That night's mission had been immensely rewarding for Chu Lian. Not only had she unlocked her long-sealed superpower—LV4 Teleport—but she had also learned of another ability the system had never explained.
Though her actions had left the forests of Jiuzhaigou shrouded in tension all night, a secret team arrived early the next morning.
At around 8:40 a.m., on the 37th floor of the Qingping Grand Hotel, Ning Zhiyuan came knocking on the door of Chu Lian's single room, rousing her from her groggy state.
Yawning, Chu Lian rubbed her bleary eyes and looked at the tall woman standing with one hand on her hip. "Morning, Teacher Ning…" she mumbled sleepily.
"You even know it's morning? Have you looked at the time?" Ning Zhiyuan massaged her temples. All the other students had eaten breakfast and gathered in the hotel lobby—except for the one in this room.
Well, Li Xiu'er was an exception. The obedient girl was the earliest riser among the four of them, sticking close to the teacher to help with trivial tasks. Had she not been busy just now, she would have been the one waking them.
"Huh? It's already late? I didn't sleep well last night, so I overslept…" Chu Lian tried to pry her eyes open, but after a few failed attempts, she gave up, keeping them half-closed while talking.
"Honestly… Once you're away from your parents, your routine falls apart. You're still growing—keep this up and you'll regret it later," Ning Zhiyuan chided, flicking Chu Lian's forehead before taking her hand and walking into the room.
Thankfully, they'd tidied up after returning last night, so aside from a pile of laundry and toiletries, the room looked unchanged.
"Where are Chu Chu and Inori?" Ning Zhiyuan asked, noticing their absence.
"They're washing up… yawn… Teacher, can you let go of my hand so I can wash too? It's not good to stay in this state all morning…" Chu Lian gently shook her hand free and asked softly.
"You're not allowed to stay up so late anymore," Ning Zhiyuan said firmly. Sitting on the bed, she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "From now on, I'll get another key from the front desk for your rooms so I can check on you at night. For your health, it's decided."
Her pretty face wore a warm smile, but Chu Lian felt helpless. She knew Ning Zhiyuan meant well, but if that really happened, her freedom for nighttime activities would shrink drastically.
Still, she couldn't think of an excuse to refuse, so she simply nodded and murmured, "Alright, if that's what Teacher wants…"
"Don't worry, I won't barge in for no reason—just when I'm worried. We're in unfamiliar places on this school trip, and no one knows what might happen. It's for your safety," Ning Zhiyuan explained when she saw Chu Lian's reluctance.
"I know you're concerned for us, so I'm not against it," Chu Lian replied, now more awake and seeing the matter from a broader perspective.
"It's not just you—every student's room will need a spare key. Last night, I caught quite a few coming back late. That won't do. As your teacher, I'm responsible for your safety and well-being. You can't break your rest schedule every time we go on a trip—it's bad for your health," Ning Zhiyuan said, absently twirling a strand of hair. Behind her glasses, her pretty face was full of concern. In that moment, she looked less like a teacher and more like a young woman confiding in someone close.
Chu Lian's brow twitched. Wasn't this a bit too casual for a teacher? Still, she could understand Ning Zhiyuan's reasoning. She probably saw Chu Lian as someone with a mature mindset, the type she could chat with openly.
"Mm, teachers have it hard. I've taught children before, so I understand." Since there was no space in the bathroom yet, chatting to pass the time wasn't a bad idea.
So they talked. Ning Zhiyuan shared her troubles and plans, and Chu Lian listened, responding and offering suggestions. The atmosphere between teacher and student was surprisingly harmonious.
A few minutes later, Chu Chu and Inori emerged from the bathroom. Chu Lian seized the chance to slip away, darting inside without a word, leaving Chu Chu and Ning Zhiyuan exchanging awkward glances. Inori began tidying up, knowing they were already running late and wanting everything ready before Chu Lian finished.
Ten minutes later, Chu Lian emerged and looked around. Ning Zhiyuan was gone. Chu Chu was sprawled on the bed, bored, and Inori was nowhere in sight.
"Teacher left? Where's Inori?" Chu Lian asked quietly as she stepped to the window.
"Mm-hm. She left after you went to wash up—probably busy with something. As for Inori, she went to make coffee." Chu Chu sat up, adding, "Big Sis, how about wearing a Gothic long dress today? You're always in white princess dresses, your uniform, or home clothes. They're all nice, but a change of style would be good. I bought you two while we were shopping on this trip—want to try one?"
Chu Lian muttered to herself, ignoring most of that. "Strange… if Teacher really had urgent business, she wouldn't have stayed chatting so long. She would have left right after waking us… Strange, strange… Truly, a woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea…"
Now, as a loli, she could shamelessly poke fun at women. Her serious little expression was almost comical.
"Please, Big Sis?" Chu Chu clung to her back, rubbing her cheek against it in a cutesy plea.
"Alright, alright…" Chu Lian replied automatically—then realized something felt off.
"Knew it! Big Sis loves me best!" Chu Chu beamed, wrapping herself around Chu Lian's waist like a snake. Her soft chest rubbed against her in a way that made Chu Lian's temper spike.
She was just about to deliver her daily punch when Inori appeared at the door with coffee, tilting her head at the sight. "What game are you two playing?"
With Inori present, Chu Lian refrained from violence. She pried Chu Chu's arms off, walked over to Inori, and took her hand. "Inori, what time is it now?"
"Nine o'clock… We're already an hour past the meeting time," Inori replied, recalling how Ning Zhiyuan had said they were to gather at eight.
"Looks like I was overthinking things last night… I didn't even notice what she said," Chu Lian muttered, raking her fingers through her hair in frustration. She wasn't upset about staying up late, but rather guilty for delaying the whole group's activities.
"It's fine. Here, have some coffee…" Inori had changed a lot since she first came—still not very expressive, but she spoke more and had become far more considerate.
"It smells wonderful…" Chu Lian followed her to the table, picked up a cup, and took a slow sip, savoring the aroma.
"I learned to make coffee from… Gai," Inori replied without thinking. But then she froze. "Gai? Who… who is that? And why do I know who taught me to make coffee?" She tried to think further, but a sharp pain stabbed through her mind, making her tremble. The cup slipped from her hands, spilling coffee across the floor.
Chu Lian quickly set her own cup down, concern etched across her face. She stepped behind Inori, gently supporting her waist, guiding her to the sofa, and wrapping her arms around her from behind. Their faces pressed together as Chu Lian tried to share her pain.
Hearing the noise, Chu Chu emerged from the bedroom to see the two of them pressed close like that. She pursed her lips, eyes clouded with unwillingness, but didn't interrupt. Instead, she went to the table, picked up the last cup of coffee, and took a sip.
"Tch… so bitter." Even with sugar, the coffee was still bitter—just like her mood.
It was a long while before Inori's body finally relaxed. Chu Lian pulled away, moved to face her, and gently caressed her cheek. "Inori, are you okay?"
Inori lifted her head, her wine-red eyes meeting Chu Lian's for a long moment before she nodded. "Lian, I'm fine…" She didn't ask again who "Gai" was. Even though she knew the girl before her probably understood her situation very well, something inside her resisted—resisted the urge to know the truth.
"If you're fine, that's what matters… Do you want to rest here? I can stay with you." To Chu Lian, Inori mattered far more than any class trip. She wouldn't hesitate to skip Jiuzhaigou entirely for her sake.
"No need, Lian. I'm fine…" Inori gave her a faint, gentle smile. She might be slow, but she wasn't foolish. She could clearly feel how much Chu Lian valued her, without reservation. That realization brought a smile to her own face—slight, but genuine, blooming straight from her heart.