Grandpa Qi's face almost blossomed into a smile. That boy, he hadn't seen him getting close to any other woman before. So, he liked this kind of girl, huh? Makes sense. Cassie was smart and beautiful, how could anyone not like her? Qi Grandfather was extremely pleased. This time, not only did his grandson's legs have a solution, but there also seemed to be hope for the future.
Dr. Thomson, the attending physician from Germany, quickly evaluated Qi Yan's legs and formulated a series of treatment plans. When Cassie returned to his room, numerous rehabilitation equipment had already been arranged.
The room was quite empty, presenting an overall cool gray-blue tone, devoid of emotions, much like its owner. With the introduction of equipment, the room's space immediately shrank.
This was the first day of rehabilitation. Cassie was working on math problems while Qi Yan stood in front of the equipment, touching his numb legs.
Four months had passed, enough for him to become accustomed to the numbness below his thighs. Enough for him to despise himself, blending into the darkness.
He recalled many things.
In his childhood, his biological father was indifferent, and his biological mother cried all day long. He never knew if a woman with a pregnancy test report would show up the next day.
His weak-willed mother had no ability to end this scene. She was just a tool carefully cultivated by the aristocracy for arranged marriages, marrying a business partner with excellent genes and upbringing. Then they lived a polite life together.
She had only done one bold thing in her life—ending her own life with sleeping pills.
At that time, he envied her a little. After all, she could let go freely, leaving this home without a care. Since then, he got used to controlling everything, turning the unknown into an inevitability.
Except for this year, an unexpected incident almost cast a shadow over his life.
But all of that was over now.
His life was about to restart.
He would reclaim his world, and then...
His gaze fell on Cassie.
The girl, engrossed in solving math problems with her back to him, hadn't noticed his intense gaze.
He smiled silently.
She didn't need to know about all this.
Both of them would have to wait.
March, one hundred days countdown to the college entrance examination.
The weather was already mild, and the temperature drop wasn't significant, but a slight chill could be felt when walking outside.
Qi Yan's rehabilitation had been going on for five months. Cassie's time here also passed a full five months.
These days, Qi Yan was discussing a project and hadn't come to pick her up. He left two days ago, and there was no sign of him returning.
Sitting in the living room, enjoying the midnight snack prepared by the housekeeper when Qi Yan pushed the door open.
Grandpa Qi's appearances were becoming increasingly rare. Dr. Thomson occasionally visited, but the butler and housekeeper were like mythical creatures, rarely seen. The villa now seemed to have only the two of them.
Seeing him come in, the bright eyes of the young girl lit up, "Qi Yan!"
The rehabilitation process was tedious and lengthy. Although it had been ongoing for some time, Qi Yan still needed a wheelchair.
With five months of trust-building, the girl gradually developed a dependence on him. It was an excellent environment—spacious, without extra people, and he was her only support in the vast villa.
Moreover, she was preparing for the college entrance examination, and he was undergoing rehabilitation. Two people working tirelessly towards their goals at night easily developed a sense of resonance. It made the young girl even more attached to him, erasing the initial politeness and distance.
He quietly arranged all of this.
Qi Yan didn't like challenges and the unknown. However, he was skilled at casting a net, and anyone he targeted as prey had no chance of escaping his grasp.
She put down the bowl, took the initiative to push his wheelchair, and couldn't help but yawn. Today, she had three exams in a row, from daytime exams to evening self-study, making her as busy as a spinning top, without any intention of stopping. She was exhausted.
It was because the exams took up the time of the evening self-study, and after returning home, she still had to complete her homework. Then, because she had developed a biological clock, she habitually stayed awake until after midnight, keeping her body awake at this time.
Suddenly, Qi Yan called, "Cassie."
Cassie looked over.
He held her hand, brought her in front of him, and said, "Sit down."
Cassie: "Huh?"
The man's lips curved slightly, his tone revealing a softness that was hard to conceal, "Sit on my lap."
This... seemed a bit inappropriate?
Before Cassie could react, the man had already made a decision for her, encircling her waist and placing her in his lap.
The sensation on her legs was soft and real, as if it were a signal.
His breath became slightly erratic, and the Adam's apple rolled slightly. Before the girl could struggle, he grabbed her hand and touched his leg.
"I can feel," he said, "your hand."
Cassie looked at him happily, "You..."
"Yes," Qi Yan smiled reservedly, the curve of his lips unchanged, and his usual indifferent tone now carried a hint of calmness, "I can feel my legs now."
Great!
Five months of effort wasn't in vain!
With other things diverting her attention, she overlooked the fact that she was still sitting on his lap, focusing more on his current situation, "How much more rehabilitation do you need?"
Dr. Thomson's expected recovery time was one year, and now it had been five months. This was the most optimistic scenario, and it seemed that everything was progressing in the best direction.
Qi Yan then said, "About half a year."
The young girl hugged his neck, her tone very jubilant, "That's great!"
She rarely showed such openly joyful emotions.
Infected by her emotions, Qi Yan couldn't help but smile.
He wanted his legs to recover more than ever.
To be able to hold her silently and unrestrainedly.
Not like now, even though the person was in his arms, he couldn't show too much emotion to avoid frightening her.
The trust he had built up in five months couldn't be squandered by a moment of impulse.
Qi Yan was an extremely patient person.
Just like that matter, he was willing to be silent day by day, waiting for the situation to slowly ferment to a certain extent, until the time was ripe, then he would change the direction of things.
And with Cassie, his strategy was the same.
Now, her focus was on the college entrance examination, and he wouldn't let her be distracted.
But he would gradually infiltrate her life, little by little.