51

Yu Mingjiao cried uncontrollably, and no matter how Cen Lingqiu tried to comfort her, it didn't help.

She was lost in a frenzy, oscillating between laughter and tears, her emotions utterly unstable as she struggled to accept the harsh reality. Her tears felt like sharp blades, cutting into Cen Lingqiu's bones, piece by piece.

Cen Lingqiu gently wiped Yu Mingjiao's tear-streaked face, her own eyes stinging with emotion as she whispered, "Jiao Jiao, stop crying."

"I promise, I'll find a way to come back to you again."

No matter what it took, she would find a way to return to Yu Mingjiao. She would complete countless missions and accumulate a massive amount of points. Perhaps then, she could stay in this world for good.

Whatever it took, she had to try.

"Jiao Jiao, believe me."

Cen Lingqiu gazed deeply into her eyes.

Yu Mingjiao turned her head away, her voice choked with sobs. "Stop saying that."

"Just stop." Her shoulders shook like a fragile child who had lost her favorite toy. "You always lie to me. Don't make me any more promises—they're all lies, all of them!"

Cen Lingqiu remained patient, as always. "How could that be, Jiao Jiao? I love you. How could I lie to you?"

She pressed her forehead against Yu Mingjiao's, her breath soft on her skin.

"Jiao Jiao, my life has been barren and desolate. Friendship, family—I've never experienced those things. I've been abandoned too. In my thirty-some years, no one has ever loved me, cared about me, or noticed my existence. You're the only one who made me feel what love is."

"So, Jiao Jiao, I love you. I will love you until the day I die."

Cen Lingqiu's heartfelt confession pierced through Yu Mingjiao like a thousand tiny blades, only deepening her sorrow.

Her tears continued to fall.

Ever since she had been with Cen Lingqiu, it seemed she hadn't stopped crying.

After what felt like an eternity of tears, Yu Mingjiao finally exhausted herself. No more tears would come. Her face, left cold and pale after such emotional turmoil, resembled a snow-covered landscape after a blizzard.

She met Cen Lingqiu's gaze, her eyes dark and heavy with emotion, lips pressed tightly together.

"Why should I believe you?"

She couldn't bring herself to trust that Cen Lingqiu would come back again.

Even if she did, she would only leave again.

In Yu Mingjiao's heart, Cen Lingqiu was someone who could never stay by her side.

She had already accepted this as truth.

But Cen Lingqiu just smiled, kissing her on the cheek.

"Because you love me, Jiao Jiao."

Yu Mingjiao turned her face away, avoiding her kiss.

"Liar," she said coldly.

Cen Lingqiu wasn't angry. She let out a soft laugh.

"Jiao Jiao."

She sat on Yu Mingjiao's lap, wrapping her arms around her neck, her voice full of affection.

"Do you want to have me?"

Yu Mingjiao looked up, tilting her head slightly, as if she didn't understand the question.

Cen Lingqiu's heart raced.

Perhaps it was the way Yu Mingjiao's eyes looked so beautiful, her long lashes still damp with tears, her flushed cheeks framed by her snow-white skin. Her face, so strikingly beautiful, was filled with an inexplicable sorrow.

Cen Lingqiu's heart felt both hollow and filled with despair.

"Don't you want to?"

She laughed softly, gently biting Yu Mingjiao's earlobe, her breath warm against her ear.

"Lovers do more than just kiss, Jiao Jiao."

Yu Mingjiao suddenly understood, and her ears turned a deep shade of red. Slowly, the color spread across her entire face.

Her eyes, her nose, and even her neck flushed a deep red, making her look like an embarrassed little rabbit.

She stared at Cen Lingqiu in disbelief.

Cen Lingqiu was nervous too, but being the older one, she couldn't back down.

Their relationship had always been tinged with despair.

Tears, sadness, and helplessness had always been their constant companions.

The deeper the emotional despair, the more they needed physical closeness.

It felt like if their bodies could merge, the distance between them would shrink too.

Cen Lingqiu was going mad herself, tormented by the relentless reality. She needed to do something to escape the overwhelming helplessness she felt.

"Let's do it, Jiao Jiao." Cen Lingqiu pressed her forehead against Yu Mingjiao's, her voice soft and sweet.

Perhaps Yu Mingjiao sensed the darkness surrounding Cen Lingqiu. She lowered her eyelids, hiding the gray, desolate look in her eyes.

Biting her lip, she grabbed a fistful of Cen Lingqiu's hair and pulled her in for a fierce kiss.

Cen Lingqiu quickly returned the kiss, fully giving in.

The heat between them grew, and the atmosphere became thick with intimacy.

Yu Mingjiao, though eager, was still inexperienced. She sat on the bed, unsure of what to do, her eyes filled with panic.

"Lingqiu Jie, I... I don't know how."

Cen Lingqiu sighed softly and began to guide her.

Yu Mingjiao glanced up at Cen Lingqiu.

Her usually serene, misty eyes were now filled with desire, her gaze soft and alluring. She bit her lip slightly, revealing her white teeth and a hint of red tongue.

It was a stark contrast to the calm, gentle demeanor she usually displayed.

Yu Mingjiao's eyes darkened with intense desire, the wild beast in her heart finally breaking free. Overcome with passion, she was no longer timid, eagerly seeking more, like a little dog wagging its tail.

In the heat of the moment, Yu Mingjiao buried her face in Cen Lingqiu's shoulder, feeling their closeness more deeply than ever before. And yet, the closer they became, the more Yu Mingjiao wanted to cry.

Cen Lingqiu.

Why did you always indulge me?

Why are you so soft-hearted toward me?

Why do you keep coming back to me, over and over again?

Why don't you stay?

And why do you keep leaving me?

Tears began to flow again. Cen Lingqiu felt the wetness on her shoulder and, suppressing her own desires, kissed Yu Mingjiao gently on the ear.

"Why are you crying again? Are you made of tears?"

Yu Mingjiao didn't answer, only biting her lip in response.

Cen Lingqiu winced slightly and chuckled.

"Heartless."