Read to me ~ Xingyun

37

Tw// mention of death, mention of blood, police questioning, mention of kidnapping

Chongyun POV:

I walked down the stairs and to the kitchen to inform the police that Xingqiu was awake, they told me to come up with them incase he had gained any trauma, shenhe had to come aswell.

I was sat on the bed next to Xingqiu with Shenhe stood on the other side of him and at the end of the bed was two officers who were going to question Xingqiu,

"Ok, let's start." One of the officers whispered to the other,

The other nodded before speaking,

"Young man, we are here to question you about the kidnapping, now feel free to skip any questions of its too sensetive to talk about but it would be helpful in our search for the balladeer if you answered as many as possible."

Xingqiu nodded,

"So, can you tell us the events leading up to the abduction if you can remember?" The officer asked,

"Um.. it was around 4am.. I couldn't sleep and I heard my cat tapping the window so I went to let him in but he had some blood on him, at first I thought it was a cat fight so I checked him over but he had no injuries so I looked out the window to see if I could help the other cat which I assumed got hurt since the blood wasn't my cat's, when I looked out the window I saw the edge of a puddle of blood under the lanterns so I climbed out to go and see but it wasn't... it wasnt a cat."

"I see... can you remember what happened after that?"

"Well.. in the puddle of blood, which was much bigger that it looked from the window by the way, there was a man, he had been stabbed by the balladeer I think. But when I tried to help him he told me to get out of there and before I could even process what he said i heard a voice saying 'found you' and then when I tried to turn around everything went black. I think he said that he knocked me out with an electric shock."

"Hold on you.. you spoke to the balladeer?" The officer seemed shocked,

"Yes, we talked alot actually, he came into the cell where he was keeping me to bandage up my leg and he just didn't leave."

"Ok, and can you describe what the man you saw looked like?"

"Uhm.. I couldn't see very clearly.. I think he was middle aged.. he had brown or black hair and um...he had a knife in his side."

"I see."

I could tell Xingqiu was getting stressed, he was picking at his fingernails and scratching his hands. He only ever did that when he was stressed.

I took one of his hands away so he couldn't get hurt and held it in mine,

He looked at me and I could see from the look in his eyes that he didn't like this. I did my best to give him a reassuring look even tho facial expressions on command weren't easy for me.

"So Xingqiu, can you tell us some of the things you talked about?"

"Hm?"

"With the balladeer?"

"O-oh right sorry."

He took a breath.

"We talked about um.. my father. He said the only reason he took me was because my father hired him and wanted me back. When I first told him I didn't want to go back he got a bit mad and said he'd kill to have his mother want him back that much but then after I told him about what my father did.. he took me straight back home. He didn't even hurt me once whilst I was there or show any real aggression at all."