Thrown Away by my Family, Cherished by my Enemy

For the next two days, Li Xiyan remained unconscious, her body still fragile from the injuries she'd sustained.

The doctors had done what they could, but it was clear that she would need time to heal. During this period, Shen Rui, undeterred by the circumstances, visited her every day.

She would sit beside the bed, carefully dressed in mask and gloves, a protective measure that had become routine for her.

Her small figure would spend hours quietly reading or doing her lessons, casting occasional glances toward Li Xiyan, her eyes filled with worry and anticipation.

Shen Yuze watched his daughter closely.

He noted how she never let her guard down. Even as she immersed herself in her books, her gaze would flicker to the bed often.

The faintest hint of concern would cloud her features, and she would lean a little closer, as though trying to will Li Xiyan to wake up with her quiet presence.

Shen Yuze, unable to let his daughter make the journey, decided to move Li Xiyan to their estate so she wouldn't have to travel back and forth anymore.

For the next three days, Shen Rui stayed by Li Xiyan's side.

Old Madam Shen, though initially taken aback by her granddaughter's attachment to the woman who had been a stranger only days ago, had started to accept it.

After all, Shen Rui had never been one for friendships. Her disease had kept her isolated, not just because of her condition, but because of her father's protectiveness.

She had never been allowed a typical childhood.

Being around Li Xiyan now, seeing how the woman had saved her life, seemed to give the little girl something she'd never had: a bond with someone who wasn't a doctor or a caretaker, but a person who treated her with kindness and protection.

It was noon on the third day after they had moved Li Xiyan to the estate, and Old Master Shen, Old Madam Shen, and Shen Yuze were sitting together at the dining table.

Despite the tension hanging in the air, the meal was calm, almost routine.

The conversation was light, yet not without its weight.

"Where's Rui'er?" Old Master Shen asked, glancing around.

Shen Yuze exhaled, his gaze lingering on the empty seat. "She's in Miss Li's room."

Old Master Shen frowned, clearly missing his granddaughter. "Won't she come for lunch?" 

"She's afraid she won't be there when Miss Li wakes up," Shen Yuze replied. "I don't think she's ready to leave her side."

Old Madam Shen sighed softly, her eyes softening as she turned to her husband. "She's a child, Zhenhua. She's probably formed a bond with her after everything that happened. Can you really blame her?"

Old Master Shen said nothing, but his furrowed brow remained.

The silence around the table was filled with a mixture of understanding and worry.

After a quiet meal, Shen Yuze excused himself.

He knew he had to check on his daughter, and perhaps, it was time to coax her away from Li Xiyan's bedside for just a little while.

He made his way to the room, his steps heavy with thought. When he opened the door, he saw Shen Rui already at her desk, bent over a piece of paper, carefully writing something.

She didn't even look up when he entered.

Shen Yuze closed the door behind him softly, his eyes drifting to his daughter first, before moving to the bed where Li Xiyan lay.

Li Xiyan was still on her stomach—though the doctor had adjusted her position at times to prevent further injury.

It seemed best that she remain on her side for now.

Despite the treatments she had received, her body remained weak, but there was a noticeable difference now: her face had color, and her breaths were no longer shallow.

She looked less like a woman on the verge of death and more like someone whose strength was quietly returning.

Shen Yuze turned his attention back to Shen Rui, who had still not looked up. He closed the door. 

"Rui'er," Shen Yuze said firmly, his tone gentle yet unyielding, "you need to eat. I'll stay here and watch over Miss Li. If she wakes up, I'll call for you immediately."

Shen Rui's lips pressed into a thin line, though not visible because of her mask, her fingers still gripping the pen tightly as her eyes lingered on the paper.

She stared at it for a moment, but her gaze inevitably shifted toward the bed, where Li Xiyan lay.

For a brief second, she hesitated.

After a long pause, she finally whispered, "Okay," her voice quiet but obedient.

She stood slowly, casting one last glance at the unconscious woman before turning toward the door.

Shen Yuze stood by the bedside, his expression unreadable as he looked at Li Xiyan.

Every time he saw her like this—motionless, pale, breathing so faintly it was barely perceptible—his mind dragged him back to that night.

The blood. The way she had laid there, barely clinging to life.

The emptiness in her eyes, as if she had already let go of everything.

It was an image he couldn't shake.

He both anticipated and feared the moment she wakes up.

A part of him needed to see her open her eyes, to know she had survived. But another part hesitated—unsure of how to face her, unsure of what to say.

The sudden vibration of his phone cut through the silence, pulling him from his thoughts.

When he glanced at the screen and saw Lin Ke's name, he answered immediately.

"What is it?" His voice was calm, controlled.

"Miss Li's absence has been handled," Lin Ke reported. "I contacted the medical program administrator. She won't be expected to attend classes or hospital duties for now."

Shen Yuze exhaled quietly.

One less problem to deal with.

"But," Lin Ke continued, his tone shifting slightly, "I found something you might find interesting."

There was a pause, just long enough to put Shen Yuze on edge.

"The person who submitted Li Xiyan's entry into the Zhen University medical program was Professor Han Zhiyuan, the Deputy Director of the university's medical faculty."

Shen Yuze's brows drew together. "Han Zhiyuan?"

"Yes. He was the one who pushed for her enrollment. From what I found, he personally ensured she secured a spot despite her background. It wasn't exactly irregular, but… it wasn't standard, either. Normally, students enter through the regular application process, but in her case, some strings were pulled. Someone wanted her in that program."

Shen Yuze's gaze drifted back to Li Xiyan.

Han Zhiyuan.

What was his connection to her? 

Lin Ke's voice came again. "Do you want me to look into him?"

For a moment, Shen Yuze said nothing.

His eyes remained fixed on the woman in the bed, watching the slow, almost fragile rise and fall of her breath.

She was still here. Still alive. 

Finally, he spoke, his voice steady.

"Do it."