Chapter 43: A Different Shadow

  "Downstairs, there are four bedrooms on the second floor, and all the other bedrooms are on the third floor. You can choose any one to live in. I live in the room next to the window." Ying pointed to the right side, "The staircase is on the left, and at the end of it is the bathroom, where you can take a bath, and there's a big bathtub too..." Ying smiled.

  "Uh-huh, okay. Then I'll just live in the room next door." Ying led Lian Yu over.

  "Ling Yu, wait for me here for a moment..." Ying walked into his own room and came out soon after, holding a sign and an extra set of clothes. Upon closer inspection, the sign had two words written on it - Ling Yu.

  The sign was hung on the bedroom door chosen by Lian Xi, and it was very delicate. The black background made it look particularly elegant, with intricate green totem patterns on top. The name was surrounded by two peony flowers, one red and one white. The flowers were painted very finely, and you could see all the textures clearly. It really looked beautiful.

  "How beautiful! What kind of flower is this?"

  "It's the peony... The white one is called Mandarava, the red one is called Manjushaka... Actually, I don't know why I chose to use the peony when making the emblem, I just felt a sense of familiarity and closeness when I saw the pattern..."

  "......Mandala flower......Manjusaka flower......What a beautiful name, what a beautiful flower. Is this something you've already prepared?! How can you be so sure that we will definitely accept your invitation and move in?"

  "Of course! How could you, Lian Xi, miss any opportunity to learn more about me? If you were to move in, Qiao Jia would definitely come with you, and Lan Yu would certainly follow. To make your stay comfortable, I've newly purchased all the furniture, and even designed the room cards myself..."

  "Why bother so much? To be honest, we can't even be considered friends now..."

  "Pitiful evening, we are teammates after all! At least we have the same goal... and there aren't many people like us who were unlucky enough to be chosen to participate in this game. At the very least, we can now consider ourselves fellow sufferers on the same boat..."

  After hearing Ying's answer, Lian Xi suddenly felt very warm and really had to look at Ying in a different way... Moreover, this man's mysteriousness and variability further piqued Lian Xi's curiosity. The usually cold, silent, and life-disdainful Ying unexpectedly acknowledged that the few of them were teammates, partners... Unconsciously making Lian Xi feel very surprised.

  "This piece of clothing is for you..." Ying handed the clothes in her hand to Lian Xi.

  "What is this?" Ling Xi spread out the clothes, it was a very cute nightgown with lace, her favorite style. Ling Xi looked at Ying in surprise, not knowing what to say, she suddenly felt that she didn't understand Ying at all, and had never really known Ying...

  "This is the pajamas I bought for you......" Ying suddenly blushed a little, feeling very embarrassed, "You...you go wash up first......the towels and toiletries are all ready for you......in the bathroom..." After finishing speaking, Ying retreated back into her own room.

  Lian Xi stood there in a daze, this was actually the pajamas that Ying had bought for herself. Looking at the nameplate on the door and then at the pajamas in her hand, Lian Xi realized that Ying also had a thoughtful side. Thinking about Ying's bright red face just now, Lian Xi couldn't help but laugh out loud, it turned out that Ying was actually quite cute too...

  Lianxi opened the door to her own room, where a deep purple plush carpet with silver threads was laid out on the floor. She took off her shoes and stepped inside, afraid of ruining or dirtying the beautiful carpet. Directly opposite the door was a very large window, with curtains in a color similar to the carpet hanging on either side, and golden tassels decorating the bottom of the curtains...

  On the right side is a white dresser, it feels good to touch. On one side of the dresser is a large closet, twice as big as the one at Lian Xi's home. In the corner of the opposite wall is a soft sofa, Lian Xi involuntarily sat down on it, so soft... On the bedside table there is a very simple desk lamp.

  "This room is so beautiful... did Yīng know from the start that I would choose this room?" Liàng Xī thought to herself, "Whatever... it's really comfortable here..." Liàng Xī lazily lay on the soft bed for a long time before getting up and picking up her nightgown, walking out of the room.

  Open the bathroom door, next to a small two-tier shoe rack, with two pairs of slippers neatly placed on each tier. Blue, black, yellow, and purple, one pair each. Probably prepared for the four of them. Lian Xi hesitated about which color to wear, looked down and found a small card on top, picked it up.

  Choose slippers according to the color of the room

  Is it true that all four rooms have different decorations? Lianxi changed into purple slippers.

  The other equipment and the general toilet are no different. The bathroom is at the very back of the toilet, and this toilet is even bigger than Lian Xi's bedroom at home. Next to the bathtub, there is a small cabinet, and Lian Xi curiously opens the door.

  Inside were shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, skincare products... and even a small can of milk powder and a box of flower petals. All the toiletries were complete. It was simply unbelievable...

  Lying quietly in the bathtub, enjoying this brief moment of comfort. She feels like a princess from the royal family right now... Can't help but say she's becoming more and more interested in Yue.

  After bathing, Lian Yu walked in front of the washbasin. On the table of the washbasin, there were four sets of toothbrushes and cups, still in those four colors...

  After everything was ready, Lian Yu slowly walked to the door of the shadow room and gently knocked on the door.

  "What's wrong? Evening girl." Ying opened the door. Lianxi saw that the carpet in Ying's house was black, and indeed the decorations of the four rooms were different...

  "Was everything here prepared by you over the past two days? Or... was it already like this?" For some reason, Liang Xi really wanted to ask this question and hoped that Ying's answer would be the former.

  "Of course it's already prepared, but I didn't prepare it myself, I don't have time, I had someone else help me set it up... how is it, Lian Xi? Does it feel okay?"

  "Uh, it's fine. Just call me Lianxi from now on, no need to say 'Miss Lianxi' all the time...it sounds so troublesome..."

  "Alright... Rie..."

  "That... you should get some rest early, I'll go back to sleep first. Oh... the pajamas fit well, thank you..." Rye returned to her own room and lay on the bed. Although she had stayed behind tonight because she had many questions to ask, Rye was eager to solve these problems and couldn't wait until tomorrow to take the risk of staying behind. But Ying's sudden change made Rye unsure of how to speak... or rather, Ying's behavior tonight answered Rye's greatest inner doubts...

  At this moment, Lian Yu was firmly convinced - Ying would absolutely never harm them!

  And the shadow on the other side of the wall also felt an unprecedented joy, "Lian Xi, now you should believe me... probably won't be afraid of me anymore... I will definitely protect you well!"