Chapter 8: Sleeping Together

"I heard you got lost in the back garden?"

At the dining table, Liang Di's eyes were glued to Liang Lin's face.

Damn it, how did she know?

Liang Lin glared fiercely at Bellica, who lowered her head, trembling, unable to meet Liang Lin's gaze.

"There are dangerous things in the back garden... You'd better be careful next time," Liang Di said, seemingly offering a well-intentioned reminder.

Auston and Miranda hadn't returned yet; they were still in the palace, plotting something unsavory with the Queen.

"I'm going out tomorrow morning, and I probably won't be back until night at the earliest. Take good care of yourself at home," Liang Di said, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief and waving her hand. A maid grasped the handle of her wheelchair.

"I'm going back to rest. You should get some rest too."

Liang Lin paused, her hand holding the fork trembling. A sense of joy began to rise within her. Liang Di's words, "Take good care of yourself at home," seemed to express concern. Did that mean she was beginning to lower her guard?

Great!

She had to strike while the iron was hot.

Liang Lin gazed out the dark window, listening intently to the patter of rain on the ground, and suddenly thought of the romance novels she'd been reading lately. She'd heard that if you act weak during a thunderstorm, and then sneak into someone's room with a pillow, it could strengthen your bond with that person. So, she thought, 'Let the thunder come quickly! Then I can sneak into Liang Di's room for a night raid!'

Liang Lin tilted her head, swinging her slender legs.

Late at night.

Liang Lin was awakened by a clap of thunder.

She wasn't afraid of thunder; in fact, she was somewhat excited by its appearance, wanting to run to the window and peek out. But she couldn't. Right now, her priority was to go to Liang Di's room, show weakness, and strengthen their connection.

Alright, no more talking.

Liang Lin, wearing a light pink silk nightgown, clutching a pillow, and barefoot, ran across the carpet in the hallway.

She arrived.

Liang Di should lock the door, right? "Try pushing it first. If it's locked, I'll knock and go in."

Liang Lin pushed the door hard, but it wouldn't open; it was locked, as expected.

She pouted, her cheeks puffed out, like a little hamster secretly hiding food in its mouth.

"Knock knock knock~"

The knocking, accompanied by the increasingly heavy rain and thunder, made everything seem so eerie, like a scene from a horror novel, as if a cannibal would appear in the hallway at any moment. Of course, the appearance of a cannibal would only excite Liang Lin more; she couldn't stand not fighting for a day.

No one answered, so Liang Lin knocked a few more times, but still no response. She slumped her head dejectedly.

"Really, how can a girl sleep so soundly? With such heavy rain and thunder, how can she still sleep?" Liang Lin muttered in dissatisfaction, turning to leave.

Just then.

"Click~"

The door opened.

Huh?

Didn't you even ask whose it was? How can you be so careless?

Liang Lin looked down and saw Liang Di sitting expressionlessly in her wheelchair.

Oh, right!

Liang Lin slapped her forehead.

Look at her! How could she forget? Liang Di's legs are weak. If she wanted to open the door, it would take her a long time to climb into the wheelchair and then come over. So all that silence was probably just her doing all that.

"Why do you come..."

Before Liang Di could finish speaking,

Liang Lin suddenly realized that she should pretend to be terrified and throw herself at Liang Di to gain her sympathy. Young girls, especially the naive and innocent ladies of the elite, all have a bit of a saintly heart. If she acted pitiful, maybe the other person would be more merciful to her?

"Waaah~"

Liang Lin sobbed, opening her arms wide, the pillow falling to the floor. She threw herself into Liang Di's arms, hugging the other's neck tightly, and burst into loud, empty sobs.

"Waaah~ Did you hear that? It's thundering outside, so loud, so loud! I'm so scared... Waaah~ Are you scared, Liang Di?"

Liang Di: "?"

Confused.

No, this is too sudden.

 "Liang Lin, you..."

This time, she didn't call her "sister" in that cheeky way. Instead, she placed her hand on the other's shoulder, looking bewildered, and asked cautiously, "Are you alright? What happened?"

Liang Lin continued to sob, though actually, not a single tear fell from her face. "I... I've always been terrified of thunder since I was little. When it thunders, my heart races... Before, before, I could only huddle under the covers, trembling. Today, today I suddenly thought of you. I... I came here in the middle of the night, I hope I didn't disturb you?"

Tsk tsk tsk, this girl has mastered the essence of a green tea bitch.

Hiss~

A villainess, afraid of thunder, and even crying when it thunders—this contrast is truly captivating. But... Liang Di finds it quite interesting.

Liang Lin is such a fun kid.

"So... what do you want to do?" Liang Di asked.

Liang Lin inwardly cursed the other woman for being a blockhead. This beautiful young lady was crying so bitterly, and she didn't even invite her in, or even offer to share a bed? She had absolutely no social skills.

She wanted to look at the other woman with teary eyes, yes!

But Liang Lin raised her hand to touch her cheeks and found them dry; there were no tears at all.

What should she do? If she stared at the other woman, wouldn't she be found out? Luckily, she was clever enough to have prepared. She had secretly put a small bottle of water in her sleeve, thinking that if she didn't cry, she could use it instead of tears.

Liang Lin's current posture was like a sloth, and Liang Di was like a large tree. Liang Lin clung tightly to the other woman's neck, her head naturally resting on the other woman's shoulder. Therefore, Liang Di couldn't see her face, and she could drip tears into her eyes.

Liang Lin hurriedly dripped some water into her eyes and face, tucked the small bottle back into her sleeve, and then distanced herself from Liang Di, staring at her with a pitiful look.

"Liang Di, can I sleep in your room? I'm really scared of thunder... You know, I lost my mother when I was little..."

Liang Di: "..."

Hmm? I (Liang Di) think I lost my mother when I was little too.

Liang Di wanted to laugh, but looking at Liang Lin's tear-streaked face, she felt embarrassed to laugh.

"Okay, okay, come on, come on, you'll sleep with me tonight." Liang Di pushed Liang Lin away, "But there's one condition: you can't move around in the blanket, and you can't... um, you can hug my arm, but you can't get too close to me."

Hmm~ This is actually a bit difficult. Sleeping under the same blanket... I feel like I might get caught...

Liang Di frowned.

"Okay, okay~"

Liang Lin revealed a triumphant smile.