Volume One, Chapter Seven: Sharing the Bed and Sleeping Together

“Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!” The frog’s call echoed again, piercing the silence of the night with startling clarity.

Zhuang Fan was frightened out of his wits, cold sweat streaming down his face. He dared not make any sudden movements.

Just now, the tongue he saw was twice as thick as Zhong Xiahan’s waist—how enormous must that frog be!

If he could turn it into a stir-fried frog dish, it would certainly last a long time.

But the crucial question was: how could they possibly kill it?

At this moment, they were unarmed. Charging recklessly would be a certain death sentence.

Forced to abandon such an impractical notion, Zhuang Fan carefully bent down and slowly edged toward the cave’s entrance.

Every movement was painstakingly cautious, lest the monstrous frog notice him.

Frogs typically possess excellent dynamic vision and are highly sensitive to moving objects.

This strange frog outside was probably no different.

Meanwhile, Zhong Xiahan stood frozen in place like a frightened fawn, evidently overwhelmed with terror.

Her originally fair and delicate hands had, at some point, gripped tightly onto Zhuang Fan’s arm.

The grip was so forceful it made him wince.

Though he was also afraid, Zhuang Fan maintained his composure.

Facing this girl who clung to him stubbornly, refusing to let go, he felt a touch of helplessness.

Finally, he took a deep breath and gently wrapped his arm around Zhong Xiahan’s petite frame, moving forward step by careful step.

Zhong Xiahan wanted desperately to pull herself together.

But having been pampered since childhood, she couldn’t stop her body from trembling uncontrollably.

Her frail figure seemed utterly drained of strength as she slumped softly against Zhuang Fan.

Seeing this, Zhuang Fan couldn’t help but smile wryly before pulling her into his embrace and continuing deeper into the cave.

In the pitch-black darkness, Zhuang Fan relied on his memory and sense of touch to navigate with great difficulty.

Each step felt interminably long.

After more than ten arduous minutes, he finally led Zhong Xiahan back to his humble shelter.

“Not planning to return to your own spot? Or do you want to share my bed tonight?” Zhuang Fan teased softly, lowering his voice as he looked at her still tightly clutching him.

At these words, Zhong Xiahan stiffened instantly. Their current position was far too intimate.

She was almost completely enveloped in Zhuang Fan’s arms; their proximity so close she could feel his breath.

“I... I was just really scared earlier! Now let go of me—I can walk on my own!” she insisted, forcing a show of strength despite the trembling in her voice betraying her fear.

“Alright then,” Zhuang Fan said reluctantly.

This girl felt surprisingly comfortable to hold—soft and warm, a sensation lingering on his fingertips that he found hard to relinquish.

Especially on this chilly, perilous night, it was oddly thrilling.

However, just as he released her, the unexpected happened.

Zhong Xiahan stood up but immediately seemed to lose all strength, collapsing again weakly into Zhuang Fan’s arms.

Almost instinctively, he embraced her once more.

For a moment, their bodies stiffened with disbelief, expressions full of surprise.

“I...” Zhong Xiahan was so embarrassed she could hardly speak.

But her frustration wasn’t with Zhuang Fan—it was with herself.

How could she be so useless?

If this continued, that infuriating guy was going to laugh her to death!

Of course, Zhuang Fan wasn’t foolish. At such a critical moment, he dared not laugh aloud.

Instead, he lowered his voice to soothe her gently.

“Why don’t you just stay here tonight? It’s way too cold, and it’d be terrible if you caught a chill and got sick. Plus, if some monster breaks in, it’s better for us to watch out for each other.”

Worried she might not believe him, he quickly added, “Don’t worry, I’m a good guy—I won’t do anything reckless. Besides, I’m more afraid you’ll get so panicked you blow yourself up and take me down with you.”

After saying this, Zhuang Fan waited quietly for her response.

But there was no reply.

A long silence stretched between them.

...

The long night slipped away quietly. Zhuang Fan was repeatedly disturbed by monstrous howls outside.

Each time, he rose to check if any creature had trespassed into their cave.

After enduring the nerve-wracking night, dawn’s first light finally pierced the darkness, spreading across the land.

Zhuang Fan slowly opened his tired eyes.

Beside him, Zhong Xiahan remained lost in sweet dreams.

She slept in a particularly endearing, innocent pose, curled up like a lazy kitten.

Perhaps because of the cold night air, she nestled closely into Zhuang Fan’s warm embrace.

One smooth, pale leg, like fine white jade, rested unabashedly atop him.

Zhuang Fan’s gaze traced the elegant curve of her leg, swallowing hard as a rush of heat surged through his chest.

But he knew he must restrain his desires at this moment.

He quickly looked away, seeking other distractions.

Opening the auxiliary system, he checked his physical status.

[Slightly hungry] [Slightly thirsty] [Mild hypothermia]

He then glanced at the regional chat channel—Dragon Kingdom.

[Population: 149,597]

Thousands had died overnight? And that was with revival possible!

Seeing this, his heart sank to rock bottom.

It took a long moment before he could steady himself.

“Today, first find food and water, then quickly make proper clothing to keep warm,” Zhuang Fan resolved, setting his goals for the day.

He kept his eyes on the chat channel, where important information occasionally popped up.

Just then, several messages caught his attention:

“Fellow countrymen, this is a great find. It can be eaten, used to make fire, and keep you warm. [Picture]”

“Wow, thanks for sharing, big shot!”

“Kind soul, I want to have your babies!”

Zhuang Fan hurriedly opened the message.

[Cattail: rich in value, stalk edible…]

What appeared to be an ordinary grass was actually a treasure trove.

Its stalks were edible; leaves could be woven into various items; the cattail fluff could light fires and repel insects; its down served as soft stuffing; even the pollen had hemostatic properties…

Zhuang Fan was ecstatic.

Only yesterday, he had come across a large patch of this plant.

With food in sight, his perpetually anxious heart finally calmed somewhat.

Just then, he sensed Zhong Xiahan in his arms stirring, about to awaken.

Startled, Zhuang Fan swiftly shut down the system and closed his eyes, pretending to still be asleep.

After all, Zhong Xiahan’s prideful nature meant he didn’t want her to react too strongly upon waking.