"Heh, call me whatever you like."
Su Mu was amused by her long string of dilemmas. His tone was full of indulgence, and his mood brightened even more thanks to the lively atmosphere.
Seeing that he enjoyed it, Hu Tao immediately leaned in closer. Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered repeatedly into his ear, "Darling Darling, Darling, Darling"
Her voice was syrupy sweet and laced with mischief, brimming with the vibrant energy of a young girl.
"Alright, alright. If you keep calling me that, I'll start to believe I really am a pervert."
Su Mu shook his head helplessly, though the smile remained on his face and his eyes were full of doting affection.
"What do you mean, Darling? You are a pervert to begin with. There's no need to 'start' feeling like one~"
Hu Tao smiled until her eyes turned into crescent moons. her crisp laughter echoed through the space, full of carefree vitality. Looking at her spirited demeanor, Su Mu stopped arguing and simply shook his head with a smile.
Before long, Fu Hua emerged from the kitchen carrying a bowl of millet porridge.
The aroma of the porridge was rich, the grains boiled until soft and tender, emitting a faint, natural sweetness. While such things could be exchanged directly through the Apartment Store, they had time to spare, and a hand-cooked bowl of porridge carried more warmth. It was also better suited for Sylphie's weakened digestive system.
Almost simultaneously, Himeko walked out of the bathroom carrying the freshly cleaned Sylphie, gently placing her onto the soft sofa in the living room.
Now, Sylphie was dressed in a loose, light-colored cotton dress. Her long hair had been towel-dried until it was only damp, clinging to her smooth forehead and shoulders. Having shed her disheveled state, the delicate beauty of her features became more apparent, though her face remained pale, reflecting a lingering, deep-seated frailty.
Since the clones and the Main Body were one and the same, the others could use the apartment's various functions at will, in addition to having Administrator privileges. Initially, asking Su Mu to help purchase clothes was merely a gesture of respect from the clones to the Main Body. Now that Su Mu had cleared that hurdle, they naturally stopped standing on such ceremony.
The soft sofa allowed Sylphie's tense body to relax slightly, and the panic on her face faded a little. Fu Hua sat down beside her with the bowl of porridge, scooping up a spoonful of the warm liquid. She carefully blew on it until the temperature was just right before slowly bringing it to the girl's lips.
The rich scent of the porridge wafted into her nose. Driven by the instinct of hunger, Sylphie's nose twitched slightly. Her tightly closed lips subconsciously parted, and she began to swallow the porridge in small, hesitant gulps.
As the bowl of millet porridge reached its bottom, a hint of color returned to Sylphie's face. Her closed eyes slowly fluttered open, though those reddish pupils were still clouded with confusion. However, when she saw the people gathered around her, all eyes fixed on her, her body couldn't help but tremble slightly. She instinctively tried to shrink back.
"Don't be afraid. We mean you no harm," Himeko reassured her softly. She reached out and gently patted the back of the girl's hand. Her movements were tender and her gaze sincere, smoothing over Sylphie's unease once again.
As her consciousness cleared, Sylphie remembered what had happened before. Her eyes darted around the living room, searching desperately, but she couldn't see any sign of March 7th. Her eyes, which had just begun to settle, were instantly veiled in a layer of mist. Her voice choked with deep self-reproach: "I... I'm sorry... it's all my fault... because of me, your companion..."
In her mind, since March 7th had stayed behind alone to face those soldiers, she must have met a grim fate.
"Oh! You're awake?" Just then, the apartment door swung open, and March 7th skipped inside. Her pink skirt fluttered in the breeze, and her face still carried traces of lingering excitement. Seeing Sylphie on the sofa, she immediately waved with a grin. "Don't worry, don't worry! I gave those bad guys a good lesson and chased them all away!"
Sylphie jerked her head up, staring blankly at March 7th. Her eyes were filled with shock. One second she thought the girl had suffered an accident, and the next, she appeared right before her eyes, completely unscathed. When she realized that March 7th had managed to repel so many soldiers all by herself, her disbelief grew. She sat there in a daze, even forgetting to let the tears in her eyes fall.
"In short, no one can bully you here."
Su Mu stepped forward with a gentle smile. His tone was certain, providing an inexplicable sense of security.
Sylphie lowered her head, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her dress. Her voice was as quiet as a mosquito, tinged with self-deprecation and unease. "...Th-thank you... but... I'm just an orphan... I have nothing... I have no way to repay you..."
Her long life of wandering had taught her to read people's expressions, and she knew all too well that she possessed nothing. she was utterly powerless to return such a kindness.
"It doesn't matter. We didn't save you because we wanted a reward." Su Mu shook his head with a smile before changing the subject. "Your body is still very weak right now. Why not accept this invitation and become a tenant of the apartment? Your body will recover much faster that way."
As soon as he finished speaking, a pale blue, translucent panel appeared out of thin air in front of Sylphie.
Sylphie was startled by the sudden appearance of the panel. She blinked instinctively, her eyes full of bewilderment. Meanwhile, hearing Su Mu's words, March 7th, Himeko, and the others all rolled their eyes in unison—claims he doesn't want a reward, yet that's totally not his style. After all, if he truly didn't want anything in return, why was he in such a rush to pull her into the apartment as a tenant?
"Dear, don't rush the decision." Himeko interrupted gently, her gaze toward Su Mu carrying a hint of a protest. "This child's body is too weak. Let her rest for a few days and wait until she's in a better state before we talk about this."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Su Mu replied, his tone laced with a bit of helplessness. "Do I really seem that brutal in your eyes?"
"Is that even a question?" Hu Tao interjected immediately, her tone full of mockery. "Who was it that tormented Eris until she fainted?~"
"You said it yourself—that was Eris." Su Mu rolled his eyes, his tone sounding perfectly reasonable. "And look, now that Eris has become obedient, aren't I being very gentle with her?"
To deal with a spoiled, headstrong lady like Eris, one had to use forceful methods to suppress her. But for a fragile child like Sylphie, he naturally couldn't bring himself to be cruel.
While the group was casually bickering, Sylphie was staring blankly at the panel in front of her. She had never seen the characters on the panel before, yet she could clearly understand their meaning. She occasionally glanced at the people around her, her eyes full of inner conflict.
She had just overheard words like "nurture," "brutal," and "torment." She couldn't help but think of the nobles Sister Doris had once mentioned—those people who enjoyed finding pleasure in the suffering of others. These people before her were dressed in fine clothes and possessed extraordinary temperaments; they must be nobles too.
Could it be... they want to nurse me back to health first, just so they can take their time tormenting me for fun later?
The thought took root in her heart. But after hesitating for a moment, she followed the guidance of the panel and lightly tapped "Accept."
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Spring Sale Special – 20% OFF!
Crossover World: Why Are All My Clones Beautiful Girls?
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────