Sleepy Valley

Chapter 5

Tan Dong, however, seemed oblivious to her tenderness. He simply grabbed her arm and said, "Quick, let's go! Earthquake!" An earthquake struck, and people rushed out of the building. The stairwell was a chaotic scene; some people were disheveled, others were carrying or clutching unidentified objects. Shouts mingled with children's cries, and things crashed to the ground with loud thuds. To make matters worse, the stairwell lights were out, and people moved about in the darkness, their shadows obscuring each other. Tang Wan's mother tripped and fell as she went downstairs, twisting her ankle as she got up. Without hesitation, Tan Dong grabbed the old woman's hands and carried her on his back. Tang Wan's father followed behind, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing, simply supporting his wife as they followed Tan Dong and Tang Wan downstairs.

The open space in the residential area was even more chaotic than the stairwells. Residents from dozens of buildings rushed onto the narrow dirt road, heading towards the community gate. Not far from Tang Wan's home was a football field, and everyone instinctively thought of that place as they fled their homes; it had become the ideal refuge from the earthquake. Tan Dong and Tang Wan, along with their elderly relatives, also joined the fleeing crowd.

About ten minutes later, they entered the football field, which was already packed with people. Those who arrived first spread out their belongings or even their own bodies, trying to occupy as much space as possible. Later arrivals struggled to find a place to stand, leading to constant arguments with those who had arrived earlier. People continued to pour into the four gates of the football field, and the density of the crowd grew increasingly dense. Eventually, some police officers joined in to maintain order.

When Tan Dong put Tang Wan's mother down, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. He searched around for a moment, then coldly kicked a pile of scattered bundles into one place. The owner of those bundles glared at him as if to say something, but he returned the glare with a defiant look. The fat man muttered something, bent down to tidy his own things, and avoided meeting Tan Dong's gaze. Tang Wan's parents sat on the ground, the old man and woman looking at each other, neither of them able to utter a word.

They knew in their hearts that if it weren't for Tan Dong, they really wouldn't know what to do.

Tan Dong was a devil, someone they avoided like the plague, someone whose mere thought filled them with terror. Now, however, they had no way to avoid him, and thus, the old couple were filled with anxiety, unsure of what would happen next.

However, Tan Dong didn't give them a chance to confront him. The elderly couple, having calmed down a bit while sitting on the football field, discovered that Tan Dong was gone, and not only Tan Dong, but Tang Wan had also vanished without a trace.

The elderly couple immediately realized the truth: Tan Dong had taken their daughter away.

—Tang Wan!

The elderly couple had only their daughter's name on their minds. They began to stumble and move around the football field, calling out her name loudly. The football field was too crowded that night; no one cared about the elderly couple who had lost their daughter. Even the police maintaining order, after impatiently listening to the old woman's sobs, simply frowned and told them to find a place to sit down and talk to her again at dawn.

So much happened that night, and so much for the police to handle.

The elderly couple could only sit on the grass, leaning against each other. The old woman was still weeping, unable to speak. Tang Wan's father looked solemn; although he tried his best to appear calm, the occasional helplessness in his eyes revealed his inner fear.

—Tan Dong!

For a time, whenever Tang Wan's father closed his eyes, he could see that surging crimson. The crimson color permeated the night, accompanied by strange sounds—the crisp sound of the blade rubbing against bone as it pierced through flesh.

What kind of scene was it? Tang Wan's father still can't imagine it.

The blade flashed wildly, relentlessly cutting into a middle-aged couple. The heart-wrenching screams couldn't disturb the cold-blooded face of the knife-wielder. Blood would inevitably splatter onto him, or his face, still burning hot upon contact, but he remained completely oblivious. He was more professional than a butcher.

That night, many people heard the middle-aged couple's screams, and many people have never been able to shake off their fear of the night since.

Even though Tang Wan's father had a military background, he still felt waves of fear as he looked through the documents. When he saw the gruesome photos, his stomach clenched. He tried his best to keep himself from losing his composure, but when he went outside and took a breath of fresh air, his stomach churned so violently that he could no longer bear it.

That time, Tang Wan's father vomited for a long time by the roadside.

The stench of blood haunted the old man day and night afterward. Once, he dreamt that the man wielding the knife stood before him, covered in blood. The blade was soaked in blood, its swings accompanied by a sharp, swift wind. He stumbled and fled into the darkness, but the blood-stained knife remained close to him; every time he turned his head, he could see the knife inches away. Finally, he collapsed to the ground, unable to take another step forward, and the man wielding the knife stood before him. He looked up and saw the man's face covered in blood, his features obscured. But the man stared at him, and suddenly an expression appeared on his狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face—he was smiling. The smile caused his facial muscles to twitch, and the blood slowly dripped down, gradually revealing his true appearance.

Tang Wan's father opened his eyes wide in horror. What terrified him even more than the blood-stained blade was that he finally saw the face of the person wielding the knife.

—Tan Dong!

In fact, Tang Wan's father knew that Tan Dong was responsible for those things when he was looking at those documents. However, seeing Tan Dong's ferocious face with a smile in his dream was enough to break an old man's will.

Tang Wan's father couldn't recall whether Tan Dong's knife had fallen in his dream, but in many subsequent dreams, he saw his daughter crying alone in the darkness, the surging bloodstains slowly approaching her. By then, he was no longer concerned with his own fear; he watched as his daughter and Tan Dong's relationship grew increasingly intimate, Tan Dong's daily gentleness and indulgence of her every whim—all of this was an illusion, Tan Dong deceiving Tang Wan with his outward appearance. At this point, in addition to his fear, Tang Wan's father was also burdened with a new layer of anguish.

Because he really didn't know how to show Tang Wan the side of Tan Dong that was unknown to others.

If he were to tell Tang Wan all this, it would inevitably reopen the wounds that had already healed in her heart. Those nightmarish memories were something no one wanted to revisit. Therefore, Tang Wan's father felt not only fear but also pain. But out of paternal love, he knew that no matter what, he had to save his daughter from this perilous situation, and he had to keep Tan Dong away from Tang Wan by any means necessary.

He had tried to give Tan Dong some money and even had several of his former subordinates, now at the police station, warn him. When all of this failed, he resorted to his last trump card: threatening Tan Dong that if he continued to linger around Tang Wan, he would reveal his entire past to her. This was the reason Tan Dong was reluctantly leaving Tang Wan, and the past had reopened old wounds in Tan Dong's heart, ultimately leading to his decision to leave the city.

Tang Wan's father, standing on the football field, watched as Tan Dong diligently carried Tang Wan's mother all the way that night. At that moment, he felt a vague unease, and the thought of whether he had made a mistake even flashed through his mind. But now, Tan Dong had taken his daughter away, causing his anger to erupt once again uncontrollably.

The old man knew very well that Tan Dong loved Tang Wan deeply.

But this does nothing to reassure the elderly; some people often hurt the very people closest to them.

One sunny morning, Tang Wan's father drove to Qinglongshan Cemetery in the western suburbs of the city, where he stood silently facing two tombstones for a long time.

Behind the tombstone lies a middle-aged couple. Their age is forever frozen on that night when the knife-wielder went on a rampage. Tang Wan's father came to see them, not only because of their tragic deaths, but also because these two strangers now share a close connection with him.

Tang Wan's father suddenly felt very close to the middle-aged couple. He thought that if he couldn't stop Tang Wan from being with Tan Dong, he would end up like the couple.

Some people hurt those closest to them.

As Tang Wan's father left the cemetery, he gazed once more at the two names on the tombstone.

The husband in the middle-aged couple is surnamed Tan, and he is Tan Dong's father.

Chapter 7 I don't want to eat anything anymore

All the media outlets are talking about the earthquake.

The earthquake that struck the city late on the 28th was only magnitude 3, a magnitude that poses virtually no threat to people. Indeed, the tremors that occurred that night only caused the collapse of some illegally constructed, makeshift houses in the suburbs; the greatest damage in the city center was to damaged windows. Some broken glass fell onto the streets and injured members of the public.

Experts from the Earthquake Administration reiterated in the media that there are many reasons why an earthquake of magnitude 5 or above is absolutely impossible in the city. They also hoped that the general public would not panic over the few minor tremors on the evening of the 28th, and that it would not affect their normal work and life.

The police chief also gave a televised address, declaring that anyone who dared to exploit the panic caused by the earthquake to engage in illegal activities would be subject to even more severe punishment.

The city convened an emergency meeting due to the earthquake, attended by the highest-ranking leaders of various ministries, commissions, and district/county governments. The sole focus of the meeting was how to stabilize public morale and maintain normal work order and living conditions. Following the meeting, all units launched large-scale public awareness campaigns within their respective systems or jurisdictions. On the one hand, they organized the public to learn basic earthquake knowledge and self-rescue methods in the event of an earthquake; on the other hand, they made every effort to publicize the various reasons why a large-scale earthquake was unlikely to occur in the city.

But these efforts still could not eliminate the panic caused by the earthquake in the city.

On the 29th, all shopping malls and supermarkets were packed with customers, with long queues forming at the checkout counters. The main items bought were food and various daily necessities. Department stores used almost all their reserves, and some even raised prices without authorization, but this still couldn't stop the frenzied buying.

In the city, all the open green spaces, squares, and sports fields have been illegally converted into makeshift "earthquake shelters." When urban management officers and police attempted to manage these areas according to the law, disputes arose with the public. Ultimately, the urban management officers and police quietly withdrew, and relevant leaders personally intervened to persuade the residents, but to no avail. These earthquake shelters, in various forms, have sprung up throughout the city, and many people have made them their homes, seemingly preparing for a protracted struggle.

While government agencies and their subordinate units continued to operate normally, many private companies were forced to temporarily cease operations due to strong demands from their employees.

At the bus and train station ticket counters, long queues stretched from the ticket halls all the way to the plaza outside. Faced with the impending disaster, many chose to flee. They contacted relatives and friends in other cities, and after receiving permission, went to other cities to escape the impending catastrophe. Among this outflow of people were numerous migrant workers from other provinces who had come to the city to work.

Besides the booming business in shopping malls and supermarkets, another industry is also experiencing a peak: travel agencies. People choosing to travel at this time are essentially adopting a wait-and-see approach. They rarely choose travel routes, and their trips usually last about a week. This way, they can mitigate the foreseeable potential disasters and also use this leisure time to enjoy nature and relax.

It was already the end of June, and all primary and secondary schools had ushered in a two-month summer vacation, which made the school authorities breathe a sigh of relief and secretly rejoice that it saved them a lot of trouble.

At this time of year, the campus would normally be quiet. But this year is clearly different. The school's sports field has become an ideal refuge for nearby residents from the earthquake, so earthquake-resistant shelters have appeared on campus. Although the school authorities wanted to stop it, the will of the people was too strong, and even the urban management and police couldn't handle it. The few people in the school's security department were simply powerless to do anything about it.

Shabo stayed at school during the holidays, his favorite place being the audio-visual education center. The center had internet access, and he had friends online. They would get together and chat about everything under the sun, easily passing the time. This year, the school was unusually noisy, which he found quite novel. On his way from the dormitory to the audio-visual education center, he would often deliberately slow down, frequently pausing for a while when passing the playground.

The earthquake-resistant tents erected on the playground were of various shapes and sizes. The prettier ones were the small tents used for outdoor travel, brightly colored and not taking up much space. The uglier ones were the kind made of bamboo poles forming a frame covered with dark green tarpaulin. The noisy crowd consisted mostly of children and women. The children were excited about the change in lifestyle, and their newly made friends ran and chased each other back and forth between the tents. The women, with nothing else to do, sat in the shade, chatting and gossiping. Before meals, they would disperse to their own earthquake-resistant tents, and the aroma of food wafted from the stoves by the doors.

This is the first time I've seen such a vibrant atmosphere of daily life on campus.

That morning, Sha Bo was still in bed when he received a call from Yang Xing. Yang Xing said that he and Xiao Fei were on their way to school. Sha Bo was momentarily confused, remembering that school was already out for break, so why weren't the two of them home yet? But before he could ask, Yang Xing told him to wait for them in the dormitory and then hung up.

Shabo lay in bed for a while longer, calculating that they should have arrived by then, before getting up to wash. After waiting for a while and still not seeing Yang Xing and Xiao Fei, and feeling hungry, he decided to grab something from the food stalls outside the school. Before leaving, worried about getting lost with Yang Xing, he went back and left a note on the door.

Walking on campus, the playground was bustling with noise again. Several children, oblivious to the blazing sun, were running around like madmen. A woman's shrill, melodious voice rang out from somewhere. Sha Bo chuckled, walked around the playground, and went down the cement path connecting the dormitory building and the school gate.

Shabo usually wakes up early, but he slept in until now because he stayed up all night, not falling asleep until almost 5 a.m. A girl online named Forget-Me-Not kept him company all night.

Forget-Me-Not was a very understanding girl. When she first met Shabo online, she was a little timid, always needing him to say three sentences before she would reply. Later, as they became more familiar, her lively side gradually emerged, and she could occasionally joke with Shabo. Shabo imagined that small-town girls would be full of longing for the outside world; the glitz and glamour of big cities would be incredibly alluring to them. But Forget-Me-Not's behavior surprised him. She was very content with the peaceful life of her small town, loving the idyllic scenery that was independent of the world. In today's society, there aren't many people content with a peaceful life anymore. While chatting with Forget-Me-Not, Shabo opened the photos she sent and, between conversations, stared at the girl.

The girl in the photo stands in a lush vineyard. It must be early morning, with a thin mist drifting through the vineyard. She smiles as she walks among the grapevines and the mist. A long, flowing white cotton dress and long, jet-black hair adorn her slender frame. She has narrow shoulders and a thin waist; as her dress sways and stirs the mist, she appears ethereal. A soft ray of sunlight falls on her face, making her fair complexion radiant. Her smile is serene, like a snow lotus in a snowy landscape, instantly calming even the most restless heart.

When Shabo left the audiovisual education center, his heart was filled with tenderness.

Shabo and Wangyoucao had been chatting online for over two months. Although neither of them had ever confessed their feelings to the other, a deep understanding had formed between them. When Shabo came online, the person he most wanted to see was Wangyoucao, and Wangyoucao would always arrive on time for their agreed meeting.

This tacit understanding alone is enough to make Sabo ecstatic.

The two chatted late into the night, and before they knew it, the sky was beginning to lighten. As dawn approached, Shabo left the audiovisual education center to return to his dormitory. The center was on the sixth floor of a teaching building. As Shabo descended the stairs, his footsteps echoed eerily in the empty, quiet corridor. But Shabo was exhausted, especially his eyes; after sitting in front of the monitor all night, they were sore and achy, as if weighed down by a heavy object. All he wanted now was to get back to his dormitory and sleep soundly.

The dizziness occurred again at that moment, before Shabo even had time to think.

First, the darkness brightened, but it was still undeniably darkness; the light leaped and danced, quickly engulfing Shabo's entire world. Having had a similar experience before, Shabo quickly braced himself against the wall as the dizziness began, then slowly crouched down.

The shimmering darkness spun faster and faster, and Shabo's only sensation was dizziness. It felt somewhat like a knife-throwing performance he'd seen at a park circus as a child. The performer, blindfolded, threw knives repeatedly. Opposite him was a large spinning wheel, and another person was strapped to it, the wheel spinning just before the performer threw the knives.

—The world spins.

Through the shimmering darkness, some objects vaguely appeared. In truth, the objects were still composed of darkness, only now that the darkness gradually acquired layers of light and shadow. It was a fire, a black fire. The black flames quickly expanded, covering the entire mountainside. Shabo realized the fire was burning on a mountain, a mountain that seemed strangely familiar. He racked his brain, trying to remember which mountain it was.

The flames were about a meter tall, arranged in neat, orderly layers. Just as Shabo tried to get a closer look, deeper darkness descended, and he could no longer distinguish between darkness and light.

The wheel began to spin again, and the dizzying sensation dispelled the flames.

The flames gradually died down, and the bright darkness finally came to a standstill.

Shabo remained crouched in the corner, his eyes closed. He needed some time to confirm that the dizziness had subsided.

Later, Shabo lay on his bed in the dormitory, his eyes still feeling swollen and painful. After each bout of dizziness, he was extremely tired, as if the dizziness had drained too much of his energy. So, that night he had no time to think about the flames he had seen during the dizziness and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

He saw the black fire again in his dream. But the fire burned for only a very short time before he was startled by a ringing phone. Shabo answered the phone in a daze; it was Yang Xing and Xiao Fei.

Walking in the sunlight, Sabo deliberately tried not to think about the dizziness and the black flames he saw in his dream, because according to his past experience, many of the things he saw when he was dizzy were without reason. If he had to verify everything in reality, it would be very difficult and obviously unwise.

The campus this summer was different from every year, which cheered Shabo up considerably. Without these people seeking refuge, he would have had to spend another lonely and desolate holiday alone.

After having breakfast at a street stall, Sha Bo was worried about whether Yang Xing and Xiao Fei had arrived, so he paid and went straight back to his dormitory. In the open space downstairs, he saw Yang Xing and Xiao Fei carrying a bag, peeking out towards the road.

First, Xiao Fei saw Sha Bo approaching and pulled Yang Xing along. Yang Xing was carrying a net bag containing a shoebox. He hung his head, looking listless, and glanced up in the direction Sha Bo had come from, his eyes weak and lifeless. Sha Bo immediately thought that something must have happened to this guy.

"Old Sha, Old Sha, where have you been? We've been waiting for ages!" Xiao Fei bounced over.

Sha Bo glared at her, then looked at Yang Xing, and said with a stern face, "It's already the third day of the holiday, why haven't you two gone home yet?" Sha Bo already knew that Yang Xing and Xiao Fei lived in two different cities, and according to custom, they should go home separately after the holiday. In fact, Sha Bo had already vaguely guessed the reason when he asked the question, but as a teacher, he still had an obligation to ask.

Xiao Fei chuckled, "Old Sha, stop being so wishy-washy. It's not easy to get a break, just give us some freedom." "I know even if you don't say it," Sha Bo snorted. "You two are always glued together at school, and now that it's vacation, you don't want to be apart." He glanced at the dejected Yang Xing and continued, "Let me tell you, you better not cause any trouble, or you'll regret it." Xiao Fei nodded dramatically and gave a heavy "Mmm," as if in response to Sha Bo.

Shabo led them back to the dormitory, asking along the way, "What brings you here today? Are you broke? Let me tell you, it's not easy for me to earn my salary, so don't even think about taking advantage of me. If you're broke, go home now. I can only sponsor one train ticket for each of you." Xiaofei scoffed, "Shabo, can't you come up with something more original? If we didn't have money, we wouldn't be here robbing a bank." "So why aren't you enjoying your free time here instead of just being yourselves?" "We don't..." "Do you consider me a friend? I was worried you'd be lonely at school, so I came to check on you." "Hearing that makes my heart race. You guys must be after something again." Xiao Fei chuckled, "Old Sha, you're making people afraid of you. You're like a frightened bird, seeing threats everywhere." Sha Bo frowned, "Who wouldn't be afraid of students like you?" Back in the dorm, Xiao Fei sat obediently in the chair at her desk, while Yang Xing sprawled out on the bed, burying his head in the pillow, looking extremely sleepy and exhausted.

Xiao Fei stared intently at Sha Bo with her big eyes, as if she had something to say. Sha Bo deliberately didn't ask, but finally she couldn't help herself and said, "Old Sha, I need to talk to you about something. Can we borrow your kitchen?" Sha Bo was stunned for a moment. These two kids had come all the way back to school just to borrow his kitchen to cook something? He had known these two kids for so long, and he had never heard of either of them ever cooking. Sha Bo looked at the smiling Xiao Fei with suspicion and a scrutinizing gaze.

Xiao Fei felt awkward under Sha Bo's glare. She gave an embarrassed laugh, then suddenly turned to the bedside and pulled the listless Yang Xing up. "You should talk to Lao Sha about this. Don't always make me the one to lead the charge." Yang Xing still had his head drooping, his hands hanging haphazardly at his sides, looking like he hadn't eaten in days, only his eyes still carrying a hint of arrogance. Yang Xing, of course, didn't care about Sha Bo's scrutinizing gaze, but what he had to say was clearly difficult for him to utter. So, he hesitated for a moment, but finally said frankly, "I'm sick. I don't want to eat anything." Sha Bo remained silent for a long time. He had heard Yang Xing's words clearly, but still didn't react.

Seeing Sha Bo's bewildered expression, Yang Xing said loudly again in a fit of pique, "I don't want to eat anything." Sha Bo smiled, first with a hint of a smile on his face, then he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Yang Xing stood up angrily: "Old Sha, if you laugh again, I'll get angry with you." Xiao Fei also rolled her eyes at Sha Bo reproachfully: "Old Sha, that's not right of you. We only told you this because we consider you a friend. Can you stop laughing like that all the time? You're a grown man, still acting like a child." Sha Bo nodded repeatedly, agreeing with "uh-huh" but still couldn't stop smiling.

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore, alright?" Sha Bo said to Yang Xing. "If you don't want to eat anything, why do you still want to borrow my kitchen?" Yang Xing plopped down on the bed again, looking aggrieved. "I don't want to eat anything, but you know how hungry I am? I'm so hungry that I drool over the dogs running in the street, but... but no matter what food is placed in front of me, I have no appetite at all." Seeing Yang Xing's listless and pitiful appearance, Sha Bo stopped laughing. He realized that these two kids were really in trouble. But he still couldn't understand what Yang Xing was saying.

Xiao Fei chimed in, "He doesn't know when he got this problem. He feels nauseous at the sight of food. Forcing food into his mouth is like trying to kill him. If he manages to eat a little, he'll definitely throw it up in no time. He eats so little, but throws up a huge amount. It's such a waste." Sha Bo asked, "Why don't you go to the hospital to get it checked out?" Xiao Fei said, "I've been. Those doctors, besides overcharging, only give me terrible advice. They checked Yang Xing's stomach and intestines, and concluded that they were more normal than average. So, they're at a loss." Finally, they prescribed some appetite-stimulating medicine and told us to go out and wander around, hoping we might find something we wanted to eat. "So you went out and wandered around, and that's how you found what you wanted to eat." This time, Xiao Fei didn't speak, but Yang Xing on the bed said with a puzzled look, "I wasn't sure if I wanted to eat it, but I had to try, otherwise, in another week or two, I'd starve to death." Now, Sha Bo understood everything. He looked at Yang Xing, then at Xiao Fei, and finally his gaze fell on the shoebox that Yang Xing had tossed by the door as soon as he came in. As if responding to Sha Bo's gaze, there was a "thumping" sound from inside the shoebox. Sha Bo was startled; he hadn't expected there to be something alive inside the shoebox.

At this moment, Yang Xing stood up and said, "Anyway, we've already told you everything. We came here just to borrow your kitchen. Just give us an answer, whether you lend it to us or not." Sha Bo smiled wryly, "Since you've said that, how can I refuse?" Yang Xing forced a smile, exchanged a glance with Xiao Fei, and without further hesitation, Xiao Fei picked up the shoebox, while Yang Xing went straight to the kitchen. Each room in the teachers' dormitory had a small kitchen, about five or six square meters. Yang Xing and Xiao Fei were used to this place and knew their way around well. Sha Bo was vaguely worried, wondering what these two kids were up to, so he followed behind them.

At the kitchen doorway, he saw Yang Xing slowly walking towards the shoebox, a gleaming knife in his hand. His expression changed instantly, as if the moment he gripped the knife, his lost spirit returned. He became energetic and radiant. The veins on his hand gripping the knife bulged, clearly indicating he was using all his strength. He slowly walked towards the shoebox, a greedy expression finally appearing on his face.

Sha Bo was astonished by Yang Xing's change at this moment, and felt a chill slowly rising in his heart.

Yang Xing had already opened the shoebox lid, and at the same time, he raised the knife in his right hand high.

At noon, Sha Bo, Xiao Fei, and Yang Xing were eating at the Three Gorges Restaurant near Hualian Plaza. Sha Bo liked spicy food, and the restaurant owner was from Sichuan, so every dish he cooked suited Sha Bo's taste. Sha Bo and Xiao Fei ate with their chopsticks in hand, their mouths never stopping. Across from them, Yang Xing looked worried, his hands supporting his chin as he pitifully stared at them.

Yang Xing's stomach growled twice, and Sha Bo felt a subconscious pleasure, so he chewed his food even louder. Yang Xing rolled his eyes and protested loudly, "Old Sha, if you keep doing this, I'll take it as you doing it on purpose." Sha Bo ignored him and ate even more happily.

Xiao Fei felt sorry for Yang Xing, put down her chopsticks and sighed, "Yang Xing, your illness is really strange. It's bad enough that you can't eat, but please don't add any new problems. You even feel nauseous watching others eat." Sha Bo wanted to laugh, but seeing that Yang Xing and Xiao Fei's faces were both serious, he swallowed his laughter and said, "Yang Xing, don't look so gloomy. After we finish eating, we'll go to the market with you and see if there's anything you like. We'll buy it and you can borrow my kitchen again." Mentioning the kitchen made Sha Bo feel nauseous.

The kitchen was now spotless, not a single hair was left. Xiao Fei had put all the bones and fur into a black plastic bag and thrown it in the downstairs trash can. While eating, Sha Bo suddenly remembered the knife and decided he absolutely had to throw it away when he got back. Because that knife had once been in Yang Xing's hands, and had been used without hesitation to behead a golden retriever.

Yang Xing's decapitation was swift and clean. He lifted the dog with his left hand and slammed it heavily to the ground. The dog lay motionless, its body sprawled out, twitching slightly. At that moment, Yang Xing swiftly brought his blade down, the tip striking the dog's neck precisely. A spurt of blood erupted, and the dog's head rolled to the side.

That was a beautiful golden retriever, pure white without a single stray hair. Its face was covered in white fur, with a shiny black lip, making it look particularly憨厚 (honest and simple) and lovable. Now, the dog's body was still convulsing, and bright red blood was gushing from the severed neck, quickly staining its white fur crimson.

Xiao Fei had already hidden behind Sha Bo. Sha Bo frowned, wanting to scold Yang Xing, but thinking of Yang Xing's expression when he chopped off the dog's head with a knife, the words of scolding were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't say a word.

Later, while Shabo and Xiaofei were watching TV outside, Yang Xing stayed in the kitchen alone, skinning the dog, chopping it into pieces, and cooking half a pot of it.