Jiang Xian woke up at eleven.
He was drenched in sweat, gasping for air the moment his eyes opened, desperately trying to take in fresh air. Once he caught his breath, he immediately looked at his hands.
To his surprise, his hands were clean and unharmed, every fingernail neatly embedded in its place.
Jiang Xian let out a sigh of relief, but he didn't think it was just a nightmare. In a place like this, any dream was highly likely to be an omen of something to come—he should take it seriously.
Besides, wasn't the fact that Yu Ning hadn't delivered his meal on time this morning already an ill omen?
He had done her a kindness, so much so that when he dragged his crippled leg out of bed, his first instinct was to check on her in the neighboring building.
Holding onto the wall, he made his way to the door. When he opened it and saw Yu Ning, he couldn't help but freeze for a moment, the suspended worry in his heart finally settling.
She was still alive, and she had even brought him dumplings.
His leg injury hadn't healed, and almost his entire body weight was pressed onto his other, slightly better leg—he couldn't possibly stand on his own. Yu Ning saw him stagger, understood the situation, and without asking any questions, took the initiative to support him.
Leaning against Yu Ning, Jiang Xian could smell her scent. Usually she smelled pleasant, but today, for some reason, there was a faint, fishy stench about her.
Once he caught that barely perceptible odor, it became increasingly clear and strong. Jiang Xian furrowed his brows, feeling that it bore some resemblance to the smell of the unknown thing that had invaded him last night.
Acid churned in Jiang Xian's stomach, and before he could stop himself, he vomited.
He threw up on the floor and all over Yu Ning. Since he hadn't eaten anything this morning, his stomach was empty, and only some clear saliva came out.
"Jiang Xian, what's wrong?" Yu Ning was alarmed, and seeing how pale he was, she didn't even bother with her own clothes.
Jiang Xian sat on the bed, coughing a few times. Yu Ning patted his back, grabbed tissues to wipe him down, and poured water from the kettle. Just as she was about to hand him the cup, he covered his mouth and nose, rejecting her from a mile away.
Yu Ning didn't think much of it, assuming he was about to vomit again, and obediently stood still in place.
"Sorry." Jiang Xian recovered his composure, his voice bitter. "Stay away from me for now."
Yu Ning nodded, asking with concern, "Are you starving?"
Jiang Xian didn't know how to explain it—should he say she smelled unbearable, similar to the unknown thing from last night? Judging by normal logic, he should suspect she was that thing, but… she seemed perfectly normal right now, and he couldn't tell for sure whether that had been a dream or something real.
That smell seemed to have spread out when he came into contact with Yu Ning, not something she inherently carried.
"I had a nightmare," he said, his face gradually turning pale. "But I don't know if it was a dream."
"I…"
He was about to pour out everything that had happened last night, but as the words reached his lips, he paused, suddenly forgetting what he was going to say.
Jiang Xian was in a bad state. Yu Ning had wanted to keep him company and talk to him to ease his emotions, but somehow, he had forgotten the dream he had, and even refused her company.
Yu Ning didn't understand what was wrong with him. And if he didn't even remember the dream, how could he have been scared like that?
She wasn't interested in his nightmare—hearing too much about it would only give her the creeps, especially in a place like this. So she didn't ask, told him to rest well and eat the dumplings, and said they'd have hotpot together around seven or eight in the evening.
Pei Chongqing had brought back a lot of ingredients this time—just enough to splurge a little. Besides, it had been a long time since she'd had hotpot, and she couldn't be bothered to cook anyway.
After leaving Jiang Xian's house, Yu Ning walked home. The moment she opened the door, Pei Chongqing appeared right behind it.
Yu Ning froze for a second, and before she could react, the man bent down and pulled her into his arms.
Her heart skipped a beat, especially when his hand reached for the hem of her sweater and started tugging it upward.
Yu Ning raised a hand to stop him, her scalp tingling and her tongue tying itself in knots. "What are you doing?"
In broad daylight, no less—shameless.
Pei Chongqing didn't answer. He grabbed the fabric and tore it apart without hesitation.
Yu Ning suddenly felt a chill across her chest. She stared at the rip in her clothes, her cheeks flushing deeper and deeper, a flicker of irritation rising in her.
She'd only worn this outfit for a day, and it was an expensive brand, too.
She tried to push him away and gather the torn fabric together, but the next second Pei Chongqing hugged her again, lifting her clean off the ground so her feet couldn't even touch the floor.
Yu Ning let out a startled yelp, clinging to his neck with both arms for dear life, terrified of falling.
She had no idea what Pei Chongqing was trying to do—until he carried her to the bathroom upstairs, grabbed the showerhead, turned on the water, and doused her with it. Only then did she realize: he thought her clothes were dirty and wanted to give her a bath.
Yu Ning's mind buzzed. She didn't even know how to react.
Tearing her clothes apart was way too much, and forcing a bath on her was hardly considerate either, but he… well, he was a man who didn't understand anything after all.
Steam swirled around his deep-set eyes, which remained clear and indifferent, edged with a sharpness like a blade of ice. Yu Ning swallowed her complaints and cooperated, letting him wash her clean.
Pei Chongqing held the showerhead the entire time, playing the part of a mere bystander, and Yu Ning felt a pang of disappointment.
Annoying. He couldn't even lend a hand. Back when she'd bathed him, she'd scrubbed his back too. He'd been so filthy then—covered in mud and bloodstains, leaving dirty water all over the floor, reeking to high heaven.
It was only because his face was handsome and his build was good that Yu Ning had endured the discomfort, clinging to the belief of finding gold in the muck, and scrubbed him clean.
After the bath, dressed again, Yu Ning tidied her hair in front of the mirror and said to the person behind her, "You can't tear my clothes apart anymore from now on."
Pei Chongqing didn't respond. Even with the Translation Device around his neck, he was stingy with any sound that could be picked up. His gaze was fixed straight on her, a faint hint of red tinging his eyes.
Yu Ning felt inexplicably guilty and explained, "I just went to see a friend—the one I brought back earlier. He's recuperating in the house next door."
"He's like us—someone who got dragged into all this. He barely made it out with his life. I'll introduce you two in a bit."
When she finished, she secretly studied Pei Chongqing's face, trying to gauge his reaction.
He usually wore a blank expression, which made him hard to read sometimes, and only occasionally cracked a smile to show he was pleased.
He wasn't smiling now, which meant he probably wasn't too happy.
Yu Ning refused to give up and asked him to respond using the Translation Device.
Pei Chongqing answered bluntly, "Hate it." And he said it several times: "Hate it. Hate it. Hate it."
Yu Ning panicked, quickly grabbing his hand to stop him, a bewildered look crossing her face. "…Is it really that hateful?"
The AI's voice repeated mercilessly: "Hate it."
Yu Ning: "…"
"Those are our people, just like you and me." Yu Ning patiently emphasized once more. Seeing that he remained unmoved, she pursed her lips. "Forget it, you haven't met many people anyway. Just behave yourself at dinner and don't offend anyone."
Explaining would be too troublesome, and saying more would waste time, so Yu Ning simply issued her orders without discussion. She was hungry, and while heading downstairs to prepare ingredients in the kitchen, she also cooked something to tide herself over.
Pei Chongqing was clearly angry. While helping out in the kitchen, he not only remained silent but moved with a crisp efficiency that carried a hint of cold detachment.
Yu Ning told him to go rest and sit on the sofa to watch TV, but he didn't budge an inch—he wouldn't even take a seat, just stood nearby, staring at her without blinking.
If his gaze were a laser gun, Yu Ning would probably have been blasted into nothing but ash.
Pei Chongqing didn't throw tantrums often, but every time he did, the cause left Yu Ning completely baffled. She wasn't the type of woman who liked to guess at others' thoughts—that was too exhausting—so she gave up on analyzing it and always chose to give each other space to cool down before dealing with it later.
At seven in the evening, Yu Ning brought Pei Chongqing to the neighbor's place with the prepared dishes and utensils.
This was Jiang Xian's first time seeing the husband Yu Ning had mentioned. The man stood two meters tall, his skin so pale it rivaled the wall behind him, with hair, lashes, and pupils all in the same silver-white. Dressed in a shirt and dress pants, his ponytail hung over his shoulder, revealing two-thirds of his face—his appearance was so strikingly handsome it was almost breathtaking, like he'd stepped straight out of a comic rather than being a real person.
Jiang Xian couldn't detect a trace of anger on his face, nor did he think this was what an albino should look like—first of all, his build was far too imposing to be so frail.
The jarring incongruity of his appearance stirred a subtle sense of unease in Jiang Xian, but when he tried to dissect the discomfort this aversion brought, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
By the time he snapped back to reality, they were already seated at the dining table, sharing a meal together.
Yu Ning ladled him a bowl of bone soup and said considerately, "Drink more, it'll help build your strength."
Looking at her angelic face, Jiang Xian felt some comfort in his heart. He had just taken the bone soup she offered when he received a scorching, unfriendly gaze from the side.
He knew without a doubt who that gaze belonged to. Unfazed, he took a sip of the bone soup and laughed, praising Yu Ning's cooking.
The atmosphere at the table was fairly lively, but only Yu Ning could converse with him freely.
Her husband was mute and needed a Translation Collar to manage a few words. Jiang Xian had known this beforehand, but he hadn't expected the mute's vocabulary to be so impoverished that he couldn't even string together a proper sentence.
Hearing the AI voice that occasionally popped out of him, Jiang Xian wanted to advise him: buddy, shut up—your wife probably can't even understand what you need, so you'd be better off just eating more food.
But when he watched the man devour the meat clean down to the bone scraps, Jiang Xian suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
This person's behavior and mannerisms were simply not like those of a normal human being.
After the meal, the mute gentleman washed the dishes, and Yu Ning routinely took him back to the room to check his wounds.
The injury on his left waist had mostly healed, but his leg still ached with swelling when pressed, unable to bear much force—she estimated he'd be limping when walking from now on.
Yu Ning wasn't a professional medical worker; at most, she could clean his wounds and give him some massage and physiotherapy. But even so, Jiang Xian felt thoroughly well taken care of by her.
The bedroom held only the two of them. Watching her carefully tend to his wound, Jiang Xian's mind churned with countless thoughts.
Unable to restrain himself, he asked, "Has your husband always been like this?"
Yu Ning paused mid-motion and met his gaze. "Why do you ask?"
"Nothing, just… he seems rather unusual." Jiang Xian shook his head with a smile, probing subtly. "When you're alone with him, don't you find it exhausting?"
In this world, that mute man was admittedly more capable than him, better built and more imposing in stature. Still, Jiang Xian felt sorry for Yu Ning—married to such a flawed, strange man.
If his leg injury could fully heal, he thought, he would surely outshine the mute.
Yu Ning vaguely sensed the aggression in his words and felt a slight pang of offense. She brushed it off, shaking her head and answering honestly, "Sometimes, yes."
"But after spending so much time together, I've gotten used to it. I can understand him." She wrapped a fresh bandage around his wound and smiled apologetically, dimples gracing her plain, clean face. "I'm sorry you had to see that during dinner. He's never met outsiders before and rarely talks to anyone, so some of his mannerisms are a bit odd."
Able to swallow bones and flesh whole—that was merely "a bit odd"? Jiang Xian wanted to say more, but seeing that Yu Ning had no intention of continuing the topic, he dropped it.
After dressing the wound, Yu Ning massaged his legs. She was petite with slender hands, but her technique was impeccable—each stroke precise and firm.
Jiang Xian watched her without blinking, taking in her lovely face, her pale arms, her slender waist. When she worked her way up to his inner thigh, his scalp tightened and his breathing grew shallow.
Yu Ning glanced at him, completely unaware of what he was thinking, and asked nervously if she was pressing too hard.
Jiang Xian shook his head with a smile and said it was fine, quietly pulling the blanket over himself.
"Let me check your blood pressure again." Yu Ning picked up the equipment.
"Alright."
He nodded and extended an arm for her to wrap the cuff around.
Yu Ning leaned in close, a faint scent of soap wafting from her—something like the smell of a peach.
Jiang Xian couldn't forget the stench from before, but he figured it must have been his imagination. After all, didn't she still smell wonderful?
He couldn't help but lift his head and inhale deeply.
A loose strand of hair brushed across his face. Jiang Xian's Adam's apple bobbed as he caught it between his lips.
Yu Ning noticed and froze for a moment, then quickly straightened up and tucked her hair back.
What was he doing? That was disgusting.
Yu Ning had a bit of a cleanliness obsession and couldn't stand it. She turned away and wiped her face with a tissue. Glancing at the blood pressure reading, she composed her expression and said in a gentle, unhurried tone, "It's fine—pretty normal."
She was about to pack up and leave when Jiang Xian suddenly caught her hand, holding it in his palm. "Thank you for your hard work."
His hand was very hot, with a thin layer of sweat. A small ripple of discomfort stirred in Yu Ning's heart, but she didn't pull away. She forced a smile and said, "It's nothing. It's my duty."
Jiang Xian glanced at the door he had locked—still firmly shut—and lowered his voice. "Can you stay with me a little longer?"
Yu Ning was a good-natured person. Before, whenever he asked, she would stay.
Seeing her hesitate, his eyes carried a hint of apology. "Did I scare you yesterday?"
"Not at all…" Yu Ning gently withdrew her hand, empathizing with him. "It's my fault for not coming to see you sooner."
She smoothed her skirt and sat down on the chair, apparently willing to stay.
Jiang Xian felt relieved inwardly, clenching his now-empty hand, regretting that he couldn't hold hers. He had never touched a woman before; Yu Ning was the first he'd ever wanted to be close to—unfortunately, she was already married, and to a mute, no less.
He was just about to continue the conversation where they'd left off when, suddenly, wind battered against the window, rattling it with unusual force.
He looked toward the sound, and Yu Ning also rose to close the window, sighing inwardly at the sudden gust.
Though the window was already shut tight, the curtain billowed out into a hazy veil, obscuring the woman's figure.
The curtain slowly settled back into place, as if no one stood there anymore.
A flicker of unease rose in Jiang Xian's heart. He was about to get out of bed when the curtain was slowly drawn aside by a hand.
Jiang Xian clutched the bedding and stared at that hand, feeling, for some reason, that it was unnaturally pale and large. He froze in place. Then the woman emerged from behind the curtain—and behind her clung an Aberration standing a full three meters tall.
Its black hair fell like trailing vines, and its massive form writhed with centipede-like undulations across every surface. It clung to Yu Ning's back, one hand resting on her shoulder, following her step by step, step by step, drawing closer.
A thick, foul stench assailed his nostrils. Jiang Xian's eyes bulged, his senses overwhelmed beyond what he could bear to witness. Trembling, he scrambled backward across the bed.
He should have tumbled to the floor, since the bed was flush against only one wall. But instead, his back met something unnaturally cold and soft… a wall of flesh.
"AHHH!!"
The piercing screams continued without end. Even after leaving Jiang Xian's room, Yu Ning remained shaken.
She had no idea what had happened to him. In the mere moment she'd turned to close the window, he'd rolled under the bed, screaming like that.
Yu Ning felt a chill creep up her spine. On the way back, she clung to Pei Chongqing's arm, not daring to leave his side for even a step.
She swallowed hard and asked him timidly, "It's… still safe here, right?"
A few seconds after her voice faded, Pei Chongqing lowered his gaze to look at her, reached out to gently stroke her head, and said in his emotionless AI voice: "Safe."