This feeling made Nan Yu doubt whether she was still alive.
She detected the oxygen problem immediately. So even though she was extremely anxious, she tried hard to calm herself down.
Only when she was emotionally stable could she avoid consuming too much oxygen.
But this was only a stopgap measure. She couldn't stop breathing completely.
As long as she breathed, oxygen would be consumed.
She could feel that she was hidden in the secret room she had just discovered.
Her wrists and ankles were tightly bound, and she couldn't struggle.
It seemed that she had no choice but to wait for death or rescue.
Waiting for death was easy.
Waiting for rescue, however, required luck.
Nan Yu felt that her head was beginning to go blank and black, and it was hard for her to focus her mind.
Scenes from her life began to flash before her eyes like a carousel.
She remembered going to play the piano as a child, and her parents would sit in the audience, smiling and applauding for her;
She remembered the chestnut cakes her father brought her, but she never tasted the same flavor again;
She remembered that she thought it was boring to stay in the temple and sneaked out to play. As a result, she got lost and was led back to the temple by a little boy...
It turned out that memories were so clear before death.
She had struggled for so long, but it seemed that she still couldn't avoid it. She saw her parents holding hands and scolding her: Why did you come so early?
She said: Life is too tiring. I want to rest.
Let it end like this.
She took a deep breath and walked step by step in the direction of her parents -
Suddenly, her feet felt empty. The peaceful atmosphere in the dream instantly became strange. All of a sudden, a strong wind blew, and the world instantly plunged into darkness.
She heard someone calling her name.
The voice was so nice.
So firm.
She couldn't help but be attracted. She wanted to open her eyelids, but her lips felt a warm touch first.
Nan Yu opened her eyes and saw darkness.
Was she dead?
No, she wasn't.
This wasn't hell because Tan Linyuan was here.
Tan Linyuan was like a god. How could he go to hell?
She wanted to cry with joy.
...
The moment Tan Linyuan picked up Nan Yu, she used all her remaining strength to tightly clutch his chest.
She had no sense of security at all. By instinct, she clung to him like an octopus, her limbs wrapped around him like suckers.
She wished they could never be separated.
When they arrived at the hospital, the doctor was shocked.
The examination results showed that Nan Yu had been lacking oxygen for too long, and her brain had suffered slight damage. If it had been delayed for a few more minutes, she would have become a vegetable or died.
Tan Linyuan remained expressionless throughout, showing no attitude or emotion. He just asked if she could recover.
"It's possible to recover, but in this situation, the patient will definitely need some time to get over it."
The doctor was experienced. After hearing Tan Linyuan say that she had been locked in a box before, his face became very serious. "In that case, she is very likely to develop claustrophobia."
Tan Linyuan said nothing.
He didn't know whether he should be relieved or scared.
Such a small box had locked her up for nearly an hour.
If they had been a little later...
He couldn't help feeling self - loathing.
...
When Nan Yu woke up, she didn't know how long she had slept.
She only knew that she was in the hospital.
Her eyes moved very slowly. She turned her head and looked out of the window. It was raining outside.
She tried to recall what had happened before she lost consciousness, but her mind was blank.
She tried hard to remember, but her head ached badly.
The Shen family... the wedding... Tan Linyuan...
Nan Yu didn't torture herself anymore. She just closed her eyes and let herself rest.
She opened her eyes again until she heard someone push the door open.
"Are you feeling better?"
The look in Tan Linyuan's eyes when he looked at her was as calm as ever, but the worry in his eyes was hard for her to ignore.
Nan Yu blinked and shook her head. "It's okay. I just have a headache."
"You were lacking oxygen for too long. A headache is a normal reaction." Tan Linyuan walked to her side and placed her hand in his palm.
His palm was a bit cold.
"How long do I need to be hospitalized?" Nan Yu asked softly.
"If you don't like it, you can go home now." Tan Linyuan guessed what she was thinking.
Nan Yu struggled to get up, but her head still ached as if it were about to split. "... I want to go back."
"Okay. I'll ask someone to handle the discharge procedures." Tan Linyuan nodded and let go of her hand, about to go out.
"Don't go." Nan Yu suddenly became nervous and called out to him. "Tan Linyuan, don't go yet."
She was inexplicably afraid of being alone here.
Tan Linyuan was stunned for a moment and quickly adjusted his expression. "I'll call and ask them to handle it for you. I'll stay with you."
Tan Linyuan wasn't surprised by Nan Yu's reaction.
The fleeting look of pity in his eyes was well hidden. "If there's anywhere else you're uncomfortable, you can tell me directly."
Nan Yu's throat was dry. She slowly said, "Thank you."
She didn't know why she said that.
Tan Linyuan didn't say a word more. He knew that her emotions were unstable now. He just bent down to tuck in her quilt and asked if she was hungry.
She shook her head and stared intently at his lips.
There was a cut on his lips, as if someone had bitten him, and the blood had just scabbed.
She wasn't sure if it was her. "Your lips..."
Hearing this, Tan Linyuan raised his hand to touch his lips and glanced at her. "Did you realize you bit hard?"
Nan Yu: "..."
Now she was sure.
It was probably when she was struggling for oxygen with him that she bit him without control.
"I didn't expect that our Yu Yu usually looks gentle, but actually has such a wild side." Tan Linyuan joked with her.
Nan Yu was a bit annoyed, but since this was her "masterpiece", even if she tried to defend herself, it would seem like she was trying to cover it up.
Nan Yu didn't ask anything about that day. The two of them talked about how long she had slept and her current situation.
It was certain that her body was completely healthy.
That was enough to make everyone happy.
Not long after, his subordinate called and told Tan Linyuan that the discharge procedures had been completed.
Tan Linyuan relayed the message to Nan Yu and asked where she wanted to go now. "Shall I take you back to Yenanwan?"
Nan Yu nodded, indicating her agreement.
She didn't want to stay in the hospital ward. Everything here made her feel uneasy.
She was eager to stay in a safe environment.
She lifted the quilt and was about to put on her shoes when a sharp pain shot through her ankle. She couldn't help but let out a soft cry.
The rope had been tied too tightly, and there were deep marks on her ankle. The worst part was all bruised and bleeding.
But she had just noticed it.
Tan Linyuan also noticed and frowned. "Do you want me to carry you?"
"Don't!" Nan Yu immediately refused. "There are people everywhere in the hospital..."
Too many people recognized Tan Linyuan's face.
Even if he didn't care, she did.
She didn't want to be labeled as the one who seduced the Buddha - like man.