On the other side of the high wall, only Xia Zi remained.

There had also been a figure who hurried away, already long gone.

Jiu’er wanted to chase after them, but Xia Zi said coldly, “What exactly are you trying to do?”

“Isn’t that the question I should be asking you?” Seeing that the person was already too far to catch, Jiu’er could only steady herself and stare at Xia Zi.

“What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”

“What business is that of yours? What right do you have to restrict my personal freedom?”

Xia Zi glanced once more toward the direction the figure had disappeared, then turned to leave, clearly wanting nothing to do with Jiu’er.

“The cause of the professor’s death still hasn’t been determined. Everyone here is a suspect. What you’re doing here really isn’t my business—but I will report it to Master Nine and let him deal with it.”

“Zhen Jiu’er!” Seeing that she truly meant to leave, Xia Zi’s temper flared. “You think just because Master Nine dotes on you, you can do whatever you want and bully people?”

“Whether I’ve bullied you or not, you can explain it to Master Nine yourself later. I’m just going to tell him what happened—I won’t add anything to it. Why are you so panicked?”

If no one had died here, if there hadn’t been assassins sneaking in to attack, then Xia Zi could see whoever she wanted and do whatever she pleased, and Zhen Jiu’er truly would have had no right to interfere.

But the crux of it was that far too much had happened here.

No one had yet been cleared of suspicion.

So anything suspicious had to be reported.

At the very least, Master Nine had to be told, so he could decide whether it needed to be explained to the police.

Jiu’er ignored her and turned to head back.

Anxiety flared in Xia Zi, and in her urgency she grabbed hold of Jiu’er’s hand. “Zhen Jiu’er, if you dare say anything reckless, I won’t let you off!”

Jiu’er turned back to look at her, eyes narrowing. “How exactly won’t you let me off? That person just now—was he an assassin? Are you going to have him come kill me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Xia Zi still gripped her wrist tightly. “Zhen Jiu’er, the professor’s death has nothing to do with me. And the person I met tonight… has nothing to do with any of this either.”

“Now that the professor is dead, if you don’t want me to stay, I’ll simply leave. There’s no need to come after me—I pose no threat to any of you.”

“I—”

But before she could finish, her face suddenly changed, and she let go of Jiu’er and turned to retch.

Retching…

This scene—she felt she’d seen it somewhere before, more than once.

Retching like this…

By the time Xia Zi finally managed to steady herself, Jiu’er had already seized her wrist, her long fingers about to press against the pulse point.

Xia Zi seemed to realize something. In a panic, she wrenched her hand free from Jiu’er’s grip.

“What are you doing?”

“Are you sick? I’m a doctor—a practitioner of Chinese medicine. I can take your pulse and check.”

Jiu’er reached for her hand again, but Xia Zi’s face went pale with fright, and she immediately stepped back to dodge.

“It’s none of your business. It’s just a stomach problem!”

“If it’s really nothing, then come with me to see Master Nine and explain to him—who exactly were you sneaking around meeting here tonight? Why did that person leave the instant he realized someone was coming?”

Such an underhanded affair could not possibly be anything good.

If she wouldn’t say, then they’d go say it together in front of Master Nine.

“I’m not going!”

“I’m afraid whether you go or not isn’t up to you to decide.” After all, someone had died here!

Jiu’er was about to reach for Xia Zi’s hand again when, without warning, a low voice sounded from behind them: “The person who met her just now was me.”