Половины жизни, посвященной музыке и макияжу

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Chapter Ten: Attack • Enemy and Friend

"What's wrong?" Zhan Yun walked up to Duan Chen and followed her gaze. There, on the snow mixed with dirty mud and blood, was a drag mark about half a zhang long. But because someone had fought here and used a whip twice, the mud, petals, and footprints on the snow were mixed together in a mess. If you didn't look carefully, it would be easy to miss this mark sandwiched between two plum trees.

Zhao Ting and Zhou Yufei exchanged a glance, then looked at Zhan Yun in unison. Zhan Yun shook his head slightly, clearly puzzled as well. None of the three could understand why Duan Chen had turned pale with fright upon seeing the drag mark. They had witnessed far more horrific and bloody scenes in the past two days, but they had never seen Duan Chen show any panic or unease. Why, today, did he change his expression instantly upon seeing just a drag mark in the snow?

"Chen'er, is something wrong?" Zhan Yun's clear and gentle voice rang in her ears. Duan Chen was startled and, without bothering to correct his overly intimate address, lifted her skirt and ran towards the wooden house behind the plum grove.

Seeing this, the three quickly followed behind, only to see that Duan Chen didn't head towards the door, but instead went straight to the window next to him. The window was obviously nailed shut, not the kind that could be opened and closed at will. Duan Chen reached out and touched the window paper, which was covered with a thin layer of ice crystals, and saw a hole the size of a copper coin, obviously poked by someone with their finger.

Duan Chen slowly withdrew his hand, turned around, and walked out of the plum grove without saying a word. The three could only follow him. During this time, Zhan Yun tentatively asked twice, and Zhao Ting and Zhou Yufei also said a few words, but Duan Chen just kept walking forward, his bloodless lips tightly pursed, his pale face expressionless, and he didn't say a word.

Seeing her like this, Zhan Yun, though deeply worried, knew he couldn't force her. Zhao Ting, however, had long since lost patience. Looking at Duan Chen's stubborn expression, always bearing whatever trouble came her way alone, his heart pounded like boiling water. As soon as they entered the courtyard, Zhao Ting pulled Duan Chen into his arms, his dark eyes fixed on hers: "What happened? Tell us! There are so many of us here, what problem can't we solve? Aren't you tired of carrying this all by yourself? We're worried sick watching you—"

"Let go." Duan Chen coldly interrupted Zhao Ting, but his eyes never met Zhao Ting's gaze.

Zhao Ting was so angry at her cold demeanor that he felt like his guts were tied in knots. He unconsciously tightened his grip on Duan Chen's arm. No matter how much he talked to her, she wouldn't listen! This stubbornness of hers was really driving him crazy!

For the first time ever, Zhao Ting spoke at length, revealing his true feelings. Zhan Yun, unusually, suppressed his smile and attacked without a word. Before Duan Chen could speak again, Zhan Yun flicked his folding fan from his sleeve, striking Zhao Ting's elbow. Zhao Ting felt a numbness in his right arm, inhaled sharply, narrowed his deep eyes, released his grip on Duan Chen, and struck out with his palm at the latter's wrist.

Zhan Yun flicked his wrist, striking Zhao Ting's arm and then upwards, targeting various acupoints. Caught off guard, Zhao Ting was struck three times in quick succession, his thick, dark eyebrows furrowing as he felt half his body go numb. Although the two had known each other for many years and had often bickered over trivial matters in their youth, it was mostly just fistfights, never involving weapons or internal energy; they had never truly fought. Therefore, while they had both witnessed each other's skills and even fought side-by-side, it was always in the form of disciplining others; neither had ever genuinely experienced the other's abilities.

Zhou Yufei had already retreated to the side, leaning against a pillar on the porch with his arms crossed, raising an eyebrow as he watched the two start fighting in the yard. With a loud "bang," Duan Chen slipped into his house, slamming the door shut behind him.

The two fighters were both startled. Then Zhao Ting threw a long punch directly at Zhan Yun's face. Zhan Yun raised his hand to block and dodged, simultaneously tucking his folding fan into his sleeve, and began to fight bare-handed. Not far away, Zhou Yufei chuckled, his peach blossom eyes curving into crescents. These two...

Inside the room, Duan Chen paced around the table with a slight frown, drinking two glasses of cold water in between. Finally, he seemed to have gained some clarity. He unlatched the door and pushed it open. Just as he stepped out of the doorway, Duan Chen stopped, his brow twitching involuntarily. Then, he stepped out with his other foot, closing the door behind him.

Outside, Zhou Yufei sat on a stone bench by the porch, his shoulders shrugging. He pointed at the two men, his two fingers trembling slightly, and finally, unable to hold back, he burst into laughter. In the snow, Zhan Yun, dressed in a snow-white brocade robe, had disheveled hair and a slightly open collar. One corner of his mouth was cut, and he was grinning as he raised the back of his hand to wipe away the bloodstains. Opposite him, Zhao Ting had a tear in one sleeve up to his elbow, revealing a dark undergarment underneath. He was frowning, clutching his chest, and staring at Zhan Yun, who was wearing a faint smile.

Duan Chen glanced sideways at Young Master Zhou, who was laughing so hard he was about to choke, and slowly walked up to the two of them: "Go change your clothes quickly, there's something important to do."

Zhao Ting nodded obediently upon hearing this and was about to step into the house when he heard Zhan Yun ask softly in a low, hoarse voice, "Chen'er, do you have any medicine?" As he spoke, he bent his index finger and gently touched the corner of his mouth, his smile showing a hint of helplessness.

Zhao Ting's eyes narrowed, revealing a cold glint. He clenched his fist at his side, lowered his head, and moved closer to Duan Chen. His deep voice carried a hint of grievance: "Chen'er, I'm injured too, it's an internal injury. That guy slapped me in the chest, it'll probably hurt for days. Could you give me some medicine?"

Duan Chen turned and left, his voice still as clear and cold as a mountain spring: "Go change your clothes and come out to take your medicine."

Behind him, the two young masters both showed a hint of joy on their faces, then turned to look at each other. Zhao Ting sneered, raising an eyebrow: "Trying to take a punch from me to gain sympathy, how could you even think of that!"

Zhan Yun smiled innocently, pressing the tip of her tongue against one corner of her lips: "You learn pretty fast too!"

Finally managing to suppress his laughter, Zhou Yufei swaggered over to the two of them and said, "Go change your clothes! Otherwise, if the beauty comes out and sees you two chatting so intimately, it will delay her business. If she gets angry and takes the medicine back, that would be troublesome!" As he spoke, he chuckled again.

Zhao Ting's lips curled slightly. He raised his hand and pressed down heavily on Zhou Yufei's shoulder. Zhou Yufei let out a soft groan, panting and pointing his index finger at Zhao Ting: "You..." Zhao Ting raised his hand and smiled slightly: "Sorry, my arm was a little sore just now. I borrowed it to support myself."

Just as Zhou Yufei was about to lash out, he felt a jolt in the web of his outstretched hand, followed by a numb and painful sensation throughout his forearm. Turning to glare at the other person, he saw Zhan Yun smiling faintly as she closed her folding fan, blinking her crescent-shaped eyes, and together with Zhao Ting, they walked towards their respective rooms with perfect understanding.

The two quickly changed their clothes and came out, only to find Duan Chen already standing at the courtyard gate waiting. Zhan Yun walked up to Duan Chen with a smile, about to speak, when Duan Chen's expression turned indifferent and his pink lips parted slightly: "Give me your hand."

Zhan Yun obediently opened one palm as instructed, and Zhao Ting, not to be outdone, almost simultaneously extended his hand as well, his thin lips slightly curved, his bright black eyes gazing at the person before him. Duan Chen took out a small bottle and tapped a dark brown pill into each of their palms: "Take these. This is for treating internal injuries."

If Zhao Ting's chest wound could barely be considered an "internal injury," Zhan Yun suffered absolutely no internal injuries, only a small cut on the corner of his mouth, revealing a small bruise. Yet, looking at the pills in their respective palms, the two smiled as if they had won a great bargain. Under Duan Chen's watchful gaze, they swallowed the pills without hesitation, then thanked him softly, one after the other.

Duan Chen then took out a small round box from his sleeve, opened the lid, and handed it to Zhan Yun: "Put some on the corners of your mouth."

Zhan Yun's eyes crinkled with a smile as she did as instructed, applying some medicine before gently saying, "Thank you, Chen'er. Does this medicine contain mint? It feels cool."

Duan Chen nodded, closed the lid, and put the small box back into his sleeve: "Don't call me that when there are no outsiders around."

Zhan Yun's expression stiffened slightly, while Zhao Ting smiled. Zhou Yufei, finally able to get a word in edgewise, leaned over to Duan Chen and stammered, "My beauty, could I take one of those pills too? I... I also have internal injuries..."

Duan Chen glanced sideways at the pleading and pitiful-looking Young Master Zhou, and said softly, "That's all. Those were the last two."

The four met with Liu Yichen, explained what they had found in the plum grove, and then requested to see a few more people. After having dinner yesterday, they had already met the two heads of the Baode Deng Family Escort Agency. Today, they wanted to meet Mr. Xiao of the Muzhou Xiao Family and Zuo Xin, the head of the Thunderbolt Hall.

Liu Yichen asked the butler to invite the two over, then sat down in the main seat and sighed deeply: "I just went to see my father and told him everything that happened these past two days. My father's health isn't very good to begin with, and he had planned to invite many friends over for this birthday banquet so we could all get together and make him happy. But now..."

Liu Yichen's brows furrowed deeper, his face showing increasing exhaustion: "I have already asked Uncle Xiang to inform all the guests that the birthday banquet the day after tomorrow is canceled. However, no one can leave until the real culprit of the theft and murder is found. We only have seven days left. After seven days, whether or not the murderer is found, I will have to let everyone leave. After all, everyone has their own business, and with the end of the year approaching, many people have a lot to do. If I insist on not letting people go, it would really be unreasonable."

Everyone nodded in understanding. Zhan Yun said gently, "Young Master, please rest assured, we will find the murderer as soon as possible. However, please be cautious and pay attention to your safety. Also, please send more people to protect the two young ladies and the old master."

As they were talking, three people walked in, two in front of the other. The group stood up and exchanged greetings. Zhan Yun was standing closest to Duan Chen. As he spoke, he heard the person next to him gasp. They quickly turned around and saw Duan Chen with a gloomy expression, his phoenix eyes fixed on one of them.

Seeing this, Zuo Xin turned to look at the man standing behind him, somewhat puzzled, then raised an eyebrow at Duan Chen. His subordinate was of ordinary appearance and very disciplined, never bothering women, but the way this girl looked at him seemed as if he had seen her before.

Standing behind Zuo Xin was none other than the strange man who had chatted with Duan Chen under the large willow tree behind the "Jixian Hall" yesterday afternoon. Seeing Duan Chen staring at him with a slight frown, the man awkwardly cupped his hands and stammered, "Miss, young lady. We haven't met before, have we?"

Duan Chen knew something was wrong as soon as he heard the voice. Upon closer inspection of the person's face, although it was still the same face, it was clearly not a disguise. Everyone present was puzzled, when Duan Chen spoke calmly: "I have seen this face before, but it is not yours."

The man was taken aback, but Zuo Xin, being very perceptive, narrowed his eyes slightly, looking wary: "What do you mean?"

Duan Chen replied calmly, without any expression, "It means that someone disguised himself and impersonated your subordinate. Just yesterday noon, before the Liucai Sword was stolen, I had a brief encounter with him behind the Jixian Hall."

Mr. Xiao, standing to the side, exclaimed "Oh!" with great interest, his dark eyes darting around: "I didn't expect to find someone with the same hobby in this villa!"

Master Xiao of the Xiao family in Muzhou is famous for his "Swimming Dragon Startling Wind Palm" technique, but what people in the martial arts world talk about most is his lifelike and ingenious disguise skills.

Legend has it that in his youth, Master Xiao was extremely playful and fond of playing pranks. He once disguised himself as a stunningly beautiful young woman and appeared at the engagement banquet of a senior martial arts master. The men present were captivated, their hearts pounding, and they showered him with attention, all hoping to win a smile from the beauty. Eventually, a brawl broke out between the group and the master, who already had a fiancée. The scene descended into chaos, ruining what was supposed to be a magnificent engagement banquet and leaving the men distraught, searching for the beauty day and night. Only years later did everyone realize that the seemingly otherworldly beauty was actually a handsome man in disguise. From then on, Master Xiao's fame soared, and he became renowned throughout the martial arts world.

Duan Chen gently shook his head: "That person is not as skilled in disguise as Master Xiao, so it's easy to spot him."

“Whoever that person is, the fact that they dare not show their true face in the manor suggests they have some unspeakable secret.” Zuo Xin paused slightly, then said in a deep voice, “Perhaps that person is the real culprit.”

Everyone nodded; it was indeed a possibility. Zhan Yun turned to Duan Chen: "Chen'er, if you see that person again, will you still recognize him?"

Duan Chen glanced at Zhan Yun with some displeasure and said softly, "Even if one conceals their true appearance, it's difficult to change the inherent temperament of a person. If we meet again, I should be able to recognize them." That kind of nobility and majesty is not something that can be cultivated overnight; one can imagine that the person must be someone of high status and power.

“That’s easy.” Liu Yichen’s brows gradually relaxed, and he was in high spirits. He chimed in, “I’ll have Uncle Xiang invite all the guests to ‘Xianglu Pavilion’ for dinner later. Miss, take a close look, and you should be able to find that person!”