When You Mingxu awoke, she saw a gray-white ceiling and an IV drip hanging beside her bed. Her partner Xu Mengshan wasn’t there; instead, another officer from their unit was keeping watch at the foot of her bed.

As You Mingxu struggled to sit up, she felt a sharp pain in her back. Her colleague quickly came over, saying, “Don’t move, you’re still bandaged.” His face brightened as he quickly pressed the call button for a nurse.

The doctor and nurse arrived promptly. After a moment of silence, You Mingxu asked, “Fan Jia…”

Pain flashed across her colleague’s face as he said softly, “The memorial service is set for three days from now. Her family has arrived.”

You Mingxu remained silent, pressing her hand against her eyes, but the tears still flowed.

Her colleague wiped away his tears and said chokingly, “She’ll be honored as a martyr, recognized for her service.” He gave a bitter smile after speaking.

You Mingxu’s lips twitched as she trembled out, “Good… good.”

They both fell silent as the doctor and nurse finished their examination and gave their instructions. Her injuries looked horrific—purple bruising around her throat, large patches of bruising on her back, and countless minor wounds. Fortunately, none were serious, and she could be discharged for home recovery in a few days.

You Mingxu asked, “Where’s Yin Feng?”

Her colleague replied, “He’s in the next room.” After a pause, he added, “He hasn’t woken up yet.”

When You Mingxu pulled out her IV and struggled to walk to Yin Feng’s room, the nurse and colleague following her were helpless to stop her despite their attempts.

Chen Feng was in the room, dark circles under his eyes and looking haggard. Seeing You Mingxu, he hurried forward: “Why are you here? Are your injuries alright?”

You Mingxu stared at the figure on the bed. His head was wrapped in thick bandages, his face paper-white, lying motionless.

“How is he?” You Mingxu’s voice sounded like it had been run over by a truck. After nearly being strangled, her throat would take at least ten days to heal.

Chen Feng paused before saying, “There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that after the impact, the blood clot in his head shows signs of dispersing, which means he might recover his memory and mental faculties. The bad news is that things could get worse—with brain injuries, nothing’s certain. Brain hemorrhage? Or more severe mental impairment are both possibilities.”

You Mingxu was quiet for a moment before giving a bitter laugh. “More severe mental impairment—you mean like a two or three-year-old? Even more childish than now?”

Chen Feng sighed and said, “Maybe not. Miss You, I’m very grateful to you. During the time Yin Feng has spent with you, haven’t you noticed that even without recovering his memories, his mental state has been gradually improving? You gave him motivation and encouragement. Now that he’s suffered another injury, I beg you to continue caring for him. Please.”

You Mingxu said, “You don’t need to ask. He was injured saving me.”

Chen Feng smiled gently: “I think he did it willingly. The doctor said he should wake up in the next couple of days. I’ll be in the next room—call me if anything happens.”

You Mingxu nodded. Chen Feng left, taking the nurses with him and closing the door.

You Mingxu hobbled to the bedside and sat down, looking at his pale, handsome face, noticing he seemed thinner. She reached out to touch his face, tracing his features—his brows, nose, lips—letting her fingers linger.

Then her thoughts turned to Fan Jia and Xu Mengshan. Her newly awakened mind was still foggy, but her heart felt like it had a massive stone lodged in it, hard and embedded in her flesh and organs. The pain wasn’t sharp but came in waves, gradual yet intensifying. The image of Fan Jia lying in the slaughterhouse flashed through her mind, and tears streamed down her face.

She felt an unprecedented pain, knowing that even if it would lessen over time, it would accompany her for life, forever buried in her heart. She sobbed softly, looking at Yin Feng, the pain driving her to blindly seek something, anything.

And she vaguely knew that what she sought, only he could provide.

So she bent down and kissed him despite his unconscious state, acting on pure instinct.

His ice-cold lips, devoid of warmth, made You Mingxu’s heart grow colder.

Her mind flashed back to the slaughterhouse, where Yin Feng, in his utter foolishness, had thrown himself in front of the hammer to protect her. Did he not value his own life? She had already lost Fan Jia, she couldn’t possibly…

His body suddenly trembled, and then his mouth opened. You Mingxu’s heart shook violently, and then she felt his tongue press against hers. Her eyes flew open to find his dark eyes staring widely at her.

You Mingxu’s heart surged with both joy and sorrow, impossible to contain. Once again, she covered those clear eyes with her hand, just like their first kiss. Then she kissed him more passionately, more frantically. He responded now, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull their bodies closer, a smile spreading across his lips.

When You Mingxu finally drew in a sharp breath, the pain in her back becoming unbearable, Yin Feng quickly released her. You Mingxu held her waist as she slowly straightened up, her eyes still fixed on him.

His injury was to his head, but his body was fine. He propped himself up on the bed, his eyes rolling playfully as he asked, “Is this… my reward for running to the Deng house to help you?”

You Mingxu, unwilling to think about anything else right now, just gazed into his eyes and answered, “No.”

He took her hand in his: “Then what is it?”

You Mingxu replied, “There won’t be any more rewards after this.”

He suddenly looked up at her, his body tensing.

“Why?!”

Why indeed?

Because I crawled back from death’s door.

Because I’ve lost my closest comrade.

Because I understand now that I can’t lose you too.

You Mingxu looked at him, her eyes growing warm, and answered, “You Yingjun, from now on, I’m yours. What more reward do you need? Kiss me when you want, do whatever you want, I’ll be with you.”

Yin Feng stared at her blankly for a long while before pulling her into his embrace. You Mingxu smiled, both sweet and bitter. Yet she felt an unprecedented surge of emotion, realizing how long she had suppressed her feelings for him. But now he was like a child who had received his most wished-for gift, holding her tight without a word. When You Mingxu whimpered in pain, he quickly loosened his grip: “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just minor injuries.”

But he looked both possessive and uncertain, unable to embrace her tightly, he still gripped her hand and pressed his forehead against hers: “Mine? Really mine? A-Xu, you’re a police officer, you have to keep your word! No taking it back, ever?”

“Mm.” You Mingxu said hoarsely, “A police officer’s word is their bond, absolutely no taking it back.”

His mouth couldn’t close completely now, carefully holding her waist. You Mingxu’s heartbeat quietly yet loudly. In the past, even during their occasional passionate moments, she had always been the one on top, pressing him down. Now, with one hand supporting himself on the bed and the other around her, he looked tall and straight even in his hospital gown, while she had become the one nestling against him like a little bird.