Mei was the type of person who, once she agreed to something, would see it through seriously.
Last night, Kevin—that guy who usually only talked about work and the troublesome roommates at the Golden Courtyard—had uncharacteristically brought up the girl Su Yu had picked up during their call before bed.
"She's a little... special," was how Kevin had described her. "Like a little cat that's been hurt and won't let anyone get close."
"That guy Su Yu can't handle her, so he asked me to keep an eye on things."
To make someone as smooth and resourceful as Su Yu feel helpless, to the point of specifically asking a social black hole like Kevin for help...
It seemed the situation was truly more complicated than she had imagined.
Mei pushed up her glasses, her peripheral vision inconspicuously sweeping over the white figure that had been following behind Su Yu the entire time.
The girl kept her head down, each step so light it was as if she were afraid of disturbing the dust in the air.
That completely closed-off posture really made one... unable to resist the urge to find out more.
"Kiana."
Mei stopped, turned around, and extended a hand backward in an inviting gesture.
Her movement was natural, like she was beckoning a companion who had fallen behind, not bestowing some kind of pity.
"The path here is a bit winding. It's better if we walk together."
"Otherwise, if you get lost, that directionally challenged Kevin won't be able to find you."
Kevin, who was leading the way up ahead, stumbled and shot his girlfriend a look that said, "Are you being polite?"
But under Mei's gaze, he could only silently swallow his protest and continue playing the role of the guide.
Kiana froze for a moment.
She looked up, her gaze first falling on Su Yu.
Su Yu was smiling and nodding at her, his eyes seeming to say: Go on, it's okay.
Kiana pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and finally took a step forward.
She didn't take Mei's hand, nor did she get too close. She simply walked silently to Mei's side, maintaining a distance of about half a meter.
Although that invisible barrier was still there, at least... she was no longer hiding behind Su Yu's shadow.
"..."
The only sound in the corridor was the echo of their four sets of footsteps, occasionally punctuated by the rumble of wheels as a staff member pushed an equipment cart past.
Mei observed the girl beside her out of the corner of her eye.
She was nervous.
The way her whole body was tense, the small fidgeting motion of her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes—it all exposed her current unease.
How could she break this silence?
A few formulaic opening lines flashed through Mei's mind, but she rejected them one by one.
When dealing with a child who was prickly like a hedgehog, a topic that was too blunt would only be counterproductive.
The image of Elysia's face, always wearing that sly smile, appeared in her mind.
If it were Elysia, at a time like this, she would definitely...
Mei cleared her throat lightly, adjusted her tone, and tried to speak in a casual, slightly gossipy manner. "By the way, Kiana."
She turned her head, a perfectly measured amount of curiosity twinkling in her eyes behind her lenses.
"I've actually always been curious... What exactly is the relationship between you and Su Yu?"
"Eh?"
The question was clearly far beyond Kiana's expectations.
She snapped her head up, her previously guarded eyes instantly widening.
The cold, hard expression on her face was like a popped balloon.
It deflated with a poof, replaced by a look of utter bewilderment.
"Wh-what relationship?"
She repeated the question subconsciously, her brain struggling to catch up.
Her and Su Yu?
Anchor and observer? The rescued and her keeper? Or... game producer and source material provider?
But it seemed none of these relationships could be said out loud.
"It's... It's just..."
Kiana stammered for a long time, a faint blush actually creeping onto her cheeks.
This definitely wasn't shyness; it was purely because this sudden question had thrown her for a loop. Her CPU was overloading and smoking!
Su Yu, walking up ahead, heard the question and his foot slipped. He nearly tripped over his own feet and took a tumble right there.
He turned back, looking at Mei with a shocked expression.
Was this still the top scholar Mei whose mind was filled with nothing but scientific research and quantum mechanics?
Why did this have the gossipy flavor of a certain pink elf like Elysia?
Oh no. Could it be that in this world, the "Elysia virus" had also started showing signs of human-to-human transmission?
"Don't be nervous, I was just asking casually."
Seeing Kiana's flustered state, the corners of Mei's mouth curled up.
In that instant, Kiana was no longer a little hedgehog covered in thorns.
She was more like an ordinary girl from next door, flustered after being teased by an elder.
"After all, that guy Su Yu has never brought a girl out to a gathering with us before. Even with Danzhu or Klein, it was always professional."
She paused for a moment, her tone softening slightly, like an elder sharing some kind of experience.
"This is the first time he's so formally asked us to take care of someone."
"The first... time?"
Kiana murmured these words.
She subconsciously glanced at Su Yu up ahead.
Su Yu was walking while looking back and shooting glances at Mei, looking rather comically pathetic.
That guy who was always grinning, who loved to tease her and force her to eat green peppers, who would spout nonsense to her with a straight face... had actually asked someone for a favor so formally?
In a corner of her heart, the persistent unease and self-doubt seemed to be gently smoothed over by that simple sentence.
So, even her sin-laden self was being... treated seriously in this world.
Not as a burden, but as someone... worthy of having a favor asked for them.
"Um..."
Kiana took a deep breath, finally finding her voice again.
She looked at Mei. Although still a bit awkward, her expression was more one of a serious desire to explain things clearly.
"If I have to put it into words... it's probably the relationship between a debtor and a creditor."
"Debtor?" Mei was taken aback, clearly not expecting that answer.
"Mhm."
Kiana nodded with great seriousness, recalling all the free food and lodging she'd had recently, as well as the contract that allowed her to live in this world.
"I owe him a lot... a lot of things, and a lot of favors I can't repay. Right now, I'm working for him to pay off my debt."
"Working to pay off a debt, huh..."
Mei nodded thoughtfully, but the gossipy fire in her eyes didn't die down. In fact, it burned even brighter.
She cast a meaningful glance at Su Yu up ahead.
"Sounds like a very special debt relationship. Could it even be the kind that lasts a lifetime?"
Walking in front, Su Yu felt a chill run down his spine.
Why did he feel like this explanation hadn't clarified anything, and had instead made things even more ambiguous?
Also, was a love for gossip truly an innate trait in women? Even Mei was no exception.
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