Creak—
Yingxing rushed into the room with an excited expression. He closed the door behind him with force and locked it, then dashed straight to the desk and opened his laptop.
He was very excited right now. He was very excited! He was very excited!!
Important things must be said three times!
This was a secret that belonged solely to Yingxing himself. Although Dan Feng and Jing Yuan both knew he had a crush on someone, what those two didn't know was that he, Yingxing, had long since stopped being the clown under the car!
In the past, Baiheng had no interest in men and would pester Jingliu to play with her all the time, so Yingxing could only hide that admiration in the bottom of his heart and silently bless them.
He originally thought that as long as Baiheng was happy, it would be enough for him to see her every day. There was nothing else to say. Dan Feng might be a bit of a bastard, but he could make do. The most important thing was for the five of them to live their days well.
But just recently, he succeeded!
The moment Baiheng's alternate account sent him a friend request…
The moment the white chat box appeared on the screen…
The moment the message "Shall we make do with each other?" appeared in his field of vision…
Yingxing was overjoyed!
To hell with his darling Dan Feng, to hell with his darling Jingliu, to hell with his darling Jing Yuan. He was going to live a life for two!
That day felt like Yingxing's destined lucky day.
"Hehe, hehehehe…"
His thoughts returned to the present. Yingxing wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth with a silly smile, found "Baiheng." in his friends list, and sent her a message:
Yingxing: Are you there?
Baiheng.: Hmm?
Yingxing: I miss you.
Baiheng.: Oh~ Good boy, I miss you too. Come on, call me Mommy.
Yingxing smiled foolishly, leaned close to the computer, and sent a voice message: "Mommy~"
Baiheng.: Good boy.
Yingxing: Um… When are you coming back? I-I want to treat you to a meal.
Yingxing: I heard foxians generally like to eat food from the Steppe People. How about I take you to the Yaoqing-themed restaurant this week?
Baiheng.: Idiot, I'm from the Yaoqing. You're treating me to my hometown's food?
Yingxing: Hahaha, that's true too (Divine Lord emoji·Awkward)
Yingxing: Then how about this? I'll treat you to the Zhuming-themed restaurant?
Baiheng.: Hmph, you catch on pretty quick. Alright, it's decided~ See you this weekend~
Seeing this, Yingxing was ecstatic and immediately reserved a luxurious private room in advance.
Time flew to the weekend.
That day, Yingxing put on his most expensive suit, styled his hair to the neatest, sprayed on perfume worth tens of thousands of credits, and prepared a gift worth tens of thousands of credits. He sat upright at one end of the private room for two, waiting for the beauty to arrive.
Ding-dong—
A message came from the friend "Baiheng.":
Baiheng.: Ah… I'm really sorry, extremely sorry (Divine Lord emoji·Sorry)
Baiheng.: The Military Affairs Hall has an emergency summons. I have to return to the Yaoqing immediately and can't make our appointment. I'm truly sorry.
Seeing this message, Yingxing felt a pang of disappointment in his heart, but he still replied with a smile: It's okay. We can eat anytime. Of course your matters come first (Divine Lord emoji·Smile)
Baiheng.: Thank you! Yingxing is really so understanding~
Baiheng.: Oh, right. How about I transfer the meal money to you? After all, it's because of me…
Yingxing: No need, no need. How could I let you? I'll cover this small amount.
Baiheng.: Then… you won't get too full eating alone, right?
Yingxing: Sigh, it's fine. At worst… at worst I'll find someone to eat the leftovers with. Jingliu and Jing Yuan should both be free.
Baiheng.: Jing Yuan is now the General of the Luofu and is busy with official duties. Jingliu rarely goes out with people at night… How about finding Dan Feng?
Yingxing: Mm, since you recommended him, I'll ask him.
Baiheng.: Bye~
Ten minutes later.
Dan Feng walked into the private room and sat face-to-face with Yingxing.
Yingxing: ...
Dan Feng: Slurp—Slurp—Om nom nom nom (devouring heartily)
Yingxing lowered his head. The corner of his mouth twitched violently. He endured it.
Dan Feng: Gulp—Gulp— (devouring like a storm)
Veins bulged on Yingxing's forehead. The hand holding the fork was trembling.
This guy! He was clearly here to freeload!
Dan Feng: Burp~
Dan Feng elegantly picked up the napkin and wiped his mouth. "Thanks. I ate very happily and am very satisfied."
Yingxing: ...
Dan Feng: "Oh right, you already paid, right?"
Yingxing gritted his teeth. "I paid a long time ago."
...
—"Stop."
Ruan Mei furrowed her brows slightly and looked at Blade. "I told you to supplement the story of the Drinking Moon Rebellion. Why are you talking about your own daily life?"
"Also, why are you crying while you talk? What a bad child."
Due to the effect of the "Wooden Person Potion," Blade was still unable to move. His eyes were filled with tears, his gaze angry and humiliated. Under the effect of the "truth serum," he forced out a few words through gritted teeth: "I… am… telling… the story… from back then!!"
Stelle was puzzled. "Huh? But didn't Jing Yuan just say that Baiheng's final days were approaching back then? Could it be that she knew she didn't have much time left, so she wanted to make up for your regrets before leaving?"
"But that doesn't seem right? Also, does the Xianzhou not have a retirement age? Baiheng still had tasks from the Military Affairs Hall right before she left?"
"Baiheng… really was a serious, responsible, and considerate good person." Stelle said emotionally.
"No..." Blade squeezed out a word from his throat. It was obvious that he himself was extremely resistant to this past, but under the too-strong effect of Ruan Mei's truth serum, he was forced to reveal the related secret:
"I… only… found out… later!"
"That so-called… alternate account of Baiheng's… was actually—"
"It was actually—!"
"It was actually—!!"
Blade's face flushed bright red at this moment, and his words stopped at this critical point. He was using his own stubborn willpower to resist the effect of the truth serum. It was clear that he was truly very resistant to this secret, as he had momentarily reached a stalemate with the potion's effect.
"It was actually..."
Blade repeated it again. He was covered in sweat. Every breath he took seemed like his last. It made everyone's hearts itch with anxiety.
Stelle stared at Blade with wide eyes and urged, "What was it? Just say it already!"
"Trailblazer, step back."
Ruan Mei pulled Stelle behind her, took out another bottle of truth serum from her pocket, and smashed it hard at Blade's feet. "Double dose. You have to say it whether you want to or not!"
Crack—
As the potion spread, Blade's eyes suddenly widened. He opened his mouth wide and roared, "No!!"
"I can't say it—! It was actually—!"
"Aaaaaah—! I can't say it! I'd rather die than say it! But I can't die!!"
"Don't!!!"
Ruan Mei adjusted her glasses and murmured, "Oh? His willpower is quite strong."
With that, she took out yet another bottle of truth serum from her pocket. "Triple dose. Give up resisting."
Crack—
"Ohhhh—! No! Hoooohhhh—!"
"..."
Finally, under the compulsion of the triple-dose truth serum, Blade continued speaking with tears streaming down his face:
"Only later did I find out… that alternate account of Baiheng's… was actually…"
"Dan Feng pretending to be her."