Chapter 140: Handprint
Why do people sleepwalk?
It is said that there are many reasons.
Medical professionals refer to this behavior as somnambulism.
Excessive physical activity, sleep imbalance, genetic predisposition, life stress, environmental changes, and medication can all be triggers for somnambulism.
Emotional suppression, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, or anxiety disorders can also increase the risk of somnambulism.
Generally, either physical discomfort or psychological distress can result in sleepwalking.
In olden times, a saying circulated: "One must not wake a sleepwalker, as the shock could cause death."
「Inside the luxury mansion.」
The entire floor was devoid of human presence; darkness filled every corner.
Xu Si’s movements were somewhat slow as she emerged from her room. Her usually calm and cold expression now appeared vacant.
She tentatively fumbled with the doorknob, opening the door out of habit and wandering into the hallway.
A few mumbled words occasionally tumbled from her mouth.
Yet, her words seemed to lack strength, indistinct.
She just circled the corridor unconsciously.
The arched windows of the hallway were half-open, and a breeze traced its way to her hair.
The wind, as if yearning for freedom, made Xu Si’s slow footsteps halt. She turned and gradually walked in its direction.
In front of her was a black metal stool.
She was completely unaware of it, continuing to draw nearer.
Just as her slender leg was about to hit the hard metal,
「In the dead of night.」
Someone extinguished a cigarette butt and swiftly approached. A hand with distinct knuckles and pale skin reached out, grasped the stool, and with a slight tug, moved it aside.
The next second, her pale foot stepped over the space where it had been.
Xu Si, unimpeded, reached the window. Her hair was all blown back by the wind, fluttering wildly as if she were an elf emerging from a forbidden zone.
"...Hmm."
She seemed unsatisfied. The feeble wind didn’t bring her happiness, so she reached out to pry the window further open, attempting to grasp more of the coolness and freedom.
Leaning her waist against the arched window, on tiptoe, she nearly extended her entire upper body out into the thin air, oblivious to the increasing sense of suspension and the danger it posed.
It was clear that such a situation had never occurred in this luxury mansion before; hence, the windows lacked any safety measures.
Immediately after, a sigh escaped the man. He walked past her, bending over to support her waist with a firm grasp, ensuring she wouldn’t fall.
The entire mansion resembled a palace, with many rooms and window ledges.
Xu Si was currently before one of these arched windows. It was dark, the lights were off, and she wasn’t drawing any attention.
The late autumn, early winter wind was particularly strong, striking the face like an icy kiss from a snow-capped mountain.
She remained in this posture for roughly a minute.
Pei Zhen leaned against the curtain, looking down at her with a slight tilt of his head, his gray eyes seeming to see only her. "You’re usually so incredibly cautious," he murmured. "How can you be so reckless when you’re unconscious? Can you come down? Walk on the ground?"
Pleading with an unconscious person to obey was a very difficult task.
However, Xu Si also seemed to find this taste of "freedom" unpleasant. After the wind buffeted her for a while, she turned and continued to stroll slowly around the floor.
Pei Zhen stood behind her, quietly watching for a while, a smile playing on his lips.
His manner was so relaxed, truly nonchalant.
When he saw her about to collide with another obstacle, he would promptly appear before her, silently clearing it away.
Normally, to avoid trouble, he could have guided her back to her room.
But he didn’t. Instead, he followed her tirelessly. Inhaling the faint scent of cedar from her, he felt a profound sense of peace and quietude.
It was a night collapsed into darkness, devoid of a single ray of light.
A radiant woman—barefoot, her hair disheveled, eyes closed in a nightmare—and a seductive man, covering his lips to restrain his laughter, continually walked through every corner of the building’s floors.
If an outsider were to barge in and witness this scene, they would surely find the image hauntingly beautiful yet chilling to the bone.
After walking for a long time, Xu Si seemed to grow weary. She took a sluggish step back and found a curved step to sit on.
Pei Zhen also approached, unabashedly squatting down beside her.
At that moment, Xu Si had already removed her makeup. Her complexion was translucent and cool, her lips, stripped of their bright red lipstick, revealed a natural color that was still stunning. After resting and catching her breath, she unconsciously stamped her feet, seemingly due to some discomfort in their tender soles.
Pei Zhen’s gaze trailed downward.
He noticed a few scabbing wounds on the side of her foot; new flesh was probably growing, causing them to itch and ache.
He glanced at her quietly, then reached out to hold those delicate, pale feet. His fingers lingered on the reddened scars. He recalled the image of her suddenly appearing in the Xu Mansion’s study that day. He bent closer to the raw wounds. As he did, his clothes shifted over the smooth, firm muscles of his back. His long fingers flattened, gently caressing the area around the injuries, attempting to alleviate her pain with this touch.
Gunshots occasionally erupted from the Triad Society’s territory.
The cool touch of his fingers sent an electric-like sensation through her, making the groggy Xu Si frown. Her languid, peach-blossom eyes opened a mere slit, her pupils unfocused, terribly scattered.
She looked at the handsome man, her consciousness still trapped within the dream.
Yes, she was dreaming again of that banquet from her past life, where the man held up a glass, attracting her gaze, luring her closer.
But this time, she cautiously uttered, "I remember you, Pei Zhen. You want to kill me."
Stirred by her emotions, the real Xu Si mumbled the same words, though they were slurred and indistinct.
Pei Zhen’s brow furrowed instantly. His gaze swept over her graceful figure, and the smile on his lips froze.
Then, concealing the shock in his heart, he feigned nonchalance and responded, "What are you talking about?"
Even when Xu Si spoke unconsciously, he responded to her every utterance.
At this, Xu Si’s reaction seemed to intensify. She reached out, trying to grab something, to escape. In her urgency, she slowly lifted her foot and kicked Pei Zhen in the chest.
The kick wasn’t forceful, but it was certainly sudden.
Pei Zhen’s expression faltered for a moment. He took a handkerchief from his sleeve; it bore a strange scent. He wanted to get closer to observe her condition.
Just as he bent halfway, Xu Si’s vacant eyes suddenly snapped shut. The scene in her mind shifted. Trapped by the nightmare, her body trembled violently, her cold exterior on the verge of shattering. Her slender, fragile wrist rose high and delivered a loud slap to his face.
"Bastard."
"..." He curved his lips, wiping a trace of blood from the corner. Awake? That really hurt.
"What right do you have to treat my mother like this?"
"..."
Then again, it didn’t hurt anymore.
Pei Zhen opened his violent, crazed eyes. He looked at Xu Si’s unsettling expression, his own gaze dark and unclear. He let out a long sigh. He was afraid she was too agitated. So, he simply leaned in and hugged her tightly. His well-defined hand, holding the handkerchief, accurately covered Xu Si’s mouth and nose, pressing down until there wasn’t a single gap.