Chapter 69: He Did Not Harm Her (Second Revision)

As long as the heat is right, he could even bring ice water to a boil.

So after the old butler departed, Old Master Shen suddenly fixed his gaze on the chessboard. His aged hand picked up a white piece and, with a crisp sound, placed it onto the board.

His gentle, wrinkled face broke into a smile. It seemed he had thought of a new strategy, and he played his moves with delight, utterly absorbed. Unlike before, when he played against Shen Chaoxi and would hastily withdraw a piece upon realizing the situation was unfavorable, this time his move was firm and unwavering.

#

In the dead of night, the atmosphere at Birch Garden was hushed and tranquil. Old Master Shen had instructed that Shen Chaoxi’s abduction must not be spread. Thus, apart from the Shen family and Lu Yunzhou, no one else knew.

Just yesterday, Shen Songnian and Shen Mo had both gone to the main military district. The army was busy. Even Old Master Shen, their own grandfather, rarely saw them at home.

Sometimes, the higher their status, the heavier their burden.

The two young masters of the Shen family had barely rested at home since returning to the capital. As for military affairs, Old Master Shen, since his retirement, never interfered. Yet he could sense something was wrong in the military district. Otherwise, Shen Mo wouldn’t be so occupied; they hadn’t returned home these past days.

“Captain, are we heading back to the headquarters first, or…?” In the car, Lu Fifteen sat in the passenger seat, glancing at the man in the back. He knew their captain had saved someone in Blackwater City, but couldn’t fathom who this girl was—how could she make their captain so anxious?

“To the Shen residence.”

Lu Yunzhou’s eyes were grim, as if he had no interest in dealing with the captured kidnappers.

“They’ll be handed over to the military for now.”

If it were a police investigation, it would be easier. But once these criminals fell into military hands, it would be worse than being locked up by the police.

Later that night, when darkness enveloped the city, a military vehicle parked steadily outside Birch Garden.

Lu Yunzhou returned Shen Chaoxi to the Shen household.

Everyone in the family knew Lu Yunzhou’s identity, so his arrival at midnight was not unusual.

His expression was cold, lips pressed tightly, his whole demeanor suffused with a restrained and intense aura.

His steps were steady as he carried the unconscious girl in his arms. The silhouette of his black uniform was tall and straight, elongated under the dim corridor lights.

The girl in his arms was pale and comatose.

“Miss?!”

Xiao Xiao’s voice was anxious, as if she’d worried all night after learning of Shen Chaoxi’s ordeal. When she saw Lu Yunzhou carrying Shen Chaoxi in, her tense features relaxed, though her furrowed brows hinted at concerns beyond the girl’s safety.

In the instant Xiao Xiao appeared, Lu Yunzhou’s gaze shifted to her, lingering for two seconds. He possessed a keen sensitivity to the aura of others.

This maid seemed to carry a special quality, different from the other staff in the Shen household.

Xiao Xiao frowned, aware of Lu Yunzhou’s scrutiny—even if it was just a fleeting moment. Their gazes met, and she was tense but calm.

Lu Yunzhou’s eyes darkened, sensing something unusual. Yet her worry for Shen Chaoxi appeared genuine.

He said nothing more. With Xiao Xiao’s assistance, he brought Shen Chaoxi back to her room.

Outside, the moon hung delicately in the sky, leaves and branches peeking over the high walls. The interior was furnished in understated tones, white curtains drifting softly, and a faint fragrance of peonies from the corridor’s potted plants wafted in.

Inside the bedroom, the man placed the girl gently on the bed and summoned Gu Suizhou.

“What did you say?” Gu Suizhou frowned. “You’re saying she was kidnapped?”

Lu Yunzhou’s fiancée was the eldest daughter of the Shen family, protected since childhood. How could she suddenly be abducted?

“Do you know what happened?” Gu Suizhou looked at the man beside him, his voice calm and steady, as though questioning something serious.

Lu Yunzhou’s lips were pressed tightly. “For the details, we’ll need to return to the headquarters for interrogation.”

After rescuing her, he’d brought her straight home, with no time to spare for the military base.

He called Gu Suizhou simply to have him examine her. If nothing was wrong, all the better.

Thinking this, Lu Yunzhou’s lips tightened as he gazed deeply at the unconscious girl. When he found her, she was tied to a chair; he couldn’t be sure if those people had harmed her.

Gu Suizhou began his examination. But since she was unconscious, he could only check superficially.

The man’s handsome features were shrouded in the glow, his black uniform accentuating his tall, silent presence. His eyes were cold and sharp.

Suddenly, Gu Suizhou paused, surprised, and looked up at Lu Yunzhou with a frown. “She was knocked out?”

“Yes.”

#

The man’s black eyes were deep, his voice low and cold, tinged with a lazy undertone.

He knew perfectly well she’d been struck unconscious—and the kidnappers had been quite rough. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been out for so long.

Gu Suizhou looked at him in confusion. If he already knew, why ask for an examination? He had assumed something more serious had happened, especially given Lu Yunzhou’s worried, complex expression—almost as if the Shen family’s eldest daughter had suffered terribly.

To be called over in the middle of the night—did they think he was a free military doctor?

“Give her a check-up.”

Lu Yunzhou’s gaze was dark, his handsome face outlined in the dim light. He pressed his lips together, voice lowered, “See if she has any other injuries.”

She had been kidnapped and held overnight. Though Lu Yunzhou had rescued her, he couldn’t be certain she was truly unharmed.

The examination was, in truth, just to see if she had any other external wounds.

After finishing, Gu Suizhou spoke gently, “Don’t worry, her body is fine.”

Aside from being knocked unconscious and a clear red mark on the back of her neck, she had no other injuries.

“The kidnappers didn’t do anything to her.”

“As long as she rests, she should wake up soon.”

She survived an abduction, but the criminals hadn’t harmed her. Still, Lu Yunzhou knew that for any ordinary girl, it would be terrifying enough—and even more so for Shen Chaoxi, who had always been so well protected.

This must be her first experience with such danger, which explained Lu Yunzhou’s concern.

After saying this, Gu Suizhou stood up, approaching Lu Yunzhou with a serious expression.

“This time, she’s safe despite the abduction,” he said, “but I must mention one thing.”

“Her body shows signs of excessive blood loss and severe trauma.”