Chapter 44: 43 Accomplices, Keep Each Other’s Secrets

Chapter 44: 43 Accomplices, Keep Each Other’s Secrets

“Aunt, the room is on the sixth floor, and there’s no elevator. Sorry to trouble you with the climb.”

“Okay~”

After finishing dinner, Ye Lan still wanted to check out the place rented by Yan Huan, and Yan Huan didn’t want to refuse.

So he agreed and took them to his rental apartment.

Despite wearing high heels, Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu had surprisingly good stamina and easily ascended the six flights of stairs.

They barely broke a sweat, indicating they must exercise regularly.

If Vice President Sakuraguchi were here, I bet she’d start panting well before the second floor.

As Ye Lan surveyed the decent surroundings, she found that the facilities weren’t too old or shabby, distinctly different from other hard-to-evaluate environments in the South District.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, she asked Yan Huan, “This place looks pretty good, Little Huan.”

“Ah, well, it’s public housing, so the rent isn’t too expensive, but the application process can be a hassle.”

The so-called public housing is actually a type of affordable housing promoted by the Linyi Gate government, with standards in living conditions and rental prices.

It’s managed by the government and requires specific conditions to be met for application.

And as an orphan, Yan Huan conveniently qualifies for the application.

The environment here is nice, and the rent is low, so Yan Huan’s housing cost pressure is relatively small.

But the real financial burden on him is tuition fees.

I remember when Principal Hemis was talking to Ye Lan earlier, he mentioned that the scholarships at Far Moon Academy could only cover up to two-thirds of tuition.

At first glance, it seems unreasonable for a prestigious school like Far Moon Academy, one of the top two elite institutions in Linyi, to leave even the Student Council President, who is at the top of his grade, with uncovered tuition costs.

However, this statement isn’t entirely accurate.

In fact, scholarships can cover full tuition; the problem lies in the many other fees beyond tuition that come with attending Far Moon Academy.

For instance, there’s the cost of the school bus, which adds up to several thousand for a school year.

Then there are the tailored uniform costs for two seasons, various supply fees, and payments for health insurance.

And let’s not forget about textbooks; they are also a heavyweight topic.

Printed materials at Linyi are super expensive; the math book Yan Huan uses alone costs hundreds.

That’s just for math! There are also four other core subjects, plus elective courses that sometimes require textbooks.

When added together, the costs are so high they make Yan Huan want to vomit!

These miscellaneous expenses aren’t covered by the scholarship and collectively account for about one-third of the total tuition, all due as a lump sum before the school year begins.

However, with all these frugal calculations, perhaps he can worry a little less.

After all, Yan Huan has already embraced the nurturing embrace of Sister Ye Lan.

“This is it.”

Yan Huan smiled back at Ye Lan, pulling out a key and unlocking the door, revealing a forty-square-meter space inside.

“Aunt, Sister Shiyu, feel free to come in. I don’t usually have guests, so I didn’t prepare any slippers or shoe covers or anything.”

“Then I’ll intrude~”

“…”

Turning on the lights, Yan Huan stepped inside first.

Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu followed closely behind, glancing around the clean rental apartment. Meow-chan also came out to greet them.

After all, during a previous handicrafts class, Ye Shiyu had made a little scarf for Meow-chan, and the cat food and canned food on the shelf were easily noticeable, revealing that Yan Huan had a kitty.

Cute creatures always attract women effortlessly, and after introducing Meow-chan’s full name, Ye Lan couldn’t resist picking up the cat for some cuddles.

At first glance, it seemed fluffy, making it look like a black fluffball.

But once touched, it turned out that this black cat was solid!

“What a fat cat!” Ye Lan exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise.

“Meow?!”

Meow-chan was taken aback.

But then, a flaw was revealed!

“What a cute little cat, but hey, Little Huan, why don’t you have a litter box at home?”

While petting Meow-chan, Ye Lan suddenly asked.

Hearing her mother’s question, Ye Shiyu turned a curious gaze toward Yan Huan.

“Ah, well…”

Yan Huan glanced at Meow-chan, who looked adorably innocent in Ye Lan’s arms, and then explained.

“Meow-chan often runs outside to play; he usually takes care of his business out there.”

“I see, still wild at heart? Such a cute little cat.”

Ye Lan stroked Meow-chan’s chubby face, then continued to explore Yan Huan’s small apartment.

However, there was only so much to see in a mere forty square meters. After a while, Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu prepared to head back to Jinghe District.

“Alright Little Huan, Aunt and Sister will head off now. If anything comes up, just contact me anytime, and come home for lunch often.”

At the door, Ye Lan turned back to bid farewell to Yan Huan.

“Of course, Aunt.”

As always, Ye Shiyu wore a calm expression, but her eyes missed no detail of Yan Huan’s living space.

Only when they were about to leave did she pull back her scrutinizing gaze and bid Yan Huan farewell.

“See you at school next week, Little Huan.”

“Okay, Sister Shiyu.”

Not needing to see them out, as their car was parked downstairs.

Once Yan Huan closed the door, Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu walked toward the stairway.

As they walked, Ye Shiyu glanced at her mother, who was humming a tune and seemed in a good mood, and suddenly asked,

“Is everything really okay, Mom?”

Ye Lan looked back, puzzled.

“What do you mean everything’s okay?”

“You clearly want Little Huan to come back home, don’t you?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Then, is it really okay to let him stay in the South District?”

Ye Lan paused slightly, then smiled.

“I did think so, but—”

“But?”

Ye Shiyu’s expression turned to one of confusion.

“Well, it might be a bit early for you, but consider this a small life lesson your mother is passing on ahead of time~”

“…”

Ye Lan reached out and gently ruffled Ye Shiyu’s black hair, her voice soft.

“People are most prone to regard the ones they care about as their possessions, then project expectations onto them.

“Parents see their children as their possessions and expect them to comply, choosing their life paths according to their plans.

“Children view their parents as possessions, expecting them to selflessly provide support whenever needed.

“Romantic partners feel the same, as do friends. Most intimate relationships likely follow this pattern.

“And when people do this, they often don’t realize it, for we are all trapped in our own perspectives.”

Ye Shiyu blinked, silent for a moment before asking,

“Is that… wrong?”

Ye Lan shook her head, continuing as they walked.

“There’s absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, it’s perfectly natural.

“Precisely because we have emotions for certain people, we attribute our hopes to them, wishing them to do something and not disappoint us.”

As they slowed their pace, Ye Lan reached the stairway.

She turned to look at her daughter, still standing still.

“But Shiyu, you must realize: the person you project your expectations onto is first and foremost themselves, and only then are they yours.

“You must understand this and respect it, or else you’ll both end up hurt.

“Imposing too many expectations and viewing others as your possessions will only leave you in a constant state of disappointment when you don’t get the desired reciprocation.”

Ye Shiyu’s eyes narrowed slightly, her lips parting.

“Little Huan belongs to himself first, and then to Yulu as the one I wish to express my feelings to.

“And Shiyu, you are also that to me~”

In the shadow of the doorway, Ye Shiyu looked at her smiling mother in confusion.

Unable to understand.

Completely at a loss regarding her mother’s thoughts.

But at that moment, Ye Shiyu suddenly recalled her confusion over the past week.

Every time she noticed others caring about or liking Little Huan at school, a sense of discomfort surged within her.

That must be what her mother referred to as disappointment.

Because seeing someone who isn’t solely hers, but potentially shared with others, violates her expectations.

But what’s wrong with that?

Wanting everything and everyone to align with her wishes, to always belong to her, to never betray or abandon her.

Is there anything wrong with that?

As for disappointment, she wasn’t afraid of facing it.

After all, she had a hypnosis app!

Realizing this, Ye Shiyu’s momentary daze was shattered by some dark presence within her, transforming her expression back to one of neutrality.

As night fell, the winds of the South District shattered unnameable complexities.

Ye Lan’s gentle voice dissolved into the flavor-filled neon lights, mingling into a chaotic mix of hues.

The colorful lights from the public rental buildings illuminated the shadows where Ye Shiyu stood, causing the suddenly brighter purple screen in her hand to blend into this neon world.

It was as if that screen was the very essence of that colorful existence.

And it felt like this dazzling world was grasped in Ye Shiyu’s hands.

“Alright, Shiyu, stop thinking about it. I’m exhausted today; let’s hurry back home and rest~”

“Okay.”

Ye Shiyu nodded, finally moving from her spot and walking toward the stairway.

As they left, she glanced back one more time at Yan Huan’s rental apartment, silently committing his room number to memory.

Then she caught up with Ye Lan, and they went downstairs.

It must be said that tonight, the feeling of confusion wasn’t just limited to Ye Shiyu.

“Why… why is it like this?”

In Jinghe District, within an ocean mansion.

Sakuraguchi Kyoko, clad in a nightgown, widened her eyes, fell silent for a moment, and then pressed the button on the corner of her table.

“Ding ding~”

“Click.”

The next moment, the door swung open, revealing a woman in a black suit with alluring black hair standing outside.

Upon seeing the still figure at the far end of the vast room, dressed in a nightgown and fixated on her computer screen, her expression transformed into one of “as expected.”

She pressed a button on her phone, silencing the “emergency situation” warning that was displayed on the screen.

“My Lady Sakuraguchi, haven’t you ever heard the story about the boy who cried wolf?”

Then, with a charming smile, the mature woman asked,

“Although I knew it would be like this, it’s my duty as your bodyguard to remind you: Don’t ring that bell unless it’s an emergency.”

“It’s already an emergency, Nairu!!”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko flushed red, turning to the woman behind her.

“Eh~”

The woman called “Nairu” responded nonchalantly, then closed the door behind her and approached Sakuraguchi Kyoko.

“So, just how urgent is the situation?”

“Look!”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko turned back, clicking the mouse to enlarge one of the numerous monitor feeds, then dragging the progress bar back a bit.

On screen, she revealed a scene in the hallway of a South District public rental apartment, where a smiling Yan Huan was leading Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu inside.

Nairu looked at the screen, then turned her gaze back to the increasingly pouty and flustered Sakuraguchi Kyoko.

Silence hung for a second before she transformed into a repeating machine, asking once more,

“So, where is the urgency?”

“Can’t you see?! How can you still call yourself a ‘virgin-slayer’?!”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko clenched her fist, her gaze toward Nairu already filled with disdain, further complicating Nairu’s understanding.

“Huh? What does that have to do with me?”

“Can’t you see? The President has never had anyone invited back! But today… today Ye Shiyu actually… went inside?! The President’s first time… this can’t…”

“Can you not use such strange terms?”

Nairu’s expression broke slightly as she listened seriously, but Sakuraguchi Kyoko remained blissfully unaware.

“And it’s not like it’s just her, there’s an elder with them too! What’s so urgent about that?”

“Isn’t she a woman?!”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko bit her thumb nail, looking extremely anxious.

“Clearly, I’ve known the President longer, and he’s even made pudding for me! She’s never even had any! Why does she get to go into the President’s home when I haven’t even been there?!”

“So if you want to go, why not just ask Yan Huan if you can visit?”

“How could it be that easy? Are you a fool?”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko shot Nairu a look, rationally analyzing, “I’ve investigated the layout of the President’s apartment; it’s only forty square meters. If I want a valid reason to go, I’d have to bring other Student Council members along too.

“Forty square meters—how can five people fit in there? That would make the President so awkward! It’s impossible!”

Nairu had already lazily flopped across Sakuraguchi Kyoko’s large bed, pulling out her phone to watch cute pet videos.

At the same time, she shot Sakuraguchi Kyoko a glance, “What I mean is, just tell Yan Huan you want to check out his place.”

“What?”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko’s face flushed, flailing her hands in rejection, “That… wouldn’t that be too obvious?”

“What’s wrong with being obvious? What’s wrong with being more proactive? After all, you do like him, right?”

“That’s right, but…”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko turned her gaze to the countless surveillance camera feeds on the computer screen, next to an array of photos of Yan Huan and numerous notebooks detailing his words and actions.

“This doesn’t match the persona I usually create. Being so proactive this suddenly might easily reveal flaws…”

The longer she looked, the paler her expression became.

“If that happens, will the President quickly realize something’s off? And even if we end up together, will he be disappointed little by little and eventually flee? If that happens, I would definitely want to die!”

“…Ah, whatever. I still don’t want to lose my job, so Miss Sakuraguchi, you’d better wait until I resign before you decide to die.”

“What are you talking about, Nairu?!”

Nairu sat up, yawning, her previously alluring demeanor tarnished by the troublesome topic.

“So, why don’t you stop doing these things? Let me set up all these cameras and keep track of everything. Now that we’re finally close to success, it’s become all the more complicated.”

But Sakuraguchi Kyoko blinked, looking at her like she was an idiot.

“Are you a fool? If I didn’t set up cameras, how would I know about the President’s every move?”

“…”

Nairu felt like dying, but she had this nagging feeling someone else deserved to die instead.

She lay sprawled out on the bed, ready to check out any grave being prepared for her, and remarked to Sakuraguchi Kyoko, “You win, Miss Sakuraguchi.”

“I won?”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko stepped to the bedside, hands on her hips, and looked at Nairu, who was either flirting or negotiating with someone on her phone.

“Isn’t the key now you helping me?”

“So how should I help?”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko rubbed her chin, looking like she had a plan.

She walked back to the computer desk, grabbed a stack of brochures.

“Here, look at this.”

“What’s this?”

“Information about some home products. This one is for television cable installation, this one is for Wi-Fi, that one is for air conditioner installation, here’s one for changing water heaters, and this is about water purifiers.”

“Wait, wait, wait! What are you planning to do?”

Nairu sat up, watching Sakuraguchi Kyoko lay one sheet after another before her.

Sakuraguchi Kyoko picked one sheet aimed at Nairu, “You just pick one. Saying you’re here for a free air conditioner or TV installation, whatever. Just find an excuse to get into the President’s apartment and then secretly install a camera—no, not just one. One in the living room, one in the bedroom, and one in the restroom—”

“Are you completely insane?”

“Tap!”

Nairu slapped the sheets out of Sakuraguchi Kyoko’s hands, then followed it up with a light smack on her head.

“Tap~”

It was a soft tap, yet it had Sakuraguchi Kyoko nearly tear up, covering her forehead as she groaned.

“Nairu!”

“Miss Sakuraguchi, if you continue like this, you’ll definitely screw yourself over completely. Don’t even think about getting together with Yan Huan; if you get discovered, you might as well be prepared to live with a ruined reputation for life.”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko was such a weakling that a simple light smack from Nairu almost made her cry.

Her cheeks flushed, tears forming at her eyes as she looked up anxiously, exclaiming, “Then what should I do?! That detestable Ye Shiyu… how could she?!”

“Weren’t you quite calm earlier? Saying it was nothing to worry about? How is it that now you’re collapsing under the pressure at night?”

As your personal bodyguard, Nairu had handled many of these sneaky camera installation topics for Sakuraguchi Kyoko.

A hundred or more cameras—all with subtly invasive angles, requiring frequent maintenance.

Think about it; it’s obvious that, with Sakuraguchi Kyoko’s frail constitution, there’s no way she could pull it off by herself. All of this has been Nairu’s doing.

Having mixed herself into this matter led Nairu, typically an uninterested adult, to start actually paying attention to the progression of their relationship.

It was like watching electronic cricket fights every day; so much entertainment.

Earlier in the afternoon, the same person who coldly judged potential rival Ye Shiyu’s performance had come home, only to completely erupt when faced with the impromptu entry of the other party in the evening.

Just where did this Miss Sakuraguchi find so much energy from day to day?

Though, in fact, the flustered side of the usually composed Sakuraguchi Kyoko was rather adorable.

It felt like she couldn’t maintain her composed facade in front of Yan Huan anymore; if she displayed this side of herself, she’d have already—

Sakuraguchi Kyoko, clenching her fists in frustration, wanted to hit Nairu, but Nairu only needed one hand to block her punches.

As she casually warded off Sakuraguchi Kyoko’s fast punches, Nairu, still yawning, commented, “Miss Sakuraguchi, rather than barging into someone else’s home to set up cameras, why not consider what to do for the gaming exhibition this Sunday?”

“The gaming exhibition?”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko initially paused, but then her eyes sparkled.

Oh right! They needed to go out for team building as a Student Council this weekend!

At that time, both the President and herself would be together!!

“Yeah, I still need to think about what will be featured in the gaming exhibition this Sunday. If there’s a chance—”

Finally calming down, Sakuraguchi Kyoko found her way back.

Nairu caught hold of her clenched fist and gently pushed, inadvertently making Sakuraguchi Kyoko stumble up from the bed.

“However, I think you should also seriously consider how to handle your feelings for Yan Huan before you think about the gaming exhibition.”

“What do you mean?”

Nairu sat up, leaning on her chin with a flirtatious smile.

“You plan to be with Yan Huan, right?”

“Of course I do.”

“But you’re relying on the persona you’ve built around your character to attract him, hoping he’ll initiate his feelings. Simply put, if you end up together, which version of you will he actually like—the persona or the real you?”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko was taken aback, yet looked at Nairu as if she were foolish.

“Are you an idiot?

“I created a persona that would make the President like me; by being together, I would feel satisfied knowing him intimately.

“This way, it’s a win-win! The persona is me, and the real me is also me—there’s no difference.”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko completely regained her composure after that explanation.

After a pause, she suddenly peered at Nairu, her eyes narrowing in a somewhat chilling manner.

“Nairu, the person I trust most in this world is you, and that’s why I let you know everything.

“And you who knows all of this will absolutely never tell anyone my secrets, right?”

Upon hearing this, Nairu raised an eyebrow.

With a sultry smile, she mimed locking her lips with a silent gesture, as if closing a zipper.

“Of course, I’ll keep it a secret, Miss Sakuraguchi.

“In exchange, you must keep my matter a secret as well and not let anyone from my family know, okay?”

Sakuraguchi Kyoko smiled faintly while displaying a look of obvious understanding and then extended her hand to Nairu.

“Ah, I won’t let my family know you’re pretending to be my bodyguard~”

“Good, then, Miss Sakuraguchi.”

Nairu grasped Sakuraguchi’s little hand.

She then stood up, continuing, “So, shall we start preparing for the gaming exhibition this weekend? I can bring the materials, and you can… think about how to approach this?”

“Alright, I’ll consider it.”

Nairu nodded, turning to leave.

But just as she was about to head out, Sakuraguchi Kyoko suddenly pulled her sleeve, prompting Nairu to curiously look back.

Sakuraguchi Kyoko blushed slightly and pointed at the sheets filled with indoor installation equipment.

“…”

That meaning was unmistakably clear.

She still wanted Nairu to use that excuse to go set up cameras in Yan Huan’s apartment.

“…”

Nairu fell silent for a moment before smiling seductively.

“Nope~”

“Eh?! Why not?”

“This is for your own good, so just listen to me.”

“Ah, but I really want to see what the President’s place is like! Watching him eat, sleep, study, and shower—”

“I’ll take my leave now, Miss Sakuraguchi.”

Nairu hurriedly covered her ears, afraid of hearing anything inappropriate despite being an adult, swiftly exiting Sakuraguchi Kyoko’s room.

Left alone in her chamber, Sakuraguchi Kyoko shouted in frustration, “Nairu! Seriously!”