*Knock—*
*Knock—*
*Knock—*
Gu Ge knocked rhythmically on the restroom doors.
When she reached the final door and saw the Red Note, her narrow, beautiful eyes curved into crescent moons.
“Jiang Ran, are you in there?”
Holding her phone, Jiang Ran instinctively stepped back.
Her heel kicked an empty can nearby, letting out a sharp *clatter*.
The familiar sense of nausea returned, and the pain in her stomach gradually intensified.
Perhaps because of her **10% Resistance**, the pain was more tolerable than it had been the last time.
Jiang Ran straightened her back as theories about Gu Ge’s superpower surfaced in her mind.
It was an ability that made guest appearances in numerous games—**Hypnosis**.
Using seductive rhetoric to guide players into revealing their deepest secrets, ensuring they would unconditionally follow every demand.
Turning them into “obedient” little children.
Staring at the cold wall behind her, Jiang Ran felt an unspeakable bitterness.
‘I just loaded into the game, got sold out immediately, and now the boss is already cornering me at the door.’
‘Is this difficulty level even reasonable?’
Gulping, Jiang Ran slowly spoke, “Is… is that Sister Gu Ge?”
“Yes, it’s me. Is your stomach feeling any better? If you’re still hurting, I’ll go downstairs and get you some warm water.”
“No need, I’m fine.”
“Then can you open the door? I want to see you; only then will I be at ease.”
Jiang Ran bit her lip. According to the setting, she was currently in a **Hypnotic State**, so she shouldn’t resist.
But if she just walked out like this, would she really not be exposed?
Jiang Ran put away the Contract, hiding it within a seam in her pocket’s lining.
She straightened her collar and gently pushed the door open.
Maintaining a vacant, unfocused gaze, she shuffled out slowly like a zombie.
Gu Ge reached out to steady Jiang Ran’s balance and asked softly, “How did you end up like this? Next time you feel unwell, you must call a doctor immediately, okay?”
‘Hmph, isn’t my discomfort all because of you?’
Complaining aside, Jiang Ran maintained her usual well-behaved demeanor.
“Okay, I understand. Why did you come here, Sister Gu Ge?”
“To see you. You didn’t seem to be in a good mood today. Did something happen? I noticed you were avoiding something back in the Hospital Ward.”
Jiang Ran was stunned.
‘A direct shot like that? She’s using her ultimate right out of the gate without even trying to act?’
Jiang Ran could see the impatience in Gu Ge’s eyes and guessed that her ability must have a time limit.
The words she had been about to blurt out were shoved back down.
Resisting the urge to speak the truth, Jiang Ran took a detour.
“Can I really trust you?”
Gu Ge placed her hands on Jiang Ran’s shoulders and spoke softly, “Of course. We’re best friends, aren’t we?”
“Well… then I’ll tell you, because you’re my best friend.”
Jiang Ran paused on purpose to observe Gu Ge’s reaction.
As expected, she saw the impatience flickering in Gu Ge’s eyes.
‘This ability definitely has a time limit…’
“I… I’m actually planning to move.”
“What?”
Gu Ge’s expression darkened, and her fingertips tightened.
Her tone shifted, losing its previous gentleness and becoming quite forceful.
Her exquisite beauty felt somewhat alien in that moment.
Jiang Ran hid the joy in her eyes and continued, “Yes. It’s because my university is too far from here. I want to move to another apartment, but I’ll keep renting this place too. There’s still one year of rent left, so I might come back to stay on weekends.”
Adding more detail, Jiang Ran laid out her fake plan, deliberately speaking slowly.
If Gu Ge really took action based on what she said, then she was definitely more than just a simple neighbor.
Gu Ge frowned slightly.
“Can you tell me, is it really just because it’s far from school? You usually take Bus Route 17 and transfer to Bus Route 7 to get to school. Why would you suddenly feel like the school is too far?”
Jiang Ran’s body tensed.
‘She even knows that?’
If she had felt like the boss was cornering her before, that feeling was even stronger now.
A dangerous aura permeated the air around Gu Ge.
Jiang Ran felt as if she were standing under a burning spotlight.
Looking into Gu Ge’s eyes, which seemed to have heart-shaped effects, her heart hammered against her ribs.
Gu Ge’s eyes carried an irresistible authority.
With just a single look, Jiang Ran felt an uncontrollable urge to pour out her heart, despite her **10% Resistance** holding firm.
This ability was far too broken.
Jiang Ran had a feeling that if she were caught off guard while relaxed, she would instinctively tell the truth.
Since she lacked any substantial way to counter her opponent, Jiang Ran had to keep acting.
A slightly ashamed expression appeared on her face.
“Because commuting like that every day wastes too much time. I need time for my part-time job, and I can’t stay in the school dorms, so I planned to find a different place to live.”
“So that’s why?”
Gu Ge put on an expression of sudden realization, but her eyes told Jiang Ran it was an act.
The pressure weighing down on Jiang Ran didn’t diminish in the slightest.
Jiang Ran didn’t dare relax and nodded.
“That’s right. My teacher keeps telling me it’s unsafe to live so far away. If I’m constantly late for class, it’ll affect my graduation certificate. I’ve already been late twice.”
Gu Ge rubbed her temples.
The veins at the corners of her eyes were becoming congested and swollen.
“Ran, what if I told you I have a house closer to your school? Would you be willing to move in there?”
“This…”
Jiang Ran panicked for a moment but quickly suppressed her emotions.
“What, are you worried about the rent being expensive? It’s a friend’s vacant house. I only heard her mention it recently. If you need it, I can ask her to give you a discount. It’s very close to your school—only 2 kilometers away.”
“That would be too much trouble for you, Sister Gu Ge. Besides, I wasn’t planning on moving within the next few days anyway.”
“Really?”
Gu Ge asked again.
The veins at the corners of her eyes were bulging even more noticeably now.
She took a step forward, further closing the distance between them.
That nauseating sensation returned.
Jiang Ran nearly lost control and almost collapsed to the floor.
If she crouched down now, her cover would be blown.
Jiang Ran suppressed her racing heart and pinched her thigh to force herself to stay calm.
Perhaps because she had rejected Gu Ge and broken the rules of the **Hypnosis**, the backlash grew even stronger.
Her eyes began to feel dry, and she had to exert a great deal of effort just to open her lips.
“R-Really.”
Gu Ge took Jiang Ran’s hand.
“Then you must tell me when you want to move. You’re so thin and fragile; moving by yourself would exhaust you.”
“Okay. Do you have any other questions, Sister Gu Ge? I’m very tired… I want to sleep.”
Gu Ge pursed her lips.
“Then I’ll ask you one last question, Ran. Are you currently dating anyone at school?”
“???”
Jiang Ran’s eyelid twitched uncontrollably.
She shook her head.
“No… no. I still want to focus on my studies. As for a boyfriend… I’m not really looking for one. Besides, I’m not popular at all.”
Gu Ge pulled Jiang Ran’s hand and pressed it against her own face.
“How could that be? Don’t you still have me as a friend? Then… Ran, do you think I’m pretty?”
Jiang Ran’s eyelid flickered again.
‘That’s clearly more than one question, okay?’
Was this a Schrödinger’s “one last question”?
Why did she have as many questions as Jiang Ran’s old teachers who kept everyone after class?
Jiang Ran suppressed her annoyance and spoke.
“You’re pretty. Sister Gu Ge is the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. But… I’m actually afraid of you when you’re like this.”