beforeshelookedaway,avoidingXuLingen‘spiercingstare.“Just...justgetmesomemoremedicine,“shesaidabruptly,hervoicetingedwithirritation.Thegroupfellsilent,unsureofhowtorespondtoLysan‘ssuddenchangeinmood.XuLingen‘seyeslingeredonhissisterforamomentlonger,beforehenoddedandturnedtoleave.“I‘llgofetchthemedicinerightaway.“Ashewalkedaway,hismindwasalreadyracingwithpossibilities.WhatwasLysanhidingfromhim?Andwhydidsheseemsoevasivewhenitcametohercondition?Heknewthathissisterwasn‘tonetohidethings,notlikethis.Therehadtobemoretoitthanjustaminorissue.XuLingen‘sthoughtswereinterruptedbythesoundoffootstepsbehindhim.“XuLingen,“asoftvoicecalledout.HeturnedtoseeLysanstandinginfrontofhim,hereyeslockedonhis.“What‘swrong?“heasked,histonegentle.“Youseem...worried.“Lysan‘sexpressionsoftened,andforamoment,XuLingensawaglimmerofherusualself.“Iamworried,“shesaidquietly.“I‘mscared.“XuLingen‘seyeswidenedinsurprise,buthequicklymaskedhisreactionbehindaneutralexpression.“Whatareyouscaredof?“heasked,takingastepclosertohissister.Lysan‘sgazedropped,andsheshookherhead.“Nothing,“shemuttered.ButXuLingenwasn‘tconvinced.Heknewthathissisterwouldn‘tlietohim.Therewassomethingmoretoitthanjustasimplefear.Somethingthatmadeherwanttohidethetruth.Andhewasdeterminedtofindoutwhatthatwas.