You Mingxu turned and walked away, hearing only emptiness behind her—the three of them seemed frozen in place. She took a few more steps when an empty taxi approached. She raised her hand to hail it, and just then, she heard hurried, limping footsteps behind her.
As the car stopped, she glanced back. Yin Feng halted immediately, standing a meter or two away. For such a tall man, he stood rigid as a tree, fists clenched at his sides, looking utterly foolish. You Mingxu scoffed softly and pulled open the taxi door. No sooner had she settled into the passenger seat than the rear door swung open—Yin Feng scrambled in, shut the door swiftly, tucked his hands between his knees, and bowed his head without moving.
You Mingxu finally felt a headache coming on. From the front seat, she glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the other two catching up.
She couldn’t actually beat him up or kick him out—she just wanted him to obediently return to the hospital. She was utterly exhausted, on the verge of collapsing into sleep right there in the taxi.
After a brief silence, the driver asked, “Where to?”
You Mingxu rolled down the window and gestured outside. The assistant, sharp as ever, hurried over.
“Address,” she said.
The assistant replied promptly, “Xianghui Hospital International Wing.”
“Follow us.”
“Understood.”
The taxi pulled away. Dusk had fallen, and the sprawling cityscape enveloped the small vehicle like a dazzling world just beyond reach. You Mingxu stared at the lights streaking across the window, fighting to stay awake. When she lowered her gaze, she caught sight of the person in the backseat through the rearview mirror—his dark, intense eyes fixed on her.
“Why insist on following me?” she asked.
Yin Feng said, “I… don’t trust others.”
“Then why trust me?”
“You’re different from the rest,” he replied. “You’re truly… good and strong.”
You Mingxu fell silent. After a moment, she let out a long, weary sigh.
They arrived at the hospital, outside the inpatient building. The assistant and the woman had arrived first, waiting at the entrance. The assistant stepped forward to open the taxi doors for them. Yin Feng got out but stood rooted to the spot. The assistant handed a bill to the driver, offering an apologetic smile. “Miss You?”
You Mingxu stepped out expressionlessly. Only then did Yin Feng trail closely behind her.
The assistant led the way while the woman kept glancing back, clearly concerned about Yin Feng’s condition but hesitant to speak up. You Mingxu shoved her hands into her pockets, Yin Feng sticking to her like glue. She shot him a look—he seemed to be fighting back a grin.
Suddenly feeling utterly defeated, You Mingxu let him cling to her like a stubborn burr, too tired to care.
The Xianghui Hospital International Wing was essentially an upscale private medical area. Yin Feng’s room was a VIP single suite. As they entered the hallway, a nurse rushed over, relief and concern in her voice: “Mr. Yin! You’re back at last!”
Yin Feng ducked behind You Mingxu. “Which room?” she asked. The assistant quickly pointed the way, and the group entered the ward.
You Mingxu scanned the room—impressive. Spacious and tidy, with a large hospital bed, television, desk, sofa, and a private bathroom.
“Get in bed,” she ordered.Yin Feng let out an "Oh," climbed onto the bed, obediently lay down, pulled the covers over himself, but kept his eyes fixed on her. You Mingxu walked to the sofa and lay down directly, her eyelids feeling as heavy as three pounds. She didn’t want to deal with anything anymore. Closing her eyes, she placed a hand over her forehead to block the light and said, "Don’t call me even if the sky falls. Wait until I wake up."
Yin Feng replied almost instantly, "Mm, okay."
As they spoke, the assistant quickly directed the nurses into action—some tended to Yin Feng’s wounds, others set up an IV drip, and some wiped the soles of his feet. The woman who had been following them all along stood silently by the side, watching for a while before turning and leaving.
Amid the bustle, Yin Feng remained awake, his gaze fixed on You Mingxu a few meters away.
He added, "Don’t leave."
You Mingxu responded with a low "Mm." Soon, her breathing became deep and even, and the hand that had been resting on her forehead gradually slipped down. In her sleep, she seemed to startle, her body curling up before stilling again.
For some reason, Yin Feng felt compelled to keep watching her, as if doing so could bring him peace.
He thought she seemed different from how she was in Tibet. Back then, she had felt warm and serene, like a pool of clean, fragrant water. When chasing criminals, she could transform into a superwoman. At the time, he had wanted nothing more than to cling to her leg and follow her wherever she went.
But when he had just found her, she seemed like a different person—fierce and cold. Something in her eyes seemed to seal everything off, rising to the surface and blocking even him. This made Yin Feng’s chest ache with pain.
Fortunately, now, she was back. In truth, the way she looked while asleep still resembled the sister he knew in Tibet—soft, quiet, and beautiful. Yin Feng felt that what she had said earlier couldn’t have been her true feelings. How could she possibly abandon him or not want him?
After an unknown amount of time, the lights were dimmed, and people filed out one by one. The person who claimed to be his assistant whispered in his ear, "Teacher Yin, I’ll be right next door. If you need anything, press the button by the bed, and we’ll come immediately."
"Mm."
With the assistant gone, the room fell into complete silence and dimness. Yin Feng really wanted to squeeze onto the sofa and sleep beside You Mingxu, but he was afraid of crowding her and didn’t quite dare. In the end, exhaustion overtook him, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.
In truth, ever since Yin Feng woke up in the trunk of that car, everything around him had felt like a vast, unfamiliar world. His body ached, he was cold and hungry, and his mind was empty, devoid of anything.
He had heard faint voices outside, and for some reason, the low, indistinct sound of a man’s voice made him feel extremely threatened. So he curled into a ball, not daring to move or make a sound. There was also a woman’s voice, soft and gentle with a unique huskiness that made him feel a sense of goodwill toward her.
When all sounds faded away, he pushed against the trunk lid and found it wasn’t properly closed. He thought the person who had locked him in must have been careless. And indeed, that was the case. Gu Tiancheng had come to puncture the tires and opened the trunk to check on him. When closing it, he had been overly cautious, resulting in the lid not sealing tightly.
Yin Feng stealthily crawled out of the car, urgently searching for warm clothing and food.Later, he spotted a tent and crawled inside. His eyes immediately fell upon a sleeping bag on the ground that looked incredibly warm. He slipped into it, thinking this would be a good hiding spot where no one would find him.
Deep down, he faintly sensed that something wasn't quite right about this. But his mind felt weighed down by something heavy—every time he tried to figure it out, his head throbbed and irritation set in. It was as if there was a barrier, a deep chasm blocking his thoughts, impossible to cross.
So he stayed curled up in the sleeping bag, perfectly still, thinking: Don't find me, please don't find me...
OpenNovel