{Chapter: 215 Love Cycle!}
Knock. Knock.
The soft sound of knuckles tapping against the wooden door echoed through the quiet hallway.
Inside the room, Gui Qingtong immediately perked up. She jumped off the stool she had been sitting on and hurried to the door, her footsteps light with anticipation.
"Brother Lin Yuan, is that you?" she called out, her voice filled with excitement.
As she opened the door, a surprised but delighted expression lit up her youthful face.
Lin Yuan smiled warmly. "Yeah, it's me."
His gaze shifted briefly, taking in Gui Qingtong's appearance. A slight flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
She had clearly changed her clothes since breakfast.
Earlier that morning, she had been wearing simple pajama pants while eating at the table. But now, she had put on a sailor suit—a rather eye-catching one at that.
The outfit was a sleek black sailor-style blouse adorned with a light blue bow tied neatly at the placket. The sleeves were short, leaving her delicate, slender arms exposed. Her lower half was dressed in a gray plaid skirt, noticeably shorter than the original design. Lin Yuan immediately noticed she had rolled it up at the waist several times, shrinking it down to barely half its proper length.
Beneath the skirt, her long, fair legs stood out starkly, swaying slightly with her movements. The purity and charm of the outfit contrasted sharply with her subtle hints of playfulness. With her fresh features and naturally radiant beauty, Gui Qingtong looked like a youthful fairy, capable of stopping passersby in their tracks with a single glance.
She looked up at him expectantly, her eyes sparkling as if waiting for a compliment.
Lin Yuan chuckled, amused by her subtle anticipation. "Your sailor outfit is really cute. It suits you very well."
"Really?!" Gui Qingtong beamed, practically bouncing in place with excitement. Her joy was pure and unfiltered.
But Lin Yuan's tone shifted slightly as he added, "Cute is cute… but don't you think that skirt is a little too short? Your legs are fully exposed—if the wind picks up, the whole thing might just fly away."
His tone carried the mild reproach of an older brother—or perhaps even that of a parent.
Gui Qingtong pouted slightly and responded, "I know, I know… But it was just too warm in here, so I rolled it up a bit. I can roll it back down if it bothers you." She gave him a sheepish look before continuing, "Anyway, I'm at home. There aren't any strangers around."
What she didn't say was that she had dressed up like this intentionally, knowing Lin Yuan would be visiting to help her study. She wanted to look her best—or perhaps a little more than her best.
As she caught Lin Yuan's gaze, she tilted her head and muttered with a slight blush, "Brother Lin Yuan… why do I feel like you suddenly sound like my dad or something?"
Lin Yuan simply smiled and said nothing, his calm demeanor not revealing what he was thinking.
Gui Qingtong then stepped aside and led him into her bedroom.
Compared to Mei Yuxian's elegant and refined room, Qingtong's was vibrant and youthful, brimming with energy and color. Everything was bathed in varying shades of pink—from the plush carpet to the lacy curtains, from the stuffed animals on her bed to the wall decals. It was like stepping into a whimsical dream world designed by a teenage girl who had never grown tired of fairy tales.
To most, it would be an overwhelming flood of girlish charm. To Lin Yuan, however, it was simply her style—and it suited her.
He didn't particularly care for pink, but the room clearly reflected Gui Qingtong's personality: warm, cheerful, and a little mischievous.
They both sat down together on the soft carpet. Lin Yuan looked over at her with a half-smile and asked, "So, what song do you want me to help you learn?"
Gui Qingtong lit up at the question. She had truly meant it when she said she wanted guidance—this wasn't just an excuse to spend time with him.
She was a student of the arts and had always wanted to improve her singing. Lin Yuan, with his exceptional vocal talent, was the perfect person to help her.
She listed off a few of her favorite songs, and Lin Yuan listened attentively. It only took a moment for him to grasp the tunes—thanks to his divine-level singing ability, his memory and interpretation of music were nothing short of extraordinary.
Without missing a beat, he began singing.
His voice was smooth, resonant, and full of emotional depth. The way he controlled his breath and pitch gave every note a distinct presence, drawing Gui Qingtong's full attention.
She stared at him in admiration, her hands instinctively clapping together in awe once he finished.
"Amazing!" she said, eyes wide with admiration. "You sing like a professional—no, better than a professional!"
Lin Yuan chuckled softly and waved off her praise. "Alright, alright. Enough applause. Do you remember what I told you about breathing technique and enunciation? Now it's your turn."
Gui Qingtong nodded earnestly. "Got it."
She cleared her throat and sat up straighter, then began to sing.
Despite her small frame and gentle demeanor, her voice was surprisingly clear and refreshing. It had a youthful purity to it that couldn't be taught—only polished. Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel that her voice was uniquely suited for music. And this was without any supernatural skills to help her.
To be honest, had he not possessed divine-level singing talent, he might have struggled to outshine her natural vocal clarity.
After she finished her performance, Lin Yuan gave her a genuine smile.
"That was very good," he said as he reached over and gently stroked her head with his fingers, a gesture full of quiet approval.
Gui Qingtong's face lit up with joy once more, clearly treasuring the compliment—and the moment.
Lin Yuan smiled, then suddenly remarked, "But honestly, it still doesn't quite compare to the anime opening and ending themes you've sung online."
"Huh? What?" Gui Qingtong froze for a second, clearly caught off guard by his comment.
"You have a pretty big following on Penguin Music, don't you?" Lin Yuan asked casually, but his eyes glinted with a teasing sharpness.
Gui Qingtong's expression shifted to one of surprise and disbelief. "Brother Lin Yuan, how do you even know that? I've never told anyone… not even my closest friends!"
"I heard it somewhere," Lin Yuan said, keeping his tone light and playful. "But more importantly, I recognized your voice right away. That soft, clear tone of yours is impossible to forget."
"Really? Just by hearing me sing, you knew it was me?" Gui Qingtong's eyes widened, and her delicate face lit up with a mix of shock and joy.
It wasn't just a surprise—there was a flicker of something deeper, something warm in her chest. To her, it meant that Lin Yuan had been paying attention all along, even when she thought he wasn't. He recognized her without seeing her. That made her heart skip a beat.
[Ding! Gui Qingtong's Favorability +2! Reward: 300 counterattack points!]
A notification echoed from Lin Yuan's system, but he remained outwardly unfazed.
Of course, it wasn't luck that led Lin Yuan to discover her secret identity on Penguin Music. With the sheer volume of content uploaded to the platform, it would've been nearly impossible for him to randomly stumble upon Gui Qingtong's tracks. The truth was, Lin Yuan had read in the original novel that she secretly recorded anime covers and uploaded them under an alias. He just connected the dots when he looked her up after researching the song "Blue and White Porcelain."
So, he continued casually, "A girl in a two dimensional sailor suit, singing 'Renai Circulation'... Pretty unforgettable, don't you think?" (T/N: Renai Cycle or Love Cycle)
"Ehh?!"
Gui Qingtong let out a little squeal, covering her mouth.
Lin Yuan chuckled as he saw her expression—half embarrassed, half proud.
Gui Qingtong then shyly began to hum and sing the lines.
"See, that's already…"
"Getting our hearts moving on, further and further…"
"Yup, that's a no-go! Hey, that's a bit too early…"
"Don't take your eyes off me, never and ever…"
"Disregard the 'shi'? Nope, disregard my life!"
….
Her Japanese pronunciation wasn't perfect, but the tone and feeling in her voice more than made up for it. The performance was smooth, cute, and brimming with energy.
Gui Qingtong had obviously sung a lot of Japanese songs.
As she sang, Gui Qingtong looked directly at Lin Yuan, her big eyes sparkling with sincerity and anticipation. Her expression was one of earnest effort and playful mischief.
She was trying to charm him—no doubt about that.
And for the first time, Lin Yuan truly felt a ripple of something different.
Cuteness, when delivered right… can be its own form of seduction.
Once Gui Qingtong finished the song, Lin Yuan clapped, genuinely impressed.
"Your singing is amazing," he said with a rare tone of sincerity. "Your voice is light and refreshing. Listening to you sing feels like drinking iced water in summer—it goes straight to the soul."
Gui Qingtong beamed at his praise.
Lin Yuan grinned and added, "No wonder you have so many fans, even without showing your face. If people saw just how adorable you are, having only tens of thousands of followers wouldn't be the end—it'd be just the beginning."
Gui Qingtong's cheeks turned pink, and she smiled sweetly. "It doesn't matter how many fans I have. As long as Brother Lin Yuan enjoys listening, I'll sing for you forever."
She leaned forward as she said this, closing the distance between them until her face was just a few inches from his.
Lin Yuan's heart skipped for a second—not because he was flustered, but because he could clearly see she was trying to flirt.
She's definitely been watching too many cute-girl tutorials online, he thought with amusement.
Though she was undeniably charming, Gui Qingtong still lacked the natural seduction of a grown woman. Her innocence and playful demeanor gave her appeal, but her slightly flat chest reduced the impact by half. Lin Yuan smiled wryly to himself.
Although Gui Qingtong is unusually cute at this time, she was a little bit unnatural.
These tricks Gui Qingtong has definitely learned from the internet.
What Gui Qingtong didn't know was that she is cute but not cute enough.
Still, he couldn't resist teasing.
"Qingtong, blue and white…"
"Blue and white what?" she asked, puzzled.
But the moment she noticed the glint in his eyes, she realized what he meant and immediately stopped talking.
There was still some space between them as they sat on the pink carpet. But her forward lean had definitely reduced the distance.
Although Lin Yuan didn't react outwardly, Gui Qingtong felt a strange wave of shyness rise within her. Even if it wasn't on purpose, she had leaned too close.
"Brother Lin Yuan! Y-You're not allowed to look!" she squealed, clutching her short skirt with both hands and turning red like a tomato.
Lin Yuan couldn't help but laugh softly at her reaction. Her innocence was almost refreshing.
"Stand up," he said.
Still flustered but obedient, Gui Qingtong stood up.
As soon as she did, Lin Yuan surprised her by reaching his hands toward her skirt.
"W-What are you doing?!" she gasped, her voice trembling slightly.
*****
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