Although the Huazi family had suffered a tragic massacre, the five of them were simply too hungry, too exhausted, and too weary to care about such taboos. They dragged out the mattresses and pillows from the rooms, made a makeshift bed in the hall, and barricaded the doors and windows, preparing to spend the night together.

Pang Jun, despite his rotund shape, insisted on squeezing himself in the middle, while Officer Huang voluntarily positioned himself at the outermost edge on the left. The bed on the far right, draped with the bridal quilt, was deemed too feminine by Wang Zikai, who then snuck into Officer Huang’s blanket. From left to right, the order was Officer Huang, Wang Zikai, Pang Jun, Gao Yang, and Qing Ling.

Gao Yang originally intended to show some gentlemanly grace by sleeping on the outside, but Qing Ling insisted on taking the far-right spot—her right hand always gripping a knife.

Resting his head on a crimson pillow, covered by the vibrant bridal quilt, Gao Yang turned slightly to glance at Qing Ling beside him. Her breathing was steady, but her brows remained faintly furrowed—it was evident she hadn’t fallen asleep and was ever vigilant, ready for battle.

A peculiar feeling suddenly welled up in Gao Yang’s heart, as if this were his wedding night, and his bride, lying beside him, was gripping a sword, awaiting dawn to fight side by side…

"Smack!" Pang Jun turned in his sleep, his chubby hand landing squarely on Gao Yang’s face.

Suppressing the urge to kick him, Gao Yang merely pushed his hand away.

In the dead of night, the five of them gradually drifted into slumber. Gao Yang wasn’t sure how long had passed, but in a hazy state of consciousness, he felt someone grasping his hand.

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Startled, he woke up instantly.

The snores of Pang Jun and Wang Zikai echoed in the darkness. Shifting his attention to his right hand, he confirmed that it was tightly held by a cold, smooth hand. He turned slightly towards Qing Ling.

In the dim light, Qing Ling lay stiff, her eyes wide open, glowing faintly.

"What’s wrong?" Gao Yang asked softly.

"Nothing." Qing Ling feigned calmness, but her voice trembled slightly.

It dawned on Gao Yang immediately, "You are... Qing Lian?"

Qing Lian remained silent but didn’t deny it.

For a moment, Gao Yang didn’t know what to say. The man-hating Qing Lian had voluntarily grabbed his hand; she must have been truly terrified.

"Why don’t you… go back?" Gao Yang, unsure how to communicate with Qing Ling’s second personality, added, "This isn’t where you should be."

"I know. My sister told me everything that happened." Qing Lian replied, "Though she had her eyes closed, she never really slept. I want her to rest for a bit…"

Gao Yang was puzzled, "But even if your sister’s personality rests, isn’t your body still awake?"

"Are you telling me how to do my job?"

"I wouldn’t dare…"

"I know better than you. I need to sleep on her behalf now..." Qing Lian took a deep breath and tightened her grip on Gao Yang’s hand. "Don't mind me. I’ll fall asleep soon."

"Alright."

After a while, Gao Yang could still feel Qing Lian hadn’t fallen asleep. He wasn’t drowsy anymore either, so he turned towards her.

"What do you think you’re doing!" Qing Lian, ever alert, snapped her eyes open. "I’m warning you, don’t even think about it, or I’ll cripple you."

"You’re overthinking," Gao Yang said awkwardly. He wasn’t some brute, and given their current predicament, how could he even have such thoughts? "I don’t know if we’ll make it out of here alive, and in case I never get the chance again, I wanted to apologize for that incident."

"The one with Li Weiwei?"

"Yes."

"That was my sister’s doing. It has nothing to do with you." Qing Lian averted her gaze.

"I know, but if it weren’t for me…"

"Enough with the dramatics."

Qing Lian shifted, resting her head on Gao Yang’s pillow, curling her long legs up, her back pressing against his chest. Gao Yang could smell the fresh scent of her hair. Still unsatisfied, Qing Lian grabbed his arm and draped it over herself, finally feeling a bit more secure.

"Stay like this. Don’t move." Qing Lian took a deep breath and closed her eyes.