Chapter 4 — When the Ex Returns

The Jeep had no time to swerve, crashing headlong into the wall under demolition. The structure collapsed in an instant. In that terrifying heartbeat, Fu Tu Shen lunged toward Gu Xiao without a second’s hesitation. Lin Shi Xia’s right leg was crushed beneath the heavy masonry. She tried to call out to him, her voice trembling, "Fu Tu Shen, please, save me... I beg you..."

But he seemed not to hear her. Using his own body to shield her, he broke through the remaining door frame and carried the unconscious Gu Xiao away. Lin Shi Xia felt a numbness spreading from her heart, and as the pain became unbearable, the world around her faded into a suffocating blackness.

In the operating room, the agony pulled Lin Shi Xia back into consciousness. A bone-chilling cold radiated from her lower body, making her tremble uncontrollably. Just as the doctor prepared to increase the dosage of anesthetic, the guards under Fu Tu Shen’s command burst through the door, forcing their way inside.

"Commander Fu has regained consciousness. He has ordered all medical staff to report immediately to the operating theater of Comrade Gu Xiao!"

The doctor assigned to Lin Shi Xia hesitated, his brow furrowed. "But this comrade's injuries are far more severe. Her life is in immediate danger; she could pass away at any moment..."

"These are direct military orders," the guard barked. "No one is more important than Comrade Gu Xiao!"

Hearing this, a wave of dizziness washed over Lin Shi Xia, leaving her mind spinning. It was true; Fu Tu Shen loved Gu Xiao with every fiber of his being. Not only had he chosen her in the face of death, but he had also commandeered every available doctor for her sake alone. Lin Shi Xia waited until her lips bled from biting them in desperation, yet no doctor arrived. Driven by sheer instinct and necessity, she crawled the agonizing dozens of meters to Gu Xiao's operating wing. Through a gap in the door, she saw Fu Tu Shen—weak and pale, yet stubbornly standing guard outside the room. Perhaps her gaze burned with too much sorrow, for Fu Tu Shen finally noticed her, his brows knitting together in confusion.

"Why are you so severely injured?"

Lin Shi Xia clung to her final breath. "Back there, you were only concerned with Gu Xiao; naturally, you didn't notice me. I beg you, share one doctor with me, just one... I promise I will let go of my feelings for you. You are nothing more than a brother to me now..."

A flicker of complex emotion crossed Fu Tu Shen’s eyes. After several seconds of hesitation, he shook his head, refusing. "I cannot. Xiao Xiao has not yet regained consciousness, and every doctor must remain on standby. Shi Xia, just wait a little longer."

Wait? Did he really expect her to wait until she drew her final breath? Lin Shi Xia’s heart felt as though it had ceased to function, and her thoughts grew sluggish from the steady loss of blood. Helpless tears traced paths down her cheeks. "Fu Tu Shen, I was wrong. I should never have loved you in the first place..."

Watching the hollow look in her eyes, Fu Tu Shen’s hand twitched with an instinct to wipe away her tears.

"The patient's blood pressure is dropping, respiration is failing..."

Fu Tu Shen hurried back toward the operating room, never glancing at the unconscious Lin Shi Xia again. By the time she woke, an entire night had passed. The nurse cried out with joy, "Comrade, you are finally awake! Five more minutes and your leg would have required amputation. You are truly blessed to have survived!"

Lin Shi Xia curled the corners of her mouth, though she remained silent. Her pillow had long since been soaked with tears. That same day, Fu’s mother returned from a business trip, rushing to the hospital with gifts and nourishing food, tears streaming down her face as she clutched Lin Shi Xia’s hand.

"Shi Xia, you have suffered so much. It is all my fault. That boy, Tu Shen, how could he have denied you medical care?"

Lin Shi Xia whispered, "Auntie, it no longer matters. Once I leave..."

Fu Tu Shen, who had just entered carrying a bouquet, overheard her words and asked with a furrowed brow, "Who is leaving?"

Lin Shi Xia signaled to the older woman with her eyes, quickly improvising an excuse. "A friend. I must go to see her off when the time comes."

Fu Tu Shen pushed down the strange, uneasy sensation in his chest and held out the bouquet of sunflowers, knowing they were her favorite. He had expected to see a spark of joy in her eyes, but her reaction remained chillingly calm. Remembering the past, when the smallest gift would have made her beam for days, the sense of unease in him deepened. He opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately found no words. After being discharged, the first thing Lin Shi Xia did was visit the visa office to collect the documents her cousin had helped her secure. The moment she returned to the communal residence, she was blocked by a furious-looking Fu Tu Shen.

"Where were you?"

Lin Shi Xia did not answer. She attempted to step past him, but he pinned her against the wall.

"Let me answer for you. The visa office, correct? Why did you send someone to deliberately shred Xiao Xiao’s visa? She has spent countless days preparing to travel to Moscow for her exchange program..."

"I do not know what you are talking about. This has nothing to do with me!"

Fu Tu Shen tossed a crumpled statement at her, the flames of his rage burning brighter. "Lin Shi Xia, what else do you have to say for yourself? You never truly let go of me. How foolish I was to give you a chance. I told you, if you ever harmed Xiao Xiao again, I would never forgive you!"

Without waiting for her defense, he beckoned to the guards behind him, his voice cold and menacing. "Take her! Lin Shi Xia has attempted to sabotage the wife of a future military officer. Send her to the detention center and handle her as you see fit!"

In the interrogation room, Lin Shi Xia tried to plead her case repeatedly, but the interrogator remained unmoved, refusing to grant her a shred of mercy.