Beauty and the Beasts

Tang Li’s hand paused. When she saw that Bai Qingqing had lost even her shoes, she still drew out the red note with heartache.

“Take it. Try to return it to me as soon as possible,” Tang Li said with a crestfallen expression.

“Thank you,” Bai Qingqing said and smiled as she took the money. However, her brows were furrowed tightly, not showing any hint of joy.

Bai Qingqing and Tang Li went their separate ways at the bus stop. Bai Qingqing didn’t dare to go home in this state and thus looked around for a hair salon barefooted. The number of heads she turned was unprecedentedly high.

After cutting the hair that she had grown for five years to shoulder-length, she then bought a pair of very cheap sandals. After that, she headed home. She was left with less than fifty yuan.

Ding dong—

Bai Qingqing pressed the doorbell to her home.

“Who’s that?” The voice of a young man came through the door. Before Bai Qingqing could reply, the door was opened.

“Sister?” A delicate-looking young man leaned against the door frame, assessed Bai Qingqing from top to bottom, then said with his brows raised, “New clothes? Your boyfriend bought them for you?”

“Bai Xiaofan! Don’t spout gibberish!” Bai Qingqing at the young man, then entered the house with big strides. When she smelled the familiar scent, her heart suddenly settled down.

It was the smell of home. After five years, it was still as familiar.

“Woof woof woof!”

A mature golden retriever ran over to her side. He wagged his tail vigorously while sniffing her body.

Bai Qingqing thought that dogs really had a good sense of smell. He must have smelled the scent of beastmen.

“Furry, did you miss me?” Bai Qingqing was gentler to the golden retriever than she was to her younger brother to whom she was related by blood. She immediately squatted down and gave Furry a thorough rubbing.

Bai Qingqing’s brother rolled his eyes and threatened, “Hmph, I’m going to tell mom and dad. Look at how cocky you’re acting.”

Bai Qingqing paused and glared at him, saying, “Don’t you dare!”

“You’ve really gotten a boyfriend!” Bai Xiaofan opened his eyes wide, then threw a few glances at his elder sister. He then asked insincerely, “Who has such poor judgment to take you as their girlfriend?”

“I’m telling you, if you dare to talk crap in front of mom and dad, I’ll break ties with you!” Bai Qingqing gestured a cross with her hands and then walked toward her bedroom.

Bai Xiaofan let out a “tsk” and also went back to his room.

Bai Qingqing took out a set of clean clothes and then dashed into the bathroom.

She filled up the bathtub with warm water, took off her clothes, then stepped into the tub. She then took in a deep breath before submerging her face in the water.

As long as she felt that her life was threatened, she’d be able to summon Curtis and Muir. She hoped that she could achieve the summoning from this degree.

Bai Qingqing’s face flushed up from holding her breath in the hot water, her fingers locking tightly onto the edges of the bathtub, her joints turning pale from the exerting force.

She was almost suffocating to death. Was it still not enough?

Bai Qingqing looked around but didn’t see anyone appearing. She clenched her teeth and continued to hold her breath.

…

The fight in the other world was very intense.

To put it more accurately, Parker was beaten up by the other three.

“Where’s Snow?” Curtis looked unprecedentedly anxious. He lifted Parker by the tail with one hand, then questioned him.

“Howl~” The moment Parker spoke, he spurted out a big mouthful of blood. His sharp fangs were also dyed red by blood, dripping to the ground together with his saliva.

His gaze was also filled with perplexity. He had no idea why Qingqing disappeared, either.

He only knew that in that instant, he suddenly felt an intense pain in his heart, as if something was cut off. A strong feeling of panic and loss rose in his heart.

His body felt as if it was plunging incessantly, and till now, he hadn’t reached the end of the fall.

Each time he was slightly further away from Bai Qingqing, he’d have a similar feeling. That discomfort would urge him to return to her side as soon as possible.

This time around, he suddenly understood that Bai Qingqing was no longer in this world.