Chapter 254 Don't be afraid, I've always been here.

Huo Yanmo stood guard outside the bathroom, his hands clenched tightly, the scene from just moments ago replaying in his mind's eye.

Consumed by hatred, he took out his phone and sent a message to someone.

"Buzzing".

My phone vibrates; messages keep coming in and out.

After a while—"knock knock".

There was a knock on the door.

Huo Yanmo looked over and saw Wu Ma standing at the door.

"Sir, the doctors have arrived." Aunt Wu glanced worriedly at the bathroom door and said, "The family doctor and... the psychiatrist have both arrived."

Huo Yanmo responded and asked Wu Ma to take them to rest first, then glanced at the bathroom with concern.

He then recalled the time when she seemed to not recognize anyone, and pondered for a moment.

From the moment we met until now, he has been by her side the whole time.

He was worried that she would be afraid if she saw other people.

It was obvious that she was frightened by Lu Yanzhi.

Huo Yanmo checked the time; she had been in the bathroom for quite some time.

"Niannian?" Huo Yanmo asked.

But there was no response from inside.

Huo Yanmo frowned slightly and reached out to knock on the bathroom door.

"Niannian, are you done washing?" he asked again.

But there was still no response from inside.

Huo Yanmo immediately sensed something was wrong.

He knocked on the bathroom door again and said loudly, "Niannian, how are you? I'm coming in."

After counting to three in his mind, Huo Yanmo opened the bathroom door.

He walked in, and then he saw a horrifying scene.

She was slumped over the edge of the bathtub, having fainted there without anyone noticing.

She was holding a bath sponge in one hand, and her neck and chest were rubbed raw and bloody.

Even the hot water in the bathtub was completely blood red.

"Nian Nian!"

He had seen them before; those were the places where Lu Yanzhi's blood had been. Lu Yanzhi's lip was cut, so...

Especially the area with the teeth marks on her chest, it was practically a bloody mess.

Huo Yanmo's hands trembled slightly. He immediately went over and carried her out, then took a bath towel from the side and wrapped her up as he came out.

Wu Ma, who was waiting at the door, was startled when she saw this.

"Miss Shi, she..."

But Huo Yanmo just shook his head and said, "Let the doctor in. You all keep an eye on Sisi and don't let her see any of this."

“Yes, sir.” Wu Ma immediately went to do it.

The doctor immediately went upstairs. Two female doctors came, one of whom was a psychiatrist named Ran Shuya.

The family doctor immediately instructed the accompanying nurse to apply the medicine and bandage.

The injury on her wrist was the most serious. She had been tied to the headboard by Lu Yanzhi and struggled fiercely, leaving deep marks on her wrist.

Secondly, there's the wound on her chest, which she inflicted herself.

While the family doctor was still bandaging her up, Ran Shuya let out a long sigh.

"Dr. Ran, what's Nian Nian's current condition?" Huo Yanmo asked worriedly.

"The person I was assigned to when I arrived couldn't explain it clearly. Mr. Huo, please tell me exactly what happened," Ran Shuya asked.

Huo Yanmo clenched his fists tightly, took Ran Shuya aside, and explained what had happened.

The more Ran Shuya listened, the more her brows furrowed.

"Dr. Ran, look at the current situation, Niannian, will there be any problems?" Huo Yanmo asked worriedly.

Ran Shuya couldn't say for sure either, only saying that she would wait until Shi Nian woke up before making a more detailed observation.

But judging from her appearance, she figured things weren't going to get better.

Normal people would feel pain, but seeing Shi Nian in this state, and considering what Huo Yanmo said about Shi Nian having a brief period of not recognizing people...

"Then I'll trouble Dr. Ran to stay at the Huo residence for the time being," Huo Yanmo said, instructing Aunt Wu and Uncle Zhou to make arrangements, ensuring that the other party was satisfied with both the treatment and the accommodation.

After talking with Ran Shuya, Huo Yanmo returned to his room. As he passed the bathroom, he glanced inside and saw a basin of blood-red water.

Hatred surged up.

He will make Lu Yanzhi pay the price!

...

When Shi Nian woke up, it was midnight.

When she opened her eyes, she was momentarily disoriented and didn't know where she was.

As the memories returned, she became nervous and afraid again.

My heart was beating fast, and my breathing became rapid.

Just then—

"Niannian." A familiar voice came, and then someone took her hand.

Shi Nian turned her head and saw Huo Yanmo's worried eyes.

He stayed by her bedside the whole time.

"It's alright." Huo Yanmo's voice was soft as he held her hand. "I'm here."

Shi Nian's eyes were slightly red, but she still nodded.

She looked down and saw the tape on the back of her left hand, indicating that she had been given an IV drip while she was unconscious.

"Where's Sisi?" Her voice was hoarse from screaming too much.

Huo Yanmo helped Shi Nian sit up against the headboard and poured her a glass of warm water.

"The driver brought her back," Huo Yanmo said. "She's asleep now."

Shi Nian was slightly relieved, and then fell silent.

She couldn't control her fear, even though she knew she was safe. She couldn't control her emotions, as if her body had undergone some kind of change.

Shi Nian took a sip of water, and Huo Yanmo then asked the nanny to bring up the food.

It is an easily digestible and nutritious porridge.

Shi Nian had no appetite and only ate a few bites before stopping.

"It's alright," Huo Yanmo gently comforted her, saying many comforting words.

Feeling drowsy, Shi Nian fell asleep.

But not long after, she woke up from a nightmare again.

Sweat soaked her clothes, and she felt as if she were back in that apartment, being forced by Lu Yanzhi to do things she didn't want to do.

"Niannian, I'm here." Huo Yanmo remained by her side, holding her hand tightly. "I am Huo Yanmo."

Her chest heaved violently, her heart pounding like a drum.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Huo Yanmo tenderly took a tissue to wipe them away for her.

“I’ve always been here,” he said. “I will always be with you.”

Everything around them felt unreal, only the warmth of his hand holding hers.

The IV drip contained sedative ingredients.

A short while later, Shi Nian fell into a deep sleep again.

Huo Yanmo brought her warm water, wrung out a towel, and wiped away the sweat from her body, his brows furrowed.

Shi Nian woke up many times that night.

Each time, it's like struggling out of a nightmare.

She seemed to be trapped in that cycle of the apartment again and again, struggling and unable to break free.

She was forced to relive that horrific scene again and again, filled with fear, pain, helplessness, and despair.

And every time she woke up, Huo Yanmo was there beside her, holding her hand tightly, telling her that he was there.

They stayed like that until dawn the next day.

When Shi Nian opened her eyes again, it was already fully light. She turned around and saw Huo Yanmo with bloodshot eyes.

He held her hand tightly, offering her comfort.

Shi Nian raised her right hand slightly, reached out, and gently touched his stubble-covered face.

A silent, moving experience.