The kidnappers of Jiang Mi were apprehended, but neither of them knew who had hired them. They were merely following orders. They confessed to throwing Jiang Mi into the sea, stating that survival under such circumstances was impossible.
Jiang Jingxiu found it impossible to believe. The woman who had been constantly by his side just days ago, always there when he wanted to see her, was truly dead.
He refused to give up, dispatching numerous rescue teams to search for her. He insisted they bring her back alive, or at least her body.
However, after a full week of searching, there was still no sign of her.
Jiang Jingxiu became like a lost soul, increasingly despondent. Only now did he realize that sometimes, when people are by your side, you feel they are superfluous and fail to cherish them. It is only after losing them that you discover they were already etched into your very bones.
Jin Lan had been accompanying Jiang Jingxiu in his search. A week had already passed, and even if they found her, it would only be a corpse.
On the final day, Jiang Jingxiu stood by the cliff for an entire day. Finally, he ordered everyone to stand down and cease the search.
The rescue teams retreated upon receiving the order. The sea below remained turbulent, like a beast intent on devouring everything. Jiang Jingxiu commanded that the two men who had thrown Jiang Mi from the cliff be thrown in the same spot.
On their way back, Jin Lan, seeing Jiang Jingxiu’s lifeless demeanor, asked, "What are you thinking?"
"I don't believe she's dead like this! She must still be alive!" Jiang Jingxiu replied flatly, his face devoid of emotion.
"Yes, I also think she must have been rescued and is safe now," Jin Lan voiced his most hopeful thought.
But he knew it was unrealistic. That place was virtually deserted. A person thrown in a sack would be dead within three minutes. Who could possibly save them?
Jiang Jingxiu remained silent. All he knew was that his heart ached intensely, as if it were shattering. He had never imagined that anyone in this world could cause him such profound pain.
He raised his hand to cover his eyes, and tears began to fall in large drops. He felt he must be going mad, crying for a woman he had never truly liked.
Upon returning to the hospital room, Yang Zhai was secretly weeping. Mianmian was asleep, but tear tracks were visible on the little one’s face.
In recent days, Mianmian had been calling out for her mother every day, crying until her voice was hoarse.
Her surgery was only three days away, and everything had been arranged. However, the doctor had warned that if Mianmian's emotional state did not improve, even a successful surgery would be problematic during the recovery period.
Seeing him enter, Yang Zhai asked, "Have you found Jiang Mi?"
Jiang Jingxiu shook his head and walked to the bedside, gazing at his daughter's innocent young face, his heart twisting with pain.
Mianmian had a dream. In her dream, her mother came to see her, telling her she was doing well and not to worry. Then, her mother urged her to have her surgery properly, recover well afterward, and take good care of herself, waiting for her mother to return for her.
After her mother left, Mianmian woke up. She saw her father sitting by the bedside and happily sat up, telling him what her mother had just told her.
Looking at his daughter's innocent expression, Jiang Jingxiu hugged her tightly and said in a choked voice, "Your mother is right. She will come back, so you must be good, get stronger, and wait for her to come find you… She loves you so much, she will never disappoint you."