Zhen Jiu’er’s heart inexplicably sank.

Being stared at by Lu Beicheng with suspicious eyes, she didn’t know why, but her heart actually gave a strange, stuttering ache.

Very uncomfortable.

“You think… that me staying by your side has some other purpose?”

She took a deep breath. “You… are you afraid I’ll harm you? Just like those people who crippled you?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Jiu’er immediately felt the violent, ferocious aura on Lu Beicheng’s body suddenly spill outward.

It was like an aura from hell, making her, sitting not far from him, feel the blood in her body turn cold, as if freezing into ice in an instant.

It was truly so cold!

She couldn’t help but shiver.

Lu Beicheng narrowed his eyes, leaned in, drew closer to her: “Would you harm me?”

“No!” She didn’t even need to think about it!

It felt as though if she said even one word of assent, the next second she would surely meet a miserable, unbearable fate.

“I… have no grudge or feud with you, why would I harm you?”

“Besides, I never intended to stay by your side in the first place — it was you who insisted on keeping me here.”

In fact, to keep her trapped, he hadn’t hesitated to deploy over a hundred hunting dogs!

“It really was you who forced me to stay by your side.” Zhen Jiu’er couldn’t help adding.

Her large, watery eyes stared straight at him, so bright and captivating.

Most importantly, Zhen Jiu’er believed that in this moment, she was being completely sincere.

It truly was him who had forced her to stay — it wasn’t as though she had taken the initiative to follow him.

Lu Beicheng lowered his eyes, the cold light in his gaze withdrawing, and picked up his cup again: “If you don’t eat now, the food will go cold.”

Zhen Jiu’er let out a long breath.

She had thought that having lived through several lifetimes, she was already a seasoned expert in dealing with people.

She never expected that in front of Lu Beicheng, she would still turn out to be a complete weakling!

So embarrassing!

After hurriedly finishing her meal, Jiu’er left that suffocating table and went to find Qin Fei.

“Where are Ren Qiqi and He Muling?”

In the distance, Xiao Shengyuan and Meng Xiao were chatting about something, seemingly getting along very well.

Su Nan was sorting out his photography equipment.

Xia Zi always seemed to particularly enjoy quiet — after finishing breakfast alone in a corner, she had begun organizing the things the professor might need today.

“And where’s the professor?”

Qin Fei stood up, wiped his mouth, and looked into the distance.

“I think I saw Ren Qiqi and He Muling head to the river early this morning to wash up.”

Jiu’er turned her head and glanced toward the direction of the river as well.

Bathing out in the wild — she wondered if there was any danger.

The thought had barely flashed through her mind when suddenly, from the direction of the river in the distance, came the sound of a girl’s scream.

It was He Muling!

Qin Fei rushed over immediately.

Zhen Jiu’er glanced back at Lu Beicheng once, then quickly followed in Qin Fei’s footsteps.

Ji Mingyu strode quickly to Lu Beicheng’s side, pushing his wheelchair.

Xiao Shengyuan, Meng Xiao, Su Nan, Xia Zi, and the others all froze for a moment before immediately dropping what was in their hands and rushing to the small river at top speed.

Basically, the only one who hadn’t come now was Yan Qiu.

But Yan Qiu had received Ninth Master’s instructions early that morning to go out and handle something, so his absence hadn’t raised anyone’s suspicion.

As for why suspicion would even arise — it was because what now appeared in the small river was a sight that left everyone horrified.

He Muling and Ren Qiqi’s limbs had gone weak; both were nearly fainting.

Ren Qiqi could still barely climb out of the river on her own, but He Muling’s legs simply wouldn’t move at all!