X
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Join the ServerShen Nian watched her reaction, his expression turning strange.
“You don’t know?”
Lin Qingxue shook her head.
“I don’t know. I only saw her hand swollen, thought it was a fall…”
She paused.
“When did she get bitten by a dog?”
Shen Nian was silent for two seconds.
Then she said,
“That day. At my place that day. Zhou Ye didn’t watch her, let her run downstairs, and she got bitten by a stray dog.”
Lin Qingxue listened, her face growing more confused.
Shen Nian stared at her for a moment.
“You don’t remember?”
Lin Qingxue shook her head.
Shen Nian frowned.
“Strange… That night I even video-called you to talk about it. Don’t you remember?”
Lin Qingxue froze.
That night?
Video-called her?
She thought about it.
No.
She didn’t remember any of that.
All she remembered was these past few days taking care of Little Mute at home: cooking meals, changing bandages, watching her sleep.
Nothing about a dog bite.
Nothing about Shen Nian calling.
Shen Nian looked at her bewildered expression, her gaze growing more complex.
“Xiao Xue, are you just too tired these days? Your mind isn’t clear?”
Lin Qingxue rubbed her temples.
“Maybe… I really haven’t slept well these past few days.”
Shen Nian stared at her for a few seconds.
Then she sighed.
“Alright, alright. Get some rest. But don’t forget to treat Little Mute’s wound. Dog bites need rabies shots—don’t delay.”
Lin Qingxue nodded.
“Mm, I know.”
The class bell rang.
Shen Nian stood up and patted her shoulder.
“I’ll bring lunch to your place at noon and check the wound while I’m at it.”
Lin Qingxue nodded.
“Okay, I have class in the afternoon. Just go straight there. You have the key.”
Shen Nian waved and left.
Lin Qingxue sat in her seat, staring at the textbook in front of her.
Her mind was a little chaotic.
A dog bite wound?
How did she not remember?
She had been taking care of Little Mute every day, changing her bandages.
But when she changed them, she only saw a swollen hand.
She hadn’t noticed any dog bite.
Strange.
She rubbed her temples.
Probably just too tired.
She thought so.
And continued listening to the lecture.
***
Noon.
Shen Nian, carrying lunch, used the key to open Lin Qingxue’s door.
She walked in and immediately saw Su Yutao curled up on the sofa.
Su Yutao hugged the penguin, curled into a ball, her face buried in her knees.
Hearing the door open, she flinched.
Shen Nian walked over and crouched in front of her.
“Little Mute, I’m here. Hungry?”
Su Yutao slowly lifted her head.
Her small face was still pale, eyes red-rimmed, looking utterly exhausted.
Shen Nian frowned.
“What’s with this look again? Didn’t sleep well?”
Su Yutao nodded.
Then shook her head.
Then nodded again.
Shen Nian sighed.
“Alright, alright. Eat first.”
She opened the lunch box and sat down beside Su Yutao.
Picking up a spoon, she scooped a mouthful of rice and brought it to her lips.
“Open up.”
Su Yutao opened her mouth.
The rice was fed in.
She chewed slowly.
Shen Nian fed her while glancing at her arm.
It was wrapped in bandages; she couldn’t see anything.
She asked,
“Does your hand still hurt?”
Su Yutao nodded.
Shen Nian said,
“Let me see the wound.”
She reached out to undo the bandage.
Su Yutao’s whole body stiffened.
Shen Nian’s hand stopped.
“What’s wrong?”
Su Yutao shook her head.
She didn’t know what to say.
Shen Nian watched her reaction, thinking she was afraid of pain, so she softened her voice.
“I just want to look at the dog bite wound. I won’t touch anywhere else.”
She gently loosened a corner of the bandage.
Then she froze.
Under the bandage, the forearm was swollen and shiny.
But the dog bite wound—
Was still there.
The teeth marks, the bloody holes—all still there.
But they were distorted by the swelling flesh, looking even more hideous than before.
Shen Nian inhaled sharply.
“How did it swell this much?”
Su Yutao dared not speak.
Shen Nian stared at the wound for a few seconds.
Then she lifted her head and looked at Su Yutao.
“When Xiao Xue changed your bandages this morning, didn’t she see this wound?”
Su Yutao froze.
She didn’t know how to answer.
All she could do was shake her head.
Then nod.
Then shake her head again.
Shen Nian’s eyes became very complicated.
She was silent for a few seconds.
Then she let out a soft laugh, a strange laugh.
“She told me she didn’t see a dog bite wound. I thought she was just too tired and her eyes were playing tricks… How the hell could she not see such an obvious wound?”
Su Yutao felt a chill run through her.
Shen Nian continued.
“And she doesn’t remember me calling her that night. I clearly video-called her, and she saw with her own eyes how badly the dog bit you…”
She paused.
“How could she forget all of it?”
Su Yutao lowered her head, not daring to speak.
Qiansui whispered in her ear.
“Shen Nian suspects… she’s noticed something’s wrong…”
Su Yutao’s heart pounded fast.
Shen Nian stared at Su Yutao for a while.
Then she sighed.
“Forget it. Asking you won’t get any answers.”
She reapplied medicine and re-bandaged Su Yutao’s wound.
Her movements were still gentle.
But much quieter than usual.
After bandaging, she continued feeding.
When the meal was done, she packed up the lunch box and stood up.
“I’m leaving. When Xiao Xue comes back tonight, make sure she takes a good look at this wound.”
Su Yutao nodded.
Shen Nian reached the door and looked back at her.
She was silent for a few seconds.
Then she said,
“Little Mute, if there’s something going on, you can tell me.”
Su Yutao was stunned.
Shen Nian watched her expression and sighed again.
“Never mind. You won’t say anything anyway.”
The door opened and closed.
Footsteps faded away.
The room fell silent.
Only Su Yutao was left alone.
She curled up on the sofa, hugging Qiansui.
Her mind was full of what Shen Nian had just said—
“How could she forget all of it?”
Qiansui whispered in her ear.
“Shen Nian is suspicious… She’s realized something is wrong with that daytime Lin Qingxue…”
Su Yutao didn’t speak.
She only hugged Qiansui tighter.
Staring into the eternal darkness.
Waiting for nightfall.
Waiting for that person to return.
Waiting to see how she would react when she found out about this loophole.
***
Meanwhile.
At school.
Afternoon classes had ended. Lin Qingxue packed her books and was about to leave the classroom.
“Xiao Xue!”
Shen Nian’s voice came from behind.
Lin Qingxue turned around and saw Shen Nian walking quickly toward her.
“What’s up?”
Shen Nian stopped in front of her, her expression a bit complicated.
“I went to your place at noon.”
Lin Qingxue nodded.
“I know. Didn’t you say you’d bring lunch? How’s Little Mute?”
Shen Nian looked at her, silent for two seconds.
Then she said,
“I saw the wound on her hand.”
Lin Qingxue blinked.
“Mm, it’s pretty swollen. I put ice on it this morning.”
Shen Nian stared into her eyes.
“I’m talking about the dog bite wound.”
Lin Qingxue’s expression went blank for a moment.
Then she said slowly,
“So there really is a dog bite wound on her arm?”
Shen Nian’s eyes shifted.
She looked at Lin Qingxue as if she were a stranger.
“Xiao Xue, are you serious?”
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