Part 2: Where Did All the Disappeared Affection Go, Chapter 5
Yu Hui’s gaze held a more complex meaning than the last time.
Maintaining the kissing posture with Ling, I winked at her.
She froze instantly, then said anxiously, “I- I thought you two were already finished… S-sorry for interrupting!”
She bowed, stepped back, and closed the door.
With a series of swift actions, Yu Hui disappeared from our sight.
Only then did I let go of Ling.
Ling playfully slapped my chest and chided me, “….You’re so bad, was that on purpose?”
“Yes, it was on purpose.”
However, looking back, perhaps it wasn’t entirely on purpose.
But just now, I truly sensed an emotion deep within Yu Hui’s pupils, which is why I didn’t stop and continued.
What emotion did Yu Hui feel?
…Even I can’t quite explain it; it was a very complex mix of emotions.
But it was definitely not just disgust, I can be sure of that.
“That unhurried, composed demeanor… you’re starting to look like a sophisticated scumbag.”
“Should I be happy? I have mixed feelings.”
“Then, you scumbag, you should go after her now.”
I smiled, kissed Ling’s cheek again, and licked the corner of her mouth before putting her down.
“This time, I will.”
Waving goodbye to Ling, I left the infirmary/nurse’s office.
After closing the door behind me, I intended to look around to see which way Yu Hui had run off.
But to my surprise, Yu Hui was right outside the door.
As if waiting for someone.
Waiting for me?
It must be.
…Waiting for me outside the door…
Interesting.
“Are you waiting for me?”
Yu Hui didn’t answer my question. Instead, she gave me a deep look and turned to leave.
I didn’t say anything more, nor did I rush to grab her hand to make her stay. Instead, I followed her silently.
During class hours, we walked one after another through the corridors, passing all the first-year classrooms, and then entered the corridor leading to the annex building.
When we reached this point, Yu Hui stopped, and so did I.
She turned around, looked up at me, and spoke her first sentence.
But she didn’t ask, ‘Why are you following me?’ nor did she answer my earlier question, ‘Are you waiting for me?’
Instead, she suddenly asked something unrelated.
“Senpai, are you dating the teacher?”
She called me senpai.
How novel.
“Mm, yes, Teacher Lou Ling is my wife.”
I didn’t offer any explanation and simply admitted it.
Yu Hui was probably taken aback by how readily I admitted such a relationship. She froze for two or three seconds, then snapped back to reality, blinked, and murmured, “Wife…”
Was that a tone of regret? Perhaps, perhaps not.
Her mood was too complex to judge easily.
So I took the initiative to ask Yu Hui.
Yu Hui snapped back to attention at my question and explained.
“Ah, I’ve been feeling drowsy lately, so I wanted to ask if there was anything I could do to cure my sleepiness…”
“Feeling drowsy often?”
“…Yes. But I didn’t expect someone to be in the infirmary/nurse’s office at that exact moment…”
Yu Hui nodded, looking very troubled, rubbing her forehead. She indeed seemed quite listless.
It was like someone emerging from an internet cafe after staying up all night, seeing the dazzling sun at 6 AM and feeling like they were about to ascend.
“Drowsiness…”
I recalled Yu Hui mentioning before that she had suffered from narcolepsy for a long time, which affected her normal life. It was during that period, through dreams, that Yu Hui regained her past memories.
Could this also be a sign that Yu Hui was about to recall her ‘previous life’?
No, I shouldn’t get my hopes up. If Yu Hui hadn’t recalled anything, I would only be disappointed in the end.
It’s unnecessary.
At that moment, Yu Hui slapped her cheeks, forcing herself to cheer up, and continued, “Well, I’ve already apologized. Even if you and the infirmary/nurse teacher are in that kind of relationship, please don’t do such… shameless things openly at school.”
…
Her serious personality hasn’t changed. Yu Hui used to often tell me, ‘Don’t get involved with those dangerous women.’ As a result, I not only got involved but even stepped into that dangerous abyss, never to return.
“I apologize, I didn’t expect anyone to come to the infirmary/nurse’s office. Generally, such an ‘accident’ wouldn’t happen.”
Because fate is controlled by Ling, such coincidental events are also within her domain. So as long as Ling didn’t want anyone to come to the infirmary/nurse’s office, no one would.
But Yu Hui ended up catching me in the act, and twice at that.
It couldn’t be that Ling herself wanted to be seen, could it?
Ah, it’s not entirely impossible… but I think the possibility is rather slim. Ling wouldn’t be such a pervert as to want to be watched during intimate moments.
…I should ask Ling later if she has awakened any special kinks.
“In any case, I’m very sorry for troubling you, Junior Sister Bai.”
Yu Hui noticed my address and frowned, asking, “Senpai, do you know me?”
I smiled faintly and replied mysteriously, “Yes, I know you very well.”
“That’s quite the ladies’ man. Don’t you know me too?”
“No, I don’t know you, senpai.”
“Then why did you call me senpai? If you don’t know me, how do you know I’m a year older than you? I could be younger or the same age as you.”
I don’t think I look that old… although I do have quite a bit of white hair.
Alright, alright, I’ll just admit I look old.
However, Yu Hui seemed genuinely stumped.
She stood there for several seconds, murmuring ‘Why…..’, perhaps not even realizing why she had called me senpai.
“Well, I was just saying that casually. You don’t need to worry about it. I am your senpai. Since you don’t know me, I’ll introduce myself this once.”
I smiled and leaned in. Yu Hui instinctively backed away, but I didn’t let her. Instead, I pinned her against the wall of the corridor, leaving her with no choice but to lean against the window.
In this seductive pose, I pressed closer, our faces just inches apart, close enough to feel each other’s breath. I met her gaze and said,
“Remember, Junior Sister Bai, my name is…”
“…Juncheng?”
Uh, my cool pose was cut short.
So she *does* know who I am, yet she claimed she didn’t.
My attempt at being suave failed. I chuckled awkwardly, stood up, and returned to a normal distance, saying with resignation,
“See? You know me.”
“…”
Yu Hui pressed her hand to her head, frowning deeply. After a moment, she spoke again.
“I just remembered. And the infirmary/nurse teacher… Lou Ling, right? Teacher Lou Ling…”
“Yes, her name is Lou Ling.”
“Why did you think she was new?”
Of course, Ling is new, but others shouldn’t be able to tell.
After changing the public’s inherent perception, ordinary people would just assume we were always part of this school.
“Did you hear what we were talking about?”
“No, I didn’t. Are you suspecting me of eavesdropping?”
“No, it’s fine if you didn’t hear.”
Given Yu Hui’s personality, she probably wouldn’t lie, and there was no reason for her to lie to me.
If she had heard my conversation with Ling, she would have realized that she had lost her memory. But as it stands, she only had doubts, not questioning her own memories.
“Then, senpai, I’m going back to class. I’ll…”
Mid-sentence, Yu Hui clutched her head, looking uncomfortable, biting her lower lip, her eyelids drooping.
I realized this might be her narcolepsy acting up again. I reached out to support her as I asked,
“Are you feeling drowsy again?”
Yu Hui pushed my hand away and forced herself to say,
“…”
My personal trauma is a minor issue. The real problem is if Yu Hui collapses right here in the corridor.
“Don’t push yourself. I’ll take you back to the infirmary/nurse’s office.”
“Sen..pai, th-this is recognition… recognizing… my body…”
“…If I told you yes, what would you do?”
“What could I do? If I fall asleep, you can do whatever you want to me…”
While that is true, if a beautiful girl like Yu Hui were to suddenly fall unconscious on the street, wouldn’t some ill-intentioned scumbags try to take advantage of her?
Thinking about it this way, I become even more worried about Yu Hui’s future.
In the past, Yu Hui endured those dull, painful, and boring days by completely isolating herself from the world.
The most beautiful bloom of her youth was spent mostly in sleep. She must have had many regrets, feeling indignant.
But this time, I won’t let Yu Hui suffer that kind of injustice again.
With that resolve, I reached out again to support her shoulder. This time, she didn’t refuse me, though it might also be because she lacked the strength to resist.
Looking at her weak state, I asked,
“If I don’t do anything to you, will you change your opinion of me?”
Yu Hui’s eyes were almost closed, her breathing shallow.
Her voice was faint, but I heard it clearly.
“I… hate… senpai like this… casual…”
After saying that, Yu Hui’s eyes closed, and she fell asleep on the spot like a puppet.
Her body slumped, and I quickly caught her before she could hit the ground.
Hate… hate me for being casual…
Fine.
If you hate me now, then later, I’ll make you like me again.
The disappeared affection will be re-accumulated, bit by bit, from the very beginning.
I picked up Yu Hui in a princess carry, preparing to take her back to the infirmary/nurse’s office. There was a bed there, allowing her to sleep soundly.
Since she could fall asleep at any moment, I should stay with her… no, *you* should stay by *my* side.
Just like before, never leaving, always by my side.
Yes, that’s decided.
You guarded me tirelessly before, so this time, I will guard you.
You ultimately belong to me, Yu Hui.
Forever mine.
