Chapter 717: “Parting Pains (1)”
Jun Wu Xie sat at the table for a long while. The suffocating quiet surrounding her caused her to feel a little flustered. The little black cat drew near to her and hopped into her arms to give her its familiar warmth.
Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from a distance away. Jun Wu Xie’s head jerked up, the struggle within her showing in her eyes.
“Do you want to go take a look?” The little black cat asked, as it raised a paw to paw at Jun Wu Xie’s sleeve.
Jun Wu Xie stood up solemnly and walked towards the source of the crash.
When Jun Wu Xie came before Fan Zhuo’s room, she stood before it silently a moment. All was quiet in the room and as she pushed the door open, a very faint stench of blood wafted past her. Standing in the room was Gu Li Sheng who had turned his head to look at her, but then averted his gaze when he could not find the right words to say.
Jun Wu Xie walked into the room and gazed upon the sight of the familiar back facing her.
Fan Zhuo was sitting on one side of the room, his back to Jun Wu Xie, and he was giving Lord Meh Meh its medicinal bath.
Lord Meh Meh’s condition had made some improvements and it was already able to open its eyes. Its clear gaze was looking at Jun Wu Xie a moment before it turned its tiny head to look at Fan Zhuo, who had his back turned to face Jun Wu Xie, and it struggled valiantly to give out a weak bleat.
“Meh…..”
“Leave us for a while.” Jun Wu Xie said when she saw the broken pieces of porcelain scattered upon the ground by Fan Zhuo’s feet, realising that must have been what had caused that loud crash.
Gu Li Sheng nodded and went out of the room, carefully closing the door behind him.
In the room, only Jun Wu Xie and Fan Zhuo were left.
“My big brother….. Is he alright?” Fan Zhuo’s voice did not sound any different from usual but as Jun Wu Xie could not see his front, she did not know what kind of expression was on his face.
“Not good.” Jun Wu Xie replied.
Fan Zhuo’s back stiffened upon hearing that.
“Can you cure him? You were even capable of curing me, right?”
“I have not had time to take a good look at him yet.” Jun Wu Xie answered honestly, but her throat seemed to hurt as the words came out, as if she should not have phrased them in that manner, and not have the words come out so cold and unfeeling.
“Little Xie.”
“Hmm?”
“I beg you. You must cure him.” Fan Zhuo’s voice was becoming heavily suppressed.
“Alright.”
Fan Zhuo did not move. He continued to use his back to face Jun Wu Xie, his hands holding Lord Meh Meh’s tiny body, as Lord Meh Meh continued to soak in its medicinal bath.
“You asked me to stay behind here to care for Lord Meh Meh because you received the news before you left?”
“Yes.”
“You did not want me to find out and hence you went back on your own to find out what was happening first?”
“Yes.”
A long bout of laughter spilled forth from Fan Zhuo’s mouth, but there was not a single ounce of mirth felt from it, only bitterness and despondency, a laughter that made people’s heart wince.
“Then why would you tell it to me now?”
Jun Wu Xie was silent a moment before she said slowly: “Only you, can prove Fan Jin, of his innocence.”
“Where is Ah Jing?”
“Third level, room two.” Jun Wu Xie had put Ah Jing and Gu Li Sheng in the same inn with Fan Zhuo. “Aren’t you going to ask where Fan Jin is?”
Fan Zhuo shook his head.
“I do not dare face him.” Fan Zhuo’s voice had become very raspy and almost inaudible, like it had been forcibly squeezed out of his throat, causing it to feel suffocating for the one hearing it.
Jun Wu Xie did not reply. She walked to go in front of Fan Zhuo without a word, finally seeing the expression on Fan Zhuo’s face. That was a look that Jun Wu Xie would not forget in her life!
Enclosed in darkness, seemingly the opposite of light, that made one feel fearful to go near to.
Leaving the little black cat in Fan Zhuo’s arms, Jun Wu Xie lowered herself and gave Fan Zhuo an awkward hug, pressing Fan Zhuo’s head onto her thin shoulder.
“Cry it out.”
Fan Zhuo did not say a single word. He tried to suppress his feelings, hide his emotions…..
But Jun Wu Xie could feel that her clothes upon her shoulder had already been soaked…..