Rescued; Mianmian in the Dream

Just as Sun Bei was about to shoot, a bullet went straight through his palm. "Ah!" he screamed in pain, and the gun fell from his hand.

Fu Yanzhi quickly picked up the gun and shot Sun Bei. Before Jiang Dong and Jiang Xi could react, Sun Bei had already fallen to the ground.

The people surrounding Fu Yanzhi were also shot down by bullets flying from who knew where.

The situation reversed in an instant. Jiang Dong and Jiang Xi looked around in shock, trying to locate the mysterious gunman.

Just then, a black luxury car raced toward them like a phantom and came to a smooth stop nearby. The door opened, and a man in a black suit stepped out, his gaze cold and stern. With steady strides and a powerful presence, he walked straight toward Fu Yanzhi.

"Mr. Fu, are you all right?" the man asked.

Fu Yanzhi nodded slightly. "I'm fine, Li Ao. How did you know I was here?"

Li Ao smiled. "Strangely enough, a stranger called me and said you were here. He told me to bring people to rescue you."

Fu Yanzhi was puzzled, but he still said to Li Ao, "Thank you, Brother Li."

Li Ao smiled. "You're too polite, Mr. Fu."

Jiang Dong and Jiang Xi saw that all was lost. Their legs gave way, and they dropped to their knees. Jiang Xi said, "Little Six, I had nothing to do with any of this! It was all Sun Bei and Jiang Dong!"

Jiang Dong flew into a rage. "Bullshit! Which of these things weren't you fucking involved in?"

Li Ao stopped listening to their argument and ordered his men to take them away. Fu Yanzhi wanted to get up with Mianmian in his arms, but he still had no strength at all. Firing the gun just now had used up everything he had.

Just as he tried again to force himself to stand, his body went limp, and he passed out.

Fu Yanzhi's consciousness plunged into darkness, as though invisible hands were dragging him into the depths of the sea. The gunshots in his ears gradually faded, replaced by Mianmian's laughter.

Fu Yanzhi wanted to follow the laughter and find Mianmian. He saw her and called her name, but she ignored him. All he could do was watch her pass before his eyes like a scene playing out.

Five-year-old Mianmian sat on the back of her brother Jia Yan's bicycle, her hair in pigtails and both arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Her bright laughter rang out at the mouth of the alley. "Brother, Dad said he'd buy me a strawberry cake today!"

Jia Yan turned around, his youthful face full of tenderness, and reached up to ruffle her hair. "Okay. I'll take you there after school."

Not far away, their parents stood outside their little restaurant, smiling and waving. Their mother wore a floral apron and held a freshly cooked scallion pancake, and the warm scent of everyday life filled the air.

Suddenly, dark clouds swallowed the sunlight, and the screech of brakes and a crashing impact exploded through the air! Jia Yan watched helplessly as an out-of-control truck sent his parents' electric bike flying, scattering shards of glass and blood across the cold road.

He wanted to rush over, but his feet felt as though they were filled with lead. He could only watch as his mother was lifted into the ambulance, her hand still pointing weakly in Nian'an's direction before finally falling limp.

In the hospital corridor, the red light stayed on for a long time. When the doctor came out, he shook his head. Jia Yan held Mianmian, who was trembling all over with fright, his back ramrod straight, but where no one could see, his nails dug into his palm, drawing blood.

The scene changed. The boy had shed his youthful immaturity. Yan Chen dropped out of school and carried bricks at a construction site. Sweat soaked his faded shirt, and bruises piled upon bruises on his shoulders.

Every day after work, he also set up a phone repair stall at the night market. He didn't return home until late at night, when he would wash and feed his bedridden, paralyzed father, then coax Mianmian to sleep.

Mianmian no longer cried or fussed. Every day after school, she simply waited early at the intersection, took the steamed buns from her brother's hand, and asked carefully, "Brother, aren't you tired today?"

Jia Yan always smiled and shook his head, placing the only piece of meat in her bowl. "I'm not tired. I can earn money to support you both."

Later, their father's condition worsened, and he urgently needed surgery. Jia Yan went to every relative's house, kneeling until his knees swelled, but he managed to borrow only a little money.

With nowhere else to turn, he went to a loan shark. When he pressed his fingerprint onto the IOU, the pad of his finger was as cold as ice.

The operating room light went out. The moment the doctor said the surgery had failed, Yan Chen stood in the corridor, his face as white as paper. Nian'an tugged at his clothes, crying her heart out. "Brother, we don't have Dad anymore..."

The cruelest scene came last. In a dim room, the ferocious-looking Black Wolf kicked the door open. "Jia Yan, isn't it time you paid back what you owe? Or how about giving me your sister to settle the debt?"

Jia Yan shielded Mianmian tightly behind him, his voice hoarse but firm. "Give me a little more time. I'll pay you back, I swear!"

In the end, driven into a corner, Jia Yan stabbed Black Wolf with a knife, only to die under Black Wolf's gun.

Mianmian's cries pierced Fu Yanzhi's eardrums. He wanted to scream, to rush forward and hold her, but his hands grasped only empty air.

All the scenes shattered, leaving only a bone-deep chill and the agony of his heart being squeezed tight. Fu Yanzhi jerked violently, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes.

Just then, a pair of soft little hands lifted Fu Yanzhi's face. He looked at their owner. It was Mianmian.

Mianmian looked at him with a smile. "Don't cry, Brother. Be good."

Fu Yanzhi held Mianmian in his trembling arms. This time, he didn't want her to be hurt. "Mianmian, I didn't protect you. It's my fault. I was useless."

Mianmian said nothing, only patting her brother's back to comfort him bit by bit. "Good brother, don't cry. Mianmian has found her family now. Mianmian is going home."

Fu Yanzhi let go of Mianmian. "Where is your home?"

Mianmian smiled and pointed across from them. "Don't cry anymore, Brother. If you miss Mianmian, Mianmian will come see you in your dreams. Mianmian is going home with Dad, Mom, and Brother now. Goodbye, Brother."

Fu Yanzhi watched Mianmian run toward the light. He wiped away his tears and smiled. "Don't worry, Mianmian. I'll be all right. I believe we'll see each other again soon."

The smell of disinfectant pierced Fu Yanzhi's nostrils like a needle. His eyelashes fluttered, and his heavy eyelids struggled open a crack. The white light made him squint at once. After a long while, he finally made out the IV bag hanging above him. Clear fluid dripped slowly down the tube, leaving a cool sensation at his wrist.

He moved his fingers, and an ache spread through his entire body, especially at his temples, where the pain throbbed. The steady beeping of a machine sounded in his ears, mingling with faint voices from the distant nurses' station, replacing the cries from his dream.

"Awake?" a deep voice sounded beside him.

Fu Yanzhi turned his head and saw Qiao Shuyan sitting in a chair beside his hospital bed, a document between her fingers and lingering weariness in her eyes. But when he met her gaze, his tense jaw softened a little.

"I..." Fu Yanzhi had barely opened his mouth when his throat felt as dry as if it had been scraped with sandpaper, his voice terribly hoarse.

Qiao Shuyan immediately stood, picked up the warm water beside her, and dipped a cotton swab in it to gently moisten the corners of his lips. "Don't talk. You've just woken up. Take a moment."

Her movements were gentle, the warmth of her fingertips coming through the cotton swab, along with a barely perceptible tremble.

Fu Yanzhi's gaze swept across the hospital room: plain white walls and a bouquet of fresh white chrysanthemums on the bedside table, droplets of water still clinging to their petals.

Fu Yanzhi shifted his body, and the pain in his back made him hiss.

"What is it?" Qiao Shuyan immediately bent over him and laid her palm on his forehead. "Are you feeling unwell somewhere? I'll call the doctor."

Fu Yanzhi shook his head and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he had forcibly suppressed the lingering shock in them, leaving only a bottomless gloom.

He watched the fluid dripping steadily from the IV bag, his voice so low and hoarse it was almost inaudible. "How long... was I unconscious?"

Qiao Shuyan replied, "You've been unconscious for a week. I've already been in Harbor City for three days."

Fu Yanzhi smiled. "Thank you, Sister Yan. Are my younger brothers all right?"

Qiao Shuyan smiled. "You... do you know what your brothers were like when they heard you'd died?"

Fu Yanzhi asked in confusion, "Who said I was dead? Aren't I perfectly fine?"

"Perfectly fine? Would you be in the hospital if you were? You really don't take care of yourself at all. If something happened to you, who were you going to leave that bunch of brothers of yours to?" Qiao Shuyan asked.

Fu Yanzhi fell silent for a moment, then said guiltily, "I was careless. I made them worry. Sister Yan, where are they now?"

Qiao Shuyan looked at him, both helpless and distressed. "They're waiting for news at home. They wanted to come, but I wouldn't let them. Now that they know you're awake, they must be very happy."

As they were speaking, Fu Yanzhi's phone rang. It was Bo Qing. "Hello, Big Brother, are you all right? Is what Sister Qiao said true?"

On the other end of the line, Bo Qing's voice was thick with tears, full of urgency and worry.

Fu Yanzhi's nose prickled, and his voice caught a little. "It's true, Second Brother. I'm all right."

Bo Qing broke into laughter through his tears. "That's great, Big Brother! You scared us to death. I knew my big brother was the best!"

Then Wen Shiming's voice came from the other end. "Big Brother, when are you coming back? I've gotten stronger now. I can protect you from now on, Big Brother."

Fu Yanzhi laughed. "Third Brother, it'll be a long time before you can protect me. I'll be back in three days."

Sounds of an argument came from the other end of the phone. Finally, Fu Yanzhi heard Feng Yunxiao's voice. "Big Brother, it's me, Xiaoxiao. I miss you so much. I want to come see you right now."

"Be good, Xiaoxiao. I'll be back soon. When I come back, I'll bring you all presents," Fu Yanzhi said.

Before he could hear Feng Yunxiao's reply, he heard Kong Fanxing's happy laughter. "Big Brother, it's Xingxing. I want a present too. I've prepared a present for you as well! Big Brother, I sing really well now. I'll sing for you."

"All right, Xingxing, your time's up. It's my turn," Li Huanhuan said on the other end. After taking the phone, Li Huanhuan said, "A bad person came to the house and said Big Brother was dead. I chased him out."

Fu Yanzhi answered with a smile, "Mm, Huanhuan is the best. I'll reward you when I get back."

Finally, Kong Fanyue's voice came through the phone. "Big Brother, are your injuries any better? Do they hurt? When you come back, Yueyue will play the piano for you, okay?"

Fu Yanzhi nodded and smiled. "Okay, Yueyue is the best. When I get back, Yueyue can play for me."

After he hung up, Fu Yanzhi's eyes reddened. Qiao Shuyan looked at him and said softly, "Those brothers and sisters of yours all care about you very much."

Fu Yanzhi took a deep breath. "I promised them I'd take good care of them and wouldn't let them get hurt again."

Qiao Shuyan nodded slightly. "You were lucky to come through this safely. But do you know who called Li Ao?"

Fu Yanzhi shook his head. "I'll find out, Sister Yan."

Just then, the hospital room door was gently pushed open, and a nurse came in. "Mr. Fu, the doctor sent me to check on you."

After examining him, the nurse said, "You're recovering well. We'll keep you under observation for another two days, and if there are no problems, you can be discharged."

Fu Yanzhi looked at Qiao Shuyan. "Sister Yan, I want to go back as soon as possible. I'm worried about things at home."

Qiao Shuyan thought for a moment. "All right, I'll make arrangements. You must be hungry now. I'll go buy you something to eat."

Fu Yanzhi nodded and leaned back against the bed. Just then, a mechanical voice sounded in his mind.

[Uh, uh, uh, Little Zhizhi, I'm finally back! Fuck, it's all that idiot Number 1's fault!]

Fu Yanzhi sneered. "Everything on my end is already settled, and now you come back. Where did you go? Don't tell me you ran off and eloped with 250."

[What? Little Zhizhi, how could you think that of me? Do you know how hard I had it? That idiot Number 1 unplugged my network cable, and he was watching me too. I could only activate emergency measures, and that's how I managed to contact you.]

Fu Yanzhi frowned. "Emergency measures? What are those? And do you know who called Li Ao and saved me?"

[Uh... emergency measures are my backup power supply. As for that call, I called Li Ao using a virtual phone. Little Zhizhi, hurry up and thank me!]

Fu Yanzhi was both annoyed and amused. "All right, thank you. So why did Number 1 unplug your network cable?"

[Don't mention him, Little Zhizhi. He's a complete fucking idiot. He thought the host I found was interesting and wanted to see what you'd do without me, so he unplugged my network cable. He's seriously sick.]

Just then, Qiao Shuyan came over. "Xiaozhi, I've made the arrangements. In three days, you and I can go back to Harbor City."

Fu Yanzhi nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, Sister Yan."

Qiao Shuyan looked at him and said seriously, "Xiaozhi, after you go back this time, be careful of the Fu Family. They haven't been very quiet lately."

Fu Yanzhi's expression grew grave. "I understand, Sister Yan. I'll protect myself and my brothers and sisters."

For the next two days, Fu Yanzhi recuperated peacefully in the hospital, and his body recovered quickly.

At last, the day of his discharge arrived, and Li Ao brought people to pick him up. Li Ao said, "Mr. Fu, the boss sent me to take you back to Luo City."

Fu Yanzhi nodded and asked, "What happened to Jiang Dong and Jiang Xi?"

Li Ao smiled. "Rest assured, Mr. Fu, they've both been dealt with. As for that little girl, we also arranged for her cremation. Without Fu Yanzhi's permission, I took it upon myself to have her ashes made into a ring."

Li Ao handed him a box containing a ring. Fu Yanzhi took the ring and put it on. Looking at the ring on his hand, he smiled and said, "Thank you. You did well."

Li Ao smiled. "Mr. Fu, it was what I should have done. There was also a little bear. We kept it too."

Fu Yanzhi took the little bear and said to her, "Let's go, Mianmian. I'm taking you home, back to my home."

With that, Fu Yanzhi got into the luxury car and watched the hospital recede through the window. He left the city.