“Wah!” Zhen Zhu finally reacted, bouncing away as she clapped a hand over her mouth. She waved her other little hand wildly in the air at the green-haired girl across from her. “Liang… Liang Sheng! You just took advantage of me!”
No way, she was the one who’d taken advantage of me! Liang Sheng felt utterly wronged but couldn’t get the words out. “Th-that was you who leaned in first!”
Zhen Zhu paused for a moment, her young mind racing. Kids’ thoughts were simple: they’d already kissed, and even though Liang Sheng seemed a bit flighty, she couldn’t possibly be the type to kiss and run, right?
Summoning her courage, Zhen Zhu declared, “Hey! Liang Sheng! You kissed me, so you have to take responsibility for me!”
“Me…?” Liang Sheng looked like she was about to burst into tears. “It was just a kiss! It’s not like you can get pregnant or anything…”
“So you don’t want to take responsibility for me!” Zhen Zhu’s eyes widened, striking a pose like she was about to throw a total guilt trip. “Fine, I’ll go tell my dad right now!”
Damn, having a powerful dad makes you special, huh… And yeah, it really did—who asked for nepotism to rule the world these days?
“No, no, no, my little ancestor…” Liang Sheng grabbed her arm. “We can talk this out, we can talk this out. Your dad’s so busy…”
“Then say it! Are you going to take responsibility for me or not?!” Zhen Zhu looked dead set on clinging to her.
Liang Sheng’s face crumpled in worry. “I’ll take responsibility, okay? I’ll take responsibility… But you’re only fourteen right now. Can’t we wait until you’re an adult?”
“Ding~” Favorability increased.
“Zhen Zhu’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 175”
“Really?” Zhen Zhu eyed her skeptically. She’d seen right through Liang Sheng’s “smooth talker” nature. “You’re not lying to me?”
Liang Sheng nodded vigorously. “Really, really! I’m super reliable!”
Yeah, this had to be the worst hit to her reputation for reliability ever.
“Fine then,” Zhen Zhu said, extending her right hand and making a little fist with her pinky finger extended. “Let’s pinky promise!”
Sigh, kids and their rituals.
Liang Sheng had no choice but to play along, reaching out her own hand. “Okay, pinky promise. A hundred steps. One hundred years. No take-backs!”
“Ding~” Favorability increased.
“Zhen Zhu’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 178”
“Whoever breaks it gets struck by lightning and drops dead!” Zhen Zhu added loudly.
Liang Sheng: “…”
I’m doomed. Coaxing a girl—no, Zhen Zhu was just a little brat, not even a girl yet. How had sweet-talking a kid led to risking her life?
In that moment, Liang Sheng became a staunch atheist. This was a scientific society now, and ever since the founding of the nation, no spirits were allowed! Struck by lightning? Dropping dead? As if!
“Okay, okay, that’s good enough, right?” Liang Sheng finally let go.
Zhen Zhu seemed satisfied.
But Liang Sheng just couldn’t help herself and leaned in to ask, “So, Little Zhen Zhu, that means you like me, right?”
Zhen Zhu’s body jolted, the blush that had almost faded from her cheeks flaring up hot again. But unlike the tsundere Lu Ziqing, she admitted it boldly. “Yeah, I like you!”
Oh no, she’d hoisted herself by her own petard.
“Wh-when did that happen?” Liang Sheng had no idea how to keep the conversation going.
Zhen Zhu didn’t hesitate. “Ever since you showed me those yuri manga!”
Liang Sheng wanted to slap herself right then. She’d corrupted the youth! Once someone fell into the yuri pit, it was damn near impossible to climb out.
“So, Liang Sheng, do you like me?”
Crap, was she hitting her with one of those relationship landmines already? Liang Sheng panicked hard.
Seeing no response, Zhen Zhu’s heart sank with a thud, leaving a sour taste.
That’s when she suddenly remembered: a long time ago on campus, Liang Sheng’s phone wallpaper had been a photo of a strikingly handsome black-haired girl. She’d even teased her back then, asking if Liang Sheng had a crush on her.
So… did Liang Sheng actually have a crush on that black-haired girl? Zhen Zhu’s emotions churned wildly inside her. She desperately wanted to ask.
“Liang Sheng?”
Liang Sheng took a deep breath.
Sorry, Senior Sister Gu Yuqi. For our happy ending…
“Ah, I don’t like anyone,” Liang Sheng said with a smile. “I think being single is pretty great.”
“Really?” Zhen Zhu loved asking that word.
Liang Sheng nodded emphatically. By now, lying was second nature to her—she could go pro as an actress. “Really! Why would I lie? What’s in it for me?”
Zhen Zhu thought about it. Yeah, if Liang Sheng really liked someone else, she wouldn’t have agreed to take responsibility later or wait until adulthood to date her.
“Ding~” Favorability increased.
“Zhen Zhu’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 182”
“Then from now on, you have to work hard at liking me!” Zhen Zhu said bossily, throwing an arm around the green-haired girl’s neck.
Liang Sheng, ever adaptable, went with it. “Of course, of course! I’ll work super hard! Our little Zhen Zhu is so cute—I bet I’ll fall for you in no time~”
Sweet talk? Easy. Promises? Close your eyes, open your mouth, lie your ass off. Only heaven and she knew it was fake—who else would? Besides, she was doing this for everyone’s sake!
“Ding~” Favorability increased.
“Zhen Zhu’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 183”
Ugh, the favorability was growing slower and slower. Liang Sheng scratched her head in frustration. She was worried about dragging this out too long and something going wrong. She needed to max it out fast, make Akino Kazuko stronger, so they wouldn’t have to fear Su Ze pulling shady system tricks.
She wasn’t wrong. Su Ze was indeed plotting something nasty, but not through the system this time… because Akino Wakako’s power had weakened far below before, maybe even down to Akino Kazuko’s level (rude as that sounded).
As for his scheme… Su Ze had been busy faking audio clips and deliberately edited videos lately. So yeah, everyone could probably guess.
Su Ze was still in C City, just as Liang Sheng suspected—and he was the Da Hai from Ling Dang’s story.
“Da Hai, what are you doing?” Ling Dang leaned against the doorframe, watching Su Ze’s busy back in the room.
Su Ze didn’t turn around. “Be good and go rest. I’ll come keep you company in a bit.”
Ling Dang didn’t move, staring blankly at his back.
A long while passed.
“Daddy, I’m hungry.” She spoke suddenly.
A rare, genuine gentleness flickered in Su Ze’s eyes. He turned and walked to her, ruffling her hair. “Wait just a sec. I’ll make you something right away.”
“But I’m starving right now, brother.” Ling Dang’s tone shifted abruptly.
Before Su Ze could respond, she grabbed his wrist and delivered an icy line. “Da Hai, this ends here.”
