Night falls.
Song Jie is secretly sent away.
Yan Liang stands by the floor-to-ceiling window in the study, her slender fingers absently tracing the diamond ring Qin Jiang gave her.
She has a graceful figure, but her back now seems a bit solitary and desolate.
Zhou Ning stands carefully to the side. The medication from Dr. Manke has worn off, and the young lady's condition is not looking good.
The senior medical team treating the young lady has advised her to spend three months abroad for treatment. Otherwise, considering the curse that the Yan family's daughters don't live past 25, Yan Liang might lose another two years of her life.
Yan Liang learned this a month ago.
But she has remained calm and has not considered leaving.
Zhou Ning knows it's because Qin Jiang is still here. She can't bear to leave.
But she also can't tell Qin Jiang about her condition.
Otherwise, he'd run away faster.
Qin Jiang doesn't care about Yan Liang's life or death.
If she dies, it's just an opportunity for him to escape.
"Ms. Liang, you haven't slept for three days."
"I should have Dr. Manke come and hypnotize you."
"Otherwise, you might lose control again in about an hour…"
Zhou Ning has been with Yan Liang for five years and sees her as family.
His concern now is sincere.
However, Yan Liang has never opened up her heart to him.
"Go get chains and lock me up."
"I'll walk into the basement myself. Just lock the door so no one else can get in."
Yan Liang lightly lifts her eyelids, her calm tone carrying an authoritative edge. Her methods are always ruthless, but she is even more ruthless with herself.
Every time she loses control, she emerges from the basement covered in wounds and blood.
That's from when she cuts herself with a scythe to maintain her final moments of sanity and return to being a normal person.
"Miss, Zhou Ning begs you."
"Go abroad for treatment."
"Continuing like this will only wear out your body further. You're still so young. If you die, no matter how much you tie Qin Jiang down, it won't help."
Zhou Ning tries to use Qin Jiang to persuade Yan Liang, knowing how important he is to her.
Indeed, Yan Liang's cold eyes flicker before she breaks into a familiar, bloody madness:
"Then kill him and bury him with me…"
"I can't leave him, and I can't stand him being with another woman. I want to kill him before I die, making him completely mine, with his body and soul branded with my name, fused with me…"
Yan Liang's red lips seem like blood, her eyes constantly tearing apart with crimson.
Zhou Ning is scared and quickly goes to get the chains.
But just as he leaves, a figure boldly pushes open the study door and walks in.
Qin Jiang enters, holding a bowl of snow lotus and bird's nest soup.
In the Yan family, only Qin Jiang is allowed to enter any place in Liangyue Manor without permission.
"Did you bring the chains?"
"Help me cuff myself."
Yan Liang is facing away from the door. Under the heavy pressure, her mental state is being torn apart, and the overwhelming pain makes her unable to notice who's coming behind her.
Qin Jiang places the soup bowl on the desk, looking a bit puzzled.
In his previous life, Yan Liang would disappear for a period every month, and that's when he would steal Yan family's confidential documents and lead them to ruin.
Later, while lying on a dark bed and being drained, he vaguely learned from Bai Chuchu that Yan Liang was seriously ill.
The rumor that women from the Yan family don't live past 25 almost turned out to be true.
Qin Jiang remembers that Yan Liang was indeed much weaker back then compared to now.
Thinking of this, he can't help but feel heartache.
A woman's health needs nurturing.
No matter how long Yan Liang can hold on, he will stay by her side and figure out the cause of her illness.
This time, he will personally pull her back to life.
"小乖" (Little Cutie).
Qin Jiang suddenly speaks, a term of endearment that feels unfamiliar and awkward to Yan Liang.
But she just pauses for a moment, then her eyes light up, and she turns to look.
"Ah Jiang?"
"What are you doing here?"
Yan Liang's red lips tremble slightly, feeling a bit lost.
She was about to lose control again, and time was running out... She feared she might hurt Qin Jiang and make him scared of her again, causing him to run away.
"Did you forget? We promised to sleep together every night. How can I be with you if you don't come back to the room?"
Qin Jiang stepped forward, his tall frame gently enclosing Yan Liang.
Yan Liang is very slender. Even though she's 165 cm tall, she looks petite and cute next to Qin Jiang's 188 cm height.
Her waist is so tiny that he could almost span it with one hand.
Qin Jiang couldn't help but frown. He needed to get her to gain some weight, at least enough so that holding her would be more comfortable—right now, it's a bit too bony.
But Yan Liang's figure is actually quite good.
She's thin where she should be, and has ample curves where she should, very alluring.
Now, holding the warm, fragrant Yan Liang in his arms, Qin Jiang looked down at her with concern, almost feeling a nosebleed coming on.
The scent of the beautiful woman enveloped him. Yan Liang looked up at him with a dreamy gaze, her prideful and beautiful face incredibly tempting.
Damn it!
This isn't the time to be distracted.
He lowered his gaze, took Yan Liang's hand, and helped her sit down on the leather chair.
"小乖 (Little Cutie), your body is weak, you need to get some nourishment."
"This is snow lotus and bird's nest soup I cooked for two hours. I'll feed you some."
Seeing Yan Liang's exhausted face, Qin Jiang felt a pang of sadness. In his past life, he never paid attention to her health, only thinking it would be a relief if she were gone.
But now, he wanted to protect her!
He himself had never been loved or taken seriously in his original family.
He understands the sorrow of being unloved.
But Yan Liang has always cared deeply for him, and he wants to give her better love in return.
He couldn't let her keep giving without receiving.
"Okay."
Yan Liang nodded obediently. In front of Qin Jiang, even though she was a cold and venomous snake, she would sheathe her fangs and cling to him sweetly.
Seeing his reassurance having an effect, Qin Jiang fed her the soup, then moved behind her, placing a hand on her head…
"What are you doing, Qin Jiang?"
"Stop! Don't hurt the young lady!"
At this moment, Zhou Ning came back with the chains, and Steward Xu anxiously followed.
They were shocked by the "heart-stopping" scene they saw.
Steward Xu was almost scared to the point of fainting.
Old Xu: Oh no, Qin Jiang has finally lost it. He's planning to kidnap the young lady!
This is bad; if the young lady really goes berserk, Liangyue Manor might need a complete renovation!
Old Xu instinctively touched his bulletproof vest he bought with several months' worth of salary.
Well… it's soft and quite reassuring.
But he wasn't a selfish person. He quickly pulled out another bulletproof vest from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Ning, saying, "Xiao Zhou, put this on. Old Xu will protect you!"
Zhou Ning: "…"
He ignored Steward Xu, the situation changed too quickly. He had already drawn his gun and aimed it at Qin Jiang's head.
As if daring Qin Jiang to make another move, he would blow his head off.
Of course, he didn't have the guts to actually kill Qin Jiang.
But his stance had to be firm.
Qin Jiang, unfazed by the scene, placed his fingers on Yan Liang's pressure points, applying firm and precise massage.
Under the warm, strong pressure of his fingers, Yan Liang's tense nerves began to relax.
She raised her hand, signaling Zhou Ning to lower his gun.
And for Steward Xu, who had a big kitchen knife hidden and ready to throw…
"Leave. I trust Ah Jiang."
It was trust, and also handing her life over to him without regret.
"…" Zhou Ning and Steward Xu: Ugh, Qin Jiang is like a male Daji, isn't he?
Young lady, you're so confused~~
(Qin Jiang: Whether you say it or not, let's keep it civil for everyone's sake.)