Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Before Lin Nuan got to see Bai Xiaonian, she was still a little flustered, her emotions easily revealed by her intertwined fingers.

  Fu Huai’an had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on Lin Nuan’s hand.

  The warmth spread from that dry and powerful large hand through Lin Nuan’s cold fingers all the way to her heart, warming up the blood that flowed through her entire body.

  From the corner of her eyes, Lin Nuan saw the reversing scenery outside the car window, which calmed down her frantic heart for some reason.

  She felt a layer of sweat forming on her palms. She gripped Fu Huai’an’s large hand and casually asked, “Did you smoke last night?”


  After Fu Huai’an was done smoking last night, he had emptied the ashtray and rinsed up, but unexpectedly, Lin Nuan found out about it anyway.

  Seeing as Fu Huai’an wasn’t replying, Lin Nuan began, “You’re heavily addicted to smoking, so I know it’s impossible to ask of you to stop smoking entirely right away. Sometimes when you smoke, I smell a hint of cigarette smell on you. Let’s take it slow, one day you’ll be able to quit completely…”


  Lin Nuan’s voice was clear, but not a hint of emotion was detected.

  Fu Huai’an spread open Lin Nuan’s sweaty palm and intertwined his fingers with hers. “I’ll quit one day!”


  Lin Nuan nodded. She believed in Fu Huai’an.

  The hospital was a short distance away from the Cloud Top Condominium…


  By the time Fu Huai’an was done parking his car in the underground parking lot, Lin Nuan had already unbuckled her seat belt. She let out a few long exhales to soothe the sense of heaviness that was overwhelming her and restricting her ability to breath properly.

  Without having a clear idea of Bai Xiaonian’s condition, Lin Nuan was unable to rehearse words of consolation, as she didn’t know how to go about it.

  She walked to the elevators with Fu Huai’an’s hand in hers, the other hand retrieving her phone from her bag. Despite wanting to find out about the situation from Lu Jinbei, her finger remained frozen on Lu Jinbei’s name. She didn’t directly dial his number, feeling conflicted at heart.

  A crowd began to form at the elevators. Once the elevator door opened, the people exiting from inside brushed past Lin Nuan’s shoulders; even though it wasn’t a forceful bump, Lin Nuan still staggered from the contact.

  Fu Huai’an smoothly pulled Lin Nuan into his arms, and only entered the elevator holding her when those people were done exiting. The tenderness and warmth didn’t escape onlookers’ eyes.

  Under the bright lighting inside the elevator, Lin Nuan could see the reflected image of Fu Huai’an protecting her in his arms, and she couldn’t help smiling. After looking glum for an entire night, there was finally a tad of vibrancy and liveliness on that face.

  She just wanted Bai Xiaonian to know that regardless of what happened, she’d be by her side—that would do!

  There was no need to pursue what happened; she didn’t want to reopen Bai Xiaonian’s wound. To get Bai Xiaonian to recall the event once was the same as getting her to relive the pain all over again. Watching Bai Xiaonian in pain, Lin Nuan would feel the pain as well.

  However, when Lin Nuan reached the door to the ward, she was at a loss as to what she should do.

  Through the transparent windows of the ward, Lin Nuan could see what was going on inside. Lu Jinnan was feeding millet porridge to Bai Xiaonian, mouthful by mouthful. Lu Jinbei was nowhere to be seen.

  By Lin Nuan’s side, Fu Huai’an spoke up after seeing Lin Nuan standing there frozen for a good, her hand on the door handle. “There’s a story behind Bai Xiaonian and Lu Jinnan’s matter. It’s not at all like what we had imagined at the start. I had the matter investigated thoroughly last night, but I feel Bai Xiaonian should tell you all about it herself…”


  As he finished speaking, Bai Xiaonian, who was leaning against the bed inside with difficulty… looked in Lin Nuan’s direction.

  Their gazes met. Bai Xiaonian wanted to reveal a smile, but the second the corner of her lips turned up a little, her wound acted up, so she dared not move her lips too much.

  Lu Jinnan turned his head around and spotted Lin Nuan. He turned back and said something to Bai Xiaonian, then left the porridge bowl on the bedside table and strode towards the door.

  As he opened the door, Lin Nuan and Lu Jinnan stood facing each other. The wound inflicted by Lin Nuan’s metallic bag had already coagulated on his face, and there was a little stubble on his chin. Those originally clean and fair facial features now looked tired, not radiant like they usually look.

  “Xiaonian is awake…” Lu Jinnan said to Lin Nuan.

  She nodded. She didn’t wish to speak more with Lu Jinnan, so she said in her hoarse voice, “Excuse me…”


  This was when Lu Jinnan realized he was blocking Lin Nuan’s way, so he turned sideways to let her get past.

  Carrying a soft-skinned shoulder bag, Lin Nuan walked inside, her shoulder brushing past Lu Jinnan’s chest in an imposing manner and making Lu Jinnan retreat a step and knock against the wall.

  Lin Nuan’s mentality towards Lu Jinnan had changed, and likewise, Lu Jinnan’s attitude towards Lin Nuan wasn’t the same anymore.

  This change was sufficiently manifested from their body language.

  Lin Nuan’s identity now wasn’t only Lu Jinnan’s best friend’s wife, but also Bai Xiaonian’s bestest friend in the whole wide world.

  Lu Jinnan had never imagined that one day he would land in such a situation; if it had occurred to him earlier… he would’ve treated Lin Nuan more kindly.

  He closed the door and gave Bai Xiaonian and Lin Nuan their privacy. A layer of frost seemed to cover Lu Jinnan’s eyes, and a cracking sound was heard as he clenched his fists by his sides. “Old Fu, help me investigate three people…”


  After listening to Bai Xiaonian recount how she jumped off the building, Lu Jinnan had the impulse to dash out with a knife to murder them straight.

  But he dared not leave because there was no one by Bai Xiaonian’s side to take care of her.

  Bai Xiaonian said she didn’t know those two men and one woman, but from what they were saying, it sounded like there was enmity between them and Lu Jinnan. Apparently, they were planning on forcing Lu Jinnan to break one of his legs by holding Bai Xiaonian hostage.

  Understanding what Lu Jinnan meant, Fu Huai’an slipped both his hands into his pockets as if deep in thought. After a long moment of silence, he said, “I’ve already investigated them! Tang Zheng is already on it as we speak, so you don’t have to worry about this. Just focus on taking good care of Bai Xiaonian…”


  Lu Jinnan was stunned momentarily before asking, “Who did it?”


  “Previously, the boss of Guangxia Pharmaceuticals had a son and a daughter. A few years back, in order to help the Kaide Corporation acquire Guangxia Pharmaceuticals, you broke one leg of the boss and forced him to sign with a knife to his neck. His children were trying to avenge their father. Your car broke down because they tampered with it…”


  Fu Huai’an spoke in a relaxed manner, but it was enough to cause Lu Jinnan’s heart to feel agitated and his blood to boil. He tugged at his collar, murderous intent unmistakable in his eyes.

  “What about the third one?” Lu Jinnan asked with his fingers clenched.

  “That precious grandson of the Wangs of Haicheng West is lying in the ICU at this very moment. It’s hard to say if he’ll even wake up…”


  Fu Huai’an shifted sideways to give way to a nurse pushing past with a trolley.

  The nurse subconsciously stole a glance at Fu Huai’an, then at Lu Jinnan. When she returned to the nurse’s station, she chattered merrily with her colleagues. Those two suited men at the entrance of the VIP ward had completely different styles, yet were similarly handsome in their own way.

  A nurse who had yet to leave from her night shift last night raised her head to look at the pretty boys her colleague was talking about. She lowered her voice after she saw Lu Jinnan turn his head, lamenting in a regretful tone, “That handsome guy seems to have a girlfriend already. It’s the one lying inside the ward. Professor Bai did yesterday’s surgery himself. What a pity… seems like his girlfriend was you-know-what by someone!”


  “Sounds like there’s a story! What exactly happened? Tell us about it!”