Zhang Yushu tried his best to answer every question. Although the clues he provided were few, they were enough to show the eerie nature of the idol.
A gust of wind blew, rustling the leaves on the treetops and making the surrounding environment seem extremely quiet.
Suddenly, a clear, silvery "giggle" came from the courtyard, breaking the dullness in the room. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Xiaoxiao, who had been sound asleep just now, had woken up at some unknown time and was sitting alone on a stone pier in the courtyard.
She was pinching a few picked red maple leaves with her small hands, obediently lowering her little head and playing on her own, with a focused and peaceful look.
The afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm halo on her. If one didn't consider the eerie atmosphere pervading the Zhang Mansion, it would be a heart - warming and tranquil picture.
Looking at his daughter's innocent appearance, a soft and relieved look that only a father could have flashed across Zhang Yushu's face.
However, Shen Cuiyu's gaze lingered on Xiaoxiao for a moment, and her delicate eyebrows frowned imperceptibly. A detail she had overlooked suddenly popped into her mind - the time Xiaoxiao was in a deep sleep seemed to coincide perfectly with the time when An Peng had her "possession" episodes!
When Xiaoxiao was awake and playing, An Peng could still maintain a semblance of normalcy; but just as Xiaoxiao fell into a deep sleep, An Peng immediately lost her mind and almost lost her life...
Was this an amazing coincidence or some unknown and cruel connection?
Moreover, she recalled that when the family of three was together just now, the child seemed to only cling to Zhang Yushu. Shen Cuiyu didn't feel the slightest bit of a child's natural attachment to her biological mother, An Peng.
Shen Cuiyu temporarily buried this disturbing question in her heart without showing any sign. She just turned to Zhang Yushu and asked in a calm tone:
"Mr. Zhang, please forgive my rudeness. Does Xiaoxiao usually... get along well with Mrs. An?"
Zhang Yushu thought Shen Cuiyu was just suspicious because of An Peng's scolding of their daughter just now. A bit of embarrassment flashed across his face as he explained:
"To be honest, Xiaoxiao has been closer to me since she was a child. My wife carried her for ten months, so she naturally loves Xiaoxiao. It's just that... she has a bit of a hot temper and is rather strict when disciplining the child. Naturally, the child is a bit afraid of her..."
Pei Yu, who was standing beside them, exchanged a look with Shen Cuiyu. It was obvious that they had the same suspicion in mind. He casually played with his folding fan and asked in a soothing voice, as if he was just chatting:
"By the way, has Xiaoxiao ever seen her mother when she has her episodes?"
Hearing this, Zhang Yushu instinctively wanted to nod in agreement. But just as the words were about to come out of his mouth, he concentrated and thought carefully. A sudden chill ran down his spine!
Something was wrong!
During this period, whenever An Peng suddenly went crazy and behaved like a madwoman, Xiaoxiao seemed to be sound asleep and didn't witness a single thing!
It would be okay if it happened once or twice, but it was almost every time!
Could there really be such a coincidence in the world?!
Almost at the same time, Xiaoxiao in the courtyard seemed to sense something and suddenly raised her head.
Her overly black, almost bottomless big eyes, silently and precisely "stared" at the people in the room who were talking about her through the open door.
That calm and placid gaze made Zhang Yushu's heart skip a beat!
In that instant, he actually caught an indescribable and creepy feeling from his daughter's innocent little face.
But when he looked again intently, Xiaoxiao just gave him a sweet smile, waved the maple leaves in her hand, and then obediently lowered her head and continued to play, as if that momentary stare was just his imagination...
Zhang Yushu shook his head forcefully, trying to dispel the sudden chill in his heart. He silently blamed himself for having such absurd suspicions about his young daughter.
"She really hasn't..." Zhang Yushu looked at the celestial masters, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. He shook his head vigorously, as if trying to convince both the others and himself. "It must be just a coincidence! I've raised Xiaoxiao for so many years and know her better than anyone... She is the sweetest and best child in the world. It's just that our family has experienced a series of misfortunes. We, as her parents... have let her down..."
At this point, this man who had been tortured by a series of strange events to the point of being exhausted actually choked with sobs and couldn't say any more.
Seeing this, everyone knew it was inappropriate to ask more questions. They could only comfort him a few words. After Zhang Yushu's emotions calmed down a bit, they left the room.
As soon as Shen Cuiyu stepped into the courtyard, she saw that small figure still sitting alone on the cold stone pier.
The evening wind blew, tilting the soft white fur collar around her neck.
Shen Cuiyu paused for a moment and subconsciously stepped forward, bending down and reaching out to straighten it for her.
Before her fingertips could touch, the child suddenly tilted her head. Her pure - black eyes stared directly at Shen Cuiyu. That look was not the innocent curiosity of an ordinary child, but rather a calm and appraising one.
Then, she stretched out her small hand. Instead of dodging, she very naturally, even with a hint of friendliness, gently touched Shen Cuiyu's sleeve.
"Sister," her voice was soft and waxy, with the sweetness unique to children. "Will you play with me..."
Such a cute and obedient appearance instantly touched the hearts of many disciples present. They already pitied the child's misfortune, and now they all gathered around and coaxed her gently.
Taking advantage of the moment when everyone stepped forward, Shen Cuiyu quietly slipped away.
Not far away, only Pei Yu and Zhong Shengwan remained standing with their arms folded, watching coldly.
"I don't like this child," Zhong Shengwan said bluntly without any reservation, his voice cold. "Don't you think her eyes make you feel uncomfortable?"
He had seen many children. Whether it was the precocious and sensible Ji Xiaoqi, the pure - hearted and kind - hearted Shanshan, or his close friend Yuan Yuan, they all had the unpolished innocence and vitality unique to children.
But this little girl named Xiaoxiao in front of him felt completely different.
Although she showed extreme attachment and innocence in front of her father Zhang Yushu, Zhong Shengwan keenly noticed that there seemed to be a kind of... stillness in the depths of her eyes that was extremely inconsistent with her age. It was a kind of calmness that was free from emotional fluctuations and almost seemed like an insight, which made him feel an inexplicable chill...
Hearing Zhong Shengwan's words, Shen Cuiyu slowly spoke in a soft voice that only a few people around could hear:
"I think she seems to be an adult's soul forced into a child's body."
Zhong Shengwan thought carefully about this sentence and felt a chill run down his spine. He instinctively shivered.
"But An Peng did give birth to a child after ten months of pregnancy. Is it a case of borrowing a dead body to return to life or seizing someone else's body?" He guessed for a long time but didn't reach a conclusion. Finally, he just frowned tightly and was determined to keep a closer eye on Zhang Xiaoxiao.