Her vision went black, and Xin Yu fainted again without warning.
Mu Yichuan rushed over, his heart aching.
Everyone in the room froze, watching him leave hastily but gracefully, without any hesitation or pause.
"Ayu..." Mu Yichuan kept calling softly in her ear, trying to wake her.
But Xin Yu didn't respond, her face still showing the lingering pain.
"Are you angry with me?" He pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her black hair, his voice cold and heavy as he said to the driver, "Drive faster!"
...
"Beautiful mountains and rivers, beautiful hometown, beautiful people, beautiful Ayu..."
That high-pitched voice, magnetic and resonant, kept reaching her ears.
It kept coming, as if trying to awaken some dormant memory.
"Ayu." He stood by the lake, waving to her, his face filled with smiles and doting affection.
Suddenly, Xin Yu opened her eyes, staring blankly at the white ceiling, a sharp pain piercing her heart like a knife.
"Feeling better?" a steady voice came.
Xin Yu tilted her head to look at Mu Yichuan, but this time there was no joy or relief.
His dark, deep eyes flashed, his brow twitching slightly. "What's wrong? Is anything else bothering you?"
Xin Yu didn't answer, suddenly feeling a distance between herself and Mu Yichuan, a melancholy feeling weighing on her heart.
"N-nothing," she stammered, avoiding his outstretched hand.
Mu Yichuan forcefully held Xin Yu's head still, his dark eyes shrouding her. "Where does it hurt? Tell me."
"Really, nothing." She didn't look at him.
This infuriated him. He leaned down and captured her pale lips. "Are you angry?"
Her memories gradually returned. She recalled the charity gala, how her portrait had been auctioned off. "Thank goodness, at least it served as a reminder not to let myself be auctioned off."
"I've already gotten that painting back." Mu Yichuan patted Xin Yu's cheek. "Don't be angry."
"Really? How much? Over a billion?" Xin Yu chuckled. "That Qi heiress really made a fortune."
Regardless of the outcome, it was Qi heiress who profited, and she who suffered the humiliation!
"I want to go back to Qing." She looked at Mu Yichuan, clearly seeing his eyes darken slightly.
Silence met her response.
"Mainly, I feel I can't be of much help here," Xin Yu realized after drawing the blueprints that she had overestimated herself; she still had so much to learn. "Besides, my advisor called me yesterday. I want to go back."
Mu Yichuan stared at Xin Yu, his thin lips pressed tightly together, radiating a low-pressure aura.
Xin Yu turned her head slightly, no longer looking at him, nor wanting to look at him, lost in her own thoughts.
"Then I'll take you back."
"No need." Xin Yu sat up, shaking her head. "I want to go back with Yuanzi."
Both of these incidents were caused by her; she owed Cheng Yuan too much.
Even after boarding the plane back to Qingguo, Xin Yu remained sullen, unwilling to speak.
"Ayu? Are you alright?" Cheng Yuan asked worriedly.
Xin Yu forced a smile. "Of course I'm fine, just a little tired from working overtime these past few days."
Cheng Yuan was skeptical, then sighed. "I never expected Henhen to be in a relationship. Back in junior high, we all thought Ayu would be the first to fall in love and get married."
"Why?"
"Because of Shui—" Cheng Yuan paused, a look of surprise and embarrassment flashing in her eyes, "Because Ayu is the prettiest!"
Xin Yu raised an eyebrow; she knew the reason Cheng Yuan was about to mention was Liu Shuihan.
The person she had completely forgotten. "I plan to go back to the hospital for another check-up."
"Ayu?!" Cheng Yuan grabbed her friend's hand. "You're feeling unwell, aren't you?"
Xin Yu recalled her recent bouts of inexplicable headaches. She used to believe Qiu Zhi's explanation that it was due to the shock of the gunshot.
But this incident gave her new questions. She clearly heard Liu Shuihan's words in her head, and clearly saw him standing there waving at her.
"No, don't worry. I just want to know what I've been through." Xin Yu patted Cheng Yuan's hand, afraid she would worry too much. "I… don't want to go back to the past, and there's no possibility between me and Brother Shuihan anymore."
Cheng Yuan was startled, lowering her head, suppressing the bitterness welling up inside her. She also wanted to tell Xin Yu that there was no possibility between her and Liu Shuihan anymore.
Each with their own thoughts, they leaned their heads together and closed their eyes to rest…
After staying at the old house for another week, Xin Yu finally found time to go to the hospital for a check-up.
"Ayu, going out?" Old Master Mu asked with concern. "Your studies have finally eased up a bit, why don't you stay home and rest?"
He knew best how busy Xin Yu had been these past few days.
"Grandpa, I'm fine," Xin Yu smiled sweetly. She truly believed that habits are formed through the little things in daily life, like calling Old Master Mu "Grandpa," from initial resistance and doubt to now speaking it naturally and affectionately.
Especially in the past week, Mu Yichuan hadn't appeared in her life at all, as if everything had become simpler. Her days were a routine of going to school during the day and chatting and laughing with Old Master Mu and Cheng Yuan in the evenings—peaceful and beautiful.
"Then come back early tonight, Ayu, we'll have West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce."
"Okay!" Xin Yu obediently agreed and got up to leave.
This time, she chose a specialized neurology hospital in the capital. After registering, queuing, and a long wait, it was finally Xin Yu's turn.
She briefly explained her situation. The doctor in front of her was about fifty years old. He listened for a long time, looked at her for a long time, but didn't say a word.
Xin Yu felt a chill run down her spine, as if she had contracted some strange illness.
"Wait a moment," the doctor said, getting up and leaving. He returned after a while. "Miss, please come back later. The equipment for the examination is broken."
...!
Xin Yu was stunned for a long time, unsure what to say. Had she entered a fake hospital?!
Wasn't this the best brain hospital in the capital?
How could the equipment be broken?!
"When will it be fixed?" Xin Yu asked tentatively.
"Our equipment is imported from the United States. It will probably take about a month."
Xin Yu didn't know if he was telling the truth. She figured the chances of him fobbing her off were slim.
After all, who would turn down a chance to make money?
With this conclusion in mind, Xin Yu went to two more top-tier hospitals, both of which refused her examinations for various reasons.
This...
She finally concluded that she really had a problem!
But what exactly was wrong? She was completely lost. Was it a terminal illness, the kind that would kill her? She dared not think about it…
With her arms crossed, Xin Yu wandered aimlessly, forcing herself not to overthink. After all, nothing was certain yet, and she couldn't scare herself.
"Miss, would you like to come in and take a look?" Suddenly, someone jumped out, promoting their little shop.
Startled, Xin Yu looked up in surprise. It was an ear-piercing shop.
"No, thank you." Xin Yu politely declined, subconsciously touching her earlobe. She had always felt her earlobes were thin, and once pierced, she would be even more unlucky.
"We also offer other services, miss, come in and take a look." A little girl in ripped jeans and with an afro perm kept chasing after Xin Yu.
"Miss, do you have dreams? Do you have beliefs? Do you have something you like?" The girl persisted, rattling off a string of questions.
Xin Yu looked at the girl, who was about her age, with amusement. "What? Your little shop sells things like that?"
"Of course!" The girl patted her chest, making a promise. As if possessed, Xin Yu followed him inside. Half an hour later, she emerged.
Twirling the ring on her ring finger, she smiled silently. At least she hadn't been fooled.
"Where did you go?" Mu Yichuan's call came in, as domineering and forceful as ever.
Xin Yu wanted to retort, "What's it to you?" but in the end, she held back.
"Nowhere, just wandering around."
"Did you miss me?" He wasn't fooled by Xin Yu's evasive answer; instead, he asked ambiguously.
On a whim, she blurted out, "No."
A long silence followed.
Standing by the roadside, Xin Yu could imagine Mu Yichuan's expression and eyes on the other end of the line—it must be incredibly cold.
Because that coldness had already spread to her back.
For no apparent reason, she shivered. "Is there anything else? If not, I—"
"You can hang up now."
Xin Yu quickly turned around…! She didn't know when, but he had appeared behind her, tall and independent, his gaze deep and intense.
Without a word, he leaned down and kissed Xin Yu, ignoring their presence on the roadside, his kiss relentlessly entwining with hers.
"Ugh...let me go..." Xin Yu pushed Mu Yichuan away, unsure when he had returned, but his unpredictable appearance displeased her.
"How about this? Remembering me?" His breath brushed against Xin Yu's ear, reddening her earlobe.
"What...when did you get back?" She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear to hide her embarrassment.
"Just now."
Xin Yu frowned, looking at Mu Yichuan. This answer directly confirmed that he had been following her.
And he made no attempt to hide it.
"I followed you to protect you," he explained. "I was worried about you running off alone."
Xin Yu was so angry she didn't speak, turning to leave. She couldn't accept this explanation!
But Mu Yichuan pulled her into his arms, the heat of his chest making her tremble.
"You..." Xin Yu reached out to push him away, but felt his body temperature was increasingly abnormal. She couldn't help but place her hand on his forehead. Good heavens!
So hot!
"You have a fever?" she reminded him. "Should we go to the hospital for a checkup?"
Mu Yichuan didn't speak, kissed her small hand, and pulled her into the car.
"What were you doing at the hospital just now?" He held her, his chin resting on the top of her head, his deep voice slightly hoarse.
Xin Yu didn't answer, thinking he was just making conversation. Hadn't he been following her?
What else didn't he know!
Mu Yichuan held Xin Yu, closing his eyes to rest...
Gradually, she felt the weight on her body increase. "Mu... Mu Yichuan?"
She called softly, but only heard even, heavy breathing in her ear. "Madam…" Mu Feng was surprised; his Ninth Master had actually fallen asleep while holding Xin Yu. "Ninth Master—"
"He has a fever. Go to Zhong Ao," Xin Yu interrupted and instructed.