Awaiting You

One

In the dim room, Qingqing was working hard on her drawing. Lines were altered, corrected, erased, and redrawn again and again. Thankfully, today's technology and software meant she didn't have to waste endless stacks of paper with this many revisions.

A black bed, its covers turned back at one corner, a pile of crumpled clothes heaped at the headboard. The floor was littered with empty snack wrappers. Opposite the bed was a large television screen, above which hung a blue clock, its black hour hand now pointing at two.

A grey printed curtain was pushed aside by a draft, allowing a few streaks of colored light to spill onto the dark, lacquered table. It was a beautiful sight, but Qingqing had no mind to appreciate it now. Her eyes were fixed only on lines, lines, and more lines...

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

Time flew by. On the blank computer screen, a line gradually appeared, then two lines, a flower, and finally a face—a handsome man with flowing long hair, dressed in exquisite ancient robes, holding a beautiful flower in his hand.

The lines continued to multiply. The details of the hair, the intricate patterns on the clothing—each stroke was meticulously added. Just a little more, and this panel would be complete. But the speed of the strokes slowed, slowed, and finally stopped at the tip of the hair. This panel was now forever frozen: an ancient, footless man holding a blooming flower.

The persistent scratching sound finally ceased. Qingqing lay slumped over her beloved drawing tablet, her body already cold. The quiet little room held no sound now except for the ticking of the clock.

Two

A cool breeze swept by, and from somewhere in the distance came a clear, tinkling sound, remarkably like the bell Qingqing had imagined—the silver bell worn at the waist of Su Jue, the male lead of "Blood Oriole."

She opened her eyes. The surroundings were chilly and dark; she couldn't see a thing. Qingqing was bewildered. She remembered she had just been sitting at her desk racing against a deadline. Then her chest had suddenly started to ache terribly, and after that, she'd lost consciousness. To wake up in this situation now filled her with panic.

Apart from the ringing of the bell, she couldn't sense anything else. She could only inch forward slowly, following that sound. She walked for what felt like ages. The bell grew clearer and clearer, as if it was right beside her ear. Faintly, she thought she could even hear a man's sigh.

"Who's there? Who are you?!" Qingqing was terrified. Her whole body trembled. She took a deep breath, trying to sound stern and composed as she shouted the question, but the quaver in her voice clearly betrayed her fear. Only her own echo and that crisp bell sound answered her in the air.

Qingqing grew more frightened, her emotions teetering on the brink of collapse. Hugging herself tightly, she gradually came to a stop. A puff of cool air seemed to brush past her ear, and the bell's ringing paused for a moment. Qingqing squeezed her eyes shut in fright, only daring to open them again after a long while.

A white light blocked everything from view, slightly dazzling. Qingqing blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to adjust before she could make out the scene before her. It was a small grove of trees, though everything looked dark and shadowy. Ahead, a red glow flickered, with shadowy human figures flitting about. Summoning her courage, Qingqing took a few steps forward. Gradually, things became clearer. It was a man with a cascade of flowing black hair, pinned up with a silver crown.

He wore a silver-white cloak embroidered with patterns that looked vaguely familiar to Qingqing. He stood there in profile, a silver bell inlaid with a red gem fastened at his waist. The visible half of his face revealed pale skin, a straight nose bridge, and crimson lips—strikingly handsome.

Qingqing looked at him, a flicker of familiarity nagging at her. She swallowed nervously, hesitating over whether to ask him, when the man turned around. He truly was as handsome as jade carved to perfection, but why did he seem so familiar?

"Su Jue?" Qingqing blurted out in surprise.

The man looked at Qingqing, a smile playing on his lips as he clasped his hands in greeting. "Miss, you know me?"

"You... you..." She was so stunned she couldn't speak for a moment. Cautiously, she took a few steps closer to study him. Everything—his build, the patterns on his clothes, his hairstyle and crown, that face—was overwhelmingly familiar. She had meticulously outlined every detail with her own pen.

Gasping softly, Qingqing couldn't quite believe it. She reached out and gently touched him. His skin was cool to the touch, yet so smooth. He was truly real. Overcome with excitement, Qingqing jumped up and threw her arms around him.

"Ahhh! It's really you, Su Jue!" Qingqing shouted ecstatically. "Have I traveled into the world of the comic?"

Caught off guard as he embraced her back, Su Jue looked startled. "Miss, what are you doing?"

But Qingqing couldn't think of anything else. Pulling back, she grabbed Su Jue's hand. "Su Jue, the heavens must have heard my prayers and sent me to save you. You have to come with me, now!"

"Why would I go with you?" he asked, looking at the girl before him with a sudden smile.

Unable to drag him along, Qingqing stopped to explain seriously. "Su Jue, trust me. I'm from outside the comic—I'm the lead artist who drew you. I've seen the script. Your fate is tragic later on. I'm trying to help you. Please, come with me!"

"Heh heh!" Su Jue chuckled softly. "You... want to save me?"

Qingqing turned to look at him. His smile was as dazzling as a winter rose, yet it was tinged with an underlying sadness. Looking at him felt like a mother looking at her son; remembering his miserable life, her heart clenched with pain.

It only strengthened her resolve to save him, to free him from that vile woman's nightmare.

3

To help Su Jue more effectively, Qingqing started seriously reviewing the storyline of *Blood Oriole*. If she remembered correctly, the project was less than six months old. Since it was a short horror story, the client had been pushing for drafts constantly, so the scripts came in fast and quick.

She hadn't finished drawing it yet, but she'd already received all the scripts.

The female lead, Bai Yingge, was originally a mute girl, helpless and alone except for her elderly grandmother. One night, while heading up the mountain, she accidentally saved a dying nightingale—and afterward, she was suddenly gifted with a beautiful singing voice.

Overjoyed to discover she could sing, she began using her voice to make a living for herself and her grandmother. Unfortunately, while her singing brought money, it also brought disaster. Bai Yingge was already beautiful, and her voice was so enchanting—almost magical—that it stirred the men of Rongcheng into fierce competition over her, while the city's women burned with jealousy.

One day, several wealthy young men got into a massive brawl over her at a tavern, which drew the attention of the authorities. The Commandant of Rongcheng, Liu Wang, was a man over forty. He'd lost his wife years ago and had raised his daughter alone. He was an upright official, a man of integrity. Regarding the case brought against Bai Yingge by the city's women, he considered her merely a fragile girl singing at a tavern to survive—it wasn't her fault. He dismissed the matter with a light penalty.

However, that only angered the women of Rongcheng even more. To resolve the issue, Commandant Liu decided to take Bai Yingge into his household to raise. That way, she wouldn't need to sing for money anymore and wouldn't attract such trouble.

Liu Wang's daughter, Liu Ying, was originally a lively and cheerful young woman. She secretly admired Su Jue, who was studying as a guest in their household. Yet Su Jue fell for Bai Yingge. Not only that, but even Liu Wang himself grew fond of her. Qingqing remembered complaining about this plot back then—with a setup like that, it was no wonder Liu Ying ended up hating Bai Yingge.

Later, when an official even higher-ranking than Liu Wang took an interest in Bai Yingge, it brought disaster upon the Liu family. Bai Yingge first pretended to submit to the high official. After being rescued, she married Liu Wang out of gratitude. Yet, on the other side, she kept stringing Su Jue along. That sealed Liu Ying's hatred for her for good.

In the end, Liu Ying joined forces with the women of the city. They poisoned Bai Yingge, robbing her of her voice, and disfigured her. They even tried to burn her alive. She survived because of the nightingale, but her grandmother perished in that fire.

That was what set the whole horror story in motion. To restore her beauty and voice and seek revenge, Bai Yingge needed a constant supply of living sacrifices. The nightingale she'd saved was actually an evil deity—and to restore its divine power, it demanded blood.

Driven by hatred, Bai Yingge lost her sanity. Her first victim was Liu Wang. After that, the male lead, Su Jue, became a tool in her bloody revenge.

Thinking about all this, Qingqing wished she could drag the author out and give them a good beating. Noticing she hadn't responded, Su Jue lowered his head dejectedly. Qingqing snapped back to reality—and seeing that scene, her heart ached, tears brimming in her eyes. She almost couldn't stop herself from pulling him into an embrace.

"Yes, that's right, Su Jue! Believe me—I'm here to save you." As she spoke, Qingqing took his hand and started walking determinedly in one direction. But after walking for what felt like forever, the scenery around them hadn't changed at all. Only then did she suddenly remember—she was inside a comic.

She asked sheepishly, "Um, I don't really know the way. Would you mind leading?"

Su Jue had been quietly following, letting her guide him. When she stopped, he just smiled gently. A breeze swept by, stirring the silver bell at his waist. The sound startled Qingqing.

At that moment, Su Jue reached out and took her hand. Qingqing was instantly dazed. He led her toward a place glowing with red light.

When Qingqing came to her senses, Su Jue had already led her to a cave. The inside was meticulously arranged—a soft, carved wooden bed covered with a thick, plush satin quilt. Her clothes had been changed into an exquisite ancient-style gown, and her sneakers replaced with high heels.

"Strange—why are there high heels here?" Qingqing wondered. Getting up, she noticed Su Jue sitting at a table, head bowed, fiddling with something.

"Su Jue?" she called out tentatively. He turned his head and smiled at her.

Suddenly, Qingqing felt her ears ring and her vision blur. She could see his lips moving, but couldn't make out his words. Then, he approached her carrying a jade-white porcelain bowl.

Just as the headache threatened to make her collapse, Su Jue swiftly caught her. This time, she finally heard him clearly.

"Be good, Yingge. Time for your medicine."

Bai Yingge! How could it be her? Qingqing stared, wide-eyed and bewildered, at Su Jue, then looked down at the medicine in his hand. It was a terrifying crimson, its thick, pungent smell of blood assaulting her senses. Yes, this was the so-called 'good medicine' Bai Yingge had to drink daily—ground from human windpipes and mixed with blood.

Four

The porcelain-white bowl held a clear, translucent red liquid. It looked deceptively beautiful, unable to mask its revolting odor. To Qingqing, this wasn't medicine; it was a living human life, it was poison! She clenched her teeth, refusing to open her mouth, and kept twisting her head away. But Su Jue firmly pinched her jaws, relentlessly pouring the concoction down her throat.

"Mmph..." Qingqing's face ached from the pressure. Tears streamed down her cheeks, mingling with the medicine that spilled out.

"Be good. Only after drinking this will your throat heal," Su Jue coaxed softly, his clear, gentle voice wrapping around her like a dense net. Qingqing was terrified. She wanted to flee, but her body wouldn't obey. Only after the last of the nauseating liquid was gone did Su Jue finally release her.

"Cough, cough..." She scrambled to the bedside and vomited repeatedly.

When she finished, she realized Su Jue had been watching her the whole time with tender affection. Fear made her whole body tremble. She swiftly retreated to the head of the bed, grabbing the blanket and watching him warily.

Right, the high heels. How could there be high heels in ancient times? A special request from the client. Even for a historical-style comic, the female lead had to wear them.

"Wh-what are you trying to do?"

"I know the medicine tastes awful, but you must drink it to get better. Yingge, just wait a little longer. Soon, you'll be free from this pain." Su Jue gazed at Qingqing with a lovesick expression.

Qingqing cried and pleaded, "That's not medicine at all! What are you doing? Wh-why... waaah..." She broke into terrified sobs. Su Jue leaned in and gently wiped her tears away.

Qingqing felt no gratitude, only revulsion. She flinched away, crying, "Why? Why are you keeping me here? Why me?" By now, she was incoherent. Sadly, no one would hear her weeping.

Exhausted from crying, Qingqing fell into a fitful sleep. When she woke, it was pitch dark outside the cave, and Su Jue was gone. If she remembered correctly, nighttime was when he hunted. The cave should be unguarded now.

Qingqing threw off the blanket, removed the cumbersome high heels, tore cloth strips to wrap around her feet, and quietly slipped out. Outside was a small shrub forest. Moonlight filtered through the trees. Using its faint glow, she ducked into the woods.

She had designed this forest layout herself for the spirit herb storyboard, so she knew the way out. Still, there's always a gap between a drawing and reality. She took a few wrong turns before finally escaping the thicket.

However, leaving the shrubbery meant stepping outside the panel she herself had designed. The terrain was unfamiliar, surrounded by various trees with no clear path. A cold wind blew, making Qingqing shiver uncontrollably.

She wandered for a long time, but the surroundings remained unchanged. The more she walked, the more anxious she became; the more anxious she grew, the more frightened she felt. She finally stopped and wept.

She didn't know how long she cried. Eventually, Qingqing had no strength left. In despair, she looked up at the sky. With a sudden, fierce resolve, she pulled the hairpin from her head and pressed its tip against her chest. She pushed down hard. It didn't break the skin, but the pain was intense, unbearable. Finally, she gave up and released her grip.

Qingqing let out a bitter laugh. She didn't even have the courage to kill herself. She truly had no idea how to escape this terrifying world. The moon was slowly descending; the night was almost over. Su Jue would notice her absence when he returned. She couldn't let him catch her again. Thinking this, Qingqing quickly got up, ready to continue searching for a way out.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. Startled like a frightened bird, Qingqing swiftly hid behind a tree, peering cautiously toward the sound.

A woman in a light-yellow, cross-collared, off-the-shoulder long dress. The color scheme, the shoes, the hairstyle. She recognized the newcomer instantly: Liu Ying, the second female lead from *Blood Oriole*. As if seeing a savior, Qingqing immediately rushed out.

"Liu Ying!" Qingqing called out. Liu Ying turned, a silver short sword in her hand. She looked at Qingqing, utterly astonished.

Qingqing smiled and was about to run to her, pleading for help, when she saw Liu Ying's expression change drastically. Frightened yet furious, Liu Ying raised her sword and swung. "Bai Yingge, you sorceress! Prepare to die!"

"Ah!" Qingqing dodged in terror, looking down to see she was wearing that very dress—Bai Yingge's white embroidered gown. Though now covered in dust, it was clearly distinguishable in the moonlight.

Qingqing shouted desperately, "Liu Ying, you're wrong! I'm not Bai Yingge! I'm not!"

But Liu Ying paid no heed and kept pressing her attack. "Bai Yingge, you think learning that sorcery and changing your face can fool me? I'd recognize you even if you were burned to ashes. Die!" With that, she slashed at Qingqing again and again.

Qingqing scrambled backward in a desperate dodge. Not seeing the rock behind her, she tripped and fell. Seeing her chance, Liu Ying immediately raised her sword for the kill.

"Ahhh!"

Five

Pure instinct took over. As the blade came down, Qingqing threw herself sideways. The sword slashed into her shoulder instead. Blood gushed forth endlessly, staining the white dress crimson.

Wracked with agony, Qingqing wept in despair. Seeing her strike hadn't been fatal, Liu Ying raised her sword for another thrust. Just then, the sound of bells reached her ears. A wisp of wind brushed past Liu Ying's ear, making her hair stand on end. She whipped her head around to look behind her.

There was only the empty forest behind her. Suppressing a surge of panic, Liu Ying decided to finish the sorceress first and turned back—but the woman was gone.

Startled, Liu Ying was suddenly tackled to the ground. It was Qingqing, who had gotten up while Liu Ying was distracted, circled behind her, and pounced. Both women now gripped the sword's hilt, wrestling fiercely for control.

The bells grew closer, fueling their frantic struggle. Qingqing desperately wanted to seize the sword and calmly explain. Suddenly, a hand crept onto her back. Startled, she inadvertently drove the short sword into Liu Ying's chest.

Terrified, Qingqing instantly let go of the hilt. Liu Ying's chest heaved violently, but she couldn't utter a word. Blood slowly seeped from the wound onto the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." Qingqing's hands trembled as she apologized over and over, tears blurring her vision.

Liu Ying struggled to raise a hand, pointing at Qingqing. Her mouth moved weakly, "Bai... Bai... Bai Ying..." Her breath gradually faded, until finally, there was no sound at all.

Qingqing initially thought she was being accused of murder and cried even harder. But as she lowered her head, she caught a glimpse of a pair of high heels cast in shadow under the moonlight.

She suddenly remembered—though the storyboards hadn't reached that point yet, the script's ending was already set. The death of the second female lead was the final conclusion. With Liu Ying dead, the story should be over.

Thinking this, Qingqing couldn't help but let out a tearful laugh, as if mockingly saying to someone, "Hahaha, hahaha~ It's over, isn't it?"

Six

Over?

Qingqing swallowed that vile medicinal liquid as yet another life ended before her. She let out a bleak, scornful laugh. How could she have been so naive?

If they could capture her to replace this world's Bai Yingge, they could naturally find a replacement for Liu Ying too.

The mere thought that the medicine she'd just drunk was laced with something extracted from Liu Ying's throat last night made her vomit uncontrollably. They were truly ruthless—dissecting the corpse right before her eyes.

Su Jue led her to a secluded spot outside the cave. The scenery was beautiful, filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers. He plucked a blooming flower from somewhere, holding it delicately as he smiled at her. The phrase "peerless elegance" suited him perfectly. Pinching the flower, he approached and offered it to her, whispering softly, "Isn't it lovely?"

"Lovely my foot," Qingqing cursed inwardly. She raised her eyes to answer, but in a daze, she seemed to hear Xiaoping's voice—the editor usually in charge of liaising with her for Blood Oriole.

Something seemed to slip from her hand. As Qingqing looked down to see what it was, she noticed Su Jue smiling radiantly.

"Found it!" she heard him murmur softly. Turning, she saw a familiar figure joyfully darting through the distant woods, and a captivating song drifted from that direction.

That night, after taking her medicine, Qingqing heard another piercing scream. This time, however, the voice also struck her as strangely familiar.