PSW - Chapter 117
Chapter 117
Xuancheng.
The moment the name appeared, Yu Yinan quickly searched her memory, soon recalling its approximate location and distance from Pujie. Once they returned, she would only need one night to devise a perfect travel plan and memorize the entire map and route to Xuancheng.
"Thank you," Zheng Yi said softly. She glanced at Zhao Haiyue and smiled. "After the New Year, I'll go over there and check things out."
Zhao Haiyue lowered her gaze slightly and, after a moment of silence, asked, "Is there any other information you need to ask?"
"No, there's no need to ask about mutations and things like that. We'll find out when we get there," Zheng Yi said. "As for the meteor fragment, this young lady doesn't know much, and most of it is just speculation anyway. I won't make things difficult for her."
Zhao Haiyue nodded and looked at Wan Yinyue. "I will report all this information to the shelter's upper management. I'll deposit the bounty reward into your account in three days. Also, they might want to question you personally about what you know later on, so we may have to trouble you both to make another trip."
"It's no trouble at all, just a few words," Wan Yinyue said with a bright smile. She couldn't help but steal a couple more glances at Zheng Yi. This younger sister… is so easy to get along with. "But I really don't know anything about the meteor fragment. This is all the information I have. Even if they interrogate me… I still won't know what I don't know."
"…Humanity's Light has developed quite well, which is proof enough that the management has brains," Zhao Haiyue explained "tactfully" before standing up. "Thank you for your time today."
"You're welcome. It's all just speculation on my part, really. My hometown is over there. If it's possible—I mean, if you find anything out, could you let me know? Xuancheng… is a wonderful city." Wan Yinyue paused, then clarified, "I don't want to know about the meteor fragment if it's confidential. I mean, if someone goes to Xuancheng, I want to know what's become of the city, whether anyone is still alive… I-I want to know about that."
"If we make it back safely, that's not a big deal. We can just treat it as a chat to catch up after we return," Zheng Yi said with a smile.
"Ah." Wan Yinyue was taken aback for a moment, but she quickly recovered and replied with an equally enthusiastic smile, "I'll treat you to a meal then, to welcome you back."
Zheng Yi glanced at Xie Congdong. The male lead's jealousy clearly didn't extend to people of the same sex. Seeing the female lead's sweet smile, he was at most a little uncomfortable but didn't act out, merely lowering his head to stare sullenly at the table.
But the one beside her had her hand clenched into a tight fist under the table, gritting her teeth so hard they could have shattered.
Human desire is never satisfied.
Zheng Yi casually placed a hand on Yu Yinan's leg, took her fist, and easily slipped her fingertips into the tight grip. Almost instantly, Yu Yinan relaxed her hand, letting Zheng Yi play with her fingers.
Since everything had been said, Zhao Haiyue had no intention of staying any longer. She was the first to stand, signaling to Wan Yinyue and Xie Congdong with her eyes. She said to Zheng Yi and Yu Yinan, "We won't disturb you any further, then. We'll be taking our leave."
Zheng Yi gently patted Yu Yinan's hand and stood up. "Alright, thank you~ Chu Yi."
In that instant, goosebumps broke out all over Zhao Haiyue's skin. But she managed to control her expression, merely nodding. "No need to see us out." Then she left with Wan Yinyue and Xie Congdong.
Yu Yinan walked them to the door and, after confirming they had left, closed it. "I'm going to sort out the map of Xuancheng and the best route."
"That's for after the New Year. There's no rush." Zheng Yi leaned back on the sofa, looked up at her, and chuckled softly. "Jiejie, are you jealous again?"
"…" Yu Yinan lowered her eyes, slightly uncomfortable, and asked in return, "Do you hate me for being like this?"
"How could I?" Yu Yinan's personality didn't just become like this overnight; this is who she is. You can't expect someone to devote their entire being to you, burning like a blazing fire, without having a shred of possessiveness. "It's just that I want to hear Jiejie say it herself."
Yu Yinan felt a sense of resigned certainty. She knew Zheng Yi would be like this.
Yet she still gazed at Zheng Yi with utmost seriousness. Despite her discomfort, she kept her eyes fixed on those dark pupils, as if willingly letting Zheng Yi dissect her. She said, "I don't like it when you call other people 'Jiejie.'"
"Ah~ Then I'll be more careful next time?" Zheng Yi watched her with a smile, encouraging her to continue.
"…If there's no other suitable form of address, it's fine for you to call others 'Jiejie.'" But as soon as Zheng Yi said that, Yu Yinan started thinking from Zheng Yi's perspective instead. She said awkwardly, "I just… feel a little uncomfortable."
"And… I'll always be jealous. You can, you can… not worry so much about me." Yu Yinan felt that "worry" wasn't quite the right word, but in her haste to express herself, she couldn't think of a better one.
"Jiejie, since I agreed to be your girlfriend, you don't need to have so many reservations," Zheng Yi said gently. "You can tell me about any emotions or grievances you have."
"If you're like this, you'll make me get carried away." Yu Yinan looked at her, the fire in her eyes burning even brighter. She said softly, "But I get jealous over so many things. I don't want you to call other people 'Jiejie.' I don't want you to be so gentle and friendly to others, even if it's just an act. I don't want anyone else to see even a fake smile."
"I want you to belong only to me. I want your gaze to always be on me. I long to become one with you." Yu Yinan continued to watch Zheng Yi, seeing the clarity in those dark eyes, still not colored by much emotion. As if mustering all her courage, or perhaps unable to hold it in any longer, Yu Yinan poured out her heart's desires. "Even if you were a lofty god, I would still want… to make your emotions stir because of me. I want to see your eyes steeped in desire, with room for no one but me."
"Zheng Yi, I want you to love me, and only me."
Zheng Yi stared at her, the smile on her lips unchanged, and remarked softly, "What a dangerous thought."
Yu Yinan pressed her lips together and turned her head away. "That's what I think. So, you don't have to worry too much about me. I know some of my jealousy is unnecessary." It's just that reason and emotion don't always align.
"Really… If Jiejie were stronger than me, would you lock me up so I could only see you?" Zheng Yi moved closer to Yu Yinan, meeting her gaze again, and said it like a joke to see her reaction.
"…How could I?" Yu Yinan pursed her lips, briefly considering the possibility. It was a tempting thought, though. But… but… she probably couldn't do something like that. Restricting someone's freedom… even if their strengths were reversed, she probably wouldn't have the heart to treat Zheng Yi that way. With that thought, Yu Yinan's gaze became firm. "I would never do that to you."
"Mhm, Jiejie is being so good~" Zheng Yi raised her hands to cup Yu Yinan's face, placing a rewarding kiss on her lips. Her fingers then moved to the side of her face, pinching and rubbing Yu Yinan's burning earlobe. "You're always thinking about cutting open your heart and whatnot, yet you have such principles?"
"I'd be cutting open my own heart. I just want to show you… to let you know. I just…" Yu Yinan paused. The sensation on her earlobe made her increasingly uncomfortable, but she didn't pull away, simply enduring it. "I don't want to hurt you… even though you can't and won't ever be hurt by me."
Feelings are such complicated things. She was so weak, she relied on Zheng Yi for everything, and the gap between them was only growing wider… Yu Yinan sometimes even wondered if, once Zheng Yi became powerful enough, looking at someone like her would be no different from observing an ant on the ground. But even so, she craved the warmth and connection of this moment. It didn't matter if it was fake.
Even as she was, she still wanted to protect Zheng Yi.
Since they'd started their relationship, Zheng Yi had undoubtedly been the perfect girlfriend. But Yu Yinan was constantly wavering between a sense of security and a feeling of unease.
"Alright, I'm going to study the map now." Yu Yinan turned her head slightly, trying to avoid Zheng Yi's hand. "That place, Xuancheng… there will probably be a lot of mutated creatures you'll find interesting."
"Maybe?" Zheng Yi smiled and pulled her hand back. "Since she said mutated pets still remember their owners, maybe there really are survivors~ Near a meteor fragment, people should be able to improve quickly after awakening their abilities."
"No one could be as fast as you," Yu Yinan muttered under her breath. She turned to find the map, asked Zheng Yi for a pen and paper, and began to earnestly study the map and routes. Once she finished drawing them, she could make a few copies. After the higher-ups in Pujie learned about this, they might have a need for the maps too. Yu Yinan wasn't the least bit worried about anyone competing with Zheng Yi for resources; no one could possibly snatch away something Zheng Yi was interested in right from under her nose.
Before they left after the New Year, she would give these maps to Zhao Haiyue and ask her to sell them, which would naturally bring in another sum of contribution points.
The temperature dropped day by day, and soon it was New Year's Eve. That day, Zheng Yi and Yu Yinan woke up early. Zheng Yi prepared all the ingredients, purchasing them and placing them directly into her personal space, before heading out with Yu Yinan to visit Zhu Lanyuan.
Zhu Lanyuan had made many preparations for this day, not even sparing her squad members, whom she had roped into helping early on. She had spent contribution points to apply for an empty plot of land from the shelter's management, then hired ability users to temporarily construct a large prefabricated building. She brought in tables, chairs, and kitchenware, decorating and preparing everything.
Because there were so many people, she had even specially commissioned a wood-type ability user to create an oversized round dining table. In addition, considering that everyone wouldn't leave immediately after the New Year's Eve dinner, Zhu Lanyuan also brought in a long sofa.
To welcome the New Year, Zhu Lanyuan had even managed to get her hands on several Fu characters, spring couplets, and even large red lanterns, hanging them all over the room.
"This is the place." Zhu Lanyuan led Zheng Yi and Yu Yinan to the building, anxiously observing the reactions of the two powerhouses. She said, a little embarrassed, "It was a bit rushed and funds were limited, so I could only set up a temporary venue like this. But I've arranged all the furniture and decorations inside. It's not too shabby, and it's quite lively and has a New Year's feel."
"No, this is already amazing." Yu Yinan looked at the two red lanterns at the entrance, along with the spring couplets and Fu characters on the door, and suddenly realized what she had forgotten! She hadn't prepared any spring couplets or Fu characters! And you're supposed to set off firecrackers for the New Year, right? She hadn't prepared those either! She didn't even know if she could still buy them. Damn it, she hadn't thought about any of this recently. It was mainly because the turn of the year had been so perfect for her that Yu Yinan had temporarily overlooked the actual New Year. "To do all this in just a few days… you must have spent a lot of contribution points, right?"
"Not that much. If I run out of contribution points, I can just earn more. Um… they don't know your identities, so… when I introduce you later, I'll say you're my friends," Zhu Lanyuan said awkwardly before they entered.
"Oh? I thought we were already friends~" Zheng Yi exclaimed with very natural surprise. She looked at Zhu Lanyuan, smiled gently, took Yu Yinan's hand, and pushed the door open. "A New Year's visit. Please accept this box of satsuma oranges as a small token of my goodwill~ You can snack on these to tide you over until the meal is ready."
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