Ye Qingqing's heart was pounding.
The rain was loud, but she could still hear each successive thud inside her chest.
Her teacher stood before her, water dripping from the purple-and-gold tips of her hair, and said she wanted to wander the streets for the night.
Wander.
Coming from Ziwei, the word carried something Ye Qingqing couldn't understand. She didn't dare dwell on it or ask, but a thought surfaced that she couldn't suppress.
"Teacher..."
She hugged the Exercise Book tighter against her chest. "If you don't mind... you could come to my place and get out of the rain. It's not far from here."
She regretted it as soon as she said it.
Inviting my teacher to that dump of mine?
There was nothing there but a bed and a table. She couldn't even offer a cup of hot tea. She opened her mouth, wanting to take the invitation back.
"Lead the way."
Ziwei put away the Great Scythe leaning against the lamppost. Its blade vanished into the void, leaving only a fading wisp of purple-and-gold light.
Ye Qingqing froze for two seconds before hurriedly turning around.
Su Bai followed the girl through the puddles. He hadn't planned to go straight back to his apartment tonight anyway.
Su Xiaoxiao was staying up late writing her Holy War Record. If her older brother, supposedly injured in a fall while delivering takeout, came home full of energy in the middle of the night, it would hardly make sense.
Besides, he had seen the state Ye Qingqing was in.
She had been fine while working through exercises in the air-raid shelter, but the moment she left the crowd, she seemed to sink into herself. He only had a handful of useful workers under him. If she fell apart, who would farm marrow cores