At the critical moment, every second of waiting felt like suffocation.
Xin Yu stared at Mu Yi'ai before her, motionless, her fate unknown.
Her heart felt as if it were filled with thick smoke, choking her.
She observed that Mu Yi'ai was in the kitchen, confirming the fire hadn't spread there yet.
Xin Yu climbed through the window and reached Mu Yi'ai's side…
"Mu Yi'ai!" Xin Yu shook her violently, but she didn't respond.
"This is no good," she cried out inwardly.
"Strange, where is Mu Jian?"
"Mu Jian! Where are you? Mu Yi'ai is here!" Xin Yu shouted, rushing to the kitchen to fetch water.
Splash!
She first poured a basin of water on herself, then picked up another basin and poured it on Mu Yi'ai.
"Please, wake up!" Xin Yu didn't care about anything else. She had no idea what was wrong with Mu Yi'ai, so she just poured water on Mu Yi'ai and herself, and rummaged through the room for any fabric she could find.
She soaked it and draped it over her shoulders or covered her mouth and nose.
After glancing at Mu Yi'ai, Xin Yu rushed to the living room. She had to check on Mu Jian. Had something happened to him?
"Cough cough..." The situation in the living room was noticeably worse, especially near the door.
Could someone have done this on purpose?
To prevent Mu Yi'ai from running out?!
Crawling on the floor, Xin Yu saw someone lying in the middle of the living room...!
"Mu Jian... cough cough!" She was startled. How could Mu Jian be lying here?
With his skills, he couldn't have been choked unconscious, definitely!
Has he been attacked? www.3qishu.com
This realization made Xin Yu's nerves tense, but she couldn't care less at this moment. She covered her nose and approached Mu Jian…
She covered Mu Jian's face with the wet cloth she was wearing and shook him, but like Mu Yi'ai, he didn't react.
Xin Yu bent down and pulled him towards the kitchen, grabbing his armpits.
Please, he's so big, but he's like an ox.
"Cough cough…" Xin Yu used all her strength, and with the smoke, she was almost collapsing.
Come on!
Xin Yu, you can do it!
We're almost at the kitchen, then the police will arrive…
Xin Yu kept encouraging herself, and finally, when she was about five or six steps away from the kitchen, she stopped.
She rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a basin of water, and poured it over Mu Jian! "Mu Jian! Wake up!" Xin Yu slapped his face hard, about to turn around to get more water, when she heard a thud.
It sounded like something rolled down the stairs!
She jumped in fright!
Her mind cleared instantly. Where was Mu Yi'ai?!
The kitchen floor was empty. She'd been so focused on Mu Jian that she hadn't noticed.
"Mu Yi'ai..." Xin Yu called, running to the kitchen, burying her face under the tap, soaking herself completely, covering her mouth and nose, and crawling around searching.
She found Mu Yi'ai slumped against the wall by the stairs.
...!
Blood was streaming down her head and the wall!
"Mu...Mu Yi'ai..." Xin Yu cradled her head, afraid to move, her voice trembling with fear.
At this moment, she was certain that someone else was in the villa.
And, a bad person.
Ring ring ring.
A clear bell rang from the stairs.
Xin Yu looked up sharply.
A man wearing a mask!
She froze.
She could only watch helplessly as he walked towards her step by step.
For some reason, Xin Yu couldn't look away; she could only stare at him, his skin, his nose, his eyes.
Not blue, but brownish-red.
Not much different from an ordinary person's.
He raised his hand and turned it; it was an extremely long and slender hand, longer and thinner than Mu Yichuan's, even somewhat like a woman's hand.
"Xin Yu, turn around now, and leave the way you came. When you turn around, you will completely forget me... Now!"
He actually knew her name...
This was the only remaining thought Xin Yu had before carrying out his order, and it vanished from her mind with each step.
However, by sheer coincidence, as she turned to descend the last flight of stairs, she accidentally stepped on Mu Yi'ai's foot.
Her body swayed, and she bumped into the wall, knocking over a painting.
Suddenly, Xin Yu's pupils contracted.
Her consciousness snapped back to reality. She stared at the painting; the pattern was exactly the same as the one in the pig's head painting!
And the same as the one on her ring!
Instinctively, Xin Yu looked down at the sparkling ring on her hand.
"Mu Yi'ai! What's wrong with you!" She saw the bloodstains on the wall again, flowing down to her feet.
Time seemed to start over. She crouched beside Mu Yi'ai, calling her name.
"Xin Yu..." Mu Yi'ai miraculously opened her cat-like eyes, but they were devoid of their usual luster.
Then, suddenly, they widened.
Struggling to her feet, she cried, "Nan Yu, I need to save Nan Yu..."
Mu Yi'ai, with strength from who-knows-where, managed to stand up, using the wall for support, and began to stagger unsteadily climb the stairs.
Xin Yu quickly steadied her. "Slow down, no, hurry up!"
The smoke thickened, as if the carpet was on fire. Mu Yi'ai felt dizzy and her vision blurred several times, her entire body leaning against Xin Yu.
"Nan Yu, Nan Yu..." she called out repeatedly, her voice soft but filled with excruciating pain, as if it were her only faith.
Upon reaching the room she was supposed to enter, she finally collapsed weakly by the door. Xin Yu quickly pushed the door open.
"Ah!"
A dark figure rushed out, carrying a power capable of destroying the world.
Xin Yu screamed in terror, staring in horror at the狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face.
No, it was Nan Yu!
His appearance hadn't changed much, but his eyes were filled with madness. He grabbed Xin Yu with both hands.
He threw her onto the bed in the room…
"Nan Yu!" Xin Yu scrambled to her feet, rolling over to avoid him. "Nan Yu, what are you doing? Are you crazy?"
But the man before her was completely unconscious.
Reaching out, he grabbed Xin Yu…
"Nan Yu…" Mu Yi'ai, standing at the door, struggled to keep her eyes open, her cat-like eyes fixed on the frenzied Nan Yu, her alluring lips slightly parted, "I…love…you."
"Nan Yu!" Xin Yu screamed in terror, "Nan Yu, look at Mu Yi'ai, that's Mu Yi'ai, she loves you! Can't you see or hear her?"
She was terrified, as if the sky were about to fall.
Her clothes were almost torn to shreds, her voice hoarse from screaming, but Nan Yu seemed deaf, his movements unwavering.
"Mu Yi'ai!" Xin Yu no longer knew what to shout. She gradually lost strength, her body trembling uncontrollably from the cold and fear, "Ah…no, Mu Yichuan! Mu Yichuan!"
She kept calling out, each time she uttered Mu Yichuan's name, a little strength returned.
Xin Yu struggled against Nan Yu, thud!
Her attempts to evade him displeased Nan Yu, and he grabbed Xin Yu by the hair, slamming her against the wall beside the bed.
Just then, Xin Yu grabbed the bedside lamp and swung it at Nan Yu with all her might.
A sharp cracking sound mingled with a low growl.
Blood streamed down Nan Yu's head, but his eyes remained bloodshot and wildly fixed on Xin Yu. If he raised his hand, she would immediately close her eyes like Mu Yi'ai at the door.
She was certain.
Her intuition was always sharp.
This mad night…
How terrifying!
Xin Yu's heart trembled, her body trembled, even every nerve ending trembled.
Just as the sky seemed to press down on her shoulders, the alarm bells rang.
Before she could even feel relieved, Nan Yu had already pounced on her.
"Mu Yichuan!" Xin Yu cried out as she resignedly closed her eyes.
Thump! The strength suddenly vanished.
Nan Yu was slammed against the wall.
"Ayu!"
Xin Yu lay there blankly, staring at the incomparably handsome, dashing face before her—the face of the person she had longed for.
"Mu Yichuan..."
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
She threw herself into his arms.
Mu Yichuan held Xin Yu tightly, wishing he could meld her into his body.
"I'm scared..." she murmured, clutching his clothes, "Please save Mu Yi'ai..."
"Ayu!"
Mu Yichuan's heart trembled; an unprecedented despair welled up from the depths of his soul.
He held her cool, soft body, looking into her tightly closed dark eyes.
Behind them, Nan Juechen's low growl echoed.
The sirens, fire trucks, ambulances, the sound of water, footsteps... all blended together.
When Qiu Zhi arrived in Beishi with his most capable assistants, Mu Yichuan had already stood like a statue by the hospital bed for two hours. His dark eyes were devoid of warmth, fixed intently on the pale woman on the bed.
She was still unconscious.
"Ninth Brother." A faint pang of pain shot through Qiu Zhi's heart, but before he could delve deeper, Mu Yichuan turned around.
"I didn't protect her."
That self-reproachful voice.
Qiu Zhi paused, speechless.
He carefully examined Xin Yu.
"Just from shock, Ninth—"
"Just?" Mu Yichuan murmured, his voice like a chilling wind.
His woman had almost been…
His mind was now filled with the image of Xin Yu's terrified, desperate eyes when she saw him.
Qiu Zhi said nothing more, turning to leave. He had already heard that Mu Yi'ai and Nan Yu were both unconscious, and both had suffered severe head injuries.
He frowned, pondering. History seemed to be repeating itself, the form different, but the essence the same.
Slightly calming himself, Qiu Zhi reminded himself of his duty as a doctor.
He banished all the chaos, helplessness, and bloodshed of that night three years ago from his mind.
"Mu Yichuan... Yichuan, don't go." Xin Yu shook her head violently from side to side, her voice hoarse with deep fear, "Yichuan."
He grabbed Xin Yu's hand, steadying her head. "Ayu, I'm here, I'm here, wake up."
But no matter how Mu Yichuan called, Xin Yu seemed to be haunted by a nightmare, constantly calling his name, begging him not to leave.
He sat beside her, holding her hand tightly, stroking her still-warm head.
"Mom, Dad—" How could he do this to her mother! How could he betray her so easily!
How heartbroken and resolute she was in leaving!
"Mom!"
She sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Mu Feng!" Mu Yichuan's cold voice called out, "I want Xin Yu to see her parents when she wakes up tomorrow."
"Yes, Ninth Master!"
"Investigate tonight's events thoroughly." He didn't turn his head, his eyes sharp as a hawk's.
Sooner or later, he'll deal with them!