A siniser plan had already taken root in Chan's mind a plae capableof destroyingSheyaanand Fangxi's happiness forever.
Inside the word Chan Manglong and Lucy were stil immersedin their eerie unsettling laughter.
The atmosphere felt disturbingly wrong then--the door suddenly opened.
And withouta sound Fangxi stepped inside. The moment he appeared, silence fell over the room.
Those who had just been weaving their schemes went quiet instantly, as if they had been caught doing something wrong. Breaking the heavy silence, Fangxi asked in a serious voice:
"What happened? Why did you..all go so quiet…?"
Manglong quickly put on a mask of false innocence and said, trying to cover things up,
"Nothing… we were just sitting quietly."
Fangxi didn't respond to that. His eyes were fixed on his sister, Lucy.
He slowly walked up to her bed and, looking into her eyes, asked in a soft yet firm tone:
"Lucy… how are you..feeling now?"
Lucy, weak and stuttering slightly, replied,
"ye...yes… I'm fine now."
Fangxi held her hand and said gently,
"You'll have to stay in the hospital for a few days. You'll be discharged after that, so just rest for now.
And remember… don't try to talk too much, or it might put pressure on your wound."
Lucy looked at him. The love that once filled her eyes was no longer there, but she silently nodded.
Fangxi took a deep breath and said in a calm, steady tone:
"Alright, I need to..step out for a while. If you...need anything, just send me a message… I'll come to you right away."
Lucy nodded again and asked softly,
"whe… where are you going?"
Fangxi heard her and replied in the same steady tone,
"I'll be.. back soon."
He had just started walking toward the door when Manglong's poisonous voice echoed from behind:
"Lucy just.. went through such a major operation… and you're.. leaving her like this, Fangxi?"
Fangxi stopped in his tracks. Hearing that taunting voice, he slowly turned back, a strange coldness settling in his eyes.
He slowly turned his head and looked at Manglong, a faint smirk on his lips as he spoke in a flat yet icy tone:
"Why? Are you.. going somewhere? Lucy isn't well today. Even someone as useless as you... can do this much—you've eaten enough for free, now it's time to be of some use. I.. have something important to take care of."
Hearing this, Manglong's face flushed with anger. In a heavy, irritated voice, he shot back:
"Seems like your...'important work' is nothing but...being that girl's (Sheyaan's) servant!"
The moment Sheyaan's name was mentioned, Fangxi's patience snapped. His blood boiled.
Clenching his teeth, he looked straight into Manglong's eyes and said:
"Looks like you've...forgotten your place… Remember why 'Dad' allowed you.. to stay in this house. If.. it weren't for that one"
"reason, believe me… I would've thrown you out of my.. house right now!"
There was such sharpness in Fangxi's voice that Manglong had no reply.
Saying this, Fangxi turned away and walked off in anger, his steps quick and firm, without looking back.
As soon as Fangxi left, Manglong's face turned pale, as if someone had thrown cold water over him.
He was completely shaken; Fangxi had shattered both his power and pride in a single moment.
But Chan, who had been standing there watching everything, couldn't tolerate this insult to his father.
In anger, he slammed his hand hard onto the table nearby—the loud bang echoed through the ward. Like a madman, he shouted:
"Fangxi! You insulted my... dad right in front of me… I won't let you.. live for this!"
Seeing Chan's rage, Lucy, in a frightened state, gently held his hand and said in a trembling voice:
"Cal..calm.. down, Chan…!"
Manglong controlled his anger and tried to calm Chan. But now, his tone carried a dark hatred:
"Don't worry, son… we will definitely take revenge for this.. insult. He'll pay for it.. very soon."
Manglong's words calmed Chan a little, but the fire of revenge still burned in his eyes.
On the other side, Fangxi stepped out of the hospital and got into his car.
As soon as he started the engine, he drove off quickly. While driving, the hardness on his face was gone,
replaced by a quiet, unfamiliar pain. In a very soft voice, he questioned himself:
"Dad… why? Why did you.. give shelter to someone like him?"
There was pain and regret in his voice. Taking a deep breath, he continued:
"That man.. isn't right at all. After you were gone, he completely.. ruined our lives…"
As he said this, Fangxi's grip on the steering wheel tightened, and a storm of old memories began to rise in his eyes.
Fangxi's eyes shimmered with unshed tears yet he refused to let himself fall apart.
His hands tightened around the steering wheel his knuckles turning stark white under the pressure.
The road ahead was chaotic--filled with traffic and noise but none of it mattered.
somehow holding himself together he drove until he finally reached home.
His car came to a sudden stop in front of the house. He stepped out and walked straight inside without pausing.
The moment he entered, his eyes fell on the sofa in front of him.
Sheyaan and Zavian were sitting there. But before that, Zavian had already dried their rain-soaked clothes in an instant—both his and Sheyaan's.
Sheyaan was resting her head on the sofa, in a deep sleep, as if completely exhausted.
On the other hand, Zavian was simply waiting for Kalene to return with some news.
As Fangxi walked closer to Sheyaan, Zavian's sharp gaze immediately noticed him.
But Sheyaan, with her eyes closed and head resting against the sofa, seemed completely unaware of everything around her.
She wasn't truly asleep—behind those closed eyes, she was trying to escape the painful incident they had just gone
through. She wanted that nightmare to somehow turn into peace.
Seeing Sheyaan lying there so still and unresponsive, a strange worry rose in Fangxi's heart.
He quietly stepped closer and, in a very soft voice, asked Zavian:
"Zayan… why is Sheyaan lying like this? Did.. something happen?"
As he said this, Fangxi sat down right beside her. Zavian heard him but remained silent for a few moments.
He buried that painful and terrifying incident deep within himself and let out a tired breath.
Then, with a faint—almost lifeless—smile, he said:
"Nothing happened… she's just tired, that's why.. she's lying like this."
Fangxi looked at Sheyaan again, but he wasn't convinced. Gently, he placed his hand on her head, but just then, his eyes
fell on the bandage wrapped around her hand. Startled, he immediately asked in panic:
"Why is this..bandage here? What happened to her hand?!"
Before Zavian could come up with a reassuring lie, Sheyaan opened her eyes at the sound of Fangxi's voice.
Without wasting a second, Fangxi repeated the question, but this time his voice was more serious:
"Sheyaan… how did you get this injury.. on your hand? Tell me!"
Sheyaan steadied herself and sat up, speaking in a soft yet tired voice:
"It's nothing, Fangxi… just a small injury. It's already...fine now."
But Fangxi wasn't someone who would accept that so easily. His eyes widened with concern and anger as he asked firmly:
"but... when did this happen? You…?"
Sheyaan turned and looked at Zavian, who was already staring at her with those deep, mysterious eyes. It was as if he was
trying to read her mind, trying to figure out what she would say. She paused for a moment, then decided she wouldn't tell
Fangxi about that terrifying incident—she wouldn't reveal that someone had tried to shoot her, or that the injury had actually happened because of Zavian.
She placed a gentle but false smile on her lips and said softly,
"Uh… I got this injury last night. But..it's completely fine now, so.. don't worry."
She then lifted her hand innocently and added,
"See? It's okay now."
Fangxi took a deep breath, feeling a bit relieved, and said,
"Alright, but... take care of yourself." understand!"
Sheyaan nodded with a soft, innocent smile.
"Hmm!"
Then, slowly, she lifted her gaze toward Zavian.
He was still sitting there silently, watching both of them; there was an intensity and depth in his eyes that made her heart tremble slightly.
That mysterious silence of his made her feel a little uneasy.
Sheyaan's heart was still pounding heavily. She looked at Fangxi nervously,
but her gaze kept drifting back to Zavian again and again. Stammering slightly, she asked:
"Uh… Fangxi…! At the hospital… everything is okay, right?"
Zavian's eyes were still fixed on her, as if he was weighing the turmoil inside her.
Fangxi adjusted himself on the sofa and leaned back a little before replying:
"Yes… everything is fine there. Lucy had surgery, and...now she's out of danger."
Hearing this, a wave of relief rushed through Sheyaan's body. She closed her eyes in gratitude and murmured softly:
"Thank you, God… you made.. everything okay."
Just then, Fangxi looked at Zavian and said something that instantly shattered the calm in the room:
"Zayan… by becoming Sheyaan's bodyguard, you've taken a huge burden off my shoulders."
"Bodyguard"—the moment she heard that word, Sheyaan was completely stunned.
Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at Fangxi and stammered:
"wha...what… what did you say? You… you made Zayan my bodyguard? But why?!"
Fangxi looked straight into her eyes. His tone now clearly carried the concern and responsibility of an elder brother as he said:
"Sheyaan, you know this… I can't take the...risk of leaving you alone."
Sheyaan looked at Fangxi with innocence and surprise and said,
"But..I stay at home… what.. could even happen to me?"
Before Fangxi could reply, Zavian's cold voice cut through the air, making the room feel even colder. Looking at Sheyaan, he said firmly:
"Fangxi did the right thing… these days, even your..own people can betray you. Do you..understand?"
Zavian's harsh and emotionless tone shook Sheyaan to her core. She grew slightly nervous and fell silent.
The room was filled with an uneasy quiet, which Fangxi broke as he said seriously:
"Zayan, I need to talk to you..about something important. Can you... make some time?"
Hearing the seriousness in his voice, Zavian thought for a moment and said,
"Alright, you can.. talk whenever you want."
Resting his hands on his knees, Zavian added,
"If you want.., we can talk right now."
At that, Fangxi immediately replied in a firm tone:
"No, I need to talk to you.. alone."
Zavian simply said,
"Fine."
It was clear from Fangxi's tone that he wanted to discuss something serious and important.
Looking at Sheyaan, he then asked in a steady voice:
"By the way… hasn't the professor..arrived yet?"
Sheyaan steadied herself and replied softly,
"No, she.. hasn't come yet."
She had barely finished speaking when a voice suddenly echoed from the direction of the door:
"Hii… Sheyaan!"
Everyone turned toward the door in surprise. But Zavian, quick and alert like a hunter, had already noticed Kalene standing near the stairs.
Kalene's face was etched with unmistakable worry and tension. His expression alone was
enough to reveal the truth--something had gone terrible dangerously wrong.