Despite the strange circumstances, the sound of the sob made Qin Jiashu panic. She temporarily pushed her suspicions aside and asked worriedly, “Xu Yinian, why are you crying? Is it because of what I did earlier?”
She was referring to her behavior during the dubbing session, which was the reason she had come looking for Yinian. She felt a bit awkward herself; in the past, when she flirted with others, no one was as clueless as Yinian. She had never really considered whether her targets could actually handle such contact.
But Qin Jiashu also knew she was taking advantage of the situation. Because she knew Yinian liked her and trusted her, she repeatedly used excuses to hide her true intentions.
If she’s really this angry and scared, I… I won’t do it again.
Qin Jiashu was glad she was standing outside the door; otherwise, the guilt on her face would have been plain to see.
Though she was still weak, the sound of Qin Jiashu’s voice cleared Yinian’s head. She realized she was subconsciously leaning on Ji Yan’s shoulder. It was likely a lingering reaction to the sudden vibration of the door behind her.
She struggled to stand straight. Knowing how to use her own vulnerability to her advantage, she used her tearful voice to drive Qin Jiashu away.
“Senior Sister, can you… can you help me… go to the store? Buy some… I forgot to bring mine.”
Her intermittent sobs hid the traces of her recent arousal, perfectly masked by the “embarrassing” excuse.
Qin Jiashu didn’t suspect a thing. Hearing that it was such a small, practical matter, she let out a massive sigh of relief. The worry that she had traumatized Yinian began to dissipate. “Okay, okay, don’t cry. I’m here. I’ll go buy them for you right now. Just wait there, I’ll be right back.”
“Mhm…”
Qin Jiashu’s kindness made Yinian feel a deep sense of shame for her lie. As the sound of Qin Jiashu’s footsteps receded, Yinian finally felt a weight lift. She began to take small, shallow breaths.
“Let… let me out,” Yinian said stiffly. She was terrified Ji Yan would bring up her humiliating reaction from moments ago.
“Can you even leave?” Ji Yan’s voice held a hint of amusement. “If Qin Jiashu comes back and you’re not here, how do you plan to explain yourself?”
Yinian’s already red cheeks flushed even deeper. Her embarrassment turned into a rare spark of anger, and she stopped stuttering. “Then you get out.”
“You want me to leave? But the problem hasn’t been solved yet.”
Yinian looked up, meeting Ji Yan’s deep, intense gaze.
“Wipe off the traces Qin Jiashu left on you.”
Yinian froze for a moment. She suddenly remembered Ji Yan’s germaphobia. How can she demand that other people be as obsessive as she is?
Even hearing this request, it never occurred to Yinian that Ji Yan cared about her. She simply thought it was Ji Yan’s possessiveness acting up—refusing to let her girlfriend touch anyone else or leave any mark on them. It fit with the “retaliation” theory from earlier.
Afraid that Ji Yan would drag her into a mutually destructive confrontation in front of Qin Jiashu, Yinian whispered a soft “Okay.”
Ji Yan released her, but didn’t forget to tease her: “Stand steady. Don’t collapse again this time.”
She really did know about that pathetic weakness…
Humiliated, Yinian bit her lip and said nothing. She turned, pulled open the stall door, and fled to the sink. She plunged her hands into the water and began scrubbing, repeating her actions from when she first arrived.
Ji Yan didn’t leave. She leaned against the wall where she had first been standing, monitoring Yinian’s every move. Yinian didn’t dare look back, but she could feel that gaze on her, never wavering for a second.
“It… it won’t come off.”
Yinian had already tried this. The redness wouldn’t fade until enough time had passed; this useless scrubbing only served to make it last longer.
She immediately regretted saying it. Ji Yan walked over, her voice thick with hidden meaning.
“It can be wiped away. I’ll teach you.”
“No, I don’t—”
Before she could finish, Ji Yan grabbed her hand and guided it toward the tip of her own ear. Ji Yan didn’t touch anything except Yinian’s fingers—as if her germaphobia were still in play—but she forced Yinian’s own hand to rub against her ear.
“You…” Realizing Ji Yan’s intention, Yinian looked at her in shock.
Her ear quickly began to burn. The heat was so intense she wanted her fingertips to escape. Even without looking, she knew her pale ear had turned a bright crimson.
“Doesn’t it look like your own now?”
Ji Yan felt a strange sense of satisfaction. She was delighted by the look on Yinian’s face. It was as if her germaphobia had been cured specifically for Yinian.
She’s an absolute lunatic… Yinian thought.
If this was just a method of torture, Yinian would have nothing but hatred for Ji Yan.
Since she had read the original novel, Xu Yinian knew that Ji Yan’s obsessive-compulsive disorder and germaphobia were dead serious. This only deepened her understanding—and her fear—of the woman’s pathological madness.
“You’ll make sure to handle every little spot yourself, won’t you?”
Ji Yan released Yinian’s fingers without a hint of lingering affection. She turned and leaned lightly against the sink, watching her with a look of practiced composure.
Xu Yinian didn’t dare look at Ji Yan again. She crouched down, curling into a ball. To ensure she finished before Qin Jiashu could return, her movements to “scrub” away the marks accelerated.
In her heart, she screamed: I… I absolutely cannot have any more contact with this lunatic…
***
Ji Yan did indeed leave before Qin Jiashu returned, but only after seeing that Xu Yinian had thoroughly “cleaned” everything that had been touched.
After all, the existence of a “fake girlfriend” like Qin Jiashu served a significant purpose in Xu Yinian’s mind. It could even be used to annoy the reckless Qin Tian. Ji Yan had no intention of exposing the truth just yet.
“Why are your ears so red?”
The dress and socks hid the rest, but her ears were impossible to ignore. As soon as Xu Yinian stepped out, Qin Jiashu noticed immediately.
“I… I just washed them.”
Only, she had used the “washing” method prescribed by a madwoman.
Qin Jiashu knew Yinian’s skin flushed easily, so she didn’t press further. After all, she hadn’t forgotten that she was here to play the “good cop” and soothe Yinian with some metaphorical sweets.
Xu Yinian had never blamed Qin Jiashu in the first place. Hearing the Senior Sister’s various explanations and her worry about being misunderstood only made Yinian feel more embarrassed.
It was just that… if the Senior Sister and Ji Yan were still together, she could never allow herself to get as close to her as before.
At that thought, she kept her mouth shut and buried her feelings deep inside. She simply acted as she usually did—a dutiful listener.
Although the person behind the dubbing studio was likely Ji Yan, Xu Yinian never even considered that the high-profile “star second-gen” Ji Yan could be a voice actor. She simply assumed it was one of the many investments owned by the Ji family.
After all, even Qin Jiashu, Ji Yan’s “girlfriend,” didn’t seem to know about it.
The reason Ji Yan had even shown up was probably because Qin Jiashu had quietly come over to warn her off.
Furthermore, now that the contract was signed, it was impossible for Xu Yinian to back out. She could only resolve to sneak away for her recording sessions in the future and never let Qin Jiashu help her again.
After retrieving her backpack from the locker, Xu Yinian turned on her phone for the first time since arriving.
