When the car steadily drove back home, someone was already lying comfortably on another’s lap, sleeping in a muddle of heaven and earth.

The driver opened the car door, and Gu Ci first slightly lifted Yan Luqing’s head, then kept his hand holding that position as he got out first, and finally carried her out of the car.

When he walked to the doorway, the two door guardians on the left and right looked over in unison, then simultaneously lowered their heads and smiled. Even in the night, it was particularly conspicuous—especially the one who was a bit sillier.

Gu Ci recalled a little. These days, they were showing this kind of expression more and more, completely different from the wooden-faced bodyguards he had seen on the first day.

Big Black and Little Black were sneaking glances with faces full of aunt-like smiles, never expecting that Gu Ci, holding Miss Yan, would stop right in front of them.

Gu Ci glanced at the two of them and said: “You are fined.”

The two froze at the same time.

Big Black and Little Black looked at each other, then Big Black first said: “Is it because we didn’t go, and Miss Yan was unhappy?”

Little Black stammered after: “F-fined how much?”

The difference in intelligence really was clear.

“Ten yuan each.” Gu Ci smiled faintly. “Remember to hand it in voluntarily tomorrow.”

Little Black let out a “Hah” and exhaled in relief, Big Black also set down his heart.

Isn’t this just for fun?

Little Black chuckled and said: “It must be that Gu Ci coaxed Miss Yan to be happy, so only fined us ten yuan. Brother, isn’t that right?”

……

Gu Ci went upstairs to her room. When he opened the door, he again saw many familiar things he had seen last time.

A pile of small trinkets placed on the nightstand and dressing table. Inside the room there was only one large object.

—The body pillow lying on the bed.

Looking at that body pillow printed with his own image, as tall as himself, lying every day on another’s bed.

That feeling really was peculiar.

Gu Ci first laid her across the bed, then went to the bedside, bent down, and pulled out the sensor band he had placed in earlier.

—Without charging, the power was already close to exhaustion.

Moreover, Yan Luqing had been receiving daily reports from the sleep god recently, along with some evaluation like “extraordinary bones, suitable to be the eighteenth-generation head of the Sleep Sect,” and she had not been getting panda eyes anymore. Withdrawing this thing was no problem.

Gu Ci placed her back into the very center of the bed. Yan Luqing, as if extremely intimate with the bed, rolled right into the quilt after lying down, and then—

She stretched out her hand and pulled that big body pillow into her quilt as well.

The technique was clearly very practiced. After finishing the series of actions, she just hugged the body pillow and fell asleep again.

“……”

Gu Ci stood by the side watching, and in the end his gaze settled on her sleeping face, staying for a while.

Not long after, he let out a smile of unclear meaning, then walked toward the door holding the sleep-monitoring sensor band he had pulled out.

Before turning off her light, Gu Ci’s peripheral vision swept across the floor—and saw a green… leaf.

The leaf seemed to be stuck upright onto the carpet, somewhat abrupt.

Gu Ci picked it up, looked it over from left to right, then narrowed his eyes with great interest.

Why would there be…

A bamboo leaf in her room?

*

At the restaurant.

Little Mahua and everyone present together watched Yan Luqing leave. The crowd’s heckling was nearly enough to blow off the roof—although the main character had already gone, it was unclear what exactly they were heckling about, but in any case everyone was excited. A sudden outburst of idol-drama-like plot; they followed along with the heckling.

At first, Little Mahua hadn’t drunk much, afraid that if Yan Luqing got drunk, she herself would also get drunk. After all, among those present she had the best relationship with her, and since Yan Luqing didn’t live on campus, she had to see her safely home.

Now that Yan Luqing had left, and moreover in this kind of way, her excitement was hard to put into words. She immediately downed two glasses of beer.

Little Mahua felt that, after all, she was a member of the art club, so after the meal she sought out the birthday star, Little Tiger Tooth, and spoke frankly with him.

“Senior, do you… like my sister?” She scratched her twisted braids, hesitating. “Forget it, don’t deny it. I’ve already seen it. This is also my fault—bringing such a pretty little sister of mine to our club’s meal, and I didn’t tell you, this bachelor, that she actually already has someone she likes…”

“Mm, I could tell.” Little Tiger Tooth smiled once, but he didn’t look dejected. “But knowing it now is better. After all, it’s only been a few days, and if it were dragged out until things were made clear… that would be awkward.”

His meaning was very clear.

They had only known each other a few days, at most it was just goodwill. Cutting it off early was also fine.

Not reaching the step of confessing meant they wouldn’t be awkward when seeing each other later.

Little Mahua immediately set down her worries, clasped her fists toward him: “Alright, Senior, transparent!”

Little Tiger Tooth returned her a clasped fist: “Overpraised, Mahua.”

After finally wishing him a happy birthday, Little Mahua quickly returned to the dormitory, hastily clicked into the thread she had bookmarked, and sure enough, after she had posted those words, a bunch of sisters had tagged her.

With the few glasses of alcohol in her, she was high-spirited and quickly began typing on the keyboard.

*

Yan Luqing, not until noon the next day, when she opened her eyes, again saw the beautiful face on the body pillow.

To be fair, waking up every day to a face like this, her morning temper truly dissipated rather quickly.

After sitting up from bed, she first looked at the time—certainly the morning classes were already over. Yan Luqing, head dizzy and brain swollen, went to the bathroom to soak in a bath.

All the memories related to last night surged back into her brain while she bathed, one scene after another, like a movie playing before her eyes.

How to put it.

Perhaps because there was a comparison, she recalled her various behaviors and words from previous times when she was drunk, and felt that…

Her performance this time was actually rather good!

Her behavior wasn’t much of a problem, her speech wasn’t too idiotic, and in that state, she had even asked out Princess Ci’s birthday.

That was a big matter.

After washing up, Yan Luqing tidied herself again, changed into the clothes she would wear to school that afternoon, spending altogether half an hour.

When she found Big Black and Little Black, she was still confirming once more in her mind with Makka Pakka: “The exact date Gu Ci leaves—you’re sure?”

“Actually, the book doesn’t have a specific date. But since it clearly said it was two months, the system counted it as two months after the day Maria transmigrated over—November 17th.” Makka Pakka said, “Normally an event this major won’t be wrong. And didn’t Maria say recently that Gu Ci has been in contact with his uncle? In the original book, it was also with his uncle’s help that he escaped from the villa. This date is no problem～”

Yan Luqing then relayed it again to Big Black and Little Black.

“Anyway, Gu Ci’s birthday is on the 12th, only three days left. You two prepare together with Aunt Disney, and then around the 17th he will leave, so…” Yan Luqing paused a moment, “just treat the birthday and the farewell as one event.”

Little Black was the first who couldn’t hold back, face full of shock: “…Ah? Why does Gu Ci have to leave?”

Big Black didn’t speak, but his eyes also asked.

At the side, Wolf seemed to understand, wagged its tail and gave a howl.

Yan Luqing didn’t really want to talk about this topic either, but these three brothers truly made her speechless: “…Use your brains a little. If he doesn’t leave, is he supposed to stay here forever?”

Little Black was puzzled: “And what’s wrong with that? Everyone’s very happy.”

“…” Yan Luqing increasingly felt this son of hers was truly foolish: “You may be happy, but how do you know Gu Ci is?”

Without waiting for Little Black to speak, Yan Luqing continued educating him: “Besides, he has ideals and ambitions. He’s only staying with us temporarily for a period. How can you hold onto the idea of always living together with him?!”

Little Black felt very wronged.

You two are in love already, why still move out?

Looking at Little Black’s depressed and aggrieved expression, Yan Luqing also felt a pang of guilt.

Living together with Princess Ci all the time… she seemed to have, maybe, possibly, for just one second thought about that too. With such a person, setting aside his character, just by his looks alone, living together was eye candy enough to be fully fed.

But Yan Luqing quickly sobered up.

“Anyway, first prepare the birthday party. I told Gu Ci it would be simple, so don’t let anything slip.” She pointed at Little Black. “No one else would let it slip, only you! Do you understand?”

“Understand.” Little Black nodded. His previous gloom was also replaced by Gu Ci’s birthday matter. He thought for a moment, then asked, “Miss Yan, according to what style should we do it?” He made a heart shape with his hands. “This kind of style?”

Yan Luqing, anxious to eat and go to class, didn’t see clearly what shape he made, just waved her hand casually: “Anything’s fine. Anyway, if you two can’t even manage a birthday party properly, you can just voluntarily hand me hedinghong [a deadly poison].”

After saying that, she quickly walked toward the dining room.

Leaving Big Black and Little Black looking at each other. Big Black said: “Miss Yan is also starting to talk a bit like Gu Ci…”

“Brother, you too.” Little Black said, “You’ve also been infected. Only I haven’t.”

“Don’t worry about that, you won’t be infected.” Big Black patted his shoulder. “You don’t have that much vocabulary.”

“……” A live performance.

Little Black pretended not to hear and continued discussing the earlier topic with him: “So Miss Yan’s meaning is, romantic style? We’ll just model it after that couple’s birthday party?”

Big Black hesitated: “Are you sure she actually understood what you meant just now?”

Little Black gave an “aiya”: “Doesn’t matter, brother. They’ve been in love this long already, there definitely won’t be a problem.”

*

After finishing lunch, Yan Luqing rushed to school, just in time for the first class in the afternoon.

Afraid that she’d look too decadent from a hangover, Yan Luqing touched up her makeup in the car. Yet after getting out, on the way from the campus gate to the classroom, she noticed two or three girls looking at her. Most of them were doing it secretly, and on their faces was a very… very benevolent smile?

Yan Luqing pulled out a small mirror to check herself several times. There was nothing on her face, and her makeup had no problems.

Then why?

Could it be… her attractiveness as a beauty had gone up?

That was actually pretty good!

Thinking so, Yan Luqing happily walked into the classroom. She found a seat near the back row, sat down, and saw Little Mahua running toward her from a group of female classmates. Yan Luqing reached out and tugged on her braided hair, counting it as a greeting.

Then Yan Luqing couldn’t help but share the experience on her way: “Mahua, just now when I walked over, so many beauties looked at me! Do you think my makeup today is especially attractive to girls?”

Little Mahua pondered for a while: “They looked at you… maybe not because of your makeup.”

“Mm?” Yan Luqing was puzzled. “Then what were they looking at?”

“Today, I have to present the rod to plead guilty to you.” Little Mahua pulled a twig out of her desk compartment, slung it across her shoulder, and put on a grief-stricken expression. “Last night, after you were carried away by your man, I got too excited, so I drank a few extra cups…”

Yan Luqing instantly understood, suddenly: “…So you promoted me again.”

Little Mahua nodded mournfully.