Xin Yi was coughing violently, her frail body shuddering with each rasping breath. "Cough… cough…" Her chest heaved as she lay on the sterile bed, her pale face drenched in sweat.
Qin Lianyi approached hurriedly, her brows furrowed with worry. She placed a cool hand on Xin Yi's burning forehead and whispered softly, though her voice trembled, "Xin Yi, your condition isn't good. Are you feeling worse?"
Xin Yi weakly turned her head toward Qin Lianyi, her lips pale. "I'm fine…" Her voice was barely a whisper, but she forced a weak smile to reassure her doctor.
Ignoring the response, Qin Lianyi helped Xin Yi sit up, gently adjusting the pillows behind her. She handed her a glass of water, her hands shaking. "Here, take a sip," she urged softly.
Xin Yi took two small gulps, her trembling hands barely holding the glass steady, before returning it to Qin Lianyi. Just as she handed it back, a sudden stream of blood began to trickle from her nose.
"Xin Yi!" Qin Lianyi gasped in alarm. She quickly grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and pressed it against Xin Yi's nose. Her movements were quick but gentle, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "This is happening because you're getting weaker… weaker every day," she said, her voice cracking with despair. A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked at the young girl, who seemed so fragile and helpless.
Xin Yi tried to shake her head, her voice feeble but firm. "It's just a fever. Really… it's nothing serious," she mumbled, her breath uneven.
Before Qin Lianyi could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the moment. A lab staff member entered the room and addressed Qin Lianyi with a curt tone. "Miss Lei Xian is calling for you."
Qin Lianyi's heart sank, but she forced herself to nod. She leaned down, brushing a stray strand of hair from Xin Yi's clammy forehead. "I'll be right back, okay? You rest. Don't move too much," she said softly, her voice heavy with guilt.
Xin Yi nodded weakly, her eyes closing as her body trembled despite the thick blanket covering her.
Qin Lianyi followed the staff member, her steps hesitant as they walked through the sterile corridors of the lab. The staff member stopped in front of a large oak door, which led to Lei Xian's private library.
Steeling herself, Qin Lianyi stepped inside. The air was heavy with the scent of old books and power, the room illuminated by a dim chandelier. Lei Xian sat behind a grand, organized desk, her fingers tapping rhythmically on its polished surface. Her cold, calculating gaze met Qin Lianyi's as she entered.
"How is she?" Lei Xian asked, her tone devoid of emotion, as if she were inquiring about the weather.
Qin Lianyi clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "How do you expect her to be?" she snapped, unable to contain her anger. "After you've drained every ounce of nutrients from her for your pharmaceutical experiments… she's gravely ill! Please, let me take her to a general hospital. She needs real treatment, not more experiments!"
Lei Xian's expression didn't soften in the slightest. In fact, she leaned back in her chair, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "It seems like she's getting weaker, doesn't it?" she mused, her tone laced with mock concern. "Hmm… what should I do now?"
Qin Lianyi's anger boiled over. She slammed her hands on the desk, her voice rising. "Are you even human? You've used that girl for your personal gain, earning millions from the medicines created from her cells and blood. And now, she's sick because of you! You've ruined her life! You—"
"Enough," Lei Xian interrupted coldly, her voice sharp and cutting. "Spare me the theatrics. Huan Yong wasn't her biological mother, and you know that. That girl was created for this purpose, and now that she's useless, she's nothing more than a liability."
Qin Lianyi's breath hitched. "Useless?" she repeated, her voice trembling with disbelief. "She's a human being, not some… tool you can discard when you're done!"
Lei Xian's smirk grew colder. "Oh, but I've made up my mind. The shareholders' meeting is the day after tomorrow at Paradise Hotel. I've decided to auction off her organs."
Qin Lianyi staggered back as if she'd been struck. "Auction… her organs?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lei Xian rose from her chair, her presence towering and menacing. "Her brain is the only part I need to restart the Alpha Human experiment. The rest of her body is worthless to me. But the shareholders will pay handsomely for her organs. It's a win-win."
Qin Lianyi stared at her in shock, tears streaming down her face. "You're a monster," she choked out. "You're planning to start that cursed experiment again? How many lives have to be destroyed before you're satisfied? I won't let you—"
"Don't be so dramatic," Lei Xian interrupted, brushing past her as if her words meant nothing. "And one more thing," she added, her tone low and threatening. "I no longer need your services after tomorrow. Don't bother coming back. And before you get any ideas about stopping me…" She paused, turning to look directly into Qin Lianyi's tear-streaked face. "Think about your daughter. Think about Wang Xiaoxue. Think about your husband. Are their lives worth risking?"
With that, Lei Xian swept out of the room, leaving Qin Lianyi standing there, frozen and devastated. Tears blurred her vision as her mind raced, the memories of past experiments flooding back—the hidden jungle lab, the countless victims, the lifeless bodies of young girls discarded like trash.
Her heart ached with helplessness, but a flicker of determination burned within her. I can't let this happen again, she thought, wiping her tears. I have to save Xin Yi, no matter the cost.....