Category: My Cthulhu Girlfriend (gl)

Chapter 73: The Soul

An Yue stood frozen on the stairwell, wondering if she had misheard.

Her eyes, stinging and blurred from looking directly at the Evil God’s true form, still searched for information, blood trickling from her nose, but she didn’t retreat.

She waited, and a thick tentacle suddenly shot out from the apartment, wrapping around her waist, pulling her inside, lifting her into the air before Xiang Er.

The door slammed shut behind her, several black tentacles severed by the sudden movement, the remaining tentacles writhing wildly, as if the Evil God itself was in a frenzy!

An Yue hung suspended, like a rigid wooden stick, a tentacle gently touching her eyes, and the pain subsided, her vision clearing.

She was pulled closer to Xiang Er, her gaze fixed on the girl’s current state…

A sudden realization made her gasp:

“That wound… she did that to herself?”

The entire room trembled, the black slime churning and bubbling like boiling water, the tentacles writhing in agony and frenzy, some of them suddenly sharpening, like blades, severing other tentacles!

The severed tentacles let out horrifying shrieks, falling into the slime, dissolving into bloody red clumps…

The Evil God was self-harming, tearing at Its own flesh, trying to feel the same pain as Xiang Er, but it was useless. A Evil God wasn’t human, It couldn’t feel the same fragile pain.

A long, mournful wail, low and reverberating, echoed from the Evil God, a sound of pure agony!

An Yue, stunned and incredulous, couldn’t help but ask:

“What happened? What exactly happened? Why did she… was it suicide?”

The next second, the world blurred, and An Yue saw everything.

---

Xiang Er lay on the bed, her body, from the neck down, completely enveloped in thick, red tentacles, not an inch of skin visible.

And the source of these tentacles… was Shen Yuhe’s head.

…Just a head.

From the side, it looked like two heads sprouting from a mass of tentacles.

And Xiang Er’s face was flushed crimson, as if she had just experienced an intense release, her eyes vacant as she stared at the ceiling, her voice hoarse:

“Who… are you?”

Shen Yuhe’s beautiful head spoke, her voice soft:

“I’m Shen Yuhe, your Little Fish.”

Xiang Er continued to stare at the ceiling, as if unwilling to look at the tentacles, her expression unchanging, not asking any more questions, just breathing slowly.

Shen Yuhe’s head spoke again, her voice incredibly gentle and soothing:

“I’m also… Akhe.”

Xiang Er still stared at the ceiling, her eyelashes fluttering, her voice trembling:

“What did you do to my Little Fish… did you eat her?”

Shen Yuhe shook her head, her disembodied face a mask of sadness and a deep sense of being wronged.

“No, it’s always been just me, just Akhe. Little Fish is me, Shen Yuhe is me, Akhe is me.”

Xiang Er gritted her teeth, blood welling up on her lips, tears escaping her eyes:

“So… you’re saying… Shen Yuhe never existed? Is that it?”

Shen Yuhe’s… Akhe’s head, looking frantic, immediately moved closer:

“She exists, Shen Yuhe is me…”

But Xiang Er closed her eyes, her voice firm:

“Shen Yuhe never existed.”

Akhe’s head swayed frantically, unsure what to do, then pressed against Xiang Er’s face, her full, red lips gently kissing Xiang Er’s cheek.

And Xiang Er, her eyes closed, her face ashen, passively endured it all.

After a long time, the tentacles turned crimson again, their tips restlessly exploring Xiang Er’s body.

Xiang Er opened her eyes slightly, her gaze hazy, and she whispered:

“Then… become her, let me see her again.”

Akhe, hearing this, immediately retracted its tentacles, transforming back into Shen Yuhe, her naked body, smooth and glowing, pressing against Xiang Er, her arms wrapping around her, her lips eagerly kissing Xiang Er’s neck:

“Have you… changed your mind? I can hear it… you’ve changed your mind… you’re right, I am her, she is me, and from now on, we’ll be together…”

Xiang Er gently turned her head and kissed Shen Yuhe, a deep, lingering kiss.

A kiss of love, and a kiss of farewell.

Shen Yuhe, lost in the kiss, completely relaxed her guard.

And in that moment…

Xiang Er raised her arm, a rusty piece of metal clutched in her hand.

The bed in the master bedroom was old and worn, and pieces of metal from the frame often came loose. Held in her hand, it became a crude, makeshift blade.

The next second, Shen Yuhe cried out, reaching out to stop her, tentacles erupting from her back!

But… Xiang Er didn’t give her a chance.

One moment, their lips were locked in a sweet, dreamlike kiss, the promise of a future together.

The next, blood splattered.

With all her might, Xiang Er slashed her own carotid artery!

A crimson arc of blood sprayed outwards, covering Shen Yuhe’s face and body.

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”

Shen Yuhe’s scream echoed, a powerful shockwave ripping through the apartment, the building collapsing around them!

Amidst the roar of the collapsing structure, the dust and debris, black slime and tentacles surged forward, enveloping Xiang Er…

And Shen Yuhe, Akhe, shattered, reduced to a pathetic puddle of black slime.

Frantically trying to heal her, to repair the wound with its tentacles, to pry open her eyelids.

But it was no use.

The black slime could rebuild the collapsed building, restore their cozy home, but it couldn’t… bring her back.

---

Having witnessed all of this, An Yue immediately injected herself with a tranquilizer.

She couldn’t believe what she had just seen, her mind reeling, quickly skipping over the details, she said:

“If it’s just the carotid artery, I have a special medication that can…”

But the mad, broken voice screamed:

“No!!! No!!! You useless thing!!!”

A tentacle lashed out, striking An Yue across the face with a loud crack, her cheek instantly swelling, her teeth aching.

An Yue spat out a mouthful of blood and raised an eyebrow:

“Do you still want my help or not?”

The voice sobbed, a high-pitched wail, and the tentacle that had struck her was severed, black and red slime mixing together, the stench almost unbearable.

An Yue:

“If it’s not the artery, then what?”

The voice, now a choked whisper, replied:

“It’s… her soul. I can repair her body, but I can’t bring back her soul, her soul doesn’t want to see me, I can’t find it… she’ll become an empty shell…”

An Yue understood. The physical wounds could be healed, but Xiang Er would be left an empty shell, her SAN value at zero.

“Oh, we happen to have some… experience with souls.”

An Yue opened her bag and pulled out a bottle of painkillers and a syringe, her usual emergency supplies.

As she was about to inject Xiang Er, a tentacle snatched the syringe and the medicine, pushing her aside.

An Yue watched as the tentacles clumsily, then with increasing dexterity, mimicked her actions, having absorbed the knowledge of how to use the syringe from her mind.

It was a SAN value stabilizer developed by the Special Investigations Bureau, different from ordinary tranquilizers, designed to affect the mind and, to some extent, retrieve a lost soul.

An Yue, watching the tentacles carefully handling the large bottle of medicine, as if holding a precious lifeline, one tentacle holding the bottle, another drawing the liquid into the syringe, couldn’t help but say:

“But even if you can bring back her soul… are you sure she’ll want to see you?”

Although she hadn’t understood the details of their relationship, she instinctively felt that Xiang Er wouldn’t want to come back.

The tentacles paused, then continued their task. Shen Yuhe’s voice echoed:

“As long as she wakes up, I’ll do anything…”

An Yue:

“What if she wants you to disappear completely?”

Silence. Only the gurgling of the black slime, and the sound of tentacles writhing within it, no comprehensible answer.

The tentacle holding An Yue carried her to a corner, while the other tentacles, carefully parting the black slime around Xiang Er, gently inserted the needle into a vein in her arm.

Meanwhile, some of the black slime was clinging to Xiang Er’s neck, the jagged, bloodstained wound already closed, new flesh growing, clearly being healed.

The injection seemed to have no effect, and the tentacles were about to lash out at An Yue, when An Yue quickly said:

“You have to inject the whole bottle! She’s already…”

Before she could finish the sentence, she was thrown to the ground, her face landing in the black slime, almost suffocating her.

“You’re lying!!! Get out!!! Get out of here!!!!”

The chaotic scream, rising in pitch, became an unbearable, high-frequency sound, and An Yue, wiping the slime from her face, stood up, blood trickling from her eyes, her ears, her nose!

Amidst the pain and chaos, she raised her hands:

“Okay, okay, I was wrong, she’s fine, calm down, she’s about to wake up… don’t scare her.”

It seemed to work.

As the tentacles continued injecting Xiang Er with the stabilizer, the black slime began to recede, revealing the room beneath.

The floor was covered in debris, cracks in the walls, pieces of plaster and concrete clinging precariously, the whole place about to collapse.

The black slime gently caressed Xiang Er’s neck, the tentacles, as they administered the injection, carefully wrapping around her body, carrying her to the sofa, and gently laying her down.

An Yue, watching the tentacles’ gentle movements, then remembering how roughly she had been handled, couldn’t help but click her tongue.

This Evil God… seemed hopelessly in love.

The person on the sofa finally stirred, her fingers twitching, her eyelashes fluttering.

Suddenly, another figure appeared beside the sofa.

Shen Yuhe, dressed in a long white dress, like a first love, her face pale and ethereal, leaned over Xiang Er, her gaze intense and anxious.

She had to make sure that when Xiang Er woke up, the first thing she saw was her.

Chapter 72: Madness

“I… like you too.”

A subtle tremor ran through the universe. An Yue, speeding along on her motorcycle, suddenly lost control and crashed. A vegetable vendor by the roadside smiled vacantly. A child pointed at the sky, jumping and shouting, a slight disturbance in the world’s order.

It was the moment the Evil God faltered.

Weeds sprouted from the walls of the old residential building, tears of youth welling up in the eyes of the elderly residents, a hurricane of love, tinged with sorrow and despair, erupting from the building, sweeping through the city, monsters wailing and dissolving into nothingness, flowers and plants growing wildly, waves crashing against the shore, life itself bathed in the overwhelming power of love, an irresistible force…

Only love could make a Evil God lose control… and become human.

Shen Yuhe shed her human skin, but she truly, became human. She felt the full force of love, the fleeting nature of time, the enduring power of love, the preciousness of life, overshadowed by the immensity of love.

What did it matter that she was covered in tentacles, in black slime? What did it matter that she could destroy the world with a wave of her hand? She was as vulnerable now as Xiang Er!

A single look, a single gesture from Xiang Er, and she would wither, or be reborn.

She revealed her true form.

The human skin peeled away like a discarded garment, starting from her neck, slowly falling to the floor, swallowed by the black slime. Beneath the skin was chaos and darkness, a writhing mass of tentacles, their black and red suckers intertwined, a sight that would drive any normal human mad, or blind.

The tentacles pulsed and shifted, and one of them, extending from her neck, slowly, cautiously, reached towards Xiang Er’s hand.

As if offering her control. Like a leash, placed gently in Xiang Er’s hand, waiting for her to pull it tight, to strangle it.

But… Xiang Er didn’t move.

Xiang Er stared at the grotesque tentacles and black slime, frozen in place, the dried bloodstains from her own hand stark against her naked skin.

She suddenly smiled.

A smile that grew wider, more unrestrained, more… manic.

She said:

“Where’s Shen Yuhe?”

As if oblivious to the tentacles, she reached out and cupped Shen Yuhe’s face, her voice rising:

“Why is there only a head? Where’s your body? Where’s your body?”

Shen Yuhe… or rather, Akhe, all its tentacles froze.

It didn’t understand, what was happening? Something was wrong with Xiang Er.

After returning from the mall, It had only erased Xiang Er’s memories of the mall and the rescue. It had prepared Itself for the truth, had imagined countless reactions… but none like this.

This wasn’t her! This wasn’t her soul!

A thick tentacle extended, its suckers delicately touching the dried bloodstains on Xiang Er’s skin, absorbing them, tasting them.

Then, with a swift movement, the tentacles pulled the human skin back on, retracting, disappearing, the Evil God once again taking the form of Shen Yuhe.

Shen Yuhe, her face serious, asked:

“How did you get exposed to so much pollution?”

But Xiang Er, seeing Shen Yuhe’s human form, just smiled vacantly, and she lunged forward, embracing Shen Yuhe, their bodies, slick and damp, pressed tightly together.

She sighed and kissed Shen Yuhe’s face, her forehead, her nose, her cheeks… Her eyes were hazy, her face flushed, her body almost vibrating with a strange energy, her actions uncontrollable.

Shen Yuhe gently held her, the intense desire, a foreign sensation, assaulting her true form, and she let out a suppressed gasp.

“The pollution… must be purged.”

Thick tentacles emerged again, wrapping around Xiang Er, lifting her, still smiling vacantly, from the steamy bathroom, and carrying her to the bed in the master bedroom.

The door slammed shut, the world tilting, Xiang Er crying out, her arms tightening around Shen Yuhe’s neck, offering herself completely, utterly… madly, to the god!

Tentacles rose, their red tips dripping with transparent fluid, splattering the walls, the wardrobe, the sheets, the floor, the clear droplets mixing with the black slime, indistinguishable.

Thin tentacles, thick tentacles, black and red, covered in suckers, smooth and soft… a symphony of tentacles, a chaotic yet strangely beautiful melody, Xiang Er herself the instrument…

After an unknown amount of time, several flashes of white light, and Xiang Er’s mind cleared slightly.

She opened her eyes, her screams hoarse and broken, and saw Shen Yuhe’s dark, desire-filled eyes, and… countless writhing tentacles!

“Ah… you… aaaaaaaaaah!!!!! Let go… aaaaaaaaaah!!!”

Moonlight streamed in, desire consuming everything.

Lost in the overwhelming pleasure, Xiang Er’s mind finally shattered.

---

A few hours earlier.

An Yue, lifting her damaged motorcycle, ignoring her broken leg, limped to the roadside and grabbed a driver who had just stepped out of his car:

“Emergency requisition! Take this to the police station for compensation!”

She ripped a special badge from her uniform, shoved it into the driver’s hand, jumped into his car, and sped away!

It was dusk, but the sky was a sickly grayish-yellow, the air dry and hot, the temperature rising unnaturally.

People stumbled through the streets like drunkards, some suddenly bursting into tears, others tearing their clothes, some fighting randomly.

Shopkeepers smashed their own merchandise, couples arguing and making love in the streets, children acting like adults, dragging their parents, who were lapping at puddles like dogs… everyone seemed to have gone mad.

An Yue focused on driving, her mind on Xiang Er’s address, which she had looked up earlier. Although she didn’t know if Xiang Er had gone home, it was the most likely place… and she didn’t know what that Evil God wanted from her.

An Yue thought, someone like Xiang Er, an orphan, naturally sensitive and vulnerable, pale, melancholic, and pitiful, was exactly the type of person these pollutants liked to target, but… the fact that she had attracted such a powerful entity was troubling. And she seemed to be infatuated with it, even in love with it, which made things even more complicated.

Even she, a highly trained investigator with exceptional willpower, had been controlled and manipulated, what must be going on in Xiang Er’s mind now, perhaps… it was already too late.

But she still raced towards the apartment, calling headquarters repeatedly, but the communication systems were also malfunctioning, the calls constantly dropping, or connecting to random people, there was no way to call for backup…

A loud crash, and the hood of the car was caved in!

An Yue, as the giant thing struck a second time, rolled out of the car, grabbed her weapon, and prepared to fight!

How could… how could there be such a large pollutant on the main road! An Yue, her eyes fixed on the giant, cockroach-like monster, frowned and charged into battle.

After defeating the cockroach, her body bruised and battered, she commandeered an electric tricycle and finally reached the residential compound as night fell.

Darkness engulfed the neighborhood, the streetlights flickering erratically. People, their desires unleashed, were eating, drinking, laughing, shouting, fighting, self-harming, murdering, even assaulting passersby… Under the flickering lights, human society had descended into chaos, all morals and boundaries seemingly gone…

This pandemonium had been going on for over four hours now, explosions rocking the streets, buildings collapsing, fires spreading. An Yue, alone and injured, could barely do anything, occasionally stopping her tricycle to help a few people, but she couldn’t save everyone.

She was exhausted, she didn’t know where this madness-inducing pollution was coming from, but she had a feeling…

It had something to do with the woman Xiang Er was with.

That woman was the most powerful entity she had ever encountered, even though she had been concealing her true strength.

An Yue, her weapons ready, her special abilities activated, took a deep breath and entered the residential compound.

Unlike the chaotic world outside, the compound was eerily quiet, like the eye of the storm.

A few elderly residents sat in the darkness by the roadside, their gazes deep and unsettling, like a heavy rain falling on An Yue, a clinging, suffocating weight.

She held her weapon, carefully navigating the broken stone path, and reached the building in the furthest corner.

She looked up, but she couldn’t see anything, the building dark and silent, like a solid, impenetrable statue.

An Yue quietly entered the stairwell, the air damp and cold.

The stairwell was unlit, and not a sound came from any of the apartments, as if no one lived there.

An Yue’s forehead beaded with sweat as she carefully ascended the stairs. Reaching the fourth floor, her foot brushed against something, and she picked it up, a piece of fabric.

It was the hem of Xiang Er’s dress.

Xiang Er was here! An Yue’s spirits lifted, but a sudden, sharp pain pierced her head, and she shook it off, injecting herself with a tranquilizer.

She continued upwards. On the fifth floor, the thick layer of dust bore the drag marks of something large and heavy, like a serpent.

She looked up, and a dark stain on the wall caught her eye, something that clearly didn’t belong in this world, radiating a strong aura of pollution.

Such a thing… such pollution… a single drop could destroy human society… An Yue’s heart pounded with fear, knowing that she might not make it out of here alive, but she had accepted that risk the day she became an investigator, and she continued upwards.

On the sixth floor, the pollution was so thick it was difficult to breathe, and she turned on her flashlight.

Apartment 602, where Xiang Er lived.

Black slime oozed from beneath the door, almost covering the entire hallway.

Xiang Er… had she already been consumed by the slime…

An Yue couldn’t step on the slime, and she couldn’t fly. Carefully, she used the handrail, finally reaching the door of 602.

She hesitated, wondering if she should break down the door, or try a more subtle approach…

When the door suddenly opened.

“Creak—”

The old latch turned slowly, a rusty, groaning sound, and a pungent mix of sweet fragrance and stench assaulted An Yue, almost making her gag.

An Yue, suppressing the urge to vomit, looked inside.

And she saw… Xiang Er.

Black slime covered everything, flowing across the ceiling, the walls, the floor, blood-red eyeballs appearing and disappearing within it, tentacles reaching out from every direction, their huge suckers contracting and expanding…

And in the center of this hellish scene…

The girl, her naked body covered in black slime, was entangled in tentacles, her head lolling, unconscious.

Her long hair swayed, blood dripping from her neck, the droplets disappearing into the black slime.

Like a dove, caught in a spider’s web, its wings broken, its life slowly fading.

“Too late…”

An Yue murmured, her eyes stinging with pain, when a female voice, coming from the living room, said:

“Please… save her…”

The voice was familiar, and An Yue was stunned.

How could it be Shen Yuhe?

Wasn’t Shen Yuhe the one responsible for Xiang Er’s current state? Why would she want to save her?

Chapter 71: Confession

Winter was a hateful, dreadful season. The world grew stiff yet damp, exuding a thick, cloying air of sorrow and pain. Everything buried deep within people’s memories surfaced like phantom bubbles, threatening to drown their souls. It was a time for nostalgia and tears, the perfect season for a rendezvous with ghosts and monsters.

That’s why fragile humans created so many festivals in winter, hoping to dispel the gloom with joyous celebrations, hoping that human connection, however superficial, could offer some warmth… to shield them from the harsh reality.

Today was December 29th, and many people were preparing for New Year’s Day. Shops were decorated, office workers were cheerful, the sky slightly overcast, perhaps it would snow tonight, a romantic backdrop for their celebrations, holding their loved ones close, creating fleeting memories amidst the mundane chaos. This was the meaning of life for most people.

But tonight, when people should have been out celebrating, a subtle melancholy permeated the air, a collective consciousness infecting everyone, a wave of sadness and pain, making them dwell on their misfortunes, even canceling their plans, just wanting to go home and lie down.

Their emotions were like puppets on strings, manipulated by some unknown force, sorrow flowing through them like a river, through their hearts, their eyes, their lips, an unending stream.

The source of this heavy, indescribable sadness was an unremarkable old district, its grey and black buildings standing silently, the elderly residents, like stone statues, their eyes clouded, watching the absurd comedies and tragedies unfold.

In the oldest building, in the furthest corner of the old district, on the top floor…

Inside the bathroom, Shen Yuhe was washing her human skin, a tentacle holding the showerhead, carefully rinsing away the dust with warm water.

The black tentacle was covered in suckers, its red eyes, unblinking, drifting in the murky water, seemingly lifeless.

Black slime accumulated on the bathroom floor, a growing puddle, mixing with the water, like thick mud.

And the tentacle washing the skin was steady, its movements precise, as if the Evil God felt no emotion, despite the wave of sorrow and pain engulfing the city.

The Evil God’s tentacle emerged from the slime, submerging the human skin, Shen Yuhe’s beautiful face now smeared with the black mud, a grotesque sight.

The Evil God could clearly hear the sounds from the next room.

Getting out of bed, stumbling, walking unsteadily, opening the door, entering the living room, continuing to stumble, her movements erratic.

The sound of her breathing, heavy and anxious, her hair swaying, her body moving through the air, the shuffle of her slippers, the tingling of her skin. The voice in her heart, screaming, yearning for Shen Yuhe, wanting to surrender to her.

It could hear everything.

But It continued methodically washing the skin, its pace unhurried.

Outside the bathroom, Xiang Er searched the master bedroom, then, hearing the sound of running water, realized that Shen Yuhe must be showering.

Ah… she was showering!

Just the thought made Xiang Er’s face flush, and she walked to the bathroom, her hand reaching for the doorknob, wanting to open the door, to go inside.

She could join her… wouldn’t that be wonderful! Shen Yuhe’s body, glistening with water… She turned the doorknob forcefully, but the door was locked.

Xiang Er gritted her teeth and twisted the doorknob, a sharp pain shooting through her wrist as the doorknob snapped off!

She had never been so strong.

She wasn’t surprised, only anxious, now she couldn’t even open the door! She pressed her ear against the door and called out:

“Shen Yuhe! Are you in there? Are you showering?”

Her voice, high-pitched and frantic, like a madwoman’s, penetrated the door. She peered through the crack, a sharp pain in her palm, but she ignored it, her gaze fixed on the sliver of the room visible through the gap.

She couldn’t see anything… and there was no response.

Where was her Shen Yuhe? Why didn’t she answer?

Xiang Er’s hand, pressed against the broken doorknob, was bleeding, the blood dripping onto the floor, but she didn’t feel it, only the burning anxiety, the desperate need to see Shen Yuhe.

“Shen Yuhe, open the door, let me in, I have something to tell you, I need to tell you in person!”

She pounded on the frosted glass of the bathroom door, leaving bloody handprints, then pressed her eye against the glass, trying to see inside.

She couldn’t see anything, only a swirling white mist, as if no one was there.

But the water was still running.

Xiang Er, frantic, began tearing off her clothes, ripping her fluffy pajamas, the sleeves tearing, the neckline stretching!

Soon, she was naked, her body bare and exposed, like a glass statue of a young woman, her skin flushed an unnatural red, as if consumed by invisible flames.

The blood from her hand smeared across her body, like blooming red camellias, staining her pale skin…

“Shen Yuhe… open the door…”

Xiang Er’s voice was hoarse and broken, her body pressed against the cold door, the only thing that could slightly alleviate her burning anxiety.

She tried to distract herself, but her thoughts, like a broken compass, always returned to Shen Yuhe, her obsession consuming her.

A wildfire raged within her, her usual caution and restraint gone, her actions more reckless than any monster’s!

She vaguely sensed that something was wrong, but… she loved her so much! She would go mad if she couldn’t see Shen Yuhe!

Her thoughts were hazy and confused, Shen Yuhe’s every smile and frown filling her mind, but for some reason, images of tentacles, black slime, flashed through her mind, merging with Shen Yuhe’s face. Those images, strangely, brought moments of clarity, fleeting doubts amidst the madness.

Why… ah, I love her so much… why am I like this? …She’s so beautiful, she’s the one I love… but I’m not… why isn’t she coming out… what happened before… she’s showering, she’s showering, she’s showering… it hurts, it hurts so much, did I die… her body, her hands, her legs…

Fragmented thoughts raced through her mind, elusive and intangible, and Xiang Er gasped for breath, her hand clutching her chest.

The water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. Xiang Er, realizing this, immediately stood up, her bloody hand pounding on the door, screaming Shen Yuhe’s name! She couldn’t wait any longer!

After an eternity, a soft click, and the door opened from the inside.

A wave of warm, damp steam billowed out, enveloping Xiang Er, obscuring her vision.

Like the morning mist in a forest, the steam carried a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, a scent so familiar to Xiang Er, so maddening.

She stared, her eyes wide, peering through the mist.

A graceful, feminine silhouette slowly emerged from the steam, a ghostly yet tangible figure, stepping out of the mist, gradually materializing before her eyes.

It was Shen Yuhe.

Her body glistening with water, her waist slender, her legs long, her delicate arms framing her willowy figure, her wet hair like black ripples cascading down her back, her eyes like the deepest pools.

Her body, from head to toe, was perfect, every curve and contour soft and yielding, adorned with shimmering droplets of water, like countless pearls, reflecting the light, a breathtaking, alluring sight.

Even Xiang Er, in her current state of madness, gasped at the sight.

This was the first time she had seen Shen Yuhe completely naked.

Unveiled, unhidden, completely exposed before her.

Her beauty was absolute. Flawless, her body a perfect symphony of curves and contours, the ultimate expression of human form.

No words could describe such beauty, no image, no photograph or video, could capture its essence.

Shen Yuhe stood there, amidst the swirling mist, her face, like a Madonna’s, a mixture of gentle serenity and profound sadness, her gaze soft and luminous, fixed on Xiang Er, a wave of sorrow emanating from her.

They stood there, naked, facing each other, no more secrets, no more lies.

Xiang Er whispered:

“You’re so beautiful.”

Shen Yuhe’s blood-red lips curved upwards, the mist slowly dissipating, the world brightening.

The bathroom floor was covered in black slime, red eyes swirling within it, those eyes, too, seemingly intoxicated, their gaze unfocused.

Shen Yuhe stepped forward, her foot sinking into the black slime, crushing several eyeballs, a strange, squelching sound.

But Xiang Er, oblivious to everything else, her gaze fixed on Shen Yuhe’s face and body, as if she couldn’t look away.

Shen Yuhe’s voice, soft as a whisper, as if afraid of breaking the spell, replied:

“Then… do you like it?”

Xiang Er, without hesitation, nodded:

“I like it.”

She wanted to say more, to tell her how much she liked it, that she had liked it since the moment they met, that she had never liked anyone else, that she was grateful for her existence in this world, to say… everything.

But a lump, like dried blood, was lodged in her throat, a painful obstruction, and she couldn’t speak, just stared at the woman before her, her eyes wide with anticipation.

Her face flushed, her eyes hazy, her naked body covered in bloody handprints, she reached out her hands, as if seeking an embrace.

And the woman, a head taller than her, stood silently, watching.

The woman’s smile widened, her bright red lips stretching, almost reaching her ears.

And behind her exquisite body…

A thick, dark red tentacle rose, its blood-red suckers contracting and expanding, the entire tentacle swaying slowly, rhythmically.

“I… like you too.”

Chapter 70: Inferno

Smoke and dust filled the air.

The shopping mall had become a battlefield, a multi-story monster rampaging, destroying, exploding everything in its path!

On the human side were a dozen or so individuals, each with their own unique methods of attack, some even wielding heavy weaponry.

But the monster defied all logic and reason, their attacks barely scratching its surface, only serving to enrage it further.

The human team shouted and charged, risking their lives with each desperate attack, barely managing to contain the monster, preventing it from growing larger, their numbers dwindling, struggling to even defend themselves against the monster’s relentless onslaught.

A woman, struck in the chest by the monster, was thrown back, blood spraying from her mouth. A man, attempting a sneak attack, had his arm brutally broken by one of the monster’s enormous, amorphous limbs, his scream echoing through the mall.

The roar of explosions, the crashing of collapsing structures, the whoosh of flames, the ghostly wail of the wind… a cacophony of sounds, waves of heat, choking dust and debris, the carnage of battle, blood and shredded clothing…

It was a sensory overload, a descent into hell, a scene that would haunt their nightmares.

Yet, behind a pillar, between two slender human figures, there was silence.

Between them was the eye of the storm, the center of a black hole, the moment before the Big Bang.

They stood quietly, gazing at each other, as if seeing each other for the first time, their faces reflected in each other’s eyes, their gazes intense, yet filled with sorrow.

They looked at each other as if gazing upon the only treasure in the world, the only person worth loving.

And yet, deep within their hearts, they both knew… a vast chasm separated them, a chasm of species, of deceit, of betrayal, of love turned to hate.

Perhaps it was a cruel joke of fate… something that even a “god” couldn’t escape, couldn’t resist, couldn’t comprehend.

The monster’s roars and the sounds of battle faded into the background, the world crumbling around them, as they stood there, their gazes locked, a silent, prolonged silence, no words spoken, nothing said.

Shen Yuhe suddenly reached out, her arms wrapping around Xiang Er’s waist, pulling her close, then, like a sudden downpour, a torrent of kisses rained down, covering every inch of Xiang Er’s skin, every detail.

Her bright red lips kissed Xiang Er’s hair, her forehead, her eyelashes, the throbbing vein in her temple, her earlobe, once bitten, now healed… Shen Yuhe’s skin began to darken, turning red, her kisses fervent, desperate, consuming.

“You… let go of me, let go!”

Xiang Er cried out, close to tears, pushing against Shen Yuhe, but it was no use. Shen Yuhe’s strength was inhuman, her arms like a vise around Xiang Er’s back, the pressure painful, bruising.

“Aaaaaah! Shen Yuhe! Shen Yuhe, are you crazy?!”

Xiang Er’s eyes welled up with tears.

Shen Yuhe’s kisses continued, relentless, like a dying person desperate for water, her lips touching, licking, devouring Xiang Er’s tears… her tongue tracing the contours of Xiang Er’s face, like a desperate, frantic animal, marking its territory.

With all her tricks and lies exhausted, only instinct remained.

Xiang Er’s tears flowed freely, a wave of humiliation and pain washing over her, and in that moment, she forgot her love for Shen Yuhe, she just wanted to escape, but she couldn’t.

Her voice, broken and fragmented, a cry of anguish escaping her lips:

“I… hate… I hate you…”

The moment she opened her mouth…

Shen Yuhe’s tongue invaded, pushing past her lips, into her mouth, down her throat, conquering and claiming.

It wasn’t a kiss, but a primal act of possession, fueled by anger and desperation, her throat violated, the metallic taste of blood mingling with the cloying sweetness of flowers, her saliva devoured…

Xiang Er’s mouth was open, her body limp, unable to resist, tears streaming down her face, a mixture of pain and despair, and within that despair, a strange, unsettling flicker of pleasure.

She was like a vase, long waiting to be shattered, finally broken.

The unrealistic love and fantasies she had woven around Shen Yuhe, finally shattered, the truth undeniable, that in this world, no one would ever truly be with her.

No one would ever be truly sincere.

Heh… cough…

Salty tears streamed down Shen Yuhe’s face, red suckers sprouting on her beautiful skin, yearning to consume every inch of Xiang Er, her tongue, also covered in suckers, crawling across Xiang Er’s lips, her tongue, inside her mouth…

Shen Yuhe didn’t understand humans. She wanted to dissect Xiang Er, to find where that stubborn, defiant soul, the soul she both loved and hated, resided, to understand how to make it accept her!

She didn’t even know what she wanted, was this love? Why was it so bitter? Why wasn’t it the blissful feeling everyone spoke of? Why was it so strange, so powerful?

Shen Yuhe began to cry, her sobs echoing, like the mournful wail of countless ghosts, a sound both eerie and terrifying:

“Wuwuwu… uwaaaaaah…”

And at that moment, everyone in the city, regardless of what they were doing, felt a pang of inexplicable sadness, a wave of sorrow emanating from the god, a shared grief, inescapable.

Xiang Er’s lips were sealed, her saliva dripping down her chin, her body trembling as she collapsed against Shen Yuhe, her eyes, however, wide open, refusing to close.

She had fainted, but her eyes remained open, her eyelashes fluttering.

She hadn’t learned the truth yet… ah…

Shen Yuhe held the unconscious Xiang Er tightly, her sucker-covered tongue retracting, tentacles sprouting from her arms, from every part of her body.

Her body remained, holding Xiang Er, but a giant shadow appeared behind her.

It was the Evil God’s true form, its massive, blood-red eye, like a crimson moon, rising into the sky, slowly turning, its gaze fixed on the monster in the mall.

Nothing happened, no attack, not even a single tentacle or a drop of black slime.

And the multi-story monster, with a mournful cry, began to melt, like snow under the scorching sun!

And the investigators on the ground, blood streaming from their eyes and ears, screamed and collapsed, writhing on the ground, unable to even look up! Their powers, their strength, draining away like the monster’s, their bodies weaker than infants!

Everything, in the face of the enraged god, was merely a tool for its wrath. The monster dissolved, blood flowing freely, the investigators, bleeding from every orifice, scrambling through the mud and debris, trying to escape… the building twisted into impossible shapes, the ground cracking open, a bottomless chasm swallowing the monster, the investigators, the building, the flames, the dust, everything!

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

The investigators, unable to even form coherent words, fell into the abyss along with the monster’s remains!

Until An Yue screamed:

“Xiang Er!!!”

Xiang Er’s brow furrowed in her unconsciousness, and from between her swollen, bruised lips, a single word escaped:

“Save… save them…”

Her voice was barely a whisper, lost in the chaos, unheard by anyone.

Except for the being holding her, wearing Shen Yuhe’s skin.

The being, its body cracking and breaking, its expression still infinitely gentle, looked down at Xiang Er’s sleeping face.

The Evil God’s blood-red eye twitched slightly.

The abyss, which had begun to close, slowly opened again, spitting out the unconscious investigators, one by one.

A flash of red light, and the most grievously injured investigators, their wounds healed.

The abyss deposited them haphazardly on the ground, then vanished. The mall had been completely leveled, a cloud of dust rising hundreds of feet into the air, the building, along with the terrifying monster, swallowed whole.

But the monster’s blood, thick and viscous, still flowed across the ground.

The blood-red eye in the sky slowly closed, disappearing, the thick, black mist flowing back into Shen Yuhe’s body, sealing the cracks in her skin.

Shen Yuhe’s arm trembled slightly, a surge of emotion, like anger, yet not quite, overwhelming her, and in her distraction, she didn’t notice Xiang Er’s arm falling into the pool of blood.

A small cut on Xiang Er’s fingertip, probably from clutching Shen Yuhe’s clothes, had absorbed a drop of the blood.

Shen Yuhe adjusted her grip, lifted Xiang Er into her arms, and with a light step, took flight.

She should… take her home first.

The rest… they could discuss it later.

As the mall was swallowed by the abyss, the onlookers outside were still discussing the goddess’s power and majesty. Fortunately, due to the angle and the dust, only a few had seen the giant, blood-red eye, and they had promptly fainted, blood streaming from their eyes.

The others were confused and bewildered. The mall had collapsed, but where were the ruins? And that giant crack in the ground?

The crack had also swallowed several people, but it had quickly spat them back out.

Many were unconscious, and the police frantically tried to restore order, no one noticing the figure flying away.

But… among the injured investigators lying on the ground, An Yue opened her eyes. She took a deep breath and, her voice hoarse and broken, shouted:

“Xiang Er! She’s not human! Run!”

But Xiang Er was already gone.

An Yue, dragging her injured body, ran, her memory restored, her mind clear, that Shen Yuhe wasn’t human! She was a monster, a high-level monster!

And its target was Xiang Er! She didn’t know what it wanted, but as an investigator, she had to save Xiang Er!

Coughing up blood, An Yue commandeered a police motorcycle and sped away!

---

Xiang Er slowly opened her eyes. She was in her familiar bedroom, lying in her familiar bed.

Her head throbbed, her body ached, but… what had happened?

She couldn’t remember.

She only remembered that she loved Shen Yuhe, very much.

She couldn’t wait to see her, to tell her how much she loved her.

Her heart overflowed with a passionate love, an unbearable yearning.

She sat up, her body aching, and looked around, but Shen Yuhe wasn’t there.

A wave of passion, a wild, urgent need, surged through her.

There was something she needed to know… but it didn’t matter, she would confess to Shen Yuhe, she would give herself completely, passionately, to Shen Yuhe! To merge with the person she loved, completely!

She stumbled out of bed, her face flushed, her body swaying, clinging to the walls and furniture as she made her way to the door, a strange smile on her lips.

Like a broken doll, played with and discarded.

Chapter 69: Battlefield

The downtown shopping district of Lǜ’è City was being evacuated. Sirens wailed, people screamed and ran, shepherded by armed SWAT officers.

Three interconnected shopping malls were affected. The incident had occurred a little after ten in the morning, during the breakfast rush, trapping many shop employees and customers inside.

Flames raged within the malls, punctuated by explosions, the cries of trapped people barely audible. Grotesque, distorted faces occasionally appeared in the shattered windows, then vanished, swallowed by smoke and dust.

SWAT officers and firefighters were attempting to deploy ladders, but the strong winds and flames, fueled by the unseen, terrifying pollutant within, thwarted their every effort.

The officers pressed forward, but it was no use, cries and screams echoing from all directions, people who had escaped collapsing onto the ground in despair, others, separated from their loved ones, weeping inconsolably…

This was the scene that greeted Xiang Er and Shen Yuhe when they arrived with An Yue, a scene of utter devastation.

Xiang Er’s brow furrowed, tears welling up in her eyes as she watched the crying people. She turned to Shen Yuhe, clutching her arm:

“Go save them, but please, be careful, okay?”

Shen Yuhe’s face was pale, her gaze downcast, silent throughout the journey. Xiang Er knew she must be worried about the people trapped inside, thinking about the rescue strategy, so Xiang Er remained quiet, not wanting to disturb her.

The car stopped in an open area, and An Yue jumped out, opening the door:

“Ms. Shen, this way, come report to headquarters!”

Shen Yuhe’s face was grim, and she turned to Xiang Er, hesitant.

Xiang Er smiled, her hand gently caressing Shen Yuhe’s face:

“Go, don’t worry about me, I’ll wait for you here, I’ll be fine.”

Shen Yuhe looked at her intently, as if pondering something, then suddenly asked:

“Is this your wish?”

Xiang Er:

“What?”

Shen Yuhe:

“Saving people, is that your wish?”

Xiang Er nodded:

“Of course! And fighting monsters, isn’t that your job? I’m very proud of you.”

Shen Yuhe’s expression softened, and she took Xiang Er’s hands, lifting them to her lips, kissing her fingertips:

“Then wait for me, I’ll be back.”

Xiang Er felt a surge of emotion, a sense of solemn heroism, her fingertips tingling from Shen Yuhe’s kiss, unspoken words lingering in her beautiful eyes, as if she wanted to say something more, but then she resolutely turned and left the car, her stride determined.

“Hey, wait…”

Xiang Er quickly followed, wanting to say something more, but Shen Yuhe was already gone.

An Yue led the way, Shen Yuhe, her figure tall and elegant, following her towards the SWAT officers guarding the entrance.

Xiang Er ran forward to watch. An Yue showed her credentials and quickly entered the restricted area, Shen Yuhe following closely behind without looking back.

Another explosion rocked the first floor of the mall, the second floor trembling precariously, a shockwave of grey smoke and debris erupting outwards, engulfing the two figures.

Xiang Er anxiously took a few more steps forward, everyone else retreating, only she moving towards the danger, dust and debris stinging her eyes and filling her mouth.

She strained her eyes, searching for Shen Yuhe, a tightness in her chest: So every mission was this dangerous, this was Shen Yuhe’s life… Only by witnessing it firsthand could she understand the danger, the sheer terror of it. Shen Yuhe was truly… amazing, so strong!

Xiang Er clutched her chest, a shy yet determined thought forming in her mind. When this was over, when the monster was defeated, she would… she would be more proactive.

She wanted to kiss Shen Yuhe amidst the smoke, the fire, the chaos of battle, to tell her that she loved her, that she would face this broken world with her.

And that she would help her rebuild it, create a world of their own.

“Aaaaaah! The building is collapsing! It’s collapsing!!!”

“There are still hundreds of people trapped inside… they’ll all die if the building collapses!”

“My child! My son is still in there, aaaaaah!!!”

“My wife is still inside, officer, let me go in and find her, I want to die with her…”

Scenes of human tragedy unfolded before her, and Xiang Er stood amidst the crowd, her gaze fixed on the battlefield.

She couldn’t even see what the monster looked like, the smoke and dust obscuring everything, explosions echoing from all directions, flames erupting from the collapsing floors, spreading along the outer walls…

The five-story mall was teetering precariously, the roof of the fifth floor collapsing, the fourth floor trembling.

Xiang Er suddenly saw a child, about ten years old, crying on the third-floor balcony!

The third floor was about to collapse, a huge chandelier about to fall and crush the child!

Xiang Er almost screamed, her hands clenching into fists, wanting to rush forward!

“Creak—”

Suddenly, something burst through the smoke and dust, soaring into the air!

The crowd gasped:

“What’s that? Holy shit! Is that a person?”

“Aaaaaah, is it a god! A god!”

“No, wait… that looks like…”

Xiang Er’s eyes widened, her heart pounding as she stared at the figure in mid-air.

It was Shen Yuhe.

Above the grey world, the endless ruins, the sun, indifferent, cast its pale light, and a single beam, like a spotlight, illuminated the woman in the air.

Bathed in that light, the woman’s tall, slender figure, like a silver bow, was bent slightly forward, her arms extended, pushing against something.

Her long hair and trench coat billowed in the wind, flames swirling around her light, graceful form, the chaos and destruction before her no longer terrifying, the shockwaves and flames like obedient pets, her body suspended in mid-air, yet seemingly standing on the heartstrings of everyone present!

The collapsing third floor of the mall, held in place by some invisible force, its angle and position corresponding perfectly to the woman’s outstretched hands.

She was so beautiful, and so powerful.

The third floor, stabilized, no longer trembling, the child on the balcony staring up at the woman in the air, then, a strand of black substance gently wrapped around him, lifting him and carrying him safely to the ground.

Then, streams of thick, black, ribbon-like substance, like sentient arms, extended from the woman’s hands, reaching into the mall, gently wrapping around the trapped people, one by one, carrying them to safety.

She was truly saving them, like a benevolent deity descending from the heavens, her movements graceful and effortless, rescuing these mortals.

Xiang Er stared at her, completely mesmerized.

People on the ground began to kneel, their voices filled with awe and gratitude:

“A god has descended! Guanyin! It’s Guanyin!” *(Guanyin: common Chinese name of the bodhisattva associated with compassion)*

“Wuwuwu… my child is safe, wuwuwu…”

“Have mercy on us, oh great god!”

The woman in mid-air lowered her hands, but the black substance continued to search for survivors within the mall. The third floor was now empty, only a few people remaining on the fourth and fifth floors.

The beam of light still illuminated the woman, who turned slightly, her face now visible to the survivors.

And the countless people below, regardless of their beliefs, knelt, bathed in the deity’s gaze, their voices rising in unison:

“Guanyin has appeared!”

“Thank you, oh great god! Thank you, wuwuwu!”

“Thank you… thank you…”

The deity’s gaze swept over the crowd, then settled on a single person.

A slender, fragile girl, pale and thin, standing amidst the kneeling masses, refusing to bow, just looking up, her gaze searching.

She resembled a delicate, aquatic plant, easily swayed by the current, her appearance ordinary, her power unremarkable, not even particularly beautiful.

Her expression, unlike the others, wasn’t one of fervent devotion, but of quiet contemplation.

Amongst the deity’s followers, she alone was the least devout, the most uncontrollable, the most troublesome.

And yet… the deity loved her, and only her.

---

Xiang Er stood tall amidst the kneeling crowd, she wouldn’t bow, she knew that was Shen Yuhe, not a “god.” She hated “gods.”

She saw the black substance. She felt its familiar, viscous texture on her own hands, that black substance… she knew it too well, its memory a haunting shadow.

How had that substance appeared in Shen Yuhe’s hands? Had Shen Yuhe used it to defeat the monster? What was it?

If, at first, seeing Shen Yuhe fly had filled her with the girlish adoration of a beloved hero, the urge to cheer and applaud, then the sight of the black substance had instantly extinguished that feeling.

She desperately wanted to know what it was, but she was also terrified.

Terrified of the truth.

She could only tell herself, ignorance is bliss, don’t overthink, this world was already crazy… At least Shen Yuhe had saved many lives, hadn’t she?

Shen Yuhe, in mid-air, turned to look at her, her face, bathed in the spotlight, beautiful and glorious, like a deity’s, but Xiang Er… couldn’t even force a smile.

Her palms were damp with sweat.

Shen Yuhe turned away and flew towards the heart of the mall, disappearing from sight.

Xiang Er hesitated, then started running. She had to see the battlefield.

She had to see how Shen Yuhe fought!

Her breath came in ragged gasps, her chest aching, she didn’t want to know, but she had to know, it was human nature, it was her nature! She wouldn’t give up, she wouldn’t be swayed, she knew herself, she knew that some people could live their lives in blissful ignorance, but she couldn’t!

She was an orphan.

She had never had anyone to rely on, she had always had to fend for herself. Even in the face of love, a part of her remained skeptical, wary.

She knew this world wasn’t so simple, but she had a right to know the truth, and then… to make her own choices.

Her chest ached with the exertion, and she ran through the back alleys, towards a hidden entrance to the mall, a path known only to locals.

As expected, there were no signs of damage here, and Xiang Er slipped inside, cautiously making her way through the mall.

Behind a pillar, she saw… the enormous pollutant, and An Yue and the others, forming a circle around it, fighting.

But where was Shen Yuhe?

Xiang Er looked around, but she couldn’t see her anywhere.

“Looking for me?”

A familiar voice suddenly echoed, cutting through the sounds of battle, the explosions, the flames, like a soothing rain on parched earth.

She couldn’t help it… she still cared…

Xiang Er turned around, and Shen Yuhe stood there, her arms crossed.

Her clothes were slightly singed, revealing patches of her fair skin, her hands smudged with soot, giving her a… strangely alluring, battle-worn look.

Xiang Er’s face flushed as she buried her face in Shen Yuhe’s chest, her voice filled with a sweet adoration:

“You were so amazing just now…”

Shen Yuhe hummed softly, her voice gentle and magnetic:

“Heh… I only fulfill your wishes.”

Xiang Er wrapped her arms around Shen Yuhe, her eyes closed, inhaling deeply, the complex scent of smoke and fire, bitterness and sweetness, a scent she wanted to remember forever.

As if it were their last embrace.

She exhaled, opened her eyes, and looked at Shen Yuhe’s chest:

“That black… substance you used, what is it? Why… why does it look exactly like… the Evil God?”

Chapter 68: Sorrow

It should have been a perfect evening, a typical day in her ideal life with the person she loved, relaxing on the sofa, watching a movie together.

Everything had been normal.

Yet, a cold sweat trickled down Xiang Er’s back. She looked at the suddenly mutated small eyeball, her head buzzing.

She wanted to stand up and run, a wave of fear washing over her, but her mind, muddled and confused, couldn’t process the information, her body frozen.

That small eyeball… had just called her Mommy, was this real?

But… Xiang Er looked at Shen Yuhe, whose expression was calm and serene, as if a small, mutated monster was the most normal thing in the world.

If Xiang Er overreacted, she would be the strange one.

Humans had a herd mentality, and when unsure how to react, they instinctively mirrored the reactions of those around them.

Seeing Shen Yuhe smile at the small eyeball, Xiang Er also forced a smile.

It wasn’t a real smile, just a clumsy imitation of the only other person present, her heart too heavy for genuine joy.

But the small eyeball was delighted, its single eye blinking rapidly, its slit-like mouth making happy gurgling sounds.

Just then, the movie on the screen reached its climax, the female lead holding a baby, the male lead saying affectionately:

“The child looks just like you.”

Shen Yuhe, her gaze soft and loving, looked at Xiang Er and said:

“Look… our child, it looks just like you.”

Small Eyeball:

“Heeheehee! Gurgle… goo!”

It made heart shapes with its tentacles, spinning happily in the air, then cautiously extended a tentacle, wrapping it around Xiang Er’s wrist, positioning itself between Xiang Er and Shen Yuhe, bouncing excitedly like a yo-yo.

Xiang Er:

“…No… I… this… I don’t…”

She stammered, then stood up abruptly, peeled the small eyeball’s tentacle off her wrist, and went to the bathroom to wash her face.

It was better to stay clear-headed, not to actually think of that monster as her child, that was too terrifying… Xiang Er told herself, but she wasn’t entirely convinced.

After all… she had experienced the Evil God’s influence, and she didn’t find the small monster particularly frightening anymore, it was actually quite… cute?

No, no! Get a grip! Xiang Er scolded herself.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her face thin and gaunt, her cheekbones and jawline sharp, almost piercing her skin, her complexion pale, dark circles under her eyes.

She didn’t look very healthy.

Xiang Er tapped her head, a sudden question occurring to her: Why had Shen Yuhe said… “our child”?

Did that mean the monster had a natural connection to Shen Yuhe, a connection so strong that she instinctively considered it her child?

And then, to create a connection with Xiang Er, Shen Yuhe had made the monster call her Mommy, thus making it “our child”… was that it?

Was this monster born from Shen Yuhe?

Perhaps… Shen Yuhe thought that she was responsible for the monster’s current state, its regressed intelligence, because she had injured it, so she was also its… mother?

Xiang Er subconsciously avoided thinking about the deeper implications.

She shook her head, dispelling those thoughts, and focused on the more immediate problem:

What was she going to do tonight?

Was she going to… continue with Shen Yuhe?

They were at home now, the environment safe and comfortable, the broken window fixed, everything seemed perfect, ready.

But… she didn’t really want to continue…

The image of the small eyeball with its open mouth, and the image from her dream, the thing she had seen clinging to her when she opened her eyes, began to merge.

And that first dream, where Shen Yuhe’s reflection in the mirror had been a mass of tentacles and flesh…

Xiang Er felt that these experiences had given her a deep-seated aversion.

She had to go to work tomorrow, and her time was precious. Xiang Er thought, she would wait until after her handover was complete, when she didn’t have to wake up early anymore, and then she would arrange something romantic, flowers, wine, cake, steak, a proper, romantic setting, perhaps that would help dispel the aversion, and she could truly enjoy it.

Thinking this, she actually looked forward to it.

Xiang Er left the bathroom, cleared her throat, and said to Shen Yuhe:

“Um, let’s just… get some rest tonight, no need for anything else, we both have to work tomorrow, right?”

After she finished speaking, she noticed that Shen Yuhe’s expression seemed… sad.

Shen Yuhe looked at her with sorrow. She had clearly heard her thoughts and anxieties in the bathroom, and she understood, they were the bitter fruits of her own actions.

The bitter fruits she had sown when she didn’t understand, now, that she understood, she had to taste them, a familiar yet strange pain.

Shen Yuhe’s aura darkened, the small eyeball on the table sitting quietly, its slit-like mouth hidden, only its large eye visible, like a child who had done something wrong.

Xiang Er, puzzled, asked:

“What’s wrong?”

Her question made it even stranger, why was she even including the small eyeball…

Shen Yuhe smiled sadly, her lips curving upwards, but the corners of her eyes drooping, a sadness, like layers of snow, clinging to her face, making her seem distant.

Shen Yuhe’s voice, tinged with self-mockery, said:

“I understand how you feel now. I understand… I made a lot of mistakes.”

Xiang Er:

“Huh? What mistakes? You didn’t do anything wrong!”

She leaned closer and nestled into Shen Yuhe’s embrace, wrapping her arms around her waist, her voice soft and gentle:

“I just meant… we don’t have to rush things… is that… wrong?”

Held in her arms, Shen Yuhe just shook her head, her gaze calm yet sorrowful, as if she had a thousand words to say, yet only managing a few simple words:

“No, you’re perfect.”

She was silent for a long moment.

Xiang Er, a sudden thought occurring to her, asked shyly:

“Or… do you really want to… continue?”

Shen Yuhe, unexpectedly, shook her head again:

“No. Just… don’t ask.”

Shen Yuhe stood up, turned off the television, which was playing the ending credits of the movie, and said to Xiang Er:

“Tonight, I won’t… intrude on your room, you should get some rest.”

Xiang Er was taken aback:

“Huh? Why? Did I do something wrong?”

The past two nights, they had slept together, nothing inappropriate had happened, just hugs, and gentle, chaste kisses on the forehead and cheek.

Xiang Er had slept soundly those two nights, and she had implicitly agreed to continue sharing a bed, she just didn’t want to rush things…

Overcoming her shyness, Xiang Er tried to explain:

“I… I don’t mind sleeping with you, I mean, we can sleep together, I sleep very well with you! What’s wrong?”

Shen Yuhe stood motionless in the living room.

The silver-blue moonlight streamed in through the balcony window, its sharp, angular beam falling on Shen Yuhe’s hair, like frost on snow. Her tall figure, like a silver anemone blooming in the ice and snow, seemed sorrowful, distant.

She shook her head again, her eyes dark and bottomless, a vast distance seeming to separate them, despite being only a sofa away.

Like two planets, trying to overcome the forces pulling them apart, only to be pushed further away.

“I was wrong.”

Shen Yuhe said, turning her head away, sighing softly, as she walked towards the master bedroom.

This was so strange! Xiang Er felt a mixture of shame and annoyance, and she returned to her room, closing the door behind her, sulking.

That night, Xiang Er tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, her dreams restless.

She didn’t know that, outside her door, on the other side of the thin wall, a black river flowed, filling the living room and master bedroom with a sea of black slime.

And in that sea, Shen Yuhe’s head, pressed against the door, her eyes open, watched over her, sleepless, throughout the night.

Who was it that, trapped in the mists of the past, was falling apart? Who was it that, unable to bear the weight of emotions, could no longer maintain their form? Who was it that, capable of tearing apart the entire world, couldn’t be honest with the one they loved?

Who was it that was tormented by such a fragile, thread-like emotion?

It was the omnipotent god, the ridiculous, pathetic clown, toyed with by a fragile human, the noble yet humble Akhe.

---

The next morning, Xiang Er woke up early, watching the dawn colors paint the sky, and silenced her alarm.

She sat there for a long time, staring at the newly replaced windowpane. The new glass was a modern, clear white, a stark contrast to the old, thick, dark blue glass, jarringly out of place.

Xiang Er thought sadly, she was so ordinary, not special, not an investigator, no savings, no beauty, no job… She and Shen Yuhe were like two mismatched panes of glass, seemingly together, but fundamentally incompatible.

She got up, dressed, and opened her door, expecting another cold, lonely morning, perhaps even a still-angry, absent Shen Yuhe, when…

“Good morning, breakfast is ready.”

Shen Yuhe, wearing an apron, holding two cups of coffee, turned and greeted her with a smile.

Xiang Er froze. Was her memory faulty again? She clearly remembered them arguing last night…

Shen Yuhe looked so charming in that apron, her warm, neighborly smile… Xiang Er, still dazed, found herself sitting at the breakfast table, Shen Yuhe tying a napkin around her neck.

“So formal?”

Xiang Er asked softly.

“It’s to apologize. I was wrong last night, I made you sad, I’m sorry.”

Shen Yuhe gathered her hair and tied it back, her long fingers brushing against Xiang Er’s ear.

The small eyeball, appearing from nowhere, helpfully held the hair tie and a hairpin, offering them to Shen Yuhe, its mouth closed, its tentacles obedient, not wanting to scare Xiang Er.

“Ah…”

So she hadn’t remembered incorrectly. Xiang Er relaxed, a feeling of warmth spreading through her, Shen Yuhe was so gentle.

The table was set with steak, fried eggs, sauteed vegetables, toast, and coffee, their aroma filling the air.

Xiang Er asked:

“You made all this? What time did you get up?”

Shen Yuhe smiled:

“A little after four. It’s fine, I couldn’t sleep anyway.”

Xiang Er turned to look at her, surprised, her hair pulled slightly, and she let out a small cry of pain.

Shen Yuhe’s fingers gently touched the sore spot, and the pain instantly vanished. Xiang Er, her eyes wide with wonder, asked:

“Your hands are magical, the pain disappears when you touch me, is that your ability?”

Shen Yuhe’s fingers gently massaged the back of Xiang Er’s neck and shoulders, the touch so soothing that Xiang Er sighed contentedly:

“Ah…”

Xiang Er suddenly realized something:

“You’re using both hands? Oh my god!”

She turned around, and Shen Yuhe was indeed using both hands to massage her shoulders, her touch delicate and precise.

Shen Yuhe smiled:

“My shoulder is healed.”

Xiang Er’s face lit up:

“That’s great!”

Shen Yuhe showed her her shoulder, the bandage gone, the skin smooth and unblemished, and Xiang Er couldn’t resist touching it, their hands caressing, exchanging kisses, a long, sweet moment of intimacy before they finally separated, Xiang Er’s face flushed, her eyes hazy as she nestled against Shen Yuhe:

“You’re so beautiful.”

Shen Yuhe nodded in agreement, feeding her a piece of broccoli with expertly wielded chopsticks.

The awkwardness from last night quickly dissipated, and Xiang Er felt like the happiest person in the world, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

They finished breakfast, got dressed, and left for work together, their bodies pressed close in the crowded subway, then strolling hand in hand through the damp morning mist.

However, as they reached the office building, the romantic, blissful atmosphere instantly evaporated.

An Yue, her hair disheveled, her face haggard, was waiting for them. Seeing them, her eyes lit up, and she approached Shen Yuhe, her voice urgent:

“Ms. Shen, we have an emergency, I need your help! It’s a matter of life and death for hundreds of people, a Class S situation!”

Shen Yuhe frowned, her gaze sweeping over An Yue’s dirty uniform, as if she already knew everything, about to refuse…

When Xiang Er, her eyes shining, spoke up:

“No problem! Her shoulder has just healed, you’ve come at the perfect time!”

Shen Yuhe:

“…”

Chapter 67: Continuation

“I want you.”

The words echoed in Xiang Er’s ears, her movements freezing, the world swirling around her, Shen Yuhe’s warm breath against her skin, every cell in her body screaming in alarm.

And yet, her body responded, shamefully so.

Her neck arched back, her hand instinctively clutching Shen Yuhe’s hair, as she watched Shen Yuhe’s head lower, her fingers undoing Xiang Er’s jeans…

She was completely undone.

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, and she pulled Shen Yuhe’s cool, damp hair over her face, the strands, wet with her tears, a comforting veil, blocking out the world…

A sudden coolness, a sense of exposure, made Xiang Er tremble, her grip tightening on Shen Yuhe’s hair. She knew she was losing her mind, she had to be, to allow this, in a restaurant booth, under the watchful eye of the security cameras… and she was even enjoying it, a wave of pleasure she couldn’t control.

She was losing her mind, swept away by the tide, lost in the moment, unable to find herself…

Their breaths mingled, a ragged symphony, she couldn’t tell whose was whose, hers or Shen Yuhe’s, she couldn’t distinguish anything… Her hand clutched Shen Yuhe’s hair, like reins on a runaway horse, but the horse was galloping wildly, and she had no control…

But just as Shen Yuhe’s fingers were about to cross the final boundary, Xiang Er, with a last surge of strength, raised her hand, pressing it against Shen Yuhe’s arm, and whispered:

“No.”

Shen Yuhe’s ragged breathing hitched, a soft murmur, like flower petals scattered on molten lava:

“Why… I want…”

Xiang Er clutched Shen Yuhe’s arm, her voice a plea:

“No, don’t…”

She wasn’t ready… this was her first time, she couldn’t even handle a less-than-perfect first kiss, let alone this…

Her voice barely above a whisper, she said:

“Please respect me.”

Shen Yuhe’s breathing remained heavy.

The footsteps outside turned and faded away.

Xiang Er’s chest heaved, her arms still wrapped around Shen Yuhe’s arm, her gaze lifting to meet Shen Yuhe’s, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and defiance.

That familiar look in her dark eyes, vulnerable, pleading, trusting, like clinging to a piece of driftwood in a flood, begging it to… take her home.

This was Xiang Er, her soul, her uniquely contradictory, fragile yet resilient soul.

Finally, Shen Yuhe’s breathing calmed slightly, and she stepped back.

Her hand, no longer wandering, withdrew.

Xiang Er let out an involuntary whimper, its sweet tone almost making Shen Yuhe lose control again.

Xiang Er quickly looked down, adjusting her clothes, scrambling down from the table without accepting Shen Yuhe’s help, turning her back to compose herself.

She didn’t see…

Behind her, Shen Yuhe, consumed by a nameless desire, a dark mist erupting from her, a black river flowing across the floor, engulfing half the room in darkness, the furniture trembling, the dishes clattering on the table, then crashing to the floor!

And Shen Yuhe, standing in the center of the darkness, a giant, thick, tentacled shadow looming behind her, swaying, writhing, ready to strike, capable of destroying the entire restaurant in an instant.

But of course… when Xiang Er, having composed herself, took a deep breath and turned around…

The scene had vanished, as if it had never existed, and Shen Yuhe stood before her, her usual self.

Xiang Er barely dared look at Shen Yuhe, her face burning, her hair disheveled, two buttons missing from her blouse, her clothes rumpled, her pants stained with… things she didn’t want to think about.

She looked around and saw that all the dishes and glasses had fallen onto the carpet, the room in disarray, the chairs overturned, broken glass scattered everywhere.

She was stunned.

“Were we… that… passionate just now?”

Xiang Er asked without thinking, her face burning even more intensely.

Shen Yuhe’s voice was soft:

“Yes.”

She tugged at the collar of her blouse, its buttons torn, grabbed her coat from the back of the chair, and hurried out of the room.

She was truly losing her mind! The thought of the waiter seeing this mess, or worse, the security guard watching the surveillance footage, was mortifying!

She would never come to this restaurant again, never!

Xiang Er ran out of the private room, out of the restaurant, into the cold winter air, running for several blocks before finally slowing down to a walk.

Her chest heaved, her breath catching in her throat, a painful, burning sensation, and she stopped, her hand pressing against her chest.

Then a hand reached in, sliding beneath her open collar.

A wave of panic washed over Xiang Er, then she realized whose hand it was, and she relaxed slightly, but she still turned, trying to pull away:

“What are you doing! We’re in public!”

Shen Yuhe’s uninjured arm was inside her collar, her beautiful face close, a playful smile on her lips:

“I just want to know where you’re running off to.”

Xiang Er:

“…Get your hand out of there!”

Shen Yuhe withdrew her hand, holding something small and vividly red between her fingers. She smiled, showing it to Xiang Er:

“Look.”

It was a camellia petal.

The sight of the petal instantly made Xiang Er blush. She remembered clearly, the camellia falling from Shen Yuhe’s hair, its petals scattering as they embraced, falling onto Shen Yuhe’s neck, chest, hair, and waist, onto her own body…

So, one of them had actually… landed there… Xiang Er, remembering Shen Yuhe’s sudden, focused expression as she buried her face in Xiang Er’s chest, understood, a wave of embarrassed realization washing over her.

She asked:

“So… so you… you did that… because of the petal?”

Shen Yuhe chuckled, a delighted sound, and reached out, stroking Xiang Er’s hair:

“What are you thinking? I just wanted to taste you.”

Taste…

Xiang Er let out a mortified cry and ran again.

She needed the cold air to cool her burning face, and she desperately needed to get away from Shen Yuhe! She couldn’t stay near her any longer, her blood pressure would explode!

But no matter how fast she ran, Shen Yuhe effortlessly kept pace, not even running, just walking, yet matching Xiang Er’s speed.

Xiang Er finally stopped, exhausted. She looked at her reflection in a shop window, her blouse disheveled, although mostly covered by her coat, still inappropriate… Her hair a mess, her face burning, her lips chapped…

She checked the time on her phone, thankfully still in her coat pocket.

It was an hour past the start of the afternoon shift, and Xiang Er hesitated, how could she possibly go to work looking like this?

Shen Yuhe’s voice, close to her ear, said:

“Then don’t go to work, let’s go home, and we can continue…”

Xiang Er, hearing this, immediately turned and started searching for directions back to the company on her phone.

Go home and continue… she might actually be devoured by Shen Yuhe!

She turned and walked towards the company, glaring at Shen Yuhe.

Looking closer, she noticed that Shen Yuhe’s face had returned to its normal, serene composure, her beautiful features as smooth and flawless as a statue, her bright eyes, as she looked at Xiang Er, devoid of any trace of desire, as if nothing had happened… this wasn’t fair!

Even her hair, which Xiang Er had ruffled, was now perfectly smooth and flowing, her clothes clean and unwrinkled.

Compared to her own disheveled appearance, this was… too much! Xiang Er felt a surge of anger, then realized it was irrational, and continued walking, her head lowered.

Shen Yuhe’s soft laughter echoed behind her, a sound of amusement and delight.

Xiang Er, annoyed, quickened her pace.

The heat in her body subsided, replaced by a cold sweat, and the wind, against her damp skin, made her shiver.

Before she could button her coat, a warm, fragrant coat was draped over her shoulders.

Shen Yuhe’s voice, still laced with amusement, whispered in her ear:

“We can continue at the office too.”

Xiang Er:

“Aaaaaah, shut up!”

She tried to shake Shen Yuhe off, but it was impossible. No matter how fast or slow she walked, Shen Yuhe effortlessly kept pace, like a beautiful, persistent shadow.

---

Back at the company, Xiang Er immediately submitted her resignation. After a brief discussion with HR, and due to her insistence, she even received some compensation, essentially hush money. The HR manager, clearly stressed, begged her not to reveal the incident with the mutated General Manager.

Xiang Er, having organized her work and realizing she wouldn’t have to come back after two days of handover, felt a sense of contentment.

She told Zhu Minmin about her resignation, and Zhu Minmin nodded understandingly, saying that she was also planning to resign, many of their colleagues were, who would want to stay at a company where their boss had turned into a monster?

“So… are you going to work at your girlfriend’s company now?”

Zhu Minmin asked excitedly.

“We’re… we’re just friends, and I’d like to… look for a job myself first…”

Xiang Er replied shyly. She really… didn’t want to work at Shen Yuhe’s company, firstly because Shen Yuhe’s CEO position was probably just for her mission, she wasn’t actually running the company, and secondly… if she had to be with Shen Yuhe twenty-four hours a day, she couldn’t handle it, her heart and blood pressure would surely explode.

That evening, after work, Xiang Er and Shen Yuhe had dinner together as usual, strolled along the street, and bought snacks and fruits on their way home.

Back at the apartment, they sat on the sofa, sharing snacks, watching a romantic movie. The small eyeball was also present, sitting between them, its tentacles reaching out to steal crumbs of Xiang Er’s potato chips.

Xiang Er noticed that the small eyeball seemed to have a sweet tooth, and she joked to Shen Yuhe:

“It has similar tastes to you.”

Shen Yuhe pulled Xiang Er closer, so that her head rested on Shen Yuhe’s shoulder:

“I told you, it’s our child.”

Xiang Er:

“Hmm… no, I’m not giving birth to such an ugly child, you can give birth to it.”

Shen Yuhe chuckled and kissed Xiang Er’s forehead, her lips cool and soft against her skin:

“Okay, I’ll give birth to it. If you like, I can have more, a whole house full of them.”

Xiang Er imagined the scene, a house full of small eyeballs… she shuddered, her SAN value definitely dropping!

“No! Just one is enough, have you heard of family planning!”

Xiang Er, horrified by her own imagination, blurted out.

“Hehe… so you admit it, it’s our child?”

Shen Yuhe chuckled, picking up the small eyeball with a slender finger, lifting it, and holding it in front of Xiang Er’s face.

Xiang Er realized she had been trapped by her own words… but it was too late to backpedal, and she could only look at the small thing awkwardly.

The small eyeball blinked its blood-red eye, Shen Yuhe’s gentle, smiling face behind it. It blinked again, its tentacles waving excitedly, making heart shapes, circling, coiling, hanging from Shen Yuhe’s finger, making it seem even more slender and white.

Shen Yuhe whispered, her voice laced with amusement:

“Say ‘Mommy.’”

Xiang Er was bewildered. Say what? The small eyeball couldn’t talk, could it?

Suddenly, with a “pop” sound, the small eyeball grew larger, a crack appearing beneath its eye.

The crack opened and closed, and a soft, childish voice, like a two or three-year-old girl’s, echoed:

“Mom… ma… mommy…”

Xiang Er stared at the small eyeball, now with a mouth, completely stunned.

She had only graduated a year ago! How had she become a mother?!

Shen Yuhe lifted her finger slightly, as if prompting the small eyeball:

“Tell Mommy, ‘Let’s continue tonight.’”

The small eyeball… no, the small eyeball with a mouth, obediently repeated in its sweet, childish voice:

“Mommy… tonight… continue…Let…s!”

Xiang Er:

“…”

Being a mom was one thing, but how had this child become so corrupted so quickly! Did it even understand what it was saying?!

 

Chapter 66: The Kiss

The invisible wall of ice in the restaurant seemed to slowly melt. Xiang Er stared at the green numbers on the watch, a strange emptiness within her, the world swaying gently, as if she were on a boat.

But the swaying gradually subsided.

She thought for a long time, her gaze fixed on the green numbers, her pale wrist seemingly severed by the black watch strap, her thin, bony hand dangling beneath it, the green numbers on the display even more prominent.

She thought of nothing.

“Are you alright now?”

Shen Yuhe’s voice, soft and sweet as honey, pulled Xiang Er from the thick fog. She looked up and saw Shen Yuhe’s familiar, beautiful face, gazing at her with concern.

A sudden impulse overcame her, and she reached out, her hands circling Shen Yuhe’s neck, her fingers pressing against her smooth skin, pulling her closer.

She lifted her head, her lips reaching towards Shen Yuhe’s, tears welling up in her eyes, the metallic taste of blood still lingering in her mouth.

She wanted to kiss her.

She wanted to kiss the only real thing in this world, and that was… Shen Yuhe’s affection for her.

Perhaps Shen Yuhe hadn’t said it out loud, but she could feel it, and if she chose to trust her feelings now, then this was the feeling she should trust most.

This feeling, “Shen Yuhe likes me very much,” was her anchor, her sunlight.

She wanted to experience it more tangibly, and she pulled Shen Yuhe closer, her blood-tinged lips reaching for hers…

Shen Yuhe let out a soft, questioning “Hmm?” then lowered her head, closing the distance between them.

Shen Yuhe’s eyes, filled with a mixture of confusion and excitement, looked at Xiang Er, a silent question in her gaze:

“Is this… okay?”

Xiang Er closed her eyes, her neck, fragile yet resolute, tilting back as she offered her lips.

This was what she wanted most at this moment… human warmth and intimacy.

But just then, the door creaked open.

Xiang Er’s eyes remained closed, but Shen Yuhe froze, their faces inches apart, their breaths mingling.

Shen Yuhe, her gaze still fixed on Xiang Er, didn’t even glance at the waiter who had entered.

The waiter, pushing the door open, called out:

“Here are the wet wipes… oh.”

Seeing the two women embracing, she froze.

After a few seconds, she quickly placed the wipes on a nearby shelf and retreated:

“Sorry, sorry, please continue, please continue…”

She hurried out, quietly closing the door behind her.

But… of course, they couldn’t continue.

The air in the room had shifted, and Xiang Er opened her eyes, suddenly realizing that she had been… asking for a kiss… and in front of someone else, how could she!

How could she have done such a thing!

Xiang Er quickly pulled away, her hands grabbing the table, trying to stand up, almost knocking over the dishes.

With Shen Yuhe’s help, she finally stood up and quickly moved several seats away.

Now, Shen Yuhe, Xiang Er, and An Yue formed a triangle. Xiang Er cautiously glanced at An Yue, hoping she hadn’t seen her embarrassing behavior… she probably hadn’t, right? And if she had… could she just pretend she hadn’t?

An Yue was already eating, seemingly oblivious to their earlier intimacy, and she asked Xiang Er with a smile:

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

Xiang Er:

“Oh, right…”

She glanced at the heavy electronic watch on her wrist, the SAN value still stable at 90, the green numbers reassuring.

She sighed softly, took off the watch, and handed it to An Yue:

“Here, thank you for the watch.”

An Yue took the watch and smiled casually:

“You’re welcome.”

Xiang Er was about to start eating when she realized she didn’t have any utensils, and she turned to see Shen Yuhe sitting beside her, placing a set of clean utensils in front of her, even serving her some food.

Xiang Er’s cheeks burned, and she avoided looking at Shen Yuhe, who had seen her in such a compromising position… it was so embarrassing… she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear…

“Eat something.”

Shen Yuhe’s voice was calm and even, as if nothing had happened.

The dishes she served were all Xiang Er’s favorites, and she even filled a bowl of seafood porridge for her.

Xiang Er, embarrassed, looked at Shen Yuhe’s hand as she served the food:

“Since when… are you so good with chopsticks?”

Shen Yuhe’s voice was laced with amusement:

“I’ve been practicing. I can’t always let you take care of me, I have to take care of you too. We have a long future ahead of us.”

Her words were warmer than the steaming porridge, filling Xiang Er’s heart with warmth and sweetness, a comforting feeling spreading through her.

She knew… Shen Yuhe was working towards their future.

Xiang Er started eating, all thoughts of SAN values, fainting spells, and impulsive kisses forgotten.

She didn’t want to analyze or overthink, she didn’t want to let those seeds of doubt ruin this happy moment with Shen Yuhe.

She just wanted to enjoy this peaceful, happy time with Shen Yuhe, it wasn’t too much to ask.

SAN values, electronic watches, those things had nothing to do with her.

And besides, wasn’t her SAN value a stable 90?

There was nothing to worry about.

---

The meal quickly ended, and An Yue stood up to leave. Since Xiang Er had woken up, she hadn’t said anything strange, just made polite conversation, not mentioning work at all.

Her watch, of course, hadn’t made any more noises. Xiang Er noticed that her SAN value was now a stable 80, a healthy, light green.

It seemed… An Yue’s previous unstable SAN value might have had other causes.

An Yue, her tall figure casting a long shadow, her hair swaying in the wind, turned and glanced back as she left, her gaze meeting Xiang Er’s, and Xiang Er’s heart skipped a beat.

Her eyes… seemed to hold unspoken words.

“Eat more, you’re too thin.”

Shen Yuhe placed more food in Xiang Er’s bowl, drawing her attention back to her meal.

An Yue closed the door behind her, leaving Xiang Er and Shen Yuhe alone in the private room.

Xiang Er, quite full, wiped her mouth with a napkin, wondering if she should take the leftovers home.

Suddenly, someone grasped her wrist.

Cool, slender fingers encircled her wrist, and a husky voice whispered in her ear:

“We didn’t… finish our kiss, earlier.”

Shen Yuhe had somehow leaned closer, her face nuzzling against Xiang Er’s hair, her ear, her neck, one hand pulling at her clothes, drawing her closer.

“No… don’t… there are cameras in the restaurant!”

Xiang Er, her face burning, pulled away and stood up, trying to escape.

But the room was small, filled with chairs, and she had just eaten, her body feeling languid and heavy. She stumbled after a few steps, crying out:

“Ah!”

And she fell into a soft embrace.

Shen Yuhe’s arm held her tightly, her other arm, seemingly limp, yet effectively trapping Xiang Er against the table and chairs, her escape blocked.

Before Xiang Er could react, she suddenly felt, with a pang of embarrassed awkwardness… Shen Yuhe’s hand on her backside, lifting her slightly, and she was sitting on the edge of the table.

Now, Xiang Er had to look down to see Shen Yuhe, standing between her legs.

And Shen Yuhe’s slender arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer, her dark eyes burning with a bright, fiery intensity, her sweet fragrance enveloping Xiang Er.

Xiang Er almost stopped breathing, her hand reaching up, only able to touch Shen Yuhe’s soft hair, her fingers tangling in the long, black strands, the more she tried to pull away, the more entangled they became… binding her fingers, her hand…

For a moment, looking at the tangled hair, Xiang Er thought of the small eyeball’s thin tentacles. She quickly shook her head, dispelling the thought, and focused on the present situation.

“Don’t do this here… the cameras will see us… people will laugh at us!”

Xiang Er’s voice was urgent, but her tone was soft and sweet, her words lacking any real conviction, a fire burning within her, threatening to overwhelm her reason.

But… no… she hadn’t… they hadn’t truly… confirmed their feelings…

Xiang Er’s hand, warm and trembling, rested on Shen Yuhe’s cheek, accidentally dislodging the blood-red camellia blossom, its petals scattering, falling onto Shen Yuhe’s hair, and onto Xiang Er’s chest.

And Shen Yuhe, oblivious to everything else, continued her exploration of Xiang Er’s body, her lips and hands tracing her skin, sniffing, kissing, touching… like a starving person devouring a feast, her movements unrestrained…

Her delicate, jade-like skin, flushed a beautiful shade of red, glowed like a ruby, beneath the veil of her hair.

A fallen petal landed on her cheek, and she seemed to find it amusing, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as her hair brushed against Xiang Er’s face, and she suddenly lowered her head.

Xiang Er’s body trembled.

Shen Yuhe’s face was buried in her chest!

This crazy woman! What was she doing?!

Xiang Er was wearing a blouse today, its top buttons undone, precariously holding on, the view within… was… ah!

“You… get up!”

Xiang Er’s hands went limp, her voice a strained whisper. The unfamiliar environment, the enclosed space of the private room, the possibility of someone entering at any moment, heightened the thrill, the danger, it was almost too much!

She flailed blindly, her hand sweeping across the table, sending dishes crashing to the floor, their muffled clatter against the carpet echoing in the room.

And Xiang Er, her neck arched back, her eyes glistening with tears, stared at the ceiling, her body trembling…

And then, footsteps approached the door!

Xiang Er gritted her teeth, suppressing a scream, her voice trapped in her throat.

But Shen Yuhe, mischievously, lifted her head.

Her beautiful face, close to Xiang Er’s, impossibly close, her skin flushed a beautiful ruby red, her dark eyes sparkling, fixed on Xiang Er’s…

She paused, her intoxicating fragrance filling the air, her lips, red as blood, parted slightly.

Shen Yuhe stared at Xiang Er, as if gazing upon a priceless treasure.

The footsteps outside the door grew closer, and Xiang Er’s heart pounded with anxiety.

Shen Yuhe suddenly leaned close to Xiang Er’s ear, her voice incredibly husky, whispering directly into her ear, a voice like ice and fire, driving her mad.

She said:

“I want you.”

Chapter 65: Sanity

The winter wind was bleak, the sun distant and cold, casting a pale, translucent filter over everything.

Xiang Er put down her phone, a subtle melancholy settling over her. Shen Yuhe wasn’t smiling, and her own excitement faded.

What had happened?

She didn’t know, but she was determined to make Shen Yuhe happy. No matter what happened in the world, she and Shen Yuhe had to be happy, that was one of her few remaining beliefs.

Xiang Er looked around and, seeing the coffee shop, smiled.

She walked towards Shen Yuhe, her voice soft:

“Do you remember this place?”

Shen Yuhe looked at the coffee shop, now crowded, even the outdoor tables occupied despite the cold weather. Many couples were huddled together, sipping coffee, the cafe apparently a popular date spot.

A few strands of Shen Yuhe’s soft hair, caught by the breeze, fell across her eyelashes, obscuring her beautiful eyes, giving her a strangely vulnerable look.

She said:

“It’s where we had coffee together.”

Xiang Er smiled, walked closer to Shen Yuhe, and, taking her arm, linked their arms together.

She rarely, or perhaps never, acted so boldly.

Shen Yuhe looked at her, surprised, and saw Xiang Er’s bright smile, her gentle, peaceful expression, the look of a girl in love, her cheeks permanently flushed, the most beautiful sight in the world.

So lovely, more so than a fully bloomed camellia, delicate and fragile, needing protection, needing the sweet, pink bubble of lies to shield her from the harsh realities… she didn’t need to face the truth.

It had the power to protect her with lies for a lifetime, even if it wasn’t what It wanted… It could compromise, weave an elaborate web of illusions, create and maintain a perfect mask, all for her.

Shen Yuhe smiled faintly, leaning closer to Xiang Er.

“What do you want to eat?”

Shen Yuhe asked.

“Hmm… anything is fine, just not spicy.”

Xiang Er said, then, remembering someone behind them, she turned around.

An Yue was silently following them, her gaze fixed on them, her expression unreadable.

Xiang Er, uncomfortable under her scrutiny, still managed to ask politely:

“Officer An, is there anything you’d like to eat?”

An Yue shook her head:

“Whatever you choose is fine.”

Xiang Er pursed her lips. It seemed the decision was hers. She glanced at the surrounding restaurants, considering the quality and price…

Shen Yuhe whispered in her ear:

“Choose the most expensive one.”

Xiang Er:

“Hmm? But I don’t want you to spend your money…”

Although it seemed inappropriate, Xiang Er now felt a sense of responsibility for Shen Yuhe’s finances. Even if Shen Yuhe was wealthy, it was still hard-earned money, she didn’t want to be wasteful!

Shen Yuhe smiled:

“We can just let her pay, she can expense it.”

Xiang Er:

“…”

You’re quite clever.

In the end, she chose a slightly upscale, but not outrageously expensive, restaurant. They were led to a private room, and Xiang Er, once again, took charge of ordering, choosing only non-spicy dishes.

After the waiter left, only the three of them remained in the elegant room.

They sat around a circular table, Xiang Er and Shen Yuhe together, An Yue opposite them. The arrangement reminded Xiang Er of interrogation scenes in TV dramas, and she frowned slightly.

Officer An seemed nice enough, but her presence always made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

And the unfinished sentence in the elevator, An Yue’s coughing fit interrupting her… “And you’re covered in…” covered in what? She still hadn’t explained.

Xiang Er disliked cryptic pronouncements, it reminded her of the Evil God’s way of communicating, always withholding information, always testing and observing, making her anxious.

She poured tea for herself and Shen Yuhe, placing the teapot in the center of the table, ignoring An Yue.

An Yue’s gaze fixed on the table, she suddenly spoke:

“Ms. Shen, I’d like to ask, what level of confidentiality are you operating under? Why couldn’t I find any information about you in the system?”

Xiang Er, surprised, turned to look at Shen Yuhe.

Shen Yuhe also glanced at her, then, as if flustered, coughed slightly and turned away, her gaze fixed on An Yue:

“I don’t need to report to you. If you couldn’t find my information in the system, it means your clearance level is insufficient, I don’t think I need to explain that to you.”

Xiang Er immediately accepted this explanation. It made sense, all those spy dramas she had watched, they never revealed the identities of important figures, secrecy was paramount! An Yue’s clearance level must be too low!

She looked at Shen Yuhe, a proud smile on her lips. As expected of the woman she admired, she must be a high-ranking member of the organization!

But then a wave of worry washed over her. Such a high rank, such powerful abilities, it meant more dangerous missions, greater risks…

It was a difficult choice. Choosing between personal happiness and the greater good, it was too difficult. Xiang Er, feeling a sense of absurdity, couldn’t help but worry, her gaze shifting between admiration and concern as she looked at Shen Yuhe.

Shen Yuhe reached out and gently squeezed Xiang Er’s hand, turning to smile at her:

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Xiang Er:

“How did you know I was worried about you…”

They held hands, whispering to each other, while An Yue, across the table, observed them, her expression unreadable, having clearly heard Shen Yuhe’s words.

An Yue was silent for a moment, then said softly:

“You’re right, I only have the highest clearance level for this region, not the national level. It seems you’re not a local investigator, but a special agent from headquarters. In that case, may I request to see your identification?”

Shen Yuhe turned away, her posture languid, her gaze commanding:

“I don’t recall needing to report to you. You already know who I am, why do you need proof? Don’t you understand? The most reliable person is always yourself.”

Xiang Er’s heart stirred, and she looked at An Yue, seeing a clear flicker of confusion in her eyes.

That confusion, she was familiar with. Every time her perception was distorted, her memories fragmented, she would see the same confusion reflected in her own eyes in the mirror.

So… was An Yue experiencing the same thing? Was her memory being affected by the pollution?

Xiang Er felt a surge of worry, her fingers curling, completely enveloped by Shen Yuhe’s hand.

An Yue’s confusion was fleeting, and she quickly regained her composure:

“Of course I know the most reliable person is myself, but I also know that memories can be altered and implanted. Even humans have that technology, so it’s not impossible for the entities we’re dealing with to have it as well. I haven’t heard of any such cases, but it’s always best to be cautious. So… if you can’t provide any identification, I’ll have to contact my superiors and request backup.”

She held out her wrist, a sleek, electronic watch strapped to it, its red light flashing.

Xiang Er asked:

“What’s that?”

An Yue:

“It’s my communicator, and a pollution detector. It’s telling me that my SAN value has dropped to a critical level, and I can’t trust myself when my SAN value is this low.”

She extended her arm, showing Xiang Er the watch screen, and Xiang Er leaned closer, curious.

The screen was divided into several sections, displaying various data, the largest section flashing red, with the words “SAN Value: 68.” The number was steadily decreasing, dropping with each flash.

Xiang Er was puzzled:

“What’s a SAN value?”

An Yue:

“It’s your sanity level. Below 60, you’re considered half-insane, and when it reaches zero, you turn into one of those monsters you’ve seen.”

Xiang Er, staring at the alarming red display, felt her own heart pounding. A sense of dread, a premonition of doom, rose within her, and she asked, her voice barely a whisper:

“What’s… what’s my SAN value?”

The moment she asked, the atmosphere in the room plummeted.

It was as if a block of ice had been dropped onto the table, a solid, impenetrable barrier, distorting their view of the world beyond, like a melting landscape.

Xiang Er’s back went cold, and she turned to look at Shen Yuhe, the only beacon of hope in her life…

But Shen Yuhe just looked at her sadly, her dark eyes like a frozen lake, reflecting Xiang Er’s bewildered face, as if she, too, was confused, unsure how to deal with this.

Something was about to shatter, and Xiang Er opened her mouth, wanting to call out “Little Fish,” but a soft, warm, and slightly metallic taste filled her mouth, choking her words.

Her vision blurred, and a strange, ancient legend suddenly surfaced in her chaotic mind.

It was said that in ancient times, if a person died, but their soul didn’t realize it, they would continue living their normal life, day after day, only their world… would be different.

Until something, someone, or some event, reminded them that they were already dead, only then would they truly die, their soul finally moving on.

What would it feel like, that moment of realization?

“Little Ears!”

Xiang Er felt blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, and she looked up weakly, Shen Yuhe’s face, filled with panic and concern, looming over her, her arms pulling her into a tight embrace.

At the same time, Xiang Er saw An Yue’s electronic watch blare a loud, insistent alarm!

Xiang Er buried her face in Shen Yuhe’s embrace, thinking, my SAN value… has it already reached zero?

---

When she regained consciousness, she was lying in Shen Yuhe’s arms, her body stretched out on a chair.

The aroma of food filled the room, it seemed their meal had arrived. Xiang Er opened her eyes, her vision split between the golden ceiling and the ornate chandelier above, and Shen Yuhe’s beautiful face, backlit, before her.

Xiang Er looked at Shen Yuhe, her mouth open slightly, her throat dry and salty, something blocking her airway, making it difficult to speak.

Shen Yuhe brought a glass of water to her lips, and the warm liquid, slowly flowing down her throat, soothed her parched throat. Xiang Er finally found her voice, and clutching Shen Yuhe’s collar, she asked:

“What’s my SAN value?”

Shen Yuhe hesitated, gently placing the glass down, and helped Xiang Er sit up.

The table was now covered with food, but Xiang Er didn’t care. She looked at An Yue across the table.

An Yue sat calmly, looking at her with concern:

“Miss Xiang, are you alright? If you’re not feeling well, you should go to the hospital.”

Xiang Er stared at An Yue in disbelief.

An Yue was calmly and methodically arranging the tableware, her demeanor perfectly normal, the red light on her electronic watch no longer flashing, everything peaceful and calm.

This was strange… Xiang Er clearly remembered the alarm blaring from An Yue’s watch before she fainted… She asked:

“Wasn’t your watch going off earlier?”

An Yue glanced at her watch and said casually:

“Oh, it was just a small malfunction, it’s fixed now.”

Xiang Er narrowed her eyes and looked at Shen Yuhe, who smiled and nodded:

“It’s fixed now.”

Fixed? Fixed what? How? Was it the problem that was fixed, or… the person? Or the soul?

A torrent of questions flooded Xiang Er’s mind.

She reached out a trembling hand towards An Yue and shouted:

“Give me the watch!”

An Yue was startled:

“Why are you shouting…”

But Shen Yuhe’s voice, firm and commanding, said:

“Give her the watch!”

An Yue immediately removed the watch, walked around the table, and handed it to… Shen Yuhe.

Shen Yuhe gently fastened the watch around Xiang Er’s wrist.

Xiang Er’s slender, pale wrist, its blue veins prominent, like turbulent rivers flowing beneath her skin, disappearing beneath the black watch strap.

Xiang Er stared at the watch screen, her heart pounding, her thin wrist trembling under its weight!

The numbers on the screen flickered, the SAN value in the center also fluctuating, then finally settling, the flashing stopping.

SAN Value: 90.

A safe, stable green number.

Chapter 64: Cognition

“I’m sorry, I was being careless.”

Shen Yuhe apologized to Xiang Er, her expression serious.

“…It’s okay, it’s fine.”

Xiang Er replied, her lips pouting slightly, wanting to act coquettishly annoyed, but the thought of doing so in a bathroom disgusted her.

She felt like her IQ had dropped significantly… Xiang Er took a deep breath, dried her hands, and left the bathroom, heading back to the office.

Shen Yuhe silently followed, not offering any further explanation.

Back in the office, most of her colleagues had returned, and they were all excitedly discussing what had just happened. But the moment they saw Xiang Er and Shen Yuhe enter, they fell silent, turning back to their computers, pretending to work.

Xiang Er, unsure what had happened, looked at Zhu Minmin. Zhu Minmin, after exchanging a quick glance with her, then looking at Shen Yuhe with a mixture of fear and awe, quickly turned back to her computer, not daring to look again.

Xiang Er found this strange, glancing at Shen Yuhe, whose expression was cool and aloof, beautiful as a celestial being, not at all intimidating.

But perhaps her colleagues simply didn’t want Shen Yuhe around… After all, she was the CEO of another company, and with a high-ranking executive present, it was natural for them to be on their best behavior.

Although she was a little reluctant… Xiang Er turned to Shen Yuhe and whispered:

“Why don’t you… go back to your company? I can come down and find you for lunch, how about that?”

Shen Yuhe nodded, took Xiang Er’s hand, lifted it to her lips, and kissed the back of her hand, her touch lingering:

“See you at lunch.”

As she looked up, her eyes, with their sharp, golden glint, seemed to hook Xiang Er’s heart, her lips, still slightly stained with lipstick, curving into a playful, almost mischievous smile, as she turned and left.

She walked gracefully, ignoring the awestruck and apprehensive gazes of her colleagues, quickly disappearing around the corner.

Xiang Er watched her leave, feeling like she had turned to stone.

Shen Yuhe had kissed and licked her hand… she had been able to endure it then, because no one had seen them, but now, the entire company had witnessed it!

Xiang Er didn’t dare look at anyone, just quickly sat down at her desk, pretending to be busy, clicking her mouse randomly, opening and closing windows, as if working.

Just then, the company chat icon in the corner of her screen flashed, a rare private message.

It was from Zhu Minmin:

“Did you know! That elevator incident was related to your beautiful CEO! We just went to see it, the elevator looks like it’s been bombed, there’s a huge hole in it! The maintenance crew is freaking out! Your beautiful CEO was in the elevator! The security footage shows her walking out of the hole after the explosion! It’s terrifying!”

Xiang Er:

“Huh? She walked out of the exploded elevator?”

Zhu Minmin quickly sent a picture of the gaping hole in the elevator, the mangled metal and exposed wires, not like any accident she had ever seen.

It did look like it had been bombed. Xiang Er’s heart sank: Could this be… a sign of her powers?

Had Shen Yuhe used her abilities in the elevator?

Zhu Minmin’s message followed:

“She’s so strange, is she really just an ordinary human? Is she some kind of martial arts master? Do you know anything about her background? I think you should be careful, don’t get too close to her… oh, I mean, you two are a perfect match, made for each other!”

Xiang Er felt something was off about the message, and she looked up.

Zhu Minmin was sitting diagonally in front of her, and Xiang Er could see half of her profile. Just as she looked, Zhu Minmin’s lower face seemed to distort, her jaw and mouth twisting, like a demon possessed in a horror movie… but Xiang Er blinked, and Zhu Minmin’s face returned to normal.

Zhu Minmin turned to Xiang Er, a sweet smile on her face, and whispered:

“You two have to stay together! For the sake of your fans, like me, you have to stay together!”

Xiang Er was bewildered.

She looked back at her computer screen, and the message in the chat had changed:

“She’s so amazing! Surviving such a terrifying accident, she must be a very reliable girlfriend! Maybe she’s some kind of martial arts master, you two are a perfect match, made for each other!”

Xiang Er carefully reread the message. Was this the original version? She refreshed the page a few times, but the message remained the same, the earlier warning about getting too close to Shen Yuhe was gone.

And… the way Zhu Minmin’s face had twisted just now, it was so similar to how An Yue’s face had contorted earlier.

Was this a coincidence?

Had the message really changed? Or… was her perception faulty again?

Xiang Er remembered what Officer An had said. In just one day, she had experienced several inconsistencies between her perception and reality, this wasn’t normal!

Could it be… that the Evil God had returned?

A cold sweat broke out on Xiang Er’s back, the terrifying memories she had tried to suppress resurfacing… She had always known that the Evil God could manipulate memories, especially hers… The incident with her roommate, she had almost had a breakdown then! If the memories she relied on were fake, how could she live?

If the Evil God had returned… if It was altering her perception and memories again, even altering her memories of Shen Yuhe… then she would definitely lose her mind, she would go completely insane! She might as well be dead!

What should she do?

Her hand trembling, Xiang Er sent a message to Shen Yuhe:

“Are you having any problems with your memory?”

Shen Yuhe’s reply was almost instantaneous:

“No, why? What happened?”

Xiang Er:

“I just saw a message someone sent me, and it’s different from what I saw initially, I think that Cthul… that thing is back!”

This time, Shen Yuhe’s reply was delayed, a long silence that made Xiang Er anxious, her eyes fixed on her computer screen, silently counting the seconds. Finally, after 189 seconds, Shen Yuhe’s reply appeared:

“It’s nothing, I’ve checked the surroundings, there’s nothing strange near you. If there is anything, it must be An Yue, her abilities are weak, she might be carrying some residual pollution, I’ll take care of it, don’t worry.”

Xiang Er stared at the message, rereading it three times, waiting, and seeing that it didn’t change, she finally relaxed.

If Shen Yuhe said so, then she would definitely handle it.

It was so good to have Shen Yuhe around, her mental stability depended entirely on Shen Yuhe’s presence.

Except… if only she wouldn’t do those things to her in public… that would be perfect.

Xiang Er thought of Shen Yuhe pinning her against the wall, licking her palm… and her breathing quickened. She shook her head, trying to dispel the images.

Really, why had she become so… perverted?

---

During lunch break, Xiang Er saw the bombed elevator. It was out of service, leaving only one working elevator, and with the lunch rush, everyone had to wait in line.

Xiang Er patiently queued when she suddenly spotted An Yue outside the line.

An Yue was pacing in the hallway, and seeing Xiang Er, she raised an eyebrow and walked towards her, her unevenly cut hair bouncing, giving her a surprisingly youthful look.

She was slightly taller than Xiang Er, probably about the same height as Shen Yuhe, but her build was much broader, her shoulders wide, filling out her blazer nicely.

Her eyes, no longer vacant, held a spark of curiosity as she asked:

“Where are you going?”

Xiang Er:

“I’m having lunch with Shen Yuhe.”

Her face was expressionless, remembering Shen Yuhe’s message about An Yue possibly carrying some kind of pollution. Although she didn’t know what that meant, she was wary, her tone cool and distant.

An Yue, seemingly oblivious to her rebuff, said:

“With Ms. Shen… can I join you?”

Xiang Er:

“Ah… that’s not very convenient…”

But An Yue had already moved to stand beside her, her voice serious:

“There are some things I need to confirm with Ms. Shen, it’s about the investigation.”

Xiang Er couldn’t refuse, and she joined An Yue in the elevator, descending to Shen Yuhe’s floor.

Shen Yuhe was already waiting at the elevator lobby.

She wore a form-fitting white blouse and black trousers, a black trench coat draped over her arm, one hand in her pocket, her posture relaxed.

As the elevator doors opened, she looked up, a warm smile spreading across her face – then freezing abruptly.

For a fleeting moment, Xiang Er thought she saw a flash of disgust in Shen Yuhe’s eyes.

But the next second, the disgust vanished, replaced by a faint smile, her voice cold and distant:

“Officer An, why haven’t you left yet?”

Her question was blunt, but An Yue didn’t seem offended, just replying respectfully:

“I heard you were having lunch with Miss Xiang, I’d like to join you, to discuss some questions with you. And I’d also like to protect Miss Xiang.”

Strange… protect her from what?

Xiang Er glanced at An Yue, puzzled, but her expression was firm and resolute.

Well, protection was good, but… she already had Shen Yuhe, she didn’t need another, less capable protector, did she? Shouldn’t An Yue be protecting other people?

Xiang Er voiced her doubts:

“I don’t think I need any more protection. You could protect my colleagues, they must have also seen that monster, right?”

An Yue turned to her, her expression serious:

“Yes, but you’re the only one who had direct contact with the entity, and you’re covered in pollu… cough, cough, cough!”

She suddenly burst into a violent coughing fit, her body shaking, the entire elevator trembling, and Xiang Er, seeing a trace of blood at the corner of An Yue’s mouth, recoiled in fear, pressing herself against the elevator wall.

What was happening? Was this the pollution Shen Yuhe had mentioned? Why was she coughing up blood, oh my god! There was definitely something wrong with An Yue!

She looked at Shen Yuhe, her eyes pleading for help.

Shen Yuhe’s face was dark, her aura heavy and oppressive, like a gathering storm.

But… her gaze softened slightly when it met Xiang Er’s.

After a long moment, Shen Yuhe sighed, a mixture of resignation and self-mockery in her voice:

“Fine… let’s go together then.”

She stepped into the elevator, the doors closing with a hum, the elevator starting its descent. An Yue’s coughing fit finally subsided, and she wiped the blood from her mouth with a tissue, her gaze avoiding Shen Yuhe’s, just glancing at Xiang Er.

“Tsk.”

Shen Yuhe suddenly clicked her tongue in disapproval.

She stepped forward, right in front of An Yue, and, pulling Xiang Er into a tight embrace, kissed her forehead lightly.

Although just a fleeting kiss, it was a possessive gesture, a declaration, a warning.

Xiang Er, her face flushing at the sudden kiss, her heart pounding, couldn’t believe Shen Yuhe’s boldness in the confined space of the elevator, with someone else present…

But she also knew that Shen Yuhe was jealous.

Shen Yuhe was such a jealous person, jealous even of this, just sharing a meal… What was she going to do with her? Would she have to eat every meal with her, go to and from work with her, spend every night with her… oh, that would be wonderful!

Xiang Er’s heart filled with sweet anticipation, her mind filled with visions of a blissful future.

She didn’t notice the strange contortions on An Yue’s face, the shifting of her facial muscles, which quickly subsided.

An Yue’s expression was calm as she followed them out of the elevator, into the sunlight, her gaze fixed on Shen Yuhe’s back, her eyes vacant.

As they passed by a camellia bush, Xiang Er said casually:

“They haven’t bloomed in a while.”

“Really?”

Shen Yuhe said dismissively, waving her hand lightly.

“Ah! There’s a flower!”

Suddenly, a blood-red camellia blossom appeared, its petals perfectly formed, blooming vibrantly, as if it were spring, not winter.

“Do you like it?”

Shen Yuhe, extending a slender, jade-white hand, plucked the flower and offered it to Xiang Er.

“Yes! I love it!”

Xiang Er took the flower, her face radiant, and inhaled its sweet fragrance.

She looked at the flower, then beckoned to Shen Yuhe:

“Come here, bend down.”

Shen Yuhe obediently leaned closer. Xiang Er tucked the camellia behind Shen Yuhe’s ear, her fingers lingering in her soft, cool hair, the familiar sweet fragrance filling her senses, and she took a deep breath, savoring the scent.

“There. Perfect! I have to take a picture!”

Xiang Er took out her phone and snapped a photo, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

In the picture, Shen Yuhe stood against a backdrop of tall buildings and green trees, the blood-red camellia blossom behind her ear, making her look like a celestial being descended to earth.

She wasn’t smiling, her eyes even holding a hint of sadness.

As if… she already knew what was to come.