As the days passed, the fact that she “could not go outside” was like a tiny, tiny thorn stuck in her heart.
She usually didn’t feel it, but occasionally, it would prick her and hurt a little.
And lately, she would even stand at the Castle Main Gate, staring blankly at that door…
She was almost forgetting what the world outside was even like.
“Little Feng Ling, what are you doing?”
Ling Yue’s voice came from behind.
Feng Ling turned and saw her sister Ling Yue standing in the shadow of the Corridor with a full smile on her face, holding a cup of delicious Blood in her hand.
“Nothing, just walking around,” Feng Ling said softly.
“Oh? All the way to the main gate?”
“Mmm… I just wanted to see outside a little…”
But Ling Yue didn’t speak, just kept staring at her.
Feng Ling felt a bit guilty under her gaze, so she lowered her head and whispered, “I was just looking… I wasn’t thinking of going out…”
“I know, Little Feng Ling is a good girl~” Ling Yue patted her head.
“Um… Sister Ling Yue… when can we finally go out?”
Feng Ling finally asked the question.
Ling Yue’s hand hovered over her head for a few seconds before she asked, “Does Little Feng Ling really want to go out?”
“N-not that much… I’m just a bit curious about what it’s like outside now. Look, it’s been almost two months since I went out, right?”
“Just wait a little longer.”
It was still that same phrase.
Feng Ling stood where she was, watching Ling Yue’s back disappear around the corner of the corridor.
That indescribable feeling in her heart grew stronger and stronger.
…
That night, Feng Ling had a dream.
In the dream, she was standing at the Castle Main Gate.
The door was open, and the warm, gentle Sun was shining on her.
Then she stepped out, placing one foot outside the threshold.
But the next second, she heard a very beautiful female voice from behind her, which in this context made her goosebumps rise instantly.
“Little Feng Ling, where are you going?”
She turned her head and saw Sister Ling Yue smiling gently at her.
But her eyes were a blood-like, vivid red.
At that moment, Feng Ling woke from the nightmare, gasping for air.
Her room was very dark now…
The Bedside Lamp had been turned off at some point.
She reached out to feel for the switch but touched something cool instead…
It was Ling Yue’s hand.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
Ling Yue asked softly.
“Sister Ling Yue… why are you here?”
“I’ve always been here~”
Feng Ling’s heartbeat accelerated again.
“What did you dream about? Did you dream about leaving this place?”
“Huh? I…”
Feng Ling’s eyes widened.
No way…
How does Sister Ling Yue know what she dreamed about?!
Then Ling Yue asked softly again, “Little Feng Ling, do you really want to go out?”
Feng Ling didn’t answer her immediately.
She should say ‘no’ right now… but for some reason, she couldn’t get the words out.
“I… I…”
“Hmm?”
“I just… kind of want to see the Sun outside.”
Ling Yue fell into a silence that lasted several seconds, and those few short seconds felt like centuries to Feng Ling.
“Well, Little Feng Ling, what’s so good about the outside? There are people who bully you, people who hurt you, and everything that causes you pain… But here, I’m with you, taking care of you, protecting you. Does Little Feng Ling not want to stay here anymore?”
“I do…”
“Then don’t think about going out.”
In the darkness, Ling Yue touched her cheek, then her fingers slid from her forehead to her chin, gently lifting her face as she said, “Little Feng Ling, you just need to stay by my side… You don’t need to think about anything else.”
“Mmm…”
“Be a good girl~ Go to sleep!” Finally, Ling Yue kissed her forehead.
Feng Ling closed her eyes but couldn’t fall asleep at all.
She felt there was something off about that conversation just now, but what exactly was it…
And actually, Sister Ling Yue was right.
There really wasn’t anything good outside.
Here, there was Sister Ling Yue who was always good to her, endless food, endless games to play, no dirty or tiring work for her to do…
But why did she always have this feeling of Confinement?
…
And that phrase, “Just wait a little longer,” ended up being a wait of over another month.
This time, Feng Ling finally felt something was seriously wrong.
Because every time she asked when they could go out, Sister Ling Yue’s answer was always “Just wait a little longer,” and her tone was always so gentle.
She had tried acting cute, throwing tantrums, and even ignoring Ling Yue for several days, but Ling Yue remained unmoved, still brushing her off with that same “Just wait a little longer.”
Today, Feng Ling couldn’t take it anymore.
She stood at the main gate, stood on her tiptoes, and reached for the Door Handle, which was placed higher than she was.
But she pulled hard, and it wouldn’t budge at all.
“Little Feng Ling.”
Then she heard the voice she least wanted to hear at this moment.
She turned and saw Ling Yue standing on the stairs, looking down at her from above.
“What are you doing?”
Feng Ling’s heart skipped a beat.
“I, I, I was just… looking around… just looking around…”
“Just looking around requires pulling on the door?”
“I was just… testing if the door was locked…”
Then, Ling Yue slowly walked down the stairs.
Feng Ling instinctively took a step back, her back pressing against the door.
Ling Yue came all the way to stand in front of her, looking down.
At this moment, there was less than a fist’s distance between them.
Feng Ling could clearly smell the faint fragrance on her… and a scent of blood.
“Does Little Feng Ling still want to go out?” Ling Yue’s tone was as gentle as usual.
“I don’t…”
“Your left eye blinks when you lie.”
Feng Ling instinctively covered her left eye.
At that moment, Ling Yue smiled.
That smile was truly beautiful, so beautiful it made Feng Ling shiver.
“Little Feng Ling, do you know? I really don’t like being lied to.”
Ling Yue placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face.
“I didn’t…”
“Shh.”
Then Ling Yue pressed her thumb against Feng Ling’s lips.
“Don’t argue.”
Feng Ling obediently closed her mouth.
Ling Yue’s finger slid from her chin down to her neck, and with her fingertip, she gently pressed the skin on the side of her neck, asking softly, “Does Little Feng Ling think I’m being too much? Do you think I’ve locked you up?”
“No…”
Although Feng Ling had started to suspect this, the icy touch of Sister Ling Yue’s fingernail made her afraid to tell the truth.
“Really?”
“R-really…”
Ling Yue stared into her eyes for a few seconds, then moved her finger away from Feng Ling’s neck, took a step back, and continued in her gentle tone, “Come on, it’s time to eat.”
At that, Feng Ling sighed with relief as if a heavy weight had been lifted.
Then the two of them headed to the Dining Room together.
Halfway there, Ling Yue suddenly turned around and said, “Oh, right, Little Feng Ling, don’t touch that door again next time, okay~”
“I understand…”
She said quietly.
Ling Yue smiled with satisfaction at that.
And Feng Ling, walking behind her, felt her heart beating so fast it was about to jump out of her chest.
At that moment just now, she had been truly scared…
Sister Ling Yue was smiling, her tone was so gentle… but those eyes were like the Abyss of Hell… making anyone who looked at them want to run away.
But Sister Ling Yue is so good to her, would she really harm her?
Maybe…
Sister Ling Yue won’t let her leave because there are certain dangers outside that she can’t conveniently tell her about…