How Long Was I Asleep?

“Cough, cough…”

I was woken up by a splash of icy water.

I opened my eyes to darkness, which gradually brightened to reveal Qin Dai, standing expressionlessly with an empty bottle.

Nearby, the door was wide open, letting in a blast of sunlight and cold wind.

The quilt and my hair were soaked.

The wind sent a bone-chilling shiver through my body.

My mind was still foggy, not yet fully recovered from the bizarre dream.

Who am I? Qin Yue. Where am I? My home.

It took a moment for me to come to my senses, and when I did, I saw that Qin Dai’s face had darkened.

Right, I had been staring blankly, ignoring her.

“Qin Dai. It’s only Wednesday, right? What are you doing here?”

I threw off the wet quilt and clumsily got out of bed, trying not to get more things wet with my drenched hair.

Then, I clumsily fell to the floor.

I pushed myself up, my body shaking, and offered a weak smile.

My limbs felt heavier than they had yesterday.

What was wrong with me?

I didn’t even think to blame Qin Dai for pouring water on me.

I knew I had no right to blame anyone.

I just looked at her, waiting.

“You must be dreaming. It’s Saturday.”

She brushed a lock of chestnut hair from her face and poked my forehead with her silver hand.

I collapsed again, my body giving out.

The room spun.

The ceiling was a blur of unnatural colors.

It took a few seconds for my vision to clear.

Something was seriously wrong with my body, but I didn’t know what.

Qin Dai, her hand still outstretched, seemed surprised by my weakness, but the shock in her eyes lasted only a moment before returning to its usual coldness.

“Do you have any food or water?”

She asked.

Of course, I had nothing.

Why was she asking?

Oh, right, her weekly collection.

She had just said it was Saturday.

But I was sure it was Wednesday.

The mention of food made my stomach cramp.

A wave of hunger washed over me, and my lips were cracked and dry.

I was thirsty.

This wasn’t right.

One day without food shouldn’t have made me feel this bad.

“I’m asking you a question.”

She was getting impatient.

Her gaze grew colder, and I felt the phantom pressure of a knife at my throat.

“There’s none… I’m sorry, please don’t be angry.”

I still remembered the kick she gave me in the graveyard.

Angering Qin Dai was not a good idea.

My voice was hoarse, but still soft, not enough to be annoying.

“The leader has been very angry these past few days. You didn’t go to see her as you were supposed to. Are you trying to die?”

She frowned.

Her silver right hand pushed aside my wrinkled pink maid outfit and touched my side.

It was cold, and I flinched.

“Is it really not Wednesday?”

I tried to grab her wandering hand, but she swatted it away.

“I told you, it’s Saturday. Miss Qin Yue, don’t make excuses for your negligence.”

Her hand moved to my stomach and pressed down gently.

The hunger pangs intensified.

Why did she say negligence?

Oh, right.

I was only the leader’s girlfriend in name.

In reality, I was just a toy.

Failing to please the leader was, indeed, negligence.

“Ngh… I’m sorry.”

So, I hadn’t been sleeping.

I had been unconscious.

That’s why I couldn’t wake up from that dream.

My thoughts were so slow.

By the time I realized what had happened, Qin Dai was already on top of me, her unmodified left hand pinning both of my wrists.

She was so heavy.

It was so uncomfortable.

Was she going to do what she did the first time we met?

“There’s no need to apologize. You’re a dead woman anyway. You can say your apologies to the leader before you die.”

She tightened her grip on my wrists.

I knew what was coming.

Did she want to torture me one last time before I died?

“Can you… not do that? I’m… not feeling well right now.”

Was this the first time I had ever resisted?

I didn’t know, but I really didn’t want to go through with this.

My throat was dry, and my hoarse protest was quiet, but clear.

I was sure Qin Dai had heard me.

“It doesn’t matter. You’ll be dead soon anyway.”

She ignored my pleas.

So, she had already decided my fate?

My mind was a blur.

My usually quick thoughts were sluggish and ineffective.

In the end, I couldn’t escape.

She was now sitting on my waist, her hands on my neck, seemingly dissatisfied with my performance.

Or maybe she was going to execute me right here.

I didn’t know.

I just felt sick.

My stomach hurt, and everything else hurt.

I had never felt this bad before.

“…Are you unhappy with me?”

Her hands on my neck weren’t squeezing, so I could still speak, still breathe.

“I told you, I’m not feeling well.”

My voice was still hoarse.

I may be a liar and a scumbag, but this time, I wasn’t lying.

My body was so heavy, and my vision was blurry again.

Qin Dai’s face was close, but I couldn’t see her clearly.

It took a long time for my vision to return to normal.

A minute? Two minutes?

“Hmph.”

She snorted and finally got off me.

The weight on my body eased, but only a little.

There were fingerprint bruises on my wrists, and they throbbed with pain.

I tried to get up, but my legs were so weak that I almost fell again.

I managed to steady myself.

Qin Dai just watched me, as if waiting to see me make a fool of myself.

Why was I getting up?

I think I wanted to find some water.

I had given up on finding food.

My long, wet hair was still plastered to my face and body.

There was no sun in the room, so it wouldn’t dry anytime soon.

As I tried to walk past her, she maliciously kicked my shin.

Unsurprisingly, I fell again, this time on the hard floor.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’m not letting you escape.”

Did she think I was trying to run away because I was afraid of dying?

How could I?

I had no ability to escape.

She should have known that.

“I just want to get some water.”

I couldn’t get up again.

I could see a sliver of white outside the door.

The snow hadn’t melted.

I had no intention of telling Qin Dai that I had been unconscious for days.

She was my enemy.

She wouldn’t believe me, and even if she did, she would just take advantage of my weakness.

“Forget it. I’m taking you to the leader now. You can explain yourself to her.”

She pulled me up and dragged me toward the door, not caring if I fell again.

I could only stumble after her.