The Unluckiest Protagonist

"Hmm?"

Her cheeks were already flushed, but suddenly they grew even hotter. Ye Lingling didn't know why, and her tense body trembled.

"What I mean is, Senior Lingling, to make up for what I did, I'll find a way to break the curse on your Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul."

Wang Dong'er immediately tried to make amends, realizing she'd said the wrong thing.

Her expression was resolute, her tone earnest. She meant every word.

Ye Lingling's mind went blank for a moment.

She hadn't expected Wang Dong'er to help her find a way to break the curse on her Martial Soul.

Without realizing it, a trace of warmth rose in her heart. Those words meant far more to her than the immortal herb that had improved her innate talent.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing."

It was more than ten seconds before Ye Lingling spoke. She still kept her head lowered, too shy to meet Wang Dong'er's eyes, and her voice was very soft.

"I know you didn't do it on purpose, and you didn't know my secret. I shouldn't have gotten angry... I'm sorry."

"As for the curse on my Martial Soul, I don't need you to do this for me. It's too difficult. For generations, the Ye Family hasn't been able to break it. I can't let it hold you back."

"Wang Dong'er, if you ever need me, I'll always be there behind you... supporting you."

The curse on the Ye Family's Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul was too cruel. In any given generation, only two people could possess a Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul...

If the Nine Heart Begonia were an evil Martial Soul, there'd be nothing to say.

But it was a support-type Martial Soul with only one Soul Skill: healing. It was a born, top-tier support Martial Soul, yet it had to bear such a curse. It was too unfair.

Breaking the curse would be simple: all she had to do was become a god, and she could certainly do it.

Wang Dong'er secretly made up her mind. If there were more Nine Heart Begonia wielders, fewer people would surely die at the hands of Soul Beasts or in wars.

After clearing up the misunderstanding, Wang Dong'er left Ye Lingling's room.

Dugu Yan was standing outside the door. It seemed she'd been eavesdropping the whole time.

"Senior, why haven't you gone to bed yet?"

Wang Dong'er asked.

"I... I was just worried about you two." Dugu Yan laughed it off. "Now that you've cleared up the misunderstanding, I can relax."

"Ha!"

Dugu Yan yawned and waved as she headed back to her room.

"It's late, so I'll go to bed first. Don't stay up too late, Dong'er."

"Mm."

Wang Dong'er nodded.

Back in her room, she changed into her pajamas and washed up.

After extinguishing the oil lamp, she lifted the covers and lay down. Suddenly, her brows furrowed.

Strange, why was the bed so warm?

As if someone had been lying there—or had deliberately warmed it up.

Never mind. She should get some sleep.

There was no one else's presence in the room. Wang Dong'er didn't pay it much mind, assuming the hot weather and the midday sun coming through the window had warmed the bed.

She closed her eyes, then suddenly felt a faint movement beneath the covers.

"Sister Xiao Wu... why are you here?"

Wang Dong'er froze and asked in a hushed voice.

"Huh? How did you guess it was me?"

Xiao Wu's puzzled voice rang out. Her head poked out from the edge of the covers, and she looked at Wang Dong'er with a cheeky grin.

"I just had a feeling... that it was you," Wang Dong'er said. "Sister Xiao Wu, stop fooling around. We have to leave early tomorrow, so get some proper rest."

"All right, let's get some proper rest."

Though she agreed, Xiao Wu scooted over to make room for Wang Dong'er, then gently patted the pillow.

"Wasn't this how we used to sleep at Notting Academy? What, you've only been gone a month and you already don't want me around? Or is Dugu Yan coming to see you later, and I'm getting in your way?"

Xiao Wu pouted and blinked at her reproachfully.

Wang Dong'er hurriedly explained, "It's not like that... At Notting Academy, we pushed our beds together."

"Close enough. Hurry up and lie down. I haven't slept well by myself these past few days."

Xiao Wu urged her. Wang Dong'er hesitated, but eventually let out a soft sigh and lay down beside her, careful to leave a little space between them.

But Xiao Wu reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve, whispering, "Don't lie so far away. I can't even feel your presence. You're not at all like you used to be."

Unable to resist her, Wang Dong'er moved a little closer. She could clearly hear Xiao Wu's steady breathing. For some reason, she felt a little nervous, but soon she gradually relaxed.

Before long, Xiao Wu fell asleep.

Wang Dong'er grew drowsy too, her consciousness slowly fading.

Half-asleep, her lips moved, and she murmured softly, "Good night, Mom..."

Before she'd finished speaking, a faint sound came from nearby. Wang Dong'er's beautiful eyes flew open, and she turned her head slightly. A graceful serpent's silhouette had appeared beside the bed at some point.

Soul Masters had exceptionally sharp eyesight, and Wang Dong'er could see Dugu Yan's astonished face, flushed with excitement.

"Senior Dugu, you... how did you get in? When did you arrive?"

Wang Dong'er whispered. Xiao Wu shifted slightly beside her, making her heart skip a beat. Only when she saw that Xiao Wu hadn't woken up did she relax.

"I got here ages ago. I arrived just before you did, more or less. Like you, I came in through the window."

As she answered Wang Dong'er's questions, Dugu Yan lay down beside her. Since her Martial Soul Possession had turned her into a snake-woman, she could move almost completely silently.

She'd been here ages ago!?

Wang Dong'er's heart sank.

She'd been so focused on Xiao Wu that she hadn't noticed Dugu Yan's arrival. Otherwise, she would certainly have spotted her right away.

"Dong'er, I heard your 'sleep talking' loud and clear just now. You wouldn't want that little rabbit to find out what you just said in your sleep, would you?"

"Senior, what are you going to do?"

Wang Dong'er's face turned deathly pale.

The Dugu Yan before her was no longer a mature senior, but a Satan roaming the mortal world. She was truly terrifying.

Wang Dong'er would rather an evil Soul Master had heard what she'd said.

Not a wink of sleep.

The next morning, at dawn.

When Xiao Wu woke up and saw the dark circles under Wang Dong'er's eyes, she was startled.

"Dong'er, you... didn't sleep all night?"

"Uh... more or less."

Wang Dong'er's head was foggy, and she replied in a hoarse voice.

"Was it because of me? It's all my fault. If I'd known... Ah, I'm sorry. If I'd known I'd affect you so much, I wouldn't have come."

Xiao Wu sounded remorseful.

"Sister Xiao Wu, it's not your fault."

Wang Dong'er shook her head with a sigh.

She could only blame her own miserable luck.

"Sister Xiao Wu, I'm a little hungry. Could you go buy me something to eat?"

"All right, I'll go now. Lie down and get some rest."

After helping Wang Dong'er lie back down, Xiao Wu hurried out of the room.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Wang Dong'er raised a hand and gently patted the mattress. "Senior, Sister Xiao Wu's gone. You... hurry and get out."