Chapter 263
Peeping? Arrest him on the spot!
Seeing Xue Youyou being criticized, Meng Yanqing quickly stood up to defend her.
She patted her chest, mimicking Xue Youyou's gesture, and declared loudly, "I will protect everyone too!"
Her voice was clear and resonant, carrying a unique vitality.
"This is a promise I made as the former captain of the Blue Orchid Academy's Second Team and now the vice-captain of the Blue Orchid Academy's First Team! As long as I live, I will not let anyone die before me!"
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a voice retorted.
"No need for that, we'll take good care of ourselves."
It was Lu Yutang who spoke.
Her tone wasn't harsh, but the coldness in her voice was like ice water poured over Meng Yanqing's face.
Meng Yanqing paused for a moment, then turned to look at Lu Yutang, a hint of confusion flashing across her face.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that she didn't understand why Lu Yutang suddenly retorted.
After speaking, Lu Yutang immediately realized that she had overreacted. Her ears turned slightly red, and she avoided looking at Meng Yanqing, pretending to be seriously studying the design of the clothes rack in the corner.
She knew perfectly well that when Meng Yanqing said those words, her tone was sincere and her eyes were open and honest.
But she just couldn't control her mouth.
Watching Meng Yanqing make a name for herself on the field, watching Meng Yanqing cling to Xue Youyou, linking arms, leaning on shoulders, and acting coquettishly, watching Xue Youyou say to Meng Yanqing, "I only like you like this"—these images played repeatedly in her mind, and with each replay, the thorn in her heart pierced deeper.
Without realizing it, she had come to regard Meng Yanqing as a rival in love.
She was clearly the one who came later.
Lu Yutang bit her lower lip, a complex mix of emotions churning within her.
There was guilt, bitterness, and above all, resentment.
The atmosphere in the room froze subtly for a few seconds.
Just then, Mutsuki, who had been leaning back in her armchair with her legs crossed and watching the show, suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"hehe."
She slowly lowered her leg, leaning slightly forward, her light blue eyes sweeping over everyone's faces, a signature arrogant smile playing on her lips.
"There's no need for everyone to be so pessimistic."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the room crammed with seven people.
"Even if you're not the final winner, as long as you perform well during the process and survive, you'll still reap great benefits in the end."
As soon as she said this, everyone's eyes turned to her, like people who had been walking in the desert for three days suddenly seeing an oasis—although they were not quite sure if it was a mirage, at least their eyes lit up.
Su Wanrou blinked and asked cautiously, "Muyue...senpai...what benefits are you referring to?"
Her tone was polite.
Although Mutsuki was defeated by Xue Youyou, and Xue Youyou even made her pose in an extremely embarrassing way when taking the champion's group photo, none of this affected Mutsuki's importance in Su Wanrou's heart.
Being able to stand on that highest stage and fight to that extent with Xue Youyou, Muyue is a respected senior in their eyes, and her words carry weight.
Mutsuki leaned back in her chair, her hands crossed on her knees, her posture as elegant as a queen sitting on a throne.
"The rewards of the Imperial Festival are never solely for the winners. Each Imperial Festival, the gods select outstanding individuals from among the participants and bestow upon them corresponding blessings. These blessings might be skills, opportunities for pet evolution, or even things you can't even imagine."
She paused, her gaze sweeping meaningfully over Su Wanrou, Lu Yutang, Cui Yelan, and Luo Yan.
"In other words, your goal is not necessarily to win in the end, but to survive and demonstrate enough value in this trial to make the gods smile."
With Mutsuki's assurance, the group's self-perceived feelings of being mere bystanders were finally alleviated considerably.
Su Wanrou patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good. I thought we were just going to be cannon fodder."
Luo Yan also breathed a sigh of relief: "If that's the case, then we can definitely give it a shot."
Cui Yelan didn't speak, but she nodded slightly, and a faint light ignited in her usually calm eyes.
Lu Yutang buried her face behind her knees, only peeking out with her eyes to steal a glance at Xue Youyou, seemingly lost in thought.
"Alright, alright."
Xue Youyou clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention back to herself: "Now that everyone understands the situation, let's end the meeting here. We can discuss the rest tomorrow morning. Go back to sleep."
Everyone got up and walked towards the door in twos and threes.
Su Wanrou and Cui Yelan walked side by side at the front, with Luo Yan following closely behind. Lu Yutang jumped off the edge of the bed, paused at the door, glanced back at Xue Youyou, her lips moved, but in the end she said nothing, turned and walked out.
Meng Yanqing was the last to get up.
She walked to the door, then suddenly turned around and looked at Mutsuki, who was still sitting in the armchair.
Aren't you leaving?
Mutsuki tilted her head, revealing a playful smile: "You forgot? She's sleeping in my room tonight—no, I'm sleeping in her room."
Meng Yanqing frowned.
She glanced at Muyue, then at Xueyouyou, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Xue Youyou quickly raised her hands in a gesture of surrender: "She insisted on staying, I just didn't kick her out."
"Oh."
Meng Yanqing let out a soft snort, glared at Muyue, then looked at Xue Youyou, her tone suddenly softening: "Youyou, see you tomorrow morning."
"See you tomorrow."
Xue Youyou waved to her and watched her figure disappear behind the door.
The door closed gently with a soft click, like a period at the end of a page.
Finally, only two people remained in the room.
Xue Youyou turned around and met Muyue's eyes, which seemed to be smiling but not smiling.
"Your girlfriend is jealous."
Mutsuki's tone was filled with undisguised schadenfreude.
Xue Youyou simply sighed, ignoring her words, and instead looked towards the corner of the room, raising her hand to rub her slightly aching temples.
That corner was completely empty; the patterns on the wallpaper were clearly visible, and there wasn't a single person, not even a mosquito.
But Xue Youyou spoke to the empty air, her tone helpless and revealing a weariness she had expected: "I saw you a while ago, Senior Qingming Marquis. Aren't you tired of squatting there listening to us talk?"