Chương 126: Su Yuqing's "Punishment" and the gasp from the next room

When Luo Bingli recounted her harrowing experience from the previous night—from their unexpected encounter in the park, to the injuries Lin Che sustained while standing up for her, and how she unhesitatingly transformed into the magical girl Liuli before him to face the sudden infiltration of the illusory world together— After telling his friend everything, the room fell into a brief silence.

Su Yuqing suddenly sat up in bed, her bright eyes widening slightly in shock, her face filled with belated realization.

The scene from the family restaurant that afternoon flashed through her mind: the bruise on Lin Che's face that hadn't completely faded, and the white gauze still on his forehead...

When Xiao Li, who was sitting right across from her, saw this scene, she didn't show the slightest surprise. It turned out—she already knew!

Looking at the complex expressions on Su Yuqing's face, Luo Bingli felt a slight pang in her heart, thinking that Su Yuqing was angry that she and Lin Che had kept this from her.

She instinctively wanted to defend Lin Che, afraid that her friend would take her anger out on him: "Yuqing, don't blame Lin Che for not telling you. He told me he would keep this secret for me—"

"And—" she paused, her tone becoming more urgent, "he didn't know you were a magical girl too, that's why he chose to hide it from you. He really didn't mean to—" Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible, her heart filled with trepidation.

However, Su Yuqing's subsequent reaction completely surprised her.

Upon hearing her explanation, Su Yuqing showed no sign of anger or dissatisfaction. Instead, as if she had thought of something more important, she abruptly interrupted her, pressing her for an urgent answer:

"Wait! Xiaoli, do you mean—Ache doesn't know that I'm also a magical girl, right?"

!"

Luo Bingli was slightly taken aback by her sudden question, completely unprepared for her friend's focus to suddenly shift in this direction.

But looking into Su Yuqing's eyes, which were filled with nervousness and expectation, she subconsciously nodded: "Hmm—I guess so—" After receiving an affirmative answer, Su Yuqing immediately breathed a long sigh of relief, her whole body going limp on the bed, a look of lingering fear on her face.

"I was so scared—thank goodness, he doesn't know, he doesn't know—" she patted her chest and muttered to herself.

Then, she belatedly realized that her reaction just now seemed to have been a bit too excited and out of control.

Looking at Luo Bingli's clear eyes, which held a hint of confusion and bewilderment, Su Yuqing's cheeks flushed slightly. A little embarrassed, she sat up in bed and explained:

"Hehe, Xiaoli, you misunderstood. I wasn't angry with Ache just now. I thought—I thought he already knew I was a magical girl too, that's why I was so nervous."

She paused, then a genuine smile spread across her face as she tightened her grip on Luo Bingli's hand: "Speaking of which, last night was so dangerous. You not only protected yourself but also saved A-Che. I—I should be thanking you properly, Xiao Li!"

Seeing Su Yuqing's relieved expression, Luo Bingli's confusion only deepened, not lessened. She asked, somewhat puzzled:

"But—Yuqing, why are you so resistant to this? It shouldn't matter if Lin Che finds out you're a magical girl, right? He accepted that I'm Liuli so quickly, so he definitely can too..."

Upon hearing this question, Su Yuqing's fair cheeks flushed bright red, and her eyes began to dart around.

She stammered, "Well, um—it's nothing—it's just—it's just—" Under Luo Bingli's clear and persistent gaze, Su Yuqing finally couldn't bring herself to say it and whispered the truth:

"Well—after I saved him as Yin Xue, I impulsively asked him—who's prettier, me or that magical girl named Yin Xue—"

"He... he definitely remembers this! If he knew I was Yin Xue, who knows how he'd laugh at me! So—absolutely! Absolutely not! I can't let him know! I absolutely cannot tell!"

In the end, her tone was resolute, as if this were a matter of life and death.

After listening to Su Yuqing's "tear-jerking" accusation and that "dark history" that sounded somewhat—well, cute—Luo Bingli barely managed to hold back her laughter.

She nodded gently, a hint of a smile in her voice, and solemnly promised, "Yes, Yuqing, don't worry, I will definitely help you protect this secret."

"Waaaaah—Xiao Li, you're so kind!" Upon hearing this, Su Yuqing was moved to tears, hugged her friend tightly, and gave her a big kiss on her soft cheek.

But soon, as if she had remembered something, a sly expression with a hint of dissatisfaction appeared on her face, and she reached out and gently poked the other person's arm with her finger.

"However—it's one thing for A-Che not to mention this, but Xiao Li, you actually dared to keep such an important matter from me."

"Absolutely! They absolutely need to be 'punished' properly!"

Before Luo Bingli could react, Su Yuqing's nimble hands shot out like lightning, precisely pinching the soft, delicate skin on both sides of her cheeks, and then gently pulling them apart with a little force.

"Hey! Yuqing! What are you doing?" Luo Bingli was suddenly attacked like this and exclaimed in surprise, her body instinctively trying to resist.

However, when she met Su Yuqing's mischievous eyes and felt the affection from her friend that contained no malice whatsoever, the thought of rebellion in her heart inexplicably vanished.

After all—he had indeed kept what happened last night from her, so letting her "get back" a little and act cute didn't seem too much to ask, did it?

In the end, she gave up resisting, closed her eyes resignedly, let out a helpless sigh, and let Su Yuqing's "sinful little hands" ravage her face.

After a while, Su Yuqing finally let out a satisfied sigh, loosened her hands, and revealed a bright smile on her face, as if she had successfully pulled off a prank.

Luo Bingli rubbed her slightly flushed cheeks and asked softly, with a hint of complaint, "Are you calmed down now?"

Upon hearing this, Su Yuqing tilted her head and thought for a moment, then winked mischievously, drawing out the last syllable before huffing, "No—no!"

A mischievous, eager smile crept across her face as she said, "Ah Che too! Such a big thing happened last night, but he's acting like nothing happened, not telling me anything! No way, I have to go and 'punish' him properly!"

Looking at Su Yuqing's excited, almost mischievous expression, Luo Bingli asked cautiously, "So—Yuqing, what are you planning to do?"

"Hehe, well—you just wait and see!" Su Yuqing winked mysteriously at Luo Bingli, then suddenly jumped up from the bed.

She didn't even have time to put on slippers before rushing barefoot towards Lin Che's room.

"Yuqing! You..." Luo Bingli tried to stop her, but only managed to grab a wisp of air before Su Yuqing's figure disappeared outside the door. The "click" of the doorknob being turned forcefully in the next room followed clearly.

She shook her head helplessly, but a faint smile appeared on her face.

After all, she knew that although Yuqing sometimes liked to play pranks, she was still very careful with her actions. Lin Che should be fine, right?

However, the instant that thought flashed through her mind, "Ah...

A piercing scream suddenly came from Lin Che's room next door.

The voice—though distorted quite a bit, Luo Bingli could still vaguely make out that it seemed to be Ping—not the voice of her friend.