I See Murders Before They Happen

Chapter 93: Chapter 91: The Pitch-black Dream

”You saw me when I was little? In Dian City? You’ve been to my village?”

Hearing the man’s words, she asked.

The man chuckled again. ”Still pretending. Qin Leyan, twenty-five years old, from Jinghai. The year I investigated you, you were only sixteen... Your father is the city’s police chief, your mother is a university professor, and your uncle is the richest man in Jinghai. Do I need to be more specific?”

”That was the year I had just killed my adoptive father and taken control of all his forces. I remembered the little girl I’d met many years ago, and I decided to look into your identity and bring you to my side.”

”I didn’t expect you to have such a prominent background. You weren’t an easy target. But you’re here now, so I guess it was all fated.”

”You erased all your information before going undercover, didn’t you? A pity, but it’s useless against me now.”

She looked at him. ”I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

The man nodded. ”Fine, have it your way. I’ll just assume your name is Su Miaoyi. It’s just a name, after all. What you’re called doesn’t matter. As long as I know who you are, that’s enough.”

”What I want to say is... relax. I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to make you one of my own, turn you into a proper killer. And then... one day, I’ll send you to them, to kill them.”

Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, ”I don’t want to kill anyone. I can’t kill anyone. I came back with you only because I didn’t want to be in a place like that casino anymore. I just wanted your protection, so I wouldn’t be bullied and would have money to spend. I don’t want to kill people. I can’t, I really can’t.”

The man wiped away her tears with his thumb. ”There, there, no more crying. As long as you cooperate, the hypnosis won’t be too painful. But that’s on the condition that you cooperate. Otherwise, the mental anguish will be far worse than anything you’ve endured while locked up here these past few days.”

...

Su Miaoyi’s eyes snapped open. Staring into the darkness of the room, she shot up into a sitting position.

Shen Yanzhou, who was sitting in a chair nearby, was startled by her sudden movement. ”What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Su Miaoyi gasped for air, hugging herself tightly. ”It’s so dark.”

Shen Yanzhou quickly went to turn on the lights in the hospital room.

After the room was illuminated, Su Miaoyi looked all around.

Shen Yanzhou stood by the bed. ”Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

Su Miaoyi looked up at him, staring blankly for a few seconds. She suddenly scooted forward and grabbed his forearms with both hands.

Shen Yanzhou glanced down at her hands, then back at her face.

He saw the redness rimming her eyes but said nothing.

Su Miaoyi slowly tightened her fingers, clinging to his arms.

She slowly lowered her head.

’It seems I just had a terrible dream. I can’t remember what I dreamed about, but I feel like it was dark and terrifying.’

’I miss home.’

’My heart aches.’

And this feeling was magnified after seeing Shen Yanzhou.

For a fleeting moment, she felt as if Shen Yanzhou would vanish before her very eyes, plunging the room back into darkness.

And she would once again have to endure something horrible.

So she gripped his arms, trying to keep him from suddenly disappearing.

Shen Yanzhou looked down at her, feeling her hands tighten and sensing her fear.

After a moment, he asked, ”What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

Su Miaoyi shook her head. ”Am I in the hospital?”

”Yes.” Shen Yanzhou didn’t pull his arms away, letting her hold on. ”Yan Cheng told me you fainted at the city bureau. The doctor’s examination concluded it was due to overexertion.”

Su Miaoyi thought for a moment. ”Why are you here?”

”I called to ask if you were going back to the old district for the New Year, or if they should come here,” Shen Yanzhou said. ”Yan Cheng answered and told me you were in the hospital, so I came over. The doctor just got some test results back. Yan Cheng is in the doctor’s office, and he asked me to watch over you.”

Just as Su Miaoyi was about to say something else, the hospital room door was pushed open.

Shen Yanzhou turned to look at the entrance.

Su Miaoyi looked up.

Zhuang Yanzheng walked in, his gaze falling on Su Miaoyi’s hands.

He glanced at Su Miaoyi’s eyes, red as a rabbit’s, then looked at Shen Yanzhou.

”What are you two doing?”

Su Miaoyi looked at her hands and quickly let go of Shen Yanzhou’s arms. ”Sorry.”

”It’s fine.” Shen Yanzhou took a step back and looked at Zhuang Yanzheng. ”Why are you here?”

”I came as soon as I was done with work,” Zhuang Yanzheng said. ”Why are *you* here?”

”Because I want to be,” Shen Yanzhou said, suddenly finding him to be an eyesore.

Zhuang Yanzheng shot him a look but ignored him. He sat down in the chair by the bed and placed the food he’d bought on the nightstand.

With him sitting there, there was nowhere left for Shen Yanzhou to sit.

”Just stand,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Shen Yanzhou didn’t bother responding.

Su Miaoyi scooted over. ”You can sit on the bed.”

”It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” Shen Yanzhou remained standing by the bed.

”Feeling better?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked, looking at Su Miaoyi.

”I feel fine.” Su Miaoyi genuinely felt like nothing was wrong with her.

It was just that one splitting headache.

It was the same kind of headache she’d had when she ran into that man and woman on Xiangyao Street.

”Did Cao Hong say anything else afterward?” Su Miaoyi asked, then glanced at Shen Yanzhou.

Shen Yanzhou looked at her. ”The doctor said you need to rest.”

”I... I’m fine now.” Su Miaoyi met his gaze, her voice trailing off as she spoke.

Zhuang Yanzheng looked at the two of them.

’Something definitely happened before I got here.’

’Shen Yanzhou seems easy to get along with, but he’s actually incredibly particular.’

’Normally, if a woman grabbed his arm like that, he’d probably jump high enough to poke a hole in the ceiling.’

Shen Yanzhou and Su Miaoyi locked eyes for a few seconds before he said, ”Alright, you two talk. I’m going to take a walk.”

He shot a glare at Zhuang Yanzheng before leaving.

Zhuang Yanzheng: ”...”

”You didn’t happen to badmouth me to him before I got here, did you? Why’s he always targeting me?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

”As expected of Chief Zhuang, you even figured that out,” Su Miaoyi said.

Zhuang Yanzheng looked at her. ”...”

Su Miaoyi sat cross-legged on the bed and glanced at the food on the nightstand. ”It’s not the first day he’s targeted you. Is it really that strange?”

Zhuang Yanzheng took out the food and opened it. ”What? You know us that well?”

Su Miaoyi glanced at him, then her eyes darted to the sushi.

’I’ve seen Zhuang Yanzheng many times over the past six months, so it’s fair to say I know him a little.’

’As for Shen Yanzhou, I’ve only met him a few times. I can’t say I know him at all.’

”I know a little,” Su Miaoyi said, her eyes fixed on the sushi.

Zhuang Yanzheng handed her the chopsticks. ”Go on and eat. Your eyes are about to fall into the box.”

Su Miaoyi smiled, took the chopsticks, and tried a piece. ”Delicious.”

Zhuang Yanzheng opened the rest of the food he had bought.

”These are all my favorites,” Su Miaoyi mumbled.

Zhuang Yanzheng lowered his gaze and, after a pause, said, ”If I’d known these were all your favorites, I would have sprinkled a handful of cilantro on everything.”

Su Miaoyi glanced at him. ”Since you’re feeding me, I’ll let it slide.”

Zhuang Yanzheng did not say anything.

...