"Behave yourself."
Liang Di’s voice was lazy. Woken up, she wasn’t annoyed at all—just caught Liang Lin’s hand resting on her chest.
*Cough, cough, cough.*
No, wait—why was her face turning red?
"How did I end up in your bed, Liang Di?"
At that, Liang Di fully opened her eyes, tone teasing. "Mmm~ I saw it. You sleepwalked right up here. Woke me halfway through, but I didn’t have the heart to wake *you*. After all… I heard interrupting a sleepwalker turns you into an idiot."
"…"
*I don’t believe a single word.*
"Pure nonsense!" Liang Lin huffed, yanking her hand back and throwing off the blanket to return to her chair.
"Wait…!" Liang Di grabbed her arm.
Liang Lin bristled—then froze. Liang Di’s ears were perked, brows knotted, listening intently. Meeting Liang Lin’s confused glare, she simply made a "shh" gesture. A tentacle slithered to the window and nudged it open.
Liang Lin sensed it too. They exchanged a look, fell silent, and tiptoed to the window. Peering through the narrow gap the tentacle had made…
Nothing.
*Oof!*
A sharp jab to her side nearly made Liang Lin cough blood. Gritting her teeth, she turned to glare at the culprit. Liang Di pointed silently ahead.
*Damn it…* Liang Lin’s thoughts were filthy—but she followed the gesture.
Huh? What was that? Like flowing liquid gold…
No. *Hair.* Human hair.
Bathed in moonlight, the flowing golden strands shimmered so brightly they stung Liang Lin’s eyes.
Liang Di sniffed deeply, frowned, and whispered right into Liang Lin’s ear, "Do you smell blood?"
Liang Lin inhaled twice.
A faint metallic scent hung in the air.
"Yeah."
*Hiss…*
Something felt deeply wrong. *Where? What?* Liang Lin’s mind snapped into focus.
"Liang Di—she’s standing *on top* of the stable roof!"
No ladder. How did such a tiny girl get up there?
Liang Di snatched a coat and threw it on. "Let’s go downstairs!"
Just then, the girl whipped around—locking crimson eyes with Liang Lin still at the window. Liang Lin seized Liang Di’s wrist.
"Too late."
"Ugh!"
Yanked into Liang Lin’s arms.
"Hook your arms around my neck." Liang Lin didn’t look down. She lifted Liang Di’s legs, secured her waist, and scooped her into a princess carry.
*Crash!*
The window burst open. Before Liang Lin could lower her leg, the golden-haired girl startled and bolted across the stable roof, scrambling toward the inn wall.
Liang Lin leaned halfway out.
"Hey! Liang Lin! This is the *third floor*!"
Liang Lin didn’t blink. "Only the third floor."
She pushed off—and soared into the moonlit air.
Beneath the cool glow, Liang Di watched her face. Liang Lin moved like a phantom: eyes deep as an abyss, radiating quiet allure. The night softened her edges; the usual sharpness in her aura had gentled. Wind roared past. Liang Lin held her waist tight. Strangely… comforting.
"Don’t worry. You won’t die from the fall."
*Thud!*
They landed firmly on the stable roof.
*Thank goodness it wasn’t straw.* Otherwise, they’d be buried in horses.
The golden-haired girl reached the wall, glanced back, and kept running.
"So *this* is Granny’s 'vampire girl'? Liang Di—hold on tight. Don’t let go."
"…Okay!"
Liang Lin sprinted, Liang Di cradled securely. Silver-white hair streamed behind them like a comet’s tail.
The girl glanced back—eyes widening. *How?!* Carrying someone, yet matching her speed?! She rubbed her eyes, paled further, then fled: leaping the wall, vanishing beyond the inn. Liang Lin followed without hesitation.
*Huff… huff…*
Five minutes of chase. Past bustling streets, into silent woods. The girl dove into the trees. Liang Lin plunged after her.
Suddenly, the girl stopped—rigid, back turned. Liang Lin skidded to a halt, sword already drawn, stance ready.
"Hey… are you *still* following me?!" The girl spun around, glaring.
Young. Baby-faced. Barely reaching Liang Lin’s shoulder. Swallowed by a tattered robe, shoes full of holes.
"Did you kill them?" Liang Di asked quietly.
The girl flinched, teeth clenched. "So what if I did?! And some weren’t even *my* fault!"
"How did they die?"
"They were careless! Got scratched by nails! Not my problem!"
*What?* Both girls blinked. *Huh?!*
"Next time you lie," Liang Lin deadpanned, "use a reason anyone with half a brain would believe."
The girl stomped—then winced, crouching to gently touch her torn shoe. "It’s *true*! Just… stop following me! Now I’ll go hungry again…" Her voice cracked, thick with tears.
*Ah.*
She hadn’t even fed yet.
Liang Lin charged.
The girl dodged—leaping impossibly high onto a branch. Hood shadowing her eyes, voice trembling: "We have no feud… But if you *insist* on killing me—" She dropped into a kick aimed straight at Liang Lin. "—don’t blame me for fighting back!"
