Chapter 47: Intruder Alert

Chapter 47: Intruder Alert

At first, Shen Xian found the encounter challenging, but she soon leveraged her familiarity with the surroundings to create some distance through quick dodges.

This person wasn't the one who had been following her on the street!

Being in her own home, Shen Xian was mindful not to damage her belongings during the fight. In a moment of distraction, she took a punch to her chest.

The burnt area felt like it was ablaze with searing pain.

Seeing Shen Xian wince, the black-clad man intensified his assault. He was physically robust, and his fists were like solid rocks as they pounded against her body.

Undeterred, Shen Xian deftly evaded another punch and kicked him in the neck, swiftly followed by a blow to his temple.

The burly man stumbled backward two steps, crashing into a glass cabinet behind him, causing it to rattle ominously.

Photos and certificates that Shen Xian had kept inside toppled over, but they were spared from falling due to the protection of the glass doors.

Her initial shock and fear transformed entirely into fury. With a low curse, she met the man's incoming punch with unyielding force.

After all, Shen Xian was a slender girl, and with limited space in her own home, she couldn't fully defend herself. Eventually, she found herself at a disadvantage.

The attacker kicked repeatedly at Shen Xian's ankles, forcing her to the balcony. He choked her neck, almost pushing her out of the open window.

Shen Xian's entire upper body was hanging outside the window, her face turning an unnatural red due to the lack of oxygen. Struggling for balance, she kicked frantically in mid-air.

"Somebody told me to warn you, stay out of things that don't concern you, or this won't be the end of it!"

Just as Shen Xian felt herself on the brink of suffocation, the assailant abruptly released his grip on her neck and swiftly retreated.

Sliding down the wall, Shen Xian gasped for air, followed by an uncontrollable fit of coughing.

Attempting to stand, the intense pain in her ankle prevented her from doing so. She dragged herself to the couch, hooked her bag with one hand, and pulled it over. Her hands trembled involuntarily as she searched through the contents, eventually locating her phone. She dialed Zhou Mu's number.

"Hey, Shen Xian, this is the first time you've ever called me first," Zhou Mu said playfully on the other end of the line.

Shen Xian couldn't afford to be cautious. Struggling to speak, she cried out, "Zhou Mu, Zhou Mu, come to my place right away."

Her words were interrupted by intense coughing fits, and her voice was raspy due to severe oxygen deprivation.

"Is everything alright? Shen Xian!"

Zhou Mu's urgent voice sounded from the phone, followed by the screeching of a chair and hurried breathing. "I'll be there immediately."

Shen Xian leaned against the sofa, her hand holding the phone falling limply. The overwhelming weakness after the suffocation and the piercing pain in every part of her body left her in agony.

She made an effort to lift her hand to unbutton her hoodie, revealing blood seeping through the area that had been merely red earlier in the afternoon.

With great difficulty, she moved her feet. Fortunately, they still worked – it seemed she hadn't broken any bones, but the pain was excruciating.

This tiny movement drained all her remaining strength. beads of sweat formed on her skin, unclear if from pain or something else.

Shen Xian took deep breaths, her mind flashing back to the well-trained movements and fierce gaze of the attacker. He wore a hat and a mask, obscuring his true appearance.

Who he was didn't matter as much as who had sent him.

With little effort, Shen Xian could probably guess who it was.

Has he become that audacious?

The more arrogant and ruthless his behavior, the more certain Shen Xian became that he was the one who had harmed Liu He's family back then.

In no time, Zhou Mu rushed over, panting as he climbed the stairs. Seeing Shen Xian's door ajar, and through the crack, witnessing her weakly sitting on the ground, his heart clenched in pain.

"Shen Xian!"

He stumbled inside, practically throwing the door open.

"What happened to you?"

He helped the frail Shen Xian to her feet, his eyes filled with disbelief and concern.

Just two days ago, Shen Xian had been full of vitality, but now her face was pale, with two vivid red handprints on her neck.

Her entire being, so weak and lifeless, resembled the state she was in when rescued from Little Bai's embrace.

Shen Xian was gently helped to sit down on the sofa, appearing weak. "Someone broke into my house."

"Burglary?"

That was Zhou Mu's immediate assumption. He scanned the room, noticing the signs of struggle but no apparent missing items.

As soon as the words left his lips, he realized they didn't fit the situation.

Shen Xian wasn't an ordinary girl; her close combat skills were on par with most men in their team.

Fixing his gaze on her eyes, he awaited a definitive answer.

"I guess Gu Heng found out about me going to the hospital to see Peng Fei," Shen Xian said, her brows furrowing in anger at Gu Heng's ruthlessness.

"He sent top-notch mercenaries to warn me! Luckily, I discovered them in time, but I couldn't handle them." A hint of frustration tinged Shen Xian's words.

"How audacious!"

Frustrated and concerned, Zhou Mu fixed his gaze on the red marks on Shen Xian's neck, filled with compassion.

"I'll take you to the hospital," he offered, bending down to lift her up. However, his arm accidentally brushed against the fabric covering her chest, causing Shen Xian to flinch in pain.

"Shen Xian?" Zhou Mu called out, his tone filled with concern.

"It's nothing, I just got accidentally burned by hot water today," Shen Xian replied casually. Her words, though light, only served to emphasize to Zhou Mu how vulnerable she was now, as if she was in a den of lions where any misstep could harm her.

Knowing it was not the time for reproach, Zhou Mu cautiously avoided her injured area and lifted her up securely. His strong arms held Shen Xian, petite as she was, with ease.

Throughout the journey, both were weighed down by their own thoughts, and they traveled in silence.

By the time they reached the hospital, Zhou Mu still attempted to carry Shen Xian out of the car, but she declined.

"There are too many people around. It wouldn't be appropriate."

With that, she struggled to disembark, leaning on the car for support. The moment her other foot touched the ground, the pain caused her to recoil, leaving her hopping on one leg.

Frustrated yet admiring her tenacity, Zhou Mu watched her back. He slipped the car key into his windbreaker pocket and quickly approached, effortlessly lifting her up in two strides.

"I can walk on my own, Zhou Mu," she insisted.

Shen Xian playfully taps Zhou Mu's shoulder, mindful of the bustling hospital crowd. The flow of people, having witnessed Zhou Mu's effortless display of charm just now, turn their attention towards them, curious and intrigued.

"You left in such an ungraceful manner."

Zhou Mu's straightforward nature as an unyielding "steel man" was on full display; by the time they spoke, they had already arrived at the outpatient hall.

The injuries on Shen Xian presented a dilemma for Zhou Mu, unsure of which department to seek help from. Eventually, he decided to register for both the surgery and orthopedics departments.

The greatest fear was that Shen Xian's lower leg might have sustained bone injuries.

Shen Xian sat on a chair nearby, waiting for Zhou Mu. As her gaze wandered, she suddenly realized how eerily familiar this hall seemed.

Zhang Chi was also in this hospital!

This realization sent a jolt through Shen Xian, and she could only pray that she wouldn't encounter him.