Chapter 267 Heartache

The smell of disinfectant was covered by a faint scent of cedar.

Meng Anran's eyelashes trembled slightly, and the first thing to recover was her sense of touch - someone was using a warm cotton swab to moisten her cracked lips, and the movements were as gentle as if they were treating fragile thin porcelain.

"woke up?"

The low but clear voice was like the lingering sound of a piano. She slowly opened her eyes, and Qin Mu's outline against the light gradually became clear.

The morning light streamed in from behind him, giving him a furry golden edge, and even his usually sharp jawline seemed soft.

She tried to speak, but her throat felt like it had been rubbed with sandpaper.

Qin Mu immediately lifted the back of her neck and put the rim of the glass against her lips.

The warm water moistened her throat, and her throat felt a little better, but her voice was still hoarse: "How long have I slept?"

"Twenty-eight hours." Qin Mu put down the water cup and unconsciously rubbed his watch. "Kone gave you a sedative."

The bedside monitor made a regular "beeping" sound. Meng Anran's eyes swept across the crystal vase with flowers and fell on the laptop on the sofa.

The screen was still lit with a stock chart.

"company……"

"Everything has been arranged. Ruiming and Yan are both stable." Qin Mu took the phone from the bedside table and handed it to him. "If you're worried, you can check the news."

Meng Anran shook her head slightly and asked anxiously, "Where's Lu Heng?"

Qin Mu's fingertips tightened slightly, but soon loosened again. He poured her a glass of warm water and said calmly, "He went abroad."

Meng Anran's hand trembled as she took the cup of water. She remembered the last look Lu Heng gave her - that kind of almost relieved calmness, as if he had already anticipated this moment.

"Sister, at least say goodbye to me."

Her heart suddenly sank and her eyes instantly turned red.

She finally realized how wrong she was.

The person who had protected her since she was a child was now bearing everyone's curses and walking towards the abyss alone.

And she didn't even have time to say "thank you".

Meng Anran turned her head to look out the window. The accumulated snow bent the branches and seemed to be pressing on her heart.

Cold and heavy.

*

Meng Zhen stood in front of the wardrobe with her suitcase spread out on the ground, containing several sets of professional attire and casual clothes neatly stacked inside.

On the desk next to him, there was a plane ticket to Hai City, with the departure time being 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.

Xiao Han leaned against the door frame, holding two cups of hot tea in his hands. He watched her take out a folded shirt and fold it again.

"This is the third time," he said softly, "If you're really worried, stay a few more days."

Meng Zhen's fingers paused, and she finally sighed and put the shirt back into the closet.

"I've never seen An Ran like that..." Her voice tightened.

When I rushed to the hospital yesterday, Meng Anran was already asleep. Her brows were furrowed and her fingers were unconsciously tugging at the sheets, as if she was trapped in a nightmare from which she couldn't wake up.

She had never seen her sister so vulnerable.

Xiao Han handed her the teacup, and the warm wall of the cup touched her fingertips.

"An Ran is stronger than you think." He comforted her softly, "She will be fine."

Meng Zhen took a sip of tea, the fragrance of jasmine spread on the tip of her tongue, but it couldn't suppress the bitterness in her heart.

"I know." She whispered, "But I still want to wait and make sure she's stable before leaving..."

Xiao Han looked at her furrowed brows, then suddenly reached out and gently smoothed them. "Then wait a few more days before leaving. My work is not urgent. And to be honest, I am also worried about her condition."

After all, they are best friends, and Xiao Han knows more about Meng Anran’s PTSD than Liu Zhi.

After so many years of restraint, he suddenly exploded. It is hard to say whether this is catharsis or collapse.

…

After receiving the news that Meng Anran had woken up, Kenai rushed over immediately and gave her a psychological assessment.

The simple sand tray test clearly reflected Meng Anran's current mental condition. When he got the assessment results, even Kenai was a little bit unbelievable.

"What's wrong?" Qin Mu glanced at the girl who was sitting on the bed drinking porridge elegantly with no emotion in her eyes, and asked Kenai worriedly.

"Her PTSD symptoms have improved significantly." Konai pushed his glasses up, glanced at the bed, and sighed softly, "But... her worries are even heavier than before. If this continues, it might ruin her health."

In short, the mental condition improves, but the physical condition may get worse.

"What's the reason?" Qin Mu asked.

"Heart disease." Ke Nai said it simply and clearly, and added: "Lu Heng is a heart knot."

Meng Anran quietly drank the last mouthful of porridge, and the porcelain spoon gently rested on the edge of the bowl, making a slight crisp sound.

Qin Mu stood by the window, his figure against the light was tall and slender, but inexplicably revealed a hint of tension.

He held Konai's assessment report in his hand, and the edges of the paper were wrinkled unconsciously.

"An Xiaoran, you need to have a good rest." His voice was low, as if he was suppressing something. "I will take care of the rest."

Meng Anran looked up at him, the sunlight filtering in through the gaps in the curtains, shining on her pale face.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something. After considering for a long time, she finally spoke: "How are you going to deal with the past?"

Qin Mu was startled. He stroked the faint dark circles under her eyes with his fingertips, his eyes filled with heartache: "An Xiaoran, how can I help you more?"

Meng Anran unconsciously grabbed the quilt tightly, then quickly let go.

"I just need to rest for a while." She said softly.

Qin Mu looked at her with deep eyes.

He knew her too well. She was always like this. She had something on her mind, but she tried to pretend to be calm.

No, maybe An Xiaoran used to be really calm and composed, with the composure to remain calm even if the sky fell.

Because she is emotionally indifferent, there are not many things that she truly cares about, and she is clear-headed enough to give up everything that can be lost.

But now she has changed. On the road of gradually understanding "love", she has endured more pressure and pain than before.

For a moment, Qin Mu didn't know whether he should be glad that his An Xiaoran had become more "humane".

"An Xiaoran." He suddenly leaned over, supporting her with his hands at her sides, trapping her in a small space. "You don't have to act tough in front of me."

His breath was so close, with a faint scent of sea salt and lemon, making her feel comfortable and at ease.

Meng Anran's eyelashes trembled slightly, her nose felt sore, and tears fell uncontrollably.

She just... didn't know how to face herself for making a mistake.