Chapter 213 Teacher Liu, aren't you supposed to be aloof?

Just as Li Mengyao was crying...

A familiar voice rang out, "Mengyao... is... is that you?"

It was Liu Manqing's voice.

Yet, it sounded somewhat different.

Li Mengyao could hear a tremble in it.

Li Mengyao's sobbing stopped abruptly.

She looked up, her vision blurred with tears as she stared at the door, her pupils shrinking bit by bit.

"Aunt... Auntie?"

Her voice was fluttering, as if she couldn't believe her own ears.

Why would her aunt be here?

Wasn't she supposed to go find her senior for their shift rotation?

Li Mengyao's head was buzzing.

"It's me, but... Mengyao... why... why are you here?"

Liu Manqing's voice carried an unnatural tremble in every word, as she tried her best to maintain her composure.

"Why am I here?"

Li Mengyao pursed her lips. "Auntie, shouldn't I be the one asking you that? Weren't you supposed to go rotate shifts with Senior Shen Qingci? Why are you here?"

"I... I was a bit tired... so... I came here to rest for a while..."

"Rest for a while?"

Li Mengyao bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. "Auntie, stop lying to me. You're resting, and you chose to rest in the treehouse? That makes no sense at all!"

"Mengyao, listen to my explanation..."

Li Mengyao's voice began to shake. "Then explain, Auntie. I'm listening."

Another silence followed from behind the door.

Then Liu Manqing's voice rang out again: "I was just... passing by... and suddenly felt a bit tired..."

"Auntie! You're lying!"

Li Mengyao took a deep breath. She didn't believe it; she didn't believe that such a thing could happen!

She suddenly rushed forward, placing her hand on the door!

And this time—

Water Bubble did not stop her.

It had retreated to the side at some point, its two small black-dot eyes blinking.

Li Mengyao didn't have time to think as she gripped the edge of the door and pushed inward with force.

The door moved slightly.

Only slightly.

Then, it wouldn't budge any further.

Someone was leaning firmly against it from the inside.

Li Mengyao's heart sank instantly.

"Auntie?" Her voice rose. "Open the door!"

A rustling sound came from behind the door.

"Meng... Mengyao..."

Liu Manqing's voice was intermittent. "Don't... don't come in yet... I'll open the door in a moment..."

"Why! Auntie!"

Li Mengyao was having a bit of a breakdown as she bit her lip.

Her tears gushed out. "What do you want me to wait for? For you to come up with a reason that can deceive me?"

Li Mengyao's voice carried a sense of crumbling, precarious despair.

"Auntie! Open the door!"

She pounded on the door with a series of bangs.

She was sobbing so hard she was out of breath, her whole body leaning against the door, her shoulders heaving.

"I want to see what you're actually doing!"

Li Mengyao extended both hands against the door, gritting her teeth and pushing inward with all her strength.

The door moved back inch by inch before her.

Not far away, in the shadow of a palm tree, Sun Zhiyuan held his breath, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the door of the treehouse.

Almost there.

Almost there.

The corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

This was exactly what he wanted to see, playing out step by step.

Teacher Liu, aren't you noble and aloof?

After tonight, I'll see how you face Li Mengyao, and how you face those people on the bus.

He licked his dry, cracked lips.

But immediately after, his expression suddenly changed: "?"

"Bang—!"

The door was slammed inward, hitting the wall behind it, bouncing once, and then swaying.

Liu Manqing staggered a step, nearly falling over.

She looked up...

Moonlight flooded in from outside, illuminating her face.

She was still wearing Li Mengyao's clothes,

But the difference now was that one of the buttons on her vest was misaligned, her collar was slightly crooked, one of the straps of her camisole had slipped down to her arm, and the hem of her skirt was somewhat wrinkled.

Her hair was loose, her cheeks still bore a lingering flush, her eyes were slightly red, and her lips were pressed tightly together.

Li Mengyao frowned, finding it somewhat unbelievable.

Because the treehouse was completely empty.

There was no second person.

Li Mengyao was stunned.

"Auntie... you..."

Her gaze moved from Liu Manqing's face, scanning every corner of the treehouse.

The left side was empty.

The right side was empty.

The corners were empty.

No Chen Yu?

There wasn't even a shadow of Chen Yu.

Liu Manqing was also stunned.

Her gaze moved from Li Mengyao's face, likewise scanning every corner of the treehouse.

"?"

She clearly remembered,

Just a moment ago, Chen Yu was leaning right behind her.

His hand was still on her waist,

But in an instant, where was he?

Liu Manqing's face turned deathly pale in an instant, as if she had seen a ghost.

But after only two seconds, she forced herself to calm down.

She couldn't panic.

Liu Manqing took a deep breath and raised her hand to fix the fallen camisole strap. "Mengyao, listen to me."

Liu Manqing propped herself against the wall to stand up, her legs still a bit weak.

"I really was just passing by here."

"I... I was a bit tired and wanted to find a place to rest for a while. The treehouse is the safest place, isn't it?"

Li Mengyao was silent for two seconds; that part was true.

This treehouse was Chen Yu's exclusive domain and was guarded by Water Bubble; no one on Seventh Island dared to approach it.

But she still felt something was off.

Li Mengyao pondered before asking, "Then Auntie... what did you mean by blocking me for so long just now?"

Liu Manqing explained patiently, her tone very light and soft as if she were coaxing a child. "I only woke up when you knocked on the door. My clothes weren't tidy and my hair was a mess; I didn't want you to see me like that."

Li Mengyao's gaze fell on her face, staring at her for a few seconds.

This was also true. As a star dancer, her aunt held extremely high prestige in her professional circle and was exceptionally concerned about her image. Before the apocalypse, she would put on a full face of makeup even just to go downstairs and take out the trash...

Li Mengyao suddenly thought of something.

"But those sounds just now, Auntie..."

"I heard sounds inside, very soft and thin ones, as if... as if someone was..."

Liu Manqing's fingers paused slightly.

"I have a bit of a cold,"

Liu Manqing interjected quickly, "My throat is uncomfortable. I coughed a few times while I was half-asleep, and since I was afraid of disturbing the people outside, I suppressed my voice. It might... might have sounded a bit strange."

After she finished speaking, she even coughed lightly twice as if to prove it.

Li Mengyao frowned, just about to say something.

Liu Manqing added another sentence with a hint of helplessness in her voice: "I didn't want to worry you all. Everyone has been very tired these past few days. This little ailment of mine, I can just tough it out."

Li Mengyao was stunned for a moment, feeling a bit of heartache after all. "Auntie! We have Dr. Qiao on the bus. If you have a cold, go ask her! How can you just tough it out on your own?!"

Liu Manqing felt a pang in her heart, her voice softening a bit. "I just... didn't want to trouble everyone."

"How is that trouble?"

Li Mengyao reached out to pull Liu Manqing's wrist. "Come on, I'll take you to find Dr. Qiao and let her check on you. A cold can be a minor thing or a major one; how can you just endure it alone?"

Liu Manqing was pulled forward a step, her footing a bit unsteady, and she quickly grabbed the door frame for support.

"Mengyao, Mengyao, slow down..."

She said softly, "I'll go by myself. You go find Chen Yu first; weren't you worried about him?"

In fact, Liu Manqing herself was even more curious.

How could a living person suddenly vanish without a trace?