Seeing Shawn accept it, Beth's eyes sparkled with a brilliant smile.
"Father said thank you for everything you've done for the Farm… My sister and I are also very grateful to you."
"With you and Daryl here, we can finally get a good night's sleep."
Shawn felt a little embarrassed by what Beth said.
"You know, this is just a transaction. Hershel allowing us to temporarily stay at the Farm, we should be the ones saying thank you."
"That's not it."
Beth shook her head earnestly.
"Before, we always thought we were the best, which is why everyone rejected you when you first appeared."
"But after you completely settled down at the Farm, we realized how good it is to have you all."
Beth wasn't being sentimental; at her age, she wouldn't really know how to say such things. This was simply a sincere thank you.
Thank you for Shawn's appearance, thank you for everything Shawn has done for the Farm and for Hershel's family.
Shawn's heart warmed upon hearing this, and he looked at Beth and said gently.
"Alright, go back quickly. You know the temperature drops fast at the Farm, don't get sick."
"Oh--"
Beth nodded obediently, helped Shawn close the car door, and turned to go back to the wooden house.
Inside the car, Shawn was wrapped in a blanket, his gaze passing through the glass car window, blurred by the moonlight, towards the half-covered window on the second floor of the wooden house, where there seemed to be a flickering silhouette.
But upon closer inspection, no one could be seen.
"I didn't expect Hershel to have his own little schemes too~" Shawn sighed.
Beth was very honest and pure.
So, perhaps the young girl still didn't know why Hershel would send her to deliver a blanket in the middle of the night.
And she probably couldn't imagine that Shawn could actually do more tonight…
"They're all adults, yet they're playing little games with me. If she doesn't come to me, will I not care about the Camp members anymore?"
Shawn was so annoyed that his sleepiness faded a bit. He didn't expect to be underestimated by Hershel.
Shawn guessed that in Hershel's mind,
Shawn's words would surely carry some weight in this entire survivor Camp in the future.
By entrusting his daughter Beth to Shawn now, Beth and even Hershel's family would benefit in the future, receiving better treatment in the survivor Camp.
After Hershel died of old age, there would still be someone to look after his family in this terrifying world.
But Hershel actually had thoughts about using his daughter as bait to catch a big fish… It seemed Hershel had also quietly undergone some changes.
"But seriously, my face isn't bad, and I have strength. What parents wouldn't want me as a good son-in-law?"
Shawn thought with a bit of self-satisfaction. As soon as he thought of this, the anger that had just arisen slowly receded without a trace.
"Forget it, forget it, time to sleep. One should do what one should do at a given time. These people, one by one, have so many thoughts at night instead of sleeping."
Shawn was incredibly annoyed tonight.
He shook his head and, fueled by the returning sleepiness, collapsed.
But Nyx, the Goddess of Night, who was in a rather playful mood tonight, didn't seem to intend to let Shawn have a peaceful night's sleep.
Who knows how much time passed.
Bang, bang, bang--
Shawn suddenly opened his eyes wide!
Facing the moonlight that peered in through the car window, he looked like an Eastern zombie, filled with more resentment than a ghost, rising from the dead.
However, due to the previous situation, Shawn's 'rising from the dead'… didn't immediately lead to gunfire behind him.
He squinted and opened the car door, revealing a figure with thick earlobes and a large nose.
Shawn's lips curled into a ferocious arc: "Damn it, I finally caught one!"
Shawn suddenly stood up!
And immediately opened fire!
"Shane, are you f*cking out of your mind?!"
"Do you think this is a motel, where you can knock whenever you want, you bastard!"
"Or has your esteemed officer sir finally evolved night vision and will only be active in the middle of the night from today onwards?!"
Shawn unleashed a torrent of words, heavily laced with expletives.
It wasn't that Shawn reacted too strongly; it was just that too many people had knocked on his car door tonight, preventing him from sleeping.
Now that he finally caught someone with strong endurance, why not exploit it to the fullest?
After all, this person in front of him, nicknamed 'Thug,' was no ordinary individual…
Outside the fire truck.
Shane's originally stern expression was transformed into bewilderment by Shawn's angry tirade.
"When did I provoke him?" Shane thought to himself.
His original intention to warn Shawn was suddenly disrupted. Looking at Shawn's self-righteous demeanor, Shane felt a little guilty.
"I came to talk to you about something."
Shane straightened his chest again. As soon as he thought of Lori and little Carl, he felt infinite courage.
"Speak!"
Shawn lightly scoffed, annoyed.
His angry outburst at Shane was actually just to vent his frustration; he didn't truly want to break ties with Shane.
"About the Prison, thank you for everything you've done for everyone."
"But I hope you don't take advantage of everyone's trust to do something irrational."
"Buddy, I'll be watching you."
Shane's eyes stared intently at Shawn, as if he were looking at a criminal.
After hearing Shane speak, Shawn finally understood why some people in the team disliked him.
Shawn considered the entire team; even if they didn't thank him, they shouldn't warn him, right?
But Shane did exactly that, and from his expression, it didn't seem like he was joking.
"Look at what Rick just did?"
"No wonder he's the sheriff and you're the deputy. How can two brothers be so different?"
Shawn thought to himself, feeling a bit helpless.
However, this was both a flaw and, in Shawn's eyes, Shane's strength.
Even though Shane was foolishly coming to warn Shawn now, once they got closer and Shane considered Shawn one of his own, he would also protect Shawn from others with ill intentions.
This was Thug Shane.
Cold-bloodedness, ruthlessness, and tenderness intertwined, forming this seemingly contradictory personality.
Shawn knew that, even more so than Daryl and Merle, Shane's personality was truly suited for survival in the apocalypse.
If it hadn't been Rick who acted, Shane would have lived better than anyone else.
While Shawn sighed, he didn't intend to be intimidated by Shane like this.
"You're watching me? On behalf of whom?" Shawn looked at Shane with a half-smile.
"I care about everyone in the Camp!"
Shane felt uneasy under Shawn's gaze, touched the tip of his nose, and said seriously.
"Is that so?"
"Then you just keep watching me, and don't take your eyes off me."
Shawn closed the door with a 'bang,' glanced at Shane who was still standing outside, and couldn't help but chuckle when he thought about what he was going to do tomorrow.
"Shane, right?"
"Just wait."
Shawn didn't intend to fight fire with fire and foolishly lay hands on Shane.
Although his methods for dealing with Walkers were like those of a savage, Shawn was not just a savage.
When it came to people, Shawn also had his own methods.
And in Shawn's eyes, the easiest to subdue were tough guys like Shane, who were outwardly hard but inwardly soft.
Completely under control…
Thinking of this, Shawn couldn't help but smile. This time, he finally entered dreamland quietly, undisturbed.