Chapter 67: Dragon Pupil

What killing without mercy, what hands stained with the blood of countless people… Are they trying to fool a kid?

Compared to mere words, Chu Susu trusted the facts she had seen with her own eyes more.

Han Xuan’s ability wasn’t without cost—she had already witnessed her suffering painful backlash from using it, curling up in the bathtub.

If that was the case, how could she possibly kill for the sake of her ability?

Moreover, if she truly was so wicked, even if she wasn’t an ordinary person, the government would have targeted and caught her long ago— no matter how strong she was, she couldn’t possibly stand against the national government. How could she still be living so freely until now, outside the law?

It was past twelve, almost one in the morning. Chu Susu was starting to feel a bit sleepy and yawned, but she didn’t dare relax.

Han Xuan was right. Even if the “Hunter” outside wasn’t an ordinary person, she seemed able to restrain him. As long as Chu Susu didn’t open the door, the person outside couldn’t get in no matter how much they tried to talk.

Seeing she was unmoved, the person fell silent for a moment before saying,

“I’m really not lying to you. If you keep being so stubborn, you’ll definitely regret it in the future.”

Chu Susu was too lazy to waste more words with them. She hugged Pipi and turned back to sit on the sofa.

There was no more sound from outside. She didn’t know if the person had left, but at least they stopped trying to persuade her.

Even though her eyelids were drooping, Chu Susu didn’t dare sleep. She was afraid that if she dozed off, some accident might happen.

The night was deep, starless and cloudless, with the moon a perfect half-circle.

Chu Susu glanced out the window and felt that the waxing half-moon faintly showed signs of ending, as if it could no longer hold on.

“Han Xuan…” she murmured softly, then went to check the bathroom again.

The water in the tub had gone half-cold, so Chu Susu added some fresh hot water.

Han Xuan was still lying inside unconscious, but the strange patterns covering her body had faded quite a bit, and their color had lightened.

It looked like everything was improving.

Now Chu Susu could finally relax. She felt like all the danger had passed, slowly easing as she sat on the small wooden stool by the tub.

Pipi also quietly nestled in her arms, no longer barking anxiously.

Hot steam rose, warming her cheeks and making her sleepiness even harder to fight.

She was really too sleepy.

She had only meant to rest her eyes for a bit by leaning on the edge of the tub, then get up to watch over Han Xuan, but unknowingly, she fell into a sweet sleep.

…

“Susu?”

She didn’t know how much time had passed when banging sounds came—bang bang bang. The person outside was clearly anxious; the knocking was deafening as it reached her ears.

The events of last night were still fresh, so Chu Susu reflexively sat up, only then realizing she had fallen asleep slumped over the tub.

She subconsciously rolled her neck, thinking it would be sore from the position, but there wasn’t the slightest discomfort.

Instead, her lower back felt a bit sore and swollen.

How strange.

Her phone showed 8:03. The waxing half-moon had long faded, and it was bright outside, the living room bathed in light.

“Susu?”

It was Chu Qingyang’s voice. She was clearly anxious, pressing the doorbell and knocking at the same time.

With last night’s experience, Chu Susu hesitated a little, unsure if it was really Chu Qingyang or the “Hunter” disguised as her.

But when she turned her head, Han Xuan was no longer in the tub—sometime when she didn’t notice.

“Han Xuan?” Chu Susu called softly again, getting no response. She must have left.

With that, there was nothing to worry about. She went over and opened the door. Sure enough, it was Chu Qingyang’s familiar face outside.

Chu Qingyang stared at her face, stunned for a moment, then couldn’t hold back a smile at the corner of her mouth, chuckling.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Susu, not fully awake yet, asked blankly.

The laughter instantly dispelled much of the tension. Chu Qingyang closed the door and pointed at her head. “How did you manage to sleep your hair into a bird’s nest?”

“…” Chu Susu rubbed her messy hair. She hadn’t checked a mirror earlier, but it did feel like that now.

Chu Qingyang was carrying a paper bag with freshly baked bread. “I came to check on you. Knowing you’re fine is enough. Also, I have news—the person has been found.”

“What person?”

“The one who knocked on your door last night.”

It started at five in the morning. Chu Susu’s cousin-in-law, Fang Chen’s wife Liu Hanjing, was the first to notice something off.

She had a habit of doing yoga every morning. As soon as she got up, she saw the message from Chu Susu asking if Fang Chen had come looking for her in the middle of the night.

Liu Hanjing was puzzled. She had slept with Fang Chen last night, and he was still in bed. When would he have gone to see Chu Susu?

She woke Fang Chen and asked what was going on, but he was completely clueless too.

Just as they were about to call Chu Susu, the couple discovered something important—Fang Chen’s phone was missing.

Fang Chen slapped his forehead. “I was too tired from overtime last night and crashed without even checking my phone. I didn’t realize it was gone.”

“Oh no.” Liu Hanjing immediately thought of something bad and muttered in Shanghainese, “Could someone have stolen your phone, seen Susu in your WeChat, and gotten bad ideas?”

With no reply from Chu Susu, the couple panicked and quickly called Chu Qingyang, who luckily had just gotten up for work.

Fortunately, modern residential buildings have good security. The police pulled the surveillance footage and quickly locked onto the suspect.

Around midnight, a short man was caught sneaking around downstairs, pressing doorbells without success. He then tailed another resident into the building and lingered at Chu Susu’s door for a long time.

The cameras captured him clearly. The police didn’t take long to ID him and track him down.

And after a search, Fang Chen’s phone was in his possession. Clearly, after stealing the phone, this thief had also tried to illegally enter someone’s home.

After finishing the story, Chu Qingyang relaxed her furrowed brows. She had felt a pang when she saw Chu Susu’s message, but now seeing her unharmed, that was good enough. “Anyway, as long as you’re okay.”

“I see.” Chu Susu nodded in understanding.

“The other officers found a voice changer on him. They’re still taking his statement; they’ll notify you if there’s any update.” She said, “I have to go to work now.”

“Mm, okay. Want me to drive you?”

Chu Qingyang was about to say no when her sharp gaze swept to the dining table in the living room, where a pair of earrings sat—sweet and elegant style, not something Chu Susu usually wore.

“You have someone else at home?”

“No.”

In front of her, Chu Susu always felt a bit guilty subconsciously, but then realized she wasn’t lying—after all, Han Xuan had left.

Chu Qingyang looked thoughtful but said nothing more and soon left.

She hadn’t walked Pipi last night, so today Chu Susu naturally took it out for a longer stroll.

She tidied herself and the house simply, ate the small bread Chu Qingyang brought, then leashed the little dog and strolled around the neighborhood while checking unread messages on her phone.

First, she reassured Liu Hanjing and Fang Chen that she was safe, replied to some miscellaneous messages, then saw the chat with Han Xuan saved under her name. The unread message was just two short words.

“Thanks.”

Chu Susu tugged the dog along and typed with her right hand: “No need to thank me.”

Han Xuan had saved her before; this was just returning the favor. Even if Han Xuan hadn’t helped her in the past, turning a blind eye wouldn’t be humane.

Not to mention her and Han Xuan…

She wondered what Han Xuan was doing now. After sending the message, it sank like a stone into the sea, no reply for the time being.

Chu Susu usually had plenty of energy and could chase Pipi around the neighborhood grass for ages without tiring, but today she felt unusually fatigued. Soon she could only sit to the side and let Pipi run by itself.

Probably because she hadn’t slept well last night, she thought. After all, that sleeping position was pretty uncomfortable.

As Chu Susu recalled this, she gradually tasted something off—she seemed to have had an unusual dream after falling asleep last night.

A gorgeous spring dream.

It was probably from her university days.

Her girlfriend back then was three years younger, just barely an adult. Both were total blanks when it came to intimate contact, but full of shy anticipation.

So on a rainy autumn night, Chu Susu went to that girl’s home—for some reason her parents weren’t there, she couldn’t remember why, but anyway, no one else was home.

They huddled in bed together, holding hands and watching foreign yuri tutorial videos, studying intently.

Chu Susu always had plenty of pocket money. With a grand wave, she bought lots of related supplies: finger cots of different brands and flavors laid out on the white bedsheet.

She clumsily followed the video, unpacking one with green awkwardness and slipping it on, eagerly showing it off. “Xingxing, quick look—isn’t the size just perfect?”

Xingxing…?

At this point in the recollection, Chu Susu paused. For some reason, she couldn’t remember the girl’s name, only her nickname: Xingxing.

The girl didn’t speak, just nodded calmly with laughter in her eyes, watching her every move unblinkingly.

Chu Susu suddenly noticed the ring on the girl’s hand and curiously lifted it up. “When did you buy this? The style looks like a pair of matching rings.”

The girl pursed her lips, then like a magician, produced another ring with her other hand and placed it in her palm.

“For you,” she said.

The ring was made of silver with a simple design, but it was obvious at a glance that it wasn’t expensive.

Chu Susu didn’t mind at all. Instead, she happily slipped it onto her ring finger. “Does it look good?”

She still had a finger guard on her middle finger that she hadn’t removed, making the sight a bit comical. Realizing this, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing, then playfully stuck out her tongue.

The girl didn’t laugh. She said seriously, “It doesn’t look good.”

This made Chu Susu furrow her brows.

“I didn’t want to give it to you at first. Your hands are so beautiful; you should wear a better ring.”

The girl looked a little sad and silently lowered her gaze.

“But lately, my sister hasn’t needed me to do anything for her, so she didn’t give me any reward… I haven’t saved much money, so this is all I could afford.”

She was wallowing in sadness when the other party suddenly cupped her face and planted a light kiss on it.

“Silly, the sentiment is priceless.”

Chu Susu smiled gently. “Besides, for what we’re about to do next, we won’t be able to wear rings anyway, right?”