Chapter 2 Talia's Room, Second Floor of Cat Boss Restaurant

Morning sunlight streamed through the glass skylight, swirling around wooden beams and bookshelves. A subtle blend of woodsy fragrance and bedroom aromatherapy from the dresser filled the air, exuding a green, fougère scent with the understated freshness of rum, yet without being overly sweet.

The room's atmosphere felt cleaved in two, one half a warm and cozy blend of soft creams, light oranges, and beiges, the other half a tense and fearful mix of Talia's fury and Lan Qi's nervousness.

"You..."

Talia's body was taut, the blade in her hand reflecting the sunlight from the skylight, glittering sharply. Her golden eyes held not only burning anger but also utter confusion.

Lan Qi, driven back as far as he could go, leaned against the wall, his hands raised slightly in a gesture of pleading and helplessness.

His Adam's apple bobbed, as if struggling to find words, but under Talia's gaze, his voice remained trapped in his throat.

Lan Qi desperately wanted to call out for Hyperion's help, but he didn't dare.

He didn't even dare to think it, afraid Talia would read his mind again.

"No answer, then?"

Each word Talia spoke was like a bullet aimed straight at Lan Qi's heart.

"How should I take responsibility?"

Lan Qi could only ask.

The air in the room seemed to solidify, time becoming slow and heavy.

He was certain Talia was somewhat deranged by the Great Poet of Love.

He had to calm Talia down first.

Otherwise, it would all truly be over.

"..."

Lan Qi's question seemed to stun Talia.

Subconsciously, she wanted to say that Lan Qi should take responsibility just like that, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She felt her brain becoming even more chaotic, her emotions incomprehensible and with nowhere to vent.

Suddenly, she noticed a book in the handbag she had carelessly tossed onto the table when she came in.

Talia grabbed the brick-like book, and Lan Qi immediately shut his eyes in terror.

He felt like Talia was about to bring the book down on his head, splitting it open!

But after a moment with his eyes closed, he felt nothing happen. Tentatively, he opened one eye.

Talia was still holding the knife to him with one hand, while the other had already opened the book.

Talia raised the book, positioning it so Lan Qi could see the page.

"Following the lines in 'Holy War Romance,' give me... read, quickly!"

Talia's eyes were still clouded, as if even she wasn't sure what she wanted at that moment. She just couldn't calm her emotions.

"...?"

Lan Qi looked at the page Talia had opened.

This book had been brought back from the Northern Continent, and Hyperion had lent it to Ta Ta to read while she was recovering from her injuries in Southern Vantina Territory.

After reading it, Ta Ta seemed to have overly identified with one of the female characters.

The page currently opened was a scene of interaction between that female protagonist and the male protagonist.

Lan Qi finally understood. Talia meant for him to confess to her, to turn the rumors into reality, but she couldn't bring herself to say it, so she wanted Lan Qi to read the lines.

"..."

The situation had now become Ta Ta holding a knife in her left hand and a book in her right, threatening to kill him if he didn't read.

Lan Qi had to admit that Ta Ta was a good demon teacher, in line with the educational philosophy they both agreed on.

But the problem was.

This book was more of a female-oriented work, and the lines inside made Lan Qi's scalp tingle just looking at them.

"Can't say it?"

The knife in Talia's hand seemed to be slipping again.

Lan Qi shuddered. His survival instinct made him look at the book.

"Ta Ta, you look so cute today... so cute that I want to eat you instead of breakfast."

Lan Qi felt like he was about to cough up blood reciting such lines.

Hearing this, Talia's face began to burn. She hadn't expected Lan Qi to actually say it like that.

"Can..."

Talia steeled herself, glanced at the page, gathered her courage, and finally slowly read the female protagonist's line—

"Can you wait until I finish breakfast first?"

"?"

Lan Qi suddenly noticed that line.

No wonder the female protagonist always had something to eat in her hand every time she appeared.

What kind of twisted writer would pair these lines together?

Just as Lan Qi's mind began to churn with complaints, Talia's icy gaze drew closer, and her hot breath drew half a point closer.

She found it hard to believe that Lan Qi could still drift off at this time, even thinking about such damned things.

Immediately after.

The two implements of torture in Talia's hands were constantly warning Lan Qi that it was his turn to continue.

"So that means it's okay?"

Lan Qi felt like he'd rather be killed.

He really didn't know why he was reading these goddamn lines.

"I'm done eating. What were you saying?"

Talia continued to look at the book and read.

She paused as she said this.

How did the female protagonist finish eating in one scene change?

"What I want to say is that your cute appearance while eating also makes me intoxicated. Before my memories begin to fade, I want to stay by your side forever, like in a lucid dream."

Lan Qi stared at the book and Ta Ta's face, his throat feeling metallic and sweet, like he was about to vomit blood.

These beta lines.

Suddenly.

The book in Talia's hand fell to the ground, and she crashed completely again.

What was she supposed to say?

Wait, weren't they reading a script?

But Lan Qi and Talia, whose minds had already exploded, didn't notice.

Several people were already listening outside the door.

When they heard Lan Qi's line, the people outside couldn't hold back anymore. Antanas was so excited that he accidentally knocked the door down.

So, inside and outside the fallen door.

Three Great Demons and Hyperion looked at the two people by the wall in the room.

Lan Qi and Talia also stared blankly at the figures in the doorway.

Hyperion was dumbfounded.

Her aunt and friend were playing a very new kind of game.

Hyperion remembered that these seemed to be lines from a book she had read.

Originally, she had planned to save Lan Qi, but after hearing the abstract conversation between Lan Qi and Talia outside the door just now, she didn't dare to open the door at all.

Suddenly, Hyperion realized that the three Great Demons beside her might have misunderstood even more. A lone man and woman alone in a room, their voices trembling, and not letting anyone else in was already suggestive enough, and now they had been caught in the act.

At this moment, perhaps because the mental activity of the three Great Demons was too active.

Especially Antanas.

Talia seemed to hear a voice—

"In the room... a lone man and woman... before enjoying the passion, weren't they just doing some kind of special game?"

Talia murmured in a daze.

Lan Qi frowned. These lines weren't right; they weren't quite what he remembered.

But with the knife still at his neck and the book on the ground, he had no choice but to continue with the lines as he remembered them.

"That's right, I feel like I'm suffocating, and you are the air. I can't wait for a moment longer."

Lan Qi replied.

"I *!"

The Great Demons outside the door couldn't help but cry out.

"?!"

Talia suddenly seemed to realize something, startled, and the knife fell to the ground.

She looked at the three demons and one cat outside the door, besides Hyperion.

"Ahhh..."

Talia covered her face, her head gradually steaming.

And Lan Qi also covered his eyes. He understood in an instant that the line just now didn't seem to be from the script.

Others couldn't tell if he was crying or laughing.

He seemed to be going crazy too.

——

Please give your monthly votes, fathers, at the beginning of the month. Xi Zhi bows her head, bang bang bang!

(End of this chapter)