Chapter 57: Which Part Tastes the Best

Qiu Yiyao didn't dare to argue, and awkwardly inched toward the edge of the bed.

That bed was only four feet wide, and she used to find it quite spacious when sleeping alone.

Now that two people had to lie on it, she didn't dare to imagine how cramped it would be.

She had no choice but to obediently move toward the side against the wall, lying with her back pressed right against it.

Bai Peiyu seemed extremely busy, and only after a long while did he suddenly say, "I still have some things to attend to, you go to sleep first."

Hearing this, Qiu Yiyao let out a slight sigh of relief.

Who would have thought that this wait would drag on until the middle of the night? When Qiu Yiyao half-asleep turned over and felt something close beside her, warm and soft, she habitually reached out to touch it.

The next second, she opened her eyes in fright.

That was Bai Peiyu's chest. He was lying on the outer edge of the bed, facing her sideways, with his chest pressed tightly against her arm.

Qiu Yiyao instinctively reached out to check her clothes. Fortunately, the buttons were all neatly fastened, and her body felt no unusual sensations.

Bai Peiyu seemed to be fast asleep, showing no reaction at all to Qiu Yiyao touching him.

Qiu Yiyao turned her head. The desk lamp was still on, and there was a thick stack of papers on the desk.

Could it be records regarding their kind? Or perhaps it was related to that important matter Lin Xiaoning had mentioned earlier?

Thinking of this, Qiu Yiyao made up her mind to go and take a look.

She tentatively gave Bai Peiyu a gentle push. He didn't move, his breathing steady—he was truly fast asleep.

Walking on tiptoe, Qiu Yiyao stepped right over him and quietly made her way to the desk.

When she saw the topmost paper in that stack of documents, Qiu Yiyao felt her scalp tingle.

"Which part of the human body tastes best"

Could this guy... could he be researching how to eat people?

Qiu Yiyao looked at those words in disbelief.

Bai Peiyu was the only person she felt she could rely on; how could this be?

She looked back at the sleeping Bai Peiyu. That handsome face didn't look like a demon who would eagerly gnaw on human legs at all.

Hesitatingly, Qiu Yiyao reached out to turn the page, wanting to see if Bai Peiyu had deliberately tried to scare her.

Just as her fingertips touched the paper, the desk lamp suddenly went dark.

Completely bewildered, Qiu Yiyao instinctively reached out to feel for the desk lamp, only to grab empty air. Even the stack of papers on the desk had vanished.

Wanting to feel her way downstairs in the dark, she relied on her sense of direction to reach the wall, but before she had taken two steps, she kicked something, vaguely perceiving a dark shadow right in front of her.

Before she could react, she felt her feet leave the ground as she was scooped up into an embrace, and immediately her back collided with a soft object.

A heavy weight pressed down on her, and warm breath brushed against her earlobe.

Qiu Yiyao screamed out in shock, "You surnamed Bai! Are you messing with me?"

Her hands were gripped in a tight lock, leaving her completely unable to move.

"Isn't it you who is messing with me? Sneaking out of bed while I was asleep to rummage through my things—is this what you call having good upbringing?"

Bai Peiyu's tone carried overflowing sarcasm, making Qiu Yiyao feel as though they had returned to the days when they couldn't stand the sight of each other.

She felt angry and annoyed that she had actually fallen for his trap. "Surnamed Bai, I was a fool to trust you, thinking you were the only one who could take me home. I never expected you to be just like those people.

I know all about the filthy thoughts you harbor inside. Since I've fallen into your hands now, do whatever you want with me—kill me or carve me up, I don't care. If I utter a single word of begging for mercy, let me be reborn as a pig in my next life."

"A pig?" Bai Peiyu laughed, pinning her chin in the darkness. "With a build like yours, if you turned into a pig, the slaughterhouses would probably go bankrupt."

"Bastard, I'm going to beat you to death."

Taking advantage of the moment one of her hands was released, Qiu Yiyao raised it, ready to strike him across the face.

Who would have thought Bai Peiyu had sharp eyes and quick reflexes; he swiftly stood up and dodged out of the way.

"Aren't you very capable? Why are you running?"

Fuming with anger, Qiu Yiyao got up to turn on the light. Even though she knew she couldn't beat him, she had to vent the frustration in her heart.

Unexpectedly, Bai Peiyu was already waiting by the light switch a step ahead. Seeing her approach, he pulled her straight into his arms in one swift motion.

"Surnamed Bai, you..."

Before she could finish her sentence, her mouth was covered.

"Shh, don't speak."

A bizarre, bone-chilling coldness was drawing near.

Qiu Yiyao felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and her body's instinctive reaction told her there was something right outside the door.

She didn't dare to breathe heavily, yet inhaling the pleasant scent emanating from Bai Peiyu inexplicably made her heart feel secure.

Baili Xuan had unintentionally mentioned earlier that her scent was identical to Bai Peiyu's, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't smell it herself. Just what was going on?

That eerie chill seemed to be right outside the door, or perhaps just beyond the window.

Qiu Yiyao knew that it must be Xiao Yi and his people sending someone to keep tabs on her.

She had no idea how much time passed until the chill quietly dissipated.

In the darkness, Bai Peiyu's voice suddenly sounded: "Remember what I told you during the day—do not doubt me under any circumstances, or none of you will make it out alive."

Qiu Yiyao froze, looking up into his face.

His expression was invisible in the dark.

Only then did she finally realize that Bai Peiyu had merely been testing her earlier.

A pang of sorrow pierced Qiu Yiyao's heart. Overwhelmed by grievances, she raised a hand to wipe away the tears pooling at the corners of her eyes, and choked out, "Can't you act normally when you do things? I don't want to actually go crazy and get sent to a psychiatric hospital before we even get out of here."

Early in the morning, when Qiu Shengming saw Qiu Yiyao emerging from Bai Peiyu's room with hair as messy as a bird's nest, he was so startled he froze in place.

"Yaoyao, you... you and Xiao Bai last night..."

Bai Peiyu appeared from behind Qiu Yiyao: "Uncle Qiu is a man of experience, can't you tell just by looking?"

"Xiao Bai, how could you... Yaoyao is still so young, couldn't you have waited a bit longer?"

Yet Bai Peiyu wore a look of utter disdain: "Uncle Qiu, you're a man too, you should understand that some things can't be resolved simply by waiting."

"Even so, you shouldn't have..."

Qiu Shengming was so angry his hands were trembling.

Seeing the two of them at loggerheads, Qiu Yiyao wore a puzzled expression.

Their original relationship was as close as father and son, so why were they acting like sworn enemies now?

Could it really be just because of the misunderstanding that Bai Peiyu had bullied Qiu Yiyao?

Qiu Yiyao couldn't understand it. Qiu Shengming wasn't even her biological father; surely he wouldn't get this deeply emotionally invested?

Or could it be that regarding the issue of her staying or leaving, the two of them had failed to reach a consensus?

Seeing that they were on the verge of a shouting match, Qiu Yiyao hurriedly explained, "Dad, you've misunderstood. Actually..."

"What misunderstanding?" Bai Peiyu interrupted, pulling Qiu Yiyao toward him: "You're my person; sleeping together sooner or later makes no difference. Don't worry, I'll take responsibility for you."

Hearing this, Qiu Yiyao abruptly recalled Bai Peiyu's warning not to doubt him and to cooperate with whatever he said.

"Yes, yes... That's good then."

She secretly glanced at Qiu Shengming, and seeing his tightly furrowed brows and helpless expression, her confusion deepened.

After a brief wash-up, the two of them left the house without eating, grabbing some casual street food before heading straight to Baili Xuan's residence.

Little Hei's condition was slightly better than before; he managed to prop himself up and lie on the ground to listen to them talk.

Baili Xuan was holding green bean cakes in his arms, eating with crumbs scattered all around his mouth.

"Sister-in-law, you're so good."

That title of "Sister-in-law" still made Qiu Yiyao feel profoundly awkward, but she knew it was nearly impossible to reason with someone who had the mental capacity of a child.

Turning her head, she saw Bai Peiyu standing alone by the window, so she stepped forward and asked, "Where are we going next?"

"We're not going anywhere today. We're staying right here."

"What?"

Qiu Yiyao was burning with anxiety, waiting to rescue Lin Xiaoning and the others. Delaying even a single day spelled danger.

Knowing what she was thinking, Bai Peiyu slowly said, "I can help you get the others out, but there is one condition..."