You Owe Me, My Love

Chapter 392 Caring As Always

Sensing the lack of movement behind, Ai Wei'er looked over her shoulder at the painting and screeched in horror. “What's going on? The pirate wasn't smiling just now. How is he smiling now?” “This is a double-sided painting method. Because of the position and lighting, different viewing angles will allow you to see different things,” Wu Nian explained calmly.

"Oh, so that's why. Chen, I'm a little scared. Can you hold my hand while we walk?” Ai Wei'er sent a pleading look at Gu Mingchen.

Wu Nian chuckled softly at that.

Gu Mingchen squeezed her waist before releasing her.

Ai Wei'er looked at Wu Nian with a quizzical expression. “Why are you laughing?”

“Your mother is very cute,” Wu Nian said meaningfully.

"Cute? My mother? More like evil. C'mon, let's go upstairs,” Ai Wei'er urged.

Suddenly, something fell from above, causing her to scream loudly.

Caught off guard, Wu Nian also took a step back in fright.

Ai Wei'er illuminated the ground with her oil lamp, but when she didn't find anything, she asked Gu Mingchen in horror, “Chen, did you see anything just now? I'm scared.”

Gu Mingchen took the oil lamp from her hand and remarked, “You get startled so easily. I'll look around this castle on my own. You should wait outside if you're scared.”

Ai Wei'er blinked at him dumbly.

She frequently visited this place, so of course she wasn't afraid. She only pretended to be so because she wanted Gu Mingchen to protect her, but in the end, he couldn't even be bothered with her.

"Are you scared?” Ai Wei'er asked Wu Nian.

Wu Nian suggested, “Why don't we turn on the lights? We'd be able to see things clearer this way.” She wasn't afraid at all. To her, the most terrifying thing in the world were not ghosts and spirits, but the human heart.

“There aren’t any lights in here and it's best not to use flashlights, or you might see things beyond your expectations. Really,” Ai Wei'er muttered mysteriously.

“Then, are you or are you not going to bring us around?” Gu Mingchen inquired coldly.

“Do you both want to? If you do, then I'll take you. If you don't, I'll bring you guys out,” Ai Wei“er replied.

“Let's go out, then” Gu Mingchen responded tersely and walked ahead.

Once again, Ai Wei'er held his arm.

Meanwhile, Wu Nian trailed after them down the stairs.

Gu Mingchen pulled the door but found that it wouldn't budge. Frowning, he glanced at Ai Wei'er with a questioning gaze. "Why won't it open?”

“Just pull it,” Ai Wei'er pulled on the door, but it refused to give.

She tried using both hands. When it remained securely in place, she pounded on the door irritably. “Is there anyone outside? Open the door! Slack, open the door!”

Slack was the driver who drove them over here, but there was no response from him.

Ai Wei'er knitted her brows into a frown and kicked the door hard. “Open the door, you idiot!”

Still, only silence greeted them.

Fishing out her phone to call him, she found that there was no signal.

She turned to look at Gu Mingchen with a confused expression. “Chen, does your phone have a signal?”

Gu Mingchen took out his phone to check, to which Ai Wei'er craned her neck to get a better look. Seeing that his phone did not have any signal either, she was nonplussed.

"How's this possible? We usually have reception here. Sh*t, this is scary.”

“Are you having fun? Well, you can continue. I'll take a break until you're bored of fooling around.” Gu Mingchen put the oil lamp on the coffee table and sat on the sofa.

“It's not me. I really didn't ask them to lock the door. I'm telling you the truth,” Ai Wei'er denied anxiously.

Gu Mingchen ignored her, so she continued banging on the door.

“Open the door, Slack! If you don't open it this instant, I'll fire you! Slack!” she yelled.

There was only unending silence.

Wu Nian held Ai Wei'er's hand and found it to be damp with cold sweat, probably due to fear.

Her brows creased and she glanced at Gu Mingchen, claiming, “Mr. Gu, Ai Wei'er isn't lying. She really didn't lock the door.”

Gu Mingchen instructed in a solemn voice, “Come here and take a seat first. Since it wasn't her doing, there's even lesser of a chance someone would listen to her orders and open the door.”

Wu Nian tugged Ai Wei'er over before sitting across from Gu Mingchen.

"What's going on? Everyone in the manor knows that I'm easily frightened and would never lock the door. I really am scared,” Ai Wei'er stared at Gu Mingchen with terror sprawled on her face.

"At most, we'll have to wait for half a day before your mother gets someone to come look for us. If you're scared, sit here and don't go anywhere,” Gu Mingchen advised stoically.

“Then, where are you going?” Ai Wei'er sat down beside Gu Mingchen.

The latter did not answer, and simply glanced briefly at Wu Nian.

Wu Nian lowered her gaze. She wasn't an unreasonable person. Since Ai Wei'er wasn't responsible for this, she was worried that there were other hidden dangers lurking around. Hence, she agreed that it would be better for everyone to stick together.

She was confident that Mo Xue would send someone to retrieve them at night.

Silence hovered over them as no one bothered speaking. Sensing Ai Wei'er gradually inching closer and closer, Gu Mingchen’s brows snapped together and he abruptly got to his feet.

“Where are you going?” Ai Wei'er asked worriedly.

“To the bathroom. There should be one here, right?” Gu Mingchen queried.

"Yes. I'll take you there.” Ai Wei“er stood up and led him toward the bathroom

Gu Mingchen went in, but seeing that she didn't intend to leave, he pursed his lips and reached out to close the door.

Ai Wei'er held it open and whimpered, “Don't lock it. I'm scared.”

“This is inappropriate, so if you'll excuse me.” Gu Mingchen shut the door forcefully.

He came out after washing his hands, but Ai Wei“er was nowhere in sight. Hearing footsteps approaching, Wu Nian shone her phone's flashlight onto him from her position on the sofa.

“Where is she?” Wu Nian asked.

“Didn’t she come back?” Suspicion grew in him.

Wu Nian shook her head. “She kept saying she was scared and clung to you everywhere you went. It doesn’t make sense that you're back and she isn't. Do you think something happened to her?” Feeling apprehensive, she yelled, “Ai Wei'er!”

There was no response. Only a gust of chilly wind swept through the castle, the barely audible sound resembling that of a demon’s laughter.

"Ai Wei'er!” Wu Nian called out again, but only the billowing wind answered her.

Worry gnawed at her chest and she looked toward Gu Mingchen. “Let's search around for her. Something doesn't feel right.”

“But why do I feel like we're being pranked, that she deliberately led us to the pirate painting and also deliberately kicked up a fuss?” Gu Mingchen said solemnly.

"Yes, that was the case in the beginning, but after we found out that the door was locked, she wasn't pretending anymore. When I held her hand, her palm was all sweaty. That's the reaction of someone who's afraid. It can't be faked,” Wu Nian clarified. Then, she stood up and headed toward the bathroom while calling out, “Ai Wei'er!”

Gu Mingchen followed behind her and shone the flashlight toward the base of the stairs. “That door was closed when we came in, but it's open now.”

Wu Nian immediately strode toward it, but Gu Mingchen grabbed her arm.

"Stay behind me.”

Wu Nian thought for a while, and conceded in the end, moving to stand behind him.

Gu Mingchen walked through the door and swept the light around the place.

There were several gloomy-looking paintings, a fireplace, a table, four wooden chairs, and a rocking chair, which was still eerily swaying back and forth.

"Someone was just here,” Wu Nian observed.

“There are two possibilities. Either this is a prank, or Ai Wei'er was knocked unconscious,” Gu Mingchen speculated.

“If this is indeed a prank, Ai Wei'er would've screamed like before, no matter if she was abducted or left on her own, but she didn't, which means that she was knocked unconscious,” Wu Nian continued where he left off.