C86 The Gun Was Pointing at a Person Who Was about Kill Him.(2)

"What did you say?" Tang Bing couldn't suppress a slight smile as he saw her finally grasp the situation. "I didn't catch that!"

"I..." Sun Meng's voice hitched, and she stood frozen, as if turned to wood.

Scared now, are you? Tang Bing decided to give her another fright. He gently grasped her shoulder, then let his hand glide slowly down her slender arm.

If Sun Meng truly wanted to resist, she would instinctively push him away. He figured another scare would deter her from sneaking into his room at night again. That was Tang Bing's plan, and he acted accordingly.

But what he hadn't anticipated was Sun Meng's reaction. After a few seconds of silence, she didn't push him away. Instead, her hands reached out, wrapping around his waist, her burning cheek pressed against his chest, her heartbeat racing.

This unexpected turn of events left Tang Bing dumbfounded! Wasn't she supposed to be frightened, to push him away and flee? Why hadn't things unfolded as he had expected? She should've been startled by his gesture, taken the lesson to heart, and never dared to return.

What was happening now? Why was she holding onto him so tightly? Even if she had resigned herself to her fate, this proactive response seemed out of place, didn't it?

Tang Bing felt bewildered, Sun Meng's delicate form pressed against him, leaving his hands suspended in mid-air, uncertain of what to do next.

The two remained in this intimate pose for quite some time, with Tang Bing still reeling from the shock, his mind a blank slate. He had chased after Qin Mengli for four years and had never envisioned a scenario like this, leaving him clueless on how to proceed.

Sun Meng clung to Tang Bing, and when he made no move for a long while, she was taken aback. She couldn't resist whispering, "Bing..."

This call was starkly different from the previous ones, which had been laced with fear and tension. Now, this softly uttered "Bing" stirred an unusual emotion within him.

Could she have feelings for me?

No, that couldn't be right. Tang Bing immediately dismissed the thought. Having been through the ordeal with Qin Mengli, his self-confidence was at an all-time low.

Moreover, considering Sun Meng's suitor, Yang Fei, appeared far more impressive and handsome, not to mention his lucrative career as a doctor, she had shown no interest in him. So, what was Tang Bing in comparison?

Absolutely! She was acting this way solely because of the recent incident; she was still scared of herself. She decided to go along with it, hoping the situation would naturally dissipate. Moreover, in such times, as women fighting for survival, their only aim was to seek protection for themselves, without any ulterior motives.

With this realization, the odd thoughts in his mind were quickly quenched. Instinctively, he pushed her away and stood up.

Sun Meng, bracing herself for what was to come, was taken aback when she was suddenly pushed down. She lay there, head tilted back, eyes shut, motionless, anticipating Tang Bing's next move. Her nerves were on edge, her breaths short and quick.

But then, unexpectedly, Tang Bing didn't advance on her; he was at the bedside, switching on a flashlight.

The glaring beam hit her full in the face, and Sun Meng squinted shut her eyes, blurting out, "What are you doing?!"

"Go back to your room!" Tang Bing commanded, his face impassive as he stared down at Sun Meng.

"Bing, what's the matter?" Sun Meng asked timidly, puzzled by her own misstep.

"Running into a man's room in the dead of night, what does that look like?" Tang Bing's voice was icy. "Now leave, will you?"

Their voices rose, and Qin Mengli, listening from outside, finally pieced together the scene. She was utterly baffled. What had just happened? Why was Tang Bing suddenly sending Sun Meng away? To avoid detection, she tiptoed back to her room, softly closing the door, then pressed her ear against it to continue listening.

Sun Meng couldn't make sense of it all. Shielding her eyes from the light, she climbed out of bed. With her left hand blocking the flashlight's glare, she looked at Tang Bing, bewildered, "Bing, what exactly is happening?"

"What's happening? Aren't you embarrassed?" Tang Bing asked sternly, unable to ignore her expression.

At his words, Sun Meng covered her face with her hands, her head bowed as she rubbed her cheeks, nodding with a bashful admission, "Of course I'm embarrassed! I was totally unprepared, and then you suddenly... Oh! Bing, did you stop because you realized I wasn't ready? Actually, if you wanted to continue... I would be willing!"

"Enough, out you go!" Tang Bing snapped, grabbing Sun Meng by the shoulders and forcibly spinning her towards the door before shoving her out.

"Bing, I..." Sun Meng started to protest, wanting to plead not to be sent away, but she was cut off by the sound of the door slamming shut. To her surprise, Tang Bing, who never bothered with locks, had today bolted it from the inside.

Confronted with this unforeseen turn of events, Sun Meng was at a loss for what to do next.

In her own room, Qin Mengli listened to the commotion of Sun Meng being expelled with astonishment. What on earth had transpired between Tang Bing and her? Why did it seem like they had parted on bad terms? Was it Sun Meng who was unwilling, or Tang Bing? What had they done, and how far had it gone? Yet, Mengli hadn't heard a sound. Were they secretly plotting something that needed to be kept from the rest?

Her mind was a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts, and Mengli knew sleep would elude her tonight.

After ejecting Sun Meng, Tang Bing stowed his flashlight and returned to his bed.

But the lingering scent of the girl on the sheets stirred an unbidden excitement within him.

"Damn it!" he cursed, sitting up abruptly and scrubbing his face in an attempt to ignore the fragrance. Sun Meng must have had ulterior motives; she was just trying to manipulate him!

In times like these, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. To survive, he had to stay wary of everyone around him.

Beauty traps won't work on me! They just won't...

Tang Bing repeated the mantra, trying to hypnotize himself into indifference to the alien scent in his room. He reminded himself to be cautious of everyone, particularly women. In this post-apocalyptic world, he could only truly trust himself.

Sun Meng wandered back to her room, bewildered, unable to pinpoint what had gone wrong to provoke Tang Bing's sudden ire and dismissal.

Her mind had been feverish with curiosity, compelling her to investigate, oblivious to the ensuing chaos.

And the subsequent events had taken her completely by surprise, stirring an odd sensation in her heart.

She had forgotten the initial fear and pressure Tang Bing's presence had imposed. Now, all she could think about was the closeness they had shared, dressed in nothing but their thin pajamas. The memory of his body pressing down on hers surfaced unexpectedly, causing her to lie back on her bed, hands resting on her chest, her earlobes burning.

Her fingers gingerly pinched her scorching right ear as the memory of Tang Bing's lips brushing against it, whispering softly, flooded her mind. In that moment, her body tingled with a sudden numbness, and she was so mortified that she burrowed deep into her bedding.

Oh my God! I was so close to a more intimate encounter with Bing. Why am I not repulsed in the slightest? Sun Meng clutched her pillow to her face, rolling restlessly across the bed.

I was totally unprepared, on the verge of transitioning from a girl to a woman without ever having been in love! How did it come to this? I was utterly shameless earlier!

But why did Bing suddenly send me away? Did he really do it because I wasn't ready, and he thought it was best for me to leave?

On second thought, it does make sense. Sneaking into a man's room in the dead of night—how would I ever live it down if people found out? Bing must have been looking out for me, right? Otherwise, how would I explain waking up in his room tomorrow morning?

And no matter how much I try to justify it, wouldn't everyone just see me as a woman who doesn't respect herself, ready to throw herself at any man?

Exactly! Bing must have realized this and that's why he sent me away.

I never would have guessed that Bing, who seems so intimidating, is actually such a tender man.

This is a disaster! Why does my face burn with heat every time I think of Bing now? Why is this happening? Sun Meng, clutching her pillow, tossed and turned, convinced she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

Next door, Qin Mengli couldn't help but feel even less inclined to sleep after hearing the commotion from Sun Meng's room.