After a good night of rest, Lin Su felt more energetic that morning. She asked the nurse assigned to her when she would be able to leave the room. As the nurse was about to answer, she turned her head slightly and saw Xu Yan, Liu Wen, Jian, and Zhao Yiming standing quietly by her bedside. Although Zhao Yiming didn't have a personal relationship with her, he had been handpicked by the same director and the woman he loved cared deeply about Lin Su, so naturally, he was here as well. Mei Lin was absent, attending to other personal matters.
Xu Yan was the first to speak, her voice breaking with relief again. "Lin Su… oh, how I'm glad you're awake! You scared us so much!" She reached forward tentatively, as if afraid her touch would shatter the fragile line between consciousness and unconsciousness.
Liu Wen chuckled softly, shaking her head. "We were all panicking. Do you know how many times we tried to call your name while you were out? I think the whole hospital heard us."
Lin Su managed a small, exhausted smile. "I… I'm okay now, really." She paused, blinking as she tried to focus on each face. "Thank you… all of you… I… I can't say it enough." Tears threatened to spill, and for the first time in seventeen years, she felt the warmth of being truly cared for. She didn't just have people around her—she had a family now, people who genuinely looked out for her, people who made her feel safe, loved, and finally… home.
They all took turns sitting by her bed, offering her water, adjusting her pillows, and joking softly to ease the tension. Xu Yan nudged Liu Wen. "See? She's awake, and she's still intimidating as ever."
Liu Wen laughed quietly, shaking her head. "She doesn't have to do anything. Just sitting there… you can feel the weight of her presence."
Her assistant, Zhao Min, carefully tucked the blanket around Lin Su. "You have to rest. The nurse said you shouldn't be stressing yourself at the moment."
Jian leaned against the wall, arms crossed but smiling. "Don't think you can get away with scaring us like that. We all nearly lost our minds!"
Zhao Yiming, standing quietly at the foot of the bed, finally spoke, his voice low but earnest. "Lin Su… I didn't expect to be this relieved. Seeing you awake… it's like…" He hesitated, searching for words. "…like we all can breathe again."
Xu Yan elbowed him playfully. "Well, don't get too sentimental now, or we'll all start crying!"
Liu Wen added, laughing softly. "Let him have this one moment. It's been tense enough around here."
Lin Su's lips curved into a small smile. "I… I didn't know I had people… people who would care this much." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the sincerity in it was enough to make the others pause and glance at each other.
Xu Yan reached out and gently held her hand. "Lin Su… you don't have to be alone anymore. Not ever. We're here, and we're not going anywhere."
Jian leaned forward, his tone teasing but gentle. "And you better not try to act like you're fine on your own. We'll know."
Zhao Min added, her voice soft but firm. "You survived something terrible, but you don't have to survive it alone. We're all here, and we'll make sure you don't go through anything like that again."
Lin Su blinked back tears, a lump forming in her throat. For so long, she had felt like she had to fight the world alone. Now, sitting amidst these familiar faces, their concern, care, and subtle humor wrapping around her like a protective shield, she felt a warmth she had never allowed herself to feel. She finally understood what it meant to belong somewhere—to have a place, people, and love waiting for her.
Jinhai quietly stepped closer, standing slightly behind her bed. His gaze was steady, unwavering, filled with a mix of relief and lingering worry. "You're awake… that's all that matters." His voice was low but carried a weight of unspoken words, a mixture of his feelings, regrets, and devotion.
Lin Su's eyes drifted from one familiar face to the next, her heart swelling with gratitude. She finally understood that she was no longer alone. She had people who cared, people who loved her in their own ways, and a safe place she could return to whenever the world grew heavy. For the first time in seventeen years, she felt the simple, profound comfort of being truly… home again.