78: Chapter 78 didn't go very smoothly.

Some time later...

In Huang Mao's room, there was none of the post-coital tenderness one might imagine.

Nor were there any pink bubbles of lovers sleeping in each other's arms and whispering sweet nothings, as seen in movies.

Reality is often far more awkward than the script.

At this very moment, this small bedroom was filled with an indescribable scent.

It was the byproduct of sweat, shower gel, and a certain more intimate hormonal scent mixed together.

It didn't smell bad, but it was definitely enough to make one blush and their heart race.

Huang Mao and Leng Qingxuan were not cuddling.

The two of them sat side by side on the edge of the bed, like two down-on-their-luck brothers who had just finished an all-nighter at an internet cafe.

There was about a fist's distance between them.

Huang Mao was wearing that loose cotton pajama top, his hair as messy as a bird's nest.

As for Leng Qingxuan, she had put back on that black T-shirt belonging to Huang Mao.

The wide hem covered the critical areas, revealing a pair of dazzlingly white, long legs.

These legs were currently pressed together uneasily, her toes curled, digging tightly into the floor.

Silence. A deathly silence.

This silence wasn't because there was nothing to say, but because of what had just happened.

Huang Mao turned his head to glance at the girl beside him, who had her head buried low.

She was still trembling. Not because of the cold, but purely out of shame.

As a man, it didn't seem right not to say something at a time like this.

Huang Mao cleared his throat, attempting to break the suffocating awkwardness.

"Um..."

As soon as he spoke, his voice was so hoarse that it startled even him.

Leng Qingxuan, like a startled rabbit, gave a violent shiver, and her shoulders hunched even tighter.

Huang Mao sighed, deciding it was better to be direct.

Spouting empty, flowery words of love at a time like this would only seem hypocritical.

He reached out, intending to pat her shoulder.

But he paused in mid-air, and ultimately let his hand rest on her messy long hair.

"Does it... still hurt?"

This question was straight-male to the extreme.

It had no embellishment, no romantic color whatsoever.

It was like a doctor asking about a patient's condition, full of pragmatism and concern.

But to Leng Qingxuan's ears, this was ten thousand times more shameful than any sweet nothing.

"Boom—"

Her already flushed cheeks now looked like they were about to drip blood.

The scalding temperature could be felt even across the air.

Leng Qingxuan shook her head like a rattle-drum, her hair flying about.

"No... no!"

She stared fixedly at her own smooth toes, as if a flower had grown on them.

Her voice was as small as a mosquito's hum, with a distinct tremor.

"It's much better... it's, it's already fine!"

She was putting on a brave face. Even a fool could tell she was forcing it.

Huang Mao smiled helplessly, not exposing her clumsy lie.

"It's good that you're okay."

"If you're really uncomfortable, just stay in bed tomorrow and don't go to class."

"University roll calls are just like that anyway; I'll answer for you."

This kind of down-to-earth concern made Leng Qingxuan feel a little better.

But immediately after, a huge sense of guilt welled up in her heart.

She took a deep breath, as if she had made a big decision.

She suddenly raised her head, those big, watery eyes staring straight at Huang Mao.

There was no shyness in her gaze, only full of annoyance and self-reproach.

"Actually, it's you..."

She bit her lip, her voice tinged with a hint of crying.

"It was clearly such an important first time... yet the experience was so terrible..."

"Did I... leave you with a lifelong bad impression?"

If an outsider heard this, their jaw would probably drop in shock.

The dignified Iceberg Campus Belle was actually worrying about such a question?

But for Leng Qingxuan, this was a very serious issue.

She had also watched plenty of "study materials." Her theoretical knowledge was quite extensive.

She had originally thought she could be like those female protagonists, handling it with ease and leaving Huang Mao wanting more.

But what was the result? Reality gave her a hard slap in the face.

She had overestimated her own endurance and underestimated Huang Mao's "specifications."

Uh, she hadn't really underestimated the latter... but before this, she truly thought she might be able to handle it.

As a result... by the end, she was almost completely in a "disconnected" state.

She even cried and begged him to stop. This was simply... a supreme humiliation!

Without waiting for Huang Mao to answer, she began to analyze herself.

That sense of shame made her incoherent, and she blurted out all sorts of bold, lewd words.

"I didn't expect it either..."

"Clearly, clearly I've been self-sufficient more than once or twice before..."

"In those doujinshi and films I watched, it seemed so easy..."

"I thought I was already prepared..."

"But as it turns out... I'm so delicate..."

"I'm just so useless..."

Huang Mao's eyelids twitched as he listened. This girl was really... completely unreserved.

Looking at her on the verge of tears, the bit of awkwardness in Huang Mao's heart vanished.

In its place was an indescribable sense of pity and affection.

He took a deep breath, stabilizing his emotions.

Then he reached out and vigorously ruffled her hair.

It was as if he were soothing a kitten that had been wronged.

"Alright, stop overanalyzing everything there."

"It wasn't terrible at all."

"Do you think this is a video game? You're trying to pursue a no-damage clear?"

"It's just like when we're clearing a new raid in a game."

"Who isn't flustered and confused the first time they fight a boss?"

"Using skills in the wrong order, making movement errors—those are common occurrences."

"What's the point?"

Huang Mao looked into her eyes and said earnestly.

"The point is, the Boss went down."

"The achievement was earned."

"The first-kill record is ours."

"That's enough."

"As for whether the process was perfect, that's secondary."

"We'll grind the dungeon a few more times later, and once our proficiency is up, it'll naturally get better."

This comparison, full of "otaku flavor," sounded a bit strange.

But I have to say, for an internet-addicted girl like Leng Qingxuan, it was actually quite effective.

She was stunned for a moment, and her previously tense body slowly relaxed.

The tears in her eyes were also held back.

"Really... you don't mind?"

She sniffled and asked cautiously.

"Don't be ridiculous."

Huang Mao rolled his eyes.

"Do I look like the type of person who complains after getting lucky?"

"Besides, I didn't think there was anything bad about it."

"That raw, green feeling... ahem, it was actually quite nice."

Hearing this, Leng Qingxuan's face flushed again.

But the stone in her heart had dropped halfway.

However, women's thought processes are always unique.

Having just solved the problem of her being "too much of a noob," the "female rivalry" radar deep in her heart began to sound the alarm again.

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her shirt.

Her voice was so small it was like she was talking to herself, carrying a strong scent of jealousy.

"But if it were An Ran..."

"She's a Sports Student; her physical fitness must be better than mine..."

"Or Su Muxue..."

"I've read the pop-science articles online; her figure... that kind of big one... it seems to be something like 'child-bearing type'..."

"I heard that with that kind of figure, even for the first time, one adapts very quickly..."

"If it were them... they definitely wouldn't disconnect halfway like I did..."

"They would definitely be able to persist and give you a complete 'clear experience'..."

"Unlike me... just a good-for-nothing who gives up halfway..."

The more she spoke, the more outrageous it got. The more she spoke, the more inferior she felt.

This girl had clearly fallen into some strange dead end and couldn't get out.

She was actually starting to compare this kind of thing with her love rivals?

Is this something you can even compete over?

Huang Mao's head hurt just listening to her.

He reached out directly and pinched Leng Qingxuan's cheeks.

Using a little force, he pinched her mouth into a duck-like pout, forcibly interrupting her muttering.

"Mm..."

Leng Qingxuan was forced to raise her head, looking at him with a blank expression.

Huang Mao put away his usual cavalier expression, his gaze becoming unprecedentedly serious.

"Don't make such meaningless assumptions."

"There are no 'ifs' in this world."

"The person in this room tonight is you, and it can only be you."

"Whether it's An Ran or Su Muxue, no matter how good they are, that's their business."

"And the result for us is that I accepted you."

"And you have completely accepted me as well."

"That's enough."

"Do you understand?"

Huang Mao's words were decisive and iron-clad.

Every word was like a nail, firmly driven into Leng Qingxuan's heart.

Completely shattering all her messy self-doubts.

That's right. Why think so much?

The fact is, she won.

She was the first. And the only one so far.

That was enough.

Leng Qingxuan felt the last heavy stone in her heart finally fall to the ground.

Her whole body felt as if the bones had been removed, and she collapsed softly toward Huang Mao.

Her head rested on his shoulder. Her nose was filled with his scent.

"Whew..."

She let out a long sigh of relief.

"I didn't expect..."

She rubbed against Huang Mao's shoulder like a lazy cat.

"You would actually say something like that..."

"It feels a bit... out of character for you."

Where did that Huang Mao go, the one who only knew how to complain, was afraid of trouble, and made all sorts of straight-male comments?

That just now, it was like a domineering CEO had possessed you, okay?

Hearing this complaint, Huang Mao also smiled helplessly.

He reached out to wrap his arm around her shoulder, letting her lean more comfortably.

"If you put it that way..."

"From the moment I softened my heart that night and let you in to stay..."

"I had already seriously deviated from my character."

"According to my original script, I should be lying in bed alone right now, happily scrolling through my phone."

"Instead of giving you psychological counseling here."

The two looked at each other and smiled. The previous awkwardness and heaviness vanished at this moment.

The atmosphere in the room finally became tender.

But this tenderness didn't last long. Reality's problems, after all, had to be faced.

Huang Mao gently patted her smooth back.

"So..."

He deliberated his wording.

"What do you plan to do next?"

This question was short. But both knew exactly what he was referring to.

Under this roof, it wasn't just the two of them. There was An Ran. There was Su Muxue.

Since their relationship had undergone a qualitative change, what kind of interaction mode should they adopt next?

Should they go public? Or keep it hidden for now? This was a strategic problem that had to be solved.

Leng Qingxuan's body stiffened slightly.

She lifted her head from Huang Mao's shoulder, her eyes flickering.

To tell the truth. A voice deep in her heart was screaming frantically.

That was the desire of a winner. She wanted to rush out right now.

She wanted to wake up An Ran and Su Muxue.

Then point at the mess on the bed, point at herself, and proudly declare her sovereignty!

Tell them: "Playing house ends here! I am the true empress! You concubines and maids, all retreat!"

She had even begun to imagine An Ran's face, distorted with shock, anger, and jealousy.

And Su Muxue's expression, which appeared calm but should also have some level of disappointment.

Just thinking about it made her feel incredibly satisfied!

This was the thrill of a successful "base raid"! This was the value of taking the first move!

At that moment, a dangerous light flashed in her eyes.

The corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upward, revealing a smile belonging to a "villainess."

However, the next second. She felt Huang Mao's heartbeat.

Steady, powerful. That was her only safe haven in this world.

If... if they went public now. This home would instantly become an even more terrifying Shura field, right?

At that time, Huang Mao would be caught in the middle, stressed and overwhelmed.

He hated trouble the most. He had almost refused her earlier just because he was afraid of trouble.

If because of her showing off, he was plunged into endless trouble...

The urge to show off that she had originally felt suddenly cooled down.

In its place was a subtle shift in mentality.

Physical intimacy seemed to have really brought about some kind of wonderful "empathy."

She seemed to... understand Huang Mao better.

If possible... she actually wanted to maintain the status quo for a while longer.

This... status quo where only she knew the secret.

The status quo where only she had taken that step, while everyone else was still at the starting line.

This feeling of "exclusive enjoyment" seemed more addictive than showing off publicly.

And. As long as it wasn't public, Huang Mao wouldn't have to face the Shura field.

He could continue to live this relatively stable life.

This was also a kind of... protection, right?

Leng Qingxuan blinked, the fanaticism in her eyes slowly fading.

Returning to her usual calmness and cunning.

"What to do..."

She leaned back against Huang Mao's shoulder, her fingers drawing circles on his chest.

Her tone became somewhat lazy, yet carried a hint of small triumph.

"Perhaps..."