Lu Mingyuan’s cold, composed expression shattered.
He lunged forward, grabbing the doctor by the collar. “What do you mean ‘not good’? She was fine just a moment ago. Explain yourself clearly!”
Panic and worry flickered in his usually calm, peach-blossom eyes.
He couldn’t understand—how could someone who was perfectly fine suddenly be in such a critical state?
The girl’s bright, mischievous face was now deathly pale, like a flower on the verge of withering.
Just moments ago, she had worked with him to capture the enemy spy. Yet in the blink of an eye, that lively, clever girl had collapsed…
A sharp pain pierced his heart, and Lu Mingyuan’s calm, dark eyes reddened slightly.
The elderly man on the middle bunk put down his book, watching the scene with pity and a sigh. He gently advised, “Young comrade, her condition is urgent. Let him go first and hear what he has to say.”
“Yes, yes, grabbing me won’t help. Please release me,” the doctor said helplessly.
Though he was used to being grabbed by patients’ families, it was still hard to bear every time.
Lu Mingyuan closed his eyes, taking deep, ragged breaths. When he opened them again, the turbulent emotions had subsided, leaving only slightly reddened rims.
He released his grip, his voice low, cold, and restrained. “I apologize.”
The doctor straightened his crumpled collar. “It’s fine. I understand how you feel.”
Having witnessed too many life-and-death separations, he was accustomed to such situations and wouldn’t truly take offense.
“This female comrade has severe myocardial ischemia. Did she often go hungry as a child? Severe malnutrition led to anemia, and prolonged insufficient blood supply to the heart can cause angina, weakness, irritability, dizziness, and other symptoms.”
Severe malnutrition? Myocardial ischemia?
How could that be? Wasn’t she the little tyrant who caused trouble everywhere in the Ji family?
How could she have gone hungry?
Lu Mingyuan’s gaze grew complex. Su Nuannuan, what have you been through?
“Huh?” The doctor’s expression changed abruptly. He stepped forward quickly, lifted Su Nuannuan’s arm, and rolled up her sleeve.
Dense, crisscrossing scars covered her slender arm.
Gasps echoed in the compartment. Even the man next door, who had been sleeping with his eyes closed, frowned and sat up.
The elderly man on the middle bunk looked grim. “This girl must have suffered long-term abuse. Judging by those scars, they were accumulated over years. How old was she back then? To treat a child so cruelly is utterly inhumane—beastly!”
The doctor rolled up her other sleeve, revealing the same scar-ridden skin.
Frowning, he was about to lift the back of Su Nuannuan’s clothes when Lu Mingyuan stopped his hand, his eyes bloodshot. “Don’t look. Her back is the same.”
Though the lighting had been dim that night, he had glimpsed the pale, old scars in a fleeting glance.
The Ji family… how admirable.
No wonder Ji Xiao had suddenly changed his attitude toward her, granting her every request—it was an attempt to make amends.
The doctor’s expression turned grave. “This is no ordinary abuse. Given the severity of these scars, it’s clear someone wanted her dead. Surviving in such conditions—she’s incredibly lucky.”
An ordinary person would have been driven mad long ago. Yet she had even managed to marry.
Lu Mingyuan’s voice was hoarse. “I know. I won’t let those who hurt her get away with it.”
Even the Ji family must pay for what they’ve done.
If he remembered correctly, Su Nuannuan was the orphan of a martyr. For the Ji family to dare abuse a martyr’s orphan was an extremely heinous act—it must be reported to the organization.
As for Ji Xiao, sharing the same roof, his turning a blind eye to this matter was negligence.
The doctor opened the medical kit and took out a bottle of medicine. “This is medication to alleviate myocardial ischemia. You should feed her ten pills at a time, three times a day. Try to avoid heavy labor in the future and focus on recuperation. She should be able to recover, as young people tend to bounce back quickly.”
“Mm, thank you.”
After seeing the doctor off, Lu Mingyuan half-lifted Su Nuannuan, poured out ten pills, and brought them to her lips. “Take your medicine.”
His movements were clumsy, yet carried a subtle gentleness.
Su Nuannuan instinctively opened her mouth.
After taking the medicine, her consciousness sank back into darkness.
Within the consciousness space, one person and one pig faced each other across the room.
Su Nuannuan sat on the sofa like a queen, arms crossed, humming a tune leisurely.
The System rolled its eyes. You’re clearly fine now, why aren’t you waking up?
Su Nuannuan tapped her fingers on the sofa armrest, a sly smile on her face. No rush. The longer I stay unconscious, the more disgusted Lu Mingyuan will become with the Ji family. The doctor has already exposed how the Ji family mistreated me. Now, we just wait for the show to begin.
System: Ji Xiao and Lu Mingyuan are sworn brothers who’ve been through life and death together. How do you know he’ll definitely move against the Ji family for you?
Su Nuannuan wagged her finger. Not quite. Lu Mingyuan is first and foremost a soldier, and only then is he Ji Xiao’s brother. When it comes to matters of right and wrong, if he can’t distinguish clearly, he wouldn’t deserve to be the male lead of this world.
The book clearly stated that Lu Mingyuan hated evil as if it were his personal enemy, righteous to an almost extreme degree.
Ji Chuan was the commander, the top authority in the Haishi military district. Trying to take him down alone would be too much effort.
Since there was leverage to be used, why should she waste her own energy?
The original host had lived with the Ji family for eight years, her only reliance being Ji Chuan. Yet, he had never once believed her. His repeated denial and distrust were the root causes that pushed the original host into the abyss.
So he was not innocent.
Su Nuannuan lay sideways on the sofa, her curves accentuated, a hint of seductiveness beginning to show.
Her long, raven-black eyelashes fluttered slightly as her almond-shaped eyes closed.
Don’t disturb me. I’m going to sleep for a bit.
She had played Landlord all night and was exhausted.
The System pursed its lips and obediently squatted to the side, none of the arrogance it had shown during their first meeting remaining.
This Host’s mind was as cunning as a demon’s, thinking ten steps ahead with every move. She had actually planned all her escape routes as early as when she saw that woman, utilizing everything she could to maximize her own interests.
Peering through the light screen at the male lead’s bloodshot eyes outside, the pig shook its head.
Ah, poor man. Even ten of you wouldn’t be a match for the Host.
While Su Nuannuan slept soundly, she was unaware that danger was approaching.
Three men in leather jackets walked down the corridor, their sinister gazes sweeping over the elderly man lying on the middle bunk.
The three exchanged subtle nods and, taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, slipped into the restroom.
“Target confirmed.”
“The next stop is the capital. We’ll arrive in half an hour. We don’t have much time left.”
“The other side’s defenses are too tight. We came with thirty people, and now only three of us are left. Boss, should we retreat?” One of them felt a surge of fear.
He was an undercover agent planted in China by the Empire. Over a dozen years had passed, and he had married, had children, and grown accustomed to a peaceful life. Who would still want to engage in such a bloody business?
His wife and children were waiting for him; naturally, he didn’t want to die.
The bald leader glared at him viciously. “If you want your son dead, go ahead and back out. The higher-ups have given a kill order: the day Sun Aiguo sets foot in the capital is the day we die. It’s either him or us, understand?”
The man gritted his teeth in fury. “But the three of us can’t even get close to Sun Aiguo. How are we supposed to take his life? Unless… we blow up this train car.”
“Then blow it up!”
The bald man carefully took out an oil-paper package from his chest. “This is a newly developed gravity-sensitive bomb from the island country. It’ll explode the moment the train slows down.”
The train sped along the tracks, with no one noticing that the ventilation shaft beneath the restroom had been opened. The three men silently installed the bomb and then calmly returned to their seats as if nothing had happened.
Twenty minutes later, a piercing cry echoed through the train. “My child! My child is gone! My baby is missing! How can I go on living without my child…”
Chaos erupted in the train car.
No one saw the three men jump off the train amid the confusion.
[Ding! Ding! Ding! Alert! Alert! Host’s life is in danger. Please evacuate immediately. The System has already planned an escape route for the Host.]
A sharp alarm suddenly blared in Su Nuannuan’s mind.