What?! I Became the Zombie Beauty in the Villain’s Arms – CH187-189

Chapter 187| Chapter 188| Chapter 189

Chapter 187: Sold Your Man?

The village banquet wasn’t particularly grand or opulent, but it was incredibly lively. The entire village had gathered to share news and stories, and from the moment the feast began, the air was filled with an unceasing hum of laughter and conversation.

“This wine is our village’s specialty. It’s been brewing for at least ten years! It would be a crying shame if Miss Pei didn’t have a glass!”

“Exactly! We wouldn’t bring out these goodies for just anyone, but for a distinguished guest like you, it’s a must!”

“How does it taste, Miss Pei?”

Pei Xiqing chuckled. “It’s delicious—mellow and rich with the aroma of the grain. It’s the most flavorful wine I’ve ever tasted.”

She could tell that the complexity of the wine could only be achieved through patient aging. She hadn’t expected a small village to be capable of brewing something so exquisite. After a few rounds, her cheeks felt flushed and warm, as if they were catching fire.

“That’s the spirit! Come on, let’s keep the glasses full! A toast to Brother Duan and Miss Pei!”

“Yes! Brother Duan saved us and provided the antidote to the monster virus. He is a great benefactor to us all. We owe him everything!”

A steady stream of villagers came over to toast her. She took a few more sips, but just as someone reached out to refill her glass, the man beside her quickly raised a hand to cover the rim.

With that single, subtle movement, the table fell silent. No one dared to act rashly again.

The man’s lips curved slightly upward, but his gaze, shadowed and calm, concealed a deep, impenetrable indifference. The villagers were so intimidated that their hands shook, and more than one person nearly dropped their wine glass.

“Drink less,” he said to her.

“Why?”

“Be careful of a headache tomorrow. Don’t come blaming me if you can’t get out of bed.”

Pei Xiqing watched the crowd. “Look at them—they’re so happy.” Wherever his gaze landed, the villagers were indeed drinking with genuine joy. Many were embracing, whispering about past struggles, only to burst into raucous laughter a moment later.

There were even a few people who had previously been embroiled in bitter land disputes, yet after a few drinks, they were shaking hands and making peace.

During her time in the apocalypse, she had felt nothing but the crushing weight of loneliness and depression everywhere she went. But seeing so many people here with such raw, unvarnished human nature—people not yet hollowed out by the nihilism of the end of the world—she couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness.

It felt like stepping back into the life she knew before she transmigrated into this book. Back when she was just an invisible, small-time actor, she would collapse in exhaustion after a long day on set, only to look up and see the stage crew bringing over lunchboxes and beers. It had been an exhausting time, but in a way, it was also the most carefree period of her life.

“Hey, let me drink. I won’t get drunk after just a few glasses. I might even out-drink you.”

“Drinking too much is bad for your health. You only just recovered.”

Pei Xiqing rested her chin on her hand, looking at him with a lazy smile. “But there are still plenty of people who want to come and share a drink with us.”

“They won’t come over.”

“Why not?”

“Because I won’t let them mess around.”

“Brother Duan.”

“I’m right here.”

Pei Xiqing leaned closer, leaving only a few inches between them. Even though her vision was slightly blurred by the alcohol, she could still lock onto his gaze with absolute precision.

“I want to stay here for a while longer. As long as conditions permit, I’d like to stay even longer. I really like it here.”

“Then we will settle here temporarily.”

She looked into his deep, perceptive eyes and reached up to adjust the frames of his glasses. She whispered, “But Brother Duan, you can’t keep acting like this.”

“What do you mean?” Duan Xiaolin raised an eyebrow, his expression leisurely.

Pei Xiqing cupped his face in her hands, her proximity making it feel as though she were about to kiss him. The villagers nearby were blushing, embarrassed by her bold display of affection, and they hurriedly looked away to avoid triggering Duan Xiaolin’s terrifying glare.

The Qiong Snake, sensing Duan Xiaolin’s subtle intent, quietly released a dark energy that obscured the vision of anyone daring to peek their way. All one could hear were muffled cries of pain from behind as the onlookers found their sight mysteriously blocked.

The man wrapped his arm around her slender waist and lifted her slightly. The movement wasn’t overly intimate, but it radiated a quiet, protective possessiveness that gave her an immense sense of security.

Pei Xiqing pressed on. “You can’t do this… if you don’t try to make friends with the villagers, how is this any different from your life at the base?”

Duan Xiaolin always seemed to sit in the middle of these lively, friendly gatherings while keeping himself emotionally miles away, deliberately isolating himself. Whether it was when they first met, when they encountered that other team, or even now at the base and in this village, he remained distant.

Many people were deceived by his gentle, polite facade and dared to approach him like brothers, but in truth, he didn’t care about them at all. As long as they didn’t cross his bottom line, he would simply turn a blind eye to their existence.

Duan Xiaolin looked a little surprised. “You observe me that closely?”

“Isn’t that right? If I observed other men this closely, would you be happy about it?”

Duan Xiaolin pinched the soft skin at her waist. “I wouldn’t.”

“Exactly.” Pei Xiqing poured a glass of wine with a determined look. “Since you’ve chosen to live here for a while, you have to interact with them. You need to have genuine, equal exchanges. Can you do that?”

Here, he wasn’t the Chief Judge burdened with the weight of the world, nor was he the tragic villain of a doomed plot; and she wasn’t just a disposable background character. Everything outside had nothing to do with them. Neither of them needed to pretend, calculate, or play a role.

She knew his five years of managing the base in Franlun had made it nearly impossible for him to trust anyone in such a short time. She cherished his sincerity, which was so rare in a world built on intrigue and deception. But these villagers weren’t his enemies, nor were they super-powered threats.

She hoped that, at least for this brief period, Duan Xiaolin wouldn’t have to be so perpetually on guard.

Duan Xiaolin stared at her for a long time, then smiled helplessly. “I’m tired.”

“Really?” Pei Xiqing asked, teasing him. “Let me see. Are you actually tired, or are you just pretending?”

The man poured a glass of wine, clinked it against hers, and downed it in one gulp. Then, he let her go, stood up, and finally turned toward the next table to chat with the villagers.

“Thank you for taking care of us during this time. I’ll share a drink with you all.”

The group of villagers stared at him, eyes wide. It took them a long time to process what had just happened. They remained stuck, mouths agape, unable to find the words to respond.

Brother Duan had saved them, provided the antidote, and killed the zombie monsters. They were endlessly grateful and wanted to give him every good thing the village had, but he had never accepted their offers. They knew he didn’t show his emotions, and no one could ever guess what he was thinking. They only knew he was a powerful outsider who was not to be trifled with.

They never expected him to actually walk over and share a drink with them.

After the initial shock passed, the villagers erupted into cheers and laughter. “Brother Duan! We’ve been waiting for you to say that! Finally, we get a chance to drink with you!”

“Come on! Fill up Brother Niu and Brother Duan’s glasses! Let’s drink to our heart’s content! Nobody leaves until we’re all drunk!”

“Agreed! We haven’t had a proper village get-together in such a long time. It’s been so chaotic outside these past few years. Even though it hasn’t affected us too much, we’ve all been working diligently every day. Many of our relatives and friends are still out there, lost. Let’s get together today, share our thoughts, and after tonight, we’ll be more united than ever to protect this place our ancestors blessed!”

“Good!”

“Let’s go!”

The atmosphere at the table was electrifying. A group of grown men were soon challenging each other to drinking matches.

At first, no one dared to try and get Duan Xiaolin drunk, until Pei Xiqing wandered over and whispered, “If someone manages to get Brother Duan drunk, I’ll bake them a box of my special cakes in a few days.”

“Alright! Just for Miss Pei’s cooking, I’ll give it everything I’ve got!”

“Me too! Brother Duan, come on!”

Duan Xiaolin grabbed Pei Xiqing before she could slip away. “Are you planning to sell your man out for a box of cake?”

Chapter 188: Sold Out?

Pei Xiqing answered innocently, “No, I believe you’ll come home safely.”

“Stay right here with me.”

She was effectively forced to sit beside him, watching as he continued to drink with the local men. Several of the villagers had already succumbed to the potent brew and passed out, but Duan Xiaolin remained motionless. His knuckles gripped the delicate porcelain wine glass, tapping it rhythmically against the table. “Continue,” he prompted.

“Brother Duan is legendary!”

Pei Xiqing was genuinely stunned by his capacity for alcohol. She sat there in a daze, watching him hold his own against the entire table.

Suddenly, someone poked her arm.

Ma Mengxiang was sitting next to her. “Miss Pei?”

“What is it?”

“The girls from the village are all chatting over there. Come join us. Let those smelly men drink until they pass out on their own.”

“Alright.”

Pei Xiqing turned her head to see a table full of women behind them. Several of them waved at her, beckoning her to come over.

She shared a quick look with Duan Xiaolin. The man raised his head, took a slow sip of wine, glanced over at the women’s table, and then gave her palm a lingering pinch. “Be careful.”

“I know, I know.”

Pei Xiqing joined Ma Mengxiang at the table in the back.

As soon as she arrived, she was surrounded by a gaggle of women. “Oh, my sweet heavens! Your skin is even more flawless than that little girl Ma Mengjia’s, and you have a husband who adores you so much. I’m green with envy! If my old man could even be a fraction as attentive as yours, I’d actually have the energy to stay awake at night!”

“Did you two just get married? You’re so incredibly in love, wow! I’m so jealous!”

Pei Xiqing felt a flush of embarrassment. “Ah, yes. We’re married.”

They had told the villagers they were a couple. It was strange to think that she and Duan Xiaolin didn’t even have a marriage certificate. But it was the end of the world; such formalities had long since been abandoned.

“They really are a perfect match.”

Several women crowded around her, chirping incessantly. “Your man must be quite the catch. Just look at his broad shoulders and strong build. You are one lucky girl!”

Pei Xiqing coughed lightly.

He was more than just “broad and strong”—he was simply too intense, to the point where she often felt completely overwhelmed.

Skipping past that line of questioning, Pei Xiqing glanced at Ma Mengjia, who was sitting directly opposite her.

Ma Mengjia was watching her intently, clearly still replaying the compliments she had overheard earlier. She leaned in, reluctant but curious. “Did you really mean what you said about me earlier?”

“Of course.” Pei Xiqing clinked glasses with Ma Mengxiang, then turned to Ma Mengjia. “Would you like to have a drink with me?”

Ma Mengjia twirled the hem of her skirt. “Hmph, fine.”

She reached out with her own glass, and the three of them toasted.

Ma Mengjia wasted no time. “How did you and Brother Duan meet? How did you fall in love and get married?”

“It’s a long story,” Pei Xiqing replied. “Do you really want to know?”

Ma Mengjia leaned forward, her eyes bright. “Yes.”

She just wanted to understand what could possibly make a man like Brother Duan fall for someone. Was it even possible for a person as cold as him to truly fall in love?

She remembered it vividly. The first time she saw Brother Duan, he was carrying the injured villagers back to safety.

His posture had been upright, his presence commanding.

Later, she had helped find him a room to stay in. She hadn’t seen him for days afterward, but her mind had been entirely filled with the memory of that moment.

Pei Xiqing’s eyelashes flickered slightly.

She noticed the way Ma Mengjia’s eyes drifted toward her cheek.

Ma Mengjia’s skin was significantly better than her cousin Ma Mengxiang’s. The red dress she wore was eye-catching compared to the drab clothes of the other villagers, though it was clearly an older style. The hem was slightly yellowed, but the rest of the fabric was wrinkle-free, showing how carefully she had maintained it.

Pei Xiqing curled her lips into a faint smile and leaned back.

A few strands of her long hair draped over her chest. As she lowered her eyes, her beauty softened, losing its sharp, intimidating edge, transforming into a calm, elegant tenderness. “Because I was the one who took the initiative to find him.”

“Ah?” Ma Mengjia couldn’t believe it. “You made the first move?”

“I sought him out as a backer to save my life. I didn’t expect that this ‘backer’ would turn out to be quite useful. I’m still alive today because of it.” She seemed lost in the memory.

Ma Mengjia was stunned. “It’s… that simple?”

“Yes.”

“Then you are much luckier than me,” Ma Mengjia sighed. “I don’t even dare to look him in the eye…”

Brother Duan was handsome, but whenever they met, she felt as if his gaze held something strange—something she couldn’t quite describe. Or maybe it was just her imagination.

Would he be able to see her differently after they got to know each other for a while? Would the way he looked at her change, too?

Pei Xiqing remained silent.

Ma Mengjia hurried to explain, “I didn’t have any other ideas, honestly. I just wanted to be friends with Brother Duan.”

“What kind of friends?”

“Just… ordinary friends.”

Even if there was a massive distance between her and Brother Duan, how would she know what was possible if she didn’t try?

“Making friends is fine,” Pei Xiqing said calmly, “but anything beyond that is out of the question.”

“I…”

Pei Xiqing turned her head and caught the look in the girl’s eyes: shame, disappointment, and a desire that was far from pure. “Miss Ma, did you misunderstand something?”

“Ah? I…”

“I’m telling you this because I’m treating you like a friend. If you don’t respect me, then there’s no need for us to keep talking.”

With that, Pei Xiqing stood up.

Ma Mengjia suddenly panicked, her tension visible to everyone at the table.

Ma Mengxiang also stood up, grabbing her cousin’s hand. “Miss Pei, don’t be angry. My cousin is just like this. I’m used to it. Please don’t take it to heart. She’s tried to make friends with outsiders who visited the village before, too…”

Unsure of what she was thinking, her voice trailed off uncertainly. “She just… she just wants to be friends.”

Aside from that one time she almost eloped with that psychic, she thought, everything else is usually fine.

Pei Xiqing pulled her hand away. “How boring. Every time I talk to you girls, it inevitably comes back to men.”

Ma Mengxiang immediately pivoted. “No! I won’t talk about men anymore! I’ll take you to the back mountain! There are so many beautiful trees and flowers there! I’ll show you my special skills!”

Pei Xiqing smiled. “Thank you for the kindness, Mengxiang, but let’s save it for another day. I’m not really in the mood today.”

Seeing her about to leave, Ma Mengjia grew frantic. She realized her earlier behavior had been far too blatant. After all, they were a married couple; she could easily be punished for what she had just implied.

“Miss Pei… I’m sorry. My words made you uncomfortable and I deeply offended you. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

She raised a hand and slapped her own face to prove her sincerity. “I was completely bewitched. I… I didn’t expect you to actually want to treat me like a friend. I thought you would hate me.”

Over the last few days, the villagers had grown accustomed to being watched by these powerful outsiders. Now that the situation had shifted, both Brother Duan and Pei Xiqing felt a bit… on edge. She hadn’t expected herself to say those things so recklessly.

It was just so incredibly embarrassing.

She didn’t know what had come over her; she had just blurted out those words without any restraint.

When she didn’t get a response from Pei Xiqing, Ma Mengjia’s panicked tears began to fall. She was so annoyed with herself that she raised her hand to slap herself again, but someone caught her wrist in mid-air.

Pei Xiqing looked down at her, her eyes curving into a soft, inscrutable smile. “I don’t hate you.”

Chapter 189: In Your Heart

Ma Mengjia was momentarily taken aback. Had she heard that correctly?

Before she could raise her head to ask, Pei Xiqing had already stepped away, and Ma Mengxiang had taken her place.

Ma Mengjia looked at Ma Mengxiang’s face, baffled. “…What did Miss Pei just say?”

“She said she likes you, not that she hates you,” Ma Mengxiang replied, rolling her eyes. “You’re acting crazy! Do you have any idea what kind of nonsense you were spouting just now? And you were lucky—only Miss Pei was there. If Brother Duan had heard you plotting against his wife, I’m afraid you would’ve been beaten black and blue!”

There were only so many people in the village, and she had grown up with all of them. She knew that even when those local fools tried to show their affection for Pei Xiqing, she had remained completely indifferent. She hadn’t expected her own cousin to harbor such resentful thoughts.

Ma Mengjia wiped the tears from her face. “Is she really gone?”

“What? It’s a miracle she didn’t slap you right across the face on the spot.”

“Did she… say anything else?”

“Not a word.”

Ma Mengjia deflated. “What? You still expected her to sit there and chat with you? Did you want her to listen to you plot against her husband?”

“Bullshit!” Ma Mengjia snapped, her face flushing crimson as she turned away. “I was just… I was just trying to make friends! Don’t you want to get to know someone like Brother Duan? How could that be considered a scheme?”

“I already know you well enough, what else is there to learn?”

“Get lost, you know nothing.”

Ma Mengxiang sighed. “Okay, okay, you’re the expert.”

Ma Mengjia touched her hair, looking away with a guilty expression. “I’m going back, too.”

“You’re leaving? How can you sleep peacefully tonight without even an apology? Though, knowing you, you’re the type of person who never feels guilty about anything anyway.”

“Pfft! Can you even speak?” Ma Mengjia shot back. “Of course I’m going to apologize, but not right now. It wouldn’t make any sense to go back immediately. She’d definitely hate seeing me.”

“She literally just told you she doesn’t hate you—that she likes you and praised you. Look, you brought this on yourself, who else can you blame?”

“I still don’t know if she was sincere or just lying to my face.”

“Do you think everyone is as two-faced as you?”

Ma Mengjia glared at her. “What’s wrong with me?”

“You, you… oh, forget it, I don’t even know what to say to you!”

“You want to say I’m unrealistic and a playboy, right?”

“Yes! Exactly!”

“Get lost, little girl. You can barely string a few sentences together and you’re trying to lecture me?”

“Cousin, you really are losing your mind…”

“Stop talking,” Ma Mengjia interrupted. “Is mocking me supposed to be fun? I admit your sister was a bit possessed and her brain wasn’t working right, but are you really any better than me, you little brat?”

Ma Mengxiang gasped. “Wait! You’re not kidding, are you? Cousin, your obsession with men is your own problem—what does it have to do with me? I swear I absolutely don’t have those kinds of thoughts! It’s one thing for you to talk nonsense, but saying those things in front of Miss Pei, and now you want to criticize me? I’m done talking to you!”

Ma Mengjia was shoved hard by her cousin, landing unceremoniously on a stool. She winced as her butt hit the wood. She watched Ma Mengxiang stomp off angrily and shouted, “Ma Mengxiang! If you have the guts, don’t come home! You’re siding with an outsider and treating your own family this harshly? It’s only been a few days and you’ve already turned your back on me!”

She sat there sullenly. She could feel the villagers around her whispering and gossiping about her. She didn’t even need to look to know they were saying nasty things.

Ma Mengjia slammed her wine glass onto the table with a cold snort. “Look all you want! Do you want me to give you a show?”

She turned her head away in frustration.

Across the way, she saw Pei Xiqing sitting at the next table, right beside Brother Duan. They didn’t need to say much; they seemed to understand each other’s every thought with just a single glance. Beneath the table, their hands remained locked together. Every time Pei Xiqing tried to pull away, the man would only hold her tighter.

Ma Mengjia’s expression was a mix of embarrassment and hollow ache. She didn’t know if it was just a sense of loss or some other complex emotion, but it felt deeply unpleasant.

Subconsciously, she touched her own face. Did Pei Xiqing really praise me and like me just now? Before outsiders had arrived, she had always thought she was quite pretty. She had heard tales of powerful men from the outside world who were handsome and could offer a sense of true security.

In the future, she wondered, will there really be someone who looks at me the way Brother Duan looks at her?

When the banquet finally wound down, the villagers diligently cleaned up the square.

Pei Xiqing walked over carrying a cup of warm water and found Duan Xiaolin sitting under a massive village tree, leaning against its roots with his eyes closed in rest.

She sat down beside him. Duan Xiaolin opened his eyes.

After he removed his coat and laid it on the ground, the man pulled her down to sit with him.

“The night sky here is lovely.”

Pei Xiqing leaned back, looking up at the sprawling starry canopy, and couldn’t help but sigh. “Yes, this place is truly wonderful. Who would have thought such a haven existed at the end of the world?”

She had lived here for about a week now. Today, she had participated in the villagers’ preparations and truly felt the warmth of a community. The village was finally peaceful, and life had returned to a simple rhythm. The only sounds in the air were the rhythmic chirping of cicadas and the soft rustling of leaves in the night breeze.

Pei Xiqing rubbed her arms, shivering slightly in the evening chill.

She handed the cup to him. “Drink some water.”

Seeing how much wine he had consumed—practically drinking the entire table under the table—he finally seemed to have reached his limit and was resting alone.

The man pulled her into his arms. “What were you talking about over there?”

“What about what?”

“With the cousins.”

“Nothing, just some girl talk.” Pei Xiqing couldn’t help but bump her elbow against his chest. “You really are…”

Duan Xiaolin tilted his head. “I really am?”

“Aren’t you rather likable?”

“What?”

He genuinely didn’t understand what she meant.

Pei Xiqing reached up and pinched his cheek. “Someone likes you, did you know that?”

“Isn’t it you?”

“I mean, besides me.”

“Really?” He raised the corner of his lips, his fingers brushing her cheek. “Are you jealous?”

Pei Xiqing slapped his hand away. “No.”

“What did they tell you?”

“Of course, they were praising you,” Pei Xiqing leaned back against the roots of the massive tree, lazily admiring the vibrant stars. “Brother Duan is so wise and brave. He saved the people in the village. We are all grateful to you and admire you very much.”

She knew the villagers probably hadn’t had any interaction with the outside world for ages, and Duan Xiaolin’s sudden appearance had left them feeling a mix of awe and bewilderment. But she was right—it wasn’t just these villagers who admired him; there were many people out there who felt the same.

Duan Xiaolin stroked her back gently with his large hand. “What about in your heart?”

The pair of narrow eyes hidden behind his wire-rimmed glasses were deep, deceptively calm, and razor-sharp. When he looked at her, it felt as though his eyes contained a dark, mysterious forest that made it impossible to look away.

“…Scheming idiot,” Pei Xiqing said after a long silence. She let out a laugh, and seeing his genuinely dazed expression, she couldn’t help but burst into giggles.

Duan Xiaolin had indeed had a lot to drink—more tonight than he had in all the years she had known him. As the drunkenness took hold, he joined in her laughter.

His voice was even raspier than usual. “Well, you clever thing, I didn’t expect you to think of me like that.”

There was a hint of genuine surprise in his tone, and… a dangerous, simmering heat.

Pei Xiqing had been attracted to him more than once, but whenever he looked at her with such intent, such deep affection, she found herself completely unable to suppress the frantic throbbing of her heart.

He leaned his head down slightly. Before he could say another word, Pei Xiqing leaned forward and kissed the corner of his lips.

Duan Xiaolin’s eyes were hot and gentle.

He pinched her chin and responded with a lingering kiss. He stroked her cheek as if she were the most precious treasure on earth.

“I hope I can give you everything you want.”

Like this novel? Read Advance Chapters (PDF & EPUB Format)