Chapter 78: Whose Blood
Yun Bing frantically dragged Ye Mo into her room at 5:00 AM, the darkest hour before dawn. The neighborhood was still asleep, ensuring her actions remained unnoticed. Though unsure of Ye Mo's attacker, she parked her car a distance away to avoid suspicion, carefully returning to help him inside. She checked his breathing—a faint warmth remained—and breathed a sigh of relief; he appeared only temporarily unconscious.
She fetched hot water, intending to clean him. Upon removing his shirt, she discovered blood-soaked underwear. Too embarrassed to undress him further, she used a towel to shield his lower body while cleaning his wounds. The deep gash on his back was horrifying. His surprisingly strong musculature, however, was a revelation; Yun Bing had never guessed such a quiet man possessed such an aesthetically pleasing physique.
Her face flushed, her hands trembled as she cleaned him. She’d never before seen a man’s bare torso. Even the rape eight years prior, which resulted in her pregnancy, had left her drugged and unconscious. Her family, terrified of the perpetrator's powerful family, forbade an abortion. She didn't blame them; they were powerless against such influence. The memory still shook her; the fear drove her to hide in Ning Hai, avoiding even New Year's visits to Beijing.
Upon collapsing, Ye Mo, through sheer willpower, briefly regained consciousness. Seeing Yun Bing, despite her initial unlikeability, he recognized the relative safety of her care compared to the Song family. He relaxed, falling back into unconsciousness, his body subtly utilizing his spiritual Chi to begin the arduous process of healing its deep injuries.
"You're awake!?" Yun Bing, towel in hand, gasped at the sight of his open eyes. He immediately lapsed back into unconsciousness. Relieved, she cleared the water and covered him with blankets. His brief awakening suggested he wasn't critically injured. Exhausted from a sleepless night, she slept beside his bed.
When Ning Qingxue awoke, the sun was already high. She lay still, momentarily believing she’d reached paradise; her body felt pain-free, exquisitely comfortable. A sigh of relief escaped her lips; the endless agony was finally over. She only wondered about Ye Mo's well-being.
But unease quickly set in. She was still in Ye Mo's bed, everything unchanged. A sharp bite to her tongue confirmed the reality of pain; she hadn't died. Sitting up, she discovered her wounds completely healed, her body brimming with vigor.
She examined her small case, finding everything untouched. Then, she noticed a discrepancy: two heart protection pills were missing from a bottle she meticulously counted. Fear gripped her. How could her severe injuries have healed overnight? She clearly recalled grabbing a knife, attempting suicide, even the sensation of the blade piercing… yet, she was unwounded.
Several drops of blood stained the bed, but she had no bleeding wounds. Whose blood was it?
"Mom!" Her cry opened the door to her mother, Lan Yu, rushing in.
"Qingxue, are you alright?" Lan Yu's voice was laced with worry. Unaware of the previous night's events, she'd slept soundly until late morning, and was overcome with guilt.
"Huh, Qingxue, you… how… your face! So healthy! You… you're alright!?" Lan Yu's relief overshadowed the miraculous speed of her daughter's recovery.
Ning Qingxue knew she wasn't dreaming. Her recovery was undeniable, but the method remained a baffling mystery.
After Lan Yu's initial outburst, she finally questioned the inexplicable recovery. Recalling the severity of her daughter's injuries, she asked, "Qingxue, what happened? How did you recover?"
Ning Qingxue shook her head, equally mystified. A faint memory of someone tending her injuries surfaced, but who could achieve such a miraculous healing in a single night? "Mom, I need time to think…"
Lan Yu, though overwhelmed, preferred attributing her daughter's recovery to ancestral protection rather than the impossible. She carefully examined Ning Qingxue's back before finally relaxing. "I'll make you some congee. Rest, don't move too much."
Alone, Ning Qingxue's optimism waned. Someone had treated her, but who possessed such power? Even Hong Rui Hospital couldn't have performed such a feat.
A chilling thought struck her: if someone had treated her injuries, hadn't they undressed her? Quickly removing her clothes, she confirmed her suspicions, her face draining of color. Her top was off, her bra incorrectly fastened. The person had seen her entire body. A wave of horror washed over her; she'd rather have died than be violated in such a way.
She looked at the bloodstains – not hers – wondering whose it was and what it meant.