Han Mo watched her sleeping face, a smile full of adoration on his own.
She slept so quickly, but he... he suspected he would be spending a sleepless night.
As he pondered this, Bai Xi, whose expression had been peaceful moments before, suddenly furrowed her brow. Her cheek tilted slightly to the right, a clear sign of her discomfort.
Han Mo frowned, looking at her. He had a faint feeling that she was dreaming of something that caused her pain and distress.
In her dream, Bai Xi found herself in a very ancient-looking house. There were wooden fences and thick walls, and inside, the air was filled with cries of agony.
This place seemed to be a prison, and an old one at that.
Though she could hear the sounds, she couldn't see the prisoners behind the bars, nor their faces. Even the doors were all blurry.
After walking for a while, she vaguely saw an iron gate. This gate was different from all the others. As she looked at it, she felt an uneasy sensation, yet she couldn't suppress her curiosity.
She slowly walked closer. The iron gate seemed to have an automatic sensor, as it opened on its own. In the pitch-black room, a woman was imprisoned, and this woman was bound by eight chains.
These eight chains, like the eight legs of a spider, held the woman firmly in place, rendering her immobile. She wore a long, crimson dress. The style of the garment was somewhat retro, yet exquisitely crafted.
Her body was covered in countless wounds, bleeding profusely. These bloodstains were hidden within her red dress, making it impossible to gauge the extent of her suffering. Undoubtedly, anyone looking at her would immediately sense that this woman had endured inhuman torture and was to be pitied.
Bai Xi, in her time in the dark unit, had encountered all sorts of twisted serial killers and their methods of tormenting others for pleasure, leaving her desensitized. The pity she once felt for victims had transformed into a thunderous resolve to punish the perpetrators.
Yet, the girl before her inexplicably caused a dull ache in her heart, as if the chains striking her collarbone had also pierced her very soul.
She hesitated, stepping closer, and asked, "Who are you? Why are you locked up here?"
The woman suddenly raised her head, revealing a face identical to her own.
Bai Xi froze, "You..."
The woman looked up at her, her eyes appearing somewhat vacant, as if she were looking through Bai Xi at something else.
Her lips, dry and chapped, pale, quivered slightly as if she was muttering something under her breath. Just as Bai Xi was trying to discern what she was saying, the woman suddenly shouted at her, "Han Mo, I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! Get lost, get out!"
This voice was the same one Bai Xi had heard in the hotel lobby. Who was this woman? Why had she ended up in such a state? Why did she seem so tormented, her eyes filled with despair and desolation?
As she thought about it, Bai Xi felt a throbbing pain in her head. She felt unwell, her chest ached, and her entire body began to hurt.
Seeing Bai Xi's pained expression, Han Mo frowned slightly. The next moment, he saw the blood jade bracelet on her wrist begin to stir, emitting a seductive red glow. Alarmed, he immediately pressed his own wrist against hers.
The moment the blood jade bracelet touched Han Mo's skin, it was like an ant catching the scent of sugar. It began to greedily draw blood from Han Mo's wrist, then emitted a seductive red light. This light transformed into streaks of red, spreading from his wrist upwards.
Bai Xi gradually calmed down. Once the jade bracelet stopped its greedy consumption of Han Mo's blood, the crescent-shaped mark reappeared on Han Mo's wrist.
Han Mo looked at the crescent-shaped wound on his wrist and applied a slight pressure.
The next second, the wound on his wrist began to heal at a visible rate.
Seeing Bai Xi's peaceful and sweet expression, Han Mo relaxed slightly. He raised his hand and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead.
Every time the blood jade bracelet drew his blood, Bai Xi would fall into a deep sleep. It seemed she was impossible to wake during this state, so he always stayed by her side to guard her.
However, this time was different.
Previously, to stabilize Bai Xi's condition, he would allow the blood jade bracelet to draw his blood at regular intervals. When Bai Xi's body had become unstable due to the effects of certain medicine at the Tong family residence, he had thought of nourishing the blood jade bracelet with his blood, thereby reducing Bai Xi's suffering.
But that time, the blood jade bracelet had acted like a madman, relentlessly draining a large amount of his blood.
By all logic, the interval between such occurrences should have been longer this time. But this time... it had only been a few days before the blood jade bracelet became restless.
When he had saved Bai Xi back then, she had been gravely injured and on the brink of death. If it weren't for the blood jade bracelet and the nourishment from his blood, she might not have defied fate.
Logically, the nourishment cycle for this blood jade bracelet should have been progressively longer. From the initial twice a day when he saved her, to once a day after her recovery, and then once a month after she joined the dark unit... the intervals were getting longer and longer.
But why, after only a few days, did it...
And what about Bai Han? Bai Han's sudden appearance must mean he had seen something, or perhaps had an ulterior motive. What could it be? Was it related to Xi'er's current condition at all?
He didn't understand the current Bai Han.
But he understood the past Han Luo.
Though Han Luo appeared carefree and elegant, he was actually highly goal-oriented in his actions. Thinking back, his visit to the Tong family to provoke him was a deliberate tactic to incite him, to draw him here.
He definitely had a purpose for doing this, but if he didn't want to reveal it, he never would. Moreover, in this lifetime, he was Xi'er's brother... Up to this point, he hadn't done anything to harm Xi'er, and Xi'er was also very close to him, so he couldn't possibly act against him.
As he thought of this, his gaze deepened. In the darkness, his slightly shallow pupils held a hint of ferocity, sending a chill down one's spine.
Just then, Bai Xi shifted slightly in her sleep, reaching out to embrace his arm placed by the bedside, holding it tightly. She murmured, "Han Mo, don't worry, I won't force you."
His sturdy arm, held in her embrace, felt warm and soft.
The delicate fragrance from her hair entered his nostrils without any defenses, stimulating his neural pathways. Han Mo lowered his head, looking at her delicate face and alluring lips, and felt his body grow hot again: "..."
He wouldn't force her, not at all, but... he was afraid she would force herself.
When would she truly be able to accept him?
Although he had known all along that Bai Han's actions were meant to provoke him, coming to her side... he had no regrets.
"Xi'er, sleep. I am by your side."
His gentle voice concealed the sharpness and coldness that had been on his face moments before, replaced only by endless affection and lingering devotion.
Although Bai Xi had a strange dream, she forgot all about it upon waking. She simply felt as though she had slept very well, very soundly, a peaceful sleep she hadn't experienced in a long time.
Misty-eyed, she opened her eyes, sensing the light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling window, which seemed to brighten her mood.
It was truly rare. She had slept so well last night. She knew that since arriving in Shangyang, she had always been plagued by nightmares. It seemed her acclimatization was finally taking effect.
Right, where was Han Mo? Last night, he had said he would sleep here. Thinking of this, she looked to her side...
The person beside her was gone. Where had he gone?