Chapter 9
Yan Weiqiu squatted down against the wall, breathing heavily, his small figure huddled as if that would make him feel safer.
Jiang Yuebai was about to pat his head when he dodged.
They both froze.
Yan Weiqiu pursed his lips slightly, his eyes downcast, not knowing what to say.
The NPC had just patted his shoulder, that bloody hand resting heavily on him. He still remembered the feeling, so when Jiang Yuebai touched him, he instinctively wanted to dodge.
“Can you still walk?” Jiang Yuebai asked softly.
His hand still landed on his hair, gently rubbing his head as if to comfort him.
Yan Weiqiu couldn’t help but blush. It was him who had suggested going to the haunted house.
Fortunately, Jiang Yuebai didn’t laugh at him or make him feel embarrassed.
Yan Weiqiu looked up at him and muttered softly, “Why didn’t it scare you? We were walking together.”
Jiang Yuebai chuckled. “Maybe it thought you were easier to bully?”
Actually, with an Alpha’s sharp senses, Jiang Yuebai had noticed the NPC following them long ago, but he didn’t expect Yan Weiqiu to be completely unaware of the NPC’s presence, or to be so scared.
Yan Weiqiu: “…”
The NPC was also picking on the weaker one.
Thinking that there was still a long way to go before the end of the haunted house, he started to regret his bravado. He shouldn’t have acted tough.
“I want to walk in front.” Yan Weiqiu thought for a moment. It would be safer to be in front. Having no one behind him made him feel insecure. Walking in front at least meant no NPCs would pat his shoulder or scare him from behind.
“Mm, I’ll listen to you.” Jiang Yuebai had no objections. He was a materialist, didn’t believe in ghosts or gods, and wasn’t bothered by haunted houses.
Yan Weiqiu practically glued his back to Jiang Yuebai’s chest, slowly walking through the dark corridor, constantly on guard against NPCs jumping out to scare him.
All the props in the haunted house were very realistic. There were several lifelike bats hanging on the wall, occasionally making squeaking sounds.
Skull heads were everywhere, and a creepy nursery rhyme could be faintly heard.
Yan Weiqiu nervously grabbed Jiang Yuebai’s hand, and Jiang Yuebai held his hand back, interlacing their fingers.
He couldn’t help but turn to look at the calm Jiang Yuebai and muttered softly, “Aren’t you nervous at all?”
“Huh?” Jiang Yuebai was still immersed in the joy of being held by him. It took him a few seconds to react, and he chuckled softly. “With you here, I’m not nervous.”
Yan Weiqiu felt like he was being teased and couldn’t help but pinch his hand.
Jiang Yuebai held his hand with one hand and put his other arm around his waist, pulling them closer. “Let’s go, don’t worry, I’m behind you.”
Yan Weiqiu’s nerves were on edge, and he didn’t have the mind to care that Jiang Yuebai was taking advantage of him.
“But what if an NPC jumps out from the front?” As soon as he finished speaking, an NPC wearing a pig’s head mask appeared in front of Yan Weiqiu at the corner.
Yan Weiqiu felt his heart skip a beat.
“Don’t be afraid, it’s just a normal NPC…” Before Jiang Yuebai could finish his comforting words, Yan Weiqiu turned and threw himself into his arms. He had already embarrassed himself enough; it didn’t matter anymore.
Jiang Yuebai froze for a moment, a smile spreading across his face. He hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise.
Since they presented, Yan Weiqiu had been indifferent towards him, let alone actively hugging him like this.
Seeing this, the NPC made a face at Jiang Yuebai, trying to scare him away.
Jiang Yuebai tightened his arms around Yan Weiqiu’s waist, his mood lifting, and glanced at the NPC nonchalantly.
Finding it pointless, the NPC left.
“Is he gone?” Yan Weiqiu’s muffled voice came.
“He’s gone.” There was a hint of regret in Jiang Yuebai’s voice. Holding such a soft and fragrant person in his arms, he wanted to hold him a little longer.
Yan Weiqiu pushed him away without a word, a complete change from just a moment ago.
Jiang Yuebai muttered softly, “So heartless, Xiaoqiu.”
Yan Weiqiu pretended not to hear, his ears turning red slightly.
Jiang Yuebai’s embrace was very reassuring, as if he believed that no matter what happened, Jiang Yuebai would protect him without hesitation.
“Warning, danger ahead!”
“What?” Yan Weiqiu stopped and listened carefully to the broadcast.
A piercing scream came from ahead, mixed with the sound of panicked footsteps, sending chills down his spine.
Yan Weiqiu’s heart was pounding in his chest.
A cold air rushed towards them as they entered a closed room. Several tattered portraits hung on the wall, covered in red handprints and graffiti drawn with red dye.
The whole room looked bloody and eerie.
Jiang Yuebai casually opened the wardrobe inside; it was empty.
Yan Weiqiu stood beside him, dumbfounded.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Yuebai looked at him amusedly.
“Aren’t you afraid of opening the wardrobe and seeing a corpse or a skull or something? What if there’s an NPC hiding inside? How terrifying.” Yan Weiqiu suddenly felt a surge of respect for him.
“Huh?” Jiang Yuebai pinched his face and couldn’t help but laugh. “Even if there’s an NPC inside, wouldn’t they be scared of us? There are two of us, and only one of them.”
Yan Weiqiu: “…”
He felt like they weren’t talking about the same thing.
The footsteps outside grew closer, the “thump thump” sound deafening.
“Why doesn’t this room have a door?!” Yan Weiqiu was on the verge of tears, hiding behind Jiang Yuebai.
Jiang Yuebai pointed to the wardrobe and suggested, “Want to hide inside?”
Yan Weiqiu’s eyes lit up, and he quickly ducked inside.
The wardrobe was small, barely fitting two people, even a little cramped.
Jiang Yuebai, at 1.9 meters tall, could only curl up inside, holding Yan Weiqiu, even burying his head in his shoulder.
The intimate posture made Yan Weiqiu stiffen, afraid to move.
Jiang Yuebai’s shallow breaths tickled his ear, the warm air brushing against the skin of his neck. He couldn’t help but shrink back.
“Don’t move.” Jiang Yuebai’s voice was much huskier than before. He pulled him closer, their bodies pressed tightly together.
Just as Yan Weiqiu was about to struggle, the footsteps reached the wardrobe, and he immediately burrowed into Jiang Yuebai’s arms.
Through the small hole in the wardrobe, he could see several NPCs moving around outside, even lingering in front of the wardrobe.
The wardrobe door was pulled open forcefully, making a creaking sound.
Jiang Yuebai held onto the door, testing his strength against the NPC outside.
Yan Weiqiu didn’t dare to breathe, clinging to Jiang Yuebai’s neck, his whole body leaning against him.
“Don’t be afraid, it can’t get in.” Jiang Yuebai held him with one arm and held the wardrobe door with the other.
Jiang Yuebai was very strong. The NPC outside couldn’t open the door despite their best efforts. They angrily pounded on the door a few times before giving up.
After a long time, the chaotic footsteps gradually faded, and the room became quiet.
They remained in an embrace, neither of them speaking.
Yan Weiqiu lifted his head from Jiang Yuebai’s arms, his forehead brushing against something soft. Realizing what it was, they both froze.
After a while.
Yan Weiqiu pushed against Jiang Yuebai’s chest and whispered, “Open the wardrobe, let’s go out.”
Jiang Yuebai obediently opened the door and stepped out first.
Yan Weiqiu held onto the wardrobe door. His legs were a little weak after being inside for so long.
“Can you still walk?” Jiang Yuebai kept an eye on him, frowning slightly when he saw him slightly bending his knees while holding onto the door.
Yan Weiqiu hesitantly nodded, letting go of the wardrobe door. After taking two steps, his legs felt incredibly sore.
Jiang Yuebai picked him up, walking towards the exit while explaining, “Let me carry you. The lighting here is bad. What if you step on something and fall?”
Yan Weiqiu choked, remembering the prosthetic limb he had stepped on earlier. He seemed to have a point.
“Aren’t you tired?” Yan Weiqiu looked at his blurred profile and sighed.
Alphas were indeed superior to Betas in terms of physical strength, as if they had endless energy.
A casual smile played on Jiang Yuebai’s lips. “I’m not tired. Besides, how heavy can you be?”
“You really don’t look like it, built like a bull.” Yan Weiqiu retorted.
Jiang Yuebai’s laughter rang in his ears. Yan Weiqiu poked his chest resentfully, about to scold him, when Jiang Yuebai suddenly put him down. Just as he regained his footing, Jiang Yuebai’s warm palms covered his eyes, plunging his vision into darkness.
Yan Weiqiu became nervous. “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Yuebai leaned close to his ear and whispered, “There’s something nasty I don’t want you to see.”
“Is it very scary?” Yan Weiqiu clutched his clothes, not daring to let go.
“Probably?” Jiang Yuebai looked at the dismembered limbs on the wall and the head drenched in red liquid. He whispered in Yan Weiqiu’s ear, “If you see it, you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
“Then can we sleep together tonight?” The words slipped out of Yan Weiqiu’s mouth.
Jiang Yuebai immediately replied, “Of course, I’d be delighted.”
Yan Weiqiu realized what he had just said a moment too late.
“Like when we were little, I’ll follow you, accompany you no matter what you do, until you get over your fear.” Jiang Yuebai led him slowly, step by step, towards the exit of the haunted house, and then removed his hands from his eyes.
His vision restored, Yan Weiqiu looked around blankly. Screams could still be heard from the haunted house behind them.
Jiang Yuebai stood beside him, looking at him with a smile.
“Okay?”
