The sky, having just endured a bout of rain, looked clear and clean. Although it was already a pitch-black night, the streetlights were beginning to flicker on like scattered stars. Lost in thought, she stepped into a small puddle, the splash of water sending a prickle of chill through her. Gazing at her apartment building in the distance under the shroud of night, she felt her loneliness slowly being magnified, bit by bit.
She dragged her body to her front door and gently slid the key into the lock. With a soft turn, it opened easily. The lights inside were already on.
Did I forget to turn off the lights this morning? Li Yue walked suspiciously toward the shoe rack. A pair of grey-black boots sat there—a style she frequently saw Clo wearing.
Did she not go back to her own home?
Li Yue changed into her slippers and looked toward the kitchen. There indeed seemed to be a figure moving around. She walked over slowly and pulled the door open just a crack. Although the kitchen was a total disaster, a faint, pleasant aroma wafted out.
“Ah, you’re back! Dinner will be ready in just a bit.” Clo looked a bit disheveled, but her enthusiasm remained high. “So, in a little while, do you want to eat dinner first... or do you want to... eat... me...”
“Ahem.” Li Yue immediately cut off her indecent suggestion. she gave a slight cough, pointedly avoiding looking at Clo’s curvaceous figure leaning against the doorframe.
“I’m going to take a bath and change first,” Li Yue said as she hurried away to find a change of clothes.
“Honestly...” Clo glanced at the book beside her. It said that a dinner made with love could bring two people closer, but it didn't seem to be having much of an effect. She was still staring blankly in the direction where Li Yue had vanished when the iron pan beside her began to protest with a loud sizzle. She sniffed the air; a faint burnt smell was slowly beginning to spread.
“Oh no, I forgot to turn down the heat! I’m so cooked!”
Water slowly filled the bathtub. Li Yue wrapped her hair up and carefully tested the water temperature with her toe. Although she hadn't even begun her soak yet, her face was already flushed pink, whether from the steam and heat or some other reason.
She let herself sink slowly into the water until half her face was submerged, blowing bubbles through her lips. It was a bit childish, but fun enough, and the physical and mental exhaustion she felt began to ebb away.
She let out a yawn, thinking she would soak for just a bit longer. She closed her eyes and drifted off for a shallow nap, lasting only about ten minutes. Her sleep had always been light, especially when she gave herself a mental suggestion of when to wake up.
When she opened her eyes, the world was still a bit dark and felt slightly chilly. However, these weren't significant hurdles for her, aside from the heavy drowsiness that made her want to soak a little longer. The cold air hitting the parts of her body not submerged in water eventually forced her to get up.
She rose quickly, wiped the water from her skin, and changed into a simple set of loungewear. She sat at the dining table, looking at the empty surface and the figure still working frantically in the kitchen. A series of bad premonitions began to bubble up.
She finally just walked into the kitchen. The scene before her couldn't be described as terrifying—it was simply a wreck.
“You... what stage is the meal at?” Li Yue asked, somewhat speechless.
“The final step!” Clo puffed out her chest, looking full of confidence. Li Yue glanced over; there were meat steaks on the cutting board that had barely been processed, appearing to have only undergone a simple marinating.
“I’ll handle the finishing touches, then...” Li Yue put an arm around Clo’s shoulder and guided her out the door, taking it upon herself to clean up the hellish mess.
In the end, the only things that couldn't be salvaged were two bowls of egg fried rice where the grains had clumped into a solid mass and a piece of goose breast that was slightly charred. She managed to save the rest of the stir-fried seasonal vegetables and other dishes. The taste shouldn't be too bad.
She placed the dishes on the table one by one. Clo had switched to a different book and was looking at it with a slight frown, seemingly waiting for Li Yue to join her.
“Then I’ll be borrowing your family’s utensils.”
“Use whatever you like.” Li Yue handed Clo a full set of utensils. She watched Clo put the food into her mouth, feeling inexplicably nervous. To her surprise, Clo ate everything happily—whether it was the failed experiments or the successful dishes—seeming to have no great demands regarding the flavor.
“Is it good?” Li Yue casually tasted the food. While not bad, it was only mediocre at best. Yet Clo seemed to eat with great joy, even consuming the clumped egg fried rice with a smile.
“I feel like you never get to eat anything good here at the academy,” Li Yue said, placing a cut piece of meat onto Clo’s plate.
“It’s all delicious because A Yue made it.” Clo didn't mention that she frequently forgot to eat. As a Calamity class magic user, she wouldn't feel intense hunger even if she only consumed a tiny amount of food once a week.
She often lacked the mood to eat, only occasionally consuming a bit of food prepared by those around her every few days; most of the time, she either threw it out or didn't touch it at all.
“Why did you come to my place?” Li Yue swallowed the last of her food and poured a bit of water into a cup, drinking it to wash away most of the flavor.
“It’s so boring going back alone. I wanted to have dinner with you, otherwise it’s too lonely.” Clo stood up to clear the plates. Li Yue froze for a moment, remembering the loneliness she had felt earlier. It seemed they were both the same, enduring solitude—except Clo looked forward to spending time with her, while Li Yue always forced herself to digest that feeling of loneliness on her own.
“Can I borrow your bathroom?” Clo held a bag containing what looked like newly purchased pajamas, her finger pointing toward the bathroom.
“No... never mind, go ahead.” Li Yue couldn't help but steal a few glances at the bag in Clo’s hand. The logo was from the shop they had visited just yesterday.
These clothes... were they just bought... why does it feel like this was premeditated... I have a bad feeling about this.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Li Yue sat on the bed and pulled out the biography written by Lane, but she couldn't focus on it. The faint sound of water seemed exceptionally clear in her ears, and she felt an inexplicable throb in her heart that prevented her from calming down.
She simply put the book down, wanting to get to sleep early. After all, tomorrow's work wouldn't be easy. For her, the income over these few days was crucial. With the shop open every afternoon, she could earn extra money. Once the new term started, she would only be able to work on weekends.
Rent wasn't an issue, but her daily food expenses might become much tighter. Fortunately, Clo had said there was no rent for the first month of the term.
She did the math. If she converted her remaining coins into copper coins, she had about 49 left. Monthly food expenses were about 14 copper coins, which was 1400 tin coins, not including expenses for the new term. This capital would only last a short while.
I should find an opportunity to borrow some money from Ms. Helen, then go exchange the coins. Clo is an assistant professor, so her income... I'm not sure, but if I borrow from Clo, she likely won't want me to pay her back. Besides, I feel like borrowing from her would give her some kind of leverage over me. Maybe one day I'd have to pay off the debt with my body...
As Li Yue thought this, her body beneath the covers couldn't help but shiver. She had intended to sleep early, but thinking about her finances and those strange scenarios made her even more wide awake.
She walked to the bathroom door. The sound of water had stopped; Clo seemed to be soaking now.
“Clo, I’m going to sleep now. When you’re finished, just leave on your own. Remember to pull the door shut.”
She didn't wait for Clo’s response and just climbed back into bed. After tossing and turning a few times, she finally felt a bit of drowsiness wash over her. She rested her head on one pillow and hugged another, her brow slightly furrowed, looking a bit melancholic.
Her body was slightly curled up, the blanket appearing a bit large on her. She slept lightly. Inexplicably, she felt a tugging force in her arms. The pillow she had been hugging vanished, there was a commotion on the bed, and the blanket covering her seemed to be lifted for a moment, letting in a draft of cool air.
What's that movement?
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