Chapter 88: Truth or Dare

It was clearly just a roleplay task. In the grand scheme of the Truth or Dare deck, it wasn’t even considered one of the more scandalous draws.

Yet, Xu Yinian could hear a peculiar, disturbing sense of pleasure in those two words. She even had the absurd feeling that Ji Yan was being… serious?

Indeed, the usual mockery and playful cynicism had vanished. This only made Xu Yinian feel more endangered, as if some long-repressed, twisted fetish was about to break through the surface.

When Xu Yinian failed to answer immediately, the others began to jeer.

“Student Ji has gone through the trouble of calling you ‘Mom,’ Xu Yinian, just accept it!”

“Gosh, if anyone’s going to die of embarrassment, it’s the ‘daughter.’ You’re the one getting the better end of the deal. Don’t be shy!”

“I… I…”

Xu Yinian stammered for a long time, unable to think of a way out. She realized then that in Truth or Dare, the person who drew the card could refuse the task by taking a penalty drink. However, the person forced into a joint task didn’t even have the right to refuse.

“What’s wrong? Is Mommy abandoning A-Yan again?”

Ji Yan leaned forward slightly over the table. Those bewitching eyes, which usually looked down on everyone with an arrogant aura, were now tilted upward, gazing at Xu Yinian from below. Her thick, long lashes were so exquisite they seemed unreal, like a doll Xu Yinian might see in a high-end boutique window.

Accompanied by that soft, coquettish voice, those eyes carefully hid all their madness and volatility, leaving only grievance, obedience, and a desperate longing.

Even knowing it was an act, Xu Yinian could feel a heartbreaking sense of humility and pity emanating from her. Her heart skipped a beat.

This was Ji Yan. The most arrogant and unrestrained Ji Yan.

Abandoning her again? What does that mean…

Xu Yinian couldn’t help but think of Ji Yan’s mysterious injury that she refused to discuss, and that painting of her mother filled with despair and darkness. Was Ji Yan actually… starving for maternal love?

Subconsciously, her heart softened. She averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing a brilliant crimson. “O-Okay then.”

Xu Yinian didn’t see it, but Lu Zhou—whose understanding of reality was currently being shattered—did not miss the surge of uncontrollable, obsessive infatuation that flooded Ji Yan’s eyes the moment Xu Yinian softened.

No way!

Ji Yan’s mother complex, which she had never been willing to admit, had somehow transferred onto Xu Yinian?

Actually, Lu Zhou could understand Ji Yan’s secret. When they were little, before Auntie Xiao’s illness took hold, she really had been the most beautiful and gentle woman in the world. No one could help but love her. Lu Zhou had even envied and been jealous of Ji Yan countless times, wishing Xiao Lin was her own mother.

It wasn’t until Xiao Lin’s condition worsened that Lu Zhou realized she was the lucky one. Given how things turned out, it was better to have never had that love at all.

Lu Zhou’s complicated gaze lingered on Xu Yinian. After a moment of careful thought, she suddenly understood.

On the surface, Xu Yinian shared no resemblance with the glamorous, exquisite Film Empress. But the unique softness she possessed—the glimmer of maternal instinct that bloomed when she couldn’t bear to be cruel—was something people couldn’t help but sink into.

Xu Yinian possessed a fatal attraction for those starved of love. A small act of kindness or concern she gave out of a soft heart was exactly the light and salvation they craved most.

Only now did Lu Zhou truly grasp what Ji Yan was so obsessed with, and why she placed such heavy importance on Xu Yinian.

Once Xu Yinian finally responded, the others, who had expected a funny challenge, noticed the atmosphere between the two becoming increasingly ambiguous and hazy.

Why does this look more and more wrong?

It felt like… some kind of shameful roleplay.

Qin Jiashu cursed inwardly. This has to be some kind of sick fetish of that mad dog. She really is a pervert, playing this so hard!

Ignoring the stares of those around them, Ji Yan indulged in the satisfaction of the moment, using her obsession to coax even more. “What am I to Mommy?”

Xu Yinian felt dizzy from the constant barrage of “Mama” and “Mommy.”

In the next second, she felt something soft touch her hand, which was resting helplessly on the table.

Ji Yan had actually pressed her chin and cheek against the back of Xu Yinian’s hand. Like a little kitten or puppy, she rubbed back and forth, seeking dependence and favor.

“Mama, call A-Yan’s name…”

From start to finish, those upturned eyes never strayed from Xu Yinian’s face for even a fraction of a second.

Xu Yinian felt like she was being incinerated by that scorching gaze. She realized that under her own indulgence, the situation had spiraled out of control. Once she softened, it was merely the beginning of a cycle of giving in. Ji Yan had long since mastered all of Xu Yinian’s weaknesses.

Ji Yan was incredibly dangerous and difficult right now, yet so easily pacified. You just had to call her. Call her A-Yan…

Under this enchantment, Xu Yinian parted her lips. For the first time, the voice coming from her throat sounded like that of a stranger.

“A-A-Yan.”

Xu Yinian’s voice was as soft as water, timid yet helpless. It brushed past the ears, leaving one’s entire body tingling.

What kind of “Mommy” was this, pushed to such a point by her “daughter” that she had no power to resist?

And what kind of “daughter” harbored such a heart of sacrilege that she would have a physical reaction just from her “Mommy” calling her nickname?

“Is… hasn’t the minute passed yet?” Xu Yinian practically had a sob in her voice. She didn’t understand why, but she felt she had reached her limit and couldn’t hold on for a second longer.

“Ah, it’s over!” The class committee member finally realized the challenge should have ended long ago.

Xu Yinian pulled her hand back as if a heavy weight had been lifted. She didn’t dare look Ji Yan in the eye for the rest of the night.

It’s too… too strange…

Everyone looked at Ji Yan, only to see her drop the lowly posture. She sat up straight with an air of nonchalance, her gaze returning to its usual cold indifference.

This was undoubtedly the best explanation that it had all just been an act. Except… no one saw her finger swipe across her phone screen.

She had recorded it.

Did she really need to act to that extent?!

Recalling Ji Yan’s shameless flirting, the way she nuzzled Xu Yinian’s hand, and how she called her “Mommy” without any burden, the same question surfaced in everyone’s minds. If they didn’t know better, they would have thought…

The third and fourth rounds passed. Lu Zhou drew a Truth and was asked how many exes she had. She refused to answer and took the penalty drink instead. This finally gave Xu Yinian some time to breathe.

In the final round, Xu Yinian prayed fervently that the cards wouldn’t involve her or anyone she knew.

When she saw another red card, her hope shattered instantly.

Meanwhile, Qin Jiashu raised the blue card in her hand, looking at her romantic rivals with a particularly cunning and triumphant smile. Everyone knew that a Dare involving Xu Yinian was a golden opportunity.

“Senior Sister, your task is to pick anyone present, use their phone to call any relative in their contact list, and tell them you are their girlfriend.”

Hearing the task, Qin Jiashu narrowed her fox eyes lazily, secretly plotting how to leave a good impression on Xu Yinian’s relatives.

The class committee member realized they had mixed up the order of Truth or Dare, but they just went with it, telling Xu Yinian she could answer her Truth after the Dare was finished.

“Xu Yinian, please.”

Qin Jiashu knew that after being chosen twice already, Xu Yinian should have expected this. Perhaps it was because the Senior Sister was the only one who had truly, officially confessed to her, but Xu Yinian uncharacteristically showed a bit of a temper.

“S-Senior Sister, can you please… not pick me?”

With the precedents of Shen Ruoshuang and Ji Yan, Xu Yinian’s sudden request for special treatment felt like a double standard, piquing everyone’s curiosity.

Shen Ruoshuang’s gaze turned icy. Ji Yan was even more obvious, her expression darkening. “What kind of spell did you cast on her?”

“Because she likes me more, of course,” Qin Jiashu teased, raising an eyebrow. She thoroughly enjoyed being treated as “special” by Xu Yinian. This was exactly why she had confessed early to seize the initiative, even knowing she might fail.

Qin Jiashu turned back to Xu Yinian. “But if I don’t pick you, I have to drink. Will you drink for me, Junior?”

“Ah, I almost forgot. You can’t drink.” When Qin Jiashu said this, she didn’t look like she had forgotten at all. She sounded incredibly salty. Her fox eyes took in every bit of Xu Yinian’s momentary panic.

Thinking about how Shen Ruoshuang had “picked up” that easy win earlier, her heart turned to stone. “You let the others pick you, but not me. Isn’t that biased?”

Seeing her use such tactics to manipulate the stunned Xu Yinian, Ji Yan’s expression grew even gloomier.

“I… I’m not…”

Qin Jiashu watched as Xu Yinian walked straight into her trap. How can she be so cute?

“I’ll let you choose the relative, how about that?”

Left with no choice, Xu Yinian scrolled through her phone. She had very few relatives in her contacts—only her mother and her uncle’s family.

The elders were absolutely off-limits for a joke. She hadn’t spoken to her mother in two months. If she called now to “come out” like this… Thinking of her stubborn, conservative mother who was still in a standoff with her, Xu Yinian’s eyes flashed with helplessness.

Steeling her emotions, she had to choose her younger cousin, Jiang Ke. At worst, she could just explain it was a game later.

She pulled up Jiang Ke’s contact info and handed the phone to Qin Jiashu. After a pause, she introduced her: “Her name is Jiang Ke. She’s my cousin, a freshman at our university.”

Hearing the name, Shen Ruoshuang’s brows finally knit together. …That’s the cousin who has Improper Thoughts about Xu Yinian.

Ji Yan also remembered the name. It seemed she had attended the same international high school as her. Then she remembered the girl she had seen with Xu Yinian at the dessert shop on the first day of school. She was also Zhuang Yulan’s nemesis.

Ji Yan vaguely recalled Zhuang Yulan saying Jiang Ke was also into girls. Did Xu Yinian even know her cousin liked women?

Thinking of this, Ji Yan couldn’t help but stare at the phone as the call was about to be placed.

Qin Jiashu didn’t know Jiang Ke, but she was delighted by the introduction. She was always confident in her fame and social network; since the girl was at X University, things would be easy. She might even be able to get closer to Xu Yinian through this cousin.

“I’m calling then?”

With that, she pressed dial.

To everyone’s surprise, the call was answered almost instantly. Over the speakerphone, an eager and happy voice rang out: “Sis! Why are you—”

Before she could finish, she was interrupted by a strange voice.

Qin Jiashu’s “mature sister” voice sounded alluring no matter what she said, but right now, she was staring directly at Xu Yinian, delivering each word like a provocation: “Hello. I am Xu Yinian’s girlfriend.”