"Mm..." Chu Lian opened her eyes. The sunlight outside felt pleasantly warm. She looked around and found that almost everyone had already left. Only Yaya remained, sitting beside the bed and idly swinging her legs.
Chu Lian felt her body for a moment, then suddenly flushed. Beneath the thin blanket, her legs unconsciously crossed together. Her voice carried a hint of nervousness. "Yaya..."
"Hm? Chu Lian, you're awake?" Yaya had been spacing out, but the moment she heard someone call her from behind, she immediately turned to look at her, her face full of smiles.
Chu Lian was awake. This time, there should not be any problems anymore. What a wonderful day.
"Um... could you help me call Yanran over?" Chu Lian spoke very softly, as though terrified someone else might hear.
"Huh? Okay." Yaya did not quite understand why, but since Chu Lian wanted her to bring Yanran over, there had to be something she needed.
Watching the girl jump down from the bed and leave in her wooden sandals, Chu Lian's mood sank.
I've been here for a whole year without this happening. Why did it suddenly... She had long since prepared herself for this possibility, but being prepared did not mean she could actually accept it.
She had even thought that after going an entire year without it, she might have escaped this calamity. Yet it had arrived now, of all times. This was just too...
I can't let too many people know, or it'll be terrible. She still had not fully accepted this situation. If everyone else found out, she would die of embarrassment.
With her mind tangled beyond belief, Chu Lian clenched both fists on the bed and waited for Yaya to bring Yanran over.
The wait felt unbearably long. She could already feel the bedsheet getting wet. If this continued, she would not be able to hide it even if she wanted to.
"What's wrong, Chu Lian?" The girl's footsteps outside were heavy. It seemed she, too, was worried that something might have happened to Chu Lian.
The moment Liu Yanran entered, she saw Chu Lian with flushed cheeks and a strange look in her eyes. Confusion filled her face. What exactly was going on?
"Where is everyone else?" Chu Lian looked around. Only Yanran and Yaya were there, with no one else behind them, but she still asked nervously just to make sure.
"They all have things to take care of. I'm the only one here right now." Liu Yanran still did not understand what was wrong with Chu Lian, but since she was worried about it, Yanran might as well reassure her so she would stop fretting.
"That's good... that's good..." Chu Lian stroked her chest. It was enough if only she and Liu Yanran knew about this. Absolutely no one else could find out, or she would never be able to hold her head up again.
"Yaya, go stand guard outside the door. Don't let anyone come in. Until I say it's okay, absolutely don't let anyone in. Please!" Chu Lian could not endure it any longer and could only ask Yaya to guard the door for her.
Yaya looked suspiciously between Chu Lian and Liu Yanran. She could not help worrying that the two of them wanted to do something naughty behind her back. But then she thought about it. If Chu Lian really wanted to do something like that, she probably would not have asked Yaya to stand guard right outside the door, would she?
Since Chu Lian had asked her to do this, there was probably something else they needed to deal with. Yaya decided she should not overthink it.
Still lost in thought, Yaya reluctantly shuffled toward the door, looking back every few steps. She finally stepped outside, shut the door, leaned against it, and pressed her ear to the wood, wanting to hear what they were talking about inside.
Chu Lian knew Yaya was definitely eavesdropping outside. After thinking about it, though, she would still need Yaya's help hiding this later. Besides, she was not going to expose herself directly in front of Yaya. The pressure in her heart immediately disappeared. If Yaya wanted to know, then so be it. Chu Lian would simply pretend she had no idea.
"All right, it's just the two of us now. Tell me what's wrong." With no one else around except herself and Chu Lian, Liu Yanran became even more curious about what had happened.
"Um... I'm telling you this, but you're not allowed to laugh at me..." Chu Lian was genuinely worried she would be teased. After all, it was not exactly something that sounded glorious when other people heard about it... probably. She had never experienced it before, so she was not quite sure.
Tilting her head, Liu Yanran lightly bit her finger, her eyes brimming with interest. She truly wanted to know what could possibly have made Chu Lian so bashful. "Go ahead. Considering our relationship, what could there possibly be that you can't tell me?"
Hearing that, Chu Lian thought about it and realized Yanran was right. If they did not have that kind of relationship, she would never have specifically sent Yaya away just to bring Liu Yanran here.
Making up her mind, Chu Lian suddenly pulled the blanket down with both hands, exposing her entire lower body. Her face burning red, she gently lifted her nightgown, revealing that she was not wearing any panties...
"Pfft... Why did you wait until now to call me?! You idiot, Chu Lian!" The moment Liu Yanran saw the patch of blood, how could she possibly fail to understand what had happened? On one hand, she was surprised that Chu Lian's menarche had come so late. On the other, she was annoyed by the way Chu Lian had handled it.
A girl's first period had to be treated carefully. Otherwise, if an infection developed, it could cause problems for the rest of her life. Of course, with Chu Lian's constitution, she did not actually need to fear infection, but she still had to pay attention to hygiene.
"How was I supposed to know it'd happen now..." Chu Lian's face was so red it seemed ready to drip blood. There was nothing she could do about it. It was not her fault. It had never happened before, so how could she have known it would suddenly start now?
Chu Lian had previously studied and memorized information about female physiology, but when her first period actually arrived, she forgot everything she knew. Her mind had gone completely blank.
Otherwise, she would not have called Liu Yanran over. Yanran was the only person in front of whom she could truly let herself go.
"Come here first..." Liu Yanran did not know whether to laugh or cry at Chu Lian. In front of outsiders, she was a goddess. In front of them, she was a war goddess. Yet in private, she was even more girlish than any of them.
Fortunately, Liu Yanran had experienced this herself, and she had not forgotten a single thing her mother had taught her. After all, she needed that knowledge herself to get through those seven days of weakness every month.
The girl, completely at a loss over the arrival of her first period, could only follow Liu Yanran's instructions one step at a time. She felt so embarrassed she could practically die.
Fortunately, while they were dealing with her menarche, no one else came inside. It was only her and Liu Yanran. Even the windows were shut and the curtains drawn—Liu Yanran had not intended to go that far, but Chu Lian was so embarrassed that she insisted the windows had to be closed.
What the girl, who had currently lost most of her special abilities, did not know was that a whole crowd had already gathered outside the door.
Every one of them had flushed cheeks, yet none could conceal the smiles on their faces. So even Chu Lian had a day like this. Once she had experienced menstruation, she would finally understand what female suffering meant.
"No, no, I can't..." "Ah, not there..." "This is so embarrassing..." "Can you stop looking? If you keep looking at me, I-I-I..." "Yanran, I was wrong. Spare me..."
Fragmented remarks that invited all kinds of misunderstandings drifted out from inside, but none of the girls outside let their thoughts wander in a strange direction. They knew this was simply the result of Chu Lian resisting and Liu Yanran putting her firmly in her place.
Yaya made no effort to stop the others from gathering there. After all, Chu Lian had only told her not to let anyone inside. She had never said they could not come close. The obedient Yaya would never disobey instructions. As long as they did not go inside, she did not care what they did.
"Yanran, can I put my clothes back on now?" Chu Lian's voice seemed to carry faint sobs, but Liu Yanran, who had already evolved into a stern mother hen at this point, had no intention of letting her do whatever she wanted. "Be good and listen to me. Wait until I've finished cleaning you up."
"I can take a bath..." Chu Lian still tried to argue, but Liu Yanran was not about to let this opportunity slip away. There was no way she would simply let Chu Lian escape to the bath, so she found an excuse. "Girls aren't supposed to bathe during their first period..."
"You're lying to me..." Chu Lian had looked up information about this before and knew at least a little, so she immediately protested after hearing Liu Yanran's claim.
"It's best for a girl not to bathe during her first period because it's easy to catch a chill. Unless you can guarantee you won't get cold. But think about your current physical condition. Are you sure there won't be a problem?" Liu Yanran did not argue. She simply gave Chu Lian that explanation.
Her words seemed remarkably effective. Chu Lian froze for a long while before finally answering, "Th-Then... can't we make this a little less complicated...?"
"It's your first time, so of course we have to be more thorough. Or do you want someone else helping you with this every time in the future?" Liu Yanran's voice was full of teasing. She would not mind being that person, but Chu Lian would obviously never allow it.
"Of course not! The first time is one thing. I didn't know what to do, so I needed someone to help me. After this, I'll definitely be able to handle it myself..." Once was embarrassing enough. If this happened several more times and everyone found out, how would she have any dignity left?!
As the lord of a harem, if she lost all her dignity, would she not become someone everyone could bully from then on? She absolutely did not want that kind of life.
"I have serious doubts about that, but since you look so earnest, I'll believe you this once." Liu Yanran did not truly believe Chu Lian would manage exactly as she claimed... Mm, they would find out when the time came anyway.
"Of course you should believe me. I'm being completely serious." Chu Lian muttered under her breath, but she knew she was not very convincing right now, so she did not keep arguing. In any case, only she and Yanran knew her first period had come. No one else knew, so it was not quite that embarrassing.
"Oh, right, Yanran. Who changed my clothes? Why was everything taken off except this nightgown?" She had not paid attention last night, but after waking today, she realized that the only thing covering her entire body was a white nightdress. If she were not lying in bed, practically every part of her body would probably be faintly visible through it. That immediately made her curious.
"That was Sis Inori. She said no one knew how long you'd need to rest, so putting you in something light and comfortable would make things easier for you. After all, the weather isn't exactly kind to people right now." Liu Yanran's answer made Chu Lian sigh in relief. If it had been Inori, then there was no problem at all. Chu Lian trusted her.
"Oh, and for the next few days, it'd be best if you moved around a little. It's better for your body and will make you more comfortable. But remember, absolutely don't let yourself get cold. Also, during your period, eat more fruit. Most importantly, remember to get enough calcium. Got it?" Liu Yanran had decisively transformed into an experienced senior, instructing Chu Lian on exactly what she should do.
Listening to their conversation, the girls outside could barely suppress their laughter, covering their mouths as they secretly giggled. Only the still somewhat confused Yaya did not really understand what they meant. Menarche? Menstruation? What were those?
That was not really her fault. As an artificial Unbreakable Machine-Doll, not only could she not be injured, she also could not become pregnant—ahem, what I mean is, she lacked certain physiological functions shared by human girls.
Liu Yanran and Chu Lian busied themselves inside while the girls eavesdropped outside. Somehow, the whole situation was both harmonious and amusing. If Chu Lian knew that most of her conversation with Yanran had been overheard, who knew what kind of mood she would be in?
Only after they had been busy for more than half an hour did the voices inside gradually stop discussing the matter.
Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock... A single hand moved at incredible speed, rapping almost simultaneously across the heads of Cai Ya, Chu Chu, Li Xiu'er, Kurosaki Satsuki, Ruriko Nana, Lux Lyle, and Yaya. Every one of them involuntarily cried, "Ow!" and clutched their little heads, staring aggrievedly at Li Mingxue, who stood with her hands on her hips. Not one dared say a word.
Of the eight girls outside the door, everyone except Inori had been knocked on the head. Even Kurosaki Satsuki, who usually wore an icy expression, had not escaped. Her little head had taken a flick from Li Mingxue as well.
It seemed that although the white-haired girl was an iceberg, she still possessed a heart that loved gossip. Even if that curiosity was reserved solely for Chu Lian, it did not stop her from becoming just a little more approachable.
"Who's outside?" The noise beyond the door had not been quiet, and Chu Lian's hearing was still excellent. Her complexion, which had only just begun returning to normal, flushed scarlet again. Damn it. They could not all be standing outside eavesdropping, could they?
Hearing Chu Lian call out, the girls unanimously turned pleading eyes toward Li Mingxue and Inori, hoping the two of them could help cover this up. Otherwise, if Chu Lian found out, heaven only knew what would happen.
Seeing them plead so desperately, Li Mingxue softened. Besides, she had come over to deal with this matter too, so she answered, "Little Lian'er, I'm here."
Hearing her mother's voice, Chu Lian's tense heart finally settled a little. Even so, she did not tell Yaya to let her in. Instead, she asked, "Yaya, who else is outside?"
That was exactly the right person to ask. Yaya's eyes darted around, and she immediately prepared to report everything to Chu Lian.
But how could the other girls possibly let her do that? They all waved their hands, mouths moving silently as they made a whole pile of promises to persuade her not to tell the truth. Only then did Yaya answer with satisfaction, "Lady Inori is here too."
"Then there's no problem. Let them come in." After hearing Yaya's answer, Chu Lian immediately relaxed. Yaya definitely would not lie to her. Since only Mom and Inori were outside, there was no harm in letting them in.
Chu Lian believed everything on her side had already been cleaned up and no one would notice anything, which was why she felt at ease.
Who could have guessed that the moment Li Mingxue entered with Inori, who was carrying a pile of things, she would immediately expose exactly what Chu Lian was going through? "Your first period came, didn't it? Mm, Mom brought you some things to eat so you can replenish yourself..."
At that moment, Chu Lian went completely blank. Only a single thought remained in her mind: I want to die...