"Xiao Niu, try this, it’s very delicious."

Leng Yebai placed a piece of lean lamb in Bai Xiqin’s bowl, which looked tasty and appetizing.

Bai Xiqin’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the lamb in her bowl, reaching out with her chopsticks to pick it up, just about to bring it to her mouth.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xiao Lan Zombie looking at her, with a hint of grievance in its decayed eyes.

Ever since seeing him, Xiao Lan Zombie had always looked aggrieved, like an abandoned child, so pitiful.

"Here, try this."

Bai Xiqin placed the lamb on the plate in front of Xiao Lan Zombie.

Xiao Lan Zombie didn’t eat cooked food, but there was an empty plate in front of her.

This was to create a warm and harmonious atmosphere of a family dining together.

"She doesn’t like to eat these, Xiao Niu, you eat more."

Song’s mother added another chopstick of lamb for Bai Xiqin, her eyes dimmed for a moment.

How she wished her daughter could eat like a normal girl!

"Roar—"

Xiao Lan Zombie stiffly turned its neck to look at the lamb on the plate, letting out a low, suppressed growl from its throat.

This sound was completely different from the roar it made when trying to devour flesh.

Under the astonished gazes of the Song Family, Xiao Lan Zombie slowly extended its decayed fingers, grasping the lamb in its hand.

The white plate made contact with the decayed fingers, leaving a trace of black blood.

Everyone watched not the plate, but the decayed finger of Xiao Lan Zombie.

Bit by bit, it brought it to its mouth.

Chewed twice expressionlessly, then swallowed.

"Ate... it?"

Song Hongfei incredulously looked at the now empty plate, excitedly standing up directly.

His daughter had never eaten cooked food in the days she was here; every meal had to be raw meat dripping with blood.

Now that she had eaten cooked food, did it mean she was slowly regaining her consciousness?

"Sister, come, have some more!"

Song Ning immediately placed a large piece of cooked lamb on the plate in front of Xiao Lan Zombie, looking longingly at her decayed fingers.

Hoping she would pick up the lamb and eat it.

Xiao Lan Zombie seemed not to see or hear Song Ning’s words, sitting absentmindedly on the sofa.

Where no one could see, another decayed finger gently scratched at the light blue dress on her body.

Like something a bored child would do to pass the time.

"Our Wenwen loves lean meat, who eats the fatty part!"

Song Hongfei nudged Song Ning, immediately picking out a piece of lean lamb and placing it onto Xiao Lan Zombie’s plate.

Xiao Lan Zombie still showed no reaction.

No face given.

Song’s mother also added a chopstick of lamb, yet Xiao Lan Zombie still didn’t eat.

The Song Family watched the absentminded Xiao Lan Zombie, their sparkling eyes slightly dimming.

It seemed that it would take a very long time for Wenwen to return to her normal appearance.

Maybe a few years later.

Maybe decades later.

Perhaps she would remain like this forever.

A somber mood hung over the Song Family, while Leng Yebai exuded a chill.

The meat he had given to Xiao Niu was given to Xiao Lan Zombie by her.

Jealousy and envy.

Leng Yebai decisively added another piece of meat for Bai Xiqin, this time directly bringing it to her lips.

His cold gaze softened for a moment, staring intently at Bai Xiqin.

This meat tasted really good to him, and he wanted Bai Xiqin to savor it too.

—He knew Xiao Niu’s appetite, and with so many people around, she was sure to be shy about helping herself to food. He must ensure Xiao Niu eats her fill!

Absolutely can’t let the wife go hungry!

Bai Xiqin’s ears turned slightly red, and rather than eat directly in front of everyone, she used her own chopsticks to catch it and ate.

Leng Yebai was slightly disappointed, pursing his thin lips.

He thought they could share a pair of chopsticks!

"Huh huh..."

Xiao Lan Zombie watching Bai Xiqin chew on the lamb suddenly made two grunting sounds, as if it wanted to say something to her.

Yet it could only produce the unique syllables of a zombie.

"Xiao Niu, does Wenwen want you to serve her some food?"

Song Ning closely observed her sister’s reaction, watching her decayed eyes fixedly staring at Bai Xiqin’s chewing mouth.

Came up with a conjecture.

"Really?"

Bai Xiqin was momentarily astonished, decisively adding a chopstick of lamb onto the plate in front of Xiao Lan Zombie.

Under everyone’s gaze, Xiao Lan Zombie again extended its decayed fingers, finishing the lamb on the plate.

This demeanor was very elegant for a zombie, at least not gobbling it down.

"More... more, please."

Song Ning pushed a large pot of cooked lamb towards Bai Xiqin, rubbing her eyes vigorously.

Bai Xiqin added more to the plate, even adding some wild vegetables with her chopsticks.

"Need to eat some vegetables too, for balanced nutrition," Bai Xiqin said.

After Xiao Lan Zombie ate all the lamb Bai Xiqin had added to the plate, she looked at the green wild vegetables on the plate with a deep sense of suffering.

A long breath was exhaled from the decaying chest.

Like a sigh.

Almost imperceptible.

The green wild vegetables were taken in Xiao Lan Zombie’s hand, her decayed eyes closed completely, then she tossed the wild vegetables into her mouth.

Without chewing, swallowed whole.

It seemed as if she were eating poison.

Facing death fearlessly.

"This, this, this..."

Song’s mother was so moved her tears almost flowed, looking at her daughter’s "life-weary" appearance helplessly.

Was this regaining self-awareness?

Song’s mother felt she saw hope.

For the first time seeing Song Wenwen so... human-like.

Not only Song’s mother, Song Hongfei was a bit shaky, unsure what the next step should be.

"Xiao Niu, Wenwen she..."

Song Ning looked at Bai Xiqin, hesitating to speak.

Wenwen treated Bai Xiqin very differently from others.

If Xiao Niu would help teach Song Wenwen some basic living skills, Wenwen might learn to absorb crystal cores more quickly.

Only by learning to absorb crystal cores could she become a high rank zombie and slowly regain consciousness.

Once Xiao Lan Zombie truly had self-awareness and wasn’t controlled by outside high rank zombies, the Song Family could truly rest easy.

"She is very smart, I believe she will quickly become stronger."

Bai Xiqin replied to Song Ning with this and handed a pair of chopsticks to Xiao Lan Zombie,

"Xiao Lan, do you know how to use chopsticks? Like me!"

Bai Xiqin took the chopsticks with her right hand and picked some vegetables onto the plate, gesturing for Xiao Lan Zombie to do the same.

Xiao Lan Zombie extended a finger to catch the chopsticks.

Her nose twitched slightly, she smelled the unique fragrance from Bai Xiqin.

This scent filled her brain with violent emotions, but seeing this face, she miraculously calmed down.

Maybe, even without the emperor’s command, she would not harm her.

Nobody knew why Xiao Lan Zombie treated Bai Xiqin so differently.

Clearly, the first time she saw Bai Xiqin, she didn’t have this feeling, yet later when she could be said to have some degree of consciousness, she surprisingly wanted to protect Bai Xiqin.

What was the reason for this?

No one knew.

Perhaps the library in that university campus in S City might know.

In the eyes of the girl in blue who secretly hid near Zhang Yiming, Bai Xiqin was Zhang Yiming’s only light.

For this reason, she wanted to protect this light.

As a human, she thought this way in her heart, wanting this light to always illuminate Zhang Yiming’s world.

As a zombie, her thoughts were simpler, everything revolved around the emperor, following her instincts.

And her instinct was to protect that light, after all!