Drunk on Madness - Chapter 17

After securing Li Xiang’s thrashing legs, Chen Bolin straightened up. He patted her flushed cheeks and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you. I just want to confirm whether you’re my Lanyan.”

Chen Bolin had considered the possibility that she might not be Li Lanyan, but he never expected the evidence he sought would be faint scars exactly where he remembered them.

Ever since Li Xiang became aware of her identity, she had feared the three moles might bring disaster, so she had personally removed them. The marks weren’t large; with medicine, they would scab over in time and become unnoticeable. But she hadn’t anticipated Chen Bolin’s audacity, he had bound her before the scars had even faded.

Chen Bolin’s eyes brimmed with disdain as he lightly traced the scarred skin, then suddenly pinched it hard. “Hmph, so you got rid of them. Then there’s no other way.” With that, he crouched down and tore off Li Xiang’s skirt.

Terror and fury surged through Li Xiang, her eyes flashing with murderous intent. “You beast! Either kill me today, or I swear I’ll tear you to pieces someday.”

Chen Bolin glanced at her, dismissing her threat as nothing.

Crash! The door was kicked open from the outside.

Zhou Mingxuan had left early today, returning to his quarters alone to rest. Seeing Li Xiang’s note, his heart inexplicably raced, a foreboding sense that something was amiss. Unable to sleep, he decided to visit the market. From afar, he spotted Li Xiang being abducted into a carriage. Without hesitation, he stopped a passerby, thrust a silver note into their hands, and followed the carriage’s direction.

But the initial distance made him lose track, leading him the wrong way. The further he went, the more uneasy he felt. Turning back, he searched again until he spotted the familiar carriage parked on an inconspicuous side path. Kicking the door open, he was met with a sight he would never forget.

Without a word, Zhou Mingxuan lunged forward and delivered a brutal kick to Chen Bolin, sending him flying backward, caught off guard.

At the sight of Li Xiang’s exposed state, Zhou Mingxuan averted his gaze, not daring to look further. He swiftly removed his own robe and draped it over her, shielding her body. Then he turned toward Chen Bolin, who lay in the corner, grabbed his head, and smashed it repeatedly into a statue of Guanyin.

Still unsatisfied, Zhou Mingxuan delivered several more savage kicks to Chen Bolin’s stomach, stopping only when the man fell unconscious.

Returning to the bound Li Xiang, Zhou Mingxuan gently wiped the tear stains from her face and brushed aside her disheveled hair. He pulled her tightly into his arms, as if trying to transfer all his warmth to her. “It’s alright now. It’s alright.”

Li Xiang’s eyes were wide with fear, tears spilling over as her trembling lips pressed close to Zhou Mingxuan’s ear. “Kill him… I want to kill him myself.”

Zhou Mingxuan, so close he could catch the faint fragrance of her hair, leaned in and whispered hoarsely, “Alright. Whatever you say.” But before he could hear her response, Li Xiang, overwhelmed with rage, fainted.

As she lost consciousness, her dark lashes fluttered, and her warm lips brushed faintly against Zhou Mingxuan’s.

He swallowed hard, his gaze flickering before he hastily looked away. Hurriedly, he moved to untie the ropes binding her behind the pillar. Once freed, the loosely draped robe slipped to the ground again. The image from before he had burst through the door flashed once more in Zhou Mingxuan’s mind.

He held the back of Li Xiang’s head, gently pulling her toward him. Her slender, delicate shoulders and long legs, coupled with skin as smooth as homogenized milk, made her seem almost fragile.

Zhou Mingxuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he carefully examined her body, relieved when he found no signs of assault.

Picking up the torn clothes from the ground, he dressed her piece by piece before draping his own outer robe over her.

Qingzhi paced anxiously in the Hanqiu Courtyard, her gaze flickering repeatedly toward the gate. The academy had strict rules, maids and family members were forbidden from disturbing students during lectures, so she had no choice but to wait there for Su Mo and the others to finish class.

But instead of Su Mo, she saw Li Xiang and Zhou Mingxuan approaching. The sight of the two familiar figures finally eased the tension in her chest.

Zhou Mingxuan carried Li Xiang with utmost care, striding swiftly into the courtyard. Qingzhi hurried forward, calling out to the unconscious girl, “Xiangxiang, Xiangxiang! Young Master Zhou, what happened to her?”

Without stopping, Zhou Mingxuan replied coolly, “She’s unharmed, just unconscious. Do you know where her room is?” He had initially planned to take her to his own quarters after the hurried ride back, but seeing one of her close friends, he changed his mind.

Qingzhi immediately understood his intention. “This way,” she said, leading him toward the Linfeng Residence.

Though classes were still in session, servants and maids bustled about the residence. Zhou Mingxuan walked in with an air of detachment, his refined features and noble bearing drawing curious glances from the women nearby. In his arms, Li Xiang’s dark hair swayed slightly with each step.

Soon, they stopped before a modest room. Qingzhi unlocked the door and pushed it open. Zhou Mingxuan stepped inside without hesitation, laying Li Xiang down on the bed.

He pulled a blanket over her and, without looking up, said to Qingzhi, “Could you fetch some hot water for me?”

“Of course,” Qingzhi replied before turning to leave, closing the door behind her.

This was Zhou Mingxuan’s first time entering Li Xiang’s room. It was sparsely furnished, a simple bed, a table and chair, and a few neatly folded clothes placed at the inner side of the bed. Against the wall stood a wooden tub for bathing, without even a proper screen for privacy.

Before long, Qingzhi returned with hot water. Zhou Mingxuan rolled up his sleeves, wrung out a towel, and gently wiped Li Xiang’s face.

Watching this, Qingzhi finally realized why she had felt something was off. A nobleman personally tending to his maid, Zhou Mingxuan, who was usually aloof and rarely interacted with servants, was now caring for Xiangxiang with his own hands in her time of need.

Meanwhile, Su Mo and Gu Ci returned to the Cold Autumn Courtyard and found the note Li Xiang had left. Without much thought, Su Mo considerately decided to prepare dinner so she could eat as soon as she returned, dragging Gu Ci along to the kitchen.

But the moment they arrived, Qingzhi rushed to Su Mo and told him Li Xiang had been kidnapped, only to be rescued by Zhou Mingxuan. Without wasting time on further questions, the two immediately ran to Linfeng Residence.

The wooden door creaked as Su Mo pushed it open and rushed inside. His eyes locked with Zhou Mingxuan’s, and for a moment, Su Mo faltered. But when his gaze fell on Li Xiang’s pale face on the bed, he dropped to his knees beside her. “Xiangxiang, what happened?”

Gu Ci entered behind him, taking in the sight of the two men by the bedside before quietly closing the door.

Zhou Mingxuan’s brows were furrowed with disgust: “Chen Bolin tied her up in the abandoned temple west of town. When I found her, he was about to-”

Su Mo was instantly on the verge of exploding, but Zhou Mingxuan pressed him down firmly: “I already beat him half to death. Right now, taking care of Xiangxiang is what matters most.”

Thud. Su Mo clenched his fists and slammed one down hard. A flash of fury passed through his eyes: “One day, I’ll kill him and offer him to the heavens.”

Li Xiang slowly stirred awake at the noise in the room. Su Mo immediately grabbed her wrist. Seeing familiar faces, her eyes welled up with tears, and she began to cry helplessly.

Watching her sob quietly, Su Mo felt as if his heart were being sliced by a knife. His fists clenched so tightly that Li Xiang whimpered in pain: “It hurts.”

Smack. Zhou Mingxuan slapped Su Mo’s hand away from Li Xiang’s wrist. Only then did Su Mo realize he had been gripping her too hard. He loosened his hold and instead gently stroked the back of her hand, soothing her.

Li Xiang’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Seeing his foolishly earnest expression, she smiled faintly and murmured, “What an idiot.”

Gu Ci tugged at Zhou Mingxuan’s sleeve, signaling for them to leave. Zhou Mingxuan didn’t argue this time. He closed the door behind them, leaving the two alone.