The excuse was so lame that even he himself found it flimsy.

He hadn't forgotten anything; he just couldn't help wanting to come back and see her, to make sure she was alright, and to make sure his actions yesterday had hurt Shang Wu.

He was afraid that she would never speak to him again.

Normally, Shang Wu might have seen through his words but kept quiet, or she might have gone along with his words and given him a way out, maintaining that pitiful, cold distance between them.

But at this moment, she had just experienced Lu You's words and was deeply moved.

Shang Wu looked at Lu Rang's obviously evasive eyes, at his attempt to disguise himself with indifference, and thought of his hurtful words last night, as well as Lu You's crying just now...

An unnamed anger suddenly flared up.

Shang Wu threw off the blanket covering her, and despite her fever and weakness, stood up and looked intently at Lu Rang.

"Take something? Lu Rang, what exactly do you want?"

Lu Rang paused for a moment: "I didn't intend to do anything."

Shang Wu approached him step by step. "You came here last night acting crazy, saying all sorts of nonsensical things. Lu Rang, tell me, what do you want?"

"Don't you hate me? Don't you think I gave up too easily? Don't you want to be with Sister You? Then why did you show up in front of me? Why did you do those things that would cause misunderstandings?"

Lu Rang was speechless at her question, and frowned: "I didn't, you misunderstood, I just..."

"Misunderstanding?" Shang Wu looked at him as he was still trying to deny it, her anger rising even more, along with a kind of inexplicable disappointment and heartache.

She suddenly raised her hand and pointed at Lu You behind her.

"How long are you going to keep lying to me? Sister You has already told me everything. Why did you call my name when you were asleep? Why did you keep my photo frame? You already have a fiancée, can't you take some responsibility for Sister You? Why are you still thinking about me? Don't you care about the harsh words I said to you?"

Shang Wu let his hands hang down listlessly.

Lu Rang froze on the spot, the last trace of color draining from his face in an instant.

His pupils suddenly contracted as he looked at Lu You in disbelief, then at Shang Wu.

She...knew everything?

She knew something.

She knew he was still thinking of her and missing her.

The air was deathly silent.

All that remained were Shang Wu's rapid, labored breathing, a mixture of excitement and exhaustion.

She was panting, her chest heaving with excitement, her eyes red as she stared at Lu Rang, waiting for his answer, or rather, for his judgment.

Tell her that she was just imagining things, then pull Lu You away and never show up again.

Or perhaps...

Or something else, she didn't know.

Finally, Lu Rang slowly raised his eyes.

His eyes no longer held the cold pretense, only an overwhelming weariness.

He looked at Shang Wu, then suddenly curled his lips into a smile and chuckled softly.

"Well, there's no need to pretend anymore."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly stepped forward and pulled Shang Wu into a tight embrace.

Caught off guard, Shang Wu's face collided with his chest, which carried a faint medicinal scent and a familiar aroma.

She instinctively struggled, but Lu Rang held her even tighter, as if he wanted to crush her into his own bones and blood.

"Don't move..."

Lu Rang's voice was terribly hoarse, his hot breath spraying onto her head, carrying a fragile, choked sob, as if he had just survived a catastrophe. "Let me hold you for a while, just a little while..."

Shang Wu froze in his arms, her mind blank, only able to feel the rapid heartbeat coming from his chest.

“A-Wu”.

He buried his face in her neck, his voice muffled, filled with immense pain and grievance, "I stopped taking the medication, I stopped a long time ago..."

Shang Wu's body stiffened abruptly.

"I remember now."

"Everything."

Lu Rang's voice was tinged with pain, "I remember how Lu Zheng forced me, how I was tied up and subjected to that damned hypnosis, I remember it all..."

He paused, tightening his grip on her arm as if afraid of losing some precious treasure, but his voice carried a hint of incredulous accusation, "I remember you cooperating with Lu Zheng to choose to make me forget you."

Shang Wu instantly stopped all struggles, her whole body turning ice-cold.

"Why?" Lu Rang's voice was tinged with suppressed sobs, his eyes red.

He loosened his grip on her slightly, cupped her face in his hands, and forced her to look at him.

Shang Wu met his eyes, which were filled with pain and confusion.

"Tell me why?! You helped them choose a path without you, you helped me choose a way of life without you! Ah Wu, how could you do this to me?"

Shang Wu's tears welled up instantly.

The helplessness and heartache that had been building up for so long could no longer be hidden at this moment.

Looking at the man before her, who was in so much pain he seemed to be broken, she murmured, "No, Lu Rang, I'm doing this for your own good."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face: "My brother asked you for help in my name, but your old illness has relapsed, and you're so fragile. What else can I do?"

"And those grudges, you clearly can't let go of them either. I see you in pain, I see you torn between the two sides, I..."

"So you're going to make the decision for me?"

Lu interrupted her.

He gripped her chin with a bit of force, forcing her to look at him.