I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

Gu Yan suddenly didn't want to ask her what was down there anymore.

He didn't even want to ask her who her adoptive parents were.

It's not the right time yet, and she has her reasons.

He could feel her hands were still trembling.

That trembling wasn't from fear, but from something much heavier.

He loosened his grip on her hand, turned his palm over, and gently took her hand in his.

"Let's go back first, it's too dark here."

Fu Wanqing's fingers trembled slightly.

Then she pulled him hard and led him up the steps.

The two people stood on the cement steps, one in front of the other.

The steps were narrow and steep, so you had to be very careful with every step.

No one spoke again, and no one turned around.

Behind them, in the thick darkness, there was still only deathly silence.

Gu Yan followed behind her, the strong smell of blood still lingering in her mind.

Those indistinct outlines, those burlap sacks, those dripping water sounds.

With each step he took, the smell seemed to linger in his nostrils, impossible to shake off.

He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but they were all stuck in his throat.

But Fu Wanqing walked too fast, as if she were running away, as if she was afraid he would speak.

The door to the room was pushed open, and the lamp was still on, its warm yellow light illuminating everything as usual.

The blankets on the bed were still the same as when they left, and the pillows were placed crookedly.

Fu Wanqing released his hand, stood in the center of the room, and turned her back to him.

Her shoulders heaved slightly, as if she were taking a deep breath.

Gu Yan saw her fingers clench and unclench at her side.

Then she turned around, a smile already on her face.

That smile was exactly the same as usual, shining like a little sun.

But Gu Yan noticed that the corners of her eyes were a little red, wondering if it was from the heat in the bathroom.

"I'll take a shower first. I've been in the basement for so long, and I'm covered in filth."

Her tone was light and cheerful, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

She even disdainfully tugged at the hem of her pajamas and wrinkled her nose to sniff it.

"It stinks! I can't even stand the smell myself."

Gu Yan looked at her and opened her mouth.

"Wanqing, to the bottom of the basement."

"Let's talk after you take a shower, okay?"

She interrupted him, her voice still tinged with laughter.

But the smile didn't reach his eyes; something was lurking deep within his amber pupils.

Gu Yan paused for a moment, then nodded.

Fu Wanqing turned and walked towards a small door in the corner of the room.

He had initially thought it was a wardrobe, but now he realized it was a door.

The door frame blends seamlessly with the wall color, making it almost unnoticeable unless you look closely.

"Is there a bathroom in the room?"

Gu Yan asked a question subconsciously.

Fu Wanqing turned her head and glanced at him, a slight smile curving her lips.

"Yes, my adoptive parents specially changed it for me, saying it's inconvenient for girls to use public bathrooms."

"It's an old house, so it's not difficult to renovate. All you need to do is connect water pipes and a water heater."

She pushed open the door and went inside; the door closed gently behind her.

With a click, the door lock engaged.

Gu Yan stood in the room and heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

He leaned against the window, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the windowsill.

My mind was still racing with images of everything that had happened in the basement.

Those conversations, that smell, Fu Wanqing's eyes shining unnaturally in the darkness.

And that smile of hers that didn't reach her eyes just now.

A few minutes later, the sound of water stopped.

A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened.

Fu Wanqing came out, holding a hair dryer in her hand.

She was wearing a clean, light pink nightgown, similar in style to the one she wore before.

But this time her hair was wet, and her long pink hair clung to both sides of her face.

Water droplets dripped down her hair and landed on her shoulder.

She turned her head to the side and dried her hair with a towel, revealing a section of her fair neck.

A few water droplets, still damp from not being wiped away, clung to her collarbone, glistening under the light.

Her skin was flushed a light pink from the steam, spreading from her cheeks all the way up to her chest.

Her whole body was steaming with damp heat, like a peach blossom just pulled out of a hot spring.

The petals were still covered with morning dew.

The nightgown was made of very thin material, and a few small patches were damp from the moisture, clinging to the sides of the waist and partially visible.

She stood barefoot on the floor, her toes rounded, her ankles still flushed from being rinsed with hot water.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a girl after taking a shower?"

She suddenly looked up and met his gaze, a smile on her lips but a hint of reproach in her tone.

Gu Yan looked away and pointed to the hair dryer in her hand.

"Go blow-dry your hair first, don't catch a cold."

Fu Wanqing snorted and plugged in the hairdryer to start drying her hair.

The hairdryer hummed, and she moved nimbly, her fingers quickly manipulating the strands of hair.

She turned her hair upside down to blow-dry it, bending over at a 90-degree angle, her long pink hair cascading down like a waterfall.

Blow-dry from the roots to the ends, then separate the hair strand by strand by running your fingers through the middle.

Her long hair was blown about, making it fluffy and fluffy, like a pink cloud blown by the morning breeze.

She straightened up and shook her hair, a few stray strands flying up and landing on her forehead.

The scent of the shampoo filled the room completely; it was still that peach scent.

But her ears were red, burning red, red as if they were about to bleed.

Because she could see Gu Yan leaning against the window as soon as she looked up.

His profile was illuminated by the morning light from the window, his features as clean as if they had been carved with a knife.

And now she was standing in front of him wearing only a thin slip dress.

There were only two thin straps on my back, and the cool air from the air conditioner was blowing on my shoulders.

After drying her hair, she unplugged the hairdryer and put it in the drawer.

He took a deep breath, walked to the bedside, and sat down opposite Gu Yan.

The two people were separated by a bed, with the warm light of the table lamp falling between them.

Gu Yan was still leaning against the window, sitting on the edge of the bed, her fingers slightly clenched on her knees.

She spoke first, but her voice wasn't as cheerful as before.

"Those things in the basement were animal meat that my adoptive parents had stored there."

"They used to work in slaughtering in the countryside, and they're used to curing and storing their own meat."

"I was afraid the neighbors would gossip, so I put it downstairs. I've told them several times, but they won't listen."

Gu Yan nodded after listening, her expression remaining unchanged.

"Oh, I see. That smell was indeed quite strong; I could smell it as soon as I got close to the kitchen."

"I told them I couldn't sleep and was just wandering around. I heard a noise in the kitchen and went to check it out."

"I never expected there to be such a place down there. It gave me quite a fright."

Fu Wanqing looked at him, something flickering in her amber eyes.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but then she swallowed it back.

Gu Yan looked at her too, her gaze calm, as if to say, "I believe you."

The conversation between the two was like a silent, tacitly understood performance.

Every line of dialogue was flawless, and every expression was just right.

But both of them knew in their hearts that they hadn't fooled anyone in this play.