A few minutes ago, Luo Xiaoxue suddenly felt an unusual, stifling heat. Opening her eyes reluctantly, she muttered to herself, "Strange, why did I just have such a strange dream..."
In her dream, the library had caught fire, and the bizarre part was that Shen Xuan had actually spoken to her with unusual gentleness, saying, "Sleep a little longer."
Yet Luo Xiaoxue thought that guy would never use such a gentle tone.
The next second, however, when she saw the scene before her, a shudder ran through her entire body and she instantly snapped awake.
Looking around, she saw nothing but blazing red flames!
Fortunately, for some reason, the fire had not spread to her immediate spot, and even the smoke was relatively thin.
The little girl felt something pressing against her face. Shifting her gaze downward, she saw a hand holding a damp towel over her nose and mouth.
"Shen Xuan!" Luo Xiaoxue blurted out the name reflexively, turning her head to look beside her.
However, the person beside her gave no response.
And she froze right there.
Staring at that face covered in soot, Luo Xiaoxue suddenly felt the world spin.
In the flickering firelight, it was clearly visible that not only was Shen Xuan's hair badly singed, but his clothes were also riddled with charred holes, and his breathing was so faint it seemed as though it could cut off at any moment.
"Shen... Shen Xuan, what's wrong with you?" The little girl gently shook Shen Xuan's arm and asked softly.
At that moment, her heart was in her throat, and she bit her cherry lips hard enough to draw blood without even realizing it.
A few seconds later, still no response...
Tears streamed down the girl's innocent face, reflecting the colors of the fire, sparkling and heartbreakingly beautiful.
"Brother Shen Xuan, p-please don't scare me..."
She cautiously stroked the youth's scalding cheeks and slowly pulled him into her arms, her small shoulders trembling continuously.
The mere thought that Shen Xuan might have ended up like this because he was trying to find a way out of the fire while carrying her filled Luo Xiaoxue with a tearing, agonizing pain.
After this lasted for a short while, Luo Xiaoxue suddenly bit her lower lip, using the pain to pull herself back to reality:
"Crying is completely useless. I have to get out of here and find a healer for big brother!"
The library was filled with fire elements; given her current cultivation level, she could neither gather nor create water elements here, nor could she control the chaotic fire elements. Therefore, she had to rely entirely on physical strength to escape the burning building.
Luo Xiaoxue scrambled up, intending to carry Shen Xuan on her back.
However, with her meager strength, she couldn't budge him at all.
The little girl was frantic with anxiety, while Shen Xuan was actually running out of patience for his act.
Of course, small flames couldn't really hurt him, but the fact that he had killed Liu could not be exposed. That was why he had put on this bitter charade, conveniently establishing his image as a brave and fearless "neighborhood older brother" so that a certain loli would stop interrupting his work (slacking off) all day long.
However, upon hearing Luo Xiaoxue's cries, a sudden wave of guilt washed over Shen Xuan.
He could ignore anyone else's tears, but he simply couldn't disregard this silly girl who was like a younger sister to him.
*I should have just stayed in the backyard,* Shen Xuan sighed inwardly. Even with him around, the library was actually quite safe—otherwise, he wouldn't have brought Luo Xiaoxue along—but he had forgotten to factor in this girl's reaction.
"Cough, cough..."
Shen Xuan, currently in a "coma," let out a weak cough.
Hearing the movement, the little girl froze for a moment, and then a brilliant spark of life suddenly returned to her eyes.
"Big brother!"
Shen Xuan opened his eyes just in time to catch the little girl's tear-stained, pitiful expression. His heart skipped a beat, and an unfamiliar emotion quietly flashed through him.
He raised a hand to wipe the tears from Luo Xiaoxue's cheeks and smiled weakly, "Why are you crying? Aren't I completely fine?"
The next instant, the young girl suddenly threw herself forward, pressing her face tightly against Shen Xuan's chest. Gripping his lapels with both hands, she sobbed in a low voice, "Idiot Shen Xuan, you're okay... it's so good that you're okay..."
Shen Xuan's expression gradually softened, though his words remained sharp as ever: "Idiot Xiaoxue, I'm so strong, nothing would ever happen to me!"
At that moment, Curator Jin Kela's voice came from ahead...
***
Because the library and its annexes had burned down, Shen Xuan and Luo Xiaoxue had no choice but to take temporary refuge at Granny Stanley's house.
On the bed, after receiving treatment, Shen Xuan's complexion looked much recovered, practically indistinguishable from a healthy person.
Even the wood-element mage in charge of treating him was somewhat astonished at how remarkably effective their own healing had turned out to be.
Nobody knew that everything was just an act put on by Shen Xuan.
Curator Jin Kela shooed the others out of the room, took a couple of steps toward the bedside, and then spoke in a gentle tone: "Shen Xuan, thank you for saving Xiaoxue earlier."
Shen Xuan said with a solemn expression, "Curator, Xiaoxue is like a younger sister to me. Protecting her is only natural."
Curator Jin nodded approvingly. He had originally thought this kid had abandoned Xiaoxue and run off by himself this morning, but now it seemed there might have been some misunderstanding.
"By the way, what happened with the library catching fire?"
"Oh, Curator, I was just about to tell you about that. That huge fire was set by Lord Liu!" the youth dropped a bombshell.
Old Man Jin's eyes widened. "What did you say? Liu?!"
Shen Xuan recounted the events with absolute conviction, mixing seven parts truth with three parts falsehood, and added, "Curator, if you don't believe me, you can call Lord Liu here to confront me, though I suspect he has already fled Winter City."
"That bastard!" Although some parts of Shen Xuan's explanation were hard to account for, Curator Jin did not believe Shen Xuan was lying. After all, he and Liu truly had a massive conflict over the position of City Lord, but he never would have imagined that Liu would dare to openly strike at the people around him!
Curator Jin made up his mind to gather evidence shortly and notify the Mage Association to issue a wanted poster for Liu.
"Curator, did something happen between you and Lord Liu?"
Hearing this question, Old Man Jin fell silent for several seconds before finally shaking his head without elaborating, merely reminding Shen Xuan, "It's getting late, get some rest. Tomorrow I still have a matter to discuss with you and Xiaoxue."
Shen Xuan: "Emm..."
Curator Jin looked somewhat surprised and asked, "Is there something else?"
Shen Xuan: "Curator, don't you plan to give a raise to the brave librarian standing right before you? Oh, and don't forget paid medical leave, paid vacation, paid..."
With a sudden *clack*, the door shut, leaving only a bewildered man behind in the room.