Perhaps from exhaustion, her vision blurred again.
“Xia Xia!”
“Miss Bai needs to stop the bleeding. The situation is not optimistic.”
That night, police cars swarmed the city center.
Social reporters tried to get information from the police, but no details were released.
Bai Xia didn’t know how long she had slept.
When she woke, someone was sitting beside her, wiping her hands with a warm towel, eyes red and swollen as if from crying.
“Xia Xia?”
Seeing her daughter awake, Bai Ruanwen immediately stood and rang the bell.
Doctors and nurses came in for a thorough checkup.
Bai Xia understood that she had lost too much blood and needed to rest well, avoiding any strenuous activity.
Indeed, a lack of foresight invites troubles.
Luckily, she had kept fit; otherwise, she might have been killed right after being captured.
Truly a misfortune in disguise.
She vowed never to be careless again—and to never ride in someone else’s car.
Song Xun stood by the door, guilt etched deeply on his face.
“Uncle Song?” Bai Xia noticed him.
Bai Ruanwen fed her daughter spoonfuls of porridge, but seeing her pale face made her heart ache.
Song Xun came closer to the bedside, full of remorse.
“The driver has been found. He admitted that Song Qiming ordered this. Rest assured, I will get justice for you.”
His eyes reddened.
“I’m sorry. It was my negligence not screening people properly, or this wouldn’t have happened…”
Hearing Lu Lin’s words earlier, he felt he deserved to die.
Xia Xia trusted him more than her own father, yet his indecision had dragged her into this mess.
“If I had been as decisive as your father, you wouldn’t have suffered…”
His face was full of guilt.
Bai Xia smiled and grabbed his arm.
“Everyone has their own personality, Uncle Song. You’ve done well enough. Don’t alienate your family for me. For Grandpa Song, you’re a brother who stood through thick and thin. It’s natural he’s reluctant.
“There are no perfect people in this world. Instead of demanding too much of others, focus on yourself. Like I don’t care about the male lead anymore, as long as he follows the rules, his arrogance is fine. Just don’t mistreat employees.
“The police are arresting the culprits and involved shareholders. This time, I won’t let them get away!” Song Xun’s eyes burned as he grabbed the girl’s wrist.
Bai Xia smiled and swallowed the porridge her mother fed her.
Then she noticed a shadow flicker at the door and looked toward the heroine.
She seemed hesitant. “Your great-grandfather had a heart attack when he heard about your kidnapping. He’s still in ICU.”
Bai Xia’s face changed instantly.
She suddenly clutched her shoulder and sat up, forcing Song Xun to bring a wheelchair.
As long as she didn’t move, it should be fine.
Outside the ward, the flickering shadow was Lu Shuo, carrying a box of cakes from her favorite shop.
“…”
Shuo looked at her like he wanted to say something but stopped.
He knew inheriting the family business wasn’t simple.
If he’d been kidnapped, he wouldn’t have lasted so long.
He had heard that Bai Xia ran from the factory to the mountains alone, the kidnappers were armed.
He really had to admire her.
“You cried?” Bai Xia glanced at his reddened eyes.
He seemed more sensitive than expected.
Lu Shuo frowned and turned away.
“Grandpa is still in critical condition. Am I not allowed to be upset?”
He probably worried about both grandpa and Bai Xia.
Although they often scolded him, he knew it was for his own good.
Otherwise, Bai Xia could have left him alone, but she had helped tutor him all these years.
“How did great-grandpa find out?” Bai Xia asked seriously.
Lu Shuo pressed the elevator button.
“Grandpa has his own sources. How could he not know? I didn’t know either, but he already knew and was sent to the hospital in time.
“He was stunned when he heard about your kidnapping, and before he could react, he had a heart attack.”
At the third floor, many waited outside the ICU.
Yao Yun comforted the tear-streaked Lu Qihui, but Lu Lin was nowhere to be seen—he was inside changing into isolation gear.
“Xia Xia!”
Lu Qihui’s face paled seeing her in a wheelchair.
His granddaughter and son were both in trouble, leaving his mind in chaos.
“I’m fine. Just lost a lot of blood and can’t move well,” Bai Xia explained.
She moved to the door, looking through the glass at the elderly man hooked up to machines.
Lu Lin sat beside him, head lowered, his expression unreadable.
They seemed to be talking quietly.
“After I leave, you two should separate.”
The old man sighed faintly, “Out of sight, out of mind. Otherwise, you and your father will hate each other. I was wrong to think keeping you together would make you a family.”
The sound of the machines beeped steadily.
Lu Lin lowered his eyelids, hiding his emotions, then finally said, “Understood.”
Looking at his grandson, Lu Jinian slowly reached out with his frail hand.
“Your father is irresponsible. You’ve had to endure too much. I’m also at fault. If you blame anyone, blame me.
“From now on, take care of Xia Xia. Respect her wishes. Don’t force her to do what she dislikes.”
Lu Lin’s breath caught, but he still gripped the frail hand silently.
“I don’t know if I’ll see Xia Xia one last time. You have to accept it.
“There’s no perfect woman in this world. No need to stubbornly hold on.”
Lu Jinian’s voice grew weaker.
“Great-grandpa!”
The ICU door suddenly opened.
Bai Xia, wearing isolation clothes, walked in.
Lu Lin looked up and saw his daughter’s pale face.
He immediately went to support her frail arm.
He had seen her in the bed, but she hadn’t woken.
The old man had been given a critical condition notice.
“Xia Xia…”
Lu Jinian’s dim eyes suddenly brightened.
He reached out. “Xia Xia… does it hurt?”
“No.”
Bai Xia knelt down, holding the old man’s hand, tears finally falling.
“Sorry for worrying you.”
The old man struggled to stroke her head.
“Great-grandpa has lived many more years than expected.
“You’re already an adult now.
“Take good care of yourself and your father. He can’t be left alone…”
“Great-grandpa!”
Bai Xia gripped his wrist tightly.
She watched as his eyes closed.
She hurried to the door. “Doctor! Doctor!”
Doctors and nurses rushed in.
Lu Lin helped Bai Xia aside and closed his eyes, concealing his emotions.
“The chairman has no vital signs. Please accept our condolences,” the doctor sighed.
Bai Xia wiped away her tears.
She knew Lu Jinian didn’t want to suffer.
He had said he wanted to leave consciously—not as a vegetable constantly resuscitated.
If it weren’t for her accident, maybe he could have held on two more years.
“It’s not your fault. Go rest,” Lu Lin said, patting her arm.
Bai Xia said nothing.
After leaving the ICU, she sat in the wheelchair again, with Bai Ruanwen pushing her back to the ward.
Hearing the news, Lu Qihui couldn’t help but wipe his tears.
Yao Yun comforted him.
Lu Shuo sat with his head in his hands.
Though they had received many critical illness notices before, each time Lu Jinian had pulled through.
But now, everyone realized his advanced age—close to a hundred.
“Don’t be sad. Great-grandpa will be watching over you from heaven.
“You have to be strong for him to rest in peace,” Bai Ruanwen whispered.
Bai Xia wiped her tears. “I know.”
Though she had prepared herself many times, she realized at this moment how hard it was to truly let go.
In this story of overwhelming love, everyone seemed to adore this child.
But for her, it was a test.
Watching those around her leave one by one, she could only learn to accept the loss of life.
“Mom will always be with you,” Bai Ruanwen said, gently touching her daughter’s head.
Compared to her daughter being by her side, she seemed more unable to live without her.
Bai Xia turned and gave a faint smile. “I will always be with you too, Mom.”
Their eyes met.
Bai Ruanwen smiled and pushed her back to the ward.
Bai Xia lay on the bed and fell asleep again.
She didn’t dream of Lu Jinian.
Perhaps everything he wanted to say had been said.
When she woke, her mother was gone.
Instead, a man sat beside her.
He looked as if he hadn’t rested for a day and a night.
His head hung low, his shirt a little wrinkled.
His sharp, handsome features showed signs of fatigue—not his usual cold arrogance.
He opened his eyes at the slightest movement from the bed.
When their eyes met, Lu Lin rubbed his forehead and then stared at her shoulder.
“Does it hurt?”
Bai Xia frowned. “…What do you think?”
Who wouldn’t be in pain after being shot and bleeding so much?
Lu Lin said nothing.
His expression darkened, filled with guilt and tenderness.
Suddenly, she grabbed his sleeve.
“I want some porridge.”
Hearing the girl’s soft voice, something in Lu Lin’s eyes seemed to melt.
His voice was hoarse.
“Sorry.
I didn’t protect my daughter well.
A child lacks experience and can’t see the dangers of the world.
Does he not understand that?”
“The world’s affairs are unpredictable.
No one can foresee everything.
Though great-grandpa is gone, you have other family.
I won’t abandon you.”
Bai Xia blinked.
“I’ll be watching you closely.”