After Chen Hui finished cutting Leonid’s hair, she used the liquor Bai Youwei had prepared to wash his beard with meticulous care.

Perhaps the alcohol was too potent — every last one of those tiny insects crawled to the surface. A gentle pass with a comb and a towel sent them all washing away.

The method worked.

Seeing this, Du Lai asked Bai Youwei, “Is there more liquor? I’d like to wash up too.”

“There is,” Bai Youwei said, “but if you pour it directly on your head, it’ll be quite cold. Make sure to keep warm after.”

Du Lai: “Understood.”

Bai Youwei ducked into the tent, opened the dollhouse, and called for Teacher Cheng to fetch the liquor.

She had plenty of it — foreign spirits, white liquor, beer, every kind imaginable. Even using it to bathe in, there would be more than enough.

Ashalina and Shen Mo each requested a bottle of strong liquor as well.

Their hair wasn’t long. They washed with the spirits, rinsed with cold water, then sat drying by the fire — cold, but manageable.

While Shen Mo was drying his hair by the fire, Bai Youwei sat beside him, eyes closed, leaning quietly against him.

Time passed minute by minute. Everyone sat gathered around the fire, and the atmosphere felt heavy and stifling.

Du Lai swept his gaze around the group and settled on Chen Hui. “Did you find any lice on yourself?” he asked.

Chen Hui hesitated.

“None,” Leonid said lazily, cutting in. “Ashalina and I checked together. She’s clean — not a single louse in her hair or on her clothes.”

“What about Ashalina?” Du Lai asked.

“A few… about a dozen or so, I think.” Ashalina ran her hand through her half-damp hair. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing, just a thought,” Du Lai said. “I suspect only the people who directly attacked the minotaur end up with lice. The contagion doesn’t seem strong — otherwise, we would have caught them from those people much earlier.”

“Now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case.” Leonid looked toward Bai Youwei. “She barely had any either — just two or three. Because she attacked indirectly through the rabbit?”

Bai Youwei sat with her eyes closed and said nothing.

Shen Mo glanced down at her and said quietly, “She’s asleep.”

Everyone stared.

Leonid stretched lazily. “Well, good for her. If she can sleep, it means she’s not worried. If she’s not worried, it means she’s already figured out how to get out of here… Fine, I’m going to sleep too.”

Du Lai rose as well. “I’ll rest too.”

Ashalina looked from Leonid to Du Lai, hesitating. “Don’t we need someone to keep watch?”

“Nothing to keep watch over,” Du Lai said. “As long as we don’t move, the minotaur won’t move. And those two are already tied up. We’re safe.”

Shen Mo bent down and lifted Bai Youwei into his arms, saying mildly, “I’ll take her back to the tent to rest.”

Bai Youwei stirred slightly, realized she was in Shen Mo’s arms, and contentedly went back to sleep.

Shen Mo set her down inside the tent and slowly began to back out on one knee.

As if sensing something, Bai Youwei turned over, her foot hooking around his retreating arm. She asked in a drowsy murmur, “Where are you going…”

“Outside to sleep,” Shen Mo said.

Bai Youwei was suddenly wide awake. She sat up in a rush and looked at him. “Why?”

Shen Mo pressed his lips together softly and said, “I have lice.”

“I don’t mind!” Bai Youwei scrambled forward and grabbed his arm firmly. “Besides, didn’t Du Lai just say it doesn’t spread?”

Shen Mo watched her in silence, saying nothing.

Bai Youwei studied his expression. Something felt off. She tightened her grip on his arm, afraid he’d slip away.

“Besides, there’s no extra mat or sleeping bag out there. Where would you sleep?” She held his gaze and said softly, “I want you to stay.”

—