Bing Shi's face sank, "Do you mean it's my fault? What other reasons could there be? It's not like he fell in love at first sight. Oh." She opened her eyes in revelation like she just solved a big mystery, "I crossed that possibility as soon as it came to my mind. I'm even surprised that it crossed my mind."
She continued, "The answer which makes the most sense is... your son wanted to let everyone know what happens when someone tries to step between him and his work. I must admit that Mr. Zhu and I might have caused a slight delay for him."
"..." Everyone turned their gaze towards Zhu Cai, who bit his lip in pain when the doctor put a cast on him. Putting one and one together, what she said truly did make sense. So it seemed like, there were no miracles visiting their son soon.
"BING SHI!! STOP TALKING AND COME HERE!"
Xuan Mu's voice echoed through the room, demanding Bing Shi's attention. She turned to look at him, seeing him pinned down by three soldiers. "Mr. Zhu, your son, asked for it; you can't blame Xuan Mu," she said as she swiftly put all the blame on the Zhu family, her tone serious, "Dr. Tzu, what's their situation?"
"I won't," Mr. Zhu replied firmly and hurried towards his son.
Xuan Mu yelled at the soldiers restraining him and assisting the doctor with his injuries, "Release me! I have to make that piece of shit pay for what he did!"
Despite Xuan Mu's threats, the soldiers held their ground, not wanting to risk disobeying Bing Shi's orders. They knew her reputation and influence within their military organization, and they trusted her judgment. In the end, Xuan Mu was forced to calm down and comply with the doctor's examination.
Bing Shi took a deep breath and positioned herself in front of Xuan Mu. She looked down at his frenzied eyes, which would usually be fixated on her legs. "Xuan Mu, your loud shouts are hurting my ears," she said firmly.
"Sorry for not being as calm as you!!!" Xuan Mu thrashed around in frustration, glaring at Zhu Cai whose eyes remained fixed on Bing Shi.
Zhu Cai analyzed her character; patient and reliable, a woman who would take fast actions with neutral standing. An excellent peacemaker. Sitting on the couch with a haggard expression and his arms in a cast, his eyes shifted from Xuan Mu before him to Bing Shi. "Sorry," he apologized.
"Look at me, you worthless piece of shit!" Xuan Mu's voice was thick with fury as he spat out the words, "You so much as look at her again, and I'll gouge your eyes out!" His violent struggles against the soldiers holding him down added to the intense atmosphere. It was thick with tension, and it was clear that any wrong move could lead to further violence.
As Xuan Mu continued to threaten him, Zhu Cai felt a sense of resignation. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift, conjuring an image of a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Bing Shi, but lacked her lady-like presence.
Instead, this woman wore a lab coat, and her hair was clean but unkempt, with strands sticking out in every direction. She wore a pair of glasses, perched on her nose, and her face was serious and focused as she worked on her experiments in the lab. The feeling that Bing Shi had stirred in Zhu Cai made him remember this unfamiliar yet familiar woman from his memories. She was like a specter that haunted him, lurking at the edges of his consciousness.
Doctor Tzu reported, "Mr. Xuan Mu has sustained some minor bruises on his body, but nothing too serious. As for Mr. Zhu Cai, he did a good job of protecting his head, but unfortunately, in doing so, he broke both of his arms. His left hand's bone is split in two, but it's a miracle he hasn't lost consciousness. He needs to be taken to the hospital immediately."
Bing Shi glanced at Xuan Mu's expression before turning her attention back to Zhu Cai. "What are you waiting for? Hurry and take him to the hospital," she ordered. She then looked at Zhu Cai and said, "I won't apologize for your injuries, that's something you'll have to wait for Xuan Mu to do. But I will accept your apology." She ignored Xuan Mu's angry glares and added, "Let's end this matter here and now."
Zhu Cai, his face twisted in pain and covered in sweat, let out a relieved sigh as he spoke, "That's enough."
After the Zhu family had left, Bing Shi motioned for Xuan Mu to stay behind while the soldiers filed out of the room to guard the entrance. Dr. Tzu, having tended to the injuries of the soldiers, asked about Bing Shi's hand.
"It's nothing," she replied and offered Xuan Mu her uninjured hand to help him stand up.
However, Xuan Mu insisted that Dr. Tzu check her hand, his tone tinged with anger. "Why wasn't she the first person you checked?! Do it now!"
Telling Bing Shi to sit down, Dr. Tzu carefully examined her hand, probing her bruised and swollen fingers. Bing Shi winced in pain as she pressed against the tender spots. While it wasn't broken, there were red blood clots under her skin and her hand was visibly shaking.
Xuan Mu watched anxiously, his anger dissipating as he saw the pain on Bing Shi's face.
Dr. Tzu took an ice pack and gently wrapped it around Bing Shi's injured hand. "It doesn't seem like anything's broken, but I would suggest getting some ice on it and keeping it elevated for a while."
"I'll take care of her from now on," Xuan Mu said, his tone softer now.
The silence in the room was deafening after the doctor's departure. Bing Shi and Xuan Mu sat together on the couch, her injured hand being attended with an ice pack.
Bing Shi looked at him, "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it," she said, trying to pull her hand away from him, but Xuan Mu held onto her wrist firmly.
"You are a big deal to me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't stand the thought of you being hurt."
Despite her best efforts to hold back the tears, they came flooding down her face, and she buried her face in her free hand, unable to contain her emotions.
Xuan Mu's heart pounded in his chest as he felt a wave of panic wash over him at the sound of Bing Shi's silent sobs. For a long time, he remained frozen in place, feeling helpless and lost as he listened to the sounds of pain and sadness filling the once-quiet room.
