Ch 142: TGCIR

It took Fu Yanzhou a long time to realize what had just happened between him and Xi Bei.

Yes, what Xi Bei had just done to him.

His mind was blank, and the intense emotions from earlier were still echoing in his head like the ringing of a giant bell, making it hard to focus on anything else. He couldn’t stop thinking about how close they had been, whether this could lead to spreading the virus, or what if the zombie virus hadn’t been fully cleared yet?

Fu Yanzhou’s dazed and wooden expression didn’t escape Xi Bei’s notice, and it prompted a soft laugh from the young woman. She playfully patted his face. “Come back to reality.”

That finally snapped Fu Yanzhou out of it, and he lowered his head.

Xi Bei tilted her head, a slight smile playing on her lips, though there was still a mischievous look in her eyes. “Are you worried about how many germs we just exchanged?”

Fu Yanzhou’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of anxiety and fear crossing his face.

Seeing his reaction, Xi Bei thought to herself, somewhat bitterly: His eyes are still so clear, as if the zombie king never existed. “What can we do?” she said with a faint smile. “If we were going to infect each other, it would have already happened.”

“Yes,” Fu Yanzhou replied, his voice hoarse and rough, as if he were speaking through sandpaper. “The virus can be transmitted through physical contact, but nothing will happen.” His voice started out slow and rough, each word punctuated as if he was thinking about how to say it. But as he continued, his pace quickened, as though trying to convince himself, and he repeated the phrase several times, “Nothing will happen. Absolutely nothing will happen.”

For the first time, Xi Bei was silent, quietly watching Fu Yanzhou, feeling a faint ache in her heart.

She could understand why Fu Yanzhou had made his choice.

She could understand his way of thinking.

Even when he left without saying a word, she would still go to the lab every day to check on him.

The lab was right next to her cultivation chamber, and when she went there, she would silently listen to the quiet from the next room, hoping to hear any sound that would reassure her.

But there was nothing.

Until the lab had a new occupant, Professor Wei took over, and when she visited, she only saw a stranger who gave her a polite smile. It was only then that she realized he had truly left without a word, and she quietly shed a few tears.

From that moment on, she thought he would never come back.

It was only his looks, after all. She had only been drawn to his face.

It wasn’t anything important, so even if he did come back someday, it wouldn’t matter to her anymore.

That’s what Xi Bei had started to tell herself back then.

But now, thinking back on those feelings, her heart began to stir again. With a mischievous smile, she pulled Fu Yanzhou up, ignoring his faint traces of social anxiety, and insisted, “Come with me to work.”

Fu Yanzhou’s face showed clear reluctance.

His voice was weak in protest, especially since she was looking at him with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “We’ve already been together, haven’t we? You’re the first half-zombie to be cured by the zombie vaccine. What if the germs haven’t been fully cured, and I’ve already infected you? Wouldn’t you rather keep an eye on me?”

It was obviously just an excuse.

Fu Yanzhou looked down.

He nervously tapped his toes against the floor, and this time, the girl was patient, not urging him. But her smile didn’t reach her eyes, which held little genuine warmth.

In the end, Fu Yanzhou reluctantly nodded.

**

Xi Bei led Fu Yanzhou out of the room.

Despite his social anxiety, Fu Yanzhou was usually oblivious to the opinions of others. But even so, he could sense that people around them seemed to be avoiding them, as if they were carriers of some contagious disease. Some even pointed fingers and whispered among themselves, as if they thought Fu and Xi Bei couldn’t hear them.

But he could hear everything.

As a high-level psychic, Fu Yanzhou’s senses were heightened.

So their whispers reached his ears loud and clear.

“The zombie king must have killed people, right?”

“For sure. Probably killed a lot.”

“How can the base allow zombies here?”

“Well, that high-level plant ability user has special privileges. The base still needs her for food.”

“They must really think she’s important.”

Fu Yanzhou knew that Xi Bei could hear them too.

As a high-level plant ability user, her senses were just as sharp, and she must have heard every word as clearly as he did.

But Xi Bei simply tilted her chin up slightly and gave those whispering a cold, disdainful look. Strangely enough, just being on the receiving end of that look made them fall silent.

Xi Bei snorted softly through her nose, tugged on Fu Yanzhou’s sleeve, and teased him with a light tone, “Why are you walking so slowly? Hurry up, we’re going to be late.”

Fu Yanzhou glanced at her face, which showed no trace of distress, only a radiant confidence, and he lowered his head slightly. Was he really dragging Xi Bei down?

Xi Bei noticed his expression. Though her face remained composed, she could tell from his subtle expressions and stiff demeanor what was on his mind.

She shot a sharp glance at those who had been gossiping, then, in one swift motion, she grabbed Fu Yanzhou and pushed him up against the wall.

Fu Yanzhou’s eyes widened slightly.

“Ugh…” He had a vague idea of what was about to happen, but when she boldly made a move in front of everyone, he felt his heart skip a beat.

Being so close, he could hear her heartbeat clearly.

This time was different from the last.

In front of everyone, she even arrogantly lowered her head, brushing against his in an intimate, almost taunting way, as if inviting him to dance.

Her head rested against his shoulder.

Her breath carried a faint scent.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Fu Yanzhou’s mind: What does my breath smell like?

He remembered the breath of a zombie.

It was rotten.

The scent of decay, the smell of death.

Fu Yanzhou was terrified that his own breath might carry that same rotten stench. But just as he was about to pull away, Xi Bei grabbed his hand, keeping him close.

With the two of them standing so close together, and with her being so focused, Fu Yanzhou embarrassingly realized he was starting to have a reaction.

In front of everyone, no less. The thought that his body was reacting in such a strange way only made Fu Yanzhou feel even more humiliated.

Xi Bei slightly opened her eyes, her gaze playful yet serious as she looked at him. She moved back a little, but Fu Yanzhou could only focus on the cold three words she spoke as she patted his face: “Focus up.”

Just as Xi Bei was about to continue, an angry shout suddenly came from behind them: “Xiao Bei! What do you think you’re doing?”

Xi Nan was absolutely furious!

He had just been passing by, and what did he see?

Usually the most gentle of men, Xi Nan felt his heart twist in knots, on the verge of exploding as he watched the two of them so intimately close. His irritation only grew as he watched their interaction.

Keeping a “boy toy” was one thing. Kissing him in public was another. But doing it so brazenly in front of everyone—that was something else entirely!

This was crossing a line no self-respecting man could tolerate, seeing such behavior right in front of him!

Xi Bei’s expression showed a hint of embarrassment, but she didn’t move away completely. She still shielded half of Fu Yanzhou, hiding his awkward reaction as she casually greeted, “Hey, brother, just passing by?”

Xi Nan’s face was as dark as it could get.

He was a man. How could he not understand what was going on?

And he wasn’t happy about it!

However, Xi Bei clearly didn’t care.

She quickly dismissed Xi Nan with a few words, and once Fu Yanzhou’s reaction had calmed down, she looked him over and smiled teasingly, “It seems your body still responds.”

Fu Yanzhou’s mind went blank as he processed her words, and he lowered his pale face in shame.

Embarrassed.

“What’s there to be embarrassed about?” Xi Bei raised an eyebrow, clearly unfazed. “You’re not a child anymore, are you? Come on, don’t be so naive.”

But when Fu Yanzhou looked at her with those watery, puppy-dog eyes, Xi Bei, who had been so confident and self-assured just moments ago, found herself frowning slightly.

She grabbed his hand and glanced around. Sure enough, the group that had been gossiping and mocking them earlier had now scattered, no longer interested in sticking around to watch the spectacle.

Inwardly, Xi Bei sneered: In this world, power is what truly matters.

If they knew she was a high-level plant-based ability user, how could they overlook the fact that the seemingly soft and harmless Fu Yanzhou was also a high-level psychic ability user? Or did they think that just because they were standing on what they believed to be the moral high ground, they could slander Fu Yanzhou behind his back without consequence?

Fu Yanzhou was the first person who had been saved after partially turning into a zombie.

But he wouldn’t be the last.

Xi Bei was clear-headed, confident that the higher-ups at the base wouldn’t intervene because the efficacy of the zombie vaccine needed to be proven. And what better way to convince people of its effectiveness than by showing that someone who had once been a zombie king could fall in love and be accepted?

If there had been any lingering doubts or prejudice toward those who had previously turned into zombies, this example would alleviate them far more effectively than anyone had anticipated.

So no one would stop them.

On the contrary, they would likely encourage it.

Xi Bei’s eyes glimmered with deep understanding, but at that moment, Fu Yanzhou tugged gently on her hand—this was the first time he had taken such an initiative.

He didn’t say anything, but Xi Bei caught a glimpse of slight fear in his gaze.

It made her feel like she was bullying a child.

“Xiao Bei,” Fu Yanzhou stammered quietly, “If I don’t understand something, I can learn it slowly.”

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