The Obsessive Beauty’s White Moonlight - Chapter 13

Su Niannian stood frozen at the entrance of the secret passage, her mind struggling to process the scene before her.

Qi Ning built a secret room inside her own study?

By the dim light spilling from the study, Su Niannian could vaguely make out shelves filled with strange jars and glass containers, but the depths of the room remained shrouded in shadow.

“Mew!” Tongtong tugged at Su Niannian’s pant leg, trying to pull her into the dark space.

“No,” Su Niannian whispered, snapping out of her daze. She crouched down and scooped Tongtong back into her arms. “We’re going to wait for Qi Ning outside.”

This hidden room gave her an unsettling feeling. She had an instinctive premonition: if she stepped inside now, her relationship with Qi Ning would change irrevocably. Whatever that change might be, Su Niannian wasn’t ready to face it yet.

Before leaving, she called out Qi Ning’s name a few times. Once she was certain the doctor wasn’t inside, she turned away with the kitten. Tongtong tried to struggle, but Su Niannian firmly held her tiny paws, leaving the kitten to resort to pitiful, coaxing cries.

“I really don’t know what to do with you.”

Tongtong: “!”

Tongtong’s tail flicked expectantly.

Su Niannian quickened her pace out of the room and used the key hanging on the door to lock the study tight.

Tongtong: “Mew.”

With Qi Ning’s sudden disappearance, Su Niannian’s mood plummeted. She went to the living room and turned on the television, resolving to wait another thirty minutes. If Qi Ning wasn’t home by then, she would have no choice but to call the police.

“The convict who committed four brutal family massacres fifteen years ago escaped from prison yesterday at 23:32 and is currently at large in the city. The suspect has a facial tattoo and sustained a leg injury during the escape.”

“Citizens are advised to lock all doors and windows, remain indoors, and prioritize safety. If you have any information, please contact the police immediately…”

What? Su Niannian stared at the emergency broadcast, a heavy sense of dread crawling up her spine.

Qi Ning is still out there.

Suddenly, her phone rang. Thinking it was Qi Ning, she answered it instantly, only to hear the voice of the officer who was always looking for the doctor. “Miss Su, I need to confirm: are you and Dr. Qi both at home?”

“Qi Ning isn’t here,” Su Niannian replied urgently. “I woke up ten minutes ago and she was gone.”

There was a several-second silence on the other end. Su Niannian’s heart raced faster with every heartbeat. When the officer spoke again, his voice was trembling, sounding as if it were coming from a great distance.

“We received a tip. The escaped convict from the massacre case is likely in your neighborhood.”

“Dr. Qi was the sole survivor of those murders.”

Su Niannian’s ears began to ring, and her mind went blank. “Qi, Qi Ning, she.” She opened and closed her mouth, unable to form a coherent sentence.

“Our units have formed a perimeter and are conducting a floor-by-floor search. We will notify you the moment we have news. Please stay indoors, keep your phone line open, and we will send officers to protect you immediately.”

The police line went dead as they rushed to coordinate the search, leaving Su Niannian staring at the dial tone.

She stood up abruptly. Qi Ning was in danger; she couldn’t just sit here doing nothing. After the initial wave of panic, a strange, cold clarity washed over her. She changed into practical clothes as fast as she could and scavenged for anything that could serve as a weapon, hiding them beneath the coffee table.

Once prepared, she tucked Tongtong away on the balcony for safety, cut the main power to the apartment, and sat back down on the sofa alone.

The convict might know Qi Ning’s address. He might be coming here specifically. She had to prepare for the worst.

In the pitch-black silence, her eyes slowly adjusted. She could make out the shapes of the room by the faint light filtering through the gaps in the curtains.

She realized then how much she missed Qi Ning. If Qi Ning appeared before her right now, she would hug her without hesitation and never let her go.

Why did you leave without telling me. Su Niannian bit her lip, her eyes stinging.

At that moment, a faint, rhythmic scratching sound came from the front door, shattering the silence.

Someone was picking the lock.

Su Niannian reflexively held her breath. She leaned down slowly, her fingers curling around the handle of a heavy cleaver. In this moment, she was thankful that even though Qi Ning didn’t cook, her kitchen was exceptionally well-equipped.

She coiled her body into a defensive stance. Her heart hammered like a drum, but her hands did not shake.

Two minutes later, the door clicked open.

Light from the hallway spilled in, and from her vantage point, Su Niannian saw the intruder’s lower half—he wore ill-fitting work clothes, his shoes were caked in mud, and a large bloodstain soaked through the pant leg of his right limb.

It was him.

Su Niannian expected to feel terror, but instead, a profound hatred took hold. The massacres fifteen years ago, because of this man, Qi Ning had endured a pain no child should ever know.

The man seemed to assume the occupants were asleep. After a failed attempt to flip the light switch, he sat down unceremoniously on the very chair Qi Ning had just covered in white plush that morning. He panted heavily, his eyes searching the dark for the bedroom.

A vein throbbed in Su Niannian’s forehead. She remembered the way Qi Ning had patted that chair cover earlier, fishing for a compliment.

Locating the bedroom door, the man—reeking of filth and copper let out a low, predatory chuckle. He stood up and began to limp toward it.

He left his back completely exposed to her.

The police were nearby. If she could just disable his other leg, he would be helpless. Su Niannian arched her back, ready to strike.

In that moment of absolute focus, she suddenly felt movement behind her.

What?

How is that possible?

A hand reeking of fresh blood clamped firmly over Su Niannian’s mouth.

“Shh,” Qi Ning whispered, her lips brushing against Su Niannian’s ear. Her voice was sickly sweet and terrifyingly gentle. “Don’t make a sound.”