Bengtie, I'm really not a villain!

She clenched her fists and silently vowed in her heart,

"I have to help Mei thoroughly 'investigate' Jing Ye. If he dares to bully Mei in the slightest, I will absolutely not let him off! Hmph, my fists are not to be trifled with!"

Even so, the thought of her friend embarking on a sweet journey of love and finding her own happiness still stirred up a complex mix of emotions in Kiana's heart.

She was genuinely happy and excited that her friend had found someone she liked, but also saddened by the possibility of losing some of her friends.

She reached out and poked her cheek, which was puffed up from her inner turmoil. She sighed with a wry smile, feeling a mix of anticipation and melancholy, like a jumbled mess of emotions.

Kiana poked her burning cheeks, completely unaware that Raiden Mei behind her was repeatedly stroking Jingye's face with her sweaty fingertips.

During this process, due to the constant contact with Jingye, the Honkai energy on Jingye's body remained at a level that was about to erupt but could be calmed down.

The medical pod's overhead light cast a gentle glow over the girl's head, but it couldn't illuminate the dark undercurrents surging in Raiden Mei's eyes.

Kiana mechanically poked her burning cheeks with her fingers, lost in her own tangled thoughts, completely unaware of Raiden Mei's strange behavior behind her.

At this moment, Raiden Mei's forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and her cold, sweat-soaked fingertips were uncontrollably moving across Jingye's face.

Every touch felt like she was dealing with a sleeping beast. The Honkai energy on Jing Ye's body, under her efforts, was like a volcano about to erupt but being barely suppressed, always hovering on the verge of exploding.

The soft glow from the medical pod's overhead lights enveloped Raiden Mei, yet it couldn't penetrate the turbulent undercurrent in her eyes, where fear, determination, and untold pain lay hidden.

The transport ship slowly sailed toward the St. Freya Academy's helipad. The afterglow of the setting sun pierced through the thick clouds, casting long shadows across the deck.

When Raiden Mei urgently shouted, "I'll take care of him and put him in my dorm," Himeko was taken aback at first, then a meaningful auntie smile appeared on her lips, her eyes behind her glasses full of teasing.

"Oh my, when did our Mei become so bold?"

Himeko crossed her arms and deliberately dragged out the last syllable.

"This is no child's play. Leaving a comatose boy in the dormitory will embarrass the girls if word gets out."

She blinked, her gaze shifting back and forth between Raiden Mei's flushed cheeks and Keiya's pale face, as if she had discovered an interesting secret.

Raiden Mei's clenched fist trembled slightly at her side.

"I can suppress him, and only by keeping him by my side can I deal with him immediately."

Her voice carried an undeniable firmness, yet under Himeko's ambiguous gaze, a barely perceptible blush rose to the tips of her ears.

Kiana watched in stunned silence, completely unprepared for Himeko's reaction.

Himeko, however, walked forward unhurriedly and gently pinched Raiden Mei's burning cheek.

"Still being stubborn? When you kissed someone's forehead just now, my heart was beating so fast my heart monitor was about to go off."

Her teasing made Raiden Mei freeze.

"But are you really going to protect her like this? The medical department has much more professional equipment..."

"Believe me."

Raiden Mei suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with a resolute determination, the afterglow of the setting sun outlining her resolute silhouette.

She gazed at Raiden Mei's tightly pursed lips and slightly trembling eyelashes, her smile gradually fading as a complex emotion welled up within her.

A brief silence fell over the transport ship, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of the monitoring equipment. Himeko finally sighed, shaking her head with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence.

"I really can't argue with you. Fine, I'll arrange for someone to monitor you 24/7. If anything happens, I won't let you off the hook."

She gently patted Raiden Mei's shoulder, her tone tinged with emotion.

"I never expected that Mei, who is usually so calm, would be so persistent when she falls in love."

The last rays of the setting sun fell precisely on Raiden Mei's profile, casting the shadows of her long eyelashes beneath her eyes.

Kiana gazed at her friend's slender yet resolute back, then at Himeko's smile of relief mixed with helplessness, and suddenly realized that this argument about "taking care" was far more complicated than she had imagined.

Jing Ye, lying unconscious on the stretcher, had purple markings on his chest that flickered eerily in the twilight, as if silently witnessing this "deeply affectionate protection" born from a misunderstanding.

Raiden Mei stood like a frozen sculpture, her gaze fixed on the unconscious Jing Ye, her eyes brimming with complex emotions that were difficult for others to fathom, as if she were awakening a long-buried memory.

"He will want to be with only me."

Raiden Mei finally spoke, her voice as soft as a whisper in the wind, yet carrying an innate certainty, as if it were an undeniable fact.

These words, once spoken, were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples. Kiana, standing to the side, was particularly struck as if by lightning, and almost jumped up.

"Mei, how can you be so sure!"

Kiana's eyes widened, her gaze filled with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity.

Her braids swung wildly with the vigorous movements, appearing messy yet full of vitality.

At that moment, countless thoughts flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.

Those ambiguous, imaginative images made her cheeks flush slightly, but the words she was about to say were abruptly interrupted by Raiden Mei's raised hand.

As Raiden Mei turned around, her combat boots scraped violently against the metal floor, drawing a cold and resolute arc. The movement seemed to carry the frost and snow of winter, exuding an aura that kept strangers at bay.

Her slightly pale face seemed to be covered with a layer of frost, making it difficult to discern her true thoughts.

"You can try it if you don't believe me."

Before her words even echoed in the air, Raiden Mei had already taken three clean and swift steps back.

She gave up the space next to the stretcher. The small space that she had been protecting was now like a trap full of unknown dangers, drawing everyone's attention.

Seeing this, Himeko's lips curled up slightly, she raised one eyebrow, and a light, amused smile appeared on her face.

That smile contained both curiosity about Raiden Mei's confidence and anticipation for this "experiment".

She slowly extended her hand and gently gestured to a Valkyrie dressed in a silver-gray combat suit beside her.

The Valkyrie took a deep breath and strode confidently toward Jing Ye.

The moment her fingertips touched Jing Ye's arm, it was as if she had triggered some hidden mechanism. The monitor, which had been relatively stable, suddenly emitted a sharp and piercing alarm, the sound of which was like the cry of a night owl, breaking the oppressive silence in the cabin.

At the same time, the mysterious purple patterns around Jing Ye's body seemed to come alive, like wildly writhing snakes, freely swimming and coiling across his skin.

Under the sudden, powerful, and invisible force, the metal railings of the hospital bed began to twist and deform like fragile tree branches, the metal rubbing and pressing against each other, sparks flying everywhere.

"Get out!"

Himeko's voice rang out like a booming bell, carrying an undeniable authority. However, before her words had even finished, a purple light flashed back like lightning.

Raiden Mei's speed was so fast that it was almost impossible to catch her. Only the pale purple lightning burst at her fingertips like fireworks, illuminating her slightly cold face.

The moment her hand firmly touched Jingye's chest again, something miraculous happened. The Honkai energy, which had been running rampant like a wild horse, gradually calmed down, as if it had suddenly encountered its natural enemy or been tamed by a skilled tamer.

The alarm from the monitor gradually weakened until it finally returned to a relatively stable state.

Kiana stood by and witnessed the entire thrilling process.

She looked at her friend Raiden Mei, whose hair was flying wildly due to the intense energy surge, and who seemed to be shrouded in a sacred yet dangerous halo.

At that moment, she saw the same light in Raiden Mei's eyes—a deep, penetrating understanding of the enemy.

This kind of understanding cannot be formed overnight; it must be hidden behind countless untold stories.

"See?"

Raiden Mei lowered her eyes slightly, deliberately avoiding the inquisitive gazes of the crowd.

Beneath her combat uniform, her back was taut and straight, like a fully drawn bow, ready to face any potential crisis.

She was well aware of Jing Ye's wickedness; that stormy night in her memory was like an indelible scar, deeply etched into her heart.

She clearly remembered that Jing Ye was wearing those pristine white gloves, a mocking smile on his face, toying with the cold chains in his hands; every movement seemed to proclaim his cruelty and ruthlessness to the world.

She understood even more clearly that if all of this was indeed a meticulously planned scheme by Jing Ye, then what awaited her was a relentless and inescapable entanglement.

Just then, a faint smile crept onto Jing Ye's lips as he lay unconscious, a smile that seemed to carry endless mockery and scheming.

Seeing this, Raiden Mei unconsciously dug her nails deep into her palms, leaving shallow crescent-shaped marks, and cursed inwardly.

That bastard, even in his sleep, he couldn't resist scheming to see her in a sorry state.

Kiana clutched the tactical tablet tightly in her hand, the screen still displaying the interface for adding "couple desserts".

The cold light shone unhindered on her face, making her look even paler, like a lifeless statue.

"So I was the clown all along..."

Her lips parted slightly, and she murmured unconsciously, her voice as soft as a sigh in the breeze, instantly drowned out by the regular, monotonous ticking of the monitor.

Her braids, no longer lively and energetic as before, hung limply over her shoulders, swaying weakly with her slightly trembling shoulders, just like the disappointment and helplessness she felt at that moment.

Just moments ago, I was still immersed in those meticulously planned romantic scenarios, rehearsing in my mind every detail of creating a chance encounter for Raiden Mei and Keiya in the garden.

She even carefully planned which bush she should hide behind to peek at Jingye as he walked towards Mei with a bouquet of beautiful roses in his hand.

But now, reality has dealt her a heavy blow. Mei actually suggested that Jingye be placed in the dormitory. This huge gap caused her carefully constructed fantasy to shatter like a soap bubble punctured by a sharp blade, leaving her in a mess of embarrassment and disarray.

Just as these thoughts were churning, a belated sense of panic suddenly surged over me like a tidal wave.

Kiana's pupils suddenly contracted violently, and her whole body stiffened as if she had been struck by an electric current.

Wait a minute! She and Raiden Mei are roommates who live and eat together every day, and are very close.

But now, if Jing Ye moves into the dormitory, what will become of him?

Chapter 145 Suffocation Play

Her room faces Mei's directly. What if... Just thinking about how she might accidentally stumble upon something embarrassing or inappropriate in the middle of the night, half asleep?

Kiana felt a surge of heat rush to her cheeks, and even the tips of her ears began to burn.

And how should we face each other when we wash up together every morning?

Those shoujo manga hidden under my pillow, never having had a chance to be shared with my friends, depict romantic encounters and budding romances.

The adorable bunny pajamas in her closet, which used to be her favorite thing to wear in her spare time, has now become a major source of distress for her.

How embarrassing it would be if Jing Ye saw it by accident!

Thinking this, Kiana felt a sudden heat and cold sweat on her palms, and the tactical tablet almost slipped from her sweaty hands.

"Mei!"

In her panic, Kiana could no longer restrain herself and rushed forward, her steps hurried and disordered.

At this moment, she was completely flustered by this sudden turn of events and did not notice that Himeko was smiling broadly beside her, with an uncontrollable aunt-like smile in her eyes, as if she were watching an amusing farce.

He stopped abruptly when he saw the icy, frosty look in Raiden Mei's eyes as she turned away.

My friend's pale face was etched with exhaustion and weariness, as if he had just survived a long and arduous battle.

But that unwavering gaze remained stubbornly fixed on Jing Ye's stretcher, as if guarding something incredibly precious.

This scene caused Kiana's protest words, which were on the tip of her tongue, to be pulled back by an invisible hand. She could only open her mouth awkwardly, then close it helplessly, as if something was choking her throat, preventing her from making a sound.

"I'll let him sleep in my room; it won't bother you."

Raiden Mei's voice was terribly hoarse, as if it had been repeatedly rubbed by sandpaper, revealing an undeniable weariness and hoarseness.

As she spoke, she turned and continued working, the hem of her combat uniform billowing in a sharp arc with her movement, mirroring her resolute attitude at that moment.

His tone was firm and unwavering, as if he were declaring a battle that could not be disturbed.

Kiana stood there, opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

She watched quietly as Raiden Mei's slightly thin yet incredibly resolute back swayed, tinged with weariness. Her gaze then shifted to Jing Ye, whose chest bore the eerily shimmering purple markings, seemingly whispering tales of unknown dangers and secrets.

At that moment, Kiana suddenly had a vague feeling that what she had always thought was a beautiful misunderstanding about "liking" someone was not as simple as she had imagined.

There might be something far more dangerous and complex hidden behind it than she could imagine.

She was like a comical clown who had stumbled onto a stage, foolishly and clumsily dancing a dance that no one cared about or appreciated in other people's mysterious and unknown stories, appearing so out of place and so ridiculous.

The girl's knuckles, gripping the tactical tablet tightly, turned white from excessive force, resembling withered branches wrapped in frost in winter.

The screen emitted a dim light, like the coldest starlight in the night sky, shining directly into her suddenly wide-eyed eyes, where shock, resentment, and confusion were frantically intertwined.

Raiden Mei's room, that little world that holds countless precious memories, is filled with photos of them together since they first met.

In every photo, their smiles are as radiant as the summer sun, capturing those carefree moments.

And there's that secret diary, lying quietly deep in the drawer, recording their teenage thoughts, dreams, and little troubles.

But now, this room, filled with warm memories, is about to be broken into and occupied by a strange man named Jing Ye?

Kiana felt a sudden dizziness, as if the ground beneath her feet was collapsing instantly.

Memories surged forth like a flood bursting its banks. In the past, on every stormy night, the howling wind battered the windows, and large raindrops pelted down, fear engulfing her like a tidal wave in the darkness.