Lin Qingtang looked at him and spoke softly, her voice still hoarse from just waking.
“Rong Yuxuan?”
That single word was like a key, unlocking the emotions he had held back all night.
He shot to his feet and stumbled toward the bed. His hand reached out to touch her, only to stop halfway, his fingers trembling violently. He was terrified that if he touched her, she would disappear again.
“Qingtang… you’re back… you’re really back…”
His voice quivered uncontrollably.
Tears streamed down his face.
His bloodshot eyes were filled with exhaustion after an entire sleepless night. His snow-white hair hung in disarray around his face, making him look utterly haggard.
Yet in those eyes, there was nothing left but overwhelming joy at having found her again.
“Woof! Woof!”
“Abai, don’t.”
Lin Qingtang reached over and gently rubbed the wolfdog’s head, calming its raised hackles.
“He won’t hurt me.”
Abai let out a pitiful whine before reluctantly retreating to the side of the bed.
At that moment, the bedroom door burst open.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Shaoan rushed inside.
The instant he saw his daughter sitting awake on the bed, the cup in his hand slipped from his grasp and shattered on the floor.
His eyes immediately turned red.
“Qingtang! You’re awake! You’re finally awake!”
He hurried to her bedside, placing a hand against her forehead before checking her pulse.
Feeling her steady heartbeat and normal body temperature, the burden that had weighed on him all night finally lifted.
“Thank goodness… your fever’s gone… your pulse is stable…”
His voice choked with emotion as he patted her hand.
“You scared your father to death.”
“I’m fine now, Dad.”
Lin Qingtang smiled reassuringly before raising her injured arm.
“Look. My wound’s already healed.”
Only then did Lin Shaoan look carefully at her forearm.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
The wound that had once been so deep that bone was exposed, blackened by spreading zombie poison, had almost completely healed overnight.
Only three faint pink scars remained.
The skin was smooth and healthy, without even the slightest trace of infection.
“H-How is this possible?”
He stared at her in shock.
“The poison had already spread all the way to your elbow before you lost consciousness. How did everything heal in a single night?”
“I don’t really know either.”
Lin Qingtang shook her head, remembering the cup of spiritual spring water inside her mother’s space, along with the strange white light that had flowed from her fingertips.
“When I woke up, I was already inside my mother’s space. After I drank the spring water there, my wounds started healing. And…”
She paused.
Raising her hand, she silently summoned that gentle stream of energy.
A soft white glow immediately bloomed from her fingertips.
The light drifted onto a section of the wooden bedframe that had been eaten away by insects.
Within seconds, the decayed wood slowly repaired itself.
Even the peeling paint nearby restored itself as though time had reversed.
Everyone in the room stood frozen.
Rong Yuxuan stared at the white light.
His eyes lit up instantly.
Ecstasy swept through him.
“Qingtang! You’ve awakened an ability!”
His voice was filled with excitement.
“It’s a healing ability! The rarest ability in the apocalypse!”
“A healing ability?”
She looked at the glowing light around her fingers with confusion.
“So… I can heal injuries?”
“It’s much more than that.”
Rong Yuxuan nodded immediately, certainty filling his voice.
“It heals physical wounds, purifies viruses, and can even ease the backlash from overusing abilities. You purified zombie poison after being scratched.”
He couldn’t contain his excitement.
“This is definitely the highest level of healing ability.”
Across two lifetimes, he had encountered countless ability users.
But someone like Lin Qingtang, who had awakened with the power to purify zombie infection itself…
He had never seen anything like it.
His girl had returned safely.
She had awakened the rarest and most precious ability imaginable.
She would never again have to fear zombie bites.
She would never again have to fear injuries in this cruel apocalypse.
Lin Shaoan finally processed what had happened, his face breaking into a joyful smile.
“Wonderful! Qingtang, this is wonderful!”
“With this ability, we won’t have to fear zombie infections anymore!”
Outside, Li An had been standing guard at the gate all night.
Hearing the voices inside, he hurried into the bedroom.
The moment he saw the awakened Lin Qingtang, along with the glowing white light at her fingertips, his jaw nearly hit the floor.
“Holy crap!”
“Miss Lin’s awake!”
“And she awakened an ability!”
“This is amazing!”
“Brother Xuan! Look! Miss Lin’s okay!”
When his gaze landed on Rong Yuxuan’s snow-white hair and exhausted appearance, he finally released the breath he had been holding.
Lin Qingtang withdrew the white light and looked toward Rong Yuxuan.
Her eyes settled on his white hair.
Her brows slowly knitted together.
Only one night had passed.
Yet every strand of his once-black hair had turned completely white.
“Rong Yuxuan.”
Her voice carried an emotion she couldn’t quite explain.
“What happened to your hair?”
The smile on Rong Yuxuan’s face froze.
Instinctively, he raised a hand and touched the snow-white strands.
Truthfully…
He no longer cared whether his hair was black or white.
In his previous life, it had turned white too.
As long as she was alive, nothing else mattered.
But he couldn’t tell her why.
He couldn’t let her know that it had happened because he thought he was about to lose her forever.
He was afraid she would blame herself.
Afraid she would feel guilty.
Afraid she would push him away again.
Quickly, he lowered his hand and forced a relaxed smile.
“Oh, this?”
He spoke as casually as he could.
“While you were asleep last night, I got bored and found some hair dye.”
“I thought white looked pretty nice, so I dyed it.”
The room instantly fell silent.
Li An’s eyes bulged so wide they almost popped out.
Dyed it?
Brother Xuan, if you’re going to lie, at least make it believable!
Who in the apocalypse could find hair dye overnight when even bottled water was hard to come by?
And somehow dye every single strand that perfectly?
Even Lin Shaoan paused for a moment.
Then he quietly looked away.
He understood the lie but chose not to expose it.
Lin Qingtang studied him for a long moment.
She hadn’t smelled even the faintest trace of hair dye.
More importantly…
Even the roots of his hair were completely white.
There was no way it had been dyed.
Still…
Since he didn’t want to tell her the truth, she didn’t press him.
After another long look, she smiled softly.
“It looks good.”
“White hair suits you.”
“You’re handsome like this too.”
Those few simple words instantly melted Rong Yuxuan’s heart.
It felt as though it had been soaked in warm water.
He stood there in a daze.
The tips of his ears turned bright red.
Looking at her, he couldn’t say a single word.
He could only grin foolishly, the tenderness in his eyes nearly overflowing.
The exhaustion…
The despair…
The terror of the previous night…
All of it vanished with that single compliment.
As long as she liked it…
Everything had been worth it.
Standing nearby, Li An clicked his tongue inwardly.
He’s finished.
Brother Xuan’s beyond saving.
One compliment from her, and his soul’s practically floated away.
“You haven’t slept all night.”
Lin Qingtang looked at the heavy dark circles beneath his eyes and the stubble covering his chin.
A trace of concern slipped into her voice.
“You haven’t eaten anything either. Go get some rest.”
“I’m fine.”
Rong Yuxuan immediately shook his head.
He was terrified that the moment he walked away, she would disappear again.
“I’ll make you some porridge.”
“You just woke up. You should have something warm.”
As he spoke, he turned toward the kitchen.
“Wait.”
Lin Qingtang suddenly stopped him.
He immediately halted and turned back, his expression serious.
“What is it, Qingtang?”
“What do you want to eat? I’ll make anything.”
She looked at him quietly for several seconds before speaking.
“I want roasted sweet potatoes.”
The moment those words left her lips, his eyes lit up.
Roasted sweet potatoes.
“Okay!”
He answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“I’ll go find some right now!”
“I’ll bring you the sweetest roasted sweet potatoes I can find.”
“I’ll be back soon!”
He turned and hurried toward the door.
“Hold on!”
Lin Shaoan immediately stopped him.
“There are zombies everywhere outside. You haven’t slept all night, and you’ve overused your ability. It’s too dangerous to go out now.”
“Exactly, Brother Xuan!”
Li An quickly stepped forward to stop him.
“If anyone’s going, it’ll be me.”
“You stay here with Miss Lin.”
“I’ll find the sweet potatoes.”
“No.”
Rong Yuxuan shook his head firmly.
“If Qingtang wants them, then I have to be the one who brings them back.”
“But…”
Li An tried to argue.
“It’s fine.”
Rong Yuxuan patted him on the shoulder.
His psychic ability silently spread outward.
The warmth in his eyes disappeared, replaced once more by his usual calm vigilance.
“My abilities have mostly recovered.”
“A few zombies aren’t enough to stop me.”
“You two stay here.”
“Protect Qingtang.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
Seeing how determined he was, Lin Qingtang hurriedly spoke.
“I have raw sweet potatoes inside my space. You don’t have to go…”
Before she could finish, Rong Yuxuan had already picked up the short blade and crossbow beside the door.
He turned back and smiled gently at her.
“It’s okay.”
“I’m going to find you roasted ones.”
“Fresh.”
“Hot.”
“Just wait for me.”
“I’ll be back very soon.”
With that, he strode out of the bedroom, pushed open the courtyard gate, and quickly disappeared into the pale morning mist.
Li An watched him leave and let out a helpless sigh.
Gripping his steel pipe tightly, he returned to his post at the entrance, remaining on full alert.
Inside the bedroom, Lin Qingtang gazed at the now-empty doorway.
Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the jasmine pendant resting at her throat.
A warmth she couldn’t quite put into words quietly spread through her heart.
Lin Shaoan looked at his daughter, sighed softly, and said nothing.
Outside the courtyard, Rong Yuxuan moved swiftly along the country road.
His psychic senses spread to their limit, scanning every corner for danger.
He had only one thought in his mind.
Find the roasted sweet potatoes.
Then return to her as quickly as possible.