All the kidnappers were captured. Based on their confessions, police raided their hideout directly. Only the leader remained at large.

Mr. Ye had initially refused to cooperate with the police, fearing for his daughter's safety. But after they proposed reasonable plans and deployed SWAT teams—and Mr. Ye enlisted retired special forces friends—he reluctantly agreed.

After the fight, Qiu Yi and Ye Wen were carried on stretchers into ambulances and rushed frantically to a provincial hospital.

Qiu Yi's injuries weren't serious. Luckily, no muscles were damaged. With proper care, he'd recover after a few days' rest. Ye Wen, however, though unharmed, remained unconscious.

Later, Qiu Yi gave his statement to the police. When Mr. Ye learned Qiu Yi had been captured while rescuing Ye Wen, he covered all medical expenses and arranged a private room.

"Kid, you've got guts," said one of Mr. Ye's retired special forces friends, standing beside Qiu Yi and giving a thumbs-up with a smile.

"It's nothing..." Qiu Yi chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Just reckless, I guess."

"Don't say that," the veteran said, patting the iron bed frame. "Young men with your courage and integrity are rare these days. You just lack experience. How about joining the military after graduation?"

"Well... ha, I'm kinda lazy," Qiu Yi laughed.

"Kid, once you're in the army, laziness isn't an option," the veteran chuckled, clearly not serious about his suggestion.

Creak— Qiu Yi's parents had called everyone they could think of after he didn't come home that night. Just as they were about to file a police report, they learned he was hospitalized.

"What happened?" his father frowned, eyeing Qiu Yi's bandaged shoulder. "Get into a fight?"

"Your son got hurt rescuing someone. He even took a bullet for a young girl. I wonder how Mr. Ye will thank him," the veteran said. "Since your parents are here, I'll take my leave. Call a nurse if needed."

"Mm," Qiu Yi nodded, watching him leave.

"What's going on?" his father asked, his expression softening as he stood by the bed.

His mother sat on a small chair nearby, anxiously asking, "How are you? Does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, no pain. Don't worry," Qiu Yi reassured her, then recounted the whole story.

"Don't do anything so dangerous again. Your life is most important. Even if she's a rich man's daughter, she's not worth more than your life," his mother said.

"Mom..." Qiu Yi wanted to say the girl was the one he loved, but held back. Explaining would be too troublesome.

"Brave move. A man should stand up for the woman he loves. I'm proud of you. That's what being a man is about—taking responsibility," his father said.

"Honey..." his mother started, but his father cut her off.

"Ahem!" Qiu Yi coughed, feeling awkward. His father had clearly figured out his feelings for Ye Wen.

"But don't act recklessly or alone without being sure. Before you have the ability, seek help from others," his father advised.

"Exactly. Besides, you don't even know if she likes you. No need to risk your life for her. I've heard rich girls can be hard to deal with," his mother interjected.

Neither parent mentioned young love, showing they were open-minded. His mother then gave dating tips, turning it into an impromptu romance advice session.

Mr. Ye pushed the door open. "Young man, how are your injuries?"

"Uh... nothing serious..."

"Good to hear. Are these your parents?"

"Mm."

Mr. Ye shook hands with Qiu Yi's parents. "Thank you for your son. You must be proud to have such a son."

"My son has always been very righteous," Qiu Yi's father said, pulling out a pack of Liqun cigarettes and offering one.

Mr. Ye didn't refuse. He took it and tucked it behind his ear. The two men chatted as they walked out.

"Poor man's smoke. Can't afford the good stuff."

"No big deal. Cigarettes aren't about good or bad—just whether you like them. Like how some prefer meat, others veggies."

His mother fussed a bit more. Then, with dark circles under their eyes, his parents left for work. The large hospital room was now empty except for him.

"How's Ye Wen doing..." Qiu Yi gazed at the ceiling, lost in sweet daydreams of her.

...

Ye Wen opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a pure white ceiling. The air smelled of hospital disinfectant.

She shifted her eyes, slightly turning her head to one side.

Shuizishi was asleep, slumped over the bedside. She jolted awake at a sound, looked up, and saw Ye Wen staring at her. "Ah! Miss! You're awake!" she cried joyfully.

Mr. and Mrs. Ye rushed into the room upon hearing the news.

"Wenwen? Are you okay? Any discomfort?"

Ye Wen shook her head expressionlessly.

Mr. and Mrs. Ye asked more questions, but only got nods and headshakes in reply.

"Wenwen? Why aren't you talking?" Mrs. Ye felt Ye Wen's forehead. "No fever... why no expression on your face?"

Ye Wen frowned in confusion—or rather, it looked like an expressionless frown to others. Then her eyes widened in shock. She realized she couldn't speak! She knew the words in her mind, but her mouth wouldn't form them, as if a part was missing. Her face was frozen, unable to show any emotion.

Seeing something was wrong, Mr. Ye quickly called their old friend, Doctor Wang.

Doctor Wang lifted Ye Wen's eyelids, shone a flashlight in her ears, and examined her thoroughly. "Physically, she seems fine—at least on the surface. She should be able to speak normally. Could a part of her brain be damaged? Let me run some instrument tests, okay?"

Mr. Ye nodded.

Ye Wen was then taken to a room filled with machines for a full-body checkup.

After the tests, Doctor Wang came out of the examination room.

"Well?" Mr. Ye asked.

"No internal injuries. It might be aphasia from severe shock, and facial paralysis. She can still blink and open her mouth, so it's likely a neural control center issue."

"This... what do we do?"

"For now, she can't speak or show expressions, but her intelligence is intact. It might be temporary, or permanent, or she might recover with another trigger... Brain issues are unpredictable. Treatment... I suggest starting with psychological therapy. Once her mind heals from the trauma, the other symptoms should improve."

Mr. Ye fell silent.