Goodbye Zhu Li × What are your feelings for me

"I'm telling you, I was scared to death back there."

Inside the dessert shop, Lin Yue gestured wildly, recounting the tale with vivid flair, while Zhu Li sat across from her, scooping up a piece of cake and listening with a smile.

"It was like... what's the saying?" Lin Yue paused, "Anyway, that's how it went, and we won in the end."

Amazed by her storytelling skills, Chen Xi couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter.

"You didn't actually say anything at all, did you?"

Chen Xi helped fill in the gaps: "It was when Lin Yue and I synchronized the Water Blade and took Wu Xin down while she wasn't paying attention."

[That makes it sound like such a trivial matter.]

[If I hadn't looked up the records myself, I would have almost been fooled by you.]

Zhu Li secretly controlled flames to dance across the tabletop, forming lines of text.

She hadn't developed such tricks before because there was no need, but ever since she met these two, everything had changed.

[Wu Xin was actually registered by the authorities long ago; her most infamous identity is known as the Puppet.]

"...The Puppet?" Chen Xi murmured.

"I think I've heard that name before," Lin Yue chimed in from the side.

"The Puppet was originally the captain of the Third Squad at the Tianhai City Countermeasure Bureau. One day, her personality changed completely, and using their friendship, she effortlessly murdered the other squad captain she had once relied on."

"After that, she specialized in hunting down female Transcendent, and she vanished half a year ago following a siege by the Countermeasure Bureau."

Although she had guessed this might be Wu Xin, Lin Yue hadn't bothered to investigate further.

After all, it wouldn't have helped with the fighting.

[But in reality, Wu Xin just changed her identity; she never died in that siege.]

Zhu Li continued to chat with the two while manipulating the flames.

Chen Xi pondered for a moment before stating her deduction: "In half a year, given her strength, it's unlikely she's still a First-Tier Transcendent."

"So, it's highly probable that the more identities Wu Xin experiences, the greater the boost she receives when she ascends to the Second Tier."

Although Wu Xin had said this herself, Chen Xi hadn't fully believed it.

Lin Yue nodded in agreement:

"True... when we fought her, she didn't use that Snow Woman ability, though that level of power would just be a waste of mana in a fight anyway."

"Even though she's killed so many Transcendent..."

"Surely she can't gain all the abilities she's experienced after ascending to the Second Tier, right?"

Her intuition told Lin Yue that she might have stumbled upon the truth.

"That would be truly terrifying." Fortunately, the two of them happened to be part of her Ascension Ritual, which was what stopped her.

Otherwise, there was no telling what Wu Xin might have unleashed.

The blonde girl subconsciously reached for a pastry on the plate, only to find she had already finished them all; she scratched her head in embarrassment.

Zhu Li chuckled and scanned the code to order another full round of desserts.

[By the way, Qiu Xiao, the current Third Squad captain, is very grateful to you both. At the upcoming exchange conference, she asked if you could spare some time to talk to her about the details regarding Wu Xin.]

The flames shifted silently; thanks to Zhu Li's exquisite fire control, the other patrons in the shop remained completely unaware.

"Who's that again?" Lin Yue took a bite of the matcha cake that had just been served.

[The Puppet's former best friend. She has been searching for the reason behind the change in her personality, and now, the truth has finally come to light.]

That was indeed a tragic story, and the two fell silent.

Lin Yue turned her grief into appetite, easily polishing off a dozen plates of desserts.

Outside the entrance, the two were preparing to say goodbye to Zhu Li.

"Bye~" Lin Yue waved, but just as she was about to leave, she saw Zhu Li looking at Chen Xi with a hesitant expression.

"What's up?" The blonde girl tilted her head, looking between the two.

"It's nothing..."

Chen Xi didn't intend to hide it and told her about the matter directly.

Lin Yue was silent for a moment, then smiled with relief: "Then go ahead and keep Zhu Li company; I'll have the place to myself back home."

Because there were too many eyes and ears outside, Zhu Li pulled out a notepad.

[Thank you.]

Her expression was sincere, and Lin Yue felt embarrassed, her face flushing red.

"Why are you thanking me? It's got nothing to do with me," the girl muttered, though a brainstorm was already brewing in her mind.

It's just one day...

Just one day... absolutely nothing will happen...

Seeing that Lin Yue had nothing more to say, Chen Xi continued by asking: "Is it tomorrow... or the final day?"

Today is already the fourth day of Zhu Li's life, and with the Exchange Meeting the day after tomorrow, that leaves only two choices.

[See you tomorrow]

Zhu Li held up the sticker, then left the dessert shop.

"Let's go."

Patting Lin Yue, who was still dazed, the two grabbed a casual barbecue dinner and spent the entire afternoon wandering around the mall.

At night, the two had returned home.

As soon as they arrived, Lin Yue immediately collapsed onto the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"What's wrong? You've been unhappy all day." After changing out of her clothes to be washed, Chen Xi felt refreshed.

"It's nothing." The blonde girl turned onto her side.

Chen Xi deliberately walked behind her, blocking her light: "That means it is something."

"I..." Lin Yue turned back around, locking eyes with the black-haired girl, and was momentarily at a loss for words.

How was she supposed to say it? Should she say she was jealous of a poor person who was about to die? Should she say that she actually liked her?

If a girl liked you, would you accept it?

Lin Yue didn't want to break through this layer of their relationship; she was afraid that if they laid everything out on the table, they wouldn't even be able to remain friends.

"What... what do you feel about me? Be bold, you can say anything." Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum.

Not expecting such a sudden question, Chen Xi pondered for a moment and hesitated: "If I had to say, it's like raising a daughter?"

"I didn't tell you to be that bold... what do you mean by raising a daughter? Am I that childish?!"

Lin Yue raised her voice involuntarily.

Chen Xi was unfazed: "Then what is there to talk about? I was actually going to ask what your impression of me was..."

"No feelings." Lin Yue pursed her lips.

Seeing that the girl's mood was no longer so low, Chen Xi joked: "Can't be bothered with you. Call me Daddy and I'll answer you."

"Get lost." Kicking her, Lin Yue curled back up.

Chen Xi wrapped a bath towel around herself and said calmly: "Going to shower. No time to mess around with a little kid."

Seeing that she was really about to leave, Lin Yue, her face flushed red, finally expressed her true feelings in a roundabout way.

"You are the most important person to me."

After saying this, Lin Yue didn't even dare to look at her, burying herself in the inner side of the sofa like an ostrich.

Chen Xi's footsteps paused slightly, though she didn't turn her head.

"You are too."

In every sense, the most unique, the most important person to me.