Volume One, Chapter 11: The Abandoned Mansion of the Duan Family

“Alright, stop looking now. Tell me, how should we proceed with the treatment?”

Only then did Duan Wuhen come back to his senses. “You just need to lie face down on the sofa. I’ll be inserting needles into your back.”

“Oh.” Yan Xiyue nodded obediently and lay down as instructed, exposing her smooth back.

Duan Wuhen took a canvas bag from his pocket, spread it out, revealing gleaming silver needles.

Suddenly, Yan Xiyue spoke up, halting Duan Wuhen’s preparation. “Wait! Will it hurt? I’m afraid of pain.”

Duan Wuhen paused, then comforted her gently, “It’s nothing, it won’t hurt at all. In fact, it will feel quite pleasant.”

Hearing that, Yan Xiyue relaxed and closed her eyes, waiting for Duan Wuhen’s treatment.

He found the acupuncture points and gently inserted the silver needles into her skin.

The sudden sharp pain made Yan Xiyue cry out, “Ouch! You liar, didn’t you say it wouldn’t hurt?”

Duan Wuhen laughed softly. “I’m not lying. You agreed to the treatment, didn’t you? Just relax, it only hurts for a moment.”

Seeing that Duan Wuhen had already started, Yan Xiyue no longer resisted, storing today’s events in her heart.

Minutes later, her back was dotted with needles, which trembled softly under Duan Wuhen’s subtle guidance.

Looking at Yan Xiyue, now resembling a hedgehog, Duan Wuhen couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Hey! What are you laughing at? You know, I actually feel warm all over now. It’s quite comfortable.”

Duan Wuhen’s face brimmed with pride. “Of course, don’t you know who I am?”

Amid their laughter and teasing, Yan Xiyue felt so comfortable she soon dozed off deeply.

Seeing the time was right, Duan Wuhen carefully removed the needles from her back.

Watching her sleep peacefully, he smiled faintly.

He gently lifted Yan Xiyue, placed her on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and then quietly slipped out of the room.

Just as the door clicked shut, Yan Xiyue quietly opened her eyes.

Looking at the closed door, a small smile touched her lips.

“This guy is actually quite considerate.”

In truth, Yan Xiyue had awakened when Duan Wuhen removed the needles.

She had intended to open her eyes but decided to pretend to be asleep instead.

She wanted to see if Duan Wuhen would take advantage of her while she was unconscious.

Unexpectedly, he merely laid her on the bed, covered her with a blanket thoughtfully, and left.

Thinking of this, Yan Xiyue’s heart grew fond of Duan Wuhen.

She turned over and soon fell into a peaceful sleep.

Duan Wuhen closed the door behind him and stepped onto the balcony, gazing out over Han City, lost in thought.

He felt restless, unsure where to begin investigating the massacre that destroyed the Duan family years ago.

Usually, when agitated, he liked to look at the scenery of Qingcheng Mountain.

This time was no exception; he decided to take a walk.

With a soft thud, Duan Wuhen closed the door and went out.

He wandered aimlessly through the streets of Han City.

Before he realized it, he had reached the outskirts of the city.

He stopped, staring ahead at the barren land with no road forward.

There stood a dilapidated courtyard, long abandoned but clearly once magnificent.

Curious, Duan Wuhen approached the courtyard.

He pushed aside the overgrown weeds on the gate, revealing the corroded entrance.

Suddenly, the gate collapsed with a crash, unveiling the courtyard within.

An outdoor fountain lay in ruins, the stone tiles covered in moss, and several pillars cracked.

Sighing softly at the desolation, Duan Wuhen was filled with regret.

But what happened next shattered his composure completely.

On the villa’s plaque, two large characters were clearly engraved: Duan Family.

“Unbelievable! This was once my home!”

His voice trembling with grief, even the strongest part of him couldn’t hold back tears of pain.

This hatred was etched into his very bones—the once thriving Han family estate had become this ruin.

When the Han family was wiped out, Duan Wuhen was just a naive child, playing in the cellar, fortunate to have escaped the massacre.

He racked his brain, but his memories were too vague to recall any details.

Pushing open the broken door, a cold wind blew in, and faint bloodstains remained on the floor.

This was the blood of his own family! Duan Wuhen roared in anguish.

He picked up a shattered photo frame from the ground; the picture showed a happy family of three.

Could these be his parents? Clenching his fists tightly, Duan Wuhen slammed them onto the floor.

The hard marble tiles shattered into pieces instantly.

One could imagine how furious he was.

“Who exactly was responsible? Who took the lives of nearly a hundred members of my Duan family?”

Despairing, he had no leads—only powerless rage.

Overcome with sorrow, his vision darkened, and he collapsed, losing consciousness.

As evening approached, Yan Xiyue woke early, noticing Duan Wuhen had not returned.

Worry crept into her heart.

“That guy, it’s so late and he’s still not back. Could something have happened?”

But then she dismissed her fears.

“He’s so capable; how could anything happen to him? He’s probably still out enjoying himself. Whatever, I’ll just sleep.”

In her current state, Yan Xiyue resembled a wife anxiously waiting for her husband’s return, though she was unaware of this herself.

She lay in bed, unable to fall asleep.

“Ahhh!” Frustrated, she sat up and dialed a number.

“Uncle Qingsong, could you help me find someone? He was wearing…”

After hanging up, Yan Xiyue dressed quickly, sitting on the bed, frequently checking her phone for any messages, then lowering her head in disappointment.

Soon, the phone rang.

Seeing the caller ID, Yan Xiyue hastily answered.

“Well? Uncle Qingsong, any news?”

“We found him. He was last seen in the outskirts, in a desolate area. We’re heading there now.”

Upon hearing this, Yan Xiyue grabbed her car keys, opened the door, and rushed out.

Downstairs, a pink Maserati roared out of the neighborhood, racing toward the outskirts.

“Damn it, you better not be in any danger!”

At last, Yan Xiyue truly understood that she had already fallen for that rogue, Duan Wuhen.

Though he was a bit of a scoundrel, after these few days together, she could clearly feel his kindness toward her.