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The taxi driver didn’t dare to say a word throughout the ride. He Ran was like a suppressed caged beast, choking on his own internal struggle.
Returning to Yati Road, He Ran opened the door and entered the house as if he were a wandering soul.
Grandma heard the noise and eagerly said, “These are the amulets I prayed for today—one for you and one for Xiao Xi.”
She held two red strings in her hand but froze when she turned around, “Huh?”
He Ran looked utterly drained, devoid of his usual vigor.
Grandma couldn’t help but worry, “Are you feeling unwell or did something unpleasant happen?”
He Ran went into the bedroom and locked the door behind him, then collapsed onto the bed with a “thud.” He was completely dazed.
Every time he opened his eyes, he saw Jian Xi’s tear-streaked face; every time he closed them, he saw her running after the car in panic.
He Ran truly experienced what it meant to feel that life wasn’t worth living.
Grandma gently knocked on the door, then there was silence. Not long after, something quietly slid under the door through the gap near the floor.
With his head resting on his hand, He Ran immediately noticed—it was the amulet embroidered with his name.
This little old woman was quite considerate, able to see right into people’s hearts. Perhaps she also realized that the future daughter-in-law was no longer an option.
Thinking about this, He Ran laughed out loud, but the laugh was unbearably bitter, bringing tears to his eyes once again.
________________________________________
Jian Xi was discovered by Tao Xinglai.
She sat alone by the roadside, like a stray dog, her hand bandaged, her leg trembling involuntarily from pain.
Tao Xinglai was frantic, jumping out of the car and scolding, “Do you still want to live? What are you doing sitting on the ground, don’t you feel cold? It’s about to snow, are you trying to be a snowman!”
But the moment Jian Xi lifted her head, Tao Xinglai’s anger vanished.
Jian Xi’s face was full of tears, sobbing until she hiccupped. Tao Xinglai squatted down and only then could he hear clearly what Jian Xi was saying—
“He Ran doesn’t want me anymore.”
“If he doesn’t want you, then let him go.” Tao Xinglai felt heartbroken, “Today he acts indifferent towards you, but tomorrow he’ll regret it and find himself unworthy.”
“There is no tomorrow.” Jian Xi’s voice was hoarse, “Never again.”
Tao Xinglai felt a pang in his heart, looking at her pitifully, “Sis, can you stop crying? If you keep crying, I’ll cry with you.”
His eyes shimmered with tears, “We’re just short of a begging bowl. Put it on the ground, maybe someone will toss in a coin. I’ll give you fifty cents out of every dollar, please stop crying.”
Jian Xi buried her head on Tao Xinglai’s shoulder, sobbing even harder.
Tao Xinglai mourned for his Korean-style coat for a second, “I’ll protect the heartbroken girl. Love is truly terrifying.”
The temperature was bone-chilling, so he didn’t dare delay, bundling Jian Xi into the car and quickly returning to the hospital.
That night, Jian Xi developed a high fever.
Her temperature soared above forty degrees Celsius. Medication brought it down temporarily, but it shot back up once the medication stopped.
Tao Xihong was frantic, checking her forehead every minute. Tao Xinglai was almost at his wit’s end, “Mom! Sis is boiling eggs already! Don’t let her brain get fried!”
“Stop it, don’t add to the chaos.” Tao Xihong was extremely worried and went out to find a doctor.
Tao Xinglai was terrified, squatting by the bedside like a puppy, pitifully whispering to the unconscious Jian Xi, “You’re making things hard on yourself, and He Ran doesn’t even know. Sister, it’s not worth it.”
Jian Xi’s eyes remained tightly shut, delirious from the fever, her face flushed with illness.
She didn’t move.
Tao Xinglai wiped away his tears, exasperated. The amount of tears he shed that day nearly rivaled the day he was born.
Tao Xinglai took out his phone and called his Lu Lu Ge.
Lu Hanxiao had urgent matters at the company, so after visiting Jian Xi, he rushed back. Coincidentally, just as he finished dealing with things, he received the call.
“Damn, do I owe you two siblings from a past life? One is a troublemaker, the other a shadow,” Lu Hanxiao picked up his car keys and walked out, “Wait, I’m coming!”
Tao Xinglai hummed softly, carefully saying, “Lu Lu Ge, on your way, could you grab some fried chicken wings for me? Make sure to get six, otherwise I won’t be full.”
Lu Hanxiao: “...”
The chicken wings arrived, but Jian Xi’s temperature spiked again.
The doctors dared not use medication continuously and instructed physical cooling. An ice pack covered Jian Xi’s forehead, and her lips were peeling white.
“My sister has a blockage in her heart, unresolved, unable to dissipate the inner fire, tormenting herself, pitiful,” Tao Xinglai abandoned the chicken wings and began melodramatically acting out.
Lu Hanxiao touched her face with the back of his hand and cursed, “This heat, it’s like curing bacon.”
“My mom wants to transfer her to another hospital.”
“Transfer my ass, this hospital is the best in the province.”
Lu Hanxiao pulled out a cigar, biting it to quench his thirst. Leaning against the table, he stood silently for a few seconds before making a decision.
Tao Xinglai exclaimed in surprise, “What are you going to do, Lu Lu Ge!”
Lu Hanxiao took off his overcoat without a word, lifted Jian Xi from the hospital bed, and wrapped her tightly before leaving.
“Don’t follow me, I’m taking your sister to find medicine!”
Lu Hanxiao headed straight to the parking lot, carrying the unconscious Jian Xi and driving towards Yati Road.
________________________________________
It was well past 1 AM, and Grandma had the habit of burning incense and praying to Buddha. Every fifteenth day of the month, she would rush to the temple to burn incense and kowtow before midnight.
A bowl of sweet rice dumplings was left on the table, still warm. After wallowing for a while, He Ran finally got up from the bed and walked to the living room.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!” The pounding on the door was brash, finally pulling He Ran back to his senses. He frowned, “Who is it?”
There was no response from outside, but the knocking continued.
“You’re asking for it!” He Ran’s temper flared, angrily opening the door, only to be punched squarely in the face.
Lu Hanxiao rolled up his sleeves, his face filled with fury.
Thick blood filled his mouth, and He Ran was enraged, “Shit! What’s gotten into you, Lu?”
Lu Hanxiao took two steps forward, grabbed He Ran by the collar, dragged him upright, and pushed him against the wall, “What madness is this! Did you break up with Xiao Xi? Did you?”
He Ran gasped heavily, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, “She got beaten up by those bastards because of me! I can’t let this woman suffer anymore because of me!”
“Bullshit!” Lu Hanxiao punched his cheek again, “If you really cared, you’d pull yourself together. Where’s the He Ran I used to know? Look at yourself now. Yes, in my eyes, you’re unworthy of her!”
He Ran’s eyes were bloodshot, “That’s why I broke up with her.”
“You’re unworthy not because you’re poor, but because you’re unworthy of Xiao Xi’s courage and sincerity!” Lu Hanxiao was furious, “My sister has had a tough fate, heaven damn it. One jerk wasted ten years of her life, and now you’ve broken her heart!”
He Ran felt a buzzing in his ears.
Lu Hanxiao grabbed his collar again and threw him to the ground, “How dare you mention breaking up! Even if it happens, it must be Xiao Xi who says it first! Who do you think you are, garbage! If you hurt her again, I’ll throw you into the sea!”
He Ran snapped back to reality, rage exploding. With a roar, he kicked Lu Hanxiao, reversing their positions and delivering a punch.
“Do you think you’re the only one who cares about her?! When she lay there covered in blood, I wanted to shoot myself!”
“Go ahead, shoot yourself!” Surprisingly, Lu Hanxiao really pulled out a gun from his pocket, its silver body gleaming coldly, and slammed it on the table with a “bang.”
This was Lu Hanxiao’s backup weapon, never blatantly displayed. This showed how truly angry he was this time.
He Ran didn’t speak, his eyes bloodshot, this time driven to tears.
Lu Hanxiao regained some rationality, put the gun away, and sternly said, “Get out here.”
With that, he strode towards the door.
He Ran paused for two seconds and followed.
The Range Rover was parked in the open space outside. Lu Hanxiao opened the passenger door.
He Ran squinted his eyes and saw a figure on the passenger seat.
Lu Hanxiao carried Jian Xi out, took big strides towards He Ran, and regardless of whether he was ready, thrust her into his arms, “Settle your own debts!”
He Ran reacted swiftly, catching her securely and holding her tightly against his chest. His brow furrowed with anger, “Lu Hanxiao!”
But soon, the sensation in his hands felt wrong. She was very hot; even through such thick clothing, it was palpable.
Lu Hanxiao coldly snorted, “My girl has been burning up all night. Don’t worry, it’s not too high, just forty degrees. No big deal, the doctors couldn’t bring it down. Alright, handle it yourself.”
With that, he coolly sat in the driver’s seat, reversed the car, and sped off. He Ran swallowed a mouthful of exhaust fumes but didn’t dare delay, rushing inside with Jian Xi in his arms.
He laid her flat on the bed, and under the light, he finally saw her small face, red like a monkey’s bottom. He ignored his heartache, touching her forehead. Damn, the heartache returned.
Jian Xi seemed to smell a familiar scent. Finally willing to open her eyes, she saw He Ran and immediately whimpered as if realizing the pain, wriggling her body close to him, burying her wrinkled, red face into his chest.
He Ran restrained himself, pinning her down on the bed, “Are you deliberately making me worry about you? Hmm? Jian Xi, you’re something else.”
Jian Xi’s fever was real, and so was her confusion. She didn’t make a sound, but her appearance was pitiful.
He Ran fetched a bucket of warm water and rolled up his sleeves, starting to undress her.
He had completely forgotten they had just broken up, his movements as skilled as if she were family.
Jian Xi had injuries, and He Ran tried his best to avoid them, but he still accidentally grazed her. Each touch made her wince and complain of pain, and He Ran’s heart tightened, apologizing profusely, “Sorry, sorry.”
Jian Xi was like she had been drugged, not fully conscious but instinctively reaching for He Ran’s neck.
He Ran struggled to prevent her from succeeding. After wiping her body with warm water, he was drenched in sweat.
Jian Xi made a fuss, crying one moment, complaining of pain the next, calling him “husband,” then cursing him as a “bastard,” tears and snot mixing together. In the end, she mumbled deliriously, “I won’t break up.”
He Ran was at a loss, so he hugged her tightly, trapping her legs between his to prevent her from kicking off the blanket.
Miraculously, Jian Xi became quiet and docile.
He Ran remained silent, his rational mind attempting to persuade him, but his body was honest. He couldn’t remain indifferent or harden his heart.
Jian Xi’s body burned like it was on fire. For a brief hour, her condition improved, but in the latter part of the night, her fever worsened.
He Ran cursed under his breath, quickly jumped out of bed, stripped off his clothes, and ran into the bathroom bare-chested.
On this icy winter night, he endured the freezing water, rinsing himself thoroughly for ten minutes before turning off the tap.
Shivering, he ran out and dove into the bed, pulling Jian Xi back into his arms.
His body acted like a natural cooling stone. Jian Xi instinctively moved closer—it was both a lifesaving remedy and the sole comfort of her past and present lives.
Their two bodies were fire and ice, earth and heaven—seemingly impossible to meet, yet in this moment, they shared eternity.
Jian Xi’s temperature finally stabilized, breaking out in a cold sweat.
At 4 AM, He Ran turned over, lightly pressing against her and gently touching her forehead with his own, finally relieved.
When Jian Xi woke up, the house was empty. Her head throbbed painfully, and she could hardly recall what happened last night, only remembering Lu Hanxiao carrying her like a wrapped dumpling, bouncing around.
As for how she ended up at He Ran’s place, Jian Xi thought it must have been a delivery rejected by the recipient.
Feeling low and physically weak, she didn’t stay long, limping out to catch a cab.
________________________________________
Returning to her apartment, limp and exhausted, Jian Xi called Lu Hanxiao and scolded him mercilessly. Lu Hanxiao was utterly perplexed—how could he have messed up again despite good intentions?
Thus, Jian Xi took a week off from the hospital, sleeping all day.
Lu Hanxiao calculated the time it would take for her to calm down and, on the fourth night, dragged Tao Xinglai along to visit shamelessly.
Seeing them, Jian Xi felt irritated, “I’m injured, I don’t have time to cook.”
“No need, I ordered hot pot; it’ll be delivered soon.” Lu Hanxiao sat on the sofa, crossing his legs.
Tao Xinglai brought a lot of fruit, “Sister, I care so much about you.”
Jian Xi gave him a look, “Yeah, right. You bought everything you like to eat.”
After washing a bowl of strawberries, Tao Xinglai stuffed three into his mouth, struggling to chew, shaking his head in protest.
Lu Hanxiao carefully examined her face and said satisfactorily, “Not bad, delicate and fair-skinned, you can’t tell she’s been hurt at all.”
Jian Xi ignored him, sitting on the sofa scrolling through her phone.
“Xiao Xi,” Lu Hanxiao leaned in with a mischievous smile, casually probing, “Are you reading He Ran’s messages?”
At the mention of that name, Jian Xi instantly exploded, throwing her phone onto the table, “No.”
“Oh, oh, oh, still getting angry.” Lu Hanxiao clicked his tongue, “Can’t a brother show concern? Anyway, you two are already broken up.”
“Lu Hanxiao!” Jian Xi immediately flared up.
“Why are you calling me? Here, eat some strawberries.” Lu Hanxiao leisurely picked up two berries, raising his head to offer them, but suddenly froze.
Jian Xi’s eyes were red-rimmed, glaring at him hatefully.
Lu Hanxiao hurried to appease her, “My mistake, I shouldn’t have mentioned that bastard.”
If anything, mentioning him only made Jian Xi sadder.
Wasn’t he a bastard? Breaking up on a whim, disappearing without a trace. These four days, it was as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth.
At this moment, Tao Xinglai shouted from the balcony, “Sis! Come quick!”
Lu Hanxiao clicked his tongue, “Shouting so loudly, did you see a ghost?”
Tao Xinglai: “It’s Brother He!”
He Ran? Lu Hanxiao frowned and quickly ran over, peeking his head out, “Oh my god, it really is him!”
Jian Xi sat on the sofa, her back facing them.
“Xiao Xi, aren’t you coming to see?” Lu Hanxiao casually asked, raising an eyebrow, “You might as well not look, or you won’t be able to eat the hot pot later.”
Tao Xinglai: “Exactly, punish him properly. Back in school, we’d stand as punishment for not handing in homework. Sister, don’t soften up, make him stand till dawn!”
Lu Hanxiao excitedly discussed with Tao Xinglai, “Doesn’t he look like the Waiting Husband Stone?”
Tao Xinglai laughed so hard he spat out the strawberries, “Hahaha.”
Jian Xi’s emotions shifted from shock to surprise, to grievance and defiance. She refused to look at He Ran even once.
Tao Xinglai ran from the balcony to the living room, holding a large apple and sitting next to Jian Xi.
“Sister, eat an apple to boost your health.” Tao Xinglai held a peeler, “Check out my skills, see how thin I can peel the apple skin, sweet enough to make you squeal.”
The illustrious Tao actor had reached new heights in his banter, self-praising, “I’m so talented. My 52 points in the college entrance exam Chinese section weren’t for nothing, sis. Can I get some applause for the scene?”
He placed the apple peel on the table, raised his head, and extended his hand, “Alright, open up, eat your fruit.”
Lu Hanxiao excitedly dashed into the living room, “Here he comes, here he comes, that bastard He Ran can’t hold back and is coming upstairs!”
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