Chapter Twenty-Six: "Dwelling in Hell, How Dare One Dream of Heaven"

“Hello? What? Xiao Zhen’s in trouble? I’ll head over right now.” Chu Yuxiu suddenly received a call from Cheng Yunting, learning that Leng Zhen had met with an accident. He hurriedly set off in his car. “Tell me the basic situation so I can prepare. And remember to call an ambulance; the villa won’t accommodate the emergency.”

“Alright. She’s suddenly bleeding from somewhere, and it just won’t stop…” The person on the other end sounded anxious and desperate.

...

“How is Xiao Zhen?” Qin Cheng rushed to the hospital the moment he received the call, anxiously staring at the emergency room as he asked.

Cheng Yunting didn’t answer, simply stood there, as if transported back to the time when Leng Zhen was burned in the fire and lay unconscious.

The other brothers were also waiting anxiously at the door of the emergency room. No one answered him.

“Let me go in and help Yuxiu.” Qin Cheng was about to disinfect and enter the emergency room when he spoke.

Qin Yu, still somewhat rational, quickly stopped him. “Don’t, big brother. Yuxiu said none of us should go in; otherwise we’d have gone already.”

“What should we do? I remember Xiao Zhen never had any problems. How could she suddenly start bleeding like this?” Qin Cheng stomped his feet in distress.

“Xiao Zhen’s hemorrhage seems to be caused by a hidden illness in her body. On my way with the ambulance, I heard Yuxiu say Xiao Zhen hadn’t been taking her medication for a long time, which worsened her condition.” At this moment, a man who had remained silent in the corner spoke up.

This was Xiao Zhen’s fourth brother—Qin Yuxuan.

“Damn, what are we supposed to do now?” Qin Xinan swore, looking helplessly at the others.

“I also heard Yuxiu say Xiao Zhen once chose to give up, and she’s doing so again now.” Qin Yuxuan gazed gently at the door of the emergency room, but his words stabbed at everyone’s hearts.

Qin Yuxuan lowered his head, tears streaming from his eyes.

His feelings for Leng Zhen were not simply those of a brother, but he lacked the courage of the others to express his love…

His love was small, but he wanted to give her all the best things in the world…

Some people do not lack love; their love is simply so small, so timid, that they dare not speak it…

...

“Where’s Sixth?”

“He’s out searching the blood banks of major hospitals, trying to find Xiao Zhen’s blood type.”

“Hmm.”

...

So it was that silence gradually settled at the door of the emergency room, none of them left, all standing, waiting…

Alas, one could only sigh: among the Qin brothers, aside from the second who loved Leng Zhen’s friend Si Luoli, all had fallen for Leng Zhen.

Naturally, even the head of the Leng family had fallen for her as well~

Among these seven, some loved boldly and openly; some worked quietly behind the scenes, so everyone knew they loved her, except her; others loved so timidly they wouldn’t let anyone know, supporting her in silence…

Of the seven, Cheng Yunting loved her the deepest, and was the winner—he had secretly admired Leng Zhen for seven years, and she had too…

Xiao Zhen, in her next life, shouldn’t be born into a wealthy family; it’s too bitter. Instead, let her be born into a middle-class family, and let them find her!

All these grown men thought the same thing, without discussing it…

...

At three in the morning the next day.

A whole day had passed, yet the emergency room lights were still on. Leng Zhen’s life hung by a thread, and these men stood motionless at the door—another person had joined them.

...

Finally, at ten in the morning, the emergency room lights went out. Leng Zhen was wheeled out, accompanied by Chu Yuxiu.

Cheng Yunting, seeing her, hurried to help push the hospital bed, but Chu Yuxiu stopped him.

“Xiao Zhen is out of danger for now. I’ve observed her for five hours. Come with me, I may need your help persuading her.” Chu Yuxiu addressed the anxious men.

Obediently, they followed him.

But Qin Yuxuan stayed put, saying, “I’ll go take care of Xiao Zhen first; just tell me when you return.”

Chu Yuxiu smiled, “You should come, too. Xiao Zhen doesn’t need anyone right now. Besides, do you really think she hasn’t noticed your little feelings?”

Qin Yuxuan was stunned, gazing at Chu Yuxiu in confusion.

“She’s forgotten she’s the world’s top psychologist, has counseled countless people, saved countless lives. Yet, she can’t counsel herself, nor save herself…”

“Alright.” Qin Yuxuan nodded, head bowed, and followed them.

...

Once in Chu Yuxiu’s office, he sat down, and the men found seats, looking at him expectantly.

“I suppose, aside from Qin Xinan, everyone here likes Xiao Zhen?” Chu Yuxiu looked at them. “Today, I’m exposing your feelings without reservation… perhaps to finally resolve the matter from years ago.

Xiao Zhen didn’t want me to tell you. She thinks her life isn’t worth much, and even more, she’s used to carrying everything alone. She’s already given up on treatment…”

“What do you mean?” the men asked in unison.

“This story begins ten years ago… with the death of her foster parents…

At that time, Xiao Zhen was no longer a child; she was more mature than her peers.

One day, she simply wanted to practice her hacking skills, see if she could break into her foster mother’s phone without leaving a trace.

She succeeded, but saw the chat history between her foster parents…

They believed Xiao Zhen was strong in every way, destined to inherit the Qin and Su families. But if she ever betrayed them, all the ancestors’ efforts would be wasted.

So, they plotted to inject her with two vials of poison, which would cause her to lose consciousness, vomit blood, and suffer unbearable pain. There was no cure, but a suppressant existed.

As long as they had the suppressant, they planned to leave it in a fixed place, have the butler inject her monthly. If she ever left the Qin family, the poison would torment her.

Xiao Zhen discovered this, naturally refused, and tried to escape. But her foster mother found out and locked her in the basement, forcibly injecting her with the poison and letting it take effect for a day.

After a day, her foster mother administered the suppressant, left her in the basement for a night, and then injected her with another drug, tormenting her further.

She was only nine years old…

Her foster parents knew their days were numbered, so they surrendered, let Xiao Zhen save them, and then her foster father pressed the detonator, making Xiao Zhen believe it was all her fault.

In truth, their gamble worked. Xiao Zhen, unable to cope after witnessing their deaths, worked desperately to revive the company, to make amends…

She was emotionally shattered. During those days when she disappeared, I found her in the black market…

When I found her, she was covered in blood, wounds everywhere, some already infected, dangerously low on blood, yet she survived.

It was incredible. I later learned she had single-handedly defeated every assassin on the rankings, becoming the youngest top assassin in history. Her legend still circulates in the assassin world.

That’s when she developed aftereffects: every ninth or tenth of the month, she would faint, lose consciousness, vomit blood, and experience many symptoms.

The worst was cardiac arrest; the best was merely vomiting blood.

These aftereffects resulted from prolonged stress and the mixing of two poisons in her body.

I’ve developed a suppressant, but she refuses to take it. She’s too exhausted, unwilling to continue treatment.

But at twelve, she met Cheng Yunting, and being a face-connoisseur, she was smitten at first sight, and he was too.

She resumed treatment, taking medication regularly, cooperating with all my arrangements.

But when Cheng Yunting left, she gave up again. Perhaps she was truly exhausted and disappointed in the world.

Even after he returned, she still gave up.

The most vivid thing she said to me was: she doesn’t expect anyone to approach her, to like her, because she’s too dark inside. Already living in the abyss, how could she bear to drag another into it?

Another phrase: living in hell, how dare she long for heaven?

She’s the world’s top psychologist, rescued countless lives, counseled countless people.

But sadly, she cannot even save herself…”

Chu Yuxiu forced back tears, finished his story, and took a sip of lemon water.

“Perhaps you still don’t know why I brought you here. I want you to persuade Xiao Zhen to continue treatment.

If she refuses… her only path will be death.”

After he finished, the office was eerily quiet. No one could process it all…

Leng Zhen’s life had been bitter, yet she’d met many people willing to treat her like a princess for life, but she dared not hope for them…

Because she was already in the abyss, she didn’t want to drag anyone else in…

“How is she now?” Cheng Yunting trembled as he asked.

“She should wake in the next day or two. Her body is at a point where, if not treated promptly, she could…” Chu Yuxiu paused, unwilling to say the word, but reality was harsh.

The Qin brothers all quietly wiped their tears. They had never cried, not even at their parents’ funeral, but today, they sobbed like children.

Cheng Yunting wanted to cry, too, but held back, his eyes reddening.

He closed his eyes. “What’s the treatment like?”

Chu Yuxiu hesitated, “Are you sure you want to know?”

“I’m sure.” Cheng Yunting nodded, looking at Chu Yuxiu. “Tell me.”

“In four words: worse than death. She must use electric currents to stimulate the toxins, trigger their release, then use special silver needles to draw the poison out. This must be repeated, and she must remain conscious throughout—no anesthesia, no fainting.

Originally, the currents could be weaker, since the poison hadn’t penetrated her bones, so it wouldn’t trigger easily.

But now, the poison is deep in her bones; it must be triggered to force out even a little. Given her current state, it must be repeated hundreds of times to purge all the toxins.”

Though Cheng Yunting didn’t fully understand, he realized the process was agonizing…

The Qin brothers were all trained in medicine and knew the risks of high-voltage currents—one misstep could be fatal.

Even a single session would be torturous for a conscious person, let alone hundreds with toxin outbreaks. Even a trained assassin couldn’t bear it, let alone a nineteen-year-old girl.

“The poison her foster mother injected can only be removed this way, which is why she can’t skip the injections.

Now, she has attacks every month, causing stabbing heart pain, recurring episodes. Gradually, it will invade her digestive system, like surgery without anesthesia. Each outbreak lasts about two weeks, without exception.

The combination of high-voltage current and toxin outbreaks is enough to make life unbearable. No anesthesia, no fainting, always conscious—it would break anyone.

To fully purge the poison, she must endure it continuously.”

Cheng Yunting clenched his fists and buried his head in his hands, unable to believe his girl must suffer so much…

The Qin brothers, versed in medicine, knew what this meant. High-voltage currents and toxin outbreaks require days of recovery, but repeated sessions… truly, only those with extraordinary endurance could survive it—almost impossible.

“If she doesn’t get treatment… will she suffer a lot?”

PS: Allow me to explain—this is purely accidental, really, today’s events were not planned.

There was earlier foreshadowing, so I had to fill this plot hole. I couldn’t leave it unaddressed—it wouldn’t be right. (Beside me: It’s just because you got stuck writing, remembered the hole, and decided to fill it.)

Ah, this was truly unexpected. I’ve been stuck with writer’s block lately, feels like my hair is falling out.

Anyway, last night, our Chinese team finished with 38 gold medals and a total of 88 medals, ranking second in the world medal table (not least because Japan snatched a few from us), a perfect finish.

Honestly, the opening and closing ceremonies were “grave-like,” but I’d say, bring them up, send them back.

Proud and honored for our athletes!

Alright, see you tomorrow~