Yaoshi Yuan wrapped her arms around Yan Qing's neck and hugged him tightly.
She seemed nervous too, her body trembling slightly, but both her hands were gripping him hard.
Before Yan Qing could react, Yaoshi Yuan released him and stepped back.
Her expression looked calm. She merely looked away as she spoke: "So this wasn't a thank-you."
"...You're right."
The corner of Yan Qing's mouth twitched. "I feel like you just molested me."
She had suddenly pounced on him and just as suddenly retreated. Yan Qing only felt something press against his chest, experiencing for the first time in his life what it felt like for an innocent young lady to be attacked by a lecherous villain.
Yaoshi Yuan's face flushed, but she continued speaking at her own pace. "Someone like you—a scumbag, a degenerate, a lecher—does everything for yourself. You've never done anything for us, have you?"
"Correct."
"I didn't hug you to thank you. I wanted to hug Bunny Heroine just now, but she said my armor was digging into her, so I really wanted to hug someone. As her elder brother, you happened to be available. I was only treating you as her substitute."
"I understand. A substitute meal."
"A substitute meal? Exactly, that's what I mean." Yaoshi Yuan sniffed. "This hug wasn't for you. It was for Bunny Heroine, so don't get the wrong idea."
Yan Qing was silent for a moment. "By that logic, you should pay me."
"Fine."
What? She was really going to pay him? Could he really fetch a price even while wearing a mask? This was the first time Yan Qing had received such valuable recognition, comparable to the looks of disbelief his buddies gave him when he took a piss.
"But not with money. With instruction." Yaoshi Yuan spoke slowly.