Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  “Let go!” she demanded.

  That young man smacked his lips in obvious dissatisfaction, mumbling, “Why so feisty?”


  When her expression remained tense, he sighed and shook his head. “Chill, girl. We ain’t baddies. We’re just curious why you’re alone out here at this time of the night. Don’t you know that it’s dangerous for a girl like you to be loitering outside once the sun is down?”


  She shook his hand off, fuming. “Please show some respect!”


  Her display of anger only piqued his interest further, though.

  “Oh, my! Respect? You’re quite the cultured lady! Don’t you know that I detest educated people?” With that, he yanked her arm once more.

  Disgusted with the act, she took a step backward and warned him, “Keep your hands to yourself!”


  “What? I can’t do that?” demanded the young man rowdily, becoming ruder and more unreasonable following her words of warning. He even bared his teeth as he glared at her.

  Despite being badly frightened, the woman feigned a look of composure and sternly warned him, “Behave yourself or I’ll call the cops on you!”


  He cocked a brow at that but eventually let go of her, though it was not without any cursing.

  The boss hastily stepped in to play mediator. “Brother Dong, Brother Dong, aren’t you spoiling my business if you go around making things difficult for my customers? It’s not easy for this lady to come here from afar. She just wants to go back to her room and rest for the night. Please don’t make things too difficult for her.”


  “Alright, alright. I got it!”


  Brother Dong waved his hand, which prompted the hostel’s boss to give Meng Qingxue another urging look.

  As if she had received a great amnesty, she ran up the stairs in one breath while clutching her bag, and upon finding her room, she swiped the card and entered it right away. She swiftly proceeded to close the door behind her, lock it, and even latch it as though there were demons chasing after her outside.

  Only after ascertaining that she was safe did she heave a long sigh of relief. She plopped down on the bed and placed the bag next to her, still feeling somewhat scared.

  As she lifted her head to check her surroundings, she noticed that the standard room was cramped with no other furniture—table, TV, or even an air-conditioner—save for a heater and a simple single bed that was covered with a yellowish-white blanket.

  She went to check the bathroom next, but it was also relatively shabby.

  This explained why the room was charged at such a low rate, though.

  There was a little sunroof above the room, which got her worried, for she suddenly recalled a piece of news about a young lady being robbed while staying alone at a lodging. Her room also had a sunroof. A thief, who specialized in using an incense-sort of item, stuck that stuff into the sunroof, causing the lady to drift into a deep slumber upon smelling the scent. The thief then climbed into the room through the sunroof and stole her valuables.

  Meng Qingxue swiftly climbed up the bed, closed the sunroof, and locked it. Only then did she feel slightly at ease. She was all covered in sweat by then, though.

  She headed to the bathroom, turned on the shower, and let the water run for a while until it got hot. She then took a quick shower and soon tucked herself in bed to rest for the night.

  It was the wee hours of the night by then.

  As she lay in bed, close to falling asleep, she suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps outside her room.

  Ever since she got pregnant, she had become a light sleeper and would be easily awakened at the slightest noise.

  In a flash, her eyes peeled open and she sat right up in bed, glancing warily at the door.