What?! I Became the Zombie Beauty in the Villain’s Arms – CH87

Chapter 87: Bad Seed

It was the first time Pei Xiqing had ever heard him say so much in one breath.

As she looked at Ling Lang, a gentle smile softened her eyes. She listened patiently until he finished before speaking up. “If he knew, he would definitely want you to find your own happiness. He might not say it out loud, but I know he cares about you deeply.”

“Forget it. Maybe I’m just not cut out for romance. I can’t seem to learn how it works,” he said, looking away. “Whenever I see someone cute, my only instinct is to tease them until they cry.”

Pei Xiqing covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. “Childish.”

“Maybe.”

“Are you really going to give up, then?”

“……Yeah.”

Pei Xiqing reached down to pet Xiaobai. “It’s fine. You have a long life ahead of you, and you’ll meet plenty of wonderful people. Even if you don’t know how to love right now, someone will eventually teach you.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” Ling Lang stood up abruptly, brushing the dirt off his trousers. “Forget it, I’m done talking to you.”

“Goodbye, then. And thank you for sharing all of this with me today.”

“I was just bored.”

Ling Lang turned on his heel and strode out of the courtyard.

But as he walked away, he couldn’t stop himself from stealing one last glance over his shoulder. In the yard, the woman was laughing as she played with her dog.

He subconsciously pressed a hand against his chest, trying to smother the sudden, sharp throb from within.

To stubbornly chase after something you can never have, refusing to let go… only a fool would do that.

Without a word, he pulled up his collar, hiding half his face in the growing shadows of the alley.

Then a fool I will be.

Pei Xiqing waited until his footsteps completely faded before the smile slowly vanished from her face.

Ling Lang always acted like an wild, unrestrained rogue, but he was far from oblivious to the ways of the world. She smiled faintly to herself, realizing her previous understanding of him had been entirely too superficial.

He had clearly learned a few tricks from Duan Xiaolin.

There had been a hidden layer to everything he said to her today—a carefully woven mix of truth and lies. She honestly couldn’t tell which parts were real and which were a performance.

She could only hope he had truly let it go.

Pei Xiqing spent the rest of the day buried in her research materials. When Duan Xiaolin returned that evening, she mentioned her bizarre afternoon encounter with the man in the faceless mask.

Duan Xiaolin chewed his beef calmly, expertly slicing the meat away from the tough bone before tossing it down into Xiaobai’s bowl. “His name is Qiu Chao. He’s a member of Franlun.”

“What brought someone like him to the base?”

“Just passing through,” Duan Xiaolin said, pausing for a brief moment. “And to check on your medical condition.”

“He told me I was the most perfect case he’d ever seen,” Pei Xiqing said, her tone turning cautious. “I don’t want to become anyone’s test subject.”

“You won’t,” he replied instantly, his voice firm. “I won’t let that happen.”

“Is he an expert in viral mutations?”

“Yes.”

Pei Xiqing grew thoughtful, staring at her hands. “I ended up showing him my superpower today.”

“How did it feel?”

“Not great,” she admitted honestly. “I still can’t seem to master it. How did you manage to control it back when it was yours?”

“Once you awaken to it, the control eventually becomes second nature.” He looked up at her. “Would you like me to take you out into the wild to test it? Actual combat might help you get a handle on the energy much faster.”

Pei Xiqing’s eyes instantly lit up. “Can we? That would be amazing!”

She had been feeling thoroughly suffocated staying cooped up inside the base these past few weeks. Besides, they still had a mountain of logistics to sort out, and judging by what Long Yan had hinted a few days ago, their departure from the base was drawing near. Since Duan Xiaolin was offering to escort her beyond the walls, she was more than happy to go.

The base was proving to be a dangerous environment for someone with her volatile identity.

Duan Xiaolin brought up the afternoon again, seemingly already aware of his brother’s visit. He asked, his tone casual yet deliberate, “What did Ling Lang have to say?”

Pei Xiqing gave him a brief summary of their conversation.

Duan Xiaolin let out a low chuckle, looking somewhat helpless.

Pei Xiqing nudged his arm with her elbow. “What are you laughing at?”

“Do you think his story was true or false?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you.” She hadn’t expected Duan Xiaolin to spot the anomaly so quickly, which only proved her instincts hadn’t played tricks on her. She kept pestering the man while he worked, and when he remained entirely unbothered, she boldly slipped into the narrow space between him and the kitchen counter, acting coquettishly. “Come on, tell me.”

An unreadable expression crossed Duan Xiaolin’s face. He wrapped his clean hands firmly around her lower back, pulling her close. “It’s hard to say.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he murmured. “But he isn’t the type to give up easily. At least, I’ve never seen him do it before.”

“So I was tricked?”

“There’s a fifty-percent chance,” he revealed. “That kid went straight to Long Yan to ask for advice earlier today.”

Pei Xiqing gently took the kitchen knife from his hands, turning her back to him to chop the vegetables as she muttered a silent complaint. “It really is true—he who lies down with dogs rises with fleas.”

She could see right through him now; Ling Lang was a devious guy with an absolute streak of mischief. Then again, how innocent could anyone truly be if they spent all their time around Duan Xiaolin?

They were probably both using their underhanded tricks on her.

Duan Xiaolin stepped up tightly behind her, wrapping his hands over hers. “Why are you looping me into the insult?”

“You know exactly why,” she snorted, tilting her head away.

Duan Xiaolin pressed a soft kiss to the curve of her ear, his breath warm. “Yeah. I do.”

The two of them finished cooking together. After dinner, Duan Xiaolin handled the dishes while Pei Xiqing took Xiaobai out for a quick run around the courtyard. Once they were sufficiently tired, she headed inside to take a shower and get ready for bed.

However, right after she had stepped into the bathroom and shed her clothes, the door suddenly clicked and slid open from the outside.

The exact moment the tall, imposing man stepped into the room, the bathroom suddenly felt incredibly small.

Pei Xiqing instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, backing away. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Duan Xiaolin calmly began to unbutton his shirt. “The base’s water supply is scheduled for a full day of maintenance soon. We need to conserve resources. It’s the perfect time to share a bath.”

Pei Xiqing panicked. “Wait a minute! I’ll be incredibly fast—it’ll only take me five minutes!”

“The flow shuts off in exactly eight minutes.”

“Why would the base suddenly cut the water supply?” Her cheeks flushed a burning crimson, utterly mortified. “This has never happened before.”

“Once we’re finished, I can call the utility bureau tomorrow to lodge a query. How does that sound?” he offered with absolute sincerity. “It’s likely related to the heavy road repairs they’re executing down the street.”

“Is it really going to stop in eight minutes?”

Duan Xiaolin had already shed his shirt, unmasking his broad, muscular chest. “Yes.”

Pei Xiqing quickly abandoned her protests, stepping into the deep bathtub to submerge herself. “Fine. Just hurry up and wash.”

Duan Xiaolin stepped in calmly. “Alright.”

She immediately turned around, presenting her smooth, porcelain-white back to the man to avoid looking at him.

Duan Xiaolin stole a single glance before lowering his eyes. For a long moment, a heavy silence settled over the room, broken only by the steady, rhythmic dripping of the faucet.

Pei Xiqing didn’t dare make a sudden move. The environment was entirely too quiet, making her feel self-conscious and restless. Clearing her throat to break the tension, she murmured, “Um… Brother Duan? I spent the whole day looking through the historical medical logs, and I want to test a theory. Will you cooperate with me?”

“Say it.”

She hesitated for a beat, her voice dropping into a nervous whisper. “I want to bite you.”

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