Chapter 66: To Protect Yourself
Morning sunlight filtered obliquely through the snow-white walls, heralding another bright day.
Zhao Ling had just woken up, his eyes still closed, when he felt a soft, delicate body throw itself into his arms, planting a kiss on his cheek.
Slowly opening his star-bright eyes, Zhao Ling smiled at the beauty nestled against him.
"What's this?" he teased. "Yesterday, you begged me to let you rest for a day, and now you're throwing yourself at me again?"
Wrapping his arms around the girl's slender waist, he grinned mischievously, but his actions made her pale with fright.
"No, no, Brother Ling, I was wrong! Let's get up quickly and have breakfast. We have to head to the Great Fighting Soul Arena to watch Sister Dong'er and the others compete.
She probably found it strange that we didn't go yesterday. If we skip today as well, she might think we've left Soto City!"
Zhao Ling chuckled but relented. He knew she was right. If he didn't rein himself in, they might end up wasting the entire day in their room.
'I have to admit,' Zhao Ling thought, 'the primary wild combat body with its triple physical enhancement is truly something else.'
Shaking off his thoughts, Zhao Ling hurriedly got out of bed, dressed, and walked toward the bathroom. He didn't dare let his eyes linger on Ah Yin's graceful figure for fear of losing his self-control.
Ah Yin, understanding his restraint, quickly changed out of her nightgown and began tidying her appearance. Seated elegantly at the dressing table, she applied light makeup.
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After an hour, the two finally stepped out of the room, only to see a stunning figure waiting at the top of the stairs—a girl with an angelic face and a devilish figure.
It was Bibi Dong.
When her eyes met theirs, her expression was complex, and for a moment, Zhao Ling and Ah Yin froze. Neither of them had expected to find her waiting.
An awkward silence stretched for nearly a minute before Zhao Ling tentatively broke it with a sheepish smile.
"Dong… Dong'er, were you waiting for us here?"
Bibi Dong pursed her red lips, hesitating before nodding lightly. "Yes. You didn't come to the Great Fighting Soul Arena yesterday, so I thought you might have left Soto City."
Ah Yin, however, couldn't suppress her inner thoughts. 'Sister Dong'er, who are you fooling? You've seen the diary—how could you not know what we were doing yesterday? Yet here you are, pretending to be oblivious.'
'You're standing here because you're upset about what happened between me and Brother Ling. You wanted to confirm it for yourself. So, what now? Will you walk away and leave us be, or will you continue competing with me for him?'
To her surprise, Ah Yin found herself hoping for the latter.
In the past, she would have wished for Bibi Dong to give up. But now, she secretly hoped that Bibi Dong would step forward and share the burden of Zhao Ling's affection.
Why? Because Brother Ling's triple physique enhancement was simply overwhelming. As a Titled Douluo, his stamina and physical capabilities were leagues beyond an ordinary person's.
That night, she had been utterly drained, and yesterday, Brother Ling's advances had left her pleading for mercy. If this continued, she feared she might not survive.
The thought of Zhao Ling someday advancing to an intermediate or advanced physique filled her with dread. She realized she couldn't handle him alone.
'If Sister Dong'er could become my ally, we could share this responsibility. Besides, Brother Ling clearly has feelings for her, and she seems to feel the same for him. Wouldn't it be mutually beneficial?'
With this in mind, Ah Yin approached Bibi Dong with an affectionate smile, slipping her arm through hers.
"Sister Dong'er, I haven't seen you in a day, and you're looking even more radiant! You smell so nice too."
Leaning in, Ah Yin took a playful sniff.
Bibi Dong stiffened, her thoughts racing. What is she doing? Why is she suddenly acting so close to me after days of rivalry? Is she… showing off?
Frowning, Bibi Dong raised her hand to block Ah Yin's approach, her tone icy. "Miss Yin, please respect yourself."
If Zhao Ling hadn't been standing nearby, Bibi Dong might have lashed out. She was livid. 'Not only did she take Zhao Ling from me, but now she's flaunting it in front of me?'
Ah Yin, however, was unbothered by the rejection. Glancing around, she asked innocently, "Sister Dong'er, where are your companions? Why aren't they with you?"
"They went to the Great Fighting Soul Arena after breakfast. I stayed behind for a while," Bibi Dong replied curtly, clearly unwilling to engage further.
Undeterred, Ah Yin leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, "Sister Dong'er, do you like Brother Ling too? Do you… want to be with him like I was?"
Ah Yin made a gesture that left no room for misinterpretation, blinking at Bibi Dong with a knowing look.
Bibi Dong was stunned. 'What is going on? Is this woman insane?'
'She just had a relationship with Brother Ling, yet she's asking me if I want to do the same?'
A surge of anger shot through Bibi Dong, her voice rising in indignation.
"Sister Yin, is this really how you feel? Zhao Ling clearly cares about you, yet here you are, trying to… share him with someone else. Do you even respect him? If you continue acting this way, don't blame me for being harsh!"
Ah Yin stifled a laugh. 'You've read the diary too, haven't you? You know exactly why I'm saying this.'
But when she tried to voice her thoughts, the words wouldn't come. The system's restrictions kept her silent.
Sighing, she explained with a bitter smile, "Sister Dong'er, I just want to protect myself. Please trust me—if you were in my position, you'd understand."
"Protect yourself?" Bibi Dong's anger faltered, her expression freezing. Her thoughts drifted back to Zhao Ling's diary entry from the previous day.
Her gaze shifted subtly toward Zhao Ling, who stood some distance away, and her beautiful eyes flickered with something unreadable.
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(End of Chapter)