"Xiang Kui, are you awake?" Tears surged uncontrollably. Anxin felt as though her very soul had been wrenched away, her entire being frozen, kneeling before the motionless figure lying on the ground.
"Ugh—cough—cough—"
A sudden fit of coughing startled her back to reality. Anxin froze for a moment, then her heart surged with joy. Hastily wiping away her tears, she saw the man, who had previously kept his eyes shut, struggle to sit up. "Damn, I thought I was going to suffocate!"
"Xiang Kui—" Anxin, overwhelmed with emotion, threw herself into his arms, her previously wiped-away tears once again streaming freely.
"I'm fine..." Xiang Ri's voice was faint, but seeing the woman weeping with joy, he feigned nonchalance, teasing, "But if you keep holding me like this, I might not die from being hit by a car, but from suffocating in your embrace."
Undeniably, Anxin's arms were incredibly comforting. Xiang Ri found himself reluctant to pull away, though a burning urgency surged within him, an overwhelming desire to release his discomfort. He feared that if he waited any longer, he might lose control and spill blood all over her.
"Ah!" Anxin gasped in shock, finally realizing the situation. She hastily released her grip. "I'll call an ambulance!"
"No need... ugh—" Just as Xiang Ri spoke, he unexpectedly vomited a large amount of blood, startling Anxin, who quickly knelt down beside him. "Xiang Kui, please don't scare me..."
"This time, it's really nothing serious." After expelling the blood, Xiang Ri felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
In truth, he knew his own condition best. Although he had been flung some distance from the impact, the injuries were not as severe as they appeared. The sensation of discomfort was simply the result of being winded. Once he expelled the blood, he felt much better.
This bizarre body of his was something even Xiang Ri found difficult to believe. When he discovered that he could trap high-speed bullets in his flesh, he realized his body had undergone a monumental transformation. Yet, he never imagined it would be so grotesquely unnatural.
"Still claiming you're fine!" Anxin's eyes were swollen with tears, both heartbroken and resentful. She pulled out her phone, continuing to weep.
Seeing her disbelief, Xiang Ri stood up with a swift motion. "Wife, I truly am fine." He followed this by performing a series of impressive, difficult movements to further convince her of the truth.
Seeing the man display such vitality, Anxin felt a slight sense of relief, though she was still taken aback. Shocked by the abnormality of his body, she also rejoiced that he seemingly hadn't suffered any serious injuries. Nevertheless, her concern remained as she pointed to the bloodstains scattered along the ground and the blood he had just vomited. "What about all this blood?"
"Well..." Xiang Ri hesitated momentarily but quickly found a response. "Occasionally spitting blood is beneficial for one's health! See, I'm perfectly fine now, alive and kicking! And not all of this blood is from vomiting. Look..."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand. If there had been any injury, it would have been to his right hand.
Just moments before, as the van suddenly slammed into him, Xiang Ri instinctively reached out his right hand to block the impact. However, he barely had time to extend it before he was sent flying.
Unfortunately, his right hand bore the brunt of the blow. Had he not consciously protected it during the collision, it would have likely been crushed to pulp. Even now, the white bandages wrapped around it were soaked with blood, and a portion had already peeled away, revealing the terrifying sight of exposed bone beneath.
When Anxin saw his hand raised, she finally noticed the blood still oozing from it. Her heart ached unbearably, wishing it were her own body that had suffered instead. "Xiang Kui..." Her tears flowed even more heavily as she spoke.
Xiang Ri quickly reassured her, "Alright, alright, stop crying. If you keep this up, you'll no longer be beautiful. And you should know, your husband here isn't exactly human. Despite these injuries, I'll be fine in just a few days."
A soft laugh escaped Anxin, who had just been crying uncontrollably. With a playful pout and a hint of reproach, she teased, "You're awful! Saying such things at a time like this, I could just die of frustration! No, you're coming with me to the hospital, or you won't be allowed to sleep in my room tonight!"
"Yes, yes..." Xiang Ri quickly nodded, knowing full well that going to the hospital was inevitable. Setting aside Anxin's insistence, even without it, returning home with a hand drenched in blood would surely lead to concern and silent resentment from the other two women at home.
As they were on their way to the hospital, Xiang Ri couldn't shake the thought of who might have tried to end his life.
He was certain that what had just happened was no accident, but a premeditated attempt on his life. The fact that the car hadn't had its headlights on was already suspicious.
Clearly, the person behind it knew his route home, or it would have been too much of a coincidence. Only those who had seen him at the banquet today could have set this up. Even if they hadn't known his exact path, it wouldn't have been hard to find out, given the opportunity he'd had to chat with his two uncles.
At this realization, Xiang Ri's gaze turned cold. He had a good idea of who the mastermind was, and now that he knew, he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate.
One thing, however, made him feel a bit relieved—fortunately, the target of the attack wasn't Anxin. Otherwise, with a body less extraordinary than his own, she might not have survived... Xiang Ri didn't dare dwell on that thought, but his resolve to take revenge only grew stronger.
Despite Xiang Ri repeatedly assuring Anxin that he was fine, she insisted on having him undergo two CT scans before finally allowing the poor man, who wore a wry smile, some peace.
Though still grimacing, Xiang Ri couldn't help but feel moved. He understood that Anxin cared for him. Initially, he had been caught off guard by her sudden confession, but now, he had fully accepted her feelings.
"Doctor, he's truly fine, right?" Anxin asked the doctor after the scans.
"Rest assured! Your boyfriend is in perfect health!" The middle-aged doctor, who appeared a bit chatty, wore a complex expression, his gaze almost fanatical as he looked at Xiang Ri, as though he had just encountered a beautiful woman.
The doctor was astounded. It was the first time he had seen such a flawless body, and he wished he could study it in detail.
He wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply sighed and remarked, "Ah, these young people, so worked up over a little fall..." He shook his head repeatedly, still incredulous—though the reason for his astonishment was known only to him.
Anxin blushed, feeling sensitive about the words "boyfriend," but fortunately, the nosy doctor didn't continue, sparing her any further embarrassment.
After a few more exchanges with the doctor, Anxin asked about any precautions to take. When she was reassured that the injury to the man's right hand was not serious and would only require a month of rest, she finally let go of her worries.
Upon hearing the doctor's advice to prevent further injury by securing the hand with a bandage around his neck, Anxin immediately retrieved a bandage, determined to apply it despite Xiang Ri's protests. No matter what he said, she insisted on securing it.
In the end, Xiang Ri had no choice but to relent, especially when Anxin threatened that he wouldn't be allowed in her room if he didn't comply. He agreed, but he did make a small request: to delay the "dog collar" until tomorrow, so that he wouldn't worry his aunt and apprentice when he returned home.
Anxin, after some thought, agreed.
Little did she know, Xiang Ri was already plotting how to reclaim some control when he entered her bedroom later that night.