Chapter 77: Panic in the Whole City (4)

When they entered the courtyard, they happened to see the back of a tall and thin gray-clothed man being chased by Jing Sa out of the courtyard. Several guards also chased out together. Lou Xiyan was most worried about Lou Xiwu's safety at this time. Her room door was open, so the murderer must have entered. He didn't know if Xiwu...

Both of their hearts jumped to their throats. Entering the room, they hurriedly crossed the screen and rushed into the inner chamber. On the bed, Lou Xiwu was lying flat and motionless, her upper body stripped, leaving only a pink bodice. The knot of the bodice had also been untied, slanted across her chest, and she was still wearing long white trousers on her lower body. There were no bloodstains on her body, and there was no smell of blood in the room, only a faint sandalwood scent.

There were no wounds on Lou Xiwu's body, and both of their hearts settled down a little.

Xiwu's clothes were messy, even as a brother, it was not convenient for him to go up. Lou Xiyan stood by the bed, turned his head to the side, and Zhuo Qing hurriedly pulled the silk quilt on the bed to cover Lou Xiwu's exposed body, but she had been motionless, and Zhuo Qing's heart jumped up again.

"Xiwu!" Patting her cheeks lightly, Zhuo Qing thought she had fainted, but looking closely, Xiwu's eyes were slightly open, staring blankly in one direction, looking dull and numb.

"Xiwu! Wake up!" How could this be?! Zhuo Qing leaned over, gently flipped her eyelids, and waved her hand in front of her eyes. The pupil reaction was normal. Could it be self-closure caused by excessive fright? Patting her cheeks again with slightly more force, Zhuo Qing shouted loudly in her ear, "Xiwu, it's okay, wake up."

Hearing Zhuo Qing's voice suddenly amplify, Lou Xiyan said anxiously, "How is she?"

Zhuo Qing shook her head and said in a low voice, "There are no wounds on her body, but the situation is not very good."

Zhuo Qing's tone was heavy, Lou Xiyan couldn't care about any etiquette, and hurriedly turned to look at Lou Xiwu. Although she opened her eyes, her eyes were empty and godless.

"Xiwu." Calling out several times, Lou Xiwu didn't respond.

Xiwu's situation seemed very bad! Zhuo Qing frowned slightly and whispered in Lou Xiyan's ear, "She may have been frightened too much and closed herself off. You try talking to her, let her feel safe, maybe she can wake up."

Lou Xiyan nodded, supported Lou Xiwu's shoulders, helped her sit up, and her eyes happened to be able to see him. His fingertips gently rubbed Xiwu's cheeks, and Lou Xiyan coaxed her again and again, "Xiwu, be good, don't be afraid, brother is by your side, say something to brother, okay?"

After several times, Lou Xiwu still didn't respond. Lou Xiyan's voice was obviously louder and more irritable each time. Zhuo Qing patted Lou Xiyan's shoulder from behind and comforted him softly, "It's okay, keep talking to her, she will definitely wake up."

He only had this one sister. Facing his own close relative becoming like this, he believed not many people could still remain calm.

Lou Xiyan turned his back to her, Zhuo Qing couldn't see his expression, he just nodded slightly, and when he spoke again, his voice was much calmer.

Holding Lou Xiwu gently in his arms, his slender hands patted her back, and Lou Xiyan used a low voice that made people feel at ease to call, "Xiwu, no one can hurt you, if you are afraid, cry out, brother will protect you."

"Xiwu, Xiwu..." Calling again and again, after a while, Lou Xiwu finally moved, and after her eyes blinked gently, they gradually regained some luster. Seeing that she finally had a reaction, Lou Xiyan and Zhuo Qing both breathed a long sigh of relief, but the expression on Lou Xiwu's face was very confused, "Brother... what are you doing in my room?"

Lou Xiyan and Zhuo Qing looked at each other, both remaining calm, Zhuo Qing tried to ask, "You don't know what happened?"

Lou Xiwu replied inexplicably, "What happened?"

Their expressions were so strange. Lou Xiwu subconsciously hugged her arms tightly, but unexpectedly found that she wasn't wearing any clothes!

"Ah!" Screaming, Lou Xiwu pulled the thin quilt tightly, shrank into the bed in panic, and buried her head in the quilt.

Lou Xiyan stood up a bit awkwardly, Zhuo Qing smiled at him, and said, "You go out first, I'll be here."

"Okay." Looking at Lou Xiwu, who seemed to have returned to normal, Lou Xiyan quietly retreated.

Gently pulling the quilt, Zhuo Qing said softly, "Alright Xiwu, your brother is out, it's just me."

For a long time, Lou Xiwu raised her head with a slightly red face, "I, how could I..." Not wearing clothes! She really couldn't ask, why did she become like this as soon as she woke up?! Lou Xiwu asked anxiously, "What exactly is going on?"

Zhuo Qing didn't intend to hide it from her, and said directly, "I think the one who sneaked into your room tonight was the heart-plucking person we talked about this afternoon. His next target was you. But fortunately, it was discovered early, and he didn't succeed. Can you really not remember what happened tonight?" She was the only survivor attacked so far, and she hoped she could provide some useful clues.

"I..." After hearing Zhuo Qing's words, Lou Xiwu's face turned pale instantly, and her hands couldn't help but tremble. I don't know if it was fear or if she really couldn't remember. Lou Xiwu covered her head, her trembling voice replied in a panic, "I can't remember, I only remember I went to bed, and then I heard it was very noisy, and then I saw you in front of me, I really don't know anything else." Her brain was in a mess, and her memory seemed to have been missing from the moment she lay on the bed.

Why would that murderer choose her? Was that person the one who killed Princess Anning? How many more innocent women did he want to harm! Her fists clenched involuntarily, Lou Xiwu raised her head, her eyes faintly filled with a layer of water mist. Because of fear, her voice was still trembling, but she was trying her best to keep calm, staring at Zhuo Qing, and asked, "What about that murderer? Was he caught?"

"Not yet. For now, it seems the killer's target is you. I don't know if he will appear again, so you are in great danger right now. He has already committed several crimes in a row and shows no signs of stopping. I believe the yamen also hopes to solve the case as soon as possible. You are the only survivor so far; the people from the yamen should intervene very soon." Zhuo Qing was somewhat disappointed. She had originally hoped to get some clues about the killer from Xiwu, but clearly, Xiwu was unaware. If that was the case, her dazed state just now couldn't have been self-protection after being frightened. So, did the killer use something like a hypnotic incense to control Xiwu's mind? Or was it...

Taking a deep breath, letting her mood gradually calm down, Lou Xiwu took the initiative to ask, "Then what can I do?" She also hoped that the yamen could solve this case as soon as possible and catch the murderer, so that no more innocent women would die in vain.

Looking at the little girl before her, who had just experienced a brush with death and was still trembling with fear, yet was pretending to be calm and hoping to contribute, Zhuo Qing felt a pang of pity for her. She gently reached out, wrapped her arm around her shoulder, and comforted her softly, "I know you don't remember anything right now. Relax first, don't force yourself too much, and try to recall slowly. Hopefully, you can provide some clues to the people at the yamen. Don't be afraid, we won't let anything happen to you."

Lou Xiwu slowly leaned her head on Zhuo Qing's shoulder, and the gentle patting made her feel very warm. Her mother

Nodding gently, Lou Xiwu said sincerely, "Thank you for saving me."

Zhuo Qing was stunned. The little girl must have seen her and Lou Xiyan as soon as she opened her eyes and likely misunderstood. Zhuo Qing smiled and said, "It wasn't us who saved you. I heard the commotion and rushed over. Just now in the courtyard, I saw Jing Sa fighting with the killer; it must have been him who saved you."

"What?" Lou Xiwu suddenly sat up, crying out in panic, "Then in this state, wasn't I seen by that killer and him?!" How could she face anyone in the future? What face did she have left to see Jing Sa!

The more she thought about it, the sadder she felt. She wrapped her arms around her knees, curling herself into a ball. The sense of humiliation made her burst into quiet sobs.

Zhuo Qing sighed softly and smiled, "Don't cry, isn't this actually better?"

"Better?!" Lou Xiwu raised her head, looking at Zhuo Qing through tear-filled eyes. She had actually been seen by other men, and even seen by Jing Sa—how could she bear this? Where was the good in it?!

"Do you truly like Jing Sa very much, to the point of only wanting to marry him?" This point had to be clarified first. If it was just a little girl's fleeting infatuation, she didn't need to get involved.

"Yes!" She nodded firmly. Afterward, Lou Xiwu murmured dejectedly, "But in this state, how could I still have the face to marry him!"

"Silly girl, nothing has happened to you yet. The killer only uncovered your clothes; you are still pure!" Zhuo Qing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was just being seen from the waist up, and wasn't there still a bodice? How could that mean she couldn't get married!

"But..." Even though that was said, after all, for a young woman to be seen, what could be done! Lou Xiwu lowered her head in defeat.

Seeing her looking as if her heart were dead, Zhuo Qing leaned close to her side and whispered in her ear, "This is actually a great opportunity. It can test whether Jing Sa is a good man worth relying on and who takes responsibility. If he is, then you will have exactly what you wished for!"

"Really? Then..." Zhuo Qing's words were very tempting, but she was somewhat afraid to believe them. Lou Xiwu asked nervously in a low voice, "What should I do?"

Zhuo Qing smiled slyly: "Come here."

Lou Xiwu bit her cherry lips, leaning in with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Zhuo Qing whispered a few words in her ear, and one could see Lou Xiwu's face turning red and then white, frowning and then widening her eyes. Finally, after Zhuo Qing finished speaking, Lou Xiwu asked with difficulty, "Will this work?!"

Zhuo Qing smiled confidently: "That depends on you."

Gritting her teeth, Lou Xiwu replied loudly, "Okay!"

She would risk it; for Jing Sa's love, she was willing to do anything!

(End of chapter)