059: Real Dreams, Cooked Rice

At around four o'clock in the morning, Wang Yunzhi was awakened by a sudden urge to use the restroom. Her bleary eyes opened, and the first thing she saw was Qi Lin's face, resting peacefully beside her, handsome but with a hint of naughtiness that made her heart race. For a moment, she was disoriented.

Her mind slowly stirred to life, and memories of the previous night began to surface.

"I came to camp on the mountain... but Chen Dongxi left me alone."

"There was a storm, Qi Lin's tent was blown away, and we ended up sharing mine."

"And in my dream... Qi Lin invited me to drink cappuccino, then wrapped me in a warm blanket... and we... worked out together at the gym..."

The last thought hit her like a wave. Workout!

Now fully awake, the vivid dream of the previous night was painfully clear, and Wang Yunzhi began to realize something deeper had happened. Glancing down at her body, her face paled.

It's over, she thought, feeling a creeping darkness in her mind. What have I done?

Her initial shock faded into confusion as she processed her situation. Whose fault is this?

Wang Yunzhi lay still for a moment, trying to piece everything together. "I was freezing in my sleep, and then... I must have instinctively rolled over toward Qi Lin for warmth."

She pondered over the night's events. Was it me? Did I roll into him? Did he... or did I? The exact sequence was unclear, but deep down, she knew it wasn't entirely Qi Lin's doing.

It was me... Wang Yunzhi realized, a sense of guilt mixed with resignation. It was an accident, but still...

She sighed heavily, closing her eyes in defeat. It wasn't really his fault. It wasn't mine either. It just... happened.

Opening her eyes again, Wang Yunzhi allowed herself to look at Qi Lin's sleeping face. Maybe he doesn't even remember what happened, she thought, trying to console herself. It was just an accident, nothing more.

She stared at him for a while longer, the emotions of the night mixed with the reality of what had transpired. As much as she wanted to avoid facing it, there was a strange thrill lingering from the dream. The warmth, the connection — it wasn't something she could easily dismiss.

Carefully, she pulled herself away from Qi Lin's arms and dressed in her damp sportswear, her mind still racing. But before long, an inexplicable comfort returned, and she found herself crawling back into Qi Lin's embrace, seeking the warmth and security she had found there.

---

By five-thirty in the morning, the sky was starting to brighten, but not fully.

"Did you bring everything?"

"Yeah, I've got the money right here."

"Well, take out your goods so I can check them first."

Voices drifted from outside the tent, stirring Wang Yunzhi from her sleep. Groggily, she rubbed her eyes and listened. Who's talking outside? she wondered aloud.

"Shh..." A hand covered her mouth, and she tensed up in fear until she realized it was Qi Lin.

"Sister Yunzhi," Qi Lin whispered in her ear, "there are some people outside, and it sounds like they're making an illegal transaction. Don't make any noise, or you'll draw attention."

Wang Yunzhi exhaled with relief, though her heart raced faster. She glanced down at her tangled limbs and blushed at the situation she was in.

She turned to Qi Lin and whispered, "Why don't you wear anything when you sleep?" Her blush deepened as she noticed how close they still were.

Qi Lin chuckled inwardly. So, she's pretending nothing happened, huh? he thought. For now, he decided to play along, knowing that any confrontation would be awkward for both of them.

(I change somethings here from the original cause... it was very strange and meaningless, like, her excuse was that maybe they both did it while slept and that's why he didn't remember 🤡)

"I must've kicked off my clothes in my sleep," he said with a sheepish grin, pretending to be embarrassed. "I move a lot when I sleep."

He slowly began to put on his clothes, while Wang Yunzhi sneaked shy glances at him, her blush not fading. However, something much more serious soon took over her mind.

Wang Yunzhi's face turned pale as she remembered the events of the night. There was no... protection... and I didn't... take precautions either. Panic crept into her thoughts. What if...

Before she could dwell on it any longer, Qi Lin gently took her hand, leading her outside the tent. They moved quietly, hiding behind some bushes to observe the scene unfolding a short distance away.

Two groups of men stood atop a nearby hill, clearly in the middle of some sort of transaction.

"This must be the antique dealers and tomb raiders," Qi Lin whispered, his eyes narrowing as he realized what they were witnessing. This is the chance I was waiting for, he thought. The moment to intercept Chen Dongxi's luck.

Wang Yunzhi, unaware of Qi Lin's deeper motives, whispered back, "What are they doing?"

"They're exchanging stolen goods. Those are dangerous people."

"Ah?" Wang Yunzhi gasped softly, her nerves tightening. "So, they're criminals?"

Qi Lin nodded. "Yes. Antique dealers and tomb raiders. People like them deal in stolen artifacts and are ruthless. If they catch us, we're in real danger."

The gravity of the situation sank in. Wang Yunzhi pulled on Qi Lin's sleeve nervously. "We should leave right now. We can call the police once we're safe."

If Qi Lin were anyone else, like Chen Dongxi, he might have followed her advice. But Qi Lin was not Chen Dongxi. He knew that risks often came with opportunities, and this was a chance he couldn't pass up.

Instead of retreating, he crouched lower, watching the transaction unfold. His instincts told him this deal involved something far more valuable than anyone realized. He had to act, but carefully.