Chapter 57: Do Not Morally Blackmail Me

Qin Mengchun still hadn’t recovered from her fright, and Ah Di’s shout only left her more bewildered.

“Well, since there’s nothing else, let’s go back to sleep,” Jiang Miaomiao said, pulling the still fuming Ah Di along. The two returned to their room for a nap.

Ah Di was convinced Qin Mengchun was messing with them and insisted on getting an explanation from her. “Qin Mengchun is just trying to scare us, waking us up so early—how could that not be deliberate?” she complained, then flopped onto her bed and closed her eyes once more.

Jiang Miaomiao shook her head helplessly, tucking Ah Di in before settling herself. Before drifting off, she glanced at Qin Sheng, who remained undisturbed in her sleep, and wondered why, given Qin Sheng’s light sleeping habits, she hadn’t been awakened by Qin Mengchun’s shouting. Either she genuinely didn’t hear, or she simply didn’t care.

In truth, Qin Sheng was perfectly aware; the mouse Qin Mengchun saw was a product of the transformation potion Song Qing’an had given her the previous night. Its disappearance, naturally, was at Qin Sheng’s whim. It had proven quite effective, she thought. Qin Mengchun would likely never dare to sleep alone again, and Qin Sheng couldn’t deny she found scaring her rather amusing. She turned over contentedly and resumed her sleep.

Jiang Miaomiao could tell from Qin Sheng’s demeanor that she was awake. Since Qin Sheng didn’t want anyone to know, Jiang Miaomiao saw no need to expose her. After the morning’s commotion, Jiang Miaomiao felt exhausted herself and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

In contrast, Qin Mengchun didn’t even dare to climb into bed. Zhao Tiantian and Zhang Meng spent a long time calming her down, but she still refused to approach the bed the mouse had scurried across earlier.

“Could it be you saw wrong, Mengchun? There’s no trace of a mouse here at all,” Zhang Meng voiced her doubts.

Qin Mengchun glanced fearfully at the bed, then squeezed her eyes shut and snapped, “None of you believe me! If I’d seen wrong, would I still be this terrified?”

Her panic erupted uncontrollably, a far cry from her usual gentle and serene self. Seeing her like this, Zhao Tiantian and Zhang Meng finally accepted that what they saw earlier wasn’t an illusion.

“Well, Mengchun, there’s really nothing we can do. If you can’t bear to use the bed, you’ll have to sleep on the floor with us,” Zhang Meng explained, exasperated.

The idea horrified Qin Mengchun. “Why should I sleep on that filthy floor? You two can do it!”

“Uh?” Zhao Tiantian and Zhang Meng were momentarily at a loss. What did she mean by letting them sleep on the dirty floor while she refused?

Was sleeping on the floor such an indignity for Qin Mengchun?

“Mengchun, we’re just trying to find a solution. Why would you say that about us?” Zhao Tiantian, her neck still sore from sleeping on the ground, felt Qin Mengchun had utterly misconstrued their good intentions. It was only because she and Zhang Meng had yielded that Qin Mengchun had the bed.

Qin Mengchun had long abandoned her gentle facade, and Zhao Tiantian’s questioning sparked her fury. “Do I need to thank you for sleeping in bed? It was a decision we all agreed on. Now you’re trying to guilt-trip me into gratitude?”

Zhao Tiantian’s expression darkened, but she didn’t want to argue further. She took a deep breath and tried to reason, “Mengchun, the three of us all have a right to use the bed. Yesterday you said you preferred sleeping alone, so Mengmeng and I let you have it. Not only are you ungrateful, but you’re blaming us—isn’t that unfair?”

Qin Mengchun had no interest in reason, eager only to escape and feeling her time spent with Zhao Tiantian and Zhang Meng was wasted.

“Yes, Mengchun, Tiantian’s neck is aching from sleeping on the floor…” Zhang Meng said, grasping Qin Mengchun’s hand.

Qin Mengchun was too angry to speak, clenching her fists. “I don’t want to sleep on the floor, or on that bed, and I certainly don’t want to share a bed with you two.”

“Qin Mengchun!” Zhao Tiantian finally lost her patience, her usual calm shattered. “What more do you want?”

Qin Mengchun shook off Zhang Meng’s hand and stood up, her glare sharp enough to tear Zhao Tiantian apart. “Shut up! Who are you to speak to me, some uncultured bumpkin from the sticks?”

She was done pretending with Zhang Meng and Zhao Tiantian; now that she’d dropped the act, she wouldn’t let herself suffer. She’d never endured such humiliation, and that country girl had no right to shout at her.

“As if you’re so cultured yourself?” Ah Di’s sarcastic voice drifted in from the doorway.

Seeing the group at the door, Qin Mengchun instantly shed her previous demeanor, tears welling in her eyes as she stood isolated in the corner, hardly recognizable as the same person who’d just been shouting and belittling others.

Qin Sheng and the others had come over after hearing the argument. Even if most of it was missed, Qin Mengchun’s insult was heard loud and clear.

Qin Sheng’s gaze lingered on Qin Mengchun for less than a second, enough to make her nervous. She wasn’t afraid of the others, but her sister was the one she had to watch out for.

“Weren’t you just shouting a moment ago? Go on, keep at it,” Ah Di sauntered over, arms crossed.

Qin Mengchun clutched her clothes tightly, biting her lip. “I was just upset, I didn’t mean to insult her.”

Zhao Tiantian’s neck pain was relentless, no matter how much she rubbed it.

“Even if you were scared, you shouldn’t have said that to your roommate. She slept on the floor for your sake,” Jiang Miaomiao added, her tone less heated than Ah Di’s.

“Ugh.” Zhao Tiantian gasped, about to rub her neck again when a cool hand suddenly touched it, making her shiver involuntarily.

But soon, the pain eased as the hand gently pressed her acupoints, relieving most of the discomfort.

She turned to see that the person massaging her neck was Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng remained taciturn, kneading Zhao Tiantian’s neck for a long while before withdrawing her hand.

Zhao Tiantian moved her neck, her face lighting up with joy. The pain was much reduced, and she felt much better.

“Thank you, Qin Sheng. It’s so much better now,” she said with a gentle smile, even lowering her head shyly.

Qin Sheng smiled faintly. “I brought some medicated patches. Come find me later; they should help.”

Zhao Tiantian hadn’t expected Qin Sheng to have patches and tried to decline politely. “I’m fine, really. You keep them for yourself; I’ll be okay after a bit more rubbing.”

Qin Sheng’s smile was serene. “It’s alright. I rarely get injured. They’re better off with someone who needs them.”

Zhao Tiantian nodded gratefully, her eyes full of emotion.

Their interaction was not lost on Qin Mengchun, who ignored Ah Di and Jiang Miaomiao in front of her, and sobbed, “Sister, I was so frightened, why don’t you care about me at all? You’re kinder to a stranger than to your own sister.”

Qin Sheng lifted her gaze, her probing eyes resting on Qin Mengchun, tinged with confusion. After a moment, she replied with a slight smile, “I don’t recall you being concerned for me when the cafeteria exploded.”

Qin Mengchun was instantly speechless, unsure how to respond.

“It’s just reciprocity. Mengchun, you needn’t guilt-trip me,” Qin Sheng said calmly, then walked out.

Jiang Miaomiao watched Qin Sheng leave and, unwilling to linger, dragged Ah Di away as well. Though Ah Di wanted nothing more than to spar with Qin Mengchun, Jiang Miaomiao gave her no chance.

“Let go, Miaomiao! I haven’t even started my battle!” Ah Di’s voice faded as they left, and the room fell silent.

Zhao Tiantian was now completely estranged from Qin Mengchun and said nothing more.

Realizing her predicament, Qin Mengchun forced herself to approach Zhao Tiantian. “I’m sorry, Tiantian. I was just scared and spoke without thinking. I hope you can forgive me.”

Zhao Tiantian, still angry, sidestepped her and quickly left the room.

Zhang Meng smiled awkwardly at Qin Mengchun. “Tiantian probably went to get the patches. I’ll go with her. You should rest after your fright.” With that, Zhang Meng hurried out, leaving Qin Mengchun alone.

She clenched her fists tightly, her face twisted with rage and hatred. Through gritted teeth she whispered, “Qin Sheng, I will make you wish you were dead…”

“Tiantian, I’m here too!” Zhang Meng called out, just as Zhao Tiantian received the patches from Qin Sheng.

Zhao Tiantian’s mood had vastly improved since leaving the room, especially when chatting with Jiang Miaomiao and Ah Di in Qin Sheng’s room. Seeing Zhang Meng arrive, she quickly introduced everyone, “This is my college roommate, Zhang Meng. And these are Ah Di, Qin Sheng, and Jiang Miaomiao.”

Zhang Meng grinned broadly, “Actually, I already know them. Qin Sheng’s reputation at school is huge—who doesn’t know her?”

“Absolutely! Our Sheng has slain countless zombies—she’s a heroine!” Jiang Miaomiao said, pride glowing as she looked at Qin Sheng.

“Really? Tell me all about it!”