Click.
The light was switched off.
Su Xinran buried her head under the pillow, taking in the scent of the person beside her on the bed.
“Good night, Xinran-chan~”
The soft voice floated into Su Xinran’s ears like a drifting cotton puff on the wind—gentle, teasing, and impossible to ignore, like a fishing hook reeling in a small fish with something on its mind.
Su Xinran couldn’t help but poke her little head out.
“Aya-jie…?”
She called out softly to Wang Ya, only to be met with the sound of calm breathing.
“Eh?”
Through the sliver of moonlight sneaking in from between the curtains, Su Xinran saw Wang Ya lying there with her eyes closed, breathing steadily.
“As if I’d fall for that! Zombies don’t breathe!”
“Pfft… hahaha!”
Wang Ya’s serene expression suddenly cracked with a faint smile, then her whole body began to tremble as she let out a soft, stifled laugh.
“Well~ your reaction was just too funny! I couldn’t resist teasing you. Besides, zombies can breathe too, you know~”
Wang Ya stuck out her tongue innocently, then asked with concern:
“So, little missy, you’ve been frowning ever since you came out of the bath. What’s on your mind~?”
“I…”
Su Xinran desperately wanted to share what was in her heart, but no matter what, she couldn’t let Wang Ya know this secret.
After carefully weighing her words, she finally spoke with caution:
“Say… if, just if… if I weren’t who I am now, would you still call me your little sister…?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Wang Ya didn’t quite understand the roundabout and philosophical tone of Su Xinran’s question—frankly, even Su Xinran found it convoluted.
“Well, like… for example…”
“What if one day, you found out that I’m not a zombie… not even a girl… would you still accept me…?”
The more she spoke, the softer her voice became.
Her heart swung like a swing at its peak—afraid that in the next second, this hard-won sisterhood might shatter.
“Well~”
Wang Ya understood.
Su Xinran had lived four years in total isolation from the outside world.
Now she’d been brought into someone else’s home so suddenly—it was like taking in a stray cat off the street.
No wonder she was full of insecurity and doubt.
I’ve been careless as her “newbie” big sister…
Wang Ya reached out to gently pat Su Xinran’s head, a warm smile on her face.
“No matter who you are, from the moment I took you in, I’ve never planned to abandon you. From today on, the expiration date is… forever!”
“Eh…”
Although Wang Ya clearly misunderstood what Su Xinran was truly asking, her words still hit the mark, delivering exactly the comfort Su Xinran needed.
From today on, Su Xinran would have to live behind a mask—but Wang Ya would be her one true safe harbor.
“Mmph…”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she suddenly threw herself into Wang Ya’s arms.
“There, there~ be good now~”
Wang Ya gently stroked Su Xinran’s back, soothing this little crying kitten in her arms.
…
Meanwhile, in the bathroom…
Maid Huang Qinyin—with her yellow braided hair—was cleaning up the clothes Su Xinran had casually tossed into the laundry basket.
As she gathered the garments into her arms and prepared to leave, she suddenly froze.
Her wine-red eyes darted left and right, confirming she was alone.
Then, with a smooth motion, she plucked out Su Xinran’s intimate garment, brought it to her nose, and took a deep, indulgent sniff.
“Such a heavenly treasure… How can a zombie have such a sweet, alluring scent…? So strange…”
Savoring the lingering fragrance on her nose, Huang Qinyin licked her canine tooth with satisfaction, then walked out of the bathroom—clothes in hand—casting a dangerous glance in the direction of Su Xinran’s bedroom.
“Su Xinran, huh… hehehe…”
The next morning.
Outside the window, birds chirped cheerfully, and a mutated little bird fluttered at the glass, chirping away.
“Mm…”
Su Xinran stirred awake, still groggy, and instinctively nuzzled against the soft warmth in front of her.
‘What a fluffy pillow…’
She thought, pressing her face deeper into it.
“Hmm…”
A soft hum came from Wang Ya, half-asleep.
“Wait—this isn’t a pillow, is it?”
Su Xinran suddenly snapped awake and tried to sit up, but found herself unable to move—Wang Ya’s arm was wrapped tightly around her.
That’s when she realized: she was being hugged like an octopus—Wang Ya was using her as a body pillow.
Then… what was I just rubbing against? A silk comforter?
Su Xinran was puzzled.
Well, whatever… it’s warm anyway. Might as well sleep a bit more…
She adjusted her position, ready to drift off again—but then a sticky, damp sensation between her legs caught her attention.
Huh…?
What is this liquid…?
Wait… don’t tell me… did Aya-jie do that kind of thing to me last night…?
No, no, what am I even thinking?
Aya-jie doesn’t have a drill—how could she possibly pull that off?
Then what is this? It even feels a little warm…
Still foggy-headed, Su Xinran sluggishly glanced at the calendar on the nightstand.
September 10th.
Huh?!
The number “10” snapped her fully awake.
The last time her “relative” came to visit was 28 days ago… could it be—today, right on schedule?!
She cursed herself for being so careless.
It’s been four years and I still managed to forget something this important.
Trembling slightly, she reached down to check, and the crimson stain on her hand confirmed her worst fear.
Cold sweat traced a line down her back.
This was human blood.
If Wang Ya discovered this… well, she didn’t even want to think about the consequences.
Thankfully, it was only day one of her “relative’s visit,” and the situation hadn’t spiraled out of control yet.
There was still a chance to save the bedsheets…
She had to move fast, before anything was contaminated.
Cold sweat still trickling, Su Xinran carefully began lifting Wang Ya’s arm from her body.
“Mm… don’t move…”
Still half-asleep, Wang Ya furrowed her brows and murmured a warning, startling Su Xinran into freezing in place.
A long pause followed.
Wang Ya didn’t move again.
Su Xinran finally let out a slow, shaky breath of relief.
Very gently, very slowly, she pulled one leg out from between Wang Ya’s thighs, stuffed a blanket into the gap, and then carefully withdrew the other leg…
Saved!
Freed from Wang Ya’s embrace, Su Xinran let out a huge sigh of relief.
Just those few seconds had left her feeling like her nightgown was soaked through with sweat.
She silently got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and walked to the bedroom door.
The maids outside were probably already up and preparing breakfast by now…
Her bedroom was on the second floor; the dining room was downstairs on the first. Thankfully, there was a bathroom at the far end of the second-floor hallway.
Please… please let breakfast not be ready yet.
Please let everyone still be downstairs…
Su Xinran gripped the doorknob.