Chapter 45: Laying Everything Bare
Leaving Leng Qing Qiu’s home, Lu Zhiyin ran unsteadily through the streets.
With no destination, not knowing where she was going, Lu Zhiyin simply ran.
Running for the sake of running? No… she was just scared. She was afraid of this world, afraid of the so-called female lead who would threaten her and commit violence against her.
She so desperately wanted to escape… she wanted to escape to a place without a female lead.
She didn’t know how to escape.
“I’m not her… not her… not… I’m not ahhhh!” Her mind completely broke down, and as she ran, Lu Zhiyin cried.
The pain in her legs was almost completely ignored, and Lu Zhiyin ran aimlessly.
As she ran, she bumped into a warm embrace.
Opening her arms, she hugged the mentally broken Lu Zhiyin, a pair of warm hands gently patting Lu Zhiyin’s back, trying to soothe her emotions.
Lu Zhiyin blankly raised her head.
What met her eyes was Zhu Qing, her eyes filled with worry.
Yesterday, Zhu Qing investigated the one spreading the rumors and discovered that the rumors were spread by Long Qinxin. Zhu Qing remembered Long Qinxin’s deceased lover and easily connected “Lu Shiyu” and “Lu Zhiyin’s” identical faces.
Zhu Qing had heard of Long Qinxin’s obsession with Lu Zhiyin. Coincidentally, Lu Zhiyin hadn’t come to school today. Worried about Lu Zhiyin’s safety, Zhu Qing left the school and searched for Lu Zhiyin around the campus.
Unknowingly, Lu Zhiyin had run near the school.
She was aimless, but her subconscious drove her to flee to the safest place in her memory.
For her, the safest, most beautiful place could only be the school library, right?
“It’s okay now, it’s okay now.”
Hugging the frail girl, Zhu Qing comforted Lu Zhiyin.
She didn’t know what Lu Zhiyin had experienced, but looking at the thin, mentally broken girl in her arms, Zhu Qing only felt heartache.
“…Mm…呜呜……”
Without speaking, unable to speak, Lu Zhiyin just sobbed and cried.
Subconsciously hugging the person in front of her, Lu Zhiyin also wanted someone to lean on, anyone would do.
“…”
Looking at the crying Lu Zhiyin, Zhu Qing felt a bit helpless.
She gently stroked Lu Zhiyin’s hair.
……
“Thank… thank you, thank you.”
After crying for a long time, Lu Zhiyin slowly raised her head. She released her hands hugging Zhu Qing and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Her voice still slightly nasal, Lu Zhiyin shook her head.
Zhu Qing watched her in silence.
Perhaps this thought was out of place, but Lu Zhiyin’s current appearance was indeed exceptionally cute.
“I didn’t do anything, you don’t need to thank me.”
Taking Lu Zhiyin’s hand, Zhu Qing led her towards the school.
Leading Lu Zhiyin back to the library, Zhu Qing closed the door. She seated Lu Zhiyin on a chair and then sat on the wooden ground without any pretense.
“I inquired. The gossip about you at school was spread by Long Qinxin, who is in your class. You’re upset because she bullied you?”
Zhu Qing asked softly.
She couldn’t tolerate campus bullying, but she also couldn’t deal with Long Qinxin, just as she couldn’t deal with Qin An in the past.
Money, power, Zhu Qing possessed neither.
All she could do, perhaps, was offer meaningless, insignificant concern to the victim?
Occasionally, Zhu Qing felt ridiculous, that she couldn’t do anything.
But more often, Zhu Qing hated this terrible world and the laws that were mere formality.
Thinking of those heavy truths, Zhu Qing’s heart sank, and she shook her head with a bitter smile.
“…Mm…”
Looking at Zhu Qing, who was sitting on the ground, Lu Zhiyin no longer had any intention of hiding anything.
“Sigh…”
Taking a deep breath, Lu Zhiyin recalled everything she had experienced, contemplating where to start.
“I… my name isn’t Lu Shiyu, actually.”
After hesitating for a moment, she decided to start from the beginning of everything.
“My name is Lu Zhiyin. I am from outside this world. I was inexplicably chosen by a deity to be their plaything and was thrown into this world. I need to make four people like me to leave. Actually, this world is a game world, completely different from the world I originally came from.”
“In my world, society is peaceful, free, and equal. No one can be above the law. There isn’t so much violence and sexual crime.”
“I was just a solitary otaku. Suddenly leaving my family and being sent to this world, I was very panicked.”
“When I first arrived, I went through many things, and these things were all terrible. I was insulted, bullied, and abused. It was very, very painful. I wanted to go home, to leave this place, so I began acting as a more mature version of myself.”
Recalling the unpleasant events, Lu Zhiyin sniffled.
After a pause, Lu Zhiyin continued to talk about her situation.
“I started to deceive others. I started to stop caring about morality and law. But it was useless, I still had a bad life. I was treated like a toy and a pet. This situation lasted for a long time until I made three people like me. I committed suicide. Shortly before committing suicide, I also killed an innocent person.”
“This is my third life. I longed to escape those who were entangled with me through death, but I failed. They still found me. Even worse, a few days ago, I learned from the deity that I had been lied to. I could never go home. I had been working towards an impossible goal all along.”
At this point, Lu Zhiyin began to break down again.
“After learning this truth, I was in despair. I started to not know what I could do, what I should do. I became a walking dead. Even though everything had no meaning for me, I still approached those I hated, letting them abuse me. I even let Long Qinxin take my virginity. I had no idea why I did it, when there was absolutely no need to do so.”
Lu Zhiyin pursed her lips.
“I think I’ve gone mad.”
On the chair, Lu Zhiyin curled into a ball, hugging her legs.
“…”
Opposite her, Zhu Qing remained seated on the ground.
Zhu Qing processed the information pouring out of Lu Zhiyin’s mouth.
“The people I need to capture are Qin An, Leng Qing Qiu, Long Qinxin… and you…”
“We, have actually met long ago.”
Burying her head between her legs, Lu Zhiyin’s voice was somewhat low.
She was afraid that after revealing all these secrets, Zhu Qing would become like Leng Qing Qiu and Long Qinxin.
But Lu Zhiyin could not hide it anymore. She was too tired.
“I’m sorry… I lied to you. So, you don’t need to bother with me…”
Lu Zhiyin apologized weakly.
“……”
Looking at the huddled girl, Zhu Qing’s heart could not calm down for a long time.
Being deceived and hidden from did make Zhu Qing feel uncomfortable. The fact that Lu Zhiyin mentioned killing someone also made Zhu Qing a bit angry.
But Zhu Qing really couldn’t bring herself to dislike the girl in front of her.
Zhu Qing could tell that the girl wasn’t lying this time.
This meant that the girl in front of her was not from the same world as herself. If that was the case, she really couldn’t blame her for anything.
Zhu Qing stood up and walked slowly towards Lu Zhiyin.
Lu Zhiyin closed her eyes.
“If you want to hit me… that’s fine.”
Lu Zhiyin said.
But after waiting for a long time, what she received was not pain, but a gentle touch.
Zhu Qing gently stroked her forehead.
