Shu Yimo awoke amidst a suffocating ache, opening her tired and heavy eyelids to an unfamiliar environment. Without a second thought for the grogginess in her head, she propped herself up and sat.
Some of her wounds had already been dressed.
After a brief pause, she looked around, her consciousness gradually settling back into place.
Long Chengyu?
She remembered the last face she saw before she had passed out...
Her clothes had been changed into a set of grey casual wear in her size. Shu Yimo thought it through carefully and vaguely recalled that a woman had changed her clothes the night before, had given her an IV, and she could still see the puncture mark on her hand.
"Miss Shu, you're awake!"
At that moment, a delighted voice suddenly came from up ahead.
Shu Yimo looked up to see a maid.
"Hello... how did I..."
Shu Yimo's voice was rough and raspy as she spoke with some difficulty.
"The young master saved you and brought you here. You've had a fever all night. Don't talk now, wash up first, have some breakfast, and then take your medicine."
The maid Ayue quickly helped Shu Yimo to wash up.
"Where is Long Chengyu?"
While tidying her messy hair, Shu Yimo asked.
"The young master seems to have gone out. Miss Shu, have your lunch first. You must be hungry. Then you can take your medicine..."
...
The Lan Residence is Long Chengyu's private villa estate, nestled by the mountains and a lake, with a vast amount of land and an excellent environment.
It wasn't Shu Yimo's first visit here.
The first time she met Long Chengyu was in this place.
The weather outside was still unsettled and surprisingly cold. Shu Yimo sat in the living room, watching the raindrops fall past the floor-to-ceiling windows and felt an inexplicable chill throughout her body.
Ayue brought over water and delivered the medicine to Shu Yimo.
At that moment, the sound of a car driving in could be heard from outside.
Looking towards the sound, Shu Yimo saw a black Cayenne slowly driving in.
"Young master!"
As soon as she saw Long Chengyu coming in, Ayue immediately went up to greet him with respectful address.
Long Chengyu stopped at the door, looked around, and his gaze quickly settled on Shu Yimo sitting on the sofa.
"You may leave."
"Yes, young master!"
Ayue quickly retreated.
Long Chengyu then withdrew his gaze and went straight to the tea room. After pondering for a moment, Shu Yimo also got up and followed.
In the tea room, Long Chengyu had already taken the main seat, skillfully boiling water and making tea, while continuing a phone call. When he saw Shu Yimo walk in, he gestured to the seat opposite him, indicating for her to sit.
Shu Yimo quietly took her seat.
"I understand," Long Chengyu said at last, hanging up the phone.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked, his deep voice emerging with his gaze fixed on Shu Yimo.
Shu Yimo's complexion was still somewhat pale, but she nodded, "Much better, thank you."
"It seems you haven't been living too well these past few years," Long Chengyu remarked, placing his phone aside, pouring a cup of tea, and sliding it over to her.
A hint of sarcasm appeared on Shu Yimo's face, her voice dry and husky, but her tone was calm—
"If you want to mock me too..."
Saying so, she closed her eyes wearily, like a Saint Warrior who had reached the end of her road.
Listening, Long Chengyu's brows furrowed, a complex emotion fleeting in his usually untroubled eyes, and he paused in his movements for a moment before lowering his eyelids and continuing what he was doing.
"To mock you is to mock myself, isn't it?"
Long Chengyu didn't take the words to heart, simply taking a sip of tea.
"Grandfather should have told you, I am already with Fan Lingjue... So our engagement is nothing but a farce now."
A faint smile crept across Shu Yimo's lips as she too reached for her tea...
As her words fell, a glimmer of light flitted across the depths of Long Chengyu's eyes. When he looked up at her, she was staring out the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought.
"A farce?"
He muttered lowly, his gaze lifting with a deep intensity as he said solemnly, "Aren't you two not together?"
Shu Yimo's face stiffened for a moment, and she found herself somewhat at a loss for words. After some time, she replied with self-derision, "You know, the current me has nothing, with a tarnished reputation."
As she spoke, she lowered her head and took a sip of tea, allowing the bitter taste to spread between her lips and teeth.
The luster in Long Chengyu's dark eyes also darkened for a moment, and he remained silent.
"The New Year is coming soon. How long will you stay this time?"
It was only after a long while that Shu Yimo asked in a soft voice.
"I'm in the process of retiring from the military. From now on, I'll always be here."
Long Chengyu responded indifferently, leaning back casually against the chair, "Xiwen mentioned that your injury is quite severe, with a broken rib on the left. You should be careful during this period."
A broken rib?
Shu Yimo subconsciously raised her hand to cover her chest, her face looking a bit pale.
No wonder she felt uncomfortable even breathing, to say nothing of how much worse it was when she coughed.
Shu Yimo turned her head and silently watched him, noticing his complexion was also faintly pale. Only then did she remember what Shi Xian had said, that he seemed to have been injured and had returned home to retire.
Thinking of what to say...
But just as she was pondering, her cell phone in her pocket suddenly vibrated violently.
Shu Yimo quickly took it out; it was a call from Shi Xian. Checking the time, she realized it was nearly three o'clock.
"Shi Xian? Wait half an hour."
After giving some instructions, Shu Yimo hung up the phone and looked at the man opposite her, "May I borrow your car?"
"Can you drive with your injury?" he asked flatly.
"It's alright, it won't hinder me."
Long Chengyu lifted his eyes, gave her a look, and without saying anything further, tossed the car keys to her.
"Thank you. I'll treat you to a meal someday as thanks!"
"I'll be waiting."
As Shu Yimo finished speaking, Long Chengyu nodded in response, not the least bit polite.
Shu Yimo paused for a moment, then took the car keys and left.
...
By the time she arrived at Yelan Restaurant, it was already past three o'clock, and Shu Yimo went straight to the reserved spot.
From afar, she could see the figure in army green sitting by the window.
Dressed in a crisp, military captain's uniform, her long hair elegantly bundled into a neat bun, her beautiful face still wore an indifferent expression, but when she spotted the approaching figure in black, a clear and charming smile emerged.
After two years of not seeing her, she seemed to have become much more profound and seasoned.
Shu Yimo also walked over slowly under her smiling gaze.
"Yimo!"
The smile-filled eyes shimmered with unrestrained tears as she approached Shu Yimo, hastily getting up to embrace her.
A rare ripple swept across Shu Yimo's normally cold and beautiful face as she returned the embrace, gently patting her back and speaking in a hoarse voice, "It's been a long time, Shi Xian!"
Naturally, her tone contained a rare softness.
"It has been a long time indeed, over two years! I was afraid you'd die in prison without even leaving a letter behind. You really are heartless," Shi Xian said reproachfully as she released Shu Yimo, letting her sit down while she called the waiter over to serve the food and drinks.
"Tough life; not so easy to die. There wasn't much to tell from inside. After getting out, isn't it better to talk over a meal, just like now?" Shu Yimo replied calmly, picking up a warm towel to wipe her hands.