Chapter 67: How Could This Great Fiend Let Her Feel Secure?

Chapter 67: How Could This Great Fiend Let Her Feel Secure?

When Xie Yuan arrived, the young maiden had already lifted her small face. "I'm fine... Forget it, how about you carry me on your back for a while, Xie Yuan?"

It was unconventional, but in their previous lives, they had shared far more intimate moments. Su Youyue would not be as hesitant as she once was as a maiden.

Jin'er and the stinky brat had no strength left to carry her. Moreover, since those people had just launched a signal flare, there might be more of their comrades coming to reinforce them. Their priority now was to leave this place.

"Miss, this... isn't this inappropriate?" Jin'er froze. "How can we let a man from outside carry our Miss? It would damage her reputation if this got out."

Su Youyue had already extended her arm toward Xie Yuan. "What's inappropriate about it? It's Xie Yuan, not someone else... Besides, you and the stinky brat need to conserve your strength to move this person. What if you run out of energy to control him along the way?"

She had to take this person with her to prevent their reinforcements from reaching her father's men first and capturing all the living witnesses. Then, her risking her life would have been for nothing.

Xie Yuan gazed at the maiden extending her hand toward him, his expression inscrutable. He studied her for a moment before turning around and bending his knee.

"Eldest Miss, my body reeks of blood. Please bear with it," the man said with a hint of reassurance in his tone.

Yet Su Youyue was fixated on the trafficker who was still attempting to flee, oblivious to his tone. "It doesn't matter. At a time like this, why bother with formalities?"

The man grunted softly and, in a swift motion, hurled the dagger in his hand at the other man who had finally managed to pull out his long blade and was about to run. The dagger pierced the man's thigh, causing him to howl in pain once more and collapse to his knees.

Seeing this, Jin'er rushed over, intent on subduing him. The clever boy picked up a knife from the ground, cut off the clothes from the corpse, and then approached the man, binding him tightly with cloth strips.

The group hurriedly made their way out.

The winter night was shockingly cold. Earlier, for ease of escape, Su Youyue had left her fox fur cloak behind in the room. Now, as the wind blew, the chill seemed to pierce through her flesh and into her bones, causing a searing ache.

Fortunately, the man's broad back was warm and she clung tightly to it, seeking some warmth.

The pungent smell of blood made her feel slightly dazed.

In her previous life, when she had first sought refuge at the Xie residence, she had outwardly paid her respects but secretly despised Xie Yuan for being just like his father, a corrupt official. Xie Yuan seemed to sense her disdain and would handle official matters right in front of her, executing many people.

Some wept bitterly and pleaded for mercy, while others cursed and raged, but all met a gruesome end.

During that period, the sight of meat made her nauseous; she couldn't bring herself to eat a single bite. The mere thought of Xie Yuan conjured images of his cold detachment, his body reeking of blood, making him seem terrifyingly ruthless.

She imagined that such a person would be cold through and through, both physically and emotionally, with no warmth to offer.

Yet, when she was forced to share his bed for the first time, she realized that he wasn't icy at all. On the contrary, his body seemed to emit more heat than the average person, often making her feel as if she were burning up.

But back then, no matter how warm Xie Yuan's body was, the lingering scent of blood on him would make her nauseous.

Now, as she breathed in the intense smell of blood, she found an odd sense of comfort, wanting to hold him even closer to chase away the chill.

Su Youyue felt somewhat dazed.

She must have been feverish, her mind not quite clear, to mistake this feeling of security for reality.

How could the monstrous Xie Yuan possibly evoke a sense of safety in her?

"Xie Yuan."

His name filled her thoughts, and she instinctively murmured it, her breath hot against the nape of the man's neck.

The man's body tensed instantly, his eyes shifting slightly, though he couldn't see her expression. "What is it, Miss?"

Su Youyue didn't reply, instead weakly leaning against his back, devoid of the spirit she had shown when facing those villains, as if she had fallen asleep.

Xie Yuan slowed his pace, noticing Jin'er and the stinky brat still dragging the man behind, not keeping too close. He gently touched Su Youyue's forehead with his hand.

It was scorching hot.

His brows furrowed even deeper, and his breath grew ominously low.

"Nuannuan."

Xie Yuan called out softly, as if he was afraid of disturbing a butterfly resting on her hair.

Su Youyue's headache was unbearable, but upon hearing her childhood nickname, she immediately responded.

Is Father here?

She struggled to open her eyes, but they felt too heavy, unable to lift them. Eventually, she sank into a deep slumber.

When she regained consciousness again, she found herself on someone's back, initially assuming it was Xie Yuan and preparing to ask him to put her down. But then, she heard her father's voice.

"Where's the physician? Didn't I instruct you to fetch one earlier? Has he arrived? Call him over right away!"

"No one is to disclose any information about tonight's events!"

"Good girl, the physician will be here soon..."

It seemed she had already crossed paths with her father. Su Youyue called out in a strained voice, "Father."

Su Zhenyun's body jolted, and he hurriedly replied, "My good girl, Father is here. Don't be afraid, we're home now."

Su Youyue nodded, too exhausted to utter another word. Still, she mustered the strength to ask, "Did they catch those people?"

"They're all caught. Don't worry, Father will make them pay!" Su Zhenyun whispered soothingly to his daughter.

"What about Xie Yuan?"

Su Youyue looked around but didn't spot Xie Yuan.

Could he have gone to help capture the human traffickers as well?

Su Zhenyun was puzzled. "What's wrong with Xie Yuan?"

"Where did he go?" Su Youyue was even more confused than her father.

"He should be in Si'an Garden..." Suspecting that his daughter was delirious due to her fever, Su Zhenyun assumed she was talking about Xie Yuan randomly. Thus, after saying that, he carried her on his back and hurried back to the courtyard.

Su Youyue tried hard to recall. Si'an Garden was where servants and guards usually resided... Xie Yuan must have gone there to clean up, she reckoned. After all, his body was stained with blood. It made sense for him to tidy himself up.

She didn't ponder further. People with fever would experience severe headaches when using their brains. Hence, she refrained from asking more questions. She was carried back to her quarters, treated by the physician, took her medicine, and soon fell asleep.

Upon hearing the physician confirm that his daughter was unharmed, Su Zhenyun finally relaxed after a tense night. He let out a long sigh of relief, but his expression turned serious again quickly.

To investigate the case of human traffickers, he needed a legitimate reason, especially with so many mysterious deaths. However, he couldn't afford for the news of Nannan being kidnapped by traffickers to spread. It seemed that he had to discuss this matter carefully with his mother to figure out the best way to protect Nannan's reputation.

Soon, Su Zhenyun headed towards Fu Shou Garden.

The candles in Fu Shou Garden burned brightly for most of the night before they were eventually extinguished. Su Zhenyun's face returned to its usual composure as he went back to his own residence.