The office door creaked open, a man lost in thought,
Head buried in his palms, with battles silently fought.
"Dr. Mu... Dr. Mu..." the nurse's voice did call,
He lifted his head, returning from his mental thrall.
"When did you come in?" he asked, his voice a weary sigh,
"Just now," she replied, concern in her eye.
"Are you alright? These are the test results," she said,
He stood, shaking his head, feeling heavy as lead.
"Leave them here, I'm going home, I can't see patients today,
I'm not feeling well," he murmured, his spirit in disarray.
"But Dr. Mu, there's a meeting for the hospital's new head,
You're the president now," she gently said.
"Postpone it to next week," he replied, his voice low,
And with that, he left, his steps heavy and slow.
In the bustling mall, Meng Xian reached for a bottle high,
But her hands couldn't grasp it, no matter how she tried.
A man approached, with a kind and gentle air,
"Let me help you," he said, lifting the bottle with care.
She smiled, "Thank you," her gratitude sincere,
"You're welcome," he replied, his voice calm and clear.
As he turned to leave, she called out, "Excuse me, please,"
He turned back, "How can I help you?" with ease.
She touched her hair, a shy smile on her face,
"May I know your name?" she asked with grace.
"I'm Mu Xilian, but you can call me Xilian," he said,
She wanted to ask more, but her courage fled.
"Thank you, Xilian," she managed to say,
"I'm Meng Xian," and with that, he walked away.
At the Jing villa, sorrow filled the air,
Mrs. Jing lay ill, her heart heavy with despair.
Mr. Jing held her hand, his voice a soothing balm,
"Li Man, don't worry, Jingning will come back, stay calm."
Tears streamed down her face, her voice a broken plea,
"But is she safe? Is she suffering? Is she free?"
"Li Man, she's fine," he said, though his heart was torn,
Each word a lie, his soul worn and worn.
He tried to believe, to hold onto hope tight,
But the lack of news turned day into night.
No word from the police, no sign of their girl,
In the silence, their fears continued to swirl.
———-
Mu Chen approached the old warehouse, his heart pounding with each step. The night was eerily quiet, the only sound the distant lapping of water against the docks. He paused at the entrance, taking a deep breath before stepping inside.
The warehouse was dimly lit, shadows dancing on the walls. Mu Chen's eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Jingning. Suddenly, a voice echoed through the space.
"You're brave to come alone," the voice said, cold and mocking. "But bravery won't save her."
Mu Chen's fists clenched. "Where is she? Let her go!"
A figure emerged from the shadows, the man in the black hoodie. He smirked, pointing to a corner of the room. There, tied to a chair, was Jingning. Her eyes widened in relief and fear as she saw Mu Chen.
"Mu Chen!" she cried out, her voice trembling.
"Jingning, I'm here," he said, his voice steady. "I'll get you out of this."
The man in the hoodie laughed. "Not so fast. You see, my master has plans for you both. But first, let's see how much you care for her."
He pulled out a knife, the blade glinting in the dim light. Mu Chen's heart raced. He had to act fast. Without thinking, he lunged at the man, knocking the knife from his hand. They struggled, the sound of their fight echoing through the warehouse.
Jingning watched in horror, her heart pounding. She struggled against her bonds, desperate to help. As the men fought, she noticed a piece of broken glass on the floor nearby. She stretched her leg, managing to kick it closer.
With trembling hands, she picked up the glass and began sawing at the ropes binding her wrists. The fight continued, Mu Chen and the man exchanging blows. Finally, with a surge of strength, Mu Chen overpowered him, knocking him unconscious.
Breathing heavily, Mu Chen rushed to Jingning, helping her cut the last of the ropes. She threw her arms around him, tears streaming down her face.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
"We need to get out of here," Mu Chen said, his voice urgent. "There might be more of them."
They hurried towards the exit, but just as they reached the door, another figure appeared. It was the master, his face twisted in anger.
"You think you can escape?" he snarled. "You're not going anywhere."
Mu Chen stepped in front of Jingning, ready to protect her at all costs. But before the master could make a move, the sound of sirens filled the air. The police had arrived.
The master cursed, turning to flee, but the officers were too quick. They surrounded him, weapons drawn. Mu Chen and Jingning were finally safe.
As they were escorted out of the warehouse, Jingning clung to Mu Chen, her heart still racing. "I was so scared," she whispered.
"I know," he replied, holding her close. "But we're safe now. And we'll face whatever comes next together."