I’m A Little White Flower In An Escape Game ☆ 20

Arc 2: 《Deadly High School》 Ch15 — Ch29

At that moment, even the dull-witted Shen Qing Yun realized he had been played by Ruan Bai. "You were pretending all along?" he said, his voice a mix of shock and anger. He tore apart his hypocritical façade and glared at her on the other side of the wall with a dark expression. "You were playing me the whole time, you whore!?"

The memory of when he had foolishly thought he had successfully fooled Ruan Bai now made him feel angry enough to tear her flesh apart and drink her blood. He had cleared countless games but didn't expect to fall into the hands of such a woman. He sneered and spoke, his anger evident. "You were flirting with me while secretly laughing at me inside, weren't you?"

Ruan Bai nodded approvingly, "Of course, isn't it obvious? I underestimated you. It turns out that you have some self-awareness."

Shen Qing Yun's anger grew, and he was momentarily speechless.

"Very well..." Shen Qing Yun took a deep breath and quickly dodged a stream of incoming blood using a nearby prop. He fled in a sorry state, his eyes fixed on Ruan Bai behind the wall with a vicious glare. "I'll remember you. If I have a chance to get out of here...I won't spare you!"

In the past, Shen Qing Yun would have had a way to retreat even if he couldn't defeat this kind of ghost. But he had been careless and thought having Ruan Bai to rely on would be enough. This mistake had led to him being trapped here and unable to move, falling into a predicament. He gritted his teeth, seething with anger.

"Oh, I know you 'Badgers' have a notorious reputation," Ruan Bai said without fear, her tone laced with amusement.

Upon hearing Shen Qing Yun's final moments of struggle, Ruan Bai snorted and looked down at him. "So much nonsense. If you have the guts, come find me! My house is in Building 2, Room 1001, Fandou Garden on Fandou Street. My dad's name is Hu Ying Jun, my mum's name is Zhang Xia, and I'm called Hu Tu Tu. I'll be waiting for you at home. If you come and see me, whether or not you dare to do it, it will be the end. Don't waste your breath!"

Ruan Bai didn't believe she had done anything wrong. Shen Qing Yun had been the one to threaten her first. She was just returning the favour. Besides, the gender ratio had already been broken. One of the boys was bound to die. This "Badger" bug might as well have committed so many wicked deeds.

That said, Ruan Bai spun around and bolted from the men's restroom. Shen Qing Yun could only resist for so long. Still, Ruan Bai needed to hurry to the principal's office to see if there was any information she could leverage.

However, as soon as she took a step, the long-absent mechanical voice of the system suddenly sounded out: "【Ding! Host, please pay attention; a random task has been issued!】"

Ruan Bai froze at the sound, a sense of foreboding creeping over her. It was only a matter of time before the system's cheerful voice again broke the silence.

【As a pure and kind-hearted white lotus, how could you do something as retaliatory as an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? Forgiveness and tolerance are the tenets of a white lotus,】 the system exclaimed ecstatically. 【Please return immediately, save the poor Shen Qing Yun, and use the light of the white lotus to move him, making him let go of his hatred!】

Ruan Bai was taken aback. Save Shen Qing Yun? No way! After this guy escapes, he'll definitely turn around and stab her without a second thought. Even if Ruan Bai starves to death and dies out here, she would never save this malicious person by jumping down from here!

【Of course, considering the degree of danger, 3000 points will be awarded upon completion.】

Ruan Bai: "...... I'll do it!"

Anyway, it's just saving a person. And the reward of 3000 points, equivalent to 300,000 yuan, was too tempting to pass up. Moreover, Shen Qing Yun seemed to have a lot of ways to escape based on his experience, so it wouldn't be that hard.

Without further ado, she ran into the men's bathroom and found Shen Qing Yun surrounded by bloodstains. At this point, those bloodstains were no longer the same as what Ruan Bai had seen. Perhaps triggered by the attack conditions, they gradually swelled, expanded, and wriggled, staining the walls and floors of the entire bathroom with a dark layer of blood.

When Ruan Bai entered, a strong smell of decay and foulness rushed towards her, almost causing her to faint.

At this moment, those blood fluids bobbled like boiling water, breeding misshapen, sticky tentacles that danced in the air like countless arms. These fluids seemed to have a particular corrosive function. When they hit Shen Qing Yun, they burned his clothes and injured his arms until they were bloody and mangled.

As Ruan Bai had anticipated, Shen Qing Yun possessed some means of defending himself. When she entered, he vigorously attacked the blood tentacles with a jet-black prop knife, his face turning pale with anger.

At the sight of Ruan Bai's return, his face contorted slightly as he sneered, "What? Come to see me in a sorry state?"

He tilted the knife behind him as if considering using it to knock her out and leave her to the mercy of the ghosts. Ruan Bai quickly caught his plan, but it held no power over her.

"Brother Qing Yun, you're so irritating. I came here to save you, and you still treat me this way." Ruan Bai stamped her foot and punched the nearby wooden toilet door. "You're so bad; Softie will be angry!"

The door made a deafening "bang" sound as it was knocked out of its frame by Ruan Bai's punch. Shen Qing Yun stared at it in amazement, finally understanding why he had failed to shake off Ruan Bai.

This level of strength was beyond what any ordinary woman could possess. Shen Qing Yun managed to fit in with Badger's team due to his thick skin and ability to adapt to any situation.

"Softie, please save Brother Qing Yun," he implored.

Upon realizing that Ruan Bai could save him, Shen Qing Yun didn't hesitate to beg for help. "I destroyed all the useful information in the principal's office with ink and hid the information from Class 9. If you look for it, you won't find any valuable information. If you save me, I'll tell you everything that happened in the school!" he pleaded desperately.

Ruan Bai was taken aback by his shameless behaviour. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel relieved that he was no longer pretending to be someone he was not. She must admit that the unmasked Shen Qing Yun was much more comfortable than the previous greasy gentleman.

She forced a smile and said, "It's okay, Brother Qing Yun. Softie will definitely save you, but it may require a little sacrifice from you..."

Although she had little combat experience and was trained by Gu Bu Chao, her top priority was to save Shen Qing Yun. To do so, she needed to change his gender identity. This would be impossible for an ordinary player. Still, Ruan Bai's system was a white lotus cultivation system that only served women!

Without hesitation, she spent 10 points to obtain a bottle of perfume that would 'fill the whole body with the shyness and purity of a young girl.' Then, she spent another 30 points to buy a light, white dress suitable for Shen Qing Yun.

Holding the small, flowing white dress in her hand, Ruan Bai pretended to mourn for three seconds before picking up the perfume and spraying it randomly at Shen Qing Yun.

If Shen Qing Yun wanted to blame anyone for being heartless and ruthless, it would have to be that ghost! Unfortunately, it didn't have eyes and had to rely on its nose to tell the difference between men and women. As the pink, sparkling liquid splattered through the air, a refreshing and charming fragrance filled the entire men's bathroom. It was like flower petals falling into the filthy restroom, cleansing all the dirt and darkness and bringing a warm and youthful smile like a young girl's.

Shen Qing Yun sniffed the scent, and his gaze gradually became entranced. He thought of his first love, the fragrance he had once smelled on her hair, brimming with the aroma of sunshine and youth, lively and innocent. Did all girls smell this fragrant? He, too, wished to have such a perfect aroma.

"Hey, hey, don't sniff it! Wake up and change into the dress; hurry up!" Ruan Bai exclaimed, seeing Shen Qing Yun getting lost in the perfume's side effects. She quickly slapped him awake and handed him the little white dress.

Under the perfume's confusion, the blood tentacles' attacks gradually slowed down. Shen Qing Yun was also a player, and although his face twitched slightly at the sight of the dress, he still calmly took it. He endured two hits from the blood tentacles, quickly removed his clothes stained with male filth, and put on the little dress. Then, the two people wearing white skirts hurriedly fled the bathroom and rushed upstairs in a sorry state.

They hid in a data storage room. Ruan Bai sprayed perfume at the door again, blurring the trail of blood with a feminine scent.

As the cold air drifted away, Ruan Bai breathed a sigh of relief and heard the joyous chime of the system notification. 【Ding, congratulations, host, the random task has been completed, and 3000 points have been issued!】

300,000 points added to her pocket with ease thrilled Ruan Bai, almost moving her to tears.

But she didn't forget that the system task required her to "convert" Shen Qing Yun. Completing the task meant that his intention to kill her had likely decreased after weighing the pros and cons.

Sure enough, Shen Qing Yun raised his hands in surrender and softened his tone. "Ruan Ruan, let's put aside our grudges and cooperate in the future. Otherwise, we may both suffer losses. Look at me; I'm seriously injured and can't do anything to you anymore. But if you protect me, I will tell you some of the information I know."

He had promised to tell her everything, but now he was offering only "some" of it? Ruan Bai was speechless, but she knew his fickle character well and had prepared for it. However, Shen Qing Yun was a skilled manipulator, and Ruan Bai needed the information he had promised.

"We're both trapped in the teacher's building now and although it's currently safe, it won't spare even women when it turns aggressive," Ruan Bai said coldly. "To survive, I need to know its deeds and find its weaknesses." Her tone changed as she warned Shen Qing Yun, "I know you have many ideas, but you've also seen my physical strength. If you plan to betray me, don't blame me for pulling you down to save myself."

Less than half a minute had passed since he was in the men's room, and Shen Qing Yun's legs were covered with extensive burns, while his right hand and arm were also scarred. He now had difficulty moving and had to rely on Ruan Bai, which was also why she dared to cooperate with him.

"Okay, Softie, don't worry. I won't conceal anything about that ghost's situation," Shen Qing Yun quickly promised, realizing Ruan Bai's concerns. "I'll explain the female student's situation who died in solitary confinement clearly to you."

Earlier, when he spoke to Ruan Bai, he only said that the female student was sent to solitary confinement because "she violated school rules and was reported by her classmates, causing Class 8 to rank last," and was harassed by teachers, which led to her being locked up in solitary confinement. Now it appeared that the situation was far from the truth.

"I'm sure you've noticed that this school has a stringent gender ratio requirement," Shen Qing Yun began, trying to be both plain and succinct in his words. "In Class 9, there was exactly one more boy, and the girl's death is somewhat related to him."

He gestured towards the brightly lit teaching building before continuing, "To prevent early love affairs, Fourth High School strictly follows a system of gender-segregated classes for teaching. However, in that era, the one-child policy was being implemented. To avoid criticism regarding gender equality and being attacked by political enemies, the principal strictly required that the number of male students be equal to the number of female students."

Shen Qing Yun paused before adding, "This is why even players must be assigned in groups of five males and five females. The ratio will not meet the school's requirements if it is off. But Fourth High School's reputation is too big, and its educational achievements are too good. To be admitted to a top university, many affluent families will try to squeeze their children in," he explained.

Shen Qing Yun went on to explain that, under the operation of a wealthy man at the time, his son successfully enrolled and became the 31st person in Class 9, thus breaking the school's perfect gender ratio.

Ruan Bai looked puzzled and asked, "So what's wrong with that? Isn't it common to use connections to get ahead? Aren't there such unwritten rules in all schools?"

Ruan Bai herself had attended a prestigious class in high school and was in the top 40 of her grade, but there were 45 students in the class. The extra 5 were naturally brought in through connections. This was nothing out of the ordinary.

But how did the girl who died come to such a fate?

"It's a common occurrence, really. It's just teachers held too much power in those days and wielded complete control over their students," Shen Qing Yun sneered. "You must have experienced this school's 'strict' learning environment, right? To motivate students, the school ranked classes based on their grades. The high-performing classes were placed at the front, while the low-performing ones, such as Class 8, 9, and 10, were relegated to the back. Apart from the average scores, there was a thing called class points that determined class ranking. Yes, the 10 points the head teacher deducted from you and me belonged to the class points. Students who excelled academically won awards, and displayed good behaviour were awarded class points."

Despite the new transfer student's efforts to help, he couldn't improve the class's overall average score since thirty students were still in the class. However, in the following days, he spent considerable money, with his parents' help, to purchase awards. This caused the class points of his Class 9 to increase excessively, surpassing Class 8. Furthermore, several students in Class 8 contracted infectious diseases. They performed poorly in the exams, allowing Class 9 to overtake Class 8 at the bottom.

"This ranking, controlled everything. From the teacher's bonus, their salary, to their reputation among colleagues," Shen Qing Yun smiled, "So, what do you think those teachers would do to those girls who contracted infectious diseases?"

Ruan Bai's heart sank as she heard this. She vividly remembered the Chinese teacher bullying the short-haired girl during class, even administering ten brutal strikes. So, it was unsurprising that the detained girl had met a gruesome fate after enduring such unbearable humiliation.

After understanding the ins and outs of the matter, Ruan Bai finally comprehended why the deceased girl had targeted the male player first - she wanted to maintain "balance."

It was understandable that they were overtaken by Class 9 after performing poorly in the exam. Still, Class 9's victory was achieved through dishonourable means. She detested this kind of unfair competition. After being tortured in the detention room and unable to bear it any longer, the girl naturally vented her anger on them.

After explaining everything, Shen Qing Yun evaluated the woman, "This is just a cowardly and foolish woman, without any ability, who was bullied and tortured in her lifetime. After death, she did not seek revenge against those who hurt her, but only dared to attack students who had no power to fight back. If I were in her situation, I would make those who dared to bully me pay back a hundredfold." He added sarcastically, "It seems that even useless people will only become useless ghosts after death." 【TN: Said a man who targets weak women... what it tells about you, huh?】

Ruan Bai wanted to refute Shen Qing Yun's words but didn't know how to argue. She realized that although Shen Qing Yun's values ​​were not quite right and his actions were cruel, what he said was accurate. Unfair competition existed everywhere, and it was impossible to disappear. The girl's tragic death was fundamentally caused by the school's attitude and the cruel means of the teachers.

The so-called "the number of male and female students must be balanced" at Fourth High School was just a strategy to reduce the rate of early love and improve academic performance. After all, the ultimate goal was still for their own interests. The dead girl was misled by their lies, thinking that as long as she could maintain this balance, she could avoid tragedy.

Ruan Bai sighed at the girl's fate, but she didn't have the leisure to think about it for long. The most important thing for her now was to find a way to survive tomorrow.

As time passed by little by little, Ruan Bai felt that the ghost was struggling to restrain itself.

The ghosts in the game had their conditions for killing, but they were still ghosts, and killing was in their nature. Ruan Bai had spent so much time with Shen Qing Yun that she had picked up some of his scent, more or less.

Perfume's charm was short-lived, and Shen Qing Yun was a man, after all. He couldn't stay here for long.

However, once the ghost had killed Shen Qing Yun, their target would shift to her and she was likely to die.

But where to go?

Moreover, could they really be saved by hiding like this?

After contemplating, Ruan Bai stood up and touched Shen Qing Yun, who was slumped beside her. "How long does it take you to pick a lock? Have you tried any of the rooms?"

Anyway, they needed to get out of here first.

"It'll probably take about five minutes. The rooms currently unlocked are the principal's office on the third floor, the information room on the second floor, and the offices of Class 8 and Class 9 on the first floor," Shen Qing Yun answered quickly. "What, are you planning on switching places?"

Ruan Bai didn't answer him. She wanted to leave, but she wasn't reckless. She understood that the ghosts' actions were bound by specific game rules.

To work out the ghost's movements, she summoned Shen Qing Yun and asked him whether he had left directly after prying open the door. Instead of departing with him, she quietly opened the door a crack and listened intently to the sounds outside.

Rustle...gurgle...rustle...

The bloodstains sluggishly writhed along the floor of the teachers building like a lengthy worm. The movements were faint, but it was distinct in the hallway, where every breath could be heard. Ruan Bai felt it was like a person with severe injuries, painfully dragging themselves against the wall with the remaining parts of their body, inching forward. The blood flowed from its wounds, over its skin, and landed on the ground, creating a dark and blotchy stain.

It's on the third floor...and then it went to the second floor, slowly trickling down the stairs.

"Drip...drip...drip..."

As Ruan Bai heard this, she couldn't help but hold her breath. As soon as it moved to the first floor, she and Shen Qing Yun could escape and find a place to continue hiding on the third floor. Just as she bit her lip and waited with all her might, a sharp and piercing bell suddenly rang out!

"Ding ding ding—sizzle—ding ding ding—" The bell reverberated throughout the teaching building, its tone twisted and amplified with each transmission. Ruan Bai winced as the echoes washed over her, causing a dull headache. Finally, the strange dismissal bell rang, and the blood-curdling noise ceased abruptly.

Puzzled, Ruan Bai realized the significance of the sudden silence and rushed to the wall of the archive room to retrieve the clock hanging there. A quick glance at the timepiece confirmed her suspicions: it was already 6:40 in the evening, well past the end of school hours.

The pattern of the ghost's movements became clear to her - like the teachers and students, it also adhered to a strict schedule. Disappearing during breaks and reappearing during class hours.

A sinking feeling overtook Ruan Bai as she calculated the timing. Students in this school endured a rigorous curriculum, with each class lasting 40 minutes. After dinner, they were expected to attend evening classes until 10 o'clock.

They would be safe if they could hold out until then.

Before 10 o'clock, there existed four safety periods when they could avoid danger: 6:40-6:50, 7:30-7:40, 8:20-8:30, and 9:10-9:20. As long as they could relocate within these timeframes, they could evade any bloodshed. Moreover, the school's regulation mandated that students sleep before 11 o'clock, prohibiting additional studies or play. Ruan Bai considered this and decided she and Shen Qing Yun must slumber before 11 o'clock; thus, they had hundred minutes of safe and free time.

"Come on!" Ruan Bai exclaimed, "Let's go to the third floor now!"

Ten minutes weren't enough to conduct any investigation, but they could at least preserve their lives. After a strenuous effort, Shen Qing Yun took a break, only to be summoned again by Ruan Bai. Luckily, he acknowledged that he was at Ruan Bai's mercy to survive and didn't complain.

Despite working together, Ruan Bai didn't trust Shen Qing Yun's character. Clutching the clock, she ordered him to explore other doors while she looked for any resources to take away in the archive room. Ruan Bai had no faith in Shen Qing Yun.

When he spoke to her, he had been very cunning. He only mentioned the situation in the girls' detention room, but the truth was that the girl was merely a tiny boss in this game. If they survived tonight, they might never have another chance to come back in.

She needed more information, particularly about Classes 8 and 9 and the school itself. She couldn't afford to be selfless, but she wouldn't destroy the information like Shen Qing Yun. The number of players in this world was directly related to their ability to pass the level. She still didn't understand why those teachers and students were intent on breaking the gender balance. But she wouldn't take any risks.

Ruan Bai wandered around the bookcases in the archive room before focusing on the section containing student files. She didn't expect to find what she needed immediately, but she decided to try it. The data in this room spanned over decades, from the school's establishment until now. The remaining information wasn't small, but it was enough to fill these bookshelves.

Countless files were neatly organized and tightly packed onto the shelves. The shelves, rarely dusted, had a thin layer of grime. Walking by them induced an indescribable feeling of suffocation.

Ruan Bai perused the bookshelves, inhaling the musty scent of aged documents and books, which caused her to cough twice. Her fingers traced over the files from around 1982, attempting to recall when family planning was promoted during those years. As she began to search, a strange burning sensation surged from her waist. Ruan Bai hesitated before discovering the mermaid bell in the pocket around her waist. It was a peculiar item she had brought from her previous world. During those intense and exciting moments, she had almost forgotten about it. She hadn't anticipated it to react at this moment. What had happened to it?

Ruan Bai reached for the mermaid bell but dropped it to the ground. She crouched to pick it up and, in haste, noticed a photograph tucked in the gap beneath the bookshelf. Her eyes flickered, and she quickly retrieved the photo from its hiding place. Flipping it over, she saw a fair-skinned boy holding an award, both proud and arrogant. He appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old. Flipping it over again, she read the inscription on the back of the photo, "Class 9, Grade 9, 1988, Du Yu Award-Winning Photo."

1988, Class 9, and an award-winning student... It was him! The student who, by virtue of his family's wealth, won numerous awards, eventually leading to Class 9, surpassing Class 8!

Ruan Bai glanced at the time, noticing it was already 6:47, only three minutes before class began.

She gritted her teeth and slipped the photo into her pocket. Pulling out all the information about Class 9-1988, she left the archive room and hurried towards the third floor, the sound of the bell echoing in her ears. As she stepped into the classroom, she flipped into the office where Shen Qing Yun was, which he had pried open, and blocked the door before spraying perfume.

With everything ready, she calmed down and listened carefully to the outside sounds. The blood reappeared, but fortunately, it went downstairs after passing through the second floor and did not return to the third floor. Ruan Bai let out a sigh of relief and sat on the ground.

That blood was indeed formidable. Even Shen Qing Yun, who had many props, was disabled in less than half a minute. If changing rooms was not possible, she had no other way to survive.

Fortunately, its blindness could be exploited. "It's gone; we're temporarily safe," she said, wiping her sweat and ordering without hesitation, "Go and see if there are any flashlights or candles here."

She dared not turn on the lights, but lighting a candle was still possible. However, as soon as she looked back, she saw Shen Qing Yun sitting behind her, looking at her with a complex expression.

"You... can you hear such subtle movements?" he hesitated and said. "And your physical strength is also so formidable..."

Ruan Bai shrugged. "What's wrong? I've been like this since I was a child."

Ruan Bai didn't understand why Shen Qing Yun hesitated, thinking he was being lazy. She glared at him, demanding, "If I ask you to work, you work. Don't waste my time." Nevertheless, her facade had already crumbled in front of Shen Qing Yun. They both found it tiresome to keep up their act. However, Ruan Bai had to revert to her innocent guise around other players.

Blocked by her, Shen Qing Yun had nothing to say. He knew Ruan Bai held a grudge against him, so he complied with her every demand. The two hid in different areas and rested during the allotted ten-minute intervals. Ruan Bai took advantage of the brief lull to rummage through Class 9's files and retrieve documents relating to Du Yu.

It didn't differ much from Shen Qing Yun's earlier report. Du Yu was a transfer student who arrived midyear, had average grades, and ranked among the bottom of Fourth High School. However, he received numerous awards and gained many merits. Yet, many of his records were torn apart, indicating that something important had happened during that time. The remaining notes were vague. The complete sentence reads, "After that incident, Du Yu took half a year off and changed his name to Du Wen Shu and continued studying at our school."

"In 1990, Du Wen Shu was admitted to the biology department of X University."

After that, there was no news.

Du Yu... Du Wen Shu!?

Upon reaching this point, Ruan Bai was stupefied. Was this the same Du Wen Shu she knew? The researcher from a particular institute in the previous world who had deceived the feelings of a mermaid girl and was ultimately punished to death by the mermaid goddess? What was going on? Could it be that these games were still related to each other?

Realizing this, Ruan Bai felt confused and uneasy. She felt as if there was a thin and vague boundary in front of her, and she was standing at the intersection where she could touch and break it with just a little stretch of her hand. But she quickly snapped out of it and closed the file with a heavy "snap," concealing her loss of composure. No, she couldn't afford to be too distracted in this regard. The most important thing now was the game world; she couldn't focus on anything else.

Glancing at the clock beside her, she saw that it was already 7:25, and the next disappearance of the ghosts and monsters was approaching. The subsequent waves of hiding were all in a precarious state. She and the experienced Shen Qing Yun managed to avoid the direction of the blood monster movement and barely survived until the end. Even though Shen Qing Yun was injured along the way, it was also chaotic for Ruan Bai. But with the final 10 o'clock bell ringing, everything ended.

Outside, everything fell silent, including the sounds of the ghosts and monsters' blood and the reading of the NPC students. The entire school was quiet, as if it had died and become oppressive.

Exhausted from their numerous close calls, Ruan Bai was tired. They had hidden from the ghosts and monsters several times. Although there were no significant injuries, they also wasted a lot of energy. Considering that they still had to deal with their teachers early the next day, Ruan Bai and Shen Qing Yun decided not to go out and look for clues anymore.

After locking the room and ensuring everything was in order, they found a place to rest soundly. The following morning, they sluggishly got up and rushed back to the confinement room before the NPC appeared. After their release, they hastily went to the cafeteria for breakfast.

As Ruan Bai and Shen Qing Yun arrived at the cafeteria, their dishevelled appearance caught the attention of the other players. The expressions of those around them were mixed, ranging from shock to confusion. It was strange to see such veteran players look this way, even if they had been seriously injured.

Sensing that something was amiss, Ruan Bai squinted as she took in her appearance, then turned to look at Shen Qing Yun. With a single glance, she understood what was going on. After changing into a dress the night before, Shen Qing Yun had not dared to retrieve his clothes from the men's restroom. And so he was still wearing it.

The dress was fresh and lovely, with a bow at the waist, sexy lace straps, and sturdy thighs barely visible under the hem. If this had happened the previous night, wearing a dress to survive wouldn't have been a big deal. But now they were back in school, and Shen Qing Yun looked like a pervert in women's clothing.

Ruan Bai and Shen Qing Yun exchanged horrified glances at a loss for words. Her face twisted in pain and concern as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

After a moment of hesitation, Ruan Bai took a step back, looked at Shen Qing Yun and ultimately sighed. "Qing Yun, I'm sorry. I have a hard time accepting that you have such a preference..."

Ruan Bai struggled with her decision as she looked at Shen Qing Yun. Her expression hinted at the difficulty of what she was about to say. "But it's okay, Qing Yun. When you're tired of playing, just come back. Softie will always be waiting for you..."

Shen Qing Yun's confusion was evident. "…???"

Wait a minute, he wore the dress Ruan Bai had asked him to wear! Despite his thick skin, he couldn't bear the situation's awkwardness. "It's not what you think..."

Before Shen Qing Yun could explain himself, Ruan Bai's expression changed. She cut him off, "Qing Yun, don't say anything. I understand you, really."

Despite her words, Ruan Bai was determined to keep her distance from Shen Qing Yun. Who wants a fake teammate? She had been worried about not having a reason to end their relationship, but now she had a ready-made excuse.

Ruan Bai's eyes welled up with tears, and her face contorted with pain and struggle as if she had been deceived in love. "It's just a hobby. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't feel inferior or belittle yourself." She raised her head, her voice soft but firm. "Even though you are my dear Brother Qing Yun, you are still the best. I just…just can't accept it for a while. Please forgive me."

After speaking, Ruan Bai took a few steps back, gazing intensely at Shen Qing Yun. He was still standing there, stunned. Ruan Bai turned and left without looking back.

"Wait, why are you running away?!" Shen Qing Yun called out, trying to stop her.

He wasn't someone who enjoyed cross-dressing. As he watched Ruan Bai flee, Shen Qing Yun felt embarrassment and anger wash over him. He wished he could tear Ruan Bai to pieces for putting him in such a humiliating position.

But how could he explain himself? Ruan Bai was skilled at acting and was wearing a dress right now.

"I... something happened last night, and I had to wear a skirt to survive," he said, feeling helpless.

The other players listened to his explanation, exchanging glances with each other. After a few seconds, a female player nodded and reassured him, "It's okay; we all understand."

Shen Qing Yun knew they didn't understand at all. Stiffening his face, he turned around to buy food, planning to eat first. But as he returned, he noticed several male players intentionally or unintentionally avoiding him.

"..." Shen Qing Yun's fake smile faltered and fell apart completely. He looked at Ruan Bai with a fierce expression, his chopsticks almost breaking in his hand.

'Well, isn't she soft and weak?' he muttered. Even though he was injured and unable to move freely, he vowed to get revenge once he was out of the game.

——— Translator's Notes ———

I actually don't like this chapter. Author is shaming/making fun of a subject that others might indeed injoy.

One-child policy: A policy implemented by the Chinese government from 1979 to 2015 that limited urban families to having only one child to control population growth.

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