The TV was turned off.
The surrounding noises disappeared, leaving only Tang Ning's suppressed crying, which was particularly clear. He was like a wounded little animal silently licking its wounds, and he had the hostility of a hedgehog towards the outside world.
Su Anyun stood quietly in front of Tang Ning. Tang Ning's shoulders kept shaking. His skin was pale. When he cried, his originally snow-white skin was covered with red and pink like a high fever.
"Xiao Ning?" Su Anyun said softly.
Tang Ning did not respond to Su Anyun. He had a secret resentment towards Su Anyun in his heart. If it wasn't for Su Anyun's suggestion at the beginning, his mother would not have been hurt.
But this resentment was more directed at himself.
Su Anyun asked him to ask his mother for help in order to protect him and for him.
His mother also suffered injuries to protect him.
Everyone is good, only he is bad.
Su Anyun held Tangning in his arms with warm hands. He said in a low and gentle voice, "Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap? Xiaoning, are you going to your friend's house this afternoon?"
Yes, he has to visit again in the afternoon.
With his eyelashes wet by tears, Tang Ning remembered that he still had many things to do. He wanted to visit Bai Wuliang's home, Lin Yun's home, the orphanage to explore the secrets related to the confinement room, see what happened at Jiang Mianmian's home, and find a way to bring Xiao Mi in.
Oh, and there’s Bai Yingxue. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Maybe Bai Yingxue has no problem, but he is the one with the problem.
There were so many things to do in front of him. Even though he was dizzy and his body was drained by intense emotions, he still had to get up.
He has to get up, he can't really be knocked down, his teammates are waiting for him.
Tang Ning, who was lying in Su Anyun's arms, slowly opened his eyes. He was still in a daze. A young man who was older than him hugged him, and his broader chest and arms covered him. Tang Ning was carried back to the bedroom by Su Anyun.
The bedroom air conditioner was turned on to a suitable temperature. Su Anyun brought a hot towel and carefully wiped away the tears and sweat on Tangning's face.
Tang Ning curled up on the bed, wrapped in a thin blanket. Su Anyun poured a cup of warm honey water and fed it to Tang Ning in small sips with a spoon.
At first, Tang Ning had no intention of drinking it, but Su Anyun kept the spoon in his mouth. He finally pursed his lips and drank the sweet honey water.
Su Anyun said softly, "Would you like to add a little more honey?"
For some unknown reason, Tang Ning suddenly burst into tears.
He felt that Su Anyun seemed to understand his dissatisfaction, his sadness and despair. The other party did not say anything, but was just comforting him in his own way.
He knew that his brother and mother didn't get along. When his mother wanted to throw away his brother's porcelain doll, he didn't dare to disobey her wishes in person, nor would he lose his temper with her because she was mean to his brother.
The reason why he dared to remain silent in front of Su Anyun was that he knew that Su Anyun would tolerate him no matter what.
"Brother," Tang Ning finally spoke. His voice was hoarse from crying and he sounded like a kitten when he called out.
Su Anyun put down his cup and spoon and listened quietly to Tang Ning's words.
The tearful red eyes looked at him cautiously, "Mom is injured, brother, is her injury serious? Will she get better? How can she be cured?"
In fact, what Tang Ning wanted to ask more was, Brother, will you help Mom heal her wounds
Su Anyun was silent for a long time. He then said to Tangning softly, "It will be fine."
Tang Ning stared at Su Anyun in shock.
Su Anyun reached out and rubbed Tang Ning's head, "Go take a nap. Good afternoon, Xiao Ning."
Su Anyun stood up and drew the curtains of Tang Ning's room, and the small room fell into darkness. He walked out of the room quietly, and with a slight click, Tang Ning's room fell into silence.
Perhaps because he was too exhausted from emotional exhaustion, Tang Ning originally just wanted to lie down for a while, but the heavy bed slowly closed around him, and he fell into a familiar dream.
He returned to his last dream.
The house was covered in blood and dust, and everything was in tatters. A cold breath came from all directions of the house, and it looked like a red paint tray had been spilled on the ground.
The unrecognizable mother crawled towards him, stretched out her blood-stained hand to him, and said to him word by word with her broken vocal cords: "As long as your mother is here, no one can bully you."
"Ningning, come to mommy."
He reached out and grasped his mother's cold, bleeding hand.
There was a sound of breaking behind me, like fine porcelain shattering all over the floor.
Tangning's heart suddenly felt empty. He wanted to turn back, but his dream was shattered.
“Ding-ling-ling~Ding-ling-ling~!”
The ringing of the alarm clock woke Tangning up from his dream. The room was still dark. The afternoon sun had smoked the thick curtains into a light brown. The ringing of the alarm clock made him feel flustered. He reached out his hand and touched the alarm clock that was ringing under his pillow.
1:30 pm.
This was the alarm that Tang Ning set for himself, fearing that he would miss the afternoon discussion time.
Tangning turned off the alarm and saw the message Lin Yun had sent him earlier, "How are you doing now? Bai Wuliang saw you and said you're fine, but I'm still a little worried. I'm downstairs in your community right now."
"No, I'll be down right now." Tangning replied.
He got out of bed, his mind still a little groggy. This was always the case when you didn't get enough sleep and were woken up by the alarm. Tang Ning shook his head and opened the door. The house was quiet, and his mother and brother's bedrooms were closed.
Tang Ning slowed down his steps as he left his silent home and walked down the long and narrow corridor alone. When walking through this old residential building, Tang Ning felt as if he was in another world for no reason.
He raised his head and looked towards the balcony of his house. The flowers on the balcony were blooming fearlessly. In this noisy summer, only the chirping of cicadas, sunshine and flowers, which were already brilliant, were making their presence felt. Even love, which was hiding in the shadows, was silent.
Tangning looked away and walked to Lin Yun's car. Lin Yun had changed back into men's clothing. He sat in the car and stared at Tangning for a moment. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Tangning, are you really fine now?"
Tang Ning opened the car and sat in the passenger seat. He saw his haggard and pale face in the rearview mirror. The red circles on his chin from crying were bigger than Jiang Mianmian's black circles. His skin was drooping and he looked listless. No wonder Lin Yun asked that.
Tangning thought about it, raised the corner of his mouth and said, "I didn't."
Lin Yun didn't drive, he just kept looking at Tang Ning.
Tangning looked in the rearview mirror. Although the person in the mirror was still there, his skin and flesh were not changed, and the lines around his eyes had not changed at all. It was a very fake performance.
"How is Auntie?" Lin Yun asked.
The expression on Tangning's face disappeared and he said calmly, "Mom is injured, but my brother said she will recover. I left in a hurry. What's the situation over there?"
"Tang Ning?" Lin Yun called out again, somewhat uncertainly.
Tangning stretched out her hand and rubbed her face, trying to get her frozen expression back to normal. "I took a nap at noon today, but the alarm woke me up halfway through. Now I feel exhausted."
Lin Yun looked at Tang Ning and found that Tang Ning did not seem to have any serious problems. He frowned and drove away.
"After you left, we searched Jiang Mianmian's stepfather's bedroom. We guessed that her stepfather's clothes were special props, so we took out all the clothes in the closet and did some small tests on them to see if they were precious defense props."
"At first, we used the knife to chop the torn reddish-brown suit over there, and it easily chopped the coat into even smaller pieces. We thought it was because the torn clothes had no effect, so we took a brand new piece of clothing to test it, and it was still easily broken."
"Bai Wuliang guessed that the clothes might have a defensive effect when worn. Since Lu Yuhua had some healing medicine, he asked Lu Yuhua to try it on."
"Bai Wuliang was responsible for slashing Lu Yuhua with the knife."
"Lu Yuhua was injured." Lin Yun paused, "Lu Yuhua suspected that Bai Wuliang did it on purpose, and Bai Wuliang said he was just testing."
"Then Bai Wuliang made a guess. He said that even if Jiang Mianmian's stepfather was a monster, he couldn't dress so fast as to change clothes with one click. Is it possible that he didn't wear underwear or socks, and just put on the outer clothes directly?"
"This time, Bai Wuliang is dressed according to this guess, and Lu Yuhua is responsible for chopping Bai Wuliang."
Lin Yun looked at Tangning and asked, "Guess what happened?"
Tangning was distracted and didn't actually hear what Lin Yun just said. He looked up at Lin Yun blankly. Fortunately, Lin Yun still had to drive, so he just glanced at Tangning casually, "The clothes really have a protective effect. Bai Wuliang is unharmed, but Lu Yuhua almost vomited blood. The relationship between the two of them has become even worse."
Lin Yun said, "I don't know why the two of them are so at odds with each other."
He finished the story in a joking tone. The carriage remained silent. Two seconds later, Tang Ning's dry voice sounded half a beat slower.
"There are seven sets of clothes that can be used, just right for the seven of us. Jiang Mianmian gave you hers, and I brought your two sets of clothes and put them in the trunk."
"This item is a little tricky to use. If you don't like it, you can exchange it for other items after you leave the dungeon. At this point, I suddenly realized that it can be explained this way. Jiang Mianmian's stepfather is a beast in human clothing. He did dirty things but left no evidence. Therefore, no one can attack him even though he is wearing a hypocritical human skin." Lin Yun looked at Tang Ning. He saw that Tang Ning was in a daze.
Lin Yun parked the car on the side of the road and said seriously, "Tangning."
Tangning was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses, "Ah, what happened?"
"You're not in the right state right now." Lin Yun stared into Tangning's empty eyes and asked in a deep voice, "What's wrong with you?!"
Tang Ning subconsciously wanted to look at the rearview mirror, but when he was about to turn his head, Lin Yun forcefully held down his shoulders, forcing Tang Ning to look at him.
"We are teammates. You don't have to face any difficulties alone. Even if I can't help you solve it, there are Bai Wuliang and the others. If we all work together to find a solution, it will definitely be better than you doing it alone." Lin Yun said seriously.
Tangning stared at Lin Yun blankly.
He knew that what Lin Yun said was right, and he also knew that veteran players like Bai Wuliang must know more than him, and might say something powerful to calm him down, just like the first day he came to this copy, when Lin Yun told him that everything was fake.
It's all fake.
The mother is fake. His home is fake.
But this is his mother. She is so good to him, how could it be fake
Only he knows how good his mother is to him. He doesn't want to analyze his mother to others and then have others tell him that this is not his mother, but a monster.
"I really didn't." Tangning stroked Lin Yun's hand that was on his shoulder. He felt like he was acting in a play. There was no director or script. The only audience was Lin Yun. Director Chang once praised him for being spiritual, but Tangning knew he could only act out the emotions he had experienced.
"I actually had a nightmare. Didn't Su Anyun give me a porcelain doll before? He told me that something bad would happen if the porcelain doll was broken. I had a dream this afternoon that cracks like the porcelain doll appeared on his body. I have been thinking about this."
"So that's how it is." Lin Yun was also a little worried: "Why don't you go home today? My family's situation is not suitable for guests."
Tangning found that this acting system really suited him. He looked at Lin Yun and said, "We are teammates. If you and Bai Wuliang have any difficulties, I can't let you face them alone."
Lin Yun said something, but Tang Ning cleared his mind and didn't listen. He just nodded or hummed occasionally to prove that he was paying attention. He looked out the window and the scenery kept changing.
One moment he seemed to have turned into a bloody mother, the next moment he seemed to have turned into a shattered brother.
If he had to choose between his mother and his brother, who would he choose
"We're here." Lin Yun stopped in front of the cafe.
Tang Ning got off the car, and he and Lin Yun walked into the cafe together and sat down in their familiar seats. The other players had already arrived, and when they saw Tang Ning and Lin Yun, they began their discussion.
Because of Jiang Mianmian's family situation, everyone was very curious about Tang Ning's family.
Although Zeng Yishuang's mother had fought with Zeng Yishuang's mother before, these two monsters are still a family after all. It was beyond the expectations of all the players that Tang Ning's mother would run all the way to another family to fight for Tang Ning.
"Mr. Tang, why don't we start with you today?" Bai Wuliang suggested.
The other players all looked at Tangning.
Tangning met a pair of eyes with different expressions. Under everyone's gaze, he slowly said, "My home."
"It's a warm family of three, with a mother and brother who love me."
Lin Yun frowned and looked at Tangning with confusion and nervousness.
It seemed as if there was an invisible rock pressing on his chest, making it difficult for Tang Ning to breathe every time, but his voice was surprisingly calm.
"My mother has not been feeling well recently and has asked for leave to rest at home. She likes to watch anti-Japanese war dramas, likes to nag, and likes to preach to people. She is diligent and can't stay idle at home. She always keeps the house clean."
The narrative that is calm and full of emotions may not even require the influence of the Little Mermaid card to allow the listener to blend into its context.
There was a slight change in the way Bai Wuliang stared at Tang Ning. He stroked the monocle in his pocket.
"You have all seen my brother. He follows the rules, does things according to reason, cooks delicious food, and treats me well. I can't see through him, but he seems to see through me. Every time he tells me what to do, he acts like a mature elder."
Jiang Mianmian, who always felt hungry, sat up straight.
Tangning said, "My mom is injured today, so it's not appropriate for us to come over. My birthday is the day after tomorrow, and I believe that you can come over as my friends. My family will definitely welcome you."
Lu Yuhua made an "OK" gesture with both hands. He placed his hands in front of his eyes and stared straight at Tang Ning.
Tang Ning finished his speech and looked at Lu Yuhua, who was behaving strangely.
"Look at you, I told you not to continue being my guest." Lu Yuhua said faintly.
"What's wrong with me?" Tangning asked expressionlessly.
"Tangning, do you still need to clear the dungeon and reality?" Lin Yun finally realized that something was wrong with Tangning.
As soon as this question was asked, Tangning's heart sank even more. He looked at everyone calmly and heard his own calm voice: "I need to be clear."
If there was a mirror in front of Tang Ning at this moment, he might find that his spirit was extremely similar to Zeng Yishuang's.
I have to clear.
I know it's fake, but what about this
I don't care anymore.
"Okay, it's your turn to speak." Tangning closed his mouth and sat in his seat, his arms crossed in front of his chest, a standard defensive stance.
He had always treated his teammates in a friendly and gentle manner. When Tang Ning showed such a cold face for the first time, everyone was stunned.
Without a black princess-cut wig or fancy clothes, he sat in his seat indifferently, his light-colored lips pursed not too noticeably. He looked like he was fully armed for self-defense, but he was as cold as a fragile piece of glass that would shatter to the ground with a slight push.
If I ask Tang Ning again at this time, I probably won't get any response.
"My home," Lin Yun started, but couldn't help but pay attention to Tangning. "I want to hold a banquet and invite everyone to come. We can hold it this afternoon, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
"I have four brothers and sisters, and they are all very hostile to me. My father should be the most important NPC in this family. His opinions and preferences are crucial. Unfortunately, I am not liked by him." After Lin Yun finished speaking, it was Bai Wuliang's turn.
Bai Wuliang did not introduce himself like the other players, "I spent some time today to make a set of guest rules. I have sent it to the group. You can take a look at it directly."
Everyone picked up their phones. Tangning took a deep breath and clicked on the group chat. He saw a long string of text:
Dear teammates, welcome to my home. In order to provide you with the best safety and guest experience, please read carefully the guest rules I have set before visiting.
1. Please do not have any major communication with my parents, including eye contact. If they ask you, do not answer the first and second time. When they ask you the third time, you can answer that you are a member of the cleaning team. Do not tell them that you are my friend. My parents do not like me.
2They also don't like the cleaning team.
3. You can clean the furniture, but please do not move it around. After cleaning, put even a pen back to its original position. If you can't remember the original position, you can take a photo. If you take a strange photo, remember to delete it in time and don't save it.
4 When cleaning, if my parents deliberately dirty the place you have cleaned, please do not argue with them, just pretend you saw nothing and continue cleaning.
5. Do not close the door when cleaning. If the door is closed, please do not panic. Put down your cleaning tools, walk to the door and knock three times. I will also knock three times and then open it for you. Please do not shout at will to avoid communication with my parents.
6. Please do not open the windows at will, regardless of what is outside.
7 If the water in the toilet turns red, please leave immediately and tell me.
8Except for the blue room, you can enter any part of the house to clean.
9 If you enter the room and find that the room has turned blue, please close your eyes as soon as possible and stand still for a while. It is best not to breathe until the room rings three times, and then I will open the door.
A very detailed and thoughtful guest guide that lists all the crises you may encounter and provides appropriate suggestions.
Even the ignorant Tang Ning was shocked by Bai Wuliang's quality as a veteran player after seeing the guest guide.
In just three days, has Bai Wuliang explored his home to this extent
"I didn't plan to be a guest again." Zhou Kang read the guest rules sent by Bai Wuliang, "After reading it, I feel relieved."
Lin Yun nodded, "If you want to go to a party this afternoon, it would be more appropriate to go to Bai Wuliang's house than to my house."
Bai Wuliang told everyone about all the possible pitfalls, and it seems that by following these guest rules, most dangers can be avoided.
Now, except for Bai Yingxue who has only completed two guest missions, other players have reached the minimum standard of three times. Whether or not to go to Bai Wuliang's house to explore next depends entirely on everyone's own ideas.
"Does anyone want to visit my house this afternoon?" Bai Wuliang asked.
Jiang Mianmian was the first to raise her hand, followed by Lin Yun. When Tang Ning saw Jiang Mianmian and Lin Yun's decision, he also raised his hand, followed by Bai Yingxue, and finally Zhou Kang.
Lu Yuhua did not raise his hand.
He stared at Bai Wuliang with a nervous look for a long time, and then said, "I'm not going."
Lu Yuhua and Bai Wuliang didn't get along from the moment they met. Lu Yuhua had never met the minimum number of visits before, so it's not surprising that he refused to visit Bai Wuliang's house after completing it three times.
Bai Wuliang said politely to Lu Yuhua, "Okay."
Lu Yuhua's expression was still bad. He glanced at Bai Wuliang, quickly avoided his gaze, lowered his head and picked up his phone as if he was typing.
"Then let's all do it together." Bai Wuliang said, "I have already put the cleaning tools in the trunk in advance."
Tangning stood up and prepared to leave his seat. As he turned around, a message came through his phone. It was from Lu Yuhua. It read:
"Don't believe Bai Wuliang's words!"