My Unconventional Online Dating - Chapter 13

“Lian Qiushui?”

“It’s me.”

As Lian Qiushui responded, the surroundings brightened. Xiao Nianyuan slowly raised the hand holding the lantern, then placed it on the table. She picked up a peach blossom branch from the table and handed it to Xiao Nianyuan: “This is for you.”

Looking at the fresh branch, still glistening with dewdrops, Xiao Nianyuan fell silent for a moment before changing the subject: “Did anything happen?”

Lian Qiushui looked disappointed: “You don’t like it?”

Xiao Nianyuan glanced at the peach blossom branch again—it was even more vibrant than the one Lian Qiushui had given her before.

“I like it,” Xiao Nianyuan said, lifting her gaze. “Did anything happen?”

Hearing Xiao Nianyuan say she liked it, Lian Qiushui’s eyes sparkled with joy: “Yes. After you left, I stayed here the whole time.”

She looked at Xiao Nianyuan happily, and Xiao Nianyuan immediately knew what she was waiting for. Sighing, she said, “Thank you.”

Only then did Lian Qiushui continue: “There were sounds coming from those rooms, but when I went to check, there was nothing.”

Xiao Nianyuan: “Let’s go take a look.”

Sure enough, there were people in the rooms. Just as she was about to leave, she paused and asked, “What about this room?”

Lian Qiushui looked puzzled: “Nothing happened here.”

Xiao Nianyuan was certain something was hiding in the room, but it concealed itself whenever people were present, as if nothing was there at all.

The more it hid, the more suspicious it became.

Sky City held secrets—secrets that might reveal what she wanted to know.

Xiao Nianyuan didn’t want to complicate things, but since Wu Jinghe wasn’t cooperating, she had no choice but to search on her own.

As for whether uncovering those secrets would put her in danger, Xiao Nianyuan didn’t care in the slightest. This was just a game. If things got too risky, she could always log out.

Before heading out to investigate, however, she had something more important to do. Whoever—or whatever—was hiding in this room after a whole day might be easier to deal with than those outside.

Assuming, of course, that it was a person and not some ghost or spirit.

Xiao Nianyuan leaned toward the idea that the occupants were human. Some rooms still had unfinished food, and the furnishings were no different from ordinary households.

“Let’s check the next room.”

After saying this, Xiao Nianyuan stepped out first, with Lian Qiushui naturally following.

Once outside, Xiao Nianyuan took a few steps before quietly doubling back. Lian Qiushui instantly understood her plan and watched her expectantly.

After they left, the room fell silent. The lantern remained inside, and a shadow flickered past. Xiao Nianyuan held Lian Qiushui back before she could enter.

Lian Qiushui glanced down at Xiao Nianyuan’s grip on her wrist. If it were just a casual hold, she would have simply kept watching, but Xiao Nianyuan’s fingers tightened slightly.

Xiao Nianyuan’s attention was fixed on the room. After the shadow flitted by, its owner seemed to think the coast was clear and cautiously emerged, pacing around as if searching for something.

When the figure neared the door, Xiao Nianyuan seized the moment, pulling Lian Qiushui with her as she lunged inside.

Before Xiao Nianyuan could debate whether to catch the person herself, Lian Qiushui had already pinned them down, grinning triumphantly: “Got you!”

“Ah! Don’t grab me! I don’t know anything!”

Ignoring the protests, Lian Qiushui turned to Xiao Nianyuan: “Come quick!”

Xiao Nianyuan quickly approached and crouched down to look at the girl who was covering her face—though her voice was frightened, it carried the crisp clarity unique to young girls.

The girl clutched her face tightly. Lian Qiushui tried to pull her hands away, but the girl, with surprising strength, refused to let go.

Xiao Nianyuan didn’t move but tentatively suggested, “Tickle her.”

Lian Qiushui paused for a moment, then immediately followed Xiao Nianyuan’s advice. Before she could even touch the girl’s waist, the girl surrendered, crying out, “I’ll let go! Don’t touch me, don’t touch me…”

Pitifully, she did as she said and finally released her hands.

A beautiful face, tinged with timidity, appeared before the two of them.

Xiao Nianyuan stared blankly at the girl. Lian Qiushui glanced at the girl, then back at Xiao Nianyuan, repeating the motion several times before finally freezing in place, her gaze fixed on Xiao Nianyuan.

“I didn’t mean to do anything bad,” the girl said weakly.

Xiao Nianyuan snapped out of her daze, frowning slightly at the sight of a face identical to her own. She immediately called out to the system in her mind.

System: “How may I assist you?”

Xiao Nianyuan: “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

System: “Nope.”

Xiao Nianyuan took a deep breath. “You don’t think this person looks exactly like me?”

After a long pause, the system replied dismissively, “Not at all.”

Xiao Nianyuan: “…”

If she couldn’t tell the system was brushing her off now, her years in university would have been wasted.

“Should I file a complaint before you start talking properly?”

At the mention of a complaint, the system finally dropped its indifferent tone and whined, “I told you not to come here. You insisted.”

Though it addressed her with deference, the words clearly blamed Xiao Nianyuan for not heeding its warnings and stubbornly coming to Sky City.

Ignoring the system, Xiao Nianyuan immediately began searching for how to file a complaint.

The system, initially relaxed, quickly panicked when it noticed Xiao Nianyuan’s actions heading in that direction. “Please don’t be rash! It’s all my fault!”

Xiao Nianyuan: “Of course it is.”

While Xiao Nianyuan was communicating with the system, Lian Qiushui remained unaware. Seeing her stare blankly at the girl, she assumed Xiao Nianyuan had been frightened and bared her teeth at the girl. “Look at you, scaring my disciple half to death!”

The girl grimaced. “I didn’t do anything.”

Lian Qiushui snorted, then found a rope and tied the girl up. Throughout the process, the girl didn’t resist at all—in fact, she even cooperated.

Once the girl was securely bound and set aside, Lian Qiushui turned to Xiao Nianyuan with concern. “Are you scared? Don’t worry, your master will protect you.”