Lin Wei’s somewhat intrusive gaze and the slightly cold fingers finally left Su Nuannuan’s chin.
Frozen, Su Nuannuan only snapped back to her senses and suddenly sprang up from the edge of the bed!
Good heavens! What was Lin Wei trying to do?
No matter—she felt completely uneasy all over.
“Sis… see you tomorrow!”
After saying that, she didn’t dare to look at Lin Wei again. Lowering her head, she swiftly dashed out of Lin Wei’s room.
The door clicked softly behind her as it closed.
The room grew quiet once more, leaving only the lingering scent of body wash and a faint trace—belonging to Su Nuannuan herself.
Lin Wei stared at the firmly shut door. Su Nuannuan’s panicked and flustered escape was still vivid in her mind.
A slight smile curved her lips.
This little thing’s reaction… was even more interesting than she had imagined, and her mood lifted considerably.
She lay down on the bed, took out her phone, and opened the Apple Novel app. She tapped into her bookshelf and promptly kicked The True Heiress’s Revenge on the Vicious Villainess out of it.
“Suddenly feel like checking out the Pet Care Guide?”
Meanwhile, Su Nuannuan fumbled anxiously with the door lock, rushed in, then slammed the door shut behind her, pressing her back hard against the door panel as her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
The burning heat on her face hadn’t eased one bit; if anything, the frantic run had only made it worse.
No, this is too much! Too strange! Ever since Lin Wei came back, things have been out of control…
“Wuwuwu… I can’t win against this woman…”
She felt her fate would surely be miserable. She desperately needed cold water to calm down!
Su Nuannuan stripped off her clothes and immediately rushed into the bathroom, her hands trembling as she turned on the showerhead.
The icy water cascaded down, instantly washing away the heat on her skin and clearing her muddled mind just a little.
She stood under the stream, eyes closed, trying to wash away the memories of what had just happened in Lin Wei’s room.
The water slid over her body, carrying away her racing heartbeats, leaving only pure coolness.
In the shadow of the stairwell corner,
Maid Chen Li stood quietly.
She had just passed Lin Wei’s door, which hadn’t been fully closed. Through the crack, she had seen everything clearly.
Su Nuannuan being forced to sit on the bed by Lin Wei, Lin Wei lifting her chin, and then Su Nuannuan’s panicked escape.
Her fingers gripped the edge of the stair railing tightly.
Watching Su Nuannuan rush back to her room, face flushed, Chen Li’s usually sweet smile vanished without a trace, replaced by a cold undercurrent simmering deep in her eyes.
Lin Wei… this suddenly appeared wild girl… how dare she? How dare she look at Miss with that kind of gaze? How dare she touch Miss?!
A furious rage, as if someone had violated her possession, roared in her chest.
Miss was hers! Chen Li had carefully cared for and guarded this precious treasure! And who was this Lin Wei to her?!
Without a sound, Chen Li crept to Su Nuannuan’s door. Clear water sounds came from inside; Su Nuannuan was showering.
Chen Li’s hand gently rested on the doorknob, hesitated for a few seconds, then slowly turned it. The door was unlocked.
She slipped inside cautiously, her movements light and practiced.
The room was bathed in soft light. The frosted glass bathroom door emitted a warm glow and a blurry, moving slender silhouette, accompanied by the sound of running water.
Chen Li’s eyes scanned the room and finally landed on the footstool, where Su Nuannuan’s recently removed school uniform skirt and underwear lay casually.
Her gaze darkened. Without hesitation, she strode over, gentle yet with an unmistakable possessive air, and gathered the clothes still warm with Su Nuannuan’s body heat and faint scent into her arms.
Holding the garments close, she gave one last long look at the bathroom door radiating light and water sounds. Her expression was complex.
Silently, she withdrew and softly closed the door behind her.
Su Nuannuan emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a large towel, her skin fresh and rosy after the bath.
She rubbed her hair dry and habitually glanced toward the footstool, ready to change into clean pajamas.
Huh?
The stool was empty.
She paused, blinking. Where were the clothes she’d just taken off? The maid must have come in and taken them away so fast.
Or maybe it was the Snail Maiden 🤔.
She didn’t think too much of it and went to the wardrobe to get fresh pajamas.
Probably Chen Li had come in while she was showering to pick up the clothes. Aside from her strange attitude, Chen Li was always careful and attentive.
Besides, Lin Wei was already back now. There was no need to worry. Maybe Chen Li just had a peculiar personality.
Downstairs, in the laundry room,
Only Chen Li was present under the light.
She stood at the sink, head lowered, tightly gripping the set of clothes she had taken from Su Nuannuan’s room, especially the soft, white piece of intimate wear.
She didn’t immediately put them in the washing machine but held them in her hands, fingers gripping so tightly they turned white.
The water gushed in the sink, masking other faint sounds.
Lowering her head, she buried her nose in the soft fabric and took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale every trace of Su Nuannuan’s unique scent into her lungs.
Her body trembled slightly, and from her throat came a low murmur, thick with unhealthy obsession, echoing again and again beneath the rushing water:
“Miss… my Miss…”
Su Nuannuan lay on her soft, large bed, tossing and turning.
Her mind was full of what had just happened.
What did it mean? She couldn’t figure it out.
Had Lin Wei forgiven her? Or was she just too lazy to argue anymore?
But Su Nuannuan thought it was understandable for Lin Wei to hate her. After all, the comfortable life she’d enjoyed for the past five years really belonged to Lin Wei. Thinking that made her even more timid.
Then she thought of Dad and Mom Su. She’d been in this world for five years and truly regarded them as her real parents.
If Lin Wei had returned, and they cared more for their biological daughter, disliking her was only natural—but she would still be very sad.
Her nose tingled. She quickly buried her face in the pillow and rubbed it…
If only she could remember what happened afterward.
But… she’d completely forgotten.
At the breakfast table the next morning,
The atmosphere was strange.
No one spoke, the silence almost awkward.
Su Nuannuan lowered her head, nibbling quietly on the fried eggs on her plate.
She hadn’t slept well last night, repeatedly dreaming of being driven out of the Su family home. She was exhausted, her mind fading bit by bit.
Mom and Dad Su sat at the head of the table, glancing between Su Nuannuan and Lin Wei.
Mom Su lightly nudged Dad Su with her arm, exchanging a look.
Mom Su: What’s wrong with those two kids?
Dad Su: Did the fruit delivery last night not work?
Mom Su: I don’t know. Nuannuan looked a bit off.
Clearing his throat, Dad Su tried to sound casual: “Ahem, Nuannuan, why do you look so tired? Didn’t sleep well?”
Being addressed, Su Nuannuan jolted awake.
She quickly glanced at Lin Wei, then lowered her head again, mumbling softly, “Mm… I had a bad dream.”
Lin Wei ate slowly, her gaze shifting between Mom, Dad, and Su Nuannuan.
Seeing Su Nuannuan’s sleepy, dazed expression, she felt a twinge of regret.
Last night, after her shower, was she out of her mind? Why did she have to lift that dumpling’s chin?
So stupid! She should have taken the opportunity to make some kind of demand… no, a requirement! Like telling that dumpling to behave from now on or to stop wandering around in front of her so much.
Lin Wei felt increasingly that she’d lost out.
Chen Li stood behind Su Nuannuan, tending to her quietly, stealing a glance at Su Nuannuan’s tired little face with growing unease.
Slipping in while Nuannuan was showering last night made her feel guilty.
But when her eyes fell on Lin Wei’s gaze once more on Su Nuannuan, that guilt instantly turned into anger.
That wild girl! She bullied Miss in the room last night, causing her to be so listless today! Chen Li’s eyes darkened fiercely, her heart seething, Dare to lay a hand on my Miss? You’re asking for trouble!
The awkward breakfast ended with the four of them.
Su Nuannuan slipped into the car, curling up in a corner, silently praying that nothing strange would happen at school today.
But there was no chance for trouble. During math class, the teacher’s monotonous lecturing turned into a lullaby.
Already exhausted, having been nervous all morning, and now basking in the warm sunlight, her eyelids kept fighting to stay open.
Her little head nodded lower and lower… until finally, it gently bumped the math book, and she fell asleep completely, even letting out a small snore.
The whole class instantly quieted, all eyes turning to look.
Sitting in the back, Lin Wei frowned as she watched Su Nuannuan sleeping like a little pig.
She sighed and picked up her pen, turning it over thoughtfully, her gaze complex as it settled on Su Nuannuan.