia patted the sofa cushion and said, "Xiao Li, why don't we sleep here tonight?"

"Why would we sleep here when we have beds?" Lin Li asked.

"Oh, just to experience it, Xiao Li. Indulge me just once, okay?"

"I've indulged you many times," Lin Li said, about to stand up. She didn't really want to stay in this place; it was boring. She'd rather go downstairs and watch Tom and Jerry.

But as soon as she prepared to stand, Elysia pushed her back down.

"What are you doing?"

"Mmm... Xiao Li, stay here with me for a while, okay?"

Elysia's voice was soft, and her big sapphire-blue eyes looked at Lin Li, making it impossible for her to refuse.

Lin Li had no choice but to listen to her.

Elysia's lips curved upward almost imperceptibly, and she said again, "Xiao Li, you sit here first. I'm going to turn off the lights."

"Why turn off the lights?" A sense of unease gradually arose in Lin Li's heart.

"Because..."

Snap.

The second floor was plunged into darkness. The sudden change from light to dark made Lin Li a little disoriented. After a while, her vision gradually cleared. Although it was pitch black around her, she could still make out the silhouettes of other things.

For example, Elysia, who was slowly walking towards her. She took light steps and sat back down beside Lin Li.

"Because I really like the feeling of being with Xiao Li in the dark," Elysia said softly, leaning her chin on Lin Li's shoulder. "Do you like it this way, Xiao Li?"

"...I don't hate it," Lin Li replied truthfully.

It was as if she hadn't said anything at all.

But Elysia seemed to have guessed she would say that, and immediately said, "So that means you like it?"

"Then you can understand it that way."

Lin Li shook her head, unsure of what Elysia was trying to do.

She was very nervous now, with Dr. Mobius's words constantly swirling in her mind.

Why... did the Doctor say those things? She could have completely ignored it.

She felt her cheeks growing warm.

Elysia seemed to notice that something was off with Lin Li and was about to ask, but a message on her phone interrupted her.

She picked up her phone, frowned in confusion, and asked, "Xiao Li, why did the Doctor tell me the name of a school, and say it was in the Far East? Is it related to you?"

"Yes," Lin Li nodded. "Tomorrow is my first day at the research institute. The Doctor gave me a mission to pick up two graduates who are coming to work here from that school."

"Are they... the ones Bianca mentioned before?" Elysia tilted her head and asked.

"Yes, their names are Danzhu and Cang Xuan. They're both girls."

"Judging by their names, they should be very cute girls," Elysia complimented. "But they're university graduates, so they should be older than you, right?"

"...I don't know." Lin Li had already thought about this.

She even wondered if she'd be suspected of being a liar when she went to pick up those two girls.

"Hmm... so you're going to the Far East tomorrow, Xiao Li?"

"Yes."

Lin Li turned to Elysia, pursing her lips slightly. Her dark eyes merged with the darkness, only faintly reflecting a sliver of moonlight.

She hesitated before speaking:

"Elysia, will you come with me?"

"Hmm? What did you say? E, Ly, Sia?"

Elysia seemed displeased.

"What's wrong..." Lin Li was confused for two seconds before realizing and saying, "Eri."

"Hmph, say it again."

"Eri, will you go to the Far East with me?" Lin Li repeated as Elysia had instructed.

She had no choice but to have Elysia accompany her, otherwise, she wouldn't even know the way. She hadn't seen a world map of this world yet and didn't even know where the Far East was.

After she said this, Elysia's entire demeanor changed.

"Hmm... Xiao Li invited me to the Far East with her. Cute Elysia, do you know how I should answer her?" she murmured as if talking to herself, but in the silent, dark space, every word reached Lin Li's ears.

Lin Li knew Elysia was probably planning some trick or scheme again.

"Oh dear... but the higher-ups have already scheduled a meeting with me for tomorrow. If I leave with Xiao Li... will they be unhappy?"

"..."

"This is such a difficult choice. On one hand, it's Xiao Li, whom I like the most. On the other hand... it doesn't seem like a difficult choice at all."

Elysia's tone became cheerful again, ending her monologue.

Her expression made Lin Li wonder if she had really been talking to herself and had reached a satisfactory conclusion.

"Xiao Li, I have an answer now," Elysia chuckled lightly. However, Lin Li sensed a hint of something amiss in her laughter.

"What?"

"I can accompany you to the Far East," she said. "But, Xiao Li, you have to grant me one wish."

"...Is it for me to sleep with you on this sofa?" Lin Li recalled what Elysia had said earlier.

"Hmm... if Xiao Li wants to, then that can be my wish too." Elysia's eyes lit up at this, and she was even ready to lie down.

"Then let's change it. It's too crowded here," Lin Li shook her head.

"Alright, I'm a little disappointed," Elysia said, but the hopeful and excited glint in her eyes never faded.

"How about this, Xiao Li? Let me kiss you, and I'll go with you. Is that okay?"

"Why is it... this again?" Lin Li became flustered. She finally understood where her earlier unease came from.

Elysia had been thinking about this the entire time.

"Mhm, because I like Xiao Li, it's that simple," Elysia said with a smile. Without waiting for Lin Li to speak, she pulled her back to the first floor.

Lin Li still looked like she was thinking, and Elysia didn't rush her for an answer. Pretending not to care, she picked up her toiletries.

"Xiao Li, I trained all day today too. I'm going to take a shower first. You need to wait for me obediently."

"Also, if I finish my shower and find Xiao Li already lying in bed, I'll be very happy, okay?"

With that, Elysia walked into the bathroom, acting as if she truly didn't care about Lin Li's answer.

But Lin Li knew she had to make a choice.

"Like..."

Lin Li kept repeating the word, her mind feeling a bit blank, unable to think of anything else.

"Tsk... so annoying."

Lin Li shook her head forcefully, not in the mood to turn on the TV to watch her favorite SpongeBob SquarePants. She just lay on the sofa, constantly thinking about this matter.

The sound of water from the bathroom made her feel restless. She closed her eyes, and her mind was filled with the other person's image.

From the moment she arrived in this world and was saved by the pink-haired girl, had the two of them become bound together?

She didn't know. She just felt that Elysia was a very good girl... Although, she probably shouldn't call Elysia a "girl," since Elysia seemed a little older than her.

Maybe a year older? Or two? It didn't matter.

This time yesterday, weren't she and Elysia lying in bed?

Her mind had gone completely blank then. Elysia should have succeeded, but then Vill-V suddenly arrived.

She didn't want to admit it, even though she was certain that subconsciously she didn't resist Elysia, but...

This feeling was just so irritating.

Lin Li grabbed a cushion from the sofa and covered her face, as if trying to melt her thoughts into the inanimate object, letting it think for her.

But it couldn't think.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that if her vision went dark, the next thing that would appear in her mind would be Elysia's stunningly beautiful face from last night, drawing closer and closer, and her eyes shimmering with a faint pink and purple light.

Seriously... how could someone be this beautiful? And she only felt this way last night. Usually, even though she knew Elysia was beautiful, it couldn't compare to Elysia from last night.

It was so strange.

The sound of water from the bathroom stopped.

Lin Li only then realized that, without even noticing, she had been lost in chaotic thoughts for so long.

So, was she ready? What would Elysia say when she walked over to her wearing a towel later? And how would she answer?

After the sound of water stopped, it took a while before Elysia emerged from the bathroom.

She held a hairdryer and walked over to sit beside Lin Li. Lin Li knew what she wanted without needing to be told.

Drying Elysia's hair. Although she had only done this once or twice before, it was enough.

She didn't need to have great skill, because Elysia's long pink hair might become messy for a short while after drying, but after some time, it would become increasingly smooth and soft, as if... her hands possessed magic.

During the time she was drying Elysia's hair, neither of them spoke.

Perhaps it was because the hairdryer was too loud, or perhaps both of them were thinking about what to say.

Therefore, when Lin Li put down the hairdryer, they both spoke at the same time:

"Xiao Li."

"Eri."

"..."