Ah! The Villains I Forced to Turn Evil Can Read My Mind

A hand exuding a faint fragrance gently covered Qiao Chuchu's eyes: "Guess who I am?"

Qiao Chuchu carefully sniffed the scent, her voice bright with recognition: "It's Lin Qing!"

Lin Qing lowered her hand in disappointment: "Huh? How do you always guess it's me?"

Qiao Chuchu proudly placed her hands on her hips: "Of course, I have my own secret method. But why are you at the mall today? Did you come to shop with me?"

"Of course not." Lin Qing blinked playfully. "I'm here to buy you a dress."

Qiao Chuchu: "?"

"There's ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍a banquet tonight, and you need to make an appearance. So, I’m here to help you pick out an evening gown."

Lin Qing took Qiao Chuchu's hand and led her into a luxury boutique. "I originally thought about getting you a custom-made dress, but then I realized—custom has its perks, but buying off the rack has its own charm too. After all, it means we get to shop together."

Qiao Chuchu obediently followed behind her, nodding in agreement. "If everything were custom-made, it wouldn’t be as fun. I prefer the feeling of trying things on and taking them home."

Lin Qing snapped her fingers. "Exactly! That’s the feeling I’m talking about!"

Her gaze swept over the high-end gowns as she casually asked, "You once told me—which Disney princess was your favorite again?"

Qiao Chuchu answered without hesitation: "Belle from Beauty and the Beast."

Lin Qing smiled knowingly and picked out a voluminous, canary-yellow princess dress. "Then how about this one? It’s the same color as Belle’s gown, and with your auburn hair, yellow would suit you perfectly."

Qiao Chuchu admired it. "It really is lovely. But whose banquet is it tonight?"

Lin Qing didn’t answer, instead gesturing for the staff to bring the dress to the fitting room. "Go try it on first."

Though she didn’t get an answer, Qiao Chuchu wasn’t in a hurry. She followed the staff inside.

Normally, an attendant would assist her in putting on the dress.

But Lin Qing had called the staff away.

Left to herself, Qiao Chuchu managed to slip into the gown, but the lacing at the back proved impossible to tie alone. "Hello? Could someone come help me with the laces?"

The attendant’s voice came from outside: "Are you fully dressed, miss?"

Qiao Chuchu turned her back to the mirror. "Yes, but I can’t tie the back."

The fitting room curtain was drawn aside.

A tall, imposing figure stepped in.

Qiao Chuchu, preoccupied with adjusting the hem, felt warm fingertips brush against her back as someone began lacing her up.

She glanced up absentmindedly—only to freeze at the reflection in the mirror. Whirling around, she gasped: "Lou Tingsi?!"

Lou Tingsi stood behind her, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, the long ribbons of her dress looped around his fingers. "What’s wrong?"

His lips curled in amusement. "Didn’t you ask for help?"

Qiao Chuchu clutched the front of her dress in shock. "I meant help from the staff, not you! And what are you even doing here?!"

"Looking for you, of course." Lou Tingsi circled behind her again, leisurely tightening the laces. "I heard you needed assistance, so I made sure they asked if you were dressed before coming in. You said yes, so here I am."

Qiao Chuchu’s scalp prickled.

[This guy really doesn’t know boundaries!]

She shoved at him. "Get out! I don’t need your help—find someone else!"

Just then, Lin Qing’s voice called from outside: "Chuchu, how’s it going? Do you need help?"

Qiao Chuchu paled and yanked Lou Tingsi back. "Lin Qing doesn’t know you’re here?!"

"Of course not." Lou Tingsi leaned against the doorframe, watching her with a smirk. "Right now is Lin Qing’s time."

A question mark flashed in Qiao Chuchu’s mind, but she vaguely understood what he meant.

They must have some kind of schedule—taking turns.

She hissed under her breath: "If it’s Lin Qing’s time, why are you here? What about your own time?"

The moment she said it, she grew even more bewildered.

When did I get so used to their weird arrangement?!

Lou Tingsi sighed dramatically. "Because I drew the short straw—no alone time with you. So, I snuck in to see you."

Qiao Chuchu: "?"

Short straw?!

Lou Tingsi bent down, his gaze locking onto her flustered expression like a fox lazily flicking its tail. "Well? Are you going to make me leave and let Lin Qing find out? I’ll do whatever you say."

His grin widened. "But Lin Qing’s so sensitive—she might get upset."

Qiao Chuchu gritted her teeth. "You—"

Lin Qing’s voice pressed again from outside: "Chuchu, should I come in and check?"

Panicked, Qiao Chuchu called out: "Wait! I’m still not done!"

Her cheeks burned as she turned desperate, pleading eyes to Lou Tingsi. "What do I do now? I’m trapped!"

"I have a solution."

Lou Tingsi, thoroughly enjoying himself, moved behind her again to finish tying the dress. "If you don’t want to be caught, then don’t make a sound."

He leaned in, lips brushing her ear as he spoke to her reflection in the mirror. "And don’t even think my name—Lin Qing might hear."

Qiao Chuchu: "..."

Delighted by her speechlessness, Lou Tingsi’s smile deepened. His fingers wound the golden ribbons, slowly cinching the dress around her waist.

"Our Chuchu has grown into such a lovely young woman."