THIP Chapter 15 V2

Since he was destined to leave this world eventually, he shouldn’t let Chu Jiyu become more attached to him. Maybe… he shouldn’t have softened and agreed to leave with her just now.

Mu Liuyin lowered his gaze and said, “Chu Chu, take me home.”

Chu Jiyu looked at Mu Liuyin, who was avoiding her questions. The joy of finally seeing the person she had longed for over the past four years was instantly doused like a bucket of cold water. When Mu Liuyin got into the car with her just now, she had thought—hoped—that maybe Mu Liuyin couldn’t let go of her either, that her departure had been for reasons unknown to her.

But now, Chu Jiyu finally understood. She had only been fooling herself. To Mu Liuyin, she was just a student. Just as she had said—she was only her high school teacher. There was no reason for her to be responsible for her forever.

“Alright,” Chu Jiyu said.

Mu Liuyin was a bit surprised at how easily Chu Jiyu agreed but didn’t think much of it. She felt relieved yet also ached for how Chu Jiyu must have lived alone all these years.

The driver had been driving for an unknown amount of time. Mu Liuyin was starting to feel drowsy. She blinked her eyes open, sensing that something was off. The car seemed to have been driving for too long.

“Did we take the wrong route? This is taking too long,” she asked.

Chu Jiyu replied, “No, we’re almost there.”

Mu Liuyin hummed in acknowledgment, but the uneasy feeling remained. She asked Xiao Jiu where they were.

Xiao Jiu hesitated—it had been busy playing games and hadn’t been paying attention to the route. Checking now, it realized they had already arrived in H City.

With a guilty conscience, Xiao Jiu responded, [Host, we’re in H City.]

… What?!

Mu Liuyin was stunned. She turned her head to look out the window, completely caught off guard.

She had never expected that Chu Jiyu, who had agreed so obediently, would be so scheming.

Seeing the shocked expression on her face, Chu Jiyu felt a bit amused. Even she hadn’t expected Mu Liuyin to have such little guard up around her.

Chu Jiyu’s eyes curved as she smiled. “What’s wrong, teacher?”

Mu Liuyin: “…” I want to smack this little brat.

“Stop the car!” Mu Liuyin said, annoyed. “I’ll go back by myself.”

Chu Jiyu’s smile slowly faded. She asked, “Teacher, do you not want to be with me?”

Mu Liuyin: “…” Why does that question sound so strange?

Chu Jiyu said, “We’ll stop when we get home.”

Mu Liuyin glared at her in frustration, but Chu Jiyu refused to let the driver stop.

Ignoring her, Mu Liuyin sat in silence. Less than half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a familiar building.

It was the place where she and Chu Jiyu had lived together for a year.

A dull ache spread through Mu Liuyin’s chest. Before she even realized it, her heart had softened, and she followed Chu Jiyu upstairs.

Mu Liuyin: “…”

Forget it. She could just leave tomorrow.

The apartment was nothing like when she first moved in, when it had been covered in dust. Now, it was neat, clean, and full of signs of life.

As she washed vegetables in the kitchen, she hesitated before asking, “Have you been living here all this time?”

Chu Jiyu nodded. “Teacher, do you know? On my first day of college, I secretly applied for off-campus living because I wanted to come home and surprise you.” She paused before continuing, “But you were gone. You only left behind a note. When I went to the high school to find you, a teacher told me you had already resigned.”

A pang of guilt stabbed through Mu Liuyin’s heart. She lifted her gaze to look at Chu Jiyu, only to see her calmly say, “But you took the key with you. So I thought, if I kept living here, maybe one day, you’d come back to see me.”

She smiled slightly. “But you never did. Not even once.”

Though Chu Jiyu was smiling, Mu Liuyin could feel the deep sorrow beneath it.

“I’m sorry,” Mu Liuyin said softly, her heart aching. “I should have told you in person.”

Chu Jiyu felt a bitter taste in her heart. Told me in person? I just didn’t want you to leave at all.

As evening approached, Mu Liuyin carried the freshly made dishes to the table while Chu Jiyu brought out two bottles of red wine and poured them into glasses.

During dinner, Chu Jiyu asked, “Teacher, can you stay with me?”

Her clear, glassy eyes held a pleading look, full of reluctance to part. Mu Liuyin’s heart softened, but she knew she couldn’t agree.

Chu Jiyu downed her glass of wine and seemed slightly tipsy. She urged Mu Liuyin to drink too. Unable to refuse, Mu Liuyin took a few sips.

Then, Chu Jiyu said, “Ning Xi, I like you.”

Mu Liuyin’s eyes widened in shock. She had never expected Chu Jiyu to confess.

Chu Jiyu leaned in, wrapping her arms around Mu Liuyin. With her gaze slightly hazy from alcohol, she said, “Ning Xi, marry me.”

Mu Liuyin was at a loss. She sighed helplessly. “Chu Chu, you’re drunk.”

Chu Jiyu lifted her head, attempting to kiss her, but Mu Liuyin turned away. Chu Jiyu’s eyes reddened in grievance. “I’m not drunk. I love you.”

Mu Liuyin gently pushed her away but suddenly felt an intense heat coursing through her body. Her mind grew dizzy.

Her expression darkened as she asked Xiao Jiu, What’s happening to me?

Xiao Jiu stammered, [Waaah! Host, you’ve been drugged! QAQ]

What the—?!

Mu Liuyin’s chest rose and fell in anger. She stumbled into the bathroom, turning on the cold water in an attempt to cool down.

Her consciousness grew hazy. She sank into the cold water of the bathtub, gritting her teeth as she asked Xiao Jiu if she was… reacting.

Xiao Jiu reassured her, [As long as you don’t want to, you won’t. Your soul is female, so even though you’re in a male body, if you don’t desire it, then, well… nothing’s going to happen.]

Chu Jiyu followed her into the bathroom and was met with the sight of Mu Liuyin completely submerged in cold water.

Mu Liuyin forced her eyes open and snapped, “Get out!”

Chu Jiyu remained calm, showing no signs of intoxication. “Teacher, the drug is strong. A cold bath won’t help.”

Mu Liuyin believed her. Whatever she had been drugged with, it was potent. Even after soaking in cold water, her body temperature kept rising.

Still, since she had no interest in that way, certain things weren’t responding at all. Mu Liuyin found bitter amusement in that.

Chu Jiyu stepped closer, intending to help, but then she realized something shocking—her teacher…

Didn’t react. At all.

Chu Jiyu blinked in surprise. Under Mu Liuyin’s furious glare, she reached out and lightly touched the supposedly affected area.

… Soft.

Chu Jiyu: “Teacher, I won’t mind.”

Mu Liuyin: “Get out!”