Chapter 25 Shen Zhen, it's time to be brave.

Shen Huai, like a madman, picked up a fruit knife and approached step by step, his eyes filled with the madness of a gambler. He laughed and said, "Zhenzhen, be good, give me the money..."

Shen Zhen clutched the bag and kept backing away, crying out in terror, "Brother, no! This is Grandma's life-saving money, I can't give it to you, please let me go!"

Shen Huai bent down, grabbed Shen Zhen's ankle, dragged her in front of him, and roared wildly, "Why are you so disobedient! That old woman should have died long ago! What's the point of treating her!"

Shen Zhen kicked her legs and shouted, "Brother, what are you doing! No! No!"

Shen Zhen's struggles and cries only gave Shen Huai a strange sense of excitement. He raised the fruit knife high and stabbed it hard into Shen Zhen's leg. The sound of the knife sinking into flesh stimulated Shen Huai's nerves.

Despite the pain, Shen Zhen gripped the bag tightly with both hands, her mind focused on only one thought: she had to hold out until the police arrived and catch him on the spot!

Shen Huai pulled out his knife, blood splattering onto his face instantly. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was crazed. "Zhenzhen, you forced me to do this. It's okay, it doesn't hurt! Mom said women should endure, just bear with it!"

Before she could finish speaking, the knife had already plunged into Shen Zhen's left arm.

"Ah!!!" A piercing pain shot through her, and Shen Zhen's face turned deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down her forehead. Her lips trembled as she clung tightly to Shen Huai's leg, refusing to let him go, a strange smile on her face. "Brother, don't go!"

Shen Huai kicked Shen Zhen in the back again and again. Tonight was so annoying! Why couldn't he just let her take the money in peace? He clearly didn't want to hurt her!

Suddenly, the door was opened from the outside, and a bright light shone in.

Shen Zhen struggled to lift her head, and through her blood-stained tears and the light against her vision, she seemed to see Yu Shu. Her Yu Shu, always so beautiful. But why did Yu Shu's expression look so panicked? Her Yu Shu should be aloof and dignified, and besides, she should be smiling; she could finally send Shen Huai to prison. No one would threaten her anymore, and no one would threaten Yu Shu anymore…

Everything inside the room came into Yu Shu's view. Shen Zhen lay lifeless on the ground like a rag doll, covered in blood.

In an instant, Yu Shu's blood froze. She lost all control and rushed in like a madwoman. She kicked Shen Huai in the stomach, then carefully knelt beside Shen Zhen, her hands trembling as she embraced her slender body. Everything around her seemed to disappear; her heart felt like it had been silently ripped open, the pain spreading to every limb. She wished she were the one lying on the ground. Yu Shu regretted it so much; she shouldn't have respected Shen Zhen's pride. She had a hundred ways to make Shen Huai disappear, yet she chose the most gruesome one. The fear of possibly losing Shen Zhen filled Yu Shu's broken heart. She held Shen Zhen tightly, whispering her name in her ear again and again.

“Zhenzhen, wake up…”

“Zhenzhen, wake up…”

Her voice was gentle, but with a noticeable tremor.

Tears, unnoticed, dripped onto Shen Zhen's face, flowing down to her lips, bitter and intense. Shen Zhen desperately wanted to tell Yu Shu not to cry, that she wasn't afraid of pain. But she was so tired, she didn't even have the strength to open her eyes, let alone speak.

The police quickly took Shen Huai into custody, and the doctor soon arrived and took Shen Zhen to the hospital.

Yu Shu and Jiang Yu followed along. Fortunately, although Shen Zhen's injuries looked serious, they were not fatal. However, Shen Zhen was still mentally exhausted and physically weak, so she wouldn't wake up for a while.

Yu Shu told Jiang Yu to go back and rest first, while she stayed by Shen Zhen's bedside alone.

Shen Zhen lay on the bed, her lips bloodless, her brows slightly furrowed even in her sleep, looking somewhat uneasy.

Yu Shu slowly reached out and gently smoothed Shen Zhen's tightly furrowed brows. The pain was tearing at her heart, and she wished she could be the one who was hurt. At the same time, there was a sense of powerlessness, the powerlessness of not being able to be relied upon by Shen Zhen. Shen Zhen had always been independent. In college, she could grit her teeth and work several jobs. Later, she could find ways to support Tuantuan and even abandon her. Now, she could use herself to send Shen Huai to prison.

Yu Shu didn't know when she would be someone Shen Zhen could rely on, or when she would become Shen Zhen's number one priority. This realization made her angry, angry that she couldn't be someone Shen Zhen could rely on.

Shen Zhen was always the one who was abandoned and wronged since childhood, so she was used to solving problems on her own first. She didn't dare to rely on anyone easily, even if that person was Yu Shu. She was afraid that if she got used to relying on others, she would lose her resilience and lose herself.

Yu Shu sat there blankly all night, until dawn broke, when she finally managed to doze off for a while by the bedside.

...

When Shen Zhen woke up, Jiang Yu was beside her, making a lot of noise. "Oh my, my little Zhenzhen, you've gone way too far! I almost thought you were going to die that night!"

Shen Zhen struggled to sit up, but every movement caused pain all over her body, especially her back.

Jiang Yu pressed down on her shoulders, "My dear aunt, don't move around. You were stabbed several times and kicked so many times by that beast Shen Huai. Do you think this is a joke? Fortunately, President Gu hired the best lawyer for you. It will be difficult for that guy to get out!"

Shen Zhen obediently lay down, her eyes searching for Yu Shu's figure. She remembered seeing Yu Shu back then...

Jiang Yu looked at Shen Zhen's expression and understood. She then tapped Shen Zhen's forehead with her finger.

"Looking for your man?" Jiang Yu's words were full of sarcasm.

Shen Zhen lowered her long eyelashes, looking somewhat pitiful. "I think I saw Ashu before I fainted. Does she know I'm injured?"

Jiang Yu coughed. "It's more than just knowing! She was right outside your house that night! When she saw you covered in blood, she almost killed Shen Huai on the spot. That look of heartache in her eyes wasn't fake, Zhenzhen, Gu Yushu cares about you."

Shen Zhen's pale cheeks flushed pink; what she saw before she fainted was real—A Shu cared about her.

Jiang Yu continued, "But I'm reminding you, I noticed that President Gu doesn't seem too happy. Think about it, you're going to do something so important, and you haven't even mentioned it to her. If you two were in her shoes, how would you feel?"

Shen Zhen paused for a moment, her hand hidden under the blanket clenching quietly. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell her, but she didn't know how to bring it up. She had already troubled her too much, and she was afraid of owing Yu Shu too much, something she wouldn't be able to repay.

Shen Zhen stared at the ceiling and gave a bitter smile. "Xiao Yu'er, in what capacity should I talk to A-Shu? As his lover?"

Jiang Yu poked Shen Zhen's head and said with exasperation, "How can you be so stupid? Gu Yushu is just holding a grudge against you for abandoning her back then, but every single thing she did showed that she still loves you. I think being a lover is just an excuse to keep you by her side. Put in the same effort you put in and win her over!"

Shen Zhen opened her mouth, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and asked softly, "Can...can I?"

Jiang Yu chuckled, opened her camera, and took a picture of Shen Zhen. "Zhenzhen, take a good look at yourself. You're definitely a sickly beauty! Trust me, no problem! I'll help you!"

Shen Zhen was amused by Jiang Yu, "Okay, I'll help you pursue President Zhong too!"

Jiang Yu glared at Shen Zhen. "Who said I was going to pursue her? I want to embrace my own forest, not that unattainable flower! She's too difficult!"

Shen Zhen smiled as she looked out the window. She and A-Shu had been separated for so many years. Shen Huai had also been sent to prison. Shen Zhen, it's time to be brave!