Chapter 105

“Yu Yifan, do you know any more information about those harmed girls?" Sang Li asked.

"I don't know that much either. Most of what I know are things I heard people talking about on the streets. If you want to find out more about them, you'll have to go to the yamen people."

Sang Li thought for a moment. The Bai family seemed to be on good terms with the yamen, so they decided to go to Bai Yunhan first to help find out about those harmed girls.

Bai Yunhan was very efficient and came to Qinglin Academy with Fang Qing that evening.

He handed Sang Li a booklet with detailed records of those harmed girls' information.

Sang Li flipped through their information and found that these girls were almost all talented in zither, chess, calligraphy and painting, and were all unmarried young ladies.

"Were they really violated before being killed?" Sang Li asked.

Bai Yunhan nodded, "Yes, and according to the yamen people, they died terribly... When they were found, their bodies were covered in wounds..."

"Isn't this obviously the work of a perverted serial killer?" Xiao Han leaned over and said.

"That's right, this is no longer just about the Flower Picking Bandit, right? Flower Picking Bandits don't usually kill people, do they?" Su Mo also said.

"Whether it's the Flower Picking Bandit or not, we have to lure the culprit out first."

They decided that only Xia Miaomiao could do this, because only she was talented and accomplished enough to catch the Flower Picking Bandit's attention.

So they temporarily suspended the chess and card operations at the Four Beauties Pavilion and held a grand talent competition.

Zither, chess, calligraphy and painting, poetry and lyrics.

People of all ages and genders were welcome to participate.

There were generous cash prizes for winning each event, as long as one could defeat Xia Miaomiao.

Naturally, huge crowds of people came, skilled or not, all willing to try for the money.

But after a whole day, almost no one could defeat Xia Miaomiao.

Many left dejected, but in just one day, Xia Miaomiao's reputation spread throughout Lan City.

...

"Truly, those so-called young ladies from prestigious families are nothing compared to this girl!"

"I'm in awe, I thought no one could beat me at chess, but today I lost to a girl!"

"That girl's zither music was melodious and lingered in one's mind!"

"This girl looks gentle on the outside, I didn't expect her calligraphy to show no trace of a delicate upbringing. It was filled with resilience!"

...

A few scholarly looking young men walked out of the Four Beauties Pavilion, ceaselessly praising Xia Miaomiao's talents.

Not far away in the darkness outside, a black-clothed man in a black hat listened to their words clearly. He looked up at the Four Beauties Pavilion, and faintly saw a girl in pink and white clothes painting with a brush.

The painting paper was hung up, and she wielded the brush freely upon it, without any restraint.

He pressed down on his hat, and disappeared into the darkness.

Inside the Four Beauties Pavilion.

Xiao Han watched as Xia Miaomiao painted freely on stage, and couldn't help crying out.

"Miaomiao, you're my goddess!!!"

"... "

Xia Miaomiao was startled by Xiao Han's voice and turned to look at her.

Su Mo and Sang Li couldn't help laughing.

Su Mo walked over and leaned on Xiao Han's shoulder, laughing, "If they didn't know better, they'd think you were the perverted serial killer!"

...

This grand talent competition was held at the Four Beauties Pavilion for two days. Feeling that Xia Miaomiao's fame was spread far enough, they ended the event.

The Four Beauties Pavilion's business returned to normal.

"When do you think this Flower Picking Bandit will show up?" Su Mo asked.

"It should be soon. We all need to focus our attention on Miaomiao now."

As they were talking, Xia Miaomiao saw a familiar figure appear at the door.

It was the old man who sold masks last time.

Xia Miaomiao walked over. Seeing her, the old man smiled, "Young lady, so you really are here."

"Old sir, did you come to see me about something?" Xia Miaomiao asked.

"A few days ago you commissioned Qin Shi to paint a portrait for you. He's done it now and asked me to come tell you. He said he's waiting for you in that alley, and wants to speak with you."

"Why doesn't he just come directly to the Four Beauties Pavilion?"

"He doesn't like crowds, and said there were too many people here!"

Xia Miaomiao thought for a moment, "Alright, then I'll go with my friends."

"Okay."

Xia Miaomiao went back to the counter and told Su Mo and the others about it.

"Then I'll go with you!" Su Mo said.

Just after Su Mo and Xia Miaomiao left, Wu Ying silently followed behind them.

He knew Su Mo's martial arts were formidable, but also knew Su Mo was simple-minded and easily ambushed.

Following the old man, Su Mo and Xia Miaomiao entered a remote alley. Qin Shi was standing there waiting for them properly.

"Master Qin..."

"Young ladies." Qin Shi bowed to them, "I've finished the painting you wanted." Xia Miaomiao accepted the scroll and slowly unrolled it. It depicted Xia Miaomiao in a pink and white dress, sitting amid flowers with her eyes flowing and a smile.

Though it was fabricated, the likeness was vivid, extremely similar to Xia Miaomiao.

Even Su Mo couldn't help sighing, "Wow, it's beautiful, he really is a master."

Everywhere else was perfect, but Xia Miaomiao's lips were left uncolored.

Seeming to notice Xia Miaomiao's doubt, Qin Shi explained, "I usually color the lips last, but happened to run out of cinnabar at home."

Xia Miaomiao rolled up the scroll, "It's fine... I can fill them in myself."

"Alright, I'll take my leave then..." Qin Shi didn't linger and turned to leave the alley.

Watching his figure, Xia Miaomiao felt strangely uneasy. She suddenly recalled the portrait of that bizarre woman with red lips she saw at Qin Shi's home.

"I feel like there's something weird yet normal about this guy. Are artistic types all like this?" Su Mo couldn't help commenting.

Xia Miaomiao didn't think more of it. "Let's go back."

...

That night, Xia Miaomiao was looking at the painting Qin Shi gave her in her room, still pondering the red lips.

The roof tiles were slowly removed overhead, and some anesthetic gas was blown in.

The smoke spread silently around Xia Miaomiao's nose.

She suddenly felt weak all over, head dizzy and muddled.

Seeing Xia Miaomiao about to faint, the masked man on the roof bent his lips in satisfaction. But just as he got up, he discovered three figures standing not far away.

It was Wu Ying, Su Mo, and Gu Zhi.

"Damn..." The man was startled, "You all..."

"We've been waiting for you for a long time." Su Mo took out her whip from her waist.

Seeing this, the man immediately fled, but was surrounded by the three as soon as he escaped Qinglin Academy.

"Surrender obediently!"

The man seemed to have given up struggling and plopped down on the ground, "Fine, arrest me if you want!"

Gu Zhi suddenly frowned, exclaiming with Wu Ying simultaneously: "Not good!"

Gu Zhi immediately flew back to Qinglin Academy, and saw Yu Yifan collapsed at the door.

He didn't care about anything else and pushed the door open to see Sang Li and Xiao Han fallen on the ground, with no sign of Xia Miaomiao.

"Sister!" Gu Zhi rushed to help Sang Li up.

Sang Li slowly regained consciousness, and upon seeing Gu Zhi, she immediately sat up despite the stabbing headache.

"Sister, are you okay?" Gu Zhi asked anxiously.

"Hurry... go save Miaomiao, she was taken away by a black-clothed man in a hat!"

At this time, Wu Ying and Su Mo came in escorting the black-clothed man.

They didn't expect there to be two Flower Picking Bandits!?

"We'll leave this one to you! Wu Ying and I will go save Miaomiao!"