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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Four
Li Shouzhuo had not slept a wink, tossing and turning throughout the night.
He felt like a trapped beast, rolling over in bed but unable to shake off the nightmare that clung to him like a shadow.
Finally, he threw on a robe and moved to the window, pushing it open to let the cold night air rush into the room.
At this hour, the dew was heavy and the chill was biting, yet he felt none of it; instead, his chest felt as if it were being crushed by a massive stone, suffocating him with discomfort.
He gazed at Liu's sleeping face, once captivating and enchanting, now evoking waves of anxiety and unease within him.
Liu's breathing was even and steady, her serene expression suggesting that nothing had happened at all, like a gentle cat lost in a peaceful dream.
However, Li Shouzhuo could not forget the scene from last night—the heart-wrenching cries, Liu's frostbitten gaze, her hoarse and deep voice, and that eerie, sinister smile—all pierced his heart like sharp poison-tipped needles, leaving him restless and chilled to the bone.
He felt as if Liu had been possessed by something unclean, transforming into someone strange and terrifying, completely unlike the gentle and virtuous person he once knew.
He even began to doubt whether Liu had truly gone mad or if she had been pretending all along—was this her true self?
Outside the window, the sky was a deep blue canvas dotted with twinkling stars, gradually lightening with dawn as a new day began.
Yet in Li Shouzhuo's heart, there was no glimmer of light—only endless darkness and fear—as if he were plummeting into an abyss with no hope in sight.
He needed to uncover what had truly happened to Liu as soon as possible. Otherwise, he and this family would inevitably be consumed by this strange force.
He rose quietly and tiptoed out of the room, careful not to wake the sleeping Liu.
In a low and hoarse voice that sounded as if he had a fishbone lodged in his throat, he instructed the servants to summon a doctor.
He then entered the study, attempting to immerse himself in official duties, hoping that keeping busy would help him temporarily forget the fear gnawing at his heart.
However, his mind was completely elsewhere; the events of last night replayed in his mind like a flickering lantern, leaving him restless and uneasy.
He felt as if he were ensnared in an invisible web, suffocating and impenetrable, making it impossible for him to breathe or escape.
The web tightened around him, constricting his breath until he felt he was on the verge of suffocation.
He knew he had to find answers quickly; otherwise, this intangible fear would consume him entirely, leaving no chance of recovery.
Around noon, the doctor arrived. He was an elderly man with white hair and beard, appearing quite aged yet full of vigor, with sharp eyes.
Li Shouzhuo hurriedly invited the doctor into Liu's room, as if grasping a lifeline, his gaze filled with hope.
The doctor carefully examined Liu, taking her pulse and checking her eyelids while asking about her recent condition in great detail.
Li Shouzhuo stood by nervously, clenching his fists with sweaty palms, fearing he might miss any crucial detail.
After finishing the examination, the doctor stroked his beard and said to Li Shouzhuo, "There is no need for excessive worry, my lord. Your wife is not seriously ill; she merely has some deficiency in her vital energy. It may be due to overexertion recently combined with exposure to cold. She needs proper rest and nourishment. I will prescribe some medicine; taking it regularly should suffice."
Upon hearing this, Li Shouzhuo felt a slight relief in his heart but remained puzzled, his brow furrowed like an unsolvable knot.
"Doctor," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "to be honest, my wife has been behaving unusually lately—acting erratically and speaking nonsense as if she has become a different person. What could be the cause of this?"
The doctor pondered for a moment as if contemplating something before slowly replying, "What you describe about your wife is unprecedented for me. It may be due to fright or excessive worry that has disturbed her mind, leading to these abnormal behaviors. In my opinion, this mental affliction requires a remedy for the heart. I suggest you spend more time with her, offer guidance to help her relax her mind and gradually recuperate; perhaps this will lead to improvement."
Li Shouzhuo nodded in partial understanding but remained filled with doubts, his thoughts tangled like a ball of yarn that he could not unravel.
He always felt that things were not as simple as the doctor had said. The abnormalities of Liu seemed to be more than just a result of being frightened; it was as if something had latched onto her.
"Thank you, doctor. I will remember your words," Li Shouzhuo said, his tone tinged with fatigue.
He decided to continue observing Liu's condition. If there were any further abnormalities, he would invite other doctors for treatment, or even consult some Taoists or monks; perhaps they would have a solution.
After sending the doctor away, Li Shouzhuo returned to Liu's room. Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, a mix of emotions surged within him.
In the following days, Li Shouzhuo stayed by Liu's side, caring for her meticulously and without reservation.
He declined all social engagements and rarely visited the government office, dedicating himself entirely to looking after Liu.
Liu's emotions gradually stabilized; she was no longer as irritable and volatile as before, and occasionally, she would even show a gentle smile towards Li Shouzhuo.
However, Li Shouzhuo still could not fully relax; instead, he grew increasingly anxious.
He felt deep down that Liu was hiding some secret, one that was connected to the death of his sister, Liu Xu.
The death of Liu Xu was like an unsolvable riddle that loomed over him, leaving him restless and unable to find peace.
One night, under a dark sky with howling winds and no visibility, Li Shouzhuo was reading in his study when he suddenly heard a piercing scream from Liu's room, shattering the stillness of the night.
He quickly set down his book and dashed into Liu's room like a startled rabbit, his heart racing in his chest.
Upon entering, he saw Liu sitting up in bed, her face pale as paper, devoid of color. She trembled uncontrollably, her eyes filled with terror as if she had seen something horrifying.
"Madam, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Li Shouzhuo asked with concern, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor.
The Liu clutched Li Shouzhuo's hand tightly, as if she were a drowning person grasping the last lifeline, her nails digging into his flesh. She trembled as she spoke, "I... I dreamed of my sister... She... she was covered in blood... She said... she said I must avenge her... She also said... she also said..."
The Liu's voice grew fainter until it was nearly inaudible. Her gaze became vacant, as if she were trapped in some horrific memory, unable to escape.
At her words, Li Shouzhuo's heart jolted, like a bolt of lightning cutting through his muddled thoughts.
He was getting closer to the truth, as if he were parting the clouds to reveal the bright moon. The truth hidden in the mist was about to surface.
He tightened his grip on The Liu's hand and comforted her, "Madam, don't be afraid, don't be afraid. It was just a dream, not real. I will protect you; I will always be with you."
A glimmer of determination flashed in his eyes, as if he had made a resolute decision.
He had to uncover the truth quickly; otherwise, The Liu would be completely consumed by this nightmare and become a madwoman.
And he would forever live in fear, never knowing peace.
Outside the window, the night was deep and dark, like a giant monster opening its gaping maw to devour everything.
The cold wind howled like wailing ghosts, chilling to the bone.
In the distance, a few piercing cat cries echoed through the silent night, sounding particularly eerie and sending shivers down one’s spine.
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