Chapter 34: Good Night

In the room where the door had only just been installed that day, the two little ones clung to each other, rolling around together.

"Zizi, what happened to your face? Did Song Shiya and her friends give you trouble again?"

Mu Qing nuzzled Gu Zi's smooth arm with her face as she asked curiously.

Earlier at the dinner table, every time Mu Qing had tried to ask, Mu Yu had deftly changed the subject.

"Hmph, I just fell, that's all."

Gu Zi reached out and scratched Mu Qing until she was gasping for breath and begging for mercy before finally stopping.

"Why don't you just live at my place from now on? That way we can go to and from school together, and those people won't dare bother you anymore."

Mu Qing raised her fair little hand and flexed her arm in a show of strength.

"I'll protect you!"

Looking at Mu Qing's serious little face, Gu Zi couldn't help but pinch her soft cheeks.

"Just protect yourself and that'll be enough."

Suddenly, there were two knocks at the door, followed by Mu Yu's somewhat weary voice.

"Go to sleep early. You have school tomorrow."

After all, they were already in high school; he couldn't just walk into Mu Qing's room as he pleased, especially with Gu Zi inside as well.

"Got it!" Mu Qing stuck out her tongue and answered crisply.

Not until Mu Yu's footsteps faded away did the two girls turn off the light and lie side by side.

"Mu Qing, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

Mu Qing turned her head and saw Gu Zi's slightly flushed face bathed in the moonlight from the window.

"Umm..."

"Just say it! We're best friends—there's nothing we can't talk about."

Mu Qing swept her arm around Gu Zi, hugging her like an octopus.

"Do you have a sister-in-law?"

"...?"

It took Mu Qing's limited brainpower a moment to realize what she meant, her voice puzzled.

"My brother doesn't even have any friends, how could I have a sister-in-law?"

"Oh~"

Satisfied with the answer, Gu Zi hugged Mu Qing back, and the two girls tumbled about, wide awake.

"This is so comfy~"

Mu Yu, now in a set of comfortable pajamas, sprawled boldly across his bed, sighing with relief.

With one less person fighting for space, tonight the great Master Mu would have this big bed all to himself!

Look at this spaciousness, these soft pillows, and—

Mu Yu's head lolled to one side, and soon the room was filled with his snores.

The endless events of the day had left him utterly exhausted; he was fast asleep.

Under the faint light from the window, the sparse furniture cast shadows that twisted and merged across Mu Yu's sleeping face.

As Mu Yu's chest rose and fell with each breath, the shadows rippled like oars stirring the surface of water.

A tall, slender figure emerged from those shadows, hair smooth as silk brushing against Mu Yu's nose, stirred by a passing breeze.

Then came the grotesquely twisted, monstrous lower body.

Those sharp limbs carefully curled underneath, coiling beneath its abdomen.

Thankfully, Mu Yu's bed—which had served him for more than ten years—was strong enough to withstand the sudden weight, creaking only slightly.

The blurred features of the face scanned the room over and over, as if patrolling its own territory.

Or perhaps like a curious child, timidly observing a new place.

The buzzing machine on the ceiling blowing cool air caught its fascination, and it stretched out a hand to test the breeze.

But as soon as Mu Yu turned over in his sleep, it quickly withdrew, staring tensely at him.

Yet Mu Yu only muttered a few unintelligible sounds and drifted off again.

The monster let out a sigh of relief, moved no further, and settled quietly in the empty corner of the bed, perfectly still.

—

"Ugh."

Morning sunlight spilled through the window as Mu Yu stretched out lazily.

He’d slept well last night, except that in his dream it felt as if seven or eight copies of Mu Qing were pinning him down, making it impossible to move.

Maybe he’d eaten too well lately. Time to put the little piggy on a diet.

Mu Yu moved the arm draped over him, sat up, and rubbed his eyes.

Wait—an arm? What arm?

Slowly, Mu Yu turned his head. Lying next to him, unclothed, was a figure whose graceful waist cast a lovely silhouette in the warm light.

This was the kind of scenario Mu Yu had never even dared to dream of.

Of course, it would have been perfect if it weren’t for the four limbs draped over him.

"Stay calm. This must be a dream," Mu Yu said to himself, a blissful smile on his face.

"Come on, waking up to find an extra person in bed? That’s obviously a dream."

He gently pulled the pale arm back over his stomach and lay down again.

Once he woke up, everything would be fine.

But as he was thinking this, the figure beside him slowly sat up, looking around in confusion.

It seemed dazed, unsure of where it was.

Those indistinct eyes met Mu Yu’s despairing gaze.

Instantly, the limbs covering Mu Yu flailed wildly, as if startled.

The small room was instantly filled by the outstretched limbs, dust trickling from the shaking walls.

"Don’t move!" Mu Yu shouted, seeing one corner in imminent danger.

The panicked creature froze, but the momentum was too much—one sharp limb slashed mercilessly through.

The computer tower and screen were sliced apart as smoothly as butter.

Mu Yu sucked in a breath.

That was the computer he'd saved up for months to buy!

The hulking figure curled up, trembling under Mu Yu’s glare.

Forget it. He was well off enough not to fuss over such things. Besides, remembering the bloodied scene in the elevator shaft yesterday, he decided to tolerate it.

Mu Yu took a deep breath and forced a smile.

With a plop, something fell from the desk and broke in two on the floor.

"My teacher!"

Mu Yu stared at his beloved, well-worn USB drive lying shattered—his face a mask of grief.

"No!"

The birds in the trees scattered at his anguished cry. Downstairs, Uncle Chen glanced up from his banter with a neighbor, a reminiscent look in his eyes.

"Young people have such energy," he said.

"Do you have to wait here for me every morning? People will start to talk," the woman said, rolling her eyes as she accepted the breakfast Uncle Chen handed her.

"Let them talk, what’s it to us?" Uncle Chen chuckled, rubbing his hands and pulling two movie tickets from his pocket. "Afang, how about a movie tonight?"

"No thanks, I’m going dancing with Lao Yu. Go by yourself."

Uncle Chen stood there, staring at Afang’s departing figure.

"No!"

His cry of despair drew curses from the still-sleeping residents above.

But Mu Yu had no time to worry about Uncle Chen’s love life. He was busy comforting the figure cowering in the corner.

—

"Hey, don’t be like that. I’m not mad, it’s just an old computer. I was going to replace it anyway."

The creature looked up uncertainly.

"It’s just that USB drive I’m sad about..."

Immediately, it hung its head lower, trembling harder.

Mu Yu wanted to slap himself—why bring it up?

"It’s okay, really, just a small thing. I’ve got everything backed up online!"

Though it had no idea what ‘online backup’ meant, the creature seemed to sense Mu Yu wasn’t truly angry and looked up timidly.

There was such a childish innocence in those eyes that Mu Yu couldn’t help but feel as if he were facing a frightened little girl.

If only its face weren’t so terrifying—fit for an R-rated horror film.

Suppressing his discomfort, Mu Yu managed a smile.

The creature watched him for a long time, until his face almost froze, and then slowly reached out its right hand.

Mu Yu hesitated, then took it.

It was cold, with a slight tremor—how could a monster like this be so timid?

It felt almost as if... it was afraid of being punished.

As Mu Yu held its hand, the monster finally seemed to relax, but still sat obediently in the corner, not daring to move.

Its sharp limbs left deep gouges in the floor.

"Can you understand me?" Mu Yu bent down, curious, so their eyes met.

Though Mu Yu had reassured it several times, the creature still clung tightly to his hand, as if that touch was its only comfort.

Under his gaze, it turned its head slightly and nodded.

"Do you have a name?"

After a moment’s silence, it shook its head, never meeting his eyes.

"How about I give you one?"

Mu Yu thought for a while—it needed a name; he couldn’t keep calling it ‘monster’ or ‘contaminant.’

That wouldn’t do.

"How about... Little White?"

He suggested, referring to its pale body.

Little White nodded. Judging by its meekness, it probably wouldn’t have objected to any name.

"Little White, can you hide inside my body? My little sister’s still at home, and she gets scared easily."

Mu Yu tried to be as gentle as possible.

"I’ll introduce you another time, okay?"

Little White didn’t seem to mind, just lowered its head in silence.

Just as Mu Yu wondered if he’d said the wrong thing, the hand he was holding suddenly grew warm and began to melt into his skin.

Little White’s massive form flowed into Mu Yu’s body like water, through his arm.

By the time Mu Yu realized what was happening, he was alone in the room.

If it weren’t for the gouges in the floor and the broken computer, he’d have thought it was all a dream.

"Honestly..."

Mu Yu shook his head, cleaned up the remains of his computer, and swept the broken USB into the trash with a heavy heart.

When he finally finished and opened the door, the house was quiet. The two girls hadn’t been disturbed by the noise and were still fast asleep.

"Sigh, what’s the point of getting stronger if you still have to make breakfast," Mu Yu muttered as he quickly washed up, feeling oddly out of place.

It was clear his life had changed completely—from urban reality to something out of a fantasy novel.

And yet, somehow, it felt like nothing had changed at all.

Unable to make sense of it, Mu Yu shook his head, tied on his little yellow duck apron, and walked into the kitchen.