Chapter 36: Even If You Die, You Will Die in My Arms

“She’s known as the aloof beauty at the academy. If you’re interested, you can check it out. The bored senior students put together a ranking of beauties at Lilith Academy, and I’m sure your name will be on it before long.”

Ouyang Xue drove the car out of the underground town on the first floor.

The sunlight outside finally felt more real.

“Is it a relief?”

Ouyang Xue laughed, glancing sideways at Li Ruoxi, catching the subtle expression on her face.

“A little,” Li Ruoxi replied politely.

“The original purpose of this underground town was to ensure the academy’s safety while maintaining its architectural style and keeping up with the times.”

Ouyang Xue explained as she drove.

Li Ruoxi responded half-heartedly.

Seeming to sense that Li Ruoxi wasn’t interested in these topics, Ouyang Xue changed the subject.

“Miss Ruoxi, do you rarely spend time with Chairman Li?”

Ouyang Xue asked while keeping her eyes on the road ahead.

Small beetle-like vehicles gradually appeared on both sides of the road.

Li Ruoxi let out a soft “Ah.”

“How can you tell?”

“I wasn’t sure before.”

Ouyang Xue glanced at Li Ruoxi, showing a knowing smile.

“But it’s perfectly normal. I was curious before, since Chairman Li said you were quite introverted. A man who built such a career—how could his daughter be an ordinary person?”

“Ordinary person… Hmm, actually, being ordinary is better.”

Li Ruoxi said thoughtfully.

“It’s just that a lot of times, you can’t control what happens. Few people truly appreciate the benefits of a simple life.”

For a while now, she had been free from the scrutiny of dangerous vampire groups and other threats.

She felt that this kind of peaceful, laid-back life was everything she had ever dreamed of…

Unfortunately, coming to Lilith Academy wasn’t her own choice.

“Miss Ruoxi, don’t joke. The life you have is something others can only dream of for several lifetimes. If I could live a few days like your wealthy aristocrat lifestyle, I’d trade a year of my life for it.”

The little beetle car slowly drove out of the boulevard, following signs into a shady path.

A cool breeze blew from the trees and flowers, accompanied by pleasant chirping of insects and birds.

Li Ruoxi leaned back against the seat, half-closing her eyes, and let out a gentle sigh.

“It’s so comfortable.”

“Of course. Setting aside the faculty and research capabilities, just the environment and location of Lilith Academy alone surpass many similar schools. Back then, a Middle Eastern chieftain wanted to buy a piece of land near the academy for his private garden, offering ten times the entire academy’s value. The old dean turned him down flat.”

Ouyang Xue said enviously.

“So, Miss Ruoxi, the residence Lord Li left here isn’t something you can buy with money. I heard Chairman Li’s shares here will also be transferred to you…”

Ouyang Xue had turned into a lemon, but those two things—she couldn’t achieve them even after three generations of hard work.

And that was just a small part of this young girl’s assets.

Her father’s global business empire would likely be handed over to her in the future.

“Hmm…”

Li Ruoxi didn’t know how to answer that.

They fell silent for a moment, then Li Ruoxi slowly spoke.

“If you had a choice… if these things could change your tragic fate, would you choose to give them up?”

“Tragic fate?”

Ouyang Xue found it strange.

How could Li Ruoxi’s fate be tragic?

If Li Ruoxi’s fate was tragic, what about hers?

“Not exactly. If I had to choose…”

“We’re here.”

Ouyang Xue pulled the car up in front of a small courtyard’s fountain.

“Alright, Miss Ruoxi. Fate doesn’t hand you things for you to give up. Since it’s yours, you should make good use of it. Even if there are countless difficulties, they’re just a cage you’ve built in your own mind. Take it easy, and you’ll find unexpected rewards in your life.”

Ouyang Xue smiled warmly.

“You need to know, in this whole world, having someone like Chairman Li behind you means even if you face the biggest problems, there’s another sky to help you. So please, relax and enjoy yourself a little.”

Ouyang Xue pinched Li Ruoxi’s nose.

“Your little face is all worried, looking so burdened. That won’t do. In my eyes, Chairman Li is a very witty and humorous person. If…”

Ouyang Xue looked at Li Ruoxi tenderly, then suddenly stopped.

“If you were the same, he probably wouldn’t have to work so hard.”

“My… father… is he very worried about me?”

Li Ruoxi had never thought that her naturally pitiful demeanor would make Li Wentian so concerned about her being bullied.

“Hmm…”

Ouyang Xue unbuckled her seatbelt, got out of the car, and walked toward the double glass doors of the small courtyard.

“Chairman Li seems… very concerned about your feelings. So he gave our academy special instructions back then—if you weren’t happy here, Lilith Academy would also suffer the consequences.”

“Most importantly… I might lose my job…”

Ouyang Xue still wore that gentle smile, showing no resentment that such an illogical thing—losing her job over Li Ruoxi’s unhappiness—would happen to her.

“I’m… very sorry…”

Li Ruoxi felt a bit embarrassed.

“Sister Xue, don’t worry too much. I’ll talk to my father.”

“No!”

Ouyang Xue’s smile faded, and she spoke seriously.

“What I hope is that you can be happy. If you truly come here and still feel unhappy, then our academy will take responsibility, and I’ll take the blame myself.”

Ouyang Xue, who had walked away, suddenly turned back toward Li Ruoxi.

“I just want you to be happy, okay?”

Li Ruoxi was a bit startled.

How could she be happy when Ouyang Xue suddenly said something that sounded like a confession?

She scooted back slightly, hesitating before speaking slowly, “That… that… I will.”

“Hahaha, Miss Ruoxi, did I scare you?”

Ouyang Xue suddenly laughed cheerfully.

“How interesting. Chairman Li is such an open-minded person—how could he say something like that? But Miss Ruoxi, you really have too kind a heart. And we’ve only just met, strangers. You trust me so easily…”

Ouyang Xue smiled.

“Trusting me is fine, but if it were someone else, you can’t be like that. With your conditions and status, you’re an excellent stepping stone at any academy. Believe me, it won’t be long before news of you reaches those elite families. Then all that’s left are a series of carefully orchestrated ‘chance encounters’… You need to be careful about that.”

Seeing Li Ruoxi still in a daze, Ouyang Xue shook her head.

The gap between this father and daughter was already huge on the surface.

Of course, Li Ruoxi’s appearance and kind heart were her highlights, but without the Li family background, it would only be the beginning of a tragedy.

“Miss Ruoxi, go on in. The academy officially starts in a few days. This courtyard is surrounded by woods, so don’t wander around if there’s nothing to do. Also, someone will be assigned to take care of your daily needs. And next door to this courtyard is a nice neighbor—it’s the residence of Miss Vivian, the one you asked about earlier. Oh, and if anything comes up, remember to contact me.”

Ouyang Xue gave a long list of instructions, then said goodbye and drove out of the courtyard.

Only then did Li Ruoxi have a chance to properly examine the house… next door.

“Vivian… lives next door?”

Li Ruoxi felt like a little mouse, step by step falling into the trap Vivian had set.

“No… it can’t be…”

Although Vivian had said before that she would come here, Li Ruoxi never imagined the courtyard next door would be Vivian’s.

Vivian…

With just a wall between them, could she use a ladder or something to come over?

But Vivian was a vampire, so she probably wouldn’t need that…

“Ahhhhh!!!!”

“What are you screaming about?”

“Ah… ah… ah… you…”

“Is it strange that I’m here?”

Vivian looked at Li Ruoxi in front of her, her cold face melting like snow, revealing a faint smile.

“So… beautiful…”

Li Ruoxi felt that Vivian had changed, and unease rose in her heart.

“Are you really… really going to live with me?”

“Didn’t you say before? That if you were with me, you would die. I want to see…”

Vivian leapt lightly from the second floor of Li Ruoxi’s side and landed.

“If it’s really as you said.”

“I… I refuse!” Li Ruoxi shouted loudly.

“Shut up.”

“No! No way! You don’t care, of course—I’m the one who dies! I won’t live with you! I only came here because you said you’d help me break the curse on me!”

Li Ruoxi’s heart pounded, her pupils slightly wide as she stared at Vivian.

“You… you vampire, you can’t break your promise!”

“I like it when you, unaware of the situation, jump and bounce around like this… little thing.”

Vivian walked step by step, slowly toward Li Ruoxi.

“You… you… what do you want now!”

Li Ruoxi suppressed the instinct to step back, using all her strength to keep her legs from giving out, stubbornly refusing to retreat.

“I won’t… no…”

Vivian wrapped her arms around Li Ruoxi’s stiff waist.

“What do you think I want?”

Her sharp fangs sank into the skin.

“Ah…”

Shame nearly drowned her mind.

Whenever Vivian bit her, she completely lost the ability to resist.

“You…”

“You… break… the curse… or I… ah…”

The fangs sank a little deeper, and the numbing electric current surged faster through her body.

Li Ruoxi’s body went limp, and she collapsed directly into Vivian’s arms.

Vivian, a head taller than Li Ruoxi, held her like a younger sister.

From an outsider’s perspective, the two looked like affectionate sisters.

Vivian looked down at Li Ruoxi in her arms—she had lost all will to fight, her face flushed with shame, her eyes angry but afraid to speak.

“I told you, even if you die, you are mine. Even if you die, you can only die by my side.”

Vivian pinched Li Ruoxi’s chin.

In the girl’s angry but powerless gaze, her rosy cherry lips pressed directly against Li Ruoxi’s.

Hoo…

A sweet, refreshing, faint orange scent wafted from Vivian.

A sweet sensation impacted Li Ruoxi’s taste buds.

She felt… step by step, she was falling.