Early summer, Sea City.
Mu Lan clutching a document bag drove towards the Empire Building, it contained the drafted divorce agreement.
Throughout the journey, Mu Lan's expression was calm, showing no signs that she was a woman about to get divorced.
At eighteen, Mu Lan had tried everything to marry Huo Tingxiao. Seven years had passed, and she thought even a stone would have warmed up by then.
Unfortunately, no matter what she did, Huo Tingxiao treated her as if she were air, just as he had said those years ago, "You will only get the title of Mrs. Huo, nothing more."
Pale fingers gripped the steering wheel, and during the drive, she received a call. Whatever the other person said, Mu Lan got distracted. To avoid a pedestrian suddenly crossing the road, she instinctively made a sharp turn, causing her white Maserati to spin out of control and crash into the roadside railing.
With a "bang", the airbag deployed instantly!
The huge impact buzzed in her head, the sudden car crash drew more and more onlookers.
"There's someone in the car, call 120 quickly."
"My gosh, she's bleeding so much, the lady looks badly hurt."
"Miss, miss, can you hear me speak? Can you tell me your family's contact information?"
Mu Lan's vision was blurry; she could only see the mouths of the people around her moving, but couldn't hear their voices.
Her mind was filled with the words the person on the phone had said, continuously agitating Mu Lan.
Suddenly, her eyelids uncontrollably drooped, and the next second, she lost consciousness entirely.
---------------
The next morning.
High-level surgical ward at the First People's Hospital.
Standing beside the bed, the man frowned deeply at the still-unconscious Mu Lan.
Upon receiving the news of Mu Lan's car accident and hospitalization, Huo Tingxiao did not rush back immediately but waited until he had finished all his work before arriving at the hospital.
His physique was tall and straight, wrapped in a dark shirt, and his features were sharp, especially his eyes, which, when looking at someone, resembled a black panther locking onto its prey, emitting an intimidating aura.
"Why hasn't she woken up yet?"
The tone was as cold as an ice-pick, scaring the attending physician behind him into shivering.
"Huo... Mr. Huo, Mrs. Huo's condition is somewhat special; the car accident caused a head impact, thus forming a clot, so..."
Before he could finish explaining, Mu Lan showed signs of response on the bed.
This made the attending physician sigh with relief; thank goodness, if she hadn't woken up, he really feared that Huo Tingxiao would freeze him to death with his gaze.
However, before his heart could settle, a new crisis emerged.
Mu Lan moved slightly, and involuntarily let out a moan from her lips.
"Hiss..."
Headache!
She slowly opened her eyes, looking bewildered at the entirely unfamiliar surroundings. Mu Lan's mind blanked for a moment.
The white ceiling, the faint smell of disinfectant in the air, and certain fragmented images momentarily flashed through her mind. Her gaze landed on the unfamiliar man before her, and instinctively, Mu Lan became somewhat defensive.
"This... Where is this?
Sir, you... who are you?"
Sir?!
This term made Huo Tingxiao's already furrowed brow look even more twisted.
The doctor was also confused by the situation in front of him, a bad premonition swirling in his mind.
He held out two fingers in front of Mu Lan and waved them.
"What is this?"
Mu Lan couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"2"
"What's your name?"
"Mu Lan."
"And him... who is he?"
"I don't recognize him."
Huo Tingxiao's face completely darkened, already somewhat unapproachable, now he looked even more like King Yama.
The attending physician, on the verge of tears, wondered if this was some kind of stunt Mrs. Huo was pulling during an argument.
"Then do you remember what happened before?"
"Of course I remember. I felt awful with menstrual pain during the comprehensive science exam this morning, and I fainted right after I finished the answer sheet..."
Mu Lan sat up, her tone already somewhat impatient.
What was with this doctor, asking her all these unnecessary questions.
"Exam... Comprehensive science? Filling in an answer sheet?"
This answer baffled the attending physician.
Of course, seeing him like this, Mu Lan was even more confused.
"Yes, it's the second day of college entrance exams today, the comprehensive science test in the morning. This... isn't this the school infirmary?"
"Mu Lan, enough, this act is really boring."
The tone of Huo Tingxiao's voice made Mu Lan frown and retort sharply.
"Who are you, sir? Speaking so rudely. What's this about boring or not boring?
Glancing at the wall clock, Mu Lan, in a rush, pulled out the IV needle from her hand and attempted to get out of bed.
"It's already noon, and I still have an English exam at three. I don't have time to dilly-dally with you all."
But she had barely lifted the corner of the blanket when Huo Tingxiao restrained her, the difference in strength rendering her completely immobile, crouching on the hospital bed like a small quail.
Their distance suddenly so close they could feel each other's breath, Mu Lan staring blankly at the handsome face before her, the complex emotions in Huo Tingxiao's eyes deep as dark pools, almost seeming to suck her in completely, leaving her momentarily disoriented.
The situation was completely unexpected, frightening the attending physician into hastily arranging a series of tests for her.
But just after the CT scan, Mu Lan protested.
"What's wrong with you people? I just have menstrual pain, I don't need any tests. If you delay any longer, what if I'm late and can't take the exam? Can you all just let me be?
Hey! Why are you carrying me?! Ah! Help! Kidnapping! Is there no law anymore?!"
The attending physician secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, pondering to himself — law? In Sea City, the law is Huo Tingxiao.
After the examination, Mu Lan was taken back to the ward by the bodyguards, while Huo Tingxiao was led to the consultation room, where five or six specialists and the dean surrounded the new CT and lab reports, discussing her condition.
The conclusion reached was — Mu Lan might have lost her memory.
"Memory loss?"
A tone full of skepticism.
Clearly, Huo Tingxiao did not accept this conclusion.
"To be precise, it might be dissociative amnesia, as Mrs. Huo's memories have stopped on June 8th seven years ago, meaning her memories halted before she turned 18. We aren't sure whether the condition is caused by a blood clot in Mrs. Huo's head or psychological factors... Our suggestion is for you both to engage in deep communication first to see if it helps with recovery. If there's no progress, hospitalization for observation of the blood clot while undergoing psychological therapy is recommended."
The dean, the one speaking, was indeed adept at his choice of words, skillfully using 'might' throughout and subtly hinting to Huo Tingxiao that Mu Lan might be feigning amnesia.
"Of course, if you choose to leave the hospital, that's also possible, as Mrs. Huo doesn't have any other parts needing treatment."
"I want her discharged."
Before the words were finished, Huo Tingxiao had already stood up and left the consultation room.
However, before he could return to the ward, he was met halfway by the hurried assistant, He.
"Mr. Huo, it's bad, the lady has disappeared.