173: Don't wear a skirt next time.

"How do you usually," Zhou Mengqi began, "get along with Master?"

"Just like that, I listen to him." Bai Xinran tilted her head to look at her. "Were you two offline before as well?"

"No," Zhou Mengqi said, "it was purely online. We never met. We lost contact for a while and only recognized each other during the Club interview."

"I see," Xinran said, "that's quite a coincidence."

Xinran felt a bit more balanced inside; so that meant she had spent even less time with Master offline than herself.

"Then now," she looked at Zhou Mengqi, "you live at school, so how do you usually..."

She didn't finish, but the meaning was obvious.

Zhou Mengqi smiled. "Master said he would come find me."

Xinran gave an 'oh'.

"But I live with Wang Luyu, so it's a bit inconvenient," Zhou Mengqi said. "I can go over to your place in the future."

"Sure," Xinran nodded, "it's just me and Sister Yueling here."

"Aren't you curious?" Zhou Mengqi asked. "About Master and me."

Xinran's hands didn't stop. "A little."

"Then why don't you ask?" Zhou Mengqi said.

"If you want to talk, then talk," Xinran said. "If you don't, then don't."

Zhou Mengqi looked at her for a while. This girl's personality was quite indifferent?

"Before," Zhou Mengqi started, "it was just online tasks, voice chats, playing games, and things like that."

"Mm," Xinran said, "I figured."

"I was young back then," Zhou Mengqi said. "I didn't understand anything; he taught me everything."

Xinran's hand paused while wiping the glass. She thought of the things Yu Heng had taught her.

"He's quite patient when teaching people," Xinran said.

"Yes," Zhou Mengqi said, "that's why I could never forget."

Xinran didn't respond, and the two of them wiped in silence for a while.

—

Yu Heng went upstairs and arrived at the room where Shen Yueling and Ning Yutong were.

Since the meeting this morning, Ning Yutong hadn't made eye contact with him once, constantly avoiding his gaze.

He found it interesting. If she didn't want this, she shouldn't have come; acting like this after coming was just tempting him to bully her.

"Not finished yet?" Yu Heng walked to the window and picked up another rag. "Let me do it. Yue Ling, why don't you go downstairs and change the water? This bucket is already murky."

Shen Yueling stepped down from the chair and glanced at the bucket. The water was indeed so murky that the bottom was invisible.

"Okay," she said.

Hearing this, Ning Yutong immediately grabbed Shen Yueling's arm. She didn't speak, but her eyes looked up at Shen Yueling, filled with pleading.

Shen Yueling lowered her eyes. She knew what Ning Yutong was afraid of, but she knew even better what Yu Heng wanted to do.

Whether the water was dirty or not didn't really matter; Yu Heng just wanted her to go downstairs.

Shen Yueling gently tried to pull her arm away, but it didn't budge.

She raised her other hand and patted the back of Ning Yutong's hand.

"It's alright," her voice was flat but soothing, "I'll be right back."

Ning Yutong's fingers loosened, tightened again, and finally let go.

She watched Shen Yueling pick up the bucket, turn, and walk out of the room. The door closed softly.

Only she and Yu Heng remained in the room.

Yu Heng stood on the chair and began wiping the upper edge that Shen Yueling hadn't finished.

His movements were unhurried, the rag making a faint squeaking sound as it moved across the glass.

"What are you standing there for?" Yu Heng didn't turn around; his voice came from above. "Wipe the part below; I can't reach it."

Ning Yutong swallowed. She walked to the window, picked up her rag, and began wiping the lower half of the glass.

Water streaks spread out one by one, and the glass gradually became transparent.

She could see the withered grass in the yard outside, and she could also see Yu Heng's reflection on the glass.

He was wiping very intently, as if he really had just come to clean the windows.

Yu Heng stepped down from the chair, his footsteps very light.

In another basin of relatively clear water, he carefully washed his hands over and over.

Then she stared at the glass; the reflection became clearer and clearer, finally stopping right behind her.

A hand rested on her waist; through her sweater, the warmth of his palm seeped through.

Ning Yutong froze completely, her breath caught in her throat.

The hand didn't move, just pressed against her, as if measuring something.

Then it gripped the side of her waist.

Ning Yutong's knees felt a bit weak.

Yu Heng's other hand also came up, encircling her from the other side.

This posture was like a hug from behind, yet there was still a bit of distance.

His fingers moved, sliding down her waistline and stopping at the edge of her skirt.

Ning Yutong's throat went dry as the hem of her skirt was lifted.

"Yu Heng, don't..."

She was wearing a Bare-Leg Artifact, and Yu Heng's hand reached inside.

—

Footsteps came from downstairs, followed by the sound of the doorknob turning.

The door opened; it was Shen Yueling.

Ning Yutong's mind went blank for a second, then her knees gave way, and she crouched on the floor, trembling.

Shen Yueling walked in and placed the bucket by the wall.

She didn't ask anything, nor did she look at Ning Yutong. She simply walked to the window, picked up the fallen rag, and rinsed it in the bucket.

The sound of splashing water was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Yu Heng leaned over and reached for Ning Yutong's shoulder.

Ning Yutong flinched and shrank back.

His hand still landed, patting her shoulder with gentle force.

"Finished wiping," he said. "Get up; the floor is cold."

Ning Yutong didn't move. Yu Heng didn't press her further.

He straightened up and looked at Shen Yueling. "How is the cleanup going downstairs?"

"Almost done," Shen Yueling wrung out the rag. "There are still some grease stains in the kitchen; Luyu is working on them."

"Alright," Yu Heng said. "Then I'll leave this to you. I'm going downstairs to take a look."

He walked out, his footsteps disappearing at the top of the stairs.

Only two people were left in the room.

Shen Yueling continued wiping the glass while Ning Yutong remained crouched there. She could feel Shen Yueling's gaze occasionally sweeping over her.

After a long while, Shen Yueling finished wiping the entire window.

She washed the rag, hung it on the edge of the bucket, then walked over to Ning Yutong and crouched down as well.

"Can you get up?" she asked.

Ning Yutong nodded, propped her hands on the floor, and slowly stood up.

Her legs were still weak, and she wobbled.

Shen Yueling reached out to support her arm, only letting go once she was steady.

"Go wash your face," Shen Yueling said. "Your face is all red."

Ning Yutong pursed her lips and walked toward the door with her head down.

As she passed Shen Yueling, she heard her say very softly:

"Don't wear a skirt next time; isn't that just making it easy for him to bully you?"

Ning Yutong's footsteps halted, and the tips of her ears began to burn.

She didn't look back, quickened her pace, and escaped into the bathroom at the end of the hallway.

She leaned against the door, covering her face with her hands.

Her palms were wet; she didn't know if it was water or sweat.

The person in the mirror had red-rimmed eyes, and her lips were bitten pale.

Only one thought remained in her mind.

There won't be a next time.

I'm never coming back.