Chapter 56: The Census Workers

Lin Qingxue winced in pain. She tried to pull her hand back, but it wouldn’t budge.

Su Yutao clamped down, a low growl rumbling from her throat. It was like an animal protecting its food, or fighting for its life.

Lin Qingxue froze.

She looked down at Su Yutao. The little blind girl was biting her, her whole body trembling. No tears fell, but her face was a mask of utter despair.

She wasn’t just biting. She was fighting.

Lin Qingxue didn’t move. She didn’t pull away. She let her bite.

After a moment, Su Yutao’s strength faded.

Not because she let go. Because she had nothing left.

From last night until now, she had been tense, terrified, shaking. She had no more strength.

Her mouth went slack. A row of teeth marks, beaded with blood, now adorned Lin Qingxue’s hand.

Su Yutao curled up in the corner of the sofa, hugging herself, trembling violently.

Qiansui was gone.

It was dark.

The person from the night was awake.

She was going to be hit again. Pinched again. Stomped on again.

She didn’t even have Qiansui anymore.

Lin Qingxue looked at the teeth marks on her hand, then at Su Yutao, curled up on the sofa.

The little blind girl had shrunk into a ball, hugging herself, shaking, her mouth open, making a hoarse “heh-heh” sound.

Lin Qingxue remembered what the psychologist had said: “When she’s scared, just sit nearby. Don’t do anything. Let her get used to your presence.”

So Lin Qingxue didn’t go over. She sat down on the other end of the sofa, keeping her distance.

She sat quietly.

She wiped the blood from her hand and looked at Su Yutao.

Then she spoke softly.

“Xiao Tao.”

Su Yutao flinched.

Lin Qingxue’s voice was gentle: “Your penguin is drying on the balcony. I washed it for you, so it’s wet. You can’t hold it now. I’ll give it back to you tomorrow when it’s dry.”

Su Yutao was stunned.

Balcony? Drying?

She remembered waking up earlier and feeling the sunlight streaming through the window—a warm, orange-red glow.

It wasn’t night.

It was evening.

The daytime version of her was still here.

She hadn’t left.

Su Yutao’s “heh-heh” sound faded, but didn’t stop completely.

She stayed curled up, hugging herself, afraid to move.

Lin Qingxue watched her and softened her voice even more: “I know you’re scared. I shouldn’t have suddenly touched your things and touched you. That’s why you bit me.”

Su Yutao froze.

She realized who she had bitten—it was the daytime version of her.

She had bitten the daytime version of her.

She had bitten the woman who bought her buns, let her sleep on the bed, and changed her bandages.

Su Yutao curled up tighter. She was terrified.

Afraid that the daytime version would be angry. Afraid that she would abandon her. Afraid that she, too, would become the person from the night.

Lin Qingxue looked at the teeth marks on her hand and sighed softly. “But it really hurts.”

Su Yutao trembled, shrinking into the smallest possible ball.

She knew she had done wrong.

She had bitten someone she shouldn’t have.

Lin Qingxue watched her but didn’t move closer. She stayed at the other end of the sofa.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again: “Did you have a nightmare? Did someone try to steal your penguin?”

Su Yutao hesitated.

A nightmare?

No. It was real.

But she couldn’t say that.

She could only nod.

Lin Qingxue saw her nod and felt the taut string in her heart loosen a bit.

At least they could communicate normally.

She smiled slightly. “Your penguin is on the balcony. It’s not lost. I’ll get it for you when it’s dry.”

Su Yutao was still shaking.

Lin Qingxue thought for a moment, then stood up and went to the balcony to get the penguin. It was wet, still dripping.

She came back and placed the penguin next to Su Yutao—not thrusting it into her arms, just setting it by her hand.

Su Yutao’s hand touched the damp fur. She immediately pulled the penguin into her arms and hugged it tightly.

It was wet and cold, but Qiansui was there.

She couldn’t hear Qiansui’s voice—the penguin was wet, so Qiansui might be asleep or afraid to speak.

But at least she could feel the little penguin beside her.

Su Yutao buried her face in the wet penguin. She was still shaking, but much better than before.

Lin Qingxue watched her and sighed softly. “From now on, I’ll tell you before I touch your things. Don’t be afraid.”

Su Yutao didn’t move.

She just held Qiansui tighter, curled up, trembling.

But she heard those words: “Don’t be afraid.”

The daytime version of her had said, “Don’t be afraid.”

The person from the night never said that.

That person never comforted her. That person just struck directly…

Su Yutao hugged Qiansui even tighter.

Qiansui was damp and cool, but it was there.

The daytime version of her was sitting nearby, not coming over, not touching her. Just sitting.

Sunlight streamed through the window, a warm orange-red, falling on her.

It wasn’t the cold of night. It was the warmth of evening.

Su Yutao’s breathing gradually steadied.

Not because she was no longer afraid, but because she was too tired.

She held Qiansui, curled up on the sofa, and closed her eyes—though they had never been open.

Lin Qingxue watched her fall asleep again and sighed softly.

She looked down at the teeth marks on her hand, then at Su Yutao, curled into a ball.

What had this little blind girl been through to be this afraid? She couldn’t imagine.

All she knew was that she had to change.

Don’t touch her. Don’t startle her. Let her get used to her presence.

She leaned back on the sofa, watching the sunset outside the window, waiting for nightfall. Waiting for tomorrow. Waiting for the day when Su Yutao wouldn’t be afraid.

Lin Qingxue was still leaning on the sofa, watching the sunset.

The orange-red light fell on her face, warm and pleasant.

Su Yutao was curled up on the other end of the sofa, hugging the wet penguin, asleep again.

Her breathing was light and even. Her face was no longer pale, but slightly flushed.

Lin Qingxue looked at her, and the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“Dong dong dong.”

Lin Qingxue frowned. She stood up and went to open it.

Two people stood outside—a man and a woman, both in dark blue work uniforms with ID badges hanging from their chests and folders in their hands.

The woman smiled. “Hello, we’re from the community neighborhood committee. We’re doing a census. Please cooperate.”

Lin Qingxue stepped aside. “Come in.”

The two entered and stood in the living room.

The woman looked at her folder and began, “May I ask, is the head of the household—”

Lin Qingxue said, “I’m renting. The owner’s surname is Chen. I’ll give you his contact information in a moment.”

The woman nodded and wrote in her notebook.

The man stood nearby, glancing around until his gaze landed on Su Yutao on the sofa.

Su Yutao was curled up in the corner, hugging the penguin, fast asleep.

Her face was small, her white hair spread across the cushion, her whole body a tiny ball.

The man looked at her for a moment, then glanced at Lin Qingxue. He didn’t say anything.

The woman finished writing, closed her notebook, and smiled. “Okay, thank you for your cooperation. By the way, did you hear anything unusual in this building last night?”

Lin Qingxue was taken aback. “What kind of unusual?”

The woman lowered her voice. “In the building next door, a couple died last night.”

“It was a gruesome scene. I heard the man’s head was—”

The man beside her coughed. The woman quickly stopped herself and smiled. “Anyway, be careful at night. Lock your doors and windows.”

Lin Qingxue nodded. “Okay, thank you.”

The two headed for the door.

As the man passed the sofa, he glanced at Su Yutao again.

This time, he stopped.

He stared at Su Yutao’s face for several seconds, then turned to look at Lin Qingxue. Surprise crept into his voice. “This little girl… why is she in your house?”

Lin Qingxue was stunned. “You know her?”

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