Chapter 37 - 36: Serial Murder Case (Second Update)

Chapter 37: Chapter 36: Serial Murder Case (Second Update)

Seeing the hand extended towards him, Xiao Huai’an hesitated for a moment, then carefully took it.

This was the first time he held his mom’s hand.

Every time he saw other children holding their mother’s hand, he felt very sad and aggrieved.

Why wasn’t his mom like other moms?

Now, he finally held his mother’s hand.

His mom’s hand was soft, so comfortable.

Xiao Huai’an couldn’t help but quietly lift the corners of his mouth and held on tighter.

Feeling the small hand tighten momentarily, Xu Jing was slightly taken aback, glancing down at the little one beside her.

The child’s hand was very small, barely able to hold two of her fingers. Even when he exerted more force, it felt like a little kitten scratching, soft and gentle.

Yet the endless attachment and joy conveyed through it made that tiny claw seem to scratch at her heart, ticklish with an indescribable feeling.

At this moment, a frantic voice suddenly came from not far away, "Where are you, little lord? Little lord!"

Xu Jing immediately felt the little child beside her tense up. Before she could ask anything, he suddenly pulled away from her hand and dashed into the crowd with light footsteps.

Xu Jing was unusually dumbfounded for a moment.

Cheng Qingqing anxiously said, "Why did the child run away again? Jing, should we chase after him?"

"No need."

Xu Jing couldn’t help but wonder if she was being tricked by that child. She looked at her now empty hand, sighed helplessly, and said, "Probably the people searching for him have arrived, let’s head back."

Though that child piqued Xu Jing’s interest, it was just a minor episode in her life—she had many other things to attend to and soon put the incident behind her.

Her top priority was to make the medicine she needed.

Even though Cheng Xianbai didn’t agree with Xu Jing making and selling medicine, his efficiency was remarkable. By noon the next day, he had purchased the medicinal herbs Xu Jing needed, personally moving them to her new home, and Cheng Qingqing came along as well.

As soon as Cheng Qingqing saw Xu Jing, she pouted and said, "Jing, can I stay at your house to help? Ever since the news about our upcoming open clinic at Xinglin Hall spread, more people have been coming than at the marketplace! Yesterday, people came to Xinglin Hall as well, and I sent them away as you said, but now there are too many for me to handle. My brother suggested that we might as well close Xinglin Hall for the next few days and reopen for the open clinic."

And just as Jing said, most of those people were there to gather information, and several even thought she was the miracle doctor and surrounded her, refusing to let her leave. If her brother hadn’t returned on time, she wouldn’t have known what to do!

She had never seen such a scene before in her sixteen years!

Xu Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "Is it really that exaggerated?"

"Of course! Jing, you don’t know how famous you’ve become!"

Cheng Qingqing exclaimed excitedly, "Since you saved Lu in public that day, your deeds have spread through the town, and many people say you revived Lu using what was seemingly a lethal method, akin to divine skills, not much different from the legendary doctors who could bring the dead back to life or flesh back to the bones.

Yesterday, my brother even got Wu Dalang to help spread the news. Wu Dalang, whose livelihood depends on his eloquent tongue for selling wine, has an impressive way with words. I don’t know how he spread the word about our open clinic, but folks rushed here like mad, insisting on booking one of the 150 slots in advance!"

Xu Jing’s brow twitched slightly.

Seeing the uncomfortable look on Xu Jing’s face, Cheng Xianbai, already wary, immediately said, "Don’t worry, Dongfeng might not be reliable on a daily basis, but since this concerns the future of our Xinglin Hall, I repeatedly instructed him not to speak carelessly! He probably just announced that this kind of open clinic would only happen once, and there wouldn’t be any more opportunities for free treatments from the miracle doctor."

Xu Jing gave him a lingering glance.

Hopefully, that’s true!

However, had her reputation really grown so much? She had been too engrossed in her work to pay attention to her external reputation these days.

Thinking about the overcrowded medical hall, Cheng Qingqing didn’t know whether to feel happy or worried, sighed, and said, "The news of our open clinic at Xinglin Hall is almost overshadowing the murder case that happened last night. At this rate, it is bound to attract the attention of the three major medical halls."

Due to her professional instincts, Xu Jing immediately caught a certain word, "Murder case?"

"Yeah, Jing, didn’t you even hear about the murder case?"

Cheng Qingqing said, "Anping County has been quite uneasy recently, with several murder cases occurring.

The one last night was especially eerie. It is said... it is said that the body was discovered by a small vendor. That vendor lived outside of town, and he was running a bit late from his business yesterday, walking home in the dark. On the road, he felt the call of nature and went to a tree by the roadside when... suddenly, he felt something drop on his head.

Thinking it was rain, he looked up only to find a corpse hanging from the tree! It’s said that the corpse’s eyes were still open, staring at him eerily, scaring him to death!"

"Ah!"

Before Xu Jing could react, a sudden scream came from behind — it was Chunxiang, bringing over tea.

Seeing Chunxiang’s pale face, Xu Jing was somewhat speechless; they had seen real corpses before — was there really a need to be so afraid?

Cheng Xianbai, seeing that Xu Jing remained unfazed, was quite surprised, clicking his tongue in admiration, "As expected of the legendary miracle doctor. Ordinary women would be terrified hearing such things, yet Miss Xu is completely unbothered."

Xu Jing shot him a glance, too lazy to deal with him, looked at Cheng Qingqing, and asked, "Was the deceased hanged?"

Cheng Qingqing paused, equally astonished at Xu Jing’s calmness, as she herself felt scared while recounting the event.

When she saw Xu Jing still pursuing the details, she couldn’t help but glance at her in awe, shook her head, and said, "Reportedly, no, the vendor said when he saw the body, the victim was covered in wounds, as if slashed randomly with a small knife, but for more details, I don’t know."

Xu Jing furrowed her brow.

Slashed randomly with a small knife? Could it be a revenge killing?

Cheng Xianbai watched Xu Jing with apparent interest, both unbelieving and admiring, "This girl knows nothing; she’s scared to sleep at night after hearing ghost stories. She only heard a rough version of the tale and didn’t dare listen in detail.

If Miss Xu is truly interested, pulling a random person from the street would give you more information than this girl knows. After all, this isn’t the first case like this. Reportedly, about eleven days ago, someone also discovered a corpse covered in wounds."

Eleven days ago?

Xu Jing thought of something suddenly and said in a deep voice, "Was that body discovered by an antique dealer on his way back to the county?"

Cheng Xianbai was taken aback, incredulously asking, "How do you know?"

It was indeed true.

Previously, Chunyang had mentioned this, saying that Xiao Yi might have come to Anping County because of that case.

This case might have indeed alarmed Xiao Yi because evidently, it involved a serial killer!

And the murderer, whose hands were stained with blood, was likely in Anping County!

She couldn’t help but feel relieved for moving house swiftly.

Seeing Cheng Xianbai still watching her, waiting for her to speak, Xu Jing refocused her thoughts and said plainly, "It’s nothing. If Qingqing wants to stay, then let her stay. I’m about to make some medicine and just happen to need a helping hand."

Although she was very concerned about that case, she had previously stated she wouldn’t actively seek that man out; besides, she had her own matters to attend to and could only remain concerned for now.