Chapter 24: Tessa’s Goodnight Study
At six in the morning, Tessa’s internal clock proved more accurate than any alarm.
She woke with a deeply conflicted feeling. On one hand, she was violently resistant to and terrified of the first day of the “time-share agreement.” On the other hand, last night’s terrifying romantic battlefield had somehow ended with her surviving safely and completing the quest. It gave her a ridiculous sense of having lived through a disaster.
By the time she changed into her workout clothes and dragged herself to the athletic field, Riley was already waiting.
Today’s demon coach seemed a little different.
“Ahem! Since you’re here… let’s start.”
Riley’s gaze touched Tessa for only an instant before darting away. Two suspicious clouds of red rose on her cheeks. The entire time, she maintained a safe distance. Even when correcting Tessa’s movements, she only used words and did not make any physical contact like yesterday.
That stiff, deliberate avoidance made it obvious she was still suffering the aftereffects of Tessa’s outrageous line from yesterday.
[Riley… can I borrow your abs… to lean on?]
The lingering damage was absurdly strong.
The training content was just as Riley had promised. It became an extremely gentle recovery session, and by the end, Tessa had only broken a light sweat, her cheeks faintly flushed.
The moment training ended, at exactly seven-thirty, Molly appeared downstairs outside the dorm right on time.
“Tessa! Come eat while it’s hot!”
Like she was presenting treasure, Molly opened an enormous three-layer insulated lunchbox. The contents inside were so abundant they were almost outrageous. Crab roe soup dumplings, shrimp shumai, millet pumpkin porridge, a soft-boiled egg, and a small dish of refreshing cucumber salad.
“This one helps restore your energy and blood. This one gives you protein. And this one will make your skin even softer and prettier!” Molly laid out breakfast while holding a handwritten [Feeding Instructions] sheet, explaining the effects of each dish with great seriousness. Her clear eyes shone with a nearly maternal glow.
Tessa ate while feeling deeply overwhelmed by the pampering. It did not feel like breakfast. It felt like a sacred ceremony dedicated to “fattening her up.”
Today was Friday, and she had no morning classes.
When Tessa finally got a moment to breathe after the chain bombardment of the “time-share agreement,” she collapsed into her chair with her overstuffed stomach rounded out. That was when [Ace Manager] Vanessa swayed over with her snake-like waist and all her usual dangerous charm.
Smack!
A freshly printed A4 sheet, still warm from the printer, was slapped heavily onto the desk in front of Tessa.
Tessa focused on it. The bold black title radiated an atmosphere that made her blush just from reading it.
[The Deep-Sea Siren’s Midnight Murmur: Night One, Let Me Whisper You to Sleep]
“W-what is this?” An ominous feeling rose in Tessa’s heart.
“Your stream script, my little darling.” Vanessa hooked a finger under Tessa’s chin and breathed a fragrant sigh toward her, her eyes soft and teasing. “I tailored it just for you.”
With trembling hands, Tessa opened the so-called “script.”
After reading only the first page, her face exploded red, as if it might drip blood.
[Opening Line: Use a breathy, low voice. Slow your pace. Create the lazy feeling of someone who just woke up.]
[It’s late. Your little siren is here… Shh, don’t talk. Tonight, what kind of voice do you want me to use to fill your lonely ears and… your heart?]
[Segment One: The Feather Promise. Imagine your listener lying on your lap while you gently brush a feather along their ear. Your breathing should be soft, with a faint hint of amusement. Occasionally let out a tiny hum, barely there, like a feather brushing across the heart.]
[Segment Two: Water Sounds and Lip Sounds. When drinking water, make sure the microphone clearly captures the sound of swallowing, as well as the faint wet sound when your lips part afterward.]
“I can’t! I won’t!”
Tessa snapped the script shut and threw it away like a hot potato. Face bright red, she lifted her head and, for the first time, faced Vanessa’s playful peach-blossom eyes with such a firm attitude.
“This, this isn’t sleep-aid content! This is clearly suggestive! My stream will get warned on the very first day!” Tessa screamed inside. Her voice trembled slightly with humiliation and anger. “Vanessa, this script is too much! I can’t read this out loud! I just want to quietly read books or sing a little…”
Looking at Tessa’s watery amber eyes, bright from shame and anger, and that stubborn expression of refusing even unto death, Vanessa was not angry at all. If anything, she found it even more interesting.
“All right, all right. Our little darling is shy. You know how to protect yourself now. I’m so proud.” Vanessa laughed lazily and pulled out a second script from behind her. “Then how about we use the clean version?”
The title of the second plan looked much more normal.
[Tessa’s Goodnight Study]
The content was only readings of classic poems and essays.
Tessa opened it with suspicion and found that the text was indeed proper literary material. She had just let out a breath of relief when she immediately noticed dense red notes written beside every line of poetry. The details were demonic.
[Example One: When you read the line “petals touched with dew,” lower your voice on “dew” and “petals.” Add an obvious breathiness to create a crystal-clear, delicate texture, as if whispering beside the listener’s ear.]
[Example Two: When you reach the end of a long sentence, such as “blooming quietly in the silent night,” the final word “night” should carry a faint upward lilt. Lazy, with a hint of playfulness, like the satisfied little hum of a cat stretching.]
[Example Three: When reading “the wind passed over the damp grass,” slow down on “damp.” Your voice should carry the freshness of rain-washed grass, making the listener feel as though they can smell the moist air.]
“…”
After reading it, Tessa felt as if her cheeks had been set on fire. This version was still shameful beyond belief, but at least the content itself was proper. It was within the range she could endure if she pinched her nose and suffered through it.
In the end, after a silent tug-of-war over dignity, Tessa blushed and nodded in humiliation.
Dinner was, as usual, Molly’s special loving feeding session.
When Tessa finally finished the dinner that was lavish enough to choke a bull and waddled around the dorm with her rounded belly, whining softly as she tried to digest, Seraphina appeared elegantly at the entrance to Room 407.
“Tessa, did you eat too much?” Seraphina asked, looking at her adorable state with a smile so gentle it seemed capable of melting into water. “Perfect. Come take a walk downstairs with me. It’ll help digestion.”
Unable to refuse Seraphina’s invitation, Tessa had no choice but to follow her with her stuffed stomach and slowly walk through the peaceful campus after dinner.
The late-summer evening breeze carried a faint coolness, scattering the heat of the day. The two of them walked side by side along the tree-lined path. The warm yellow streetlights stretched their shadows long across the ground.
“How have classes felt recently? Are you able to keep up?” Seraphina’s voice was like clear spring water as she naturally opened the conversation.
“P-pretty okay…” Tessa always got nervous in front of Seraphina without meaning to.
“That’s good.” Seraphina smiled and suddenly took a simple but high-quality notebook from the delicate little bag she carried, then handed it to Tessa.
“What’s this?” Tessa accepted it in confusion.
“A gift for you,” Seraphina said gently. “I noticed you don’t seem to have a habit of taking notes in class yet. The paper in this notebook is very nice and smooth to write on. I hope it helps with your studies.”
Tessa opened it and found a beautifully designed notebook inside. The paper was thick and wonderful to the touch. Warmth instantly surged in her chest. Holding the notebook, she thanked her in a small voice.
“Thank you, Seraphina…”
“Silly girl. Why are you being polite with me?” Seraphina habitually rubbed her hair. “All right. Go back and rest early.”
⸻
Ding-dong.
The dorm doorbell rang.
“Coming, coming!” Chloe ran over happily to open the door. “It must be our divine weapons!”
Outside, a delivery guy held a giant box and panted, “Hello. Your audio interface and microphone have arrived. Please sign here!”
Once the professional-grade pink microphone and top-tier audio interface were signed for, Room 407 fell completely into celebration.
Her highly efficient roommates immediately got to work and forcibly built Tessa a miniature “streaming room” in one corner of the dorm.
“Tessa, sweetheart, come here. I’ll teach you how to adjust it.”
Vanessa wore a tight silk nightdress as she wrapped her arms around Tessa from behind while Tessa sat in the chair. Holding Tessa’s hand, she guided her closer to the pink microphone.
“You need to get a little closer. Keep your lips about three fingers away.” Vanessa’s warm breath brushed over Tessa’s sensitive ear, and her voice was low and sultry. “That way, the audio pickup will be best. Every breath you take will be clearly heard by your fans.”
Tessa’s back clearly felt the shocking softness and warmth pressing against her.
Her entire body went rigid. She flushed from her neck all the way to her heels, her mind blank, and could only let Vanessa manipulate her.
“All set!” Chloe rubbed her hands together excitedly. “Tessa, hurry, try it! Just read any textbook passage!”
Under three pairs of expectant eyes, Tessa took a deep breath and put on the monitoring headphones. Nervously clearing her throat, she faced the adorable pink microphone and began reading a dry passage from [Introduction to Art Theory] in what she thought was her most normal and emotionless tone.
“Artistic production, as a special form of spiritual production, it…”
However, when her voice passed through the top-tier audio interface and microphone, then returned to her own ears through the headphones, even she was stunned.
Her clear, slightly husky girl’s voice had been infinitely magnified. Every rise and fall of her breathing, every movement of her lips and teeth, even the faint tremble in her breath caused by nervousness, became incredibly clear and moving. It was as if an electric current had slipped through the ear canal and drilled straight into the brain, making the scalp tingle.
“Oh my god…” Chloe covered her bright-red face and let out a satisfied sigh. “I feel like… I feel like Tessa is giving me a spa treatment with knowledge. My bones are melting.”
Iris still maintained the posture of a professional judge, her brows tightly knit. “Unstable breathing. Terrible core strength. But… damn, it sounds good.”
Only Vanessa wore a satisfied smile that said everything was under control.
“Remember, tonight at nine sharp, you go live.” She patted Tessa’s shoulder, then added, “Oh, right. I already registered your account for you. It’s called [Tessabelle].”
“Um… you absolutely can’t promote it everywhere!” In that moment, Tessa’s social anxiety DNA overwhelmed everything. She warned them with complete seriousness. “And d-don’t send me gifts either!”
The three roommates exchanged glances, held back their laughter, and gave her an “OK” sign.
At exactly nine that night.
Tessa looked at the lonely stream room on the streaming app. It had only a dozen or so popularity points, including the three alt accounts belonging to her roommates. Her heart was filled with anxiety.
Biting the bullet, she followed Vanessa’s “clean script” and began the first stream of her life.
“G-good evening… Welcome to… Tessa’s Goodnight Study…”
Her voice trembled slightly from extreme nervousness. She sounded like a frightened little animal, carrying a fragile quality that made people’s hearts ache.
However, this genuine trembling was instead misunderstood by the few listeners in the stream as deliberately created “roleplay.”
[Holy crap! This newbie’s voice is insane!]
[Waaah, what kind of divine little sister is this? Why is her voice shaking? Was she bullied?]
[Protect our Tessa! Nobody bully her!]
[This voice… I’m gone, guys.]
The chat filled with amazement and messages of [Protect our Tessa], and because her voice was simply too outstanding, the number of viewers in the stream began slowly climbing.
Half an hour later, the stream ended.
Tessa collapsed in her chair. She looked at the small gifts worth a few dozen credits in the stream backend, heard the system prompt announcing the quest completion, then looked at her roommates, who were even more excited than she was. For a moment, her emotions were complicated.
Still, the feeling of earning money through her own “labor” made a subtle, indescribable sense of achievement rise in her heart.
“So, how was it, my little darling?” Vanessa leaned close and breathed softly by her ear. “Tonight, you only read poetry, and they were already losing their minds. Tomorrow… should we try singing a nursery rhyme to lull them to sleep?”