Outside the ICU ward at the city center hospital.
Lin Nianxi changed into sterile clothing and entered the room.
Machines beeped rhythmically, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of disinfectant.
Her grandmother lay on the hospital bed, her withered hand covered in needle marks.
Hearing movement, the elderly woman weakly opened her eyes. Seeing it was Lin Nianxi, a faint light flickered in her cloudy gaze.
“Grandma.” Lin Nianxi walked over, took the old woman’s hand, and pressed her cheek against it.
Wearing an oxygen mask, the grandmother spoke with great effort, her words fragmented: “Xixi… don’t treat me anymore. Grandma’s illness… is a bottomless pit. It can’t be cured… a waste of money.”
Lin Nianxi’s eyes reddened, fighting back tears. Her voice choked with emotion, she said, “Don’t think like that. I’ve already paid all the money. The doctor said once the surgery is done, you can be moved to a regular ward.”
The grandmother caught her breath, her eyes filled with worry: “Where did you get the money? Your uncle and his family…”
“It’s not Uncle’s money,” Lin Nianxi interrupted gently, trying to soothe her. “A wealthy senior from my school lent it to me. I gave her an IOU. I’ll pay it back with interest slowly after I graduate and start working. You just focus on getting better. I’ll handle the money.”
Tears slid from the corners of the grandmother’s eyes into her graying hair.
She squeezed Lin Nianxi’s hand back, her thin lips trembling: “My poor Xixi. A child with no father or mother, enduring so much hardship.”
“Xixi isn’t suffering,” Lin Nianxi said, sitting by the bed and pressing her grandmother’s aged hand against her own cheek. Her voice choked, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. “Grandma is Xixi’s only family. Having Grandma with me makes Xixi very happy.”
“So, Grandma, you have to get better quickly.”
Old Mrs. Lin’s eyes welled up with tears. With difficulty, she gave a faint nod. “Xixi is a good child… For Xixi, Grandma will hold on…”
Speaking was a struggle, each word deliberate: “Grandma just hopes… to see the day Xixi wears a wedding dress… finds someone who truly cares for you.”
“Even if I close my eyes now, I’d be at peace.”
“What are you saying?” Lin Nianxi said, her eyes red, using a tissue to wipe her grandmother’s tears. “You have to stay well. You still have to see me graduate from university, see me get married and have children. No more discouraging talk.”
“Alright,” Old Mrs. Lin replied with a weak smile.
After chatting with her grandmother for a while, the elderly woman, exhausted, fell into a deep sleep again.
Lin Nianxi quietly left the ward and removed the sterile clothing.
She sat down on a bench in the corridor, took out her phone, and looked at the balance in her bank account, letting out a long, heavy sigh.
One million yuan—after paying for the surgery and initial hospitalization fees, half remained.
Soon after, the caregiver she had hired, Auntie Wang, arrived.
Auntie Wang was in her fifties, with a kind face and efficient movements.
Lin Nianxi pulled her aside. “Auntie Wang, I’ll need you to be extra attentive these next few days.”
Lowering her voice, Lin Nianxi instructed, “My grandmother is very weak and can’t be left alone. Also, if Lin Jiancheng, Wang Yun, or someone named Lin Xuewei comes to cause trouble, don’t let them into the ward under any circumstances. If they dare touch the equipment or try to remove the oxygen tube, you must stop them and call the police immediately.”
“If they show up, be sure to call me right away.”
Aunt Wang patted her chest reassuringly. “Don’t worry, miss. I’ve been in this line of work for over a decade and have seen all kinds of difficult family members. The hospital has security guards. If they dare cause trouble, I’ll be the first to stand up to them.”
“Mm, thank you for your hard work.” Lin Nianxi breathed a sigh of relief.
3 p.m. Wutong Lane, Old Town District.
The real estate agent struggled to turn a rusty key in the lock of a worn-out security door.
“Miss Lin, this is the place. The apartment is a bit old, but the rent is cheap—only eight hundred a month. Most importantly, the location is great. It’s not far from Jing University or the city hospital, just a ten-minute ride on a shared bike.”
Lin Nianxi stepped inside. The apartment was small, just a studio of about ten square meters.
There was a wooden plank bed, a wardrobe, a simple gas stove in the corner, and a separate bathroom.
The window faced north, so the lighting was average.
Cramped and shabby, but it was entirely her own space.
No more of Zhao Yun’s harsh insults, no more of Lin Jiancheng’s hypocrisy, and no need to put up with Lin Xuewei’s attitude.
Lin Nianxi checked the plumbing and electrical wiring—both worked fine.
She turned to the agent. “I’ll take this one. I’ll transfer the rent to you via WeChat.”
After signing the rental contract, the agent left the keys and departed.
Lin Nianxi tossed her bag onto the bed, rolled up her sleeves, and started cleaning.
She went downstairs to a general store to buy a basin and rags, filled it with water, and scrubbed the floor and furniture over and over.
After changing the water four or five times, Lin Nianxi was drenched in sweat.
The soreness from being worn out by that man last night now surged through her body.
Especially her lower back and inner thighs—even a slight bend caused sharp aches.
“That bastard man, is he a dog? So much strength,” Lin Nianxi muttered softly, rubbing her lower back.
By the time she finished wiping the table one last time, the sky had darkened.
Lin Nianxi slumped onto the clean bed board, looking at the freshly cleaned little room, and let out a long, relieved sigh.
From today onward, she had her own place to live. No more having to endure the attitudes of Lin Jiancheng’s family.
No more being the Lin family’s unpaid maid, no more being used as a bargaining chip in transactions.
She had hands and feet; she could work at the school cafeteria, tutor, or take on part-time jobs.
As long as her grandmother recovered, she wasn’t afraid of any hardship or exhaustion.
Just then, her stomach growled loudly.
Lin Nianxi realized she hadn’t eaten anything all day.
Leaning against the wall, she forced herself to stand up, planning to go downstairs to the end of the alley and buy a bowl of noodles to fill her stomach.
As soon as she pulled open the security door, the dim motion-sensor light in the hallway flickered on.
A tall, imposing figure stood blocking the doorway.
The man wore a finely tailored, deep black custom-made suit, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist that made the already cramped hallway feel even more confined.
A faint scent of fir filled the corridor.
The man was dignified, aloof, and exuded the powerful aura of someone in a high position.
It was intimidating.
Lin Nianxi froze in place, her gaze lifting to meet a pair of deep, ink-black eyes.
It was the man from last night.
Beside him stood someone who looked like an assistant.
How did he get here? What did he want with her?
Was it… to take back the one million?
Lin Nianxi instinctively took a step back, her hand gripping the doorframe tightly, her voice guarded. “You… how did you find me?”
“Your address wasn’t hard to find,” Huo Jingmo replied calmly.
“The money has already been spent and cannot be refunded.” Lin Nianxi’s slender figure blocked the doorway as she spoke.
Huo Jingmo lowered his gaze to look at the girl before him, who resembled a startled little rabbit.
She was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, her hair casually tied up into a bun at the back of her head. A few stray strands on her forehead were damp with sweat, clinging to her fair cheeks, making her delicate face appear even more porcelain-like and translucent.
His eyes swept over the shabby, humble little room behind her, and Huo Jingmo’s brow furrowed slightly. With a million dollars, she chose to rent such a rundown place to live?
“I don’t need that money.” The man’s voice was deep and magnetic, resonating like the slow, rich tones of a cello.
Lin Nianxi breathed a sigh of relief, but her guard remained up. “Then why have you come to find me?”
Huo Jingmo’s ink-black eyes fixed on her. “To find you and discuss a new deal.”
“A deal?” Lin Nianxi blinked, her almond-shaped eyes, clear and bright, gazing at him.
“I want to marry you.” The man’s voice was steady and resonant, like the measured, lingering notes of a cello.