“How did you know I was at the door?”
“After what happened with Ping Ting, I’ve been extra cautious. Sometimes I stay up the whole night. But…”
His brow furrowed. “So far, I haven’t seen anything.”
His eyes drifted toward the wall again.
If this was some kind of “virus,” was Ping Ting another carrier? Were her symptoms just the early stage? How did this thing spread between people?
He looked back and saw Mu Dai licking her lips uneasily.
He snapped his fingers in front of her. “Stop licking. It only makes it worse.”
The water finished boiling. Steam rose in clouds. Mu Dai wanted to drink but didn’t dare—she’d burn herself. So she leaned her face over the cup instead, letting the steam soothe her lips.
Luo Ren couldn’t help but laugh. “You didn’t bring lip balm?”
She usually did, but hadn’t thought it necessary this time.
Luo Ren rummaged through his bag and handed her his. “Back in the south, everything’s soft and humid. But here? Everyone carries one. Doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman.”
Mu Dai reached for it, but just as she touched it, Luo Ren pulled it back.
He twisted the balm up, then took a straight-edged knife from the table and sliced off the used tip before handing it back.
That was surprisingly considerate. Mu Dai was stunned. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
“You sure?” he asked.
Her ears turned red. Was she really okay with it? Well, not exactly…
She ducked her head and applied the balm. But halfway through, she suddenly froze, looking up at Luo Ren.
His expression had gone serious. He put a finger to his lips in a “shh” gesture.
He heard it too.
Not just him—Uncle Zheng, Yi Wansan, and Li Tan all came out of their rooms.
This wasn’t the faint, threadlike singing Uncle Zheng had once described.
This was actual singing. Clear, bright, echoing through the night.
They met in the hallway. Luo Ren gave Uncle Zheng a look. He understood immediately: outsiders shouldn’t be involved.
He turned to Li Tan and Yi Wansan. “Ping Ting… isn’t quite right. Sorry for waking you. Please forgive us.”
There was firmness beneath the politeness. Any sensible person would understand: no family wants others witnessing their loved one in that state.
Li Tan wasn’t interested anyway. He nodded and went back to bed. Yi Wansan reluctantly followed, full of regret: That beauty… she’s nuts?! How is that fair?
Luo Ren led Mu Dai forward.
Ping Ting was dancing—singing as she moved. Her motions were wild and exaggerated—no graceful lady would dance like this.
But with “The Ballad of the Bow” as a clue, Mu Dai suddenly understood: this was how they danced in ancient times—spontaneously, with no care for elegance or form.
The song and dance lasted two or three minutes, then abruptly stopped. Ping Ting quietly climbed into bed, pulled up her blanket, and turned off the bedside lamp.
Silence fell. Her quilt rose in a gentle mound and didn’t move again.
Mu Dai hadn’t thought much of it while watching, but now… now she felt something terrifying lingering in the air. As if the fear were slowly seeping outward from that room. She shivered. Goosebumps rose on her arms.
Uncle Zheng looked at her and sighed, shaking his head as if to say: You see now? This is what it’s like.
He trudged back to his room.
Luo Ren stood motionless at the barred door, eyes fixed on Ping Ting. His hand slowly clenched at his side.
If this were a “virus,” were her symptoms getting worse? His uncle Luo Wenmiao hadn’t shown signs like this… Could it affect people differently?
Mu Dai didn’t know what to say to comfort him. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
That touched something in Luo Ren.
He’d called her here more than once. Was it truly selfless? No. She practiced martial arts, knew the situation, and was the best person to help. If Ping Ting lost control, Mu Dai was worth five Uncle Zhengs.
But… what if this turned out to be more dangerous than he’d imagined? Would Mu Dai be safe?
“My master said, people who train in martial arts are half-heroes. We’re supposed to stand against evil, help those in danger. I… I’ll do my best. And besides, Aunt Hong is involved too, so I have to help.”
Luo Ren almost laughed. Mu Dai was more naive than he’d thought. He’d seen it the night she got scared and cried. She was the kind who, if treated kindly, would return the favor tenfold. Had he knowingly used that trait to earn her sympathy?
Probably. And that made him feel a little ashamed.
He looked at her. “Mu Dai.”
“Yeah?”
“You need to move out tomorrow. Take your friend with you.”
“…What?”
Mu Dai felt wronged. What did she say wrong? She was being helpful!
She was smart, most of the time. But now she just looked clueless. Luo Ren reminded her gently, “If Ping Ting is infected… I don’t know if it’s contagious. If you stay here, it’s… hard to say. Hard to say.”
Mu Dai’s heart nearly skipped a beat.
She hadn’t thought of that. Her master used to say there was a phrase: “Martial artists are often reckless,” as if physical strength came at the cost of intelligence. She always bragged, “Master, I’m smart!”
Yeah, right. She could handle small fries like Yi Wansan and Cao Yanhua just fine, but in real situations, she was sloppy and unprepared, still lacking experience.
She quickly nodded. “Oh, right. Okay.”
She looked tense, like staying even one more second would get her infected. She seemed ready to sprint back and pack her bags.
“I’ll go now, then,” she said.
She turned to leave, only for Luo Ren to grab her arm. “I was just testing you. What happened to fighting evil and helping those in danger? What happened to ‘I’ll help no matter what’?”
Talk about a slap in the face.
Loveguy On CFRFGC Chapter 12