Chapter 91: Big Sister: Then Punish Me

Lu Zhixia couldn’t get inside, nor would she leave. She had to make sure Shen Wanqing was safe.

The bodyguards stood firm at the door, their faces impassive. “We’re more concerned about President Shen’s safety than you are.”

The implication was clear: no need for you to worry.

The bloodstains on Lu Zhixia’s clothes had dried by now. She was the vigorous type, still wearing a white T-shirt even in September, and at that moment, it lent her a striking, blood-flecked allure.

She stood guard at the door like a sentinel deity, her gaze sweeping toward the nearest bodyguard. “Is President Shen hurt badly? Is she awake?”

“Awake. Twenty-nine stitches.” The bodyguard’s expression soured—not directed at Lu Zhixia, of course.

Even hearing about it tugged at the heartstrings. Twenty-nine stitches. What a thing.

Lu Zhixia didn’t want to hate anyone, but this time, the resentment she felt toward Yan Menghui refused to fade.

She ought to thank Yan Menghui for saving her life all those years ago, but pushing Shen Wanqing to the brink—forcing her into such desperate extremes—that she could not forgive.

One debt was one debt. Lu Zhixia told herself as much, firm in the conviction.

Good intentions deserved gratitude; malice demanded retribution. There was to be no canceling out.

Lost in these tangled thoughts as she stood vigil by the door, she was unaware of Wen Wan seated at the bedside inside the room.

Shen Wanqing had been silent since Wen Wan’s arrival, unmoved by any amount of coaxing.

“I’ve heard a fair bit about you and Yan Menghui,” Wen Wan said, hoping to dissuade her from further rashness. “The past is the past. You’ve repaid her plenty by now—don’t be foolish enough to throw your own life away over it. But there’s no need to antagonize her either. She’s a longtime friend; at least keep up appearances.”

Shen Wanqing stared into the void, offering no response.

Wen Wan seemed accustomed to such detachment. She rose to her feet. “I’ve done all I can. I’ll take my leave if you’re all right.”

“No need to see me out,” Shen Wanqing finally said.

Wen Wan let out a wry chuckle. “Life’s a stage, but your acting skills are slipping.”

Shen Wanqing tilted her head ever so slightly, her tone cool. “Isn’t that for the best? You’re always the star of the show.”

“Heh.” Wen Wan’s smile dimmed. “I don’t need to spell out what comes next, do I?”

“No need to see me out.” Shen Wanqing turned her gaze away.

Wen Wan fixed her with a steady look for a few seconds before turning to go.

She paused at the door, glancing back as if struck by a thought. “Don’t forget the time we agreed on.”

“I won’t forget. Not even in death,” Shen Wanqing replied curtly. “You can go now. No need to visit again. I know what to say.”

Wen Wan emerged from the room, and Lu Zhixia froze in surprise.

Wen Wan gave her an appraising once-over, her scrutinizing eyes finally meeting Lu Zhixia’s. “Here to check on President Shen?”

“Yes.”

Wen Wan glanced at the bodyguards flanking the door, her expression one of weary familiarity. She smiled with layered meaning. “Looks like you two are quite close.”

Lu Zhixia had no patience for small talk. She gave a slight nod, then turned to the bodyguard. “Can I go in now?”

Understanding the cue, the bodyguard stepped aside. At last, Lu Zhixia got her wish and saw Shen Wanqing.

She had pulled herself together on the way in, but the sight of Shen Wanqing lying there in the hospital bed unleashed a fresh torrent of tears.

Shen Wanqing sighed helplessly. “The floodgates have opened again.”

Blushing with embarrassment and irritation, Lu Zhixia shot back, “And you’re still cracking jokes? Why didn’t you take better care of yourself?”

Lu Zhixia had witnessed Shen Wanqing’s fighting prowess firsthand. Had she not held back, Yan Menghui never could have landed that blow.

Shen Wanqing saw it differently. What she owed Yan Menghui, she would repay.

Lu Zhixia sighed repeatedly, her heart aching as she scolded her in a mix of distress and reproach. “I told you to cut ties cleanly. Who said you could hurt yourself like this?”

Her little mouth ran on and on with its earnest lecture, and Shen Wanqing simply listened. When Lu Zhixia finally caught her breath, Shen Wanqing asked, “Where were you earlier?”

Lu Zhixia didn’t go into every detail, only mentioning that she’d gone downstairs to settle the bill and taken the wrong floor by mistake.

“Really, Big Sister, it was so embarrassing. I thought that was you—I burst into tears right there. The whole family stared at me, totally baffled.” Lu Zhixia recounted the mishap with a laugh, though her eyes were still red. No one else found it funny, but she laughed at her own folly.

In turn, Shen Wanqing caught the spark of mirth and smiled herself.

There was no need to dissect Lu Zhixia’s words too closely. At least in her presence, they were nothing but simple, playful ruses. Leaving them unpierced was part of the charm.

She teased; Lu Zhixia laughed. It was all rather delightful.

But some images were too jarring to ignore. “So,” Shen Wanqing said evenly, “should I ask about the blood on your clothes?”

Lu Zhixia heard the gravity beneath the calm tone and whispered, “I saved someone at the hospital entrance. She was covered in blood—it got all over me.”

“Nothing else?”

“Ah, yeah…” She scratched her head, mumbling as she swiftly changed the subject. “Big Sister, Big Sister—how are you feeling?”

Shen Wanqing didn’t press the point. The anesthesia hadn’t fully worn off, so she felt no pain for the moment. Still, with her waist and abdomen swathed in bandages, she had the distinct sensation of being turned into a mummy.

Seeing the heartache etched on Lu Zhixia’s face, Shen Wanqing spoke plainly. “Truth be told, I feel a bit lighter now.”

That incident had always weighed heavily on her heart. No matter what she did, she felt it could never be enough to make up for it.

“No matter what she thinks, I’ve truly tried every way I could think of to compensate her.” Shen Wanqing lowered her eyes and gave a helpless smile. “Unfortunately, that’s just how people are. We all want the other person to make it up to us in the way we prefer.”

The way Yan Menghui wanted it was with love. But love was the one thing that couldn’t be faked—especially not for a lifetime.

“Yan Menghui only ever thinks about herself.” Lu Zhixia didn’t deny her own bias. She loved Shen Wanqing. If it had been her that night, she would have saved her without a second thought. And she certainly didn’t need Shen Wanqing to make it up to her. “She never stopped to think about how much this affected you. Yes, she got hurt, but the fact that she took the injury for you—and that you knew someone out there wanted you dead—hurt you even more.”

Shen Wanqing fell into a brief daze. She hadn’t expected someone so young to see right through her thoughts.

After the incident, her condition had been abysmal. She blamed herself fiercely, preferring to shoulder the burden alone.

In countless dark nights, she lay awake in bed, convinced that someone would leap out from the shadows at any moment and drive a knife through her throat or her heart.

She would make her way step by step to the wardrobe, seeking refuge there, shutting herself inside.

That same spot where she had witnessed a murder. She was terrified of it, and yet, in that narrow, claustrophobic space, she paradoxically found a sliver of security.

“Big Sister, people who feel things so deeply are destined to live exhausting lives.” Lu Zhixia took her hand and spoke earnestly. “You’ve done more than enough. From now on, when you’re feeling uneasy, just make it up to her with money. Don’t hurt yourself like this.”

Her voice grew choked, her eyes reddening. Lu Zhixia was genuinely worried today. Shen Wanqing smiled and said, “Mm, I know.”

“If you know, then why do it? You deserve to be punished even more.” Lu Zhixia glared at her fiercely, her own eyes red.

Shen Wanqing softened, playing along. “Then go ahead and punish me.”

Lu Zhixia seized her wrist and bared her teeth, flashing her little tiger fangs.

She leaned down and nipped gently—no real force behind it—before huffing, “There. See that tooth mark? That’s your punishment.”

Shen Wanqing reached up to stroke her head, smiling warmly. “Silly Little Dog.”

Lu Zhixia pressed that hand to her cheek, her gaze locking deeply onto Shen Wanqing’s.

The affection brimming in those eyes was so intense it could drown a person. Just one look set Shen Wanqing’s heart racing.

She caught Lu Zhixia’s wrist. “Come here.”

The girl obeyed without hesitation, leaning in close. She lowered her head and slipped a piece of candy tenderly into Shen Wanqing’s mouth.

Warm and smooth, lingering and sweet, silky on the tongue. A truly delightful candy.

Lu Zhixia didn’t press further about Yan Menghui. She understood perfectly what Shen Wanqing meant. Her temper wasn’t the best, but time and again, for Shen Wanqing’s sake, she’d let Yan Menghui slide.

Now, Shen Wanqing was repaying the debt in her own way. It broke Lu Zhixia’s heart, but she couldn’t interfere. She hadn’t asked about Yan Menghui herself, but Shen Wanqing had sent bodyguards to check in.

A top-tier caregiver was looking after her, though Yan Menghui wasn’t cooperating much. At the thought, Shen Wanqing pulled her phone from beneath the pillow and sent off a message.

“Big Sister, my phone got smashed.” Lu Zhixia fished hers out of her pocket. No matter how she poked at it, the screen stayed dark. She sighed. “Guess I’ll have to buy a new one.”

Shen Wanqing was even quicker, firing off a message to the bodyguard.

Moments later, the bodyguard entered, a brand-new phone in hand—the same model as Shen Wanqing’s, but a different color.

Lu Zhixia’s was black; Shen Wanqing’s was white.

Lu Zhixia lit up with joy and reached for her wallet, only to hear the price was over ten thousand yuan. She shoved the money right back. “Too expensive!”

“Don’t worry—I’ll deduct it from your salary.”

“…”

Waste not, want not. Lu Zhixia pocketed the phone and swapped in her SIM card.

A shiny new phone, bought by Shen Wanqing herself. She adored it.

After all the emotional ups and downs, Lu Zhixia felt drained. She sank onto the edge of the bed. “President Wen’s got some nerve too. She shows up here but won’t let me? It’s her house or something? She’s not even your anything—why’s she calling the shots?”

Aside from the blood-fainting fiasco, Lu Zhixia grumbled the whole story to Shen Wanqing: going to the wrong room, crying to the wrong person, even playing good Samaritan midway and patting herself on the back for it.

Shen Wanqing didn’t interrupt. She closed her eyes, letting the chatter wash over her like a soothing lullaby.

Lu Zhixia glanced up and noticed the closed eyes. She smacked her lips and fell silent.

Shen Wanqing didn’t open her eyes. “Go on, keep talking.”

“Oh.” Noticing that made Lu Zhixia beam with happiness. “What I mean is, about Yan Menghui—I won’t indulge you anymore. Seeing you hurt yourself like this? It kills me.”

She went on to describe the ache in her heart, like someone had stabbed a massive hole through it. For emphasis, she exaggerated: “Not some little puncture—a huge gaping hole. Hurts like I’m convulsing.”

Shen Wanqing smiled with her eyes still shut, the image crystal clear in her mind.

“This isn’t over yet. You poked a hole in it, then tossed my heart onto a sizzling hot pan and fried it back and forth without a drop of oil.” Lu Zhixia added her own sound effects. “Sizzle sizzle—it hurts.”

Shen Wanqing gently patted her arm, chiding her softly. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

The two were chatting when her phone rang—an unknown number.

Lu Zhixia hesitated. When it rang a second time, she finally answered.

It was the family of the injured person she’d rescued. They wanted to thank her in person.

Learning that the patient’s condition had stabilized, Lu Zhixia let out a relieved breath. “No need to thank me. I’m just glad they’re okay.”

They agreed to grab a meal together sometime when schedules allowed. Lu Zhixia hummed her agreement, then said with a smile, “Wishing you a speedy recovery.”

By the time all that was sorted, it was getting late.

One of the bodyguards came in to ask about dinner. They’d prepared something at home and could have it delivered.

Shen Wanqing didn’t want the hassle. She glanced at Lu Zhixia. “Go buy me some porridge.”

Lu Zhixia headed out obediently. The bodyguards asked if she wanted to go home and rest up. She replied listlessly, “Why ask me? Go ask your mistress.”

The bodyguards dipped their heads respectfully and withdrew.

Soon the nurse arrived to change Shen Wanqing’s dressing. Trailing behind her was someone in green medical scrubs. Once the nurse had finished, the doctor smiled and introduced herself.

She was the one who’d treated Lu Zhixia’s hemophobia back in the ER. Following the doctor’s instructions, the nurse had filled Shen Wanqing in on the details.

“Her reaction to blood is pretty severe. She passed out three times, full shock each time,” the nurse explained, pausing briefly. “For her physical and mental well-being, professional treatment is the best route. It’ll address the hemophobia itself and help pinpoint the root cause, preventing any potential mental health issues down the line.” With that, the nurse stepped out.

Shen Wanqing lay in bed as the anesthesia wore off. Each breath brought a faint ache from the wound.

She ran her fingers lightly over the bandage wrapped tightly around her waist and abdomen. It constricted her breathing a little, but the doctor had insisted on it to keep the injury from reopening.

Shen Wanqing had downplayed things to Lu Zhixia, but the doctor’s report was far graver.

The cut was deep—nearly nicking her organs.

Healing would take time. Her top-tier Omega physiology would speed things up a bit, but with the wound’s depth and jagged edges, scarring was almost inevitable.

Lu Zhixia came back with the porridge and flashed a toothy grin the moment she saw Shen Wanqing.

She fed her spoonful by spoonful, and Shen Wanqing sipped it down.

Lu Zhixia skirted around the hemophobia topic entirely. Shen Wanqing got the hint—now wasn’t the time to press.

While Shen Wanqing ate, Lu Zhixia gave her a work update.

Yang Ge and his deputy were in atonement mode these days, behaving themselves far better than before.

Expenses were under control now, their attitudes at the company more professional. Yang Ge seemed fully committed alongside Yang Zhiqiao—at least on the surface. Inner thoughts were another matter.

Shen Wanqing told her to head into the office tomorrow. Lu Zhixia hated the idea but had no choice but to agree.

“I’ll work from home tomorrow,” Shen Wanqing said. She wasn’t taking an extra day off, which irked Lu Zhixia. “Jumping back into work right after getting hurt? What a heartless company.”

Ultimately, Shen Wanqing had her own plans. Her health mattered, but she couldn’t let everything grind to a halt.

From the corner of her eye, Lu Zhixia spotted Shen Wanqing’s phone. She frowned, debating how to bring it up.

Sneakily, she tucked the phone into a sofa cushion and feigned innocence. “Hey, where’d my phone go?”

She borrowed Jiang Zhiyi’s instead, pulling up the dialer and punching in the first few digits of her own number. Sure enough, the screen displayed her name: Lu Zhixia.

Straightforward and normal. But Lu Zhixia remembered Yan Menghui’s entry—five little hearts and a custom ringtone. A pang of jealousy hit her. “Yan Menghui’s got no heart. You treat her so well, and she hurts you like that.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Shen Wanqing leaned back against the headboard, eyes drifting shut with exhaustion. “This might not even be enough payback, but it’s all I can manage for now. One step at a time.”

Step one: Draw a clear, uncrossable line.

Lu Zhixia knew better than to meddle, so she let it drop.

That evening, the bodyguards relayed a message: Yan Menghui had checked out against medical advice. The doctors hadn’t recommended it, but she’d insisted.

Shen Wanqing hesitated for a long moment, reaching for her phone. Lu Zhixia snatched it away. “You can’t look after her forever.”

If Shen Wanqing was truly worried, though, Lu Zhixia offered to check in on her tomorrow.

By afternoon, drowsiness overtook Shen Wanqing, and she settled down to rest.

The hospital room had no spare bed, so Lu Zhixia kicked off her shoes and slid in beside her. She leaned over, wrapping her arms gently around her. “From now on, I’ll be right here with you. I’ll protect you, so just rest easy.”

It was a promise to Shen Wanqing: Whenever you open your eyes, I’ll be here.

Shen Wanqing nestled into her embrace, warm and utterly secure.

Lu Zhixia’s lips brushed against her hair as she murmured, “I love you, Shen Wanqing. Did your heart skip a beat for me today?”

Shen Wanqing’s lips twitched. Her phone suddenly vibrated, and she wriggled out of the warm embrace to grab it.

The words “I love you” swirled a thousand times in her throat. But in the end, because of that message, they never made it past her lips.