12: Chapter 12 Can't Sleep, Let's Talk

The phone screen finally went completely dark.

Huang Mao tossed his phone casually onto the side of his pillow, then leaned back, sinking into the soft mattress.

He had long been aware of the feelings that An Ran, that girl, had for him.

However, he had never considered what to do about it; after all, she had never really made her stance clear either.

This time, although things had come to a temporary pause, it didn't mean the matter was completely resolved.

That species known as the childhood sweetheart is best at settling scores after the fact.

"Um..." Leng Qingxuan, who was standing by the bed, shifted.

She had her hands behind her back, and her bare toes curled restlessly against the floor.

The hem of her oversized black T-shirt swayed slightly with her movements, revealing a flash of dazzling white at the top of her thighs.

"Is she okay?"

There was a hint of probing in Leng Qingxuan's voice, along with that annoying vibe of "I'm sorry, but I'd do it again."

Huang Mao rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling light.

"Don't worry. I know her well; she's the type who just needs to be coaxed, and if you give her a way out, she'll take it."

That was easier said than done. Meeting tomorrow would inevitably involve some "interrogation." He'd have to treat her to a few big meals just to shut her up. His wallet was going to suffer again.

Leng Qingxuan nodded thoughtfully, her previously tense shoulders relaxing a little.

"It seems you two really have a good relationship." She muttered in a low voice.

That sentence just now had actually been completely subconscious. There was no premeditation; her brain hadn't even processed it before her mouth moved on its own.

Could this be the legendary... green tea talent? Did she actually possess this hidden attribute?

Leng Qingxuan blinked, a strange sense of accomplishment rising in her heart.

Although it was a bit mean, watching the "main wife," who had originally held the dominant position, get frustrated and hang up the phone was undeniably satisfying.

If her mother knew she was thinking this, she would probably be so angry she'd smash the antique vases at home.

"Alright, stop standing guard there." Huang Mao turned his head to look at the campus belle, who was standing there like a wooden post.

"Coming over here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping—it can't be to admire my sea-view PC case, right?"

"Although it is indeed cool, and those two graphics cards are certainly expensive, it's not enough to make you sleepwalk over here for a pilgrimage."

Leng Qingxuan snapped back to reality. She glanced at the computer, which was still glowing with blue light, and then at Huang Mao, who was half-reclined on the bed.

That sense of awkwardness surged up again. The "all-in" courage she had felt downstairs was fading away bit by bit as time passed.

But if she went back to her room now, that lingering sense of loneliness would surely swallow her up again.

"I... can't sleep." She said truthfully, her voice a bit muffled.

"The environment is new, the bed is different, and the pillow is different."

"I lay in that room for half an hour, my eyes wide open like copper bells, without a hint of sleepiness."

Even the moonlight filtering through the gap in the curtains felt terrifyingly unfamiliar to her.

Was this what they called a "rich person's disease"? Or perhaps a stress reaction from being kept in captivity for too long?

Since she was a child, she hadn't even changed the furniture in her room.

Although that home was oppressive and cold like an ice cellar, she was at least familiar with the pattern of every floor tile.

Suddenly coming to this unfamiliar villa, although she was free, her heart felt empty.

It was like a freshwater fish suddenly thrown into the ocean. Although the water was vast, everything felt wrong, and she even felt like she was suffocating.

"So I wanted to come over and chat with you." Leng Qingxuan pursed her lips, her gaze landing on the empty space on the bed beside Huang Mao.

"That way... maybe I'll get sleepy."

Huang Mao raised an eyebrow. That was a perfectly valid reason. After all, she was a young lady running away from home for the first time, so it was normal for her to be sensitive to a new bed or lack a sense of security.

If he kicked her back now, she'd probably be wide awake until dawn and turn into a national treasure tomorrow.

"Sit, then." Huang Mao patted the spot beside him and scooted over, clearing a large space.

"The bed is big enough for you to toss and turn."

"If you want to lie down and roll around, that's fine too; it'll help get rid of the smell on my sheets."

"Whether it's the scent of body wash or some girl's fragrance, I'll take it all; it might even help me sleep."

Leng Qingxuan blushed. This guy never had a serious word to say.

But strangely, this lack of seriousness made her feel relaxed. She didn't have to put on a front, play guessing games, or worry about losing points for saying the wrong thing.

She walked over cautiously and sat down on the edge of the bed. The mattress was very soft and sank in. The distance between them was less than half a meter.

The air was filled with a dry scent mixed with men's body wash and a faint trace of tobacco. That was Huang Mao's scent. It wasn't unpleasant; it was actually somewhat comforting.

"What is your family... actually like on a daily basis?" Huang Mao started the conversation casually, breaking the slightly ambiguous silence.

Although she had mentioned it before, he really had no concept of it. After all, as a kid who grew up free-range, it was hard for him to imagine that kind of life.

When her family was mentioned, Leng Qingxuan's previously slightly slumped and relaxed spine instantly straightened as if electrified. It was a kind of muscle memory carved into her bones.

As long as the topic touched upon that "home," her body would automatically enter "defense mode."

"It's not exactly strict, it's just... very 'precise'." Leng Qingxuan lowered her eyes, looking at her hands folded on her knees.

Her fingers were long and fair, her nails were trimmed round and neat, without even a bit of excess dead skin. This was the result of years of practicing the piano and taking care of them.

"From the time I had memories, my day was divided into countless fifteen-minute segments."

"Wake up at six in the morning, finish washing up by six-fifteen, breakfast at six-thirty, piano practice at seven..."

"Every activity had a fixed time, a fixed procedure, and there were even rules for how many times to chew when eating—twenty to thirty times per bite."

"I couldn't speak loudly, couldn't run, and couldn't show too obvious emotions in front of my elders."

"Mother says emotions are unnecessary burdens that only affect judgment and reduce efficiency."

Her voice was very flat. It didn't sound like complaining, but more like reciting a piece of program code that had been executed for over a decade. That cold, clear tone in the bedroom in the middle of the night made one's heart run cold.

Huang Mao frowned as he listened. This wasn't raising a daughter; this was training an agent, or conducting some sort of "Human Instrumentality Project."

Raising a person like a machine, inputting commands, and producing results. Once a bug appeared, they'd format and start over. No wonder she turned into this ice queen who kept everyone at a distance. To have survived in that environment until now without going crazy, her psychological resilience must be quite strong.

"What about your dad?" Huang Mao couldn't help asking. "Didn't he express an opinion? Isn't his status in the family too low?"

Leng Qingxuan shook her head, a self-deprecating arc appearing at the corner of her mouth. "Father... he is busy making money, busy expanding his territory in this vast business empire."

"To him, as long as I can maintain the perfect image of the 'Eldest Miss of the Leng Family' outside, can be used for marriage alliances, or can bring honor to the family, nothing else matters."

"Besides, he is afraid of my mother too."

Fine. Everyone is a villain. This script is basically the start of a beautiful, strong, and tragic female lead. If she hadn't met him, the ending would probably be a dark, revenge-filled, or lifelong depressive "bad ending."

"That gives me a headache." Huang Mao sighed and put his hands behind his head. "Compared to you, I feel like I've been living in heaven."

"My parents, how should I put it... they are so carefree it's ridiculous."

"I remember when I was a kid, I didn't do well on a test and didn't dare go home, afraid of being scolded. But when I went back, my dad looked at the paper, laughed, and said, 'This score is quite lucky, six-six-six,' and then he took me out for barbecue."

"It was the same when I applied for college. I said I wanted to come to this private university to slack off, and they transferred the money without a word. The only instructions were: don't break the law, don't get anyone killed, and do whatever else you want. As long as my values are straight and I don't become scum, I can do whatever I want."

Is this the disparity of the world? Leng Qingxuan was a bit stunned listening to this. You can eat barbecue after failing a test? This kind of plot is like science fiction in her life.

If she dared to bring home a second place, her piano lesson time for the week would definitely double, and her mother's gaze could slice her into a thousand pieces.

"That's so nice..." She sighed softly, her tone full of envy. Why are people so different?

If she could have grown up in that kind of family, what would she be like now? Maybe a loud, crazy girl? Maybe she would dye her hair crazy colors, wear earrings, and dress provocatively?

"If I hadn't been controlled..." Leng Qingxuan tilted her head, the image of a "rebellious version of Leng Qingxuan" becoming clearer in her mind.

"Maybe I would be that kind of... cool kid working as a DJ in a nightclub? Or a delinquent girl riding a motorcycle through the streets?"

"I feel like if I weren't suppressed, my thinking might be more erratic, and more... abnormal?"

After all, her current "coldness" was largely forced upon her. Once that lid was lifted, no one knew what was boiling underneath.

Huang Mao glanced at her and imagined what Leng Qingxuan would look like in a leather jacket riding a motorcycle. Hmm... not bad, it was actually quite cool. The contrast was maxed out.

"Alright, stop thinking about those random things." Huang Mao interrupted her fantasy. "You can't change the past, but haven't you run away from home now?"

"Here with me, whether you want to be a DJ or a delinquent girl, no one will control you. Just don't set the house on fire."

These words didn't sound like great wisdom, but they were exceptionally pleasant to hear. Leng Qingxuan felt the cotton ball clogging her heart loosen a bit more.

Telling those heavy family matters to someone else and seeing the other person's surprised or teasing expression—this feeling was truly stress-relieving. It was like taking mold hidden in a dark corner out to sunbathe.

"How do you feel now?" Huang Mao glanced at the time; it was already eleven o'clock. "Are you sleepy? Do you want to go back to sleep?"

Leng Qingxuan blinked and felt her physical state. Unfortunately, she was wide awake. Even more alert than before.

"Not sleepy at all." She shook her head and answered honestly.

Her gaze unintentionally swept over the monitor on the gaming desk again. The screen hadn't turned off and was still on the lobby interface of that FPS game.

The character in the camouflage uniform was holding an M4 in his hands, looking very textured.

"Is that... that game that's very popular lately?" Leng Qingxuan pointed at the screen.

"Why don't you... play a couple of rounds for me to watch?" Leng Qingxuan suddenly suggested. "Anyway, you don't look sleepy, and I can't sleep either."

"I'll just sit here and watch, as a 'cloud player.' Maybe I'll get sleepy just by watching."

Huang Mao was stunned. Watching someone else play games to help sleep? And an FPS game at that? Is this feasible?

But since she said so, and he wanted to play for a while anyway, he said, "Sure."

Huang Mao sat up from the bed with a kip-up and grabbed the mouse, shaking it. Since he was going to play, he had to play something interesting.

He turned his head and looked at Leng Qingxuan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with an expectant look, a mischievous smirk suddenly appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"But watching is boring. Since we're both here, why don't we try some high-end maneuvers?"

Leng Qingxuan had an ominous feeling. "Wha... what maneuvers?"

Huang Mao pointed to the microphone on the table. "There are 'random' public matches in this game. I'll turn on the team voice chat in a bit."

"If we find good loot or encounter enemies, you're in charge of speaking on the mic. You don't need to say any complex tactical commands."

"Just use that kind of delicate tone... and call out 'Brother, save me,' or 'Brother, can you give that to me?'"

"What do you say? Any thoughts?"

Leng Qingxuan: "..." Her eyes slowly widened. You can play like this? Using your voice to trick... to obtain resources? This sounds... so shameful.

But... "Want to try?" Huang Mao coaxed her.

Leng Qingxuan took a deep breath, as if she had made a major life decision. She nodded, and a hint of eagerness and a blush appeared on her cold, clear face. "It feels... like it will be very interesting."