TDU Chapter 221
Chapter 221 Content
Yu Nian'An closed the door behind them and gently guided Qi Xia to the couch, helping him sit down slowly.
But Qi Xia seemed entranced, his eyes fixed on Yu Nian'An as if in a trance.
"Xia, what’s wrong?" Yu Nian'An took both of Qi Xia’s hands in hers. "If something’s bothering you, tell me. Don’t leave me worrying."
"I’m fine," Qi Xia shook his head. "I’ve never felt this good in my life."
"You’re always like this." Yu Nian'An sighed, sitting down beside him. The small armchair barely fit the two of them, but it was enough to draw them close. "You keep everything inside, but holding it in too long will cause problems. So, tell me, what exactly happened?"
"I… I had a terrible, terrifying nightmare," Qi Xia’s gaze dimmed as he spoke.
"A terrible nightmare?" Yu Nian'An stroked his face with a hint of concern. "Did you dream of monsters? Or perhaps a crazed murderer?"
"Those aren’t nightmares to me," Qi Xia shook his head. "An, I dreamt that I lost you."
"Pfft." Yu Nian'An couldn’t help but laugh at Qi Xia’s words. "You lost me? Then why didn’t you go look for me?"
"I did," Qi Xia slowly placed a hand over his forehead, feeling an overwhelming pain in his heart. "I couldn’t find you… I plunged into the abyss of hell, enduring countless tragedies, but I didn’t know where to search for you…"
"Alright, alright…" Yu Nian'An, still worried, embraced Qi Xia, sensing just how exhausted he was. "Don’t overthink it. I’ve always been right here. I never went anywhere."
Qi Xia closed his eyes and nestled into Yu Nian'An’s embrace, feeling as if his entire world had returned to him.
Whether it was luck or fate, {End Point} had heeded his plea for the return of Yu Nian'An.
As long as she was here, he could confront an omnipotent god and stand firm.
"Xia, are you hungry?" Yu Nian'An asked gently.
"I…" Qi Xia, though he hadn’t had a decent meal in days, found that the moment he looked into Yu Nian'An’s eyes, everything seemed perfect, and he felt as though he didn’t need to eat at all.
"I’ll cook up something quick for you," Yu Nian'An patted Qi Xia’s head as if taking care of a child. "It won’t take long."
She stood up, took an apron off the wall nearby, and walked into the kitchen.
The moment Qi Xia saw Yu Nian'An leave his line of sight, a sense of panic gripped him. He quickly followed her into the kitchen.
Sure enough, she was there, just in the kitchen, nowhere else.
At that moment, she was preparing to wash some vegetables.
"What’s wrong with you…?" Yu Nian'An asked. "Are you afraid I’ll poison you?"
"N—No…," Qi Xia shook his head, "I’m just afraid that I’m losing my mind. I’m afraid that you right now are just an illusion of mine."
Yu Nian'An, hearing this, furrowed her brows. She set the vegetables down, walked over, and pinched Qi Xia’s arm in annoyance.
Qi Xia felt the pain, but a smile appeared on his face.
"Stupid Xia, does it hurt?" Yu Nian'An asked, pretending to be angry.
"It hurts," Qi Xia nodded.
"If I’m an illusion, how could I make you feel pain?" Yu Nian'An pouted, turning her back. "If you’re not going to help me cook, then stop causing trouble here. Go wait outside!"
But Qi Xia had no intention of leaving. He just wanted to stay quietly by Yu Nian'An’s side.
Seeing this, Yu Nian'An could only shake her head and said, "Xia, how about this? Guess what I’m going to cook for you. If you guess right, I’ll let you stay in the kitchen."
With Yu Nian'An occupying every corner of his thoughts, Qi Xia had no room to consider what dishes she was making.
Without a second thought, Qi Xia casually said, "Bean sprouts and braised eggplant."
Yu Nian'an paused in the middle of washing the vegetables, turning to him with a look of incredulity. "I’m clearly washing scallions—how did you know it was bean sprouts and braised eggplant?"
"Uh…" Qi Xia chuckled helplessly. "I suppose it just means we share a mutual connection."
…
Yu Nian'An brought the two dishes to the table, and Qi Xia devoured them hungrily.
Qi Xia couldn't decide if it was the excessive consumption of cans from {End Point} or Yu Nian'an's exceptional cooking that made him feel as though he had never tasted anything so sublime.
Yu Nian'An made the bean sprouts without vinegar, instead adding chili peppers and scallions.
For the braised eggplant, she didn’t use dark soy sauce but preferred to add a few spoons of sugar.
These subtle changes in the dishes perfectly captured Qi Xia's appetite. He felt an undeniable bond with Yu Nian'An. Even though it was her first time making these two dishes, they were exactly to Qi Xia's liking.
After finishing the meal, Qi Xia slowly began to feel uneasy.
He knew that no matter how blissful this moment seemed, they were still caught in the {countdown before the earthquake}.
Tomorrow at noon, the apocalyptic earthquake would come, and everything he had would be shattered.
Where could they run to in order to escape {End Point}?
The mere thought of {End Point} brought back the bizarre and absurd images from that place in Qi Xia's mind.
How did the massacre at {Passage to Heaven} ultimately unfold?
Qiao Jiajin and Li Xiangling must have listened to his advice and survived, right?
Yes, they should have endured to the tenth day.
Were they also seeing to the fulfillment of their last wishes?
“Knock, knock, knock.” A gentle sound came from his side.
Qi Xia paused, then turned to look at Yu Nian'An, who wore a mischievous grin. He smiled and asked, "Who’s at the door?"
"So it turns out Qi Xia is home!" Yu Nian'An {hummed}, "You finished eating and didn't even wash the dishes. I thought Qi Xia wasn’t home!"
"That was my mistake." Qi Xia smiled contentedly, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. If his life were to remain this way forever, he would be at peace with it.
He decided that from this moment on, every time he entered {End Point}, he would immediately take his own life.
{Three thousand six hundred Dào}, {escape}, {Judgment’s Domain}, and {Passage to Heaven} could all cease to exist. He would willingly be bound to this day for all eternity.
This moment was more than enough for him.
Qi Xia finished washing the dishes and, almost absentmindedly, glanced toward the bedroom. Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he froze in place.
He walked over, slowly pushing open the door, then stood there, rooted to the spot.
There was still no bed. What greeted his eyes was only a table and a chair.
He slowly widened his eyes, a dull ache beginning to form in his head.
What the hell—where’s the bed?!
This was Yu Nian'An and his room, yet there was no place for her to sleep.
Qi Xia hurriedly turned around and found Yu Nian'an wiping the table in the living room. She hadn’t disappeared, but there was no bed in the room.
A sense of dissonance slowly ignited within him.
"Oh right!" Yu Nian'An walked over slowly, offering an embarrassed smile. "Xia, I accidentally did something stupid, don't laugh at me."
"Wh—What is it?"
"You remember I ordered a bed online the other day?" Yu Nian'An scratched her head. "The delivery was supposed to come today, so I had a waste collector come and take the old bed out this morning. But now, when I checked again, it said it was delayed until tomorrow, so we’ll have to sleep on the floor. Heh heh..."
Upon hearing this, Qi Xia let out a heavy sigh of relief. "S–So that's what happened?" His smile softened with a sense of relief. "Don’t worry, An... if that’s all it is... there’s nothing to be concerned about..."
