Lin Xingwan’s hopeful gaze fell upon Duan Muxing. To save Zhou Jinbai, she would agree to any request, even a hundred of them.
Duan Muxing spoke softly and gently, uttering the cruelest words in the world, "You need to divorce Dongfang Junze."
Lin Xingwan’s eyes widened abruptly, disbelief filling her beautiful irises.
She had never imagined Duan Muxing would make such a demand; it was simply… too preposterous.
Though Duan Muxing had his back to Lin Xingwan, he seemed to perceive her astonished expression as he continued, "Can this request be fulfilled?"
Lin Xingwan’s voice trembled slightly, "Why… do you want me to divorce him?"
This request, seemingly simple, caused Lin Xingwan immense heartache.
"There's no why, it's purely a sudden thought of mine. If it can't be met, then forget it. Hurry back, you can still see Dongfang Junze one last time." Duan Muxing's voice was so low it was barely audible. A moment later, he tugged at his lips, "Dongfang Junze is dead, your marriage is also a mere formality. It saves me a pill."
Lin Xingwan did not want to divorce Zhou Jinbai, but facing life and death, she wanted even less for Zhou Jinbai to die.
Compared to a living soul, what was romantic affection?
"I have already lost the person who loved me most in the world. I don't want to lose the man who loves me most in the world again. As long as you can save Zhou Jinbai, I will divorce him."
Lin Xingwan finally made her decision. The man in the wheelchair was not surprised by her choice, for the moment she stepped in here, she had become fish on a chopping block, at his mercy.
As soon as Lin Xingwan finished speaking, the sound of fireworks exploding filled her ears.
Having almost been killed by explosives last time, Lin Xingwan’s body tensed instinctively at the sound.
And after this burst of fireworks shot into the sky, it revealed a patch of red mist.
It slowly spread until it disappeared.
Duan Muxing said calmly, "When you return to the hospital, you will see Dongfang Junze awake."
"Thank you, Mr. Duan—" Lin Xingwan said, then got up from the ground. "Since my objective has been achieved, I will take my leave."
As Lin Xingwan prepared to turn and leave, Duan Muxing spoke again, "Leaving so hastily? I was planning to chat with you about your mother. It seems you aren't curious at all. That's understandable, after all, she hypnotized your memories, ensuring you'd never recall anything."
Duan Muxing's words rooted Lin Xingwan to the spot. She looked at his retreating figure in a panic, and after a few stunned seconds, she asked, "You knew my mother? What did you mean by what you just said?"
Lin Xingwan knew very little about her mother, which was why she intended to investigate in Anlong Village after learning about the value of that conch pearl necklace.
"I don't know your mother, but I have heard some things about her. A dazzling, radiant pearl, who ultimately met a tragic end, jumping to her death. You, her daughter, have lived in a daze for over twenty years, yet you haven't felt even a sliver of the pain and suffering your mother endured. What a pity."
Duan Muxing's tone was filled with lament. Lin Xingwan clutched her palms tightly and said coldly to Duan Muxing, "Don't try to deceive me with your words; I won't believe you."
Her mother's only regret in life was that Lin Hanhai was not a man worth entrusting. Other than that, Lin Xingwan felt no pain or suffering her mother had endured.
Instead, during the few times she suffered excruciating headaches, terrifying images had flashed through her mind.
But those things had never happened to her. Lin Xingwan had even comforted herself, telling herself it was due to excessive stress.
"Heh, deceive you? Do you think you're worthy of me deceiving you? Or is there something about you that makes it worth my while?" Duan Muxing’s rhetorical question left Lin Xingwan speechless.
"The Duan family's hypnosis technique can selectively make people forget their most terrifying experiences. Back then, your mother crawled on her knees from the foot of the mountain to this place, begging my father to hypnotize your memories. And hypnosis has side effects. Haven't you experienced some unfamiliar images in your mind?"
Duan Muxing's words struck Lin Xingwan like lightning. Her chest heaved violently.
At this moment, she felt a coldness spreading from the ground, threatening to freeze her. An invisible hand gripped her throat, as if it could crush her bones with the slightest pressure.
Lin Xingwan’s ragged breaths seemed amplified dozens of times in the quiet space.
"If you wish to recover your past memories, I can help you." Duan Muxing tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on a butterfly nearby.
Sunlight illuminated the man's fair, translucent skin. Lin Xingwan could even see his long, thick eyelashes.
His profile alone, with its sharp nose and thin lips, exuded a sense of cold detachment.
So close, yet so far away.
Lin Xingwan's thoughts were in turmoil. If what Duan Muxing said was true, then those images that had appeared in her mind were actual events.
Why would her mother, who was so accomplished and virtuous in every way, become such a terrifying figure?
Lin Xingwan's body trembled uncontrollably. She couldn't help but wonder… what had happened in the past to torment her mother so severely?
In an instant, fear, confusion, bewilderment, disbelief, and heartache… all sorts of emotions swirled within Lin Xingwan.
She didn't even know how she left the villa until someone patted her shoulder, bringing her back from her myriad thoughts.
She saw Xuan Yin's face full of concern and the deep inquiry in his eyes.
"Young Madam, are you alright? Did anyone in the house bully you?"
Lin Xingwan shook her head, somewhat lost. "No, they didn't bully me."
"Did you get the medicine?" Xuan Yin asked again.
"The Duan family descendant told me that when we return, Jinbai will wake up."
Xuan Yin frowned. "What if the Duan family descendant lied to you? I need to call the old madam."
Lin Xingwan believed Duan Muxing had no reason to deceive her, as there was no need for him to lie about such a matter.
However, before she could say anything, her phone rang.
It was the old madam calling. Lin Xingwan answered without hesitation.
On the other end, the old madam's voice was filled with undisguised excitement. "My dear granddaughter-in-law, you are truly a lucky star for our Dongfang family! Jinbai's condition has stabilized. The doctor said he can wake up tonight. I'm so happy, hurry back."
By the end of her sentence, the old madam's voice was choked with emotion.
"Okay, we'll be back immediately."
This was a call bearing good news. Lin Xingwan's heart, which had been clenched tightly since last night, finally began to relax.
She quickly boarded the plane. The helicopter soon ascended into the sky.
Meanwhile, Duan Muxing stood on the observation deck of the villa, watching the disappearing plane with a blank expression.
"You could have imprisoned her. Then those terrible things wouldn't happen in the future," Monk Bùluàn said, standing behind Duan Muxing. To Duan Muxing's other side stood Qu Nanzhi.
"If imprisonment were effective, I could have imprisoned her from birth. This is our fate. If it cannot be changed, we can all go to the underworld together. Besides, I've grown numb to this boring, monotonous life anyway."
Duan Muxing's tone was filled with deep disgust and weariness. Heaven had blessed him with birth into a medical family, yet ironically, he had been confined to a wheelchair since childhood, living like a cripple for years.
"Young Master, you will stand up again," Qu Nanzhi said, her heart aching for Duan Muxing. Seeing him so dejected made her feel unbearable pain.
Why was heaven so unfair, making the young master endure so much suffering?
Before Duan Muxing could say anything, he suddenly began to cough violently.
Qu Nanzhi quickly handed him a clean handkerchief. When his coughing stopped, the pristine white handkerchief was stained with a pool of dark red blood.
"I'm tired. I'll sunbathe here. You may go down now," Duan Muxing said, closing his eyes wearily. Due to the coughing up blood, his lips were stained crimson, making him look like a bewitching, handsome scholar.
Yet, his unparalleled noble demeanor was far from that of a mere scholar.
Eventually, Qu Nanzhi and Monk Bùluàn left. Duan Muxing slowly opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the direction where the helicopter had disappeared moments ago, his eyes sharp and resolute.
The gears of fate had begun to turn. This time, he would stop at nothing to obtain what he desired.
An hour later.
At the hospital.
As Lin Xingwan and the others returned, they saw a strange man and woman standing beside the old madam.
The man was tall and exuded an extraordinary aura. He bore some resemblance to Zhou Jinbai in his features, possessing a mature stability honed by time, giving him a gentle and magnanimous impression.
The woman wore a black suit, her shoulder-length, lazy curls exuding sophistication. She wore diamond earrings and was exceptionally beautiful. The moment Lin Xingwan saw this woman, she thought of the powerful, cold, and aloof aura that top tycoons possessed. Especially her eyes, which were too cold and held a disdainful arrogance.
Both the man and woman were middle-aged. The old madam stood between them, her expression grim.
"Grandmother—"
It wasn't until Lin Xingwan's voice rang out from the quiet doorway of the intensive care unit that the tense atmosphere was broken. All eyes fell on Lin Xingwan.
"She must be Xingwan, right?" the stranger asked.
The old madam nodded in response.
The man appeared somewhat reserved, yet carried the benevolence and stability of an elder. He introduced himself to Lin Xingwan, "Xingwan, I am Jinbai's uncle, Zhou Bingwen. Thank you so much this time. If not for you, Jinbai wouldn't have been saved. You are a great benefactor to our Dongfang family. Once Jinbai is well, I will thank you properly."
Zhou Bingwen's face was full of gratitude. However, as soon as he finished speaking, he was forcefully pushed aside, and the next moment, the crisp sound of a slap echoed. Lin Xingwan's cheek burned with pain.
The stranger woman's cold, disdainful face was filled with mockery. She spoke in an arrogant, condescending tone, "If it weren't for you, you vixen, Jinbai wouldn't have been so severely injured. You think you can be with Jinbai? You're a toad dreaming of eating swan meat. With your caliber, you want to be my daughter-in-law? I wouldn't even let you wash my feet, you're too dirty."
Lin Xingwan now understood the woman's identity.
The woman who married the man who killed her husband after her husband's death!
She was indeed beautiful. Even in middle age, she was still alluring.
Especially the confident and assertive aura she exuded, giving off an incredibly imposing and difficult-to-approach pressure.
Lin Xingwan didn't know what to do. Zhou Bingwen, however, immediately stepped in front of her.
"Meng Chuzheng, you've gone too far!" Zhou Bingwen glared furiously at Meng Chuzheng. "How dare you hit Xingwan? Get out immediately."
"Not only will I hit her, but I will also make sure she disappears without a trace. How dare she set her sights on my son? I'll grind her to dust." Meng Chuzheng glared fiercely at Lin Xingwan. She was already sharp-featured and malicious, like a beautiful but venomous snake. Now, her enraged expression made her even more repulsive.
"You still have the nerve to call Jinbai your son? Have you forgotten the shameless things you did back then? If he had a choice, Jinbai would rather not have you as his mother."
"I carried him for ten months. Even if he doesn't acknowledge me as his mother, the blood flowing in his veins is mine. Why wouldn't I have the nerve? Zhou Bingwen, the strained relationship between me and Jinbai all these years is your doing."
"Both of you, shut up!" The old madam shouted furiously, her face filled with authority.
Meng Chuzheng and Zhou Bingwen immediately fell silent. However, Meng Chuzheng still glared at Lin Xingwan with extreme malice, as if she wanted to gnaw on her bones and drink her blood.
The old madam walked up to Meng Chuzheng, looking at her face with utter displeasure. She raised her hand and slapped her. "You scoundrel! Our family matters are none of your business as an outsider. Get out now."
"Old hag, I have no interest in your family's affairs. I only care about my son. I advise you, an old bone, not to get angry. If you die of anger, I'll dance on your grave." Meng Chuzheng then burst into laughter. The old madam, Zhou Bingwen, and Lin Xingwan's faces turned extremely grim.
"You wicked woman! How dare you curse me to death? I'll beat you to death… I'll beat you to death…" The old madam then raised her cane and lunged to strike Meng Chuzheng.
Meng Chuzheng, of course, would not stand there foolishly to be beaten. She blocked the old madam's descending cane, her eyes filled with malice. "Old hag, do you really think I want to see you?"
With that, Meng Chuzheng pushed hard, sending the old madam staggering backward.
The old madam, already unsteady, lost her balance and fell backward.
Xuan Yin reacted quickly, swiftly supporting the old madam.
Meng Chuzheng, meanwhile, walked away arrogantly in her high heels.
"That poisonous woman! I truly regret saving her with my brother back then!" Zhou Bingwen exclaimed, his face contorted with rage, veins bulging on his forehead.
The old madam, however, was still clutching Xuan Yin's arm, breathing rapidly, as if recovering from a shock.
After a long moment, she said to Zhou Bingwen, "Bingwen, Jinbai has just returned from the brink of death. Family matters need you to take charge. You've seen what you needed to see, it's time for you to go back."
"Alright, I'll come to see Jinbai again another day." Zhou Bingwen said, then reluctantly left.
"Daughter-in-law, Meng Chuzheng is a lunatic. Don't take her words to heart. Don't worry, as long as Jinbai is here, he will definitely not let Meng Chuzheng get away with it," the old madam comforted Lin Xingwan, looking at her slightly swollen cheek with apology in her eyes.
"I'm fine, Grandmother." Lin Xingwan forced a smile, but her face throbbed with pain with every slight movement.
Just then, the door to the intensive care unit opened.