It was the middle of the night.
Gu Jiaojiao was sound asleep when a scream from the room next door jolted her awake.
She and Leng Yuan got dressed and rushed next door.
They found Xiao Yang just stepping out of his room as well.
The three of them gathered in Sweet Girl's room. Gu Jiaojiao lit the kerosene lamp, and by its glow, they saw Sweet Girl on the bed, drenched in a cold sweat with an expression of pure terror.
Sweet Girl still hadn't woken up; she was clearly trapped in a nightmare.
She was flailing her arms and shouting, "No! No! Run! Quick..."
Gu Jiaojiao stepped forward and gently called Sweet Girl's name, waking her.
The moment she woke, Sweet Girl burst into tears.
Gu Jiaojiao went to her, pulling her into an embrace and patting her back. "Don't be afraid. It's all right now. The traffickers have been caught. They're not coming back."
Gu Jiaojiao's soothing presence helped Sweet Girl's emotions settle, and she slowly calmed down.
