Good Things Are Afoot in the Imperial Capital

Qian Zhong x Zhuang Hechu That year, Zhuang Hechu was imprisoned and had already given up on life. When Qian Zhong saw him, heavy shackles hung from his pale, slender hands and feet. He was covered in blood, yet still smiled gently as he always did, softly asking her which creature or plant in the world she feared most: birds, beasts, insects, fish, grass, or trees. Qian Zhong held him, afraid that squeezing too hard would hurt him, yet afraid that if she held him too lightly he would disappear the very next moment. Without stopping to wonder why he asked, she told him she was afraid of rats. When she used to beg on the streets, she was most afraid of rats biting her while she slept. “Fine. In my next life, I'll be reborn as a rat.” Qian Zhong still remembered how carefully Zhuang Hechu had held her as he said it, stroking her tenderly, reluctant to let go. “I've taken too many lives. I doubt I'll be allowed to be human again. When I stand before the King of Hell, I'll ask him to let me be reborn as a rat, the strongest one of them all. I'll make every rat obey me, and forbid them from ever coming near you again.” “See? Letting me die isn't such a bad thing, is it?” If that wasn't a bad thing, then everything in the world was good. By the moonlight, Qian Zhong looked at the man sleeping beside her, her heart full of complicated feelings. His words that year had made her resolve to save him. How could someone so handsome be allowed to turn into a rat? A quick-witted, brave little beggar girl and a seemingly gentle but secretly ruthless intelligence chief, saving each other in turn. * Not a paid story. Free and sweet. * Weibo: @Qingxian Yatou * I might not write quickly. * But I'll give it a try. * Squeak. Theme: Do good deeds and don't worry about what the future holds.