Willing to Be for Her - Chapter 31

*Pretend to be sick?*

Luo Xuan bolted upright in bed. The sudden movement brought a wave of heat and dizziness, and she struggled to calm her racing heart.

She finally understood Xia Zhiwan’s… strategy.

The power outage must have been their doing. With the medical equipment disabled, if she were to fall ill now…

Actually, she wouldn’t even need to pretend. Her illness was a constant companion.

Her slender fingers slowly traced the high-thread-count cotton sheets. Luo Xuan couldn’t help but chuckle. *Only Xia Zhiwan could come up with such a scheme.* She laughed heartily, accidentally straining her throat, and couldn’t suppress a fit of coughing.

The metallic tang in her throat made it hard to breathe. She tucked her phone back under the pillow, leaned over the edge of the bed, and waited for the irritating cough to subside.

Hurried footsteps approached. The wooden door swung open, and exquisite cotton mules stepped onto the gray-white carpet embossed with cloud patterns.

With her eyes closed, Luo Xuan inhaled her scent through her labored breaths: cool, clean, and carrying the serene fragrance of snow-scented incense.

“Xiao Xuan,” Ning Yiqing said, her knuckles gently hooking under the girl’s closed eyelashes as she wiped away the tears caused by her violent coughing. “Don’t be afraid, I’ve already called an ambulance.”

Luo Xuan coughed violently, warm liquid trickling from the corner of her lips. The wound on the back of her neck, recently stitched, had reopened from the force of her coughing.

Bl00d soaked through her pajamas. Luo Xuan felt dizzy and in pain, her body alternating between chills and fever, trembling slightly. The woman’s soothing voice echoed in her ears.

“Xiao Xuan, Star, don’t be afraid. I’ll stay with you.”

*She’s probably taking advantage of my inability to speak to call me Star again,* Luo Xuan thought. *So Ning Yiqing knows how to take advantage too.*

Luo Xuan wanted to sneer, but the bl00d gushing from her throat made it impossible to breathe, let alone laugh.

Someone handed Ning Yiqing a warm, clean towel. She carefully wiped Luo Xuan’s face, the crimson bl00d staining her jade-like fingertips.

The woman intertwined her fingers with Luo Xuan’s, their palms pressed together, feeling the damp, burning heat. She leaned close, their breaths mingling.

Ning Yiqing knew how much pain Luo Xuan suffered during these episodes, and her anxiety grew.

The power outage rendered the medical equipment useless, making it impossible to monitor Luo Xuan’s condition in real time.

In this condition, Luo Xuan needed to be taken to the hospital immediately.

“Xiao Xuan, I’ll stay with you. Don’t be afraid,” she tried to hug Luo Xuan tightly. “We’ll go to the hospital right away. Be good.”

*Who’s the one who’s afraid here?*

Luo Xuan pushed Ning Yiqing away, wiping the bl00d from her lips with one hand. Through the warm, spreading metallic scent, she saw the woman’s pale cheeks, which made her slender eyes appear even more tearful and red-rimmed.

The tiny beauty mark beneath her eye seemed to shimmer with moisture, radiating a saintly, noble aura tinged with an alluring vulnerability.

Ning Yiqing… seemed even more terrified than Luo Xuan herself, trembling more violently than the patient.

This inexplicable trembling gradually consumed the woman, seeping from her surface to her core, from body to soul.

*So it’s Ning Yiqing who’s afraid.* Luo Xuan sank back wearily against the pillow, her coughing subsiding. But that clear, pure scent lingered, pressing close.

It was like white sandalwood blooming eternally on its branch, its shadow clinging to her, yearning to stay by her side.

*What could Ning Yiqing possibly be afraid of? If I really died, wouldn’t that be exactly what she wants? No more guilt, no more conflict.*

*Forget it.* Luo Xuan knew Ning Yiqing cared about her, but her concern had come too late, making it seem like a performance.

But the time had finally come to say goodbye.

*Almost free,* Luo Xuan thought, a faint smile playing on her lips. Suddenly, she realized there was a more foolproof and direct method than feigning illness—a solution that would end it all, once and for all.

Unable to decipher the girl’s smile, as light as clear water, Ning Yiqing instinctively grabbed Luo Xuan’s hand, feeling as if she were standing on the edge of a cliff.

Yes, that was it—the edge of a cliff.

One step forward, and who knew who would fall into eternal oblivion?

She could no longer fathom Luo Xuan’s thoughts.

“The ambulance has arrived,” the butler announced, knocking softly on the door, his words trailing off hesitantly.

Draping a coat over Luo Xuan’s shoulders, Ning Yiqing’s gaze snapped out of its daze. “What’s wrong?” she asked in a low voice. “Is there something wrong with the ambulance?”

“Not exactly,” the butler replied, weighing his words carefully, then regretting his intrusion. “It just arrived so quickly… as if it had been waiting nearby.”

“What about the estate’s cars?”

“Miss Yixin returned this afternoon, saying she was going racing with friends and borrowed several vehicles. We’re scrambling to get cars from the rear parking lot now.” Sweat beaded on the butler’s forehead as he avoided Ning Yiqing’s darkening gaze.

Moreover, the estate was located in the suburbs, meaning even the fastest ambulance would take at least half an hour to arrive. Yet this one had arrived in just ten minutes.

The paramedics arrived swiftly and professionally secured Luo Xuan in the ambulance. Ning Yiqing descended the stairs, ready to follow to the hospital, when she saw someone emerge from the back of the vehicle.

“President Ning, let me accompany Xuanxuan. After all, it’s my family’s hospital, and I care for Luo Xuan even more than you do, don’t I?”

“Xia Zhiwan,” Ning Yiqing’s meticulously tailored coat billowed in the night wind, her usually composed face finally betraying a hint of displeasure. “What are you doing here with Xiao Xuan?”

“What am I doing? Administering emergency care, of course. Can’t you see Xuanxuan is critically ill?” Xia Zhiwan flashed a knowing smile. “Chairman Ning, surely you wouldn’t neglect a patient’s well-being, would you?”

Xia Zhiwan’s words struck Ning Yiqing’s heart like a blow. She replied with a hint of urgency:

“No time to waste. I’ll go with the ambulance.”

“But we can’t let you go alone. Let us drive you,” the Butler and Lan Leren exchanged glances and murmured in unison. “The car will be ready shortly. Please wait.”

“Yes, Chairman Ning, please wait. Your safety is paramount,” Xia Zhiwan added.

“There’s no need. It’s late; you should all get some rest,” Ning Yiqing said calmly. “Go check the power supply equipment and restore it as soon as possible.”

“President Ning, you don’t have to do this. Xuanxuan doesn’t actually need you,” Xia Zhiwan added casually.

Ning Yiqing twirled her Buddhist prayer beads, her fingertips pressing deeply against the snow-blue jade beads. Her eyes were half-closed, her profile bathed in the dim night light, her serene elegance resembling frost-covered snow swirling through the morning mist—pure and radiant.

“You arrogantly believe Xuanxuan is someone starved for love, someone who needs your care. But that’s not the truth. She’s brave and fearless, someone who respects and cherishes love. You and President Ning are simply not on the same path. Besides, I’ll be taking care of Xuanxuan from now on, so you don’t need to worry. I heard Old Master Ning has arranged over a dozen suitable marriage prospects for you. You’ll be too busy to keep up.”

“You… Xiao Xuan, she…” Ning Yiqing’s voice trembled sharply at the end, her crimson lips pressed tightly together, soft and moist. Yet her expression remained composed, elegant, and refined, giving the impression that she felt neither shock nor surprise.

“President Ning, what isn’t yours will never be yours,” Xia Zhiwan said, following the ambulance with a tone that sounded as if she were doing it for Ning Yiqing’s own good. “I won’t say any more. It wouldn’t be right to delay medical treatment any longer. If you wish to see Xuanxuan, you can apply for visitation at the hospital anytime.”

She emphasized the word “apply.”

The ambulance’s headlights pierced through the darkness like a sharp sword, cutting through the heavy night as it sped alone. Ning Yiqing’s expression turned dazed, her brows gradually furrowing like mist-shrouded mountains, inscrutable and unfathomable.

“Should… should we follow them?” Lan Leren carefully observed Ning Yiqing’s expression. When she realized the woman seemed to have tacitly agreed, she urged the others to prepare the car quickly.

In the VIP waiting area of the hospital, Ning Yiqing sat with her long hair cascading down her back, a laptop resting on her lap.

The morning sun cast a soft glow on her profile, making the tip of her jade-like nose appear slightly flushed, lending her fragile composure a hint of vulnerability.

“President Ning, breakfast is here,” Lan Leren said, carrying a meal prepared by the family chef. Seeing the woman working through the night without rest, she felt almost as exhausted as Ning Yiqing herself.

“No, I need to get to the office,” Ning Yiqing replied, glancing at the pocket watch.

“How is Miss Luo Xuan? Can we take her home?” Lan Leren asked, fully aware of Ning Yiqing’s concern.

“The doctor said Xiao Xuan’s condition suddenly worsened. They want to keep her under observation,” Ning Yiqing’s narrow eyes reddened at the corners, her dark lashes drooping. “I’ll check on her later.”

“You should rest at the office. Your private room has been cleaned, and the bed and linens are customized to your preferences. There are several types of blackout eye masks too.”

“It’s fine. Old Master Ning wants to review my policy approvals at ten this morning. I can’t delay that,” Ning Yiqing said, closing her laptop. The slight furrow between her brows made her look as fragile as delicate white porcelain. “Are there any changes to my schedule for the next few days?”

“No major changes. The flight leaves at 4 AM tomorrow, landing at noon. After lunch, the gold mining agreement signing ceremony will begin, followed by an inspection of the branch office. I’ll be back in three days.”

Ning Yiqing lowered her gaze, the dark circles under her eyes betraying her exhaustion from staying up late. Yet her eyes remained deep and calm, retaining the same meticulous self-control she displayed when navigating the rigid skyscrapers and glass-walled conference rooms, maneuvering through complex negotiations.

“Tighten the schedule and aim to return in two days. Increase security at the hospital and watch over Xiao Xuan. No accidents can be tolerated.”

Hearing this, Lan Leren frowned deeply. The itinerary was already packed; compressing it further meant sacrificing meals and sleep.

“President Ning, this will leave you with insufficient rest. Even though our Gulfstream business jet has sleeping quarters, it’s no substitute for a proper bed.”

“It’s just a few days,” Ning Yiqing said, tightening her coat. The morning light bathed her pale, weary face, creating a contradictory impression of both saintliness and decadence. “Has the cause of the power outage been determined?”

“The overload in the main control room’s circuitry caused a momentary short circuit, burning out several interfaces. The system has been repaired and maintained, with some components replaced with new equipment.”

Ning Yiqing let out a cold laugh. “What a coincidence.”

“Indeed. The estate has always maintained strict security protocols, with no unauthorized personnel allowed entry. Since Miss Luo Xuan moved in, security has been tripled at your request.”

“Continue investigating.” The woman rose, glanced toward the hospital room, and slowly walked in the opposite direction.

Suddenly, Lan Leren, struck by a sudden insight, said, “Your heat cycle should be starting in the next few days, right?”

Ning Yiqing, already in the elevator, was meticulously smoothing the wrinkles from her sleeves. Hearing this, she was slightly surprised, as she felt no signs of an impending heat cycle.

*Perhaps it’s because the permanent mark hasn’t fully faded yet,* she thought with a self-deprecating smile.

“Maybe. I’ll just bring extra suppressants.”

It wasn’t until Ning Yiqing’s flight took off that the doctor finally allowed visitors. Chi Li arrived with red bean egg waffles and pineapple pork buns, Luo Xuan’s favorites.

Sitting by the bedside, Chi Li tore off bite-sized pieces of the egg waffle. “Xuanxuan, I asked the doctor. She said you can eat whatever you want right now. The most important thing is to stay happy.”

Luo Xuan leaned against the pillow, a faint light flickering in her heterochromatic eyes. She smiled and said, “I’m not that fragile. It just looks scary. Think about it—how many times have I brushed against death since childhood? Even the heavens don’t want me yet.”

“Hmph, you always have an answer for everything,” Chi Li retorted, popping a crispy, milk-fragrant egg waffle into her mouth. “We only asked you to pretend to be sick that day, not actually get sick,” she added with a mischievous grin. “But you didn’t expect us to be so resourceful, did you? We really did rescue you from President Ning’s clutches!”

The warm, sweet egg waffle in her palm made Luo Xuan’s smile slowly fade, replaced by a hint of solemnity. “You’ve all helped me so much, especially Wanwan. I don’t know how to repay her. I feel like I owe her too much.”

Gazing at the chamomile and sunflowers beside the hospital bed, Chi Li lowered her head in thought for a moment. Her almond-shaped eyes darted around as she suddenly brightened with an idea.

“What’s so difficult about that? Just become a sculptor at her art museum and create a few extra pieces. She values you, and that’s probably one of the reasons why.”

“That’s true,” Luo Xuan nodded emphatically, agreeing wholeheartedly with Chi Li’s suggestion.

“What are you two chatting about? You look so happy,” Xia Zhiwan said as she entered, carrying two small bowls of pear soup. She set them on the small table. “Xiao Li, you should have some too. Filming in the mountains must have been exhausting—you’ve lost so much weight.”

“Okay, thank you, Sister Zhiwan! I absolutely love pear soup, it’s so sweet,” Chi Li said, hurrying over to grab a bowl. She returned to Luo Xuan’s side and scooped up a spoonful with her little silver spoon. “Xuanxuanxuan, let me feed you! Open wide, ah~”

Luo Xuan frowned involuntarily. “Xiao Li, I have hands and feet,” she said helplessly. “I’m not that weak yet.”

The silver spoon turned and went into Chi Li’s mouth instead. She hummed and mumbled, “I was just testing to see if you were shameless enough. You passed the test.”

Luo Xuan: “……”

Clutching her pear soup, Chi Li thanked Xia Zhiwan again, explained she had work to do, and left, promising to visit Luo Xuan again tomorrow.

As Chi Li gently closed the door behind her, Xia Zhiwan sighed silently. After careful consideration, she finally said:

“The doctor says your condition fluctuates. We still don’t know if the mark removal surgery will have a positive or negative outcome. At the very least, you need to stay in good spirits.”

“Maintain a cheerful mood,” Luo Xuan repeated, her gaze distant, like a thorn bush swaying in the wind, its thorns glinting intermittently as she chewed over the words.

“Xuanxuan, you understand what this means. Staying away from him will only benefit you,” Xia Zhiwan said, unsure if her words stemmed from selfish motives. But she could see the resistance in Luo Xuan’s eyes toward Ning Yiqing.

Cutting ties completely was the only true remedy.

Understanding Xia Zhiwan’s meaning, Luo Xuan let a strand of silver hair fall across her forehead. She glanced sideways, her eyes both innocent and mischievous, beautiful in their duality. “Actually, it’s not me who’s sick—it’s Ning Yiqing.”

*If Ning Yiqing weren’t ill, why would he demand I become his mistress? And when I refused, why would he forcibly drag me back?*

If this story were to spread, nine out of ten people would be dumbfounded, while the tenth would faint from shock.

Sometimes, when a celestial being falls ill, their condition becomes truly incurable.

“What… what kind of illness?”

“Perhaps it’s a disease called ‘possessiveness.’ It’s clouded his mind so completely that he believes all the stars revolve around him,” Luo Xuan said with a mocking smile, her eyes hollow with indifference.

This was the first time Xia Zhiwan had heard Luo Xuan speak of Ning Yiqing in such terms. Beyond shock and astonishment, she felt a sense of inevitability.

“Have you decided what to do?” Xia Zhiwan asked gently.

“One stroke ends all.”

Even if they couldn’t resist, they could choose to mourn and escape.

Chi Li, who had returned to retrieve her bag, overheard Luo Xuan’s words and chuckled softly, “It should be foolproof. I’ve already bribed the inside agent into complete submission. The only tricky part will be getting out of the city afterward, but who would suspect anything right under their noses?”

Two days later, Ning Yiqing returned by plane in the afternoon. Her meticulously tailored suit, though travel-worn, still exuded an air of refined exhaustion. The gold chain of her silver-rimmed glasses reflected a cold, distant light in the sunlight.

She carried the damp chill of late spring on her person, her movements hurried, like the lingering snow on a mountain peak. Her lips were a soft, vivid red, and her narrow eyes held an icy, piercing gaze.

This was her third visit to the hospital to see Luo Xuan since returning, but the doctor insisted Luo Xuan needed complete rest, no visitors, and no movement.

Standing at the ward door, Ning Yiqing’s anxiety only intensified. The snow-blue prayer beads on her slender, bony wrist glowed with a pure, luminous light, yet seemed to tremble violently in sync with her racing heart.

That night, Ning Yiqing booked an executive suite at a hotel near the hospital to work. After finishing her documents, she found herself unable to sleep and decided to take a walk in the private hospital’s garden.

The spring night was bitterly cold, and occasional crystalline droplets clung to the translucent tips of leaves. Ning Yiqing studied them intently, her elegant, aloof face radiating an air of ascetic detachment.

Then, she saw her—the woman who was supposed to be resting, not moving—sitting on the moon chair in the garden’s center.

The cotton hospital gown looked comfortable on Luo Xuan. She sat half-reclined in the chair, surrounded by mineral water bottles, as if parched with thirst.

The wind rustled through the branches, casting dappled shadows that flickered like black fireworks, sometimes fading into darkness, sometimes bursting into brilliance.

Ning Yiqing approached her slowly, her breath soft and measured, as if afraid to startle something away.

Luo Xuan’s hair had grown much longer, wisps half-obscuring her eyes. Her expression was languid, her silver hair slightly disheveled, giving her an ethereal beauty—wild yet innocent, untamed yet childlike.

“Xiao Xuan, what are you doing here?” Ning Yiqing’s voice trembled with an inexplicable anxiety.

Luo Xuan glanced up, meeting the woman’s calm gaze, beneath which lay a faint, suppressed emotion.

“Just out for some air. Being cooped up in my room all the time gets so boring,” she said slowly, each word striking Ning Yiqing’s heart like a hammer.

“The doctor said you need to rest. Come on, I’ll take you back. Okay?” Ning Yiqing crouched down to better see Luo Xuan’s face, coaxing her gently, her slender waist bending like a water-soaked spring vine.

“No need. Wanwan will bring me milk tea later. I’m waiting for her here.”

“Xiao Xuan, it’s getting late. How about we have milk tea tomorrow instead?”

The woman’s voice grew softer. A light rain began to fall, pattering on Ning Yiqing’s high-swept black hair, the tips of her fingers, the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, and even tracing down her pale jawline, disappearing into her collar and trickling downward.

“I heard you’re preparing for a matchmaking event? You should hurry back to bed. With so many Alphas waiting for you, we shouldn’t waste each other’s time.”

“Waste each other’s time?”

“Yes, mainly you wasting mine,” Luo Xuan said with a smile. “I’ve told you before, I want to spend my life with someone I love. President Ning, you’re always taking up my time. It’s quite annoying.”

The atmosphere froze, as cold as frost. Ning Yiqing remained silent, each word seeming to pierce his heart.

The woman’s shirt, soaked by the rain, parted slightly at the collar as she stood up, revealing her porcelain-white, delicate collarbones.

That was the kind of white that easily left marks, only for them to fade quickly.

Her eyes were moist, radiating a vulnerable allure. But beneath this veneer of tenderness, Luo Xuan knew all too well that it was actually a forceful, reckless demand.

A demand, not a request.

“Xiao Xuan, I’ve told you I won’t allow it.”

Luo Xuan understood that Ning Yiqing was angry, and deeply so.

The young woman chuckled softly. She knew that someone like Ning Yiqing, who had always effortlessly obtained everything he desired, would likely react with such fury to even the slightest frustration.

Yet the woman’s impeccable composure, her ironclad self-control, and her elegant, noble beauty made it seem as if her anger were merely an intoxicating illusion, a mesmerizing mirage.

“President Ning, what does it matter if you disapprove?” Luo Xuan smirked provocatively. “The world doesn’t revolve around you. Did you really think I said all this just to anger you? That would be beneath me.”

With a serious expression, Luo Xuan continued, “Ning Yiqing, I will never retrace my steps. Of course, you’re free to choose mutual destruction with me.”

Perhaps it was the sheer self-destructive resolve in Luo Xuan’s words that compelled Ning Yiqing to involuntarily retreat two steps, barely comprehending the meaning of “mutual destruction.”

“President Ning, are you afraid to play this game? I dare to love, I dare to hate, I dare to have my heart broken, and I dare to forget. Don’t tell me you’re too afraid?”

Ning Yiqing’s gaze flickered slightly. She wanted to say she was afraid, that she wouldn’t dare, but she remained silent.

From the beginning, she had resolved never to mention their shared past—neither their first encounter six years ago nor anything that followed their marriage.

Now, it was Luo Xuan who didn’t care, who had decided to forget everything.

Yet the one who was unwilling and afraid had slowly become Ning Yiqing herself.

“Besides,” Luo Xuan continued, her gaze drifting into the distance, “investors like you always focus on the long term. But I’m sick—there is no long term for me. I can’t even be sure there will be a tomorrow. You’re just like them, thinking the same way.”

The woman raised her hand, wanting to caress Luo Xuan’s face, but it froze in mid-air, unable to move another inch.

She couldn’t refute it, because that had always been her guiding principle: no sentimentality, no pity, only ruthless decisiveness.

Suddenly, she felt hateful and hypocritical.

She had been desperately searching for a way to save Luo Xuan, yet she was treating her like someone already on the verge of death, just like everyone else.

*So this is how cruel and despicable I am.*

“I’m just a weed in a dark corner, destined to wither. President Ning, please let me go. I unilaterally declare that we owe each other nothing. You don’t need to feel guilty or burdened.”

“Owe each other nothing?” Ning Yiqing’s eyes seemed lost and bewildered.

“President Ning, in case you’ve forgotten, I’ll say it again,” Luo Xuan said, each word deliberate and clear. “I won’t remarry you, nor will I become your mistress. I’ll be with someone I truly love.”

Hearing those words again, Ning Yiqing felt her displeasure sharpen. Beneath the calm surface of her voice, a cold edge crept in. “Someone you truly love.”

“Yes, just as you said you’ll definitely marry and have children, I’ll have someone I love too. In this life, we’ll each have our own snowfalls and our own joys. I suggest President Ning not confine yourself to the past and ignore the vibrant spring blooming all around you.”

Luo Xuan finished speaking her mind freely and without reservation. Ning Yiqing’s face remained as still as water, but beneath her usual impassive demeanor, she stood on the precipice of losing control, her slender, jade-like fingers clenching tightly.

The tide of her suppressed emotions surged violently and abruptly.

“Oh, right, I’d also like my dandelion and baby’s breath potted plants back. I’ll return all your things as well.”

“That way, our love and hatred will be settled, and neither of us will owe the other anything.”

“I want to keep those two plants,” Ning Yiqing said, biting her lip. For the first time in her life, she spoke with such childish stubbornness, like a little girl clutching her beloved teddy bear.

“They’ll just wither if you keep them. What’s the point?” Luo Xuan tilted her head and smiled. Did the plants even matter?

No, what mattered was freedom—a freedom Ning Yiqing would never possess, nor did she need to.

Those who sit on high platforms only reinforce their own gilded cages, making them stronger with each passing day.

But Luo Xuan was about to escape. *How wonderful.*

Raindrops glistened between them, like naturally formed ravines carved by the storm.

“Luo Xuan, I will definitely get married and have children. Whether you sign the contract or not, think carefully,” Ning Yiqing said, his lips pressed into a thin line, his tone reverting to its usual aloof and imperious coldness, heavy with unspoken authority. “I’ll come pick you up tomorrow night.”

Leaving those words hanging in the drizzling rain, the woman turned away abruptly, as if her mood had been soured. Her perpetually composed and deliberate demeanor seemed to falter, teetering on the edge of collapse.

Luo Xuan remained sprawled in her chair, her posture unchanged. In the darkness, she clapped softly. *Did I really drive Ning Yiqing to flee in disarray?* she mused. *How utterly amusing.*

A car waited outside for Ning Yiqing. The driver respectfully opened the door, and the woman settled into the rain-sheltered comfort of the back seat, her gaze drooping with weariness.

The damp suit clung to her, revealing an unexpected vulnerability that starkly contrasted with her usual calm, composed, and gentle composure.

Instead of returning to the hotel, she went straight back to the garden villa.

She replaced the warm water prepared by the servants with strong liquor, and casually removed the snow-blue prayer beads she always wore, placing them beside the diamond-shaped liquor bottle.

It wasn’t until late that night, when a stack of wine glasses was accidentally knocked over, scattering across the floor, that the silence was broken.

Slightly tipsy, Ning Yiqing drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

She dreamed of a cold, moonlit night where the snow seemed to fall endlessly, never melting.

Wandering aimlessly through the blinding white snow, her heart surged with calm, determination, shock, anger, and despair, until something shattered within her.

It felt like something she had always believed in, something she had always held to be absolutely true.

When she grew weary, she saw Luo Xuan standing before a sheer cliff, surrounded by an endless, misty sea of snow.

The girl whispered, “Luo Xuan, the Xuan of ‘hanging by a thread’,” her long hair flowing like the thorns of a peerless, pale rose.

Suddenly, Luo Xuan’s chest was soaked in bl00d, dripping endlessly as if from an inexhaustible source.

Ning Yiqing was terrified, her heart aching for Luo Xuan, yet she couldn’t move even a step closer.

Tears, of unknown origin, rolled down her cheek, scorching the snow as they fell, vanishing without a trace.

The next morning, Ning Yiqing arrived at the office early, pushing all her appointments forward. Business meetings, project approvals, conference speeches—even her lunch with Old Master Ning was compressed into a mere hour.

Old Master Ning stared at his granddaughter’s restless demeanor, recalling how Ning Yixin had been trailing Ning Yiqing everywhere lately. He assumed Yixin was finally taking an interest in learning how to manage the company from her elder sister.

However, before the old man could finish his ginseng black chicken soup, Ning Yiqing apologized and left, leaving him alone and feeling utterly abandoned.

In the back of the Maybach speeding toward her office, Ning Yiqing closed her eyes and listened to her bodyguard’s report on Luo Xuan’s condition.

“Miss Luo Xuan woke up this morning and spent some time looking at the flowers downstairs. She ate the hospital-provided cereal and milk, but didn’t touch the nutritious porridge and juice you sent over. She gave it all to her visitors.”

“Visitors?”

“We were guarding outside her room and didn’t dare disturb them. Besides Xia Zhiwan and Chi Li, several wealthy young ladies came to see Miss Luo Xuan. The flow of people was quite chaotic.” The bodyguard paused before continuing, “The Second Miss and Young Master Qin also visited, but they only stayed for five or six minutes.”

“Any other abnormalities?” Ning Yiqing asked, her voice weary. “Prepare yourselves. We’ll go get her at four o’clock and bring her home.”

“I can’t wait that long.”

The bodyguard considered carefully. “Nothing unusual, except there were a few more doctors and nurses than usual today. They’re guarding the hospital well.”

A black car with a silver roof glided to a stop at the foot of Ningyi Building. Ning Yiqing returned to her office, her mind heavy with worry. The department vice president, who had been waiting for hours, stood with a stack of documents for her review.

Several hours later, the project discussions and business negotiations finally concluded.

Lan Leren entered, carrying a green package, her face pale with shock. She whispered, “President Ning, this package was specifically addressed to you by Miss Luo Xuan.”

Capping her pen, Ning Yiqing glanced at the beautifully wrapped package and asked with deliberate nonchalance, “Has she come to her senses and agreed to return?”

Staring at the ink-black steel pen between the woman’s jade-white fingers, Lan Leren’s breath caught in her throat for several seconds. After a long pause, she managed to say with difficulty:

“No, that’s not it. Miss Luo Xuan… she’s dead.”