Chương 229: Goodnight, Xiao Li

A sudden phone call shattered the warm and peaceful atmosphere in the bedroom.

Startled by the ringtone, Luo Bingli trembled slightly and instinctively picked up the still-buzzing phone from the bedside table, assuming that something had happened to Yuqing next door.

However, when her gaze fell on the lit screen and she saw the name on the caller ID, her pupils contracted involuntarily, and her face revealed an almost instinctive disgust and resistance.

Without a second thought, Luo Bingli pressed the red hang-up button on the screen with almost resolute speed, then placed the phone screen-down on the bed sheet.

Silence returned to the room, as if the sudden ringing of the bell had been nothing more than an illusion.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye, but Ye Zixuan, who was lying next to Luo Bingli, still clearly saw her instantaneous change in expression and the series of actions that followed.

Seeing Luo Bingli hang up the phone, she hesitated for a moment, but still asked softly out of concern, "Xiao Li, what's wrong?"

Whose call was it?

Luo Bingli remained silent for a while before answering in a slightly dry and hoarse voice, "—It's nothing, it's my—father on the phone."

"Father?" Ye Zixuan was even more puzzled. She cautiously asked, "Then why did you just hang up? Could it be—something urgent happened?"

"It's alright." Luo Bingli simply shook her head gently, seemingly unwilling to say another word about the topic.

Immediately, she turned her back to Ye Zixuan, curled herself into a small ball, and didn't even continue to hug Ji Ying's clone.

It was this unusual action, which was full of escapism, that made Ye Zixuan realize instantly that things were definitely not as simple as she said.

Luo Bingli was biting her lower lip tightly, her petite body trembling slightly uncontrollably under the thin blanket.

Why—of all times, did they have to call?

When I clearly feel that someone cares about me, when I feel that the world is not so unbearable after all — Why do you always remind me of your existence in this way? It makes me feel like I have nowhere to escape.

Ye Zixuan watched Luo Bingli's retreating figure, her heart filled with worry. She hesitated, unsure whether she should continue to press the matter. Just then, the phone that Luo Bingli had pinned to the bed buzzed softly again, and the screen lit up. The soft light shone through the gaps in the sheets, appearing particularly dazzling in the dim room.

This time it wasn't a phone call, but a text message that had just been sent.

Luo Bingli's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and she subconsciously turned her head to look at the message, seemingly hesitating whether or not to read it.

After a brief internal struggle, she mustered the courage to flip her phone screen over, and the moment she saw the text message on the screen, she roughly flipped the phone back over.

"————See you the day after tomorrow——...

Although the distance was quite far and the time was only a few seconds, Ye Zixuan, who had been paying attention to this side, still vaguely saw a few words in the text message, and her gaze immediately sharpened slightly.

All the clues converged in Ye Zixuan's mind—"She came to stay for special reasons," "She only had Yuqing as a friend before," "It wasn't like this not long ago"—ultimately pointing to a deduction that made her feel extremely heartbroken and angry.

While it cannot be 100% certain, Xiao Li's current behavior, as well as her previous self-description of having a bad attitude and a withdrawn personality, are definitely inextricably linked to the father she mentioned.

Perhaps the real reason Xiao Li moved into Yu Qing's house was to escape him—a father whom even her own daughter so resisted and feared.

Ye Zixuan took a deep breath and tried to calm her surging emotions.

She knew that any further questions at this moment would only remind Xiaoli of those unpleasant things.

Driven by deep empathy, she chose the gentlest and most considerate approach.

She didn't mention the phone call again, nor did she ask about the text message. Instead, she spoke softly in a gentle tone, as if she hadn't noticed anything, "Is that so? — Then let's go to sleep. It's getting late."

Upon hearing these words, Luo Bingli, who was curled up on the bed, relaxed her tense body slightly.

She thought she had successfully hidden it, that she didn't have to show weakness or bother anyone, and that she could silently digest the pressure and pain.

However, in the next moment, a pair of slender arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind, gently embracing her and the Shadow Clone sandwiched between them.

Startled, Luo Bingli slowly turned around, meeting Ye Zixuan's eyes filled with heartache and worry. She asked softly, somewhat puzzled, "Zixuan—what are you doing?"

"—It's nothing, I just have a habit of sleeping with cute things, otherwise I can't fall asleep." Ye Zixuan avoided the other person's gaze and answered in a slightly unnatural tone.

"----Fool."

Upon hearing this excuse, Luo Bingli was slightly taken aback, then pursed her lips tightly. She didn't say anything more, nor did she try to break free. Instead, she obediently turned around, adjusted her posture, and took the initiative to reach out and hug the other person tightly as well.

Not long after, in the next room, Ji Ying, after ending his tender moment with Su Yuqing and saying goodnight to each other, slowly closed his eyes, and his consciousness entered the clone in this room.

When her vision cleared again, she saw the very scene that had left her feeling extremely confused and embarrassed: two girls facing each other, sandwiching her between them, the three of them huddled together in an extremely intimate manner.

After the initial shock, Ji Ying's first reaction was to immediately try to return his consciousness to his main body in the next room.

However, no matter how hard she tried to concentrate, her consciousness was as if it were firmly held by a giant magnet, and she could not break free from this clone at all.

After several failed attempts, Jiying calmed down and began to quickly think about the specific reasons for her consciousness transfer. She quickly recalled the most crucial moment: "My consciousness arrived at the clone's side the instant my main body closed its eyes—" A bold yet reasonable deduction instantly took shape in her mind.

"I see—compared to other senses that have a smaller impact, my consciousness is drawn to the most influential senses, especially since I am not yet proficient in controlling my own authority."

"When the main body closes its eyes, it cuts off the main signal source, while the clone's eyes remain open, so its consciousness is forcibly pulled over—" Upon reaching this conclusion, Jiying immediately felt a wave of sorrow.

Her own eyes were firmly closed at the moment, and unless Yuqing next door suddenly woke her up, she would not be able to open her eyes to switch back to consciousness.

But Jiying was still unwilling to give up and continued to make various attempts in her mind. Then, in one attempt to concentrate her mental energy, she "surprisingly" discovered— I was able to simultaneously feel the sensations coming from Yuqing in the other room!

She could clearly feel that Yuqing seemed to have turned over, and a slender arm was gently placed on her waist.

This discovery initially ignited a glimmer of hope in Jiying, but it was quickly followed by utter despair, because— Her main consciousness was still trapped in this clone and could not return at all.

After confirming that all attempts to return had failed, Jiying finally gave up completely.

At this moment, she had no way of knowing whether the two girls beside her were really asleep or simply resting with their eyes closed.

This uncertainty, coupled with the fact that the two were holding each other so intimately, made Ji Ying afraid to make any slight movements, lest she accidentally wake them up and cause an even more uncontrollable "socially embarrassing" scene.

Time slipped away second by second in this oppressive and awkward silence.

Jiying remained motionless, playing the role of a perfect body pillow, trying her best to control her breathing rate and keep in sync with the breathing rhythm of the two girls beside her, making herself seem more like an unconscious clone.

Gradually, she could feel the breathing of the two girls beside her becoming steady and shallow; they seemed to be— They were all completely asleep, which eased Ji Ying's anxiety a little.

But then, the physical discomfort began to emerge more and more clearly.

Luo Bingli's arms were wrapped tightly around her neck, even in her sleep, making her feel slightly suffocated.

Behind her, Ye Zixuan's astonishing "weapon" pressed tightly against her back, making her feel as if her spine was groaning under the unbearable weight.

Jiying knew that she couldn't maintain this extremely awkward position for the entire night.

Since they're already asleep, I should move my body a little, at least so they don't hug me so tightly, so I can catch my breath—that should be allowed, right?

Yes, absolutely!

Ji Ying immediately made up her mind. She held her breath and made her movements as light as possible, trying to slowly move herself out of the "sandwich" between the two girls.

One millimeter — two millimeters — Just as she was about to achieve a partial victory, Ji Ying's movements suddenly froze. She suddenly felt that the girl in front of her seemed to have moved slightly.

Then, under her tense gaze, a pair of clear eyes, so close to hers, slowly opened.

Their eyes met, and the air froze instantly.

She stared blankly at the pretty face in front of her, which was filled with confusion and bewilderment. Her mind went blank, and only one thought remained in her mind.

—It's over—we've been discovered— On the other side, Luo Bingli, half asleep and half awake, vaguely saw that the "Xiaoying" she had been longing for was staring at her with her beautiful dark red eyes. She was slightly stunned at first, and then a happy smile appeared on her face.

—I actually dreamt of Xiaoying— —Little Ying in my dream seems even cuter than usual! — With this sweet thought in mind, Luo Bingli completely let go of her usual reserve and concerns, followed her deepest desires, and took the initiative to move her body a little closer.

She tightened her arms around Ji Ying's neck, and even gently rubbed her cheek against his with a look of dependence.

Silent Shadow:"

"" Help!!!

Realizing that she had actually grown closer to the other person and that she absolutely couldn't separate them on her own, she could only steel herself and greet them softly in an awkward and embarrassed voice: "Um—Xiao Li—good evening?"

Luo Bingli instantly snapped back to reality. Her body stiffened abruptly, and she opened her eyes in utter terror. After a full three seconds of mental blanking, her brain finally came to its senses.

This is not a dream!

What did I just do to Xiaoying?!

"ah!!!"

She abruptly released Ji Ying, and after letting out a short, embarrassed gasp, quickly pulled the blanket over herself, covering her entire body completely.

Her sudden exclamation successfully woke up Ye Zixuan, who was already sleeping soundly on the other side.

"Um----?

"" Ye Zixuan rubbed her sleepy eyes, groggily sat up, and looked at Luo Bingli, who was wriggling in the blankets, and asked in confusion, "Xiao Li—what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

"It's over—it's all over—" Hearing that Ye Zixuan had also woken up, Ji Ying let out a desperate sigh in her heart. Resigned, she sat up from the bed and greeted the still bewildered Ye Zixuan.

Ye Zixuan stared wide-eyed at the little shadow that had suddenly "come to life" in front of her.

The thought of "What's going on?" flashed through her mind for only a moment before she completely followed her inner instincts.

"Xiaoying—!"

With a joyful cheer, she pounced on him and, under Ji Ying's terrified gaze, once again tightly embraced his petite body.

A moment later, the lights in the room were turned back on.

Having finally escaped Ye Zixuan's clutches, Ji Ying straightened his disheveled clothes and awkwardly explained to the two girls who were looking at him with curiosity why his consciousness had suddenly shifted to this place.

Although her cheeks were still as red as ripe apples, Luo Bingli mustered her courage and cautiously asked after hearing the explanation, "Um, Xiaoying, when did your consciousness come to us? Did you—feel anything?"

What she was most worried about was that her and Zixuan's previous exploration of her clone would be discovered by the real person.

Meanwhile, Ye Zixuan immediately realized what Luo Bingli wanted to confirm, and a blush appeared on her face as she looked at Jiying nervously, waiting for her answer.

"What did I feel?" Ji Ying scratched his head, somewhat confused, his face full of bewilderment.

"As soon as my consciousness was transmitted here, I found myself being held tightly by the two of you, and then I haven't dared to move. What else could I feel?"

She paused, as if realizing something, pointed to her head, and asked with some confusion, "Speaking of which—when did my hair come down? It was tied up before!"

Upon hearing Ji Ying's answer, Luo Bingli and Ye Zixuan both breathed a sigh of relief, but then their hearts tightened instantly at the next question.

They exchanged a glance and both saw a hint of guilt in each other's eyes.

The next moment, Luo Bingli immediately pointed to Ye Zixuan beside her, firmly shifting the blame: "It's, it's Zixuan! It's all her fault for being too rough when she pounced on you, causing your hair to become disheveled!"

After a brief moment of surprise, Ye Zixuan immediately understood and hurriedly admitted, "Ah—ah, I'm sorry, Xiaoying! I—I was a little drowsy just now, it wasn't intentional!"

"Oh—I see." Ji Ying looked at the two of them looking nervous. Although she felt that something was not right, she waved her hand to indicate that it was okay.

Then, she looked at Ye Zixuan with a puzzled expression and asked, "Speaking of which, why were you sleeping in that position just now?"

"Could it be—Zixuan, are you feeling a lot of pressure again and need to hug something to relieve it?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Zixuan hesitated and looked at Luo Bingli beside her, unsure whether she should reveal the truth.

Luo Bingli immediately shook her head slightly at her, then took the initiative to speak, confirming Ji Ying's guess: "Yes, that's what you think."

"Is that so?" Ji Ying nodded slightly upon hearing this answer, and had no further doubts.

She then coughed lightly and said with some helplessness, "In short, I may have to break my promise now and take this clone back."

"Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't be able to return my consciousness to my original body tonight—sorry."

"Huh?!"

Luo Bingli's face immediately showed reluctance, her clear eyes filled with anticipation as she gazed longingly at Ji Ying, making it almost impossible for her to say no.

Ye Zixuan on the other side even suggested, "In that case, Xiaoying, why don't you just sleep here with us tonight?"

"Isn't it better for you to have the two of us with you than for Yuqing to be alone?"'

Ji Ying was momentarily at a loss, while Luo Bingli instantly realized this.

She knew that if it was just a clone, the other party might not care, but since consciousness existed in this clone, the situation was completely different.

If Xiaoying agrees to stay here tonight, it would be tantamount to "betraying" Yuqing, but if she refuses now, Yuqing will definitely feel that she has hurt herself and Zixuan.

So she took the initiative to speak up and help Jiying out of the predicament: "Xiaoying, you had already promised to leave your clone here with us tonight. Now you're suddenly taking it back, which is breaking your promise."

"So as compensation for your breach of promise this time, once you've fully mastered this ability, you can recreate the clone so we can both hold each other tightly—that makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Of course, it can't just be once, it has to be—until we're both satisfied!"

When Ye Zixuan heard Luo Bingli offer to let Jiying leave, she was initially surprised and puzzled. But when she heard the additional conditions that followed, she immediately realized that this "long-term meal ticket" seemed to be more profitable than just eating one meal!

So she immediately nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, I agree with this suggestion."

When Ji Ying heard that Luo Bingli had taken the initiative to help him out of the predicament, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

However, when she heard the condition "until we are satisfied," she couldn't help but feel uneasy and tentatively asked, "That—what exactly does 'satisfying you' mean—?"

"Satisfying us is satisfying us," Luo Bingli said with a smile, then countered, "Xiaoying, do you—have any objections?"

"Xiao Li is right!" Ye Zixuan immediately stepped forward, flanking Ji Ying on both sides, and said with a gentle smile, "As the one who 'broke the promise,' you'd better make amends properly."

"For example—in the future, like tonight, let your consciousness come into our bodies from time to time and chat with us."'

"7 Ji Ying opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't even utter a word of rebuttal.

In the end, under the expectant gazes of the two men, she could only manage an awkward smile and nod with difficulty, thus agreeing to this "unequal treaty."

"Alright, alright, I promise you! But it has to be clear, that's only after I've mastered this ability."

Only after receiving an affirmative answer did the two girls release her, satisfied.

As if granted a pardon, Ji Ying immediately bid a solemn farewell to the two, then transformed into an invisible shadow, passed through the wall, and merged into his original form in the next room.

In that room, the eyes of the Shadowless One suddenly opened. She took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief as if she had survived a catastrophe.

She turned her head and looked at Su Yuqing's peaceful and lovely sleeping face beside her, as well as her slightly awkward sleeping posture, and a helpless yet doting smile appeared on her face.

"What a long day."

She sighed, then reached out and gently put Su Yuqing's legs back under the covers, and then carefully pulled up the sheets that were scattered next to her.

Then, she closed her eyes again.

Meanwhile, after Ji Ying left, Luo Bingli and Ye Zixuan lay down together again.

Ye Zixuan hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help herself and asked softly, "Xiao Li, just now—was it because of that phone call? Your father—" Luo Bingli's body stiffened slightly, but she quickly relaxed and softly hummed in agreement with Ye Zixuan's guess.

"Then—why didn't you tell Xiaoying about these things?" Ye Zixuan continued to press.

"If she knew, she would definitely be very worried about you and would comfort you, right?"

Luo Bingli shook her head slightly and said softly, "Xiaoying—she's already very tired today."

"Whether it was dealing with Jingjue before or the fierce battle later, she has borne far too much—I don't want to continue to bother her with my own affairs."

So—maybe we should just forget about it.

Ye Zixuan didn't say anything more, but simply reached out and once again tightly embraced this kind-hearted girl who was clearly also very sad, yet still thinking of others.

"Zixuan, why are you doing this again—?" Luo Bingli asked in surprise.

This time, without the obstruction of that clone, her body was pressed tightly against the other's, much closer and more intimate than before.

Feeling that amazing touch, her cheeks instantly turned bright red.

Ye Zixuan had already closed her eyes and replied softly, "I've already said it before, haven't I? I like to sleep while hugging cute things. You saw it just now, and Xiaoying knows that too."

"But you're holding me too tightly—" Luo Bingli said shyly, instinctively trying to break free.

"Didn't you want to test my feel before? Why are you shy now that I'm hugging you?" Ye Zixuan actually tightened her grip on Luo Bingli.

"If you want to try it now—it's okay, okay?"

"I... I was just joking! I didn't really mean it—" Luo Bingli still tried to break free.

"Now, I'm the one forcing you," Ye Zixuan's tone suddenly became incredibly gentle.

"So, just indulge my new friend's whims this once was, okay?"

Luo Bingli's body stiffened slightly, then she fell completely silent.

After a long while, she softly hummed in agreement and hugged the other person back.

A brief silence fell over the room, but it didn't last long before it was broken by a soft snapping sound, as if something had snapped.

"Slap!"

"————?"

Luo Bingli looked up with some confusion and asked softly, "Zixuan, did you hear anything just now?"

Ye Zixuan's body stiffened abruptly, and her expression, after a brief moment of astonishment, instantly became extremely interesting.

After a brief silence, she asked softly in an extremely awkward tone, "Um, Xiaoli, if you have the chance next time, could you buy me a slightly—a little bigger one?"

"Eh?"

Luo Bingli was slightly taken aback at first, but then immediately realized what was happening, and her cheeks instantly turned hot.

She buried her entire head in Ye Zixuan's arms, not daring to look up again, and only mumbled a reply: "Um—sorry."

"It's okay."'

Goodnight, Xiaoli.

"----Good night."