194: Chapter 194 The Smell of Blood

"What are you doing? Playing a prank to scare me?"

Su Yuling still didn't say anything.

But her eyes flickered slightly.

It was very light and fast, but Qin Lin caught it.

It wasn't fear, nor was it shyness, but...

...an emotion he couldn't understand.

Qin Lin didn't pay it much mind; he was still checking her face.

His fingers gently wiped the red juice, wanting to confirm there really were no wounds.

"Fortunately, it's just strawberry juice. You scared me to death; I thought you were hurt. You girl, why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? What are you up to? Putting so much strawberry juice on your face and neck, do you think you're..."

He stopped mid-sentence.

Because he discovered that Su Yuling was smiling.

It wasn't her usual shy, faint smile, nor the sweet smile she showed when she was occasionally happy.

But rather...

...he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He just felt that something was a bit off.

That smile was too faint, so faint it was almost imperceptible, but the corners of her mouth were indeed slightly upturned.

Amidst the red covering her face, that smile appeared exceptionally...

...eerie.

"Yuling?"

He called out tentatively, his voice softening.

Su Yuling finally spoke.

"Brother Qin Lin."

Her voice was very soft and flat, without any inflection.

But it was these simple words that sent a chill down Qin Lin's spine.

Because that tone was too unfamiliar.

This wasn't the usual timid, soft-spoken Su Yuling.

This wasn't the Su Yuling who would blush, stutter, and look down at her toes when she spoke.

But rather...

...a Su Yuling he couldn't describe.

In that voice, there was no emotion, no warmth, only a calm statement.

"What... happened to you?"

He asked, a hint of wariness in his voice.

Su Yuling didn't answer.

She simply raised her hand and pointed to the red on her face.

"Does it look good?"

Qin Lin was stunned for a moment.

"Huh?"

Su Yuling asked again.

"Does it look good? This color."

Qin Lin looked at the mottled traces the strawberry juice had formed on her face.

Under the dim yellow light, that red indeed looked very much like blood.

Eerie, seductive, and dangerous.

But he couldn't say it looked like blood.

"...It's alright," he said vaguely.

Su Yuling smiled.

It was a silent smile; the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and her eyes crinkled a bit. Amidst the red covering her face, it appeared exceptionally...

Qin Lin didn't know what word to use.

He just felt it was a bit hair-raising.

That smile was too faint, so faint it was as if she weren't smiling at all, yet it definitely existed.

Against the backdrop of that red, it was as if that smile came from somewhere...

He didn't want to think further.

"Yuling, what exactly is wrong with you?"

He asked once more, his tone more serious this time.

Su Yuling didn't answer.

She simply walked into the room and sat down by the bed.

Her movements were natural, as if this were her own room.

Then she looked up at him.

"Brother Qin Lin, I want to ask you something."

Qin Lin closed the door, walked back, and sat down beside her.

...

Neither of them noticed that as the door to Room 000 closed, Han Qing walked out of the Medical Room with a frown.

She looked toward the kitchen, then toward the ecological box, as if she could see the crushed strawberry.

She sighed and left.

...

Inside the room.

Qin Lin and Su Yuling kept a bit of distance, but not too far.

"What is it?"

Su Yuling looked at him without blinking.

"Will you always want me?"

This question came so suddenly that Qin Lin was stunned.

"What?"

Su Yuling repeated herself, articulating every word clearly.

"Will you always want me? You won't discard me?"

Qin Lin looked at her.

The red juice was already half-dry, forming dark brown streaks on her face, making her look both disheveled and eerie.

But her eyes were exceptionally clear at this moment.

So clear it was somewhat frightening.

In those eyes, there was none of her usual shyness or occasional nervousness, only a pure focus.

Like she was waiting for an answer.

An answer that would decide something.

"I will."

Su Yuling smiled.

It was a very light smile, the corners of her mouth only curving up slightly.

But combined with the dried strawberry juice marks on her face, that smile appeared exceptionally eerie under the dim light.

As if it had crawled out of Hell.

Or as if she had finally obtained what she wanted.

Qin Lin looked at her, his heart tightening for some unknown reason.

Before he could say anything, Su Yuling suddenly moved.

She took a step forward, pressed her hands against his chest, and gave a forceful push.

Qin Lin was startled, and his body fell backward with the momentum.

Actually, her strength was very small; she couldn't move him at all.

With Qin Lin's physique, if he stood his ground, she wouldn't be able to push him over even in a hundred tries.

But he chose to fall.

Because he understood the look in her eyes.

In that look, there were emotions suppressed for a very long time, too many words left unsaid, the hesitation of lingering by the door countless times without daring to knock, and the bitterness of watching others get close to him every day while she could only watch from a corner.

And... the resolve after finally getting an answer.

Qin Lin fell onto the bed and looked up at her.

Su Yuling stood by the bed, looking down at him from above.

The room was very dark, with only the soft light from the bedside nightlight on.

That light hit her face from the side, making the red on her face look even more eerie.

She just stood there, watching him for a long time.

Then she leaned down.

She propped her hands on either side of his body, her face very close.

Close enough that he could see the bloodshot veins in her eyes and smell the mixture of sweet strawberry scent and sweat on her.

"Brother Qin Lin."

She called his name, her voice very soft.

"Yeah."

"You're mine now."

Qin Lin looked at her.

Those eyes were no longer the usual timid, evasive ones.

But rather... a focused, certain gaze with a kind of dangerous glint.

Like a cheetah eyeing its prey.

Like a collector who had finally obtained a beloved piece.

"Yuling..." He wanted to say something.

But she didn't let him continue.

She lowered her head and kissed him.

More accurately, she bit him.

The kiss was forceful and urgent, carrying a nearly frantic demand.

Her lips pressed against his, her teeth even biting his lips and tongue, a faint smell of blood spreading in both their mouths.

But she didn't stop.

Nor did Qin Lin push her away.

He reached out, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace.

Su Yuling lay completely on top of him, continuing to kiss him.

The kiss lasted a long time, until both were nearly breathless.

Only then did she finally release him, looking up and gasping for air.

In the darkness, her eyes were startlingly bright.

"Brother Qin Lin,"

Her voice was breathless, yet still very soft.

"I've waited for those words for a long, long time."

Qin Lin looked at her.

"I know."

"You don't know," she shook her head. "You don't know how much it hurt to watch others come looking for you every day. You don't know how long I had to stand at your door each time before I could muster the courage to knock. You don't know that I only ever dared to take hugging missions because I was afraid you'd hate me if I took Advanced missions."

Her voice began to tremble.

"I was afraid you'd think I was too forward, afraid you'd think I wasn't good enough, afraid that after you were with them, you wouldn't want me anymore."

Qin Lin reached out and gently wiped away the liquid seeping from the corner of her eye.

Whether it was tears or sweat, he didn't know.

Su Yuling looked at him.

She smiled.

It was that eerie smile again.