Qi Xia frowned and slowly sat up, reaching out to stroke Yu Nian’an’s face. “An, are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Yu Nian’an still didn’t answer. After thinking for a while, she still spoke: “Knock, knock, knock.”
Although his heart was full of confusion, Qi Xia still tentatively asked, “Who’s at the door?”
But this time, Yu Nian’an didn’t say the phrase “So Qi Xia is home after all.” Instead, she stared into Qi Xia’s eyes and said word by word, “The one outside the door is not me.”
“What…?” Qi Xia felt somewhat baffled. “An, are you… sleepwalking?”
Yu Nian’an stopped looking at Qi Xia. She just slowly lay down and closed her eyes, as if nothing had happened.
Before long, her breathing became even, as if she had fallen asleep again.
Qi Xia worriedly patted Yu Nian’an’s back gently, trying to make her feel more secure.
Perhaps these past days when he hadn’t been home, Yu Nian’an had been too exhausted.
“Don’t worry, An. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay right here with you.” Qi Xia slowly embraced her.
…
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Qi Xia suddenly woke up and found Yu Nian’an sitting beside him again.
Outside the window, it was still pitch black. Through the dimness, he could only see Yu Nian’an’s bright, glistening eyes.
“An… you…”
Qi Xia slowly sat up, an uneasy feeling stirring in his heart.
“Knock, knock, knock.” Yu Nian’an said.
Qi Xia stared into her eyes and noticed there seemed to be tears in them.
“What on earth is happening?”
He wanted to understand Yu Nian’an’s motivation for doing this.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
But Yu Nian’an seemed to only be able to say this one phrase.
Qi Xia was silent for a long while, then finally asked, “Who, who’s at the door?”
“Xia, the one outside the door is not me.”
Qi Xia saw very clearly that there was a teardrop at the corner of Yu Nian’an’s eye.
This teardrop gleamed faintly in the darkness, sliding down half her face before falling.
After saying this, Yu Nian’an closed her eyes and slowly lay down.
She had fallen asleep again.
But Qi Xia could no longer fall asleep no matter what.
In the seven years he had been with Yu Nian’an, she had never cried.
He had once sworn an oath that he would never let Yu Nian’an’s tears fall to the ground in his lifetime.
But this time, he had broken his word.
Yu Nian’an looked extremely sad. That look in her eyes was like it contained a knife, carving her heart full of despair.
Waves of putrid stench began to spread throughout the room, making Qi Xia feel extremely unreal.
This was a smell that could only be encountered in the “Land of the End.” Why would it appear in reality?
The surroundings were far too dark.
Qi Xia couldn’t distinguish at all whether this place was reality or the “Land of the End.” He could only slowly embrace Yu Nian’an to calm his emotions as much as possible.
Time passed minute by minute. After about an hour, Qi Xia felt Yu Nian’an’s body move.
He gently released his hold, then watched with his own eyes as Yu Nian’an sat up.
She opened her eyes and turned her head to look in Qi Xia’s direction.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Qi Xia also slowly sat up. An uneasy thought began to sprout in Qi Xia’s heart.
If everything truly was as he imagined, this would be the most terrifying thing he had encountered in his entire life.
“Who’s at the door?” Qi Xia asked with a trembling voice.
Yu Nian’an paused, then said in a low voice, “The. One. Outside. The. Door. Is. Not. Me.”
After these words, Yu Nian’an shed tears of agony.
And in this moment, Qi Xia broke down as well.
Watching Yu Nian’an lie down and fall asleep again, Qi Xia’s tears gushed out uncontrollably.
So that’s how it is…?
She was in great pain, but she couldn’t resist.