They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

Why did he become Ling Chuqing's hero again?

He carefully placed Ling Chuqing on the ground and affectionately tidied her hair.

For the first time, I felt as if my heart was being roasted by charcoal fire.

Ling Chuqing. I still couldn't bring myself to be soft-hearted.

This idiot looked shy and pulled at the toy that should have been mine.

I actually asked them to spare your chastity. I actually wanted to leave you with a sliver of hope.

I should let more people ruin you!!

How dare you lay a finger on my toys?! How dare you make my things treat you gently?!

Disgusting! ...

I don't want to see your pained expression anymore.

From now on, I will never allow you to touch my toys again.

I'm going to take him back, and then shatter all your fantasies and hopes right in front of you. I'm going to make him utterly depraved, and then you'll see him completely devoured by me.

Don't worry about Ling Chuqing.

When you are in despair, I will arrange an even greater hell.

I will prepare more of the fears you are afraid of.

—Let him look at you, filthy in bed, with a contemptuous look in his eyes, what do you say?

I can do it because I have so many toys, more than you can imagine!

So go to hell, my dear sister.

[August 12, 20**, Cloudy]

I've decided to stop lying to myself.

Growing up, I never understood what liking or loving meant. When I saw that younger sister, I only thought she was noisy and childish.

Even someone like me, who doesn't even know what love is right now.

I learned at least one thing—I had to possess him.

Be happy, Lü Ning~ I allow it~

I'll give you special permission~ As long as you behave and become my toy and pet, I'll reward you with myself~

It's something those people crave but can't have; it's the warmth they can't reach, even if they weep and beg at the door, even kneel on the ground, abandoning their dignity to plead.

After all, from this day forward, you will be my unchanging slave. I will draw up a contract binding us physically, and you will simply offer your soul and life.

Then we don't need to consider physical integrity or marriage as a transaction, right?

It's a great deal!

Rather, it's a special discount just for you!

—So for that, I need to destroy the people around him first.

Let's start with that **An Yu**~

Although she didn't seem to have any other intentions, she even went so far as to approach the monkey, whom I didn't care about. She and the monkey must have a lot in common on the banana issue, right?

But, but, every time I hear her proudly talking about childhood sweethearts...

I knew it; I still wanted to push her into hell.

I'm so glad I didn't destroy the monkeys before! Ah, so Ma Hang is still somewhat useful after all.

Then.

I'm getting ready to destroy a first step of the staircase, I feel so excited!

Don't worry, Lü Ning.

Starting tomorrow, my gaze will only be fixed on you.

And you have to do the same. If you look at other people, I'll be unhappy and might do something bad to you and the people around you.

If anyone looks at you—I'll gouge their eyes out!

Wait for me, Lü Ning!

[Next chapter preview: An Yu replied in a rare, unhappy and impatient tone, his attitude was extremely fierce.]

"Anyway, I'm just a classmate."

"Can I slap you?" An Yu asked seriously.

I won't help you next time.

An Yu's gaze upon me seemed even colder than when we first met.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: My "Man-Eating Flower" Friend

Half an hour after An Yu left, I slipped out of the restaurant through the back door, using an excuse of feeling unwell in my stomach.

In the corner milk tea shop, An Yu sat on a high stool in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, a bag in front of her, swinging her legs idly.

As soon as I entered, I saw a boy walk up to An Yu.

"Hey, miss~ are you alone? Can we exchange contact information and get to know each other?"

"I'm waiting for someone, I'm very busy!"

Most of the time, An Yu is quite friendly and polite when facing strangers.

However, An Yu replied in a rare, unhappy and impatient tone, his attitude quite fierce.

"……cut."

The boy, who had lost face, was a little embarrassed and was about to continue pestering me when I sat down next to An Yu.

"I already have plans with her. Do you have something urgent to attend to?"

I laughed and asked loudly.

The boy opened his mouth, but seeing the stares from those around him, he slunk away in the end.

Even though I had already sat down next to her, An Yu didn't intend to say anything. Instead, she turned her head slightly and continued drinking her milk tea, looking like she didn't want to talk to anyone.

"...Hey, hey, hey, are you kidding me? I gave you prior notice and asked you to cooperate with the act."

I'm having a bit of a headache dealing with this somewhat temperamental accomplice.

"Hmph, anyway, I'm just a classmate."

"Speaking of which, you're pretty impressive. You understood what I meant instantly, not only uttering a classic line, but also acting out disappointment and anger perfectly as you left. Hahaha, absolutely brilliant!"

Upon hearing my words, An Yu turned her head sharply, revealing a shocked expression that seemed to say, "What on earth is this man talking about?"

...I'm praising her, is that okay?

"Can I slap you?" An Yu asked seriously.

"Wouldn't that be inappropriate? I'm not acting in front of Ling Qingxue anymore, and I'm not willing to make such a big sacrifice," I replied earnestly.

An Yu nodded. "I want to steal Chen Di's line, 'Don't sleep too soundly at night.'"

Her eyes had lost their luster, and she looked as if she were staring at the filth in the roadside trash can.

"He only told me to 'come and act' and 'go to the bubble tea shop on the corner after you leave,' but without me knowing anything, he was bombarding me with messages from another woman, and this guy even had the audacity to praise my realistic reactions... I want to drown him in a giant bucket of bubble tea..."

...Well, it seems An Yu has broken down.

Let her calm down over there first, and I'll think about the next steps myself.

Ignoring An Yu, who was still muttering to herself and whose eyes were becoming increasingly vacant, I looked at my phone.

Ever since Ling Qingxue greeted me out of the blue the day before summer vacation, I had told An Yu in advance that any messages Ling Qingxue sent her privately, especially invitations or secrets, should be reported to me.

Ling Qingxue probably never dreamed that An Yu would agree to such a boundary-crossing request of mine. So, in reality, I know everything she and An Yu discussed.

An Yu told me everything, including my past indirect slander and my probing into Lü Ning's personal information and social relationships.

"Screenshots and forwarding are such a hassle, and she even sent a voice message and then deleted it... Why don't you just log into my account? I don't want to be a mouthpiece anymore!"

...They even went to great lengths, to the point that An Yu once considered going on strike and slacking off. They sent over the passwords to accounts containing funds and personal social information directly; An Yu's awareness of security was truly absurdly poor.

Today, after Ling Qingxue invited me, she deliberately used dinner to lure An Yu into a trap, so I made sure to speak with An Yu beforehand.

"I didn't give you any advance notice! You just told me to bring you some clothes, and then come over as usual. I was supposed to cooperate with your conversation, make this gesture, and then silently leave to wait for you at the bubble tea shop!"

An Yu clenched her little pink fists angrily.

"You didn't even tell me you'd talk so rudely!"

"What 'Qingxue needs me more now'? What 'We're just ordinary classmates'? What 'An Yu, can't you consider other people's feelings? Why are you always grinning like an idiot?' Am I grinning like an idiot? Am I grinning like an idiot?!"

An Yu got angrier and angrier as she spoke, and started pounding my shoulder with her fist.

"If I had known you were going to go this far, I wouldn't have come!"

Well, this is also part of the plan.

To convince Ling Qingxue, I did speak in a rather harsh and serious tone. Now, I can only let this "King of Fighters" vent his anger.

After catching his breath from knocking, An Yu turned around and continued to drink his milk tea in a sullen mood.

I won't help you next time.

"Really?"

"...It's fake. Because I'm a really good person." An Yu nudged my stomach with his elbow.

"Well, I'm the number one friend on your friend list, so it's understandable that you think of me first when you're in trouble."

An Yu turned her head and looked at me with a smug look.

"Besides, my surname is An, which starts with A. Hehe, by the way, I'm planning to visit Ning Ruoxin later, you don't mind, do you?"

"Actually, my senior wanted to go with me, but I heard that her family has some restrictions because of club activities, so... wait."

An Yu looked at me suspiciously.

Why have you been so guilty and silent since the beginning?

"From...when I said I was number one on the list?"

An Yu's eyes widened.

"Wait! You, you can't!"

"It's just your imagination!" I secretly put my phone back in my pocket.

"Aaaaaah!!! Take out your phone, I need to see it!"

"I already told you it's your imagination!"

...An Yu threw herself into my arms.

The stares from other people in the bubble tea shop were really hurting me. It felt like they were saying things like, "Get out of here, you social butterfly!", "Can you please not do this in public?", or "Go explode!"

So, not daring to resist, I had my phone snatched away.

"The first one on the list is... Chen Di?! Why, why! My surname is clearly An!"

An Yu wore an expression of disbelief.

"Wait, the second one is Ling Chuqing?? Why?! When did that little girl who added you as a friend come up?!"

An Yu's entire language system became chaotic.

"...I'm not even on the list?"

An Yu shakily picked up her phone and randomly sent a "I'll smash you to death" emoji. ...It was probably just something she sent randomly, right?

[Emoji (I'll smash you to death)]

From a friend – “Man-eating Flower”.

Well, the carnivorous plant starts with S, so it's indeed ranked quite low on my friend list.

...Even though it's summer, I truly feel the bitter cold of winter.