A Shocking Dream

Chapter 201

Lin Wunian carefully examined the wound. Every time he saw a bruise or blood scab, his brows furrowed a little, and his eyes showed even more pain. When he found a suitable ointment, he dug a small amount with his fingertips and applied it gently. The ointment was cool, but the girl's eyebrows were still trembling with pain. Lin Wunian quickly stopped, gently covered the surrounding skin with his palm, sending warmth to relieve the pain, and kept soothing her with warm words.

Lu Yao looked at this scene with mixed feelings. She was distressed by the girl's miserable condition, but also moved by Lin Wunian's unreserved kindness.

The sun gradually faded, its afterglow filtering through the window lattice like shattered gold, casting a shadow on the busy figures within the room. Lin Wunian sat upright beside the bed, his expression solemn. His slender fingers lightly touched the girl's delicate wrist, his breath held, his mind focused, as if everything around him had faded away, leaving only the faint pulse beneath his fingertips.

After a moment, she frowned slightly, took out a plain cloth bag from her bosom, and peeled off the layers. The silver needles inside were shining like sharp silver arrows ready to be fired.

Lin Wunian picked up one, his gaze as focused as a falcon's. He located the precise acupuncture point, then gently twitched his wrist, stabbing the needle steadily. His movements were fluid and seamless. As each needle fell, the girl's previously furrowed brow seemed to relax, but Lin Wunian dared not slack off. Sweat dripped down her forehead, splattering the bedsheets. She seemed oblivious, murmuring only, "Child, hold on. Your qi and blood are flowing..." His words were gentle, yet they seemed to carry boundless power, piercing the haze of pain and reaching the girl's shaky consciousness.

Meanwhile, the fire in the outer stove was blazing. Kanan squatted before it, her face flushed in the flames. She fanned the pot with a whirring palm-leaf fan, prompting the flames to lick the bottom of the pot. The herbs swirled in the medicine pot, their bitter aroma filling the room. She kept peeking in, adding wood and fanning the pot. Her hair was disheveled and plastered to her cheeks, sweat soaking her forehead, but she was too anxious to pay attention. "Hurry up and finish the medicine. You'll feel better after drinking it," she muttered to the pot, as if that would help it take effect.

The only sounds in the room were the crackling of the flames, the gurgling of the medicinal soup, and Lin Wunian's occasional gentle instructions. After the last needle sealed the acupuncture point, Lin Wunian breathed a sigh of relief. As he stood up, he staggered. The prolonged sitting had caused poor blood circulation, and coupled with the excessive concentration, he nearly collapsed.

Lu Yao hurriedly supported her, handed her a handkerchief, and said distressedly, "Take a break, you've tried your best." Lin Wunian shook his head, his eyes still fixed on the girl: "It's okay, the needle was inserted, and we have to see how the medicine works."

At this time, Kanan hurried in with the boiled medicine. The hot steam blurred her eyes full of expectation: "Sister, the medicine is ready!" Lin Wunian took it, carefully blew away the heat, and together with Lu Yao helped the girl up, and fed the medicine into her mouth spoon by spoon.

The girl coughed a few times as the medicine entered her throat, then slowly opened her eyes. Confusion and fear were still in her eyes. Lin Wunian gently stroked her back and said softly, "Don't be afraid, child. We are saving you. Drink the medicine and the pain will go away."

The girl's eyes wandered, and when she saw the kind faces around her, tears welled up in her eyes. She murmured, "Thank you, sister." Her voice was weak, but it was like a warm light, dispelling the tired haze in the room.

Outside the window, dusk has arrived and the twilight has enveloped Yingzhou City.

Inside the vast Zhou Mansion, the carved beams and painted buildings lost some of their brilliance in the dim light. Yang Zishi paced back and forth in the corridors like a trapped animal, his boot heels tapping against the stone slabs, a rapid sound that echoed his turbulent heartbeat. He would occasionally stand on tiptoe and crane his neck, peering toward the door, his gaze seemingly trying to penetrate the vermilion lacquered door panels and the numerous courtyards, searching for Zhou Junze's figure.

Ever since hearing the news of the girl's disappearance, Yang Zishi had felt a burning pain in his stomach, a simmering pain in his heart. The thought of her being discovered by someone else, their secret exposed, raced through his mind like sharp claws, clawing at his heart. "Why haven't you come yet? We can't waste a moment!" Yang Zishi muttered to himself, his brows knitted into a knot. Cold sweat oozed from his forehead, trickling down his temples, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.

The courtyard was deep, and the occasional servants who passed by hurriedly lowered their heads, afraid to offend this distinguished guest. Yang Zishi was so anxious that he had no time to care about his manners. Sometimes he pulled a handful of hair, sometimes he clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. The thought that the girl might be in danger, being bullied by a villain, or lost in the wilderness, made his blood boil, and he wanted to find her.

"Zhou Junze, oh Zhou Junze, you're usually so efficient, why are you so slow today?" Yang Zishi cursed at the door, his usual humility completely gone. Just then, steady footsteps sounded around the corner in the distance. His eyes suddenly lit up, and like a drowning man spotting a piece of driftwood, he leaped forward. Seeing that it was indeed Zhou Junze, he grabbed his sleeve and said, his voice jarringly, "Finally! If you're any later, and someone finds that kid, we'll be in trouble. Think of a way!"

Zhou Junze was dressed in a black robe, his expression was stern, but his eyes were calm and peaceful. He patted the back of Yang Zishi's hand with his backhand to comfort him: "Don't panic, since you entrusted me with the task, I will know my limits. I have just mobilized some manpower and found an informant who knows the dark alleys and secret passages in the city. We will gradually investigate the area around where she disappeared, and we will definitely find any trace of her." After that, he strode towards the mansion gate. Yang Zishi followed closely, as if Zhou Junze was his life-saving straw at the moment. He held on to it tightly, hoping that they could find the girl as soon as possible.

The two waited in the main hall of the Zhou residence, the candlelight flickering, the shadows flickering like hideous ghosts, mocking their futility. The sand in the hourglass trickled out, one watch following another. Outside the window, the night was as dark as ink, thick and indissoluble, swallowing up the last ray of light, yet still no news arrived.

At first, Zhou Junze sat upright in his armchair, his back straight and his expression stern, like a deep abyss and a towering mountain. His calm aura seemed to calm the anxiety in the room. He closed his eyes, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrests, as if secretly plotting and calculating. That confident look brought some solace to Yang Zishi's anxiety, as if as long as he was there, there would be no problem that could not be solved, no person that could not be found.

But as the sound of the night watch dripped into the silent night, each one felt like a hammer hammering down on Zhou Junze's feigned composure. He slowly opened his eyes, his composure fading as a faint sense of panic crept over him. He glanced repeatedly at the hallway door, a door that seemed like a gateway to hope, yet no good news knocked. Then, unconsciously, he stood up and paced back and forth in the hallway, his steps no longer leisurely but rather untidy. The breeze from his robe rustled, causing the candlelight to flicker.

"Why are you taking so long? Even the slightest clue should have been enough to get a message," Zhou Junze whispered, his voice trembling, his usually confident mask cracking. Yang Zishi saw it, his heart sinking even further, but he still managed to comfort him, "Perhaps it's too dark to search for him. Wait a little longer, there will definitely be news." Even so, his confidence was weak.

Zhou Junze suddenly stopped and turned to look at Yang Zishi. His eyes were burning but full of helplessness. It was as if his eyes were burning with two dying flames, struggling on the edge of despair.