A silent night passed. When the next day came and Chu Lian opened her eyes, she saw that the clock on the wall pointed to eight forty. Warm sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window, spilling over her face and easing much of her gloomy mood.
She glanced at Inori, who was lying beside her, and found that the other girl had already opened her gem-like eyes, quietly gazing at her face, motionless as if entranced.
"Inori, why didn't you sleep a bit longer?" She looked around and realized that not only Inori, but even Kurosaki Satsuki—the white-haired girl—had gotten up already. Satsuki was sitting on the edge of the balcony, her fair legs swinging gently as she stared off into the distance, lost in thought.
"I don't feel tired, so I don't have much need for rest. Lian, good morning." Inori blinked softly as she explained why she had woken up so early.
"That's true. You didn't expend much energy in battle, and after resting the whole day yesterday, it's normal not to feel sleepy." Hearing her words, Chu Lian realized she had overlooked something—Inori and the others weren't like her. They hadn't been fighting on the front lines nonstop, nor were they recovering from serious injuries. Their stamina was much greater than hers.
"So it's you who should rest properly." Inori pressed the hand resting on Chu Lian's shoulder, preventing her from getting up.
After trying a few times, Chu Lian realized that unless she used real force, she couldn't escape Inori's hold—but she didn't want to strongly resist her, so she was easily pushed back down onto the bed.
"What you need now is rest. We only need to board the flight to Los Angeles tonight, so there's no rush," Inori said softly as she turned over and sat astride Chu Lian's waist, leaning forward to look down at her.
Though Inori's body was light and Chu Lian was far from weak, this position still made her feel embarrassed—especially with others in the room.
After all, she was only wearing a small halter top and safety shorts, while Inori had on nothing but a pink translucent nightdress. Under the sunlight streaming through the window, her body's contours and perfect figure could be faintly seen.
More than that, the touch of those soft, delicate legs brushing against Chu Lian's waist made her skin tingle, her heart pounding wildly like a startled fawn. The temptation Inori brought was simply too strong.
"Inori… could you please put on some clothes?" Chu Lian turned her head with difficulty, her voice small and weak—it sounded less like a request and more like a plea.
"You mean this?" Inori pointed at her own nightdress, subtly twisting her body. The alluring motion made the sensation even more irresistible, and Chu Lian realized something was happening within her—something she had never experienced before. Terrified, she froze, not daring to move.
"Mm… yes, that one. Can you please change? The bathroom is over there," Chu Lian said, pointing toward where she thought it was.
"Lian, that's not the bathroom—it's the living room…" Inori glanced in that direction, then turned back and leaned close to Chu Lian's neck, whispering softly.
Her breath was warm and fragrant, brushing against Chu Lian's skin, sending a shiver down her spine. Chu Lian knew that if this continued, something strange was bound to happen.
So she turned her head, lightly biting Inori's ear while whispering, "Stop it. If you keep this up, I'll be too embarrassed to face anyone. I promise I won't face the next battle alone, okay?"
If Chu Lian still didn't understand that this was Inori's way of getting back at her for her evasive answer last night, then she would truly be hopelessly dense.
She just hadn't expected Inori to take no action last night, only to launch such a sudden "counterattack" the next morning—one so unexpected it left her speechless. When had the gentle Inori learned to use her body as a weapon like this?
"You said it, Lian. If you lie to me again… next time, I'll make sure you reach cli~max~" The last words were whispered right into her ear, one by one, followed by the soft touch of a tongue tracing her earlobe. Chu Lian trembled.
"I promise! I promise, Inori, just spare me…" Chu Lian was nearly driven to tears by the overwhelming sensation. This time, her words carried no evasion or pretense—she truly, completely agreed to Inori's demand.
"Good girl, that's the adorable Lian I love." Inori smiled faintly, straightened her back, and stood up from Chu Lian's waist. Picking up the clothes by the bed, she headed for the bathroom, leaving Chu Lian behind—eyes misty and heart still pounding—staring blankly at her retreating figure until it vanished behind the door. Only then did she finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"When did Inori become so seductive… even using temptation as a weapon? And her target's another girl, too. Worse still, that girl actually couldn't hold it together and agreed to everything she said. What's going on with this world? Did I time-travel again?" What had just happened had completely overturned Chu Lian's impression of Inori. To make her agree to that promise, she had actually gone that far.
Luckily, Chu Lian had managed to hold herself back. Otherwise, if things had really gone that way, she probably wouldn't have been able to show her face all day today—she'd be too embarrassed to even step out of the room.
It wasn't like she'd never experienced things like this before. Ayase often teased her, sometimes to the point of entangling her in passionate play. Or like that time in Tai'an City's hotel, when the awakened alternate personality of Li Xiu'er had done those things to her in the bathroom.
What Ayase and Li Xiu'er did could both be called H in their own way—but none of those times had made her feel like this.
This… this sensation, like she was about to climb to the peak of pleasure, was enough to make her want to die of embarrassment.
Sitting on the balcony, Kurosaki Satsuki seemed to sense something strange. She turned her head toward the bed, where Chu Lian still lay, and frowned slightly. Why did it feel like something very unusual had just happened?
Unfortunately, she hadn't noticed anything while Inori was still in the room—only realizing something was off after Inori had gone to change. Maybe that was fate's way of keeping her from witnessing what would've been quite a show.
After spacing out for a while, Chu Lian finally managed to calm herself. She stretched her hand toward the beautifully decorated ceiling and sighed inwardly. Some things, she realized, could no longer be avoided.
Inori had forced her to agree to last night's promise in that way—it was the first time she had ever been so assertive. Knowing that gentle persuasion wouldn't work, she had simply used a little trick to make Chu Lian yield.
Truly a clever girl, one with a heart as delicate as glass—able to read her so perfectly and know exactly how to get what she wanted.
Still, that insight of hers only seemed to show itself when she was dealing with Chu Lian. Most of the time, she was quiet and reserved, and whenever she did speak, her words were never wasted. Her concern for Chu Lian always far exceeded how much she cared for herself.
After this, Chu Lian understood something else too—not all care brings comfort. Sometimes, it only makes others worry more and ignore their own wellbeing.
She understood Inori's heart clearly—it was as pure and transparent as crystal, filled with affection and devotion. She had only acted this way so Chu Lian wouldn't once again recklessly face powerful enemies alone, endangering herself.
"I really shouldn't act so self-righteous anymore…" Chu Lian murmured softly, then got up. Stretching under the warm sunlight streaming into the room, she said cheerfully, "Well, time to enjoy spending some money today. Since we've got sponsorships, it'd be a waste not to spend a little."
Last night's events were over, the next enemy had yet to appear, and after such a thrilling morning "temptation," Chu Lian decided it was time to relax.
And what better way to unwind than to go shopping in a city that attracted visitors from all around the world?
Even if she couldn't afford too many luxury-brand items due to limited funds, surely on streets filled with shops from every country, she could still find plenty of good-quality, affordable things.
In truth, Chu Lian's mindset had already begun to shift—becoming more like that of an ordinary girl. If she could afford something nice, she'd buy it. If it was cheap and cute, even better. She was easily satisfied now, like a cheerful little girl.
About ten minutes later, Inori finally came out of the bathroom, freshly dressed and washed. Seeing Chu Lian still half-sitting on the bed, she said, "Lian, it's your turn to change."
"Mm, okay, I'm going." Chu Lian quickly picked up the clothes beside her, jumped off the bed, and walked barefoot into the bathroom.
Today, she didn't plan on wearing hanfu. Since her whereabouts had already been exposed, putting on her iconic outfits would only make her even easier to recognize.
Instead, she chose a sky-blue long dress, paired with a lace sun hat. Her fair arms were bare, and on her feet were a pair of small high-heeled sandals about five centimeters tall. The outfit was refreshing and casual, making her look like an ordinary young girl.
After putting on sunglasses that covered the upper half of her face, and with her natural charm enhanced by "Orchid in the Valley," her entire aura changed. The ethereal, fairy-like elegance she usually carried was now replaced by a soft, tranquil beauty.
"How do I look today?" Chu Lian asked with a grin as she stepped out of the bathroom. She lifted the hem of her skirt and twirled a few times in the middle of the room.
"Big Sis looks amazing no matter what she wears!" Chu Chu, who had just woken up, stared wide-eyed at her elder sister's outfit. Getting to see this right after waking up felt like the best kind of blessing.
"Mm-hmm, Chu Lian, your aura changes so easily—you look perfect in light colors like sky blue. Honestly, I'm so jealous of how naturally you can shift your entire presence. It's such a useful gift." Li Xiu'er, who had shared the bed with Chu Chu, had woken up earlier and had been the one to rouse her. Otherwise, Chu Chu would probably still be asleep.
And she wasn't wrong—Chu Lian's aura did seem to flow naturally with her mood and attire, smooth and effortless, as if it were something she had been born with.
"Beautiful as always, Lian." Inori, still in her pink outfit, tilted her head slightly and smiled.
"Since ancient times," she said softly, "red and blue always make the perfect CP, don't they, Lian?"