Luo Wei followed the sound and saw Helena, her face full of worry, rushing toward him.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Raymond, who had just crossed paths with Luo Wei, widened his eyes in shock at the sight of him.
“Good heavens! What happened to you? I almost didn’t recognize you!”
Luo Wei’s appearance was indeed a mess. His clothes were riddled with holes from corrosion, his hair was singed and curled, his skin was darkened all over, and his body was covered with large and small festering wounds.
It was a wonder how Ophelia had managed to kiss him earlier...
Luo Wei gave the sheriff a helpless smile, then turned his gaze to Helena, who had finally reached his side.
Her sapphire-blue eyes were also wide with disbelief.
“Brother!?”
“How... how did you get so badly injured!”
Helena carefully grabbed Luo Wei’s arm, and when she saw the horrifying, densely packed wounds, her voice trembled slightly.
“How could this... how could this happen! Does it hurt, brother?”
Seeing her nervously touching his wounds, Luo Wei couldn’t help but think that this was actually an improvement from his initial state. If Helena had seen him earlier, she would have been terrified...
While comforting Helena, a magnetic female voice sounded beside them.
“These are likely burns. Don’t touch them carelessly; it could lead to infection.”
Evelyn had also arrived at Luo Wei’s side, her emerald-green eyes disapprovingly fixed on Helena.
“Let me handle this.”
“Ah!” Helena quickly let go, making way for the professional.
Evelyn silently exchanged a glance with Luo Wei before rummaging through her bag.
She pulled out a bottle of cool ointment and began applying it to Luo Wei’s arm with gentle, expert movements.
Helena stood quietly by, not daring to speak, afraid of distracting her.
Luo Wei looked at Helena, her face filled with worry and sorrow, then at Evelyn, who hadn’t said much but was silently tending to his wounds.
A smile unconsciously spread across his face.
Though only half a month had passed, seeing the two of them again felt like an eternity.
Perhaps it was because the memories from the dream realm felt so real. Unknowingly, he had spent countless hours with Ophelia, blurring his sense of time.
Noticing Luo Wei’s smile, Evelyn asked, “What are you grinning about?”
Luo Wei shook his head. “Nothing...”
Evelyn continued working, muttering under her breath.
“With injuries this severe, even someone from my family would be writhing in pain. Yet here you are, smiling like an idiot.”
She looked up and added, “Did two weeks of confinement drive you mad?”
Luo Wei chuckled and shook his head. “No, I just feel...”
It’s so good to see you.
As Evelyn tended to Luo Wei’s wounds, he noticed Sheriff Raymond negotiating with the Third Prince’s men.
Evelyn had also been keeping an eye on the argument. She lowered her voice and asked Luo Wei:
“How did you end up like this? Was it the Fifth Princess?”
Before Luo Wei could explain, Helena interjected with a murderous expression, “That damned woman! How dare she hurt my brother like this! I’ll never forgive her!”
She scanned the area with a dark look. “Where is she? Did she run off after hurting you?”
“She did leave, but...” Luo Wei saw Helena’s growing murderous intent and quickly explained,
“It’s a long story, but for now, don’t focus on her. There’s a more pressing matter at hand.”
With that, his gaze shifted to the Third Prince, who was surrounded by a crowd.
“Isn’t that Ophelia’s brother, the Third Prince of the Empire?” Evelyn frowned. “From what he’s saying, it sounds like he’s also trying to take you away?”
“Hmph!” Helena snorted coldly. “That family is full of scoundrels! They all deserve to die!!”
Luo Wei quickly signaled her to be quiet, then listened to Sheriff Raymond’s voice.
“We received a tip from a concerned citizen that Luo Wei is a key suspect in the ‘Capital Airship Explosion Case.’ We’re here to arrest him! Please don’t interfere with our investigation, Your Highness!”
Hearing the sheriff’s words, Luo Wei was momentarily stunned.
A suspect?
Him?
He immediately turned to Evelyn, who was right beside him.
“You wouldn’t happen to be that concerned citizen, would you?”
Evelyn gave an apologetic smile. “I had no choice but to resort to this. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to rescue you from the Fifth Princess...”
She quickly looked at Luo Wei. “Hey! You’re not mad at me, are you? This was the best plan I could come up with...”
Seeing Luo Wei’s neutral expression, she lowered her voice and added, “Don’t worry! You’re not actually the bomber. At most, you’ll just spend some time at the station. Besides, Sheriff Raymond will vouch for you.”
Evelyn patted her ample chest confidently. “And if, just if, they don’t let you go, I’ll have my family bail you out! You can count on me!”
Luo Wei looked at her in surprise.
Her family? Evelyn was willing to seek help from her family?
Hadn’t she cut ties with that vampire clan long ago? She’d even said she’d rather live in a rundown mansion in the lower district, worrying about her next meal and scraping by on her school salary, than return to them.
Seeing Evelyn so determined to help him, Luo Wei felt a wave of gratitude. He hadn’t expected her to make such a personal sacrifice for his sake...
Noticing his expression, Evelyn’s face immediately turned cold.
“Don’t get the wrong idea! I’m not doing this for you!”
Luo Wei smiled at her, and Evelyn turned her head away, explaining, “Didn’t you say that after the containment, our fates were intertwined? I don’t want anything bad happening to you and dragging me down with you...”
Watching her struggle to explain herself, Luo Wei’s smile grew wider.
Evelyn’s cheeks turned increasingly red.
Standing nearby, Helena suddenly said in a quiet voice:
“Liar!”
Evelyn glared at her angrily. “Who’s lying? I’m not lying at all! It’s the truth...”
She quickly glanced at Luo Wei and muttered under her breath, “I’m not doing all this because I’m worried about him. It’s all for my own sake...”
“Alright, alright! Teacher Evelyn is emotionless! The epitome of confidence and coldness!” Luo Wei shook his head with a laugh, deciding not to tease the tsundere any further. Instead, he said gratefully,
“You did well.”
Neither Ophelia nor the Third Prince could have anticipated this turn of events.
The three of them silently looked around. Police officers with sniffer dogs were cordoning off the area, setting up a long barricade. Beyond the barricade, camera flashes occasionally lit up—several reporters from various newspapers had arrived, eagerly questioning the annoyed officers. This was likely also Evelyn’s doing.
This created an unspoken advantage in the court of public opinion. Even the ruthless Third Prince had to be mindful of his reputation as a devout and upstanding figure.