Because He Liked Them So Much, He Was Afraid... They Wouldn't Feel the Same

Lin Xia's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear and steady, carrying an Infiltrator power that broke the suffocating silence in the room.

How could I not like it?

He looked at them, his eyes no longer filled with the panic and heaviness of before, but with a clear understanding and honesty as he looked back on the past.

"When I first met Nana, your charming and lively spirit was captivating; Yan Zi, your wild and unrestrained nature was like a blazing fire; Lingling, your cool and clear spirit was like a secluded spring under the moon... Over the years, you have been by my side time and time again, helping me openly or secretly. How could I not see your joys and sorrows, your resilience and uniqueness? How could I not feel them?"

Lin Xia's gaze swept over each of them, as if silently confirming every moment they had spent together.

"Only..."

Lin Xia's voice lowered, carrying a barely Frisk hoarseness and bitterness.

"My heart was previously filled too full and too painfully by a deep and unforgettable love and a forbidden infatuation, along with the immense pain and responsibility that came with it."

"I... I dare not look, dare not think, and dare not admit the feelings that have grown in me for you as well."

"I always felt like I was stuck in a quagmire, barely able to take care of myself, so what right did I have to provoke others? It would feel like... yet another betrayal of them."

Lin Xia raised her hand and rubbed her still throbbing temples, revealing a tired yet somewhat relieved smile.

"But now... things have already turned out this way. I, Lin Xia, don't want to be a coward, and I don't want to deceive my own heart."

Lin Xia looked at them, her eyes becoming incredibly sincere and resolute.

"I like you all, Hu Liena, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling. This liking may not be as profound as my affection for Sister Xue'er, which is unforgettable and has accompanied me through my growth, nor is it as heavy as my affection for Bibi Dong, which carries the weight of despair and taboos."

"But it truly exists, it's right there. It's admiration, it's being moved, it's Covet to get closer, to protect. I've suppressed it for too long, and now, there's nothing I can't say!"

I like you all!

The last four words, spoken with resounding force, echoed clearly in the silent room.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Hu Liena's alluring fox-like eyes widened, all the tension within them instantly washed away by immense, pure surprise, bursting forth with dazzling brilliance like ignited stars.

Her rosy lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she couldn't utter a single word; only her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

Dugu Yan's apprehension and feigned composure completely crumbled, replaced by a volcanic eruption of ecstasy!

His dark green pupils were strikingly bright, and the corners of his mouth turned up uncontrollably, revealing a set of Xiao Bai teeth. His smile was radiant and wild, full of the triumph and satisfaction of having achieved his goal.

She even let out a low growl of excitement.

"I knew it!"

The icy composure on Ye Lingling's face, unchanged for millennia, seemed to melt away in an instant.

A captivating and radiant smile, enough to bewitch anyone, bloomed on her lips like a snow lotus suddenly bursting into bloom on an iceberg, breathtakingly beautiful.

Her clear eyes were filled with tears—tears of excitement, happiness, and a sense of relief.

Although she didn't utter a sound, her eyes spoke volumes.

A tremendous joy swept through the three women's hearts like a tsunami, washing away any lingering unease and fear.

Lin Xia's honesty and sincerity were even better than the best outcome they had hoped for!

It wasn't out of guilt or a sense of responsibility; he genuinely liked them!

That suppressed emotion was real and passionate!

"Lin Xia! I'm sorry!"

Dugu Yan was the first to be unable to hold back. She suddenly pounced on him, tightly hugging Lin Xia's neck with both hands, almost hanging on him, her voice filled with tearful excitement and deep apology.

"I lied to you! Last night... you didn't do anything! You were drunk as a log!"

"Those... those marks were from scraping with scales, the blood... the blood is red wine! We just wanted... wanted you to realize your own feelings... wanted to be sure... sure that you liked us too!"

"Because... because we've always liked you! Ever since a long time ago!"

She spoke incoherently, yet she poured out the whole truth.

Hu Liena rushed over and hugged Lin Xia's arm tightly from the side, pressing her face against his strong arm, her voice trembling with a sob.

"We're sorry, Lin Xia ...we shouldn't have tested you like this...causing you so much pain and self-blame...but...we were so scared...so scared that in your heart there's only His Holiness the Pope and His Highness...not even a little room left for us..."

Ye Lingling also moved over. She didn't hug him as excitedly as the others. Instead, she stretched out her cool, slender hand and gently covered Lin Xia's hand, which was placed at his side. Her delicate fingers, with a soothing meaning, gently caressed the knuckles on the back of his hand.

She raised her eyes, still glistening with tears but smiling beautifully, and looked at Lin Xia, her voice soft yet firm.

"I'm sorry. Because I really like someone, I'm afraid I won't get a response."

Lin Xia's body stiffened abruptly the moment Dugu Yan pounced on her, as if she had been paralyzed by acupuncture.

The truth struck like a second bolt of lightning—so that's how it was! That heavy guilt, that overwhelming self-blame, that tearing pain... it was all a complete hoax?!

A surge of anger welled up inside him!

The shame and anger of being mocked, fooled, and manipulated made every muscle in his body tense!

He almost wanted to push them away immediately!

However, when Hu Liena, choked with apology, and Ye Lingling's cool yet gentle fingers covered her, when Dugu Yan's undisguised "I've always, always loved you" struck her ears...

The anger that had just flared up deflated quickly, like a punctured Air Balloon, leaving behind only an indescribable, complex emotion—a mixture of absurdity, utter exhaustion, and a faint hint of relief.

Are you angry?

I'm really angry!

Anyone who is designed like this and forced into such a psychological predicament would not be able to remain completely unperturbed.

But... seeing the genuine joy, apology, and long-hidden love in their eyes, feeling the warmth and dependence from their tight embrace...

The last vestiges of anger in Lin Xia's chest finally turned into a long sigh and dissipated into the silent air.

Never mind... In the end, the root of the problem lies with myself.

It was my own indifference to their feelings, my inability to provide them with a sense of security, that drove them to take such an extreme and childish gamble.

They... were just three silly girls who were insecure and used the wrong methods in their relationships.