Ji Liao felt as if a wall in her heart had suddenly collapsed. She frantically bit Yu Nanzhi’s arm, using all her strength as if trying to tear a piece of flesh from him.
Yu Nanzhi winced in pain but didn’t release his grip, instead holding her even tighter.
Lu Chengnuo seemed possessed, dodging Ji Liao while throwing punches at him.
As the two struggled, Yu Nanzhi suffered numerous injuries. Finally releasing his obsession with Ji Liao during a moment of distraction, she struggled free and jumped down from his grasp.
The sharp pain from her soles instantly sent her collapsing to the ground. But soon, she gathered her resolve, gritted her teeth, and stood up.
At this moment, nothing could stop her determination to escape.
Leaning against the wall, she ran madly away without looking back, running and running until she turned into the emergency exit at the end of the corridor. Slumping beneath a window, she gasped for breath, completely exhausted.
The path she had taken was marked with red footprints left by her bleeding feet.
“Whether we divorce or not isn’t your decision…”
Look, what an arrogant and shameless man!
He had destroyed her family and everything she had, plunging her into an endless abyss of despair. Yet now, he never mentioned his past cruelty, casually uttering those words as if nothing had happened.
Did he think she was a fool?
Ji Liao smiled bitterly – even the biggest fool wouldn’t consider reconciling with him.
In her heart, Yu Nanzhi had always been like a sharp knife, its cold blade ready to cut through everything she had.
Suddenly, her body sank as she fell against a broad chest. While she was still stunned and struggling, someone else abruptly burst in. Like an enraged lion seizing prey, he pulled her away from the other person’s embrace. Before the two men could even exchange glances, she found herself firmly caught in a mint-scented embrace.
“She’s my patient! Where are you taking her?”
It was Li Chengru’s voice. He held her hand, his grip warm and reassuring.
Yu Nanzhi responded coldly, “I’m transferring her to another hospital.”
The next moment, the three of them engaged in a violent struggle.
Overwhelming fear crashed down on Ji Liao. She cried hysterically, trying to break free from Yu Nanzhi’s grasp. “Let me go! I won’t go with you, let go!”
She looked up angrily, habitually meeting the gaze of the person confronting her. When Yu Nanzhi looked down at her, all emotions in her dull, lifeless pupils completely shattered.
For a moment, he seemed to falter.
Ji Liao forcefully shook off his hand and stumbled toward Li Chengru. Fortunately, he hadn’t released his grip, holding onto her firmly.
“Take me away…” she pleaded pitifully, her fragility making it impossible to refuse.
“Forgive me.” Li Chengru slightly bent down and lifted her. In that moment, he was startled by her weight – she couldn’t have weighed more than seventy-some pounds.
He never knew an adult woman could be so light. Describing her as skin and bones wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
As he turned, Yu Nanzhi appeared before him, blocking his way.
“Li Chengru, are you making an enemy of me?” His anger kept rising, as if wanting to burn the person before him to ashes.
Li Chengru held no grudge against anyone; he simply wanted to protect Ji Liao. “She’s my patient. Treating her is my responsibility.”
“I said I want to transfer her to another hospital!”
“You think you still have any right to make decisions for her now? She’s the person involved. As long as she doesn’t want to leave, I’ll keep her here until she fully recovers.”
Though the words were harsh, they still had some effect.
That year, during the drizzling rainy season, she brought up divorce. He agreed, she signed the papers, and ultimately he made it public to the world.
Everyone knew that he and Ji Liao had divorced by mutual agreement. Whenever they met afterward, they would either act like complete strangers or clash like sworn enemies.
However, if he couldn’t have peace, she wouldn’t be allowed to have it either.
Li Chengru carried Ji Liao past Yu Nanzhi. As they brushed shoulders, they accidentally bumped into each other.
Yu Nanzhi sneered coldly, “I hope you won’t forget the consequences of accepting help from others.”
In Li Chengru’s arms, Ji Liao suddenly tightened her grip on his clothes.
“Put me down…” Her voice trembled.
Li Chengru held her even tighter, comforting her, “Don’t be afraid of him. He can’t do anything to me.”
“But…”
“I’m a doctor. You have to listen to me.”
Yu Nanzhi could clearly see the worry on Ji Liao’s flushed face and suddenly found her utterly detestable.
She could find comfort in anyone’s arms except his—such behavior made her seem both promiscuous and falsely pure…
His sharp, icy gaze fell upon them. Narrowing his eyes, he said coldly, “Don’t forget who led me to find her.”
Sure enough, Ji Liao’s expression changed. Li Chengru’s steps faltered, a flicker of panic crossing his heart.
“I know the whole story,” she lowered her eyes, hiding the sorrow within them, “but I think you’re a good person. I believe you didn’t do it intentionally.”
Li Chengru gritted his teeth, secretly clenching his fist.
After watching them leave, Yu Nanzhi felt an emptiness in his heart. Like a lost soul, he slumped to the ground, irritably running his fingers through his jet-black hair.
He was beginning to feel confused. Ever since Ji Liao was released from prison, he had gradually lost touch with his own feelings.
Lu Chengnuo arrived limping and happened to run into them at the corner.
“Liao Liao, how come you…” He wanted to ask why she was being carried by Li Chengru, but then he remembered her injured legs. As a doctor, carrying her back to the ward was perfectly normal.
“Let’s talk in the ward first,” Li Chengru said, carrying Ji Liao forward without looking back.
Recognizing Lu Chengnuo’s voice, Ji Liao sat on the bed and instinctively reached out her hand as soon as they returned to the ward, her touch landing on his cheek.
“I’m sorry. I’ve dragged you all into this.”
Lu Chengnuo gently patted her hand, comforting her tenderly, “Silly, we’re family. There’s no such thing as dragging anyone down. Once Qing’er recovers, we’ll move somewhere else. We won’t have to put up with anyone’s attitude here.”
Ji Liao bowed her head, on the verge of tears.
She used to not understand what true sorrow was, thinking that heart-wrenching sobs were the epitome of sadness.
Later, she realized that sorrow is when, despite fate being unkind, everyone still smiles. In the face of disaster, they continue to treat you with gentleness.
Their hearts are pure, unconcerned about consequences, but you yourself know better than ever that you can no longer grow close to these people before you.
Because the disaster he brings upon you will affect them as well.
“Please don’t be so kind to me. I’m afraid when the time comes, I won’t have the heart to leave…”
“I don’t know what exactly I’m holding onto, but I know you’ve always been too hard on yourself. Ji Liao, don’t shoulder everything alone. From the first day we met, we promised each other – to go home, back to the home that belongs to us.”