Chapter 39 Beth: Ah
Beth’s bedroom was infused with a faint scent of jasmine, refreshing and pleasant.
Li Changsheng stood by the window in a bathrobe, admiring the moonlight as he answered Beth’s questions.
After the bloodshed, his heart was uncharacteristically calm.
“So, what am I supposed to do there?” he asked.
Beth, hugging her knees anxiously, had been asking about the basic situation in Civilization City.
“You’ll be Civilization City’s ambassador, using your voice to persuade survivors to work for me!” Li Changsheng replied with a mischievous smile.
“Hmph, I won’t help you deceive people!” Beth’s eyes sparkled at his words, but she quickly put on a mask of indignation, letting out a huff.
“Alright, that’s enough talking. Done and dusted,” Li Changsheng declared. After talking for so long, his mouth was dry and nothing he anticipated had happened. It was pure torture, telling stories like this.
“Wait, pour me a glass of water, please!” Beth called out.
“Just this once,” Li Changsheng replied helplessly, then walked over to the door, filled a glass with water, and handed it to Beth.
At that moment, footsteps sounded at the door, followed by Maggie’s voice.
“Beth, are you talking to someone? I’m coming in…”
Beth’s situation had been weighing on the Hershel family lately, so Maggie occasionally checked on her at night.
“Oh no, the door’s unlocked, it’s Maggie!” Beth whispered in alarm. “Quick, hide!”
If someone found a man in her room at night, she couldn’t imagine how she’d ever face Maggie again.
But where could he hide? Beth’s bed was made entirely of wood with no space underneath, and anywhere else would surely make a noise.
In a panic, Beth lifted her quilt, pulled Li Changsheng in, and tried her best to stifle her embarrassment. “Don’t make a sound,” she whispered, stuffing a plush pillow beside him for added cover.
Creak…
The door opened.
“Beth, you’re still up? Is something on your mind?” Maggie saw the light on at Beth’s bedside and, thinking she was troubled, hurried over to check on her.
“No… I’m just thinking about Civilization City,” Beth replied. Feeling the heat of someone pressed against her thigh under the covers, her cheeks flushed and she trembled slightly.
“Still thinking about that self-important jerk? That guy’s infuriating—Hershel just mentioned going to Civilization City, and he’s already assigning me work. It’s maddening,” Maggie grumbled, oblivious to Beth’s unusual demeanor.
“Yeah, he’s just a self-important jerk, hm…” Beth tried to reply, but her words faltered and her expression turned odd. She suddenly felt a hot hand under the white quilt gently stroking her thigh.
“What’s wrong, Beth?” Maggie asked, noticing Beth’s strange expression.
“It’s nothing, Maggie. I just think that guy is such a jerk too,” Beth forced herself to appear calm, though her face grew redder and her trembling intensified. She couldn’t help but nudge Li Changsheng with her foot, but ended up pressing against something hot and hard, quickly withdrawing her foot.
Li Changsheng, trying to keep hidden, curled up as much as possible in the darkness, enveloped by the scent of the young woman. Hearing the two women speak ill of him, he couldn’t resist punishing Beth with his hand—once he started, he couldn’t stop.
The silky, delicate feel beneath his palm sent a tremor through his heart, and with Maggie so close by, the thrill grew.
Maggie remained oblivious. “Yeah, I still remember how that jerk pinned me to the ground the first day. One day I’ll get back at him.”
“Right, we can’t let that jerk off easy,” Beth replied, subtly slipping her right hand under the quilt, pinching Li Changsheng’s hand tightly between her thumb and forefinger and twisting it.
But to someone of Li Changsheng’s mutated constitution, this pain was nothing. His large hand held firm.
Beth had no choice but to clamp her legs together and bite her lip.
Maggie, seeing Beth’s face grow redder, asked, “Beth, are you feeling sick?”
“No, it’s just… talking about that jerk gets me worked up,” Beth stammered.
“That’s good,” Maggie replied, stifling a yawn. “It’s late, I’m heading back. You should rest soon, Beth.”
Click.
The door closed.
As Maggie’s footsteps faded, Beth could no longer hold back—a haze drifted across her eyes, even glistening with tears. But she quickly regained her senses, kicked Li Changsheng aside, and whispered, “You pervert!”
Li Changsheng couldn’t help but capture her small foot in his hand.
They locked eyes for a long while.
At that moment, several beams of light suddenly illuminated the Rick camp.
“Something must have happened,” Li Changsheng frowned, tucked Beth’s little foot under the quilt, and pulled the covers up for her. “Rest for now. I’ll go see what’s going on and come back later…”
Beth huffed, annoyed. “No one wants you to come back! You’ll be the death of me, with Maggie next door, and you still…”
Li Changsheng grinned mischievously. “So, if Maggie’s not around, then it’s fine… ha ha…” As he spoke, he slipped out the window.
“That jerk! Never… and don’t forget your belt!” Beth’s voice grew softer and sweeter, but before she could finish, Li Changsheng was already gone.
…
Li Changsheng leapt into his own room, hastily changed clothes, and hurried straight to Rick’s camp.
“Rick, what are you all doing up in the middle of the night?” he asked.
At this moment, Rick and Shawn were gathered around Glenn, who was pointing toward one side of the farm and speaking urgently. Rick and Shawn’s expressions grew tense as they listened.
The commotion drew the rest of the adults from the camp, who put on their clothes and came out to see what was happening.
“What’s going on?”
“What’s happened now, at this hour?”
Rick ignored the questions. Seeing Li Changsheng arrive, he finally relaxed, and said in a serious tone, “Li, you’re just in time. There’s something important you need to hear.” He pulled Glenn forward. “Glenn, tell Li what you saw in the barn.”
Glenn hesitated. “The farm’s barn is full of walkers. Hershel and the others are keeping them!”
Keeping walkers!
The revelation sent a wave of terror through the camp—everyone’s faces went pale.
“Glenn!”
Suddenly, Maggie’s angry voice rang out. “You promised to keep it secret!”
Glenn looked embarrassed, unable to reply.
Earlier that day, while wandering, Glenn had noticed the barn doors rattling as if something inside was pounding against them. Curious, he peeped through a crack and was horrified to see the barn teeming with walkers. Terrified, he’d wanted to run and tell Rick and the others, but Maggie, who was bringing food to Rick, caught him in the act.