Chapter 33: Taking the Blade

Before September arrived, Bai Li seized every minute to work.

There were many tourists during the summer, and a good number of people came into the bar just to see her and have a drink; she didn't dare to slack off for a single moment. However, whenever she returned to the small house, she could always catch a faint scent of blood, though she could never find a trace of it no matter how thoroughly she searched every corner.

Soon, that scent of blood was masked by a fragrance in the air. Bai Li noticed a perfume bottle tucked into the furthest corner, with a few willow twigs inserted into it; it was a pleasant, woody scent. Bai Li frowned, a vague sense of worry lingering in her heart, but she never found an opportunity to ask about it.

Before long, the date on the note given to her by the silver shop owner arrived. After finishing her shift at The Tide, she headed straight to the silver jewelry shop. After receiving the delicate silver bracelet, the owner, noting that they were neighbors, even used the leftover scraps to make her two pairs of stud earrings. They were simple, minimalist styles—just tiny silver dots without any patterns.

Bai Li accepted them awkwardly, and after thanking him repeatedly, she tucked one pair of earrings into her jewelry box. The other pair... she wanted to keep for herself. If she gained her freedom after the college entrance exam, she wanted to get her ears pierced. She didn't know why she had such a thought; she just felt that Fang Ye looked quite good wearing earrings, adding a sense of free-spirited sexiness to his aloof temperament.

She nervously plotted how to get the gift into Fang Ye's hands. That night, she waited in the living room until one in the morning. Fang Ye still hadn't returned. Instead, she ended up waiting for Cheng Zi, who had come to collect some of Fang Ye’s clothes.

Seeing that she hadn't rested yet, Cheng Zi was surprised. "Why are you still up so late? Are you waiting for Brother Ye?"

Bai Li nodded.

Cheng Zi gave a strained smile. "No need to wait. You go to sleep; Brother Ye has things to take care of today and won't be coming back. I'm just here to grab a couple of his shirts and head out."

"Okay."

Bai Li appeared calm on the surface, but her heart skipped a beat. Observing Cheng Zi’s hurried demeanor as he packed the clothes, she inexplicably recalled the lingering scent of blood she had often caught at home.

She knew... something had happened. And that person was most likely her brother. But based on past experience, they would certainly not be willing to tell her the truth.

In the summer night of August, the moonlight was somewhat desolate. After seeing Cheng Zi to the door, Bai Li went back to the living room to grab her bag, then followed his trail all the way to the entrance of the city's largest hospital.

The further she walked, the more panicked she became. Following Cheng Zi, she arrived at a ward on the top floor. Many people were standing in the hallway, their expressions heavy as they kept their heads bowed. A doctor happened to be walking out, and Cheng Zi quickly pulled him aside to ask, "How is the patient inside?"

The doctor replied, "The stitches are done, but he lost too much blood from the wound and has been in a coma."

Cheng Zi breathed a sigh of relief.

Bai Li, however, suddenly widened her eyes. It was a summer filled with bright green trees; what kind of wound could cause someone to lose so much blood?

Cheng Zi politely sent the doctor off and was about to turn back into the ward when he noticed a young girl in white pajamas walk in ahead of him. That was right—she had been so anxious about losing him that she hadn't even changed her clothes.

Cheng Zi stood there, dumbfounded, pointing at her retreating figure. He turned to the brothers guarding the door and asked, "When... when did she get here?"

The others were equally baffled. "Brother Cheng, wasn't she following you?"

Cheng Zi stiffened, then sat dejectedly on a cold chair. "Damn it, Brother Ye is going to be worried."

...

Bai Li walked into the dark ward. As soon as she caught the scent inside, she couldn't help but frown. The thick smell of blood mixed with the stench of disinfectant was not pleasant, yet it was enough to make her heart tremble. The surroundings were dim, and the air was filled with the rhythmic "beeping" of unknown medical instruments.

She walked forward cautiously until she saw the figure on the bed, and then she froze in her tracks. There was moonlight that night, and the faint light from the monitor by the bed illuminated the scene. Fang Ye was leaning against the white pillow, his lips even paler than usual. His arm was resting on the side, and the skin from his wrist upward, along with part of his collarbone not covered by the hospital gown, was wrapped in thick gauze. Yet, it could not hide the scarlet red seeping through the bandages.

She had always believed in Fang Ye’s invincibility; he had endured so much suffering without a word and had broken free from those long, agonizing years. Now, standing before the hospital bed and touching his cold face—a temperature nearing that of the dead—she suddenly realized that Fang Ye might still be struggling in the midst of suffering. And yet, for these past two months, she had never caught a glimpse of that hardship, while he had created the most beautiful two months of her life.

"..." Unable to control her tears, Bai Li covered her mouth and wept silently.

She took the silver bracelet out of her bag, placed it tremblingly by his bedside, and choked out, "Brother, I bought you a bracelet. It will surely keep you safe from now on. You... you have to wake up soon. I had a dream that you became a very, very powerful person and were wearing a bracelet just like this. So, you have to wake up quickly. I’ve earned a lot, lot of money, and I’ll give it all to you. You won't have to work so hard anymore."

After she finished speaking, she sobbed even harder.

The cold air from the central air conditioning above swept across the back of her neck. After an unknown amount of time, she heard a faint chuckle. Someone pulled a soft tissue from the bedside table and wiped away the tears that had just fallen.

A soft, pleasant voice sounded in her ear, tinged with a bit of hoarseness: "Thank you for the bracelet. Brother will be fine. Don't cry, okay?"

Bai Li stifled her sob, looked up abruptly, and her gaze collided with the boy's clear, cold eyes. In the dim atmosphere, there was still a deep, fierce intensity in his gaze, but one could also see a hint of gentleness, and a faint smile played on his lips. As if he didn't feel the pain of his wounds, he was still carefully wiping the tear tracks from her face.

Bai Li was stunned for two seconds before she hurriedly took the tissue from his hand and stood up, pressing down on his hand. "Brother, don't move around."

Fang Ye looked at the flustered girl, lowered his eyes, and smiled again. His black eyes seemed to hold the vast, boundless sea.

Even though Bai Li had never seen a patient so severely injured, she knew that since he had woken up, she should find a doctor immediately. She carefully turned on the bedside lamp for Fang Ye before running out to call for help.

No sooner had she left than Cheng Zi walked in. Looking at Fang Ye lying on the bed, he gritted his teeth fiercely. "Brother Ye, who did this? I'm going to stab them."

These boys, who had grown up in the darkness, were covered in thorns. To those who were kind to them, they were gentle and good; but if anyone tried to bully them, they would tear the flesh right off their enemies.

Fang Ye’s expression was calm, his eyes devoid of any anger. After a long moment, he said, "I took the knife for someone else."

"What?"

"Days like this... they're almost over."

Having said this, Fang Ye closed his eyes and said no more.