Chapter 37: What Trouble Is There?

“You see, I told you so—it was I who saved your life. Otherwise, you would have died from excessive blood loss long ago.”

Zhang Xiaolan noticed that he seemed to believe her words, and she felt a certain relief in her heart. At least, he was no longer as wary or intent on harming her as before. This proved that her judgment was right; this man was not an irredeemable villain.

“Where is this place?”

The man in black, weakly sitting on the edge of the bed, raised his head and surveyed his surroundings before slowly asking Zhang Xiaolan where they were.

“This is a summer villa on Jigong Mountain. You’re safe here. But could you please release my acupoints first? Honestly, I find the whole acupoint thing quite fascinating and novel, but it’s really not a comfortable sensation at all!”

Having been immobilized by his acupoint technique, Zhang Xiaolan could not move. Her stooped posture was awkward; though she found it amusing and interesting, the tingling numbness throughout her body was anything but pleasant.

Just as Zhang Xiaolan was persuading the man in black, Xiaolian happened to enter the room. The moment she stepped through the door, she saw Zhang Xiaolan standing in a strange position and ran over in alarm to check on her.

“Miss, what’s wrong? Are you alright?”

“Ah! What’s happening? Miss, why can’t I move?”

Shortly after, Xiaolian realized she herself was unable to move, and let out another startled cry, questioning Zhang Xiaolan.

Because the man in black was sitting and Zhang Xiaolan was bent forward with arms extended, Xiaolian hadn’t noticed the man on the bed had awakened. Her startled reaction triggered the man’s vigilance, and he stood up with effort to seal Xiaolian’s acupoints as well.

“She’s the one who helped me save you…”

Zhang Xiaolan saw his actions and, ignoring Xiaolian, hurried to explain. But she barely managed to get out a sentence before the man in black, apparently exhausted, fainted once more and collapsed onto the bed.

“Oh, don’t pass out! You haven’t released our acupoints yet! Hey—”

Seeing him fall, Zhang Xiaolan called out anxiously, hoping he wouldn’t lose consciousness yet. At least he could undo their acupoints before fainting again!

“Miss, what happened to him?”

With her back to the bed, Xiaolian only heard a thud behind her and was unsure what had happened to the man in black.

“He fainted,” Zhang Xiaolan replied, rolling her eyes in exasperation. Now, the only parts of her she could move were her eyes and her mouth.

“What should we do? People said we shouldn’t have saved him. Now it’s a big mess—we’re both immobilized. When he wakes up, will he try to kill us to tie up loose ends?”

Xiaolian spoke with fear and worry, nearly bursting into tears. How could her life be so miserable? Saving a stranger was bad enough, but now she might end up harmed by him in return.

“Just be quiet! Save your strength, will you? I already told him we’re his saviors, and he trusted me enough to speak with me. It was your dramatic entrance that startled him, and now he’s fainted again. This is a real mess.”

Zhang Xiaolan complained bitterly. If not for Xiaolian’s well-intentioned but disruptive arrival, perhaps she and the man in black might have become friends by now. With him fainting from fright, who knew if he would trust her again when he next awoke?

“What’s the trouble?”

Still unclear about the situation, Xiaolian grew tense at Zhang Xiaolan’s mention of more trouble, uncertain what was in store for her.

“We’ve been immobilized by acupoint techniques—what could be more troublesome? Just look at my posture. I’m starting to feel really uncomfortable now.”

Zhang Xiaolan replied irritably. If this wasn’t trouble, what was? All she could do was grit her teeth and endure.