Chapter 352: Volume 1, Chapter 352 – Ghoulish Vines (22)

Wen Chijin's expression grew more painful, the color drained from his face, his complexion turned ever paler, he staggered and collapsed onto her, unable to support himself, his thin lips slightly parted.

"Sister, it hurts, help me a bit."

Jiang Zhi quickly reached out to support his body, feeling heartbroken, but her hands were busy; she couldn't make the sign language, so she helped him to the hospital.

Fortunately the hospital was nearby; a full-body X-ray showed the boy's right arm had a minor fracture, no cast needed, but he must avoid heavy work these days.

They returned home.

Jiang Zhi helped him sit on the sofa, then turned to pour him water.

She poured a cup of water and handed it to him; after he finished drinking, she asked, "Ah-Chi, why did those people beat you?"

Wen Chijin leaned weakly against the left side of the sofa, appearing like a sickly beauty.

"I don't know them either."

Jiang Zhi hesitated, then slowly signed:

"Is that girl your girlfriend?"

Wen Chijin paused, his body half-leaning on the sofa armrest slightly forward, his uninjured left arm resting on the back of the chair, supporting his chin; his narrow eyes' corners slightly lifted, and with his weakened state from injury, his beautiful face exuded a rich, alluring charm, giving a breathtaking sense of beauty.

Just meeting his dark gaze felt like one's heart would be ensnared.

"Sister, why are you asking that?"

Jiang Zhi's cheeks flushed pink, her eyes darted, and her fingers signed somewhat messily.

"I… just wanted to ask."

"If you don't want to say, it's fine."

— Say it or don't.

Wen Chijin suddenly shifted a bit toward her; the soft sofa felt cramped, the girl had nowhere to retreat, so she lifted her eyes to meet his; his gentle brows and eyes inexplicably gave off a strong aggressiveness.

"She's just an ordinary friend, I don't have a girlfriend." He drew closer, his aura overwhelming her; he raised his left hand, his distinct knuckles gently brushing aside a strand of her black hair at her forehead, their skin touching, sending a subtle thrill.

Jiang Zhi instinctively held her breath, their breaths intertwining, the air grew hazy; she bit her lip, reacted strongly and stood up, unintentionally bumping into the arm the boy had wrapped around her.

It was the injured arm; Wen Chijin let out a muffled groan, lay sideways on the sofa before him, his brows knotted in pain.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhi's face turned pale with fright; she knelt beside him, fingers trembling: "Ah-Chi, sorry… are you in much pain?"

Wen Chijin smiled, his brows relaxed, and shook his head: "It's fine, sister, you don't need to worry."

Jiang Zhi lowered her forehead, her eyes reddened.

Wen Chijin leaned close to her eyes, whispering: "Sister, earlier I just wanted to look at you a bit more; tomorrow I have to go out of town on a business trip."

Jiang Zhi stared, lifting her eyes in surprise: "A business trip?"

Wen Chijin explained: "The boss at the shop asked me to go out of town to help someone repair factory equipment; I'll leave tomorrow."

Wen Chijin works at a machinery repair factory; he often reads books about machine repair, has a talent for it, so the boss wanted to send him to another factory out of town to lend a hand.

Jiang Zhi asked: "About how long will you be gone?"

Wen Chijin replied: "At most two weeks."

Jiang Zhi thought she had nothing to do at home, so she signed: "The competition was you accompanying me; this time I want to accompany you."

Wen Chijin took her hand and sat back on the sofa, then shook his head: "No need, that place is dull and boring; after I graduate later, I'll take you to my own factory."

Jiang Zhi's eyes lit up: "Really?"

The girl's pair of eyes were like a pool of clear spring water; amber light spilled into them, gathering glimmering specks.

They overlapped with the eyes deep in his memory.

But that person had long been dead; he had gouged out her eyes alive, a fruit knife stabbed into her chest, like vivid flower petals wilting and fading.

Wen Chijin also learned from that incident that removing the eyes causes them to lose their original color.

Thus, he kept them in her eye sockets, waiting until he slowly removed the obstruction, then locked her in a cage, so she could forever only see him.

A surge of dark malice rose from the boy's pupils, making one shudder; Jiang Zhi glanced and felt as if she had fallen into an icy cellar, bone-chilling cold.

She couldn't help but step back.

Wen Chijin quickly composed himself, as if it had been her illusion, and asked worriedly: "Sister, what's wrong?"

Jiang Zhi shook her head: "Nothing."

…

Wen Chijin's train was at five a. m.; he got up early, walked to Jiang Zhi's room, skillfully turned the doorknob, and silently came to her bedside.

The room was dim and quiet; thick curtains were drawn across the window, blocking outside light, only a faint lamp glowed on the bedside table.

She feared the dark, so she bought a small lamp and placed it on the bedside table, lit from night to morning.

She was afraid as a child, and still is.

The whole house was filled with her scent, instantly awakening the feral beast long lurking in Wen Chijin's eyes; he greedily inhaled the fragrance winding around his nostrils, and he pleasedly narrowed his eyes.

Having come to her room while she slept not just once or twice, he was well-practiced; he sat on the edge of the bed, his fingertip pad stroking the tear mole at the corner of her eye, feeling soft and warm.

His fingertip gradually moved down until it rested on her plump, pink lips.

Sister~

Knowing she couldn't hear his voice, he became even more uninhibited.

Do you know how much I want to… violate you?

…

Jiang Zhi, who had slept until waking naturally, was sleepy-eyed; she opened her hazy eyes, lingered in bed a while before getting up.

Her sharp nose suddenly caught a hint of something off.

She searched around; the scent lingered in the air, fading and dissipating.

But she could still smell it.

Jiang Zhi turned pale, walked straight to the window, pulled open the curtain, pushed open the window, and let the cold winter wind blow into the room.

She cursed as she ran to the bathroom.

——Wen Chijin actually did this kind of thing in her room! How dare he!! Really too perverted!

Her mood all morning was awful, so she simply took a day off, staying home to paint the winter scenery outside the window.

Located in the southern area, snow is extremely rare; even when it does snow, it only falls for a short while, miserly.

Not to mention having a snowball fight, she didn't even have the chance to paint a snow scene.

She likes being alone, so she isn't bored.

Until evening, past ten o'clock, her parents still hadn't come home; she waited and waited, then fell asleep on the sofa.

In the deep night, she was awakened by her phone vibrating.

The phone was left by Wen Chijin for her, an old-fashioned brick phone, commonly called an old people's phone; she rubbed her tired eyes and answered the call.

Only then did she realize she couldn't hear any sound; after checking the caller ID, she saw it was an unknown number.

She hung up, edited a text message, and sent it.

(Hello, I am deaf-mute, I cannot hear your voice; may I ask what the matter is for calling this phone?)

The other side soon sent a text message.