Ayato's face instantly flushed, and he glared fiercely at Qianyu, wishing he could burn two holes in that hateful face with his gaze.
The lingering pain in his body and the powerlessness of having his thoughts precisely exposed by the other party made him realize that staying any longer would only bring him more humiliation.
Without a word, Ayato took a sharp breath, enduring the intense pain that felt like his entire body was falling apart, and struggled to get up from the cold floor.
He staggered, leaning against the wall to barely steady himself, his deep purple Ukaku trembling slightly due to his weakness and anger, emitting a low hum.
Ayato gave He Xi Qian Yu one last glare, his eyes filled with a frustration he himself was unwilling to admit.
Then, he abruptly turned and walked straight towards the broken window, which was now just a twisted frame—it was less of a walk and more of a stumbling lunge.
Sharp shards of glass still clung to the edge of the window frame, glinting coldly in the moonlight.
He propped himself up with one hand on the cold windowsill, attempting to exert force to climb over, but the severe pain and weakness in his body severely distorted his movements, and the floor beneath him was covered in slippery glass fragments.
Just as his center of gravity became unstable, and his upper body leaned out of the window, about to fall headfirst in an extremely undignified manner—
Several scarlet tentacles precisely and gently supported and held his waist and back shoulder. The force was controlled just right, preventing his undignified fall while forcefully correcting his posture, allowing him to stand steadily on one foot on the edge of the window frame, avoiding the fate of falling and getting bruised.
Ayato's lips moved, and he finally left with a "I'll have someone come find you" before unhesitatingly leaping into the dense night outside the window, his figure quickly swallowed by the darkness, without a trace of lingering attachment.
After completing their mission, those few scarlet tentacles silently retracted into Qianyu's shadow like a receding tide, as if they had never appeared.
He Xi Qian Yu stood in place, listening as the stumbling footsteps quickly disappeared downstairs, and his gaze slowly returned to the room.
Glass shards on the floor sparkled with cold light points under the moonlight, like a layer of tiny diamonds.
"Tsk," he lightly clicked his tongue, a rare hint of trouble appearing between his brows, "This room... how can anyone sleep here tonight?"
Just then, the door was silently pushed open.
Kirishima Touka's figure appeared in the doorway, her smooth short hair slightly disheveled, her delicate face showing a hint of unconcealable fatigue, but her blue eyes were still clear in the dim light.
Her gaze first quickly swept over He Xi Qian Yu, confirming that he was safe and sound, before slowly moving to the large broken window in the room, and the faint, extremely familiar scent lingering in the air.
"Ayato was here?" Her voice was very soft, with an almost imperceptible tension.
He Xi Qian Yu turned and nodded: "Yes." His tone carried an apology, "Did I wake you up?"
"That guy doesn't like using the front door, so I taught him a slight lesson," He Xi Qian Yu shrugged helplessly, pointing to the messy floor, "You won't blame me, will you?"
Dong Xiang shook her head, her gaze falling on the sharp glass shards remaining on the window frame.
She knew her brother's personality; he indeed needed some discipline.
What truly concerned her was the reason for Ayato's late-night appearance here.
He Xi Qian Yu and Ayato did not have much interaction; the only link between them was Kirishima Arata.
"Are you leaving?" Her gaze returned to Qianyu's face, a complex worry appearing in her eyes, like dewdrops condensed in the night.
He Xi Qian Yu knew what she was asking, and his expression also became serious, nodding: "Yes, Bronze Tree plans to attack Kukulia the day after tomorrow." He paused, adding, "This is one of the few opportunities."
"Take me with you." Dong Xiang's voice was not loud, but it was filled with determination.
"This..." He Xi Qian Yu's brows instantly furrowed, finding it difficult.
As a Ghoul detention center, Kukulia was heavily guarded. Even with personnel diverted, it still gathered the elite forces of the CCG. Even SS-rank Ghouls might not be able to retreat unscathed, let alone S-rank.
If anything unexpected happened, he would certainly be able to protect himself, but Dong Xiang's safety would be difficult to guarantee.
"It's too dangerous, Dong Xiang." Qianyu's voice was solemn, "That's not a place you can go. The defensive strength there..."
"I can fight!" Dong Xiang interrupted him, stubborn flames burning in her purple eyes, "I know the risks. But that's Father, I can't... I can't just wait for news here." Her voice trembled slightly.
He Xi Qian Yu gazed at her. The moonlight outlined her slender but upright silhouette. He sighed, walked in front of her, close enough to see the slight redness she was trying to suppress in her eyes.
"I know you can fight, Dong Xiang," his voice was very soft and gentle, "Stronger than many people. But precisely because it's you..."
He raised his hand, seemingly wanting to brush away a slightly disheveled strand of hair from her cheek, but stopped midway, his fingertips curling slightly, finally just lightly resting on her somewhat thin shoulder.
The warmth from his palm, through the thin fabric, was clear and burning.
"Precisely because it's you," he repeated, his eyes locking onto her gaze, filled with a worry and heartache she had never seen before, "I absolutely cannot let you take this risk. I cannot... and I will never take you in."
His fingers tightened slightly, "Trust me, okay? I will bring Kirishima Arata back, bring him back unharmed."
Dong Xiang's body stiffened slightly under his palm. He Xi Qian Yu's gaze and words made her heart ache, and for a moment, she couldn't find any words to refute him.
She lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyes, concealing the intense emotions that surged for a moment—unwillingness, grievance, and a hint of an unfamiliar flutter.
"But..." she murmured, her voice muffled.
"No 'buts'," He Xi Qian Yu's voice carried an unquestionable resolve, "I cannot let anything happen to you."
As soon as he said this, even he himself was momentarily stunned.
The air in the room seemed to freeze, with only the faint rustle of the night wind over the broken glass outside the window.
Dong Xiang suddenly looked up, meeting his deep eyes. There was no hint of a joke in them, only seriousness and an emotion she dared not delve into.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest a few times, and her ears uncontrollably flushed a faint red. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she just bit her lower lip, turned her head away, and avoided his gaze.
That heavy sentence, like a hot stone thrown into her heart, caused ripples that made her flustered, but also calmed some of her anxiety.
A brief silence spread between them, carrying a subtle tension, and the night wind pouring in through the broken window seemed to soften slightly.
After a long while, Dong Xiang finally nodded very lightly, giving an almost inaudible "Mm."