Who broke the glass 7 "Don't always look so cold, more...

"Sheng Sheng, we're destined to be together." Zhang Zhao stood opposite her older sister, his voice terrifyingly gentle. "I was wrong before. This past month has been agony. I really regret it. I'll change. Please give me another chance."

Song Sheng glanced through the doorway in disbelief and said shakily, "Is this your idea of changing? Imprisoning my family and forcing me to get back together with you?" She took a dejected step back and said softly, "Zhang Zhao, please let me go. I called the police on my way here. If you leave now... I won't press charges."

Zhang Zhao froze. He seemed not to have expected Song Sheng to call the police. After a moment of stunned silence, he suddenly grew furious. From Song Xiao's angle, she could clearly see his hands slowly clenching, the veins gradually bulging. Song Xiao wanted to cry out a warning in terror, but her lips felt numb, and she couldn't get a single word out.

"Fine, fine..." Zhang Zhao nodded and slowly shuffled outside, his back hunched. "Good thing you called the police. I'll go..." Song Sheng lowered her head and silently stepped aside to clear the doorway. Song Xiao watched tensely as he brushed past Song Sheng, then suddenly reached back and seized her arm hard.

"You fucking called the police. You fucking want me dead..." Zhang Zhao's eyes were bloodshot. He suddenly threw something into the bathroom, and amid the sound of shattering glass and Song Sheng's scream, he dragged Song Sheng with him and slammed hard into the door.

"I won't die, but once they're dead, no one will be able to stand between us."

Chapter 18: Who broke the glass 7 "Don't always look so cold, more...

The taste of blood filled Song Xiao's mouth. It took her a long time to realize she had unwittingly bitten through her lip. The instant the pain hit, she struggled to call out to her parents several times.

There was no response from beside her, and the air in the room was no longer circulating. Whatever Zhang Zhao had thrown in was colorless and odorless, but in that short time, Song Xiao's throat had already begun to hurt, and patches of color were appearing before her eyes.

Both Song Xiao and her sister studied chemical engineering. She immediately realized that what Zhang Zhao had thrown in was probably mercury vapor. At that thought, she hurriedly held her breath, straightened up, and slammed herself hard against the wall.

A sharp pain shot through her forehead. Using those few moments of clarity, Song Xiao struggled to sweep the razor off the counter onto the floor and used it to cut through the ropes. Coughing, she tried to shake her parents awake, but they had inhaled too much mercury vapor while unconscious, and their expressions were already beginning to turn crazed.

Before leaving, Zhang Zhao had sealed all the doors and windows in the house. Song Xiao first dragged her parents into the living room and settled them there, then staggered into the kitchen, took out a knife, and headed for the front door.

"He probably didn't expect me to break free so quickly. He hadn't locked the door, so I opened it straightaway."

Song Xiao's fingers still gripped Pei Qingyu tightly. Her eyes vacant, she slowly recalled, "My sister was still struggling with him outside the door. She wanted to come in and save us, but Zhang Zhao kept trying to drag her away. I wanted to help her, so... so I knocked him unconscious from behind."

Xun Yin glanced at Pei Qingyu, who nodded. There had indeed been a knife wound on the back of the male corpse last night. He moved his hand slightly in reassurance, signaling for Song Xiao to continue.

"We wanted to carry him inside and tie him up, then get our parents out and call the police, but Zhang Zhao woke up while we were moving him." Song Xiao gave a despondent sob, uncontrollably covering her face and letting out a low, hoarse cry.

"He clung to my sister's ankle, and she couldn't break free. To keep me alive, she shoved me out the front door, then locked it." She seemed to be breaking down, and a nurse hurried over to inject her with a sedative.

Xun Yin stepped forward, shielding Pei Qingyu behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Pei Qingyu's wrist. It was already red, with bloody scratches across it. Xun Yin's expression darkened, and he turned slightly to shield him more fully.

Pei Qingyu himself paid it little mind. He pulled his sleeve down to cover the scratches and calmly watched Song Xiao settle down before continuing softly, "What happened after that? Where did you go?"

"It was late at night, and I didn't have my phone or keys with me. I ran to the neighborhood committee office, smashed the glass, and got the keys, but I passed out as soon as I got through the door. When I woke up again, I was in the hospital."

The sedative finally took effect. Though Song Xiao still looked sorrowful, she had lost her strength. She glanced at Pei Qingyu and said softly, "I heard I hurt you earlier when I wasn't in my right mind. I'm really sorry, but... I really don't know what happened during that time."

"It's all right. Mercury poisoning can cause unconsciousness and mental confusion. It's normal not to remember under those circumstances." Pei Qingyu leafed through the medical records, then suddenly took out a photograph and asked, "Do you know him?"

Song Xiao instinctively shrank back, then slowly looked at it and nodded. "This... is Zhang Zhao. Is he dead?"

"Yes." Pei Qingyu had yet to recover from his serious illness, and after standing for so long, he was having trouble staying on his feet. Bracing himself against the foot of the bed, he bent forward slightly and looked intently at Song Xiao. "Your parents were also killed, unfortunately. Your sister's whereabouts are currently unknown. Do you know where she went?"

"...I don't know."

Song Xiao looked distressed at the news of her parents' deaths, but she didn't seem particularly surprised. Perhaps Song Ranran had already told her.

Pei Qingyu forced himself to ask about a few places Song Sheng often visited, then could no longer stay on his feet. Already feeling dizzy, he lowered his head slightly and pressed his fingers to the space between his brows. At that very moment, Xun Yin, who had been watching the two of them, noticed Song Xiao's brows furrow slightly and her eyes shift a little.

"Then what was your relationship with her like?" Xun Yin, who had been standing silently behind him, suddenly asked. "You and your sister."

Somewhat surprised, Pei Qingyu partially straightened up. A warm touch suddenly landed on his arm, and he involuntarily took half a step back.

Xun Yin shifted most of Pei Qingyu's weight onto himself, steadily massaging the acupoints on his hand with one hand to ease his dizziness.

Pei Qingyu narrowed his eyes in comfort. Ever since he had left the hospital, Xun Yin's care had grown increasingly meticulous. While silently grumbling to himself that he might end up being pampered into a "useless person," Pei Qingyu followed his heart and leaned a little closer against Xun Yin.

Song Xiao froze on the bed. She seemed not to have expected that question, and only after hesitating for a while did she say, "We're very close. She's really softhearted and kind, and she's never taken anything out on me because of our parents. As for this..."