Chapter 324: Chapter 322 She Might Be Sister-in-Law
Yan Qing arrived just in time and rushed over.
He watched as Director Si was about to pass out, still being jerked back and forth in Jian Xi’s grasp.
"Madam! Be careful, Director Si might lose his life!"
Jian Xi, like a madwoman, viciously shoved Yan Qing away.
"Why do you protect such a heartless beast?"
She was furious, her eyes bloodshot, tears streaming down her face. "Si Yuhuan, I want to kill you!"
"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH—"
Si Yuhuan coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Jian Xi stood rooted to the spot, her raised hand unable to come down.
She clenched her fists tightly.
After all, she wasn’t cruel enough to take his life. She was just a damnable love-struck fool; she didn’t deserve to live in this world. Even given a second chance at life, she still couldn’t protect the people she loved. She was the truly detestable jinx.
"Xixi, it wasn’t me who hurt Brother Five; it was Si Junyan."
Si Yuhuan said this with almost all the strength he had left.
He had nearly lost his life at Si Junyan’s hands. The bullet should have hit him; it was Jian Yanjun who took it for him. He had seen Jian Xi’s son—so handsome! He looked somewhat like her. Regrettably, he hadn’t been able to bring the child back. He deserved to die!
Si Yuhuan was filled with immense guilt.
"Bullshit! Why are you trying to pin this on him? Do you think my brain is damaged? Using a dead man to take the fall for you, to bear the burden—isn’t that shameless? Si Junyan has been dead for months! Did he crawl out of his grave to kidnap my son?"
When Jian Xi heard Si Yuhuan’s defense, fury erupted within her.
SLAP!
She didn’t care anymore and fiercely slapped his face.
"Si Yuhuan, you—you owe me for the rest of your life, and you will never be able to repay it."
I gave birth to your children, I gave up everything in the Jian Family for you, I hurt my brothers’ hearts for you—how could you do this to me?
Jian Xi cried out, her voice cracking with despair.
Si Yuhuan rushed over and held her in his embrace. "I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. Indeed, I owe the Jian Family, I owe you too much. I will make amends."
If he hadn’t failed to crush Si Junyan to death, none of these subsequent events would have happened. Now Si Yuhuan truly understood why all the blame could be pinned on him. A face that bore a three-tenths resemblance to his own, after some makeup, could easily pass for the real thing!
"How will you compensate? With your life? Why don’t you just go die!"
Jian Xi’s venomous curse startled Si Yuhuan for a moment, but then he managed a twisted smile.
"Alright, if you want me dead, once I help you find the child, I can do that."
She was so severely hurt, dragging her postpartum body through one tragic experience after another, struggling on the brink of life and death—no one knew how much pain Jian Xi was truly in. Si Yuhuan had never felt his heart break for a woman to this extent, to the point of being willing to die. When this thought surfaced, he felt he had truly gone mad. It also made him recognize his own heart more clearly. He didn’t know when it had started, but he was deeply attracted to Jian Xi, certain that this was the woman he wanted as his partner for the rest of his life. Grandfather was right; it was too late, but he wanted to make amends.
Jian Xi sobbed, clutching her chest, struggling to breathe.
The child wasn’t back, and Si Yuhuan had hurt Brother Five. How could she possibly face her parents? More importantly, how could she face her own conscience!
"Xixi, I really didn’t hurt Brother Five." Si Yuhuan’s face was contorted in pain, veins bulging prominently.
The doctor rushed in. "What’s all this racket? Quick, take him to the operating room."
It was then Jian Xi became aware that Si Yuhuan had also been shot in the leg.
As she watched Si Yuhuan being taken to the operating room, having fainted, Jian Xi’s sobbing stopped, creating an eerily silent and horrific scene.
Wan Yu tightly covered her mouth, unable to utter a word for a long time.
What in the world was going on? She was completely confused. Si Yuhuan took the child, only to be forcefully brought back by Fifth Master? Fifth Master was shot, his life hanging by a thread, but then how did Si Yuhuan also get shot? If Si Yuhuan shot Fifth Master, why would he then bring him for treatment? Wouldn’t it be better for him if there were no witnesses left alive? Too much information was flooding her mind all at once, and her head began to throb.
Yan Qing was pacing anxiously, unable to help himself as he blurted out in Si Yuhuan’s defense, "Madam, please don’t blame Director Si. He has been deceiving you all along."
"Deceiving me?"
Jian Xi looked up in confusion, her tear-filled eyes swollen like walnuts.
"Yes! The child was never in Director Si’s hands. He threatened you so that you would listen to him, take care of your health, and stay in the postpartum care center. These past days, he has been traveling everywhere, searching for clues and information about your son’s disappearance, hoping to find your child before you finished your confinement period as a surprise for you. He’s really poured his heart and soul into this for you."
"No, that’s absolutely impossible. You are his subordinate; what you say must be to absolve him of blame."
Jian Xi refused to believe a single word.
Apart from Si Yuhuan, who else could orchestrate such an elaborate scheme? Snatching her child—what purpose could it serve? To threaten her? Then why hadn’t they shown themselves? Other than Si Yuhuan, who might have a motive to threaten her, Jian Xi couldn’t think of anyone else.
But this also helped her to calm down.
The hallway was utterly silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Jian Xi sat on the sofa, continuously wringing her hands, praying inwardly, Brother Five must be all right.
「Eight full hours passed.」
The doctor emerged, drenched in sweat. "The surgery went relatively smoothly. However, because the bullet damaged his lungs and other vital organs, the exact time he’ll regain consciousness will depend on his condition. We’ll observe him for three days. But I hope the family is mentally prepared; there’s a possibility he might end up in a vegetative state."
"What?"
Jian Xi’s eyes widened. Her heart felt as if it had been run over by a car; she couldn’t breathe, and she fainted.
"Quick, someone help! She’s a new mother, still in her postpartum confinement period!" Wan Yu frantically called for help.
The hospital instantly descended into chaos.
When Song Xicheng arrived, he saw that all the lights in the operating rooms and emergency rooms were on.
His eyebrows nearly knitted together in frustration.
Wan Yu, with her sharp eyes, spotted the newcomer and marched straight up to him, grabbing his collar. "Song Xicheng, right?"
"Yes. And you are?"
He was certain he had never seen this person before. His subordinates had informed him that Si Yuhuan had appeared in the hospital with a gunshot wound, which was why he had dropped his work and rushed over.
"I’m your granny!"
Wan Yu punched him right in the eye socket.
"You scoundrel! Arrest her for me."
To dare strike him in Q Country—she truly had a death wish!
Song Xicheng was furious, his handsome, peach-blossom-like face now coated with frost.
Just as he was about to order Wan Yu to be thrown into the sea to feed the fish, Yan Qing stepped forward. "President Song, please calm your anger. This is a good friend of Director Si. You mustn’t harm her, or Director Si will fall out with you."
"Such an important friend? Could it be..."
Song Xicheng’s eyes widened; he had misunderstood.
He thought Wan Yu was Director Si’s girlfriend.
His face immediately wreathed in smiles. "So it’s you! We wouldn’t have known each other if we hadn’t fought. It’s alright, you were right to hit me. Consider it as me taking a hit for my brother."
He felt a bit aggrieved; he had truly been wronged by that punch.
"HMPH! You bunch of stinking men, not a single one of you is any good! You help Si Yuhuan do all sorts of evil deeds; you’ll get your retribution sooner or later!" Wan Yu retorted.
Song Xicheng flared up, rolling up his sleeves. "Come on, say that to me again."