172: Chapter 172 Lava Zone

Han Yurou stuck her tongue out at her.

"I'm just acting spoiled, so what?"

Li Ying smiled.

"Nothing, it's quite nice."

"Sister Li Ying, could you pay a little more attention to your influence in the future?"

"What influence?"

"Just... everyone is watching."

Li Ying smiled.

"Everyone? Who? It's not like they're outsiders, what's there to be afraid of?"

Han Yurou couldn't out-argue her and turned her head toward the kitchen.

"Mom! Come and judge this!"

Han Qing had already found an opportunity to leave when Han Yurou called her earlier.

She couldn't stand this kind of thing.

She had to hide quickly to avoid Han Yurou saying anything.

In the kitchen, Han Qing was preparing a fruit platter.

Hearing her daughter's voice, she said without turning around:

"Judge what? I didn't hear anything."

Han Yurou grew anxious.

"Mom!"

Han Qing continued cutting fruit, pretending not to hear.

She didn't want to get involved in this sort of thing.

It was too embarrassing.

Li Ying laughed even more happily.

"Yu Rou, your mother is ignoring you."

Han Yurou glared at her, then stood up, ran to the kitchen, and pulled her mother's arm.

"Mom, just come out for a moment!"

Being pulled by her, Han Qing helplessly put down the knife and followed her out.

"Alright, alright, I'm out. What is it?"

Han Yurou pointed at Li Ying.

"She... she kissed Brother Qin Lin in front of everyone!"

Han Qing glanced at Li Ying.

Li Ying was looking at her with a beaming smile, not feeling the least bit of shame for being caught.

Han Qing then looked at Qin Lin.

Qin Lin sat there with an innocent look on his face, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Han Qing pretended to know nothing.

"Just this?"

"Mom! This isn't serious enough?"

Han Qing looked at her and suddenly smiled.

"Well, it is quite serious."

"Mom, you're being way too dismissive."

Han Qing shook her head with a smile and turned back to the kitchen.

"I won't interfere in the affairs of you young people."

Han Yurou stood there, both embarrassed and angry.

Li Ying laughed until she was doubled over.

Han Yurou glared at her, speechless.

Qin Lin finally spoke.

"Alright, alright, stop fooling around."

He stood up, walked to Han Yurou's side, and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Yu Rou, Li Ying was just joking with you."

Han Yurou leaned against him and said aggrievedly:

"Brother Qin Lin, she's bullying me."

Qin Lin smiled.

"Then how about I help you bully her back tonight?"

Han Yurou froze for a moment, then her face turned red again.

"You... rogue!"

Qin Lin laughed out loud.

Li Ying laughed too.

The atmosphere in the living room was relaxed and flirtatious.

Watching all this, Su Yuling felt even more bitter.

She stood up, silently left the living room, and returned to Bedroom No. 001.

Closing the door, she leaned against it, and tears finally fell.

Why...

Why could they all be so bold, while she didn't dare?

Why could they all naturally get close to Brother Qin Lin, while she could only hide in a corner?

She wiped away her tears and looked at herself in the mirror.

The person in the mirror had red eyes and a red face, looking very pathetic.

"Su Yuling, you're really useless," she said to herself.

But what could be done?

She just didn't dare.

She collapsed onto the bed and buried her face in the pillow.

In the evening, everyone returned to their rooms.

After Su Yuling finished her shower and came out of the bathroom, she happened to see Qin Lin coming out of room 003.

The two met in the hallway.

Su Yuling froze for a moment, lowered her head, and tried to bypass him.

"Yuling."

Qin Lin called out to her.

Su Yuling stopped in her tracks, not daring to look up.

Qin Lin walked up to her.

"What's wrong? I haven't heard you speak all day."

Su Yuling shook her head.

"It's nothing."

Looking at her lowered head, Qin Lin understood a little.

He reached out and gently lifted her chin.

Su Yuling was forced to look up at him.

Her eyes were red; she had clearly been crying.

Qin Lin's heart softened.

"Yuling, is something on your mind?"

Su Yuling looked at him, her eyes reddening again.

But she still shook her head.

Qin Lin sighed.

"Yuling, if there's anything, you can tell me. Don't keep it bottled up inside."

Su Yuling bit her lip and remained silent for a few seconds.

Qin Lin patted her head.

"Alright, go back to sleep. Don't think too much."

Su Yuling nodded and turned to leave.

After walking a few steps, she suddenly turned back.

"Brother Qin Lin, goodnight."

Qin Lin smiled.

"Goodnight."

Su Yuling returned to Bedroom No. 001 and lay on the bed, her heart beating fast.

She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

But this time, it wasn't because she was sad.

It was because she was happy.

She had finally taken the first step.

Even though it was just a tiny step.

At least she had taken it.

...

With the high-temperature sunlight spilling into the RV through the protective shield, it was another seemingly ordinary afternoon.

In the living room, Lin Wanwan and Xu Xue were leaning on the sofa, whispering to each other from time to time.

Li Ying lay on another sofa, holding a fashion magazine.

This was exchanged from the System Store; although it was an old issue from a few years ago, she still read it with great interest.

Han Qing was preparing a fruit platter in the kitchen, with Han Yurou helping beside her, the mother and daughter working in perfect harmony.

Su Yuran sat by the window, watching the scenery rapidly receding outside, lost in thought.

Su Yuling sat alone in a corner, her chin resting on her hands, but her gaze occasionally drifted toward the Drivers Cabin.

Everything was very peaceful.

Until—

The RV suddenly jolted.

"Ah—"

Xu Xue let out a startled cry, nearly falling to the floor.

Lin Wanwan quickly supported her, her face turning pale.

Everyone in the living room was startled by this sudden vibration.

"What happened?"

Han Yurou asked nervously.

In the Drivers Cabin, Qin Lin was staring at the holographic screen, his brow furrowed.

[Warning: The RV has entered an abnormal energy zone]

[External Temperature: 78°C and rising]

[Environment Detection: Magma Zone, unstable ground]

[RV functions restricted:]

[Autopilot System downgraded to manual mode]

[Energy shield efficiency reduced by 15%]

[Spatial anchor signal interference]

[Climate control console temporarily unavailable]

Qin Lin took a deep breath.

Magma Zone?

He pulled up the external imagery and opened the window; when he saw the scene outside, he was completely stunned.

Outside the window, it was no longer the cracked earth, but a world of crimson.

The ground was full of fissures, with glowing magma gushing out from the cracks like fiery snakes winding across the ground.

The air was distorted by the high temperature, and distant objects seemed to shimmer as if in ripples of water.

Occasionally, magma would erupt upwards, reaching dozens of meters high, then fall like raindrops, splashing countless sparks.

The numbers on the thermometer were still jumping frantically.

82°C, 85°C, 89°C...

"Qin Lin!"

Su Yuran rushed into the Drivers Cabin.

"What's happening outside?"

Qin Lin pointed at the screen to show her.

When Su Yuran saw that scene, her face instantly turned pale.

"This... this is..."

"Magma Zone."

Su Yuran took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"Can we get out?"

Qin Lin shook his head.

"System detection shows the surrounding area is all this kind of terrain. We're trapped."

Su Yuran looked at him without speaking.

But she gripped his hand tightly.

In the living room, everyone gathered by the window, looking out at that crimson world.

"So scary..." Xu Xue's voice was trembling.