Chapter 133: Endurance

Lin Wanbai could not fall into sleep that night. Tossing and turning, she found herself completely unable to close her eyes. That lingering memory and those vivid sensations refused to fade away, entangling her mercilessly.

In the end, she had to take two sleeping pills before she slowly drifted off.

She slept for a full day. When she finally woke up, it was already dark outside. She felt entirely groggy; had she not been desperately hungry, she could have slept even longer.

Checking the time, she found various work-related messages on her phone, nestled among which was an expression of concern from Fu Xuxing.

He had inquired about the injuries on her hands and had even gone so far as to make a phone call, but since Lin Wanbai had enabled "Do Not Disturb," she had missed it completely.

She replied with an emoji and lay in bed for a while longer before forcing herself to get up. She put on some clothes, grabbed her phone, and prepared to head downstairs. Just as she reached the top of the stairs, she noticed a figure sitting in the living room. The lights in the living room were off, save for a single lamp glowing dimly in the entryway.

She casually switched on the staircase light, and the person turned around—it was Fu Yanchuan.

She let out a slight sigh of relief, her tense body relaxing as she slowly walked down the steps. Her bones and muscles ached even more than they had when she returned yesterday.

"When did you arrive? Why didn't you have anyone wake me?"

Fu Yanchuan withdrew his gaze and said, "Seeing that you were sleeping so soundly, I let you rest a bit longer. I only came up to reapply the medicine to the injuries on your hands."

Prompted by his words, Lin Wanbai raised her hands to look at her palms and muttered a word of thanks.

Meals had already been prepared on the dining table, still wisping with steam. Lin Wanbai caught the aroma almost immediately and turned her head to look at the spread.

"Drink some water first," Fu Yanchuan said, tipping his chin toward a glass resting on the coffee table.

She picked up the cup and drank half of it, feeling her throat soothe considerably. Then, she walked over to the dining table and inspected the dishes closely. The food looked fresh and light, perfectly suited to her current condition.

"Eat."

"Let me go brush my teeth first."

After a quick trip to the bathroom to freshen up, she sat before the dining table, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat slowly.

Though ravenously hungry, she controlled her pace; eating too quickly would upset her stomach.

Fu Yanchuan lingered in the living room for a short while before moving over of his own accord, coming to a halt right in front of her. Lin Wanbai had a split in the corner of her lip, and chewing strained the wound and caused her pain, which made her eat even slower.

Lin Wanbai merely glanced at him without taking the initiative to speak, only letting out a weary, annoyed complaint whenever the pain flared up too sharply.

In the end, she managed to persist for only twenty minutes, consuming just a tiny amount of food before laying down her chopsticks, unwilling to move further. She simply got up, went to the kitchen to draw a cup of hot water, found a straw in the drawer, and carried it back to her seat. Sipping the water, she locked eyes with Fu Yanchuan.

After a few silent moments, Fu Yanchuan asked, "Done eating?"

She shook her head. "It hurts too much to have any appetite."

Fu Yanchuan smiled. "You're still the same as before, though much better than you used to be."

"What was I like before?"

"Afraid of pain. To the degree that if a mosquito bit you, you'd probably cry."

Hearing this, Lin Wanbai let out a soft snort of laughter, nearly spitting out her water. "Don't exaggerate so much, will you?"

"It's not much of an exaggeration. But putting it that way, you should be able to realize just how terrified of pain you really are."

"I refuse to believe it." Once she finished the glass of water, her stomach felt uncomfortably bloated. She set the cup aside, placed both hands in her lap, and lowered her gaze to her injured hand. She wondered who had bandaged it; someone had actually tied the gauze into a butterfly knot, which looked rather cute.

"Do you know who saved you yesterday?"

In truth, she had a rough idea. With a smile, she said, "You."

"It wasn't me."

She was neither surprised nor puzzled. "Then it was Fu Xuxing."

"It was him."

"I knew it. How else could he have shown up so timely last night?"

"What did he say to you?"

Lin Wanbai arched an eyebrow without looking up at him, her fingers toying with the butterfly knot on the back of her hand. "He didn't say much. Just checked on my injuries, conveniently dressed the wounds on my body, and left. He didn't reveal his identity, nor did he expose mine. He stayed for a little while, didn't even cook me a meal, and then he was gone."

Fu Yanchuan asked, "Do you feel like he's actually quite good to you?"

Lin Wanbai paused in silence for a few seconds before finally raising her head to meet his eyes. "Indeed, he is quite good. He's always been good to me. During those six months in Heping Village, I experienced that firsthand. Just as you said, he truly wouldn't harm me."

"And what about me? Are you disappointed?"

"No."

"Is it because you never had any expectations of me in the first place, hence no disappointment?"

Lin Wanbai smiled, lowered her gaze, and said, "You've already said everything. Why bother asking me?"

Fu Yanchuan's gaze never shifted from her face. "Back then, he was the epitome of a devoted husband; acting the part is his greatest skill. I learned one thing from him, and that is forbearance. He is the living embodiment of enduring humiliation to achieve one's goals. No matter how cowardly one looks at the start, to be able to swallow any insult without a word—even sinking to the very dust—remaining calm and collected while bearing everything."

"To be honest, my greatest regret is not listening to grandmother back then, and regretting that I cared about you far too much..." At this point, he paused. Several seconds later, he resumed, "One misstep leads to every step being wrong. In life, one cannot turn back, but neither can one repeat the same mistakes over and over. In order for all of us to find release, we must learn to let go when the time comes. No matter how much it hurts, the pain will eventually pass. Without pain, how can one usher in a new life? Don't you agree?"

Lin Wanbai remained smiling, nodding without uttering a single additional word. After sitting quietly for a moment, as if struck by a thought, she got up and retrieved a bottle of red wine from the cabinet—the unfinished bottle with more than half remaining from last time.

She also fetched two glasses, returned to the table, and placed one glass in front of Fu Yanchuan. "So, we should celebrate, shouldn't we?"

As she spoke, she poured the wine into the glasses.

She filled it only halfway, then pulled out the small tray attached to his wheelchair and placed the glass upon it, thoughtfully adding a straw so he could drink on his own. Once that was done, she returned to her seat, poured a small portion for herself, and said, "I'm injured, so I'll just drink a little."

She took small, delicate sips, quietly finishing the entire small glass. Perhaps due to the alcohol, Lin Wanbai felt a warmth spread through her body, and she grew somewhat more comfortable. Wiping her mouth, she noticed that the wine in Fu Yanchuan's glass remained completely untouched. With a smile, she pointed at it and asked, "Why aren't you drinking?"

"Ah, I remember now. You don't touch alcohol at all." She let out a giggle, stood up, reached over to take his glass back, poured its contents into her own, and started drinking again. This time, she took a large gulp, letting the liquid linger in her mouth for quite a while before finally swallowing it all. After finishing this second glass, a pair of rosy flushes gradually bloomed across her cheeks. Resting her chin on one hand, she traced the rim of the glass with her finger, lost in thought—alternating between a smile and deep silence.

"Fu Yanchuan," she murmured after a quiet spell, softly uttering those three names.

It had been a very long time since she had called him by his name. Fu Yanchuan was momentarily stunned before responding softly, his tone tender and his gaze growing gentle. "Stop drinking. Two glasses are enough."

Squinting her eyes, Lin Wanbai ignored his advice, poured herself another cup on her own accord, and asked, "You've known me since we were kids, right?"

"Mmm."

"You practically know everything about me, don't you?"

"Yes."

Lin Wanbai hesitated for a long time, ultimately asking nothing, choosing instead to simply drink in silence.

She didn't stop until she had emptied the entire bottle. Her alcohol tolerance was remarkably high; apart from flushing her cheeks, this small amount of red wine had no other effect on her.

Sensing that her mood was somewhat heavy, and knowing the events of the previous night—where, aside from these superficial physical injuries, nothing else had transpired—Fu Yanchuan grew concerned.

Could her sudden depression be because she had remembered something?

Lin Wanbai walked over to the sofa, picked up the remote control, and randomly started a movie.

"I'm fine. You should go back and take care of your work. Rest assured, until my memories fully return, no matter what Fu Xuxing does, I will keep a clear head and won't let his sweet talk bewitch me."

"I'm not busy today. I can stay with you for a while."

Hearing this, Lin Wanbai turned her head sideways to look at him, offered a faint smile, and gave a noncommittal hum.

Fu Yanchuan adjusted his position to watch the movie along with her.

Though Lin Wanbai appeared deeply focused, her mind was entirely elsewhere. The film played for nearly an hour without producing a single shift in expression on her face.

Keeping a close eye on her, Fu Yanchuan knew there had to be something weighing on her mind.

"Whatever is bothering you, you can tell me."

Remaining silent as if she hadn't heard him at all, Lin Wanbai stared blankly at the television screen, her thoughts entirely concealed.

Raising his voice, Fu Yanchuan called out, "Xiaobai."

Only after he called her name three times did she snap out of her daze, turning to look at him with a chilling gaze. "What?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Don't keep things from me."

Lin Wanbai said, "I was just thinking... in this movie, hypnosis can alter memories and even erase them. So do you think my memories could be restored using a method like that?"

"Did something come back to you?"

"I just can't remember. Not a single fragment. That's why I need to find a way. I even got a brain CT scan, and my brain is fine. The doctor said this kind of amnesia is unpredictable—I might never remember for the rest of my life, or it might all come back tomorrow. Look, even you, someone who knows the truth, refuse to tell me. What am I supposed to do? I'm completely out of options." Turning to face him directly, she asked, "Do you know any good hypnotherapists you can introduce to me?"

Lin Wanbai was utterly sick of these fragmented memories occasionally popping up out of nowhere, headless and tailless, driving her to the brink of misery.

Fu Yanchuan replied, "You just need to follow my lead. There's no need to think too much about the rest."

"Fine, so you just don't want me to remember." She averted her gaze, turning her body to the other side.

"Then what on earth did you remember?"

"I was gang-raped." She spat out the words coldly.

"What?"

About this particular matter, Fu Yanchuan was genuinely in the dark.

Without repeating herself, Lin Wanbai simply pulled a throw pillow into her arms and hugged it tightly. "I want to be by myself. If you don't have anything useful to say, you can leave. Just as you said, these memories are rather violent, and remembering them so abruptly really does require time to digest."

"Since I'm injured anyway, and Lao He's affairs need your attention too, Fu Xuxing's account can finally be finalized. My quota for this month is met, so I might as well take a few days off."

After a brief pause, Lin Wanbai continued, "Also, in situations like this, it's best to give me a heads-up beforehand so I can mentally prepare myself. Then I wouldn't need to bother trying to escape on my own and wouldn't have gotten hurt. That guy they called Old Zhu is ridiculously strong—he picked me up like a little chicken and dropped me several times. It really hurts. Send Qiu Qiu over to massage away these bruises for me; it aches too much."

She spoke without casting a single glance back at him.

Fu Yanchuan pressed his lips into a tight line, ultimately saying nothing more. Once a path was chosen, one could not afford to be soft-hearted, and he could no longer afford it either.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he said, "Alright. Get some rest then. I'll take my leave. If you need anything, call me directly, or instruct Ji Jie and Ye Qiu."

"Mmm, bye." Lin Wanbai waved her hand dismissively, still refusing to look at him.

Shortly afterward, the sound of the door closing echoed from behind, and Lin Wanbai finally changed her posture, stretching out flat across the sofa.

Not long after Fu Yanchuan left, Ye Qiu arrived.

...

Upon returning to the mid-mountain villa, Fu Miao happened to be there.

She was packing her things in her room, claiming she was going to Beicheng. Her obsession with Lin Zhouye had not died down; while she claimed on the surface to be going through divorce procedures, she actually harbored other intentions.

The bedroom door was open, and Fu Yanchuan pushed his wheelchair directly inside, the force strong enough to shove the door wide open.

Hearing the commotion, Fu Miao didn't even raise her head as she snapped, "Mom, you don't need to try and persuade me. Since I can return there, it proves I've fully recovered. I've already consulted the doctor, and they said it's fine, I won't have a relapse..."

Catching the silhouette of the wheelchair in her peripheral vision, she looked up and saw Fu Yanchuan, causing her to cut off mid-sentence. "Why is it you? You could at least announce yourself before walking in; I thought you were Mom."

"You're going to Beicheng?"

"Yeah." She resumed folding her clothes.

"Packing so much stuff—how long do you plan to stay?"

"Going through a divorce procedure takes a bit of time, doesn't it?"

"There's something I want to ask you."

Fu Yanchuan's tone carried a serious edge. Fu Miao halted her movements and looked up at him. "What is it?"

"Go close the door."

"Just say it here, nobody else is around."

"Go."

The two exchanged a gaze for a moment before Fu Miao finally got up to close the door. "What on earth is this about, acting all mysterious."

She walked back to the bed and sat down facing him.

Fu Yanchuan said, "I suddenly recalled something. What was the content of the other video you had in your possession back then?"

"What video?" Fu Miao feigned ignorance.

Remaining silent, Fu Yanchuan kept his unblinking eyes fixed squarely on her.

"You—why are you suddenly asking about this?"

"Tell me."

Fu Miao knitted her brows slightly. "Why are you being so fierce? That business happened so long ago, yet you're digging it back up. What do you want?"

"You definitely still have it. Give me the other video."

"First tell me, why are you suddenly bringing this up out of nowhere?"

"If you won't hand it over, then explain everything clearly. Every single detail. I want to know all of it."

"I don't remember."

Fu Yanchuan nodded. "Fine. If you refuse to talk, it doesn't matter—it just means you aren't going anywhere. From today onwards, you will stay locked in this room until you decide you're ready to talk. Only then will you regain your freedom."

Stunned, Fu Miao flared up instantly, surging to her feet. "Fu Yanchuan, are you out of your mind?! What is Lin Wanbai playing at now? Trying to get revenge? Fu Yanchuan, I think your brain is completely fried! Even now, haven't you woken up yet? Think back—who caused you to end up like this in the first place?! Now she drops a few casual words, and you come interrogate me? If I told you that back then, her being gang-raped by a bunch of thugs was my doing, would you kick me out of the family and chop me into a thousand pieces too?!"

"How many years ago was that?! Are we really dragging this out again? Will it ever end?!"

Fu Yanchuan's expression grew several degrees colder. "When did it happen?"

Fu Miao fell silent, crossing her arms and turning away to avoid his gaze, though her heart pounded uncontrollably.

"Speak!"

Fu Miao muttered, "Middle school."

This was something Fu Yanchuan had known nothing about. At the time, his academic workload had been overwhelming, and he had been completely oblivious to such an event. Moreover, Lin Wanbai had never shown any abnormal behavior afterward; had something like that truly occurred, the Lin family would never have let it pass without a response.

A certain period suddenly flashed in his mind—the time when Lin Zhouye and Fu Miao had dated.

Unable to believe what he was hearing, his eyes widened. "No wonder Lin Zhouye suddenly started dating you back then. Turns out you used a dirty trick like that. Fu Miao, have you lost your mind?!"

"Hmph! Hearing you say that now, I actually feel like I didn't go far enough back then! I should have been even crueler. I should have had her thrown out into the countryside just like me, and only let her out after she got pregnant! That's why men like you are all blind—she was already damaged goods long ago, yet one after another, you sacrificed everything for her. Well, now that you know, you should realize a filthy woman like her never deserved you in the first place. She's only fit to be your servant, the kind that washes your feet!"

Now that everything was out in the open, Fu Miao shed her psychological burden, calmly sitting back down and crossing her legs. "If she likes talking so much, let her come say it to my face. I wasn't the only one involved anyway; how else could I have lured her out if not for her dear sister, Lin Yao? If she hadn't forged Fu Xuxing's handwriting and written that letter, could it have succeeded so easily?"

"Besides, I didn't tell those men to do anything extreme to her. I just wanted them to tear her clothes, put on a show, and take a few photos. It was Lin Yao who gave the order telling that gang of punks they could do whatever they wanted. Who told our precious young socialite to look so gorgeous, dress so seductively, and wear such short skirts? When street punks see an easy target like that, of course they're going to take advantage. Aren't you the same, Big Brother? Well, your standards are relatively higher, so you didn't go all the way, but ask your conscience: if a stunner like that is left right in front of you, could you truly remain unmoved?"

Fu Yanchuan's complexion turned wretched. Seeing his pale face, Fu Miao softened her tone slightly. Remembering his current condition, she sighed, stood up, walked over to crouch down in front of him, and looked up into his eyes. "Brother, after going through so much, we should be of one mind. You said Lin Wanbai has amnesia, but from where I'm standing, she's clearly faking it. She's here for revenge! You mustn't fall for her tricks."

Fu Yanchuan closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling slightly. After struggling to steady himself for a long moment, he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze cold and piercing as he looked down at her. "And after all that, you still have the nerve to go looking for Lin Zhouye? You were actually planning to get back together with him?"

"Brother, have you forgotten the torment I suffered three years ago? The suffering I endured was a thousand, ten thousand times worse than Lin Wanbai's. Besides, this wasn't entirely my fault—most of the blame lies with Lin Yao. Why shouldn't I get back together with him? It's what Lin Zhouye owes me; he has to take responsibility! Just like Lin Wanbai is to you—you ended up like this entirely because of her, so she should be working herself to the bone taking care of you."

Tears welling in her eyes, Fu Miao gripped Fu Yanchuan's hand tightly, choking out, "Brother, the truth is we're the same. We both care too deeply; once we love someone, we love only that person for the rest of our lives, making it almost impossible to love anyone else. Brother, you're my only older brother, and I'm your only younger sister. No matter what, we should love and help each other. Even if I did wrong, as my older brother, you should protect your own and stand by my side no matter what. What's more, I didn't do anything wrong."

Fu Yanchuan couldn't shake her grip off. "Give me the video."

"What for?"

"Give it to me."

Remaining silent, Fu Yanchuan simply stared at her.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Fu Miao smiled. "Fine. I can give it to you."

"Don't keep a backup. Give me the original." Without waiting for her reply, Fu Yanchuan added, "Even if you refuse, it doesn't matter—I'll find a way to get it regardless."

"Brother!"

Without sparing her another word, Fu Yanchuan maneuvered his wheelchair toward the exit.

Panicking, Fu Miao sprang to her feet and blocked his path. "B-but this video is useful!"

"I don't need you to teach me how to do things. Worry about yourself. Let me give you a piece of advice: give up on Lin Zhouye, and don't even dream of using that video to threaten him anymore. At this point, it's useless. You should know better than anyone how heavy a weight Xiaobai carries in his heart, so stop deceiving yourself. Of course, if you insist on doing it anyway, I won't stop you. I'll just say this: bear the consequences yourself."

"Hmph! When all is said and done, you still end up siding with Lin Wanbai! It's always been like this, ever since we were kids! Your sister suffered such humiliation and torture, yet you don't feel even a shred of pity? But the moment Lin Wanbai gets a tiny scratch, it breaks your heart. Looking at you now, if your limbs still worked, would you kill me right now?!"

Refusing to engage further, Fu Yanchuan said, "Get out of the way."

"Fu Yanchuan!" Flaring up in a rage, Fu Miao lost control and delivered a slap across his face.

Just at that moment, Yuan Yujun walked in. Stunned by the scene before her, she reacted swiftly, stepping forward to return the slap to Fu Miao.

"Have you lost your damn mind?! How dare you hit your brother!"

Bursting into tears, Fu Miao shrieked, "I know! I know that in your eyes, I am nothing! I'm worth less than trash in a dustbin! Since I'm so unwanted, why should I stay here?! I'm leaving!"

Snatching up her suitcase and shoving past them both, she bolted out of the bedroom door.

Left momentarily bewildered, Yuan Yujun glanced from Fu Yanchuan to the doorway before ultimately deciding to stay. "What on earth just happened?"

"Nothing. Have someone drag her back and keep her locked inside for the next few days. Don't even think about letting her go to Beicheng."

"Got it."

...

On the third day of Lin Wanbai's rest at home, Fu Xuxing brought Fu Linsheng along to visit her apartment.

The bruises on her face had darkened considerably, and the wound at the corner of her lip had scabbed over, making her face look somewhat like a painted stray cat. Spotting her face, little Fu Linsheng pointed a tiny finger and announced, "Little brother, your face is broken."

Carrying the boy, Fu Xuxing stood in the doorway and said, "I brought him out for some fresh air, and since we were passing by, we dropped in to check on you. How is your recovery coming along?"

Lin Wanbai stepped aside to let them enter, then went to the kitchen to pour two glasses of water. "Not bad. The injuries aren't particularly severe, so a few more days of rest should do the trick. Thanks for your concern, President Fu. You're easily the most thoughtful client I've ever had—this is already your second consecutive visit since the incident."

Placing his cane to one side, Fu Xuxing sat down, and Little Treasure smoothly slid down from his arms, settling obediently by his side. He behaved just like a well-mannered guest visiting someone else's home.

Darting his large eyes around curiously, Lin Wanbai returned with the glasses of water. She handed one to Fu Xuxing, and when she went to give the other to the little fellow, she noticed the water bottle hanging around his neck. Instead, she set the cup aside and pulled over a chair to sit down.

"Have you two eaten lunch yet?"

Guessing that Fu Xuxing had timed his arrival intentionally—it was currently ten-forty, right before lunchtime—she made the inquiry.

Fu Linsheng shook his head and piped up with a resounding "No!"

"In that case, allow me to treat you to lunch," Lin Wanbai offered.

Unaccustomed to such initiative from her, Fu Xuxing smiled and replied, "There's no need, I've already arranged it."

"No, no. You're my client; there's no reason for you to treat me. Besides, given how kindly President Fu has looked after me, it's only right that I be the host. Didn't Little Treasure mention before that he wanted me to take him to the amusement park? I happen to have free time over the next couple of days, so why don't I take him out to play tomorrow or the day after?"

Fu Linsheng blinked. He didn't actually remember ever mentioning an amusement park to her, but the prospect of going to one sounded wonderful anyway. He grinned broadly without saying a word.

Fu Xuxing suggested, "How about this? I'll treat you today, and you can treat us tomorrow and the day after. How does that sound?"

"That works too," Lin Wanbai nodded, dropping the insistence.

During his previous visit, he hadn't had a chance to look around properly, his attention entirely consumed by her condition. Only now did he have the opportunity to inspect the apartment: small in space, yet reasonably cozy—more than enough for a single person.

Looking closer, he spotted a cup resting casually on the coffee table—an exact match to the one he was holding in his hand.

It was easy to deduce that this little space received quite a few visitors.

The thought left a sour taste in his mouth. He took a sip of water, but even the water tasted bitter.

After behaving well for only a short while, Little Treasure started poking around, eventually wandering over to the staircase and climbing up. Conscious of the child's safety, Lin Wanbai automatically followed close behind to keep him from taking a tumble.

After going up and down the stairs twice, Little Treasure sat down on a step, looked up at Lin Wanbai's face, and asked, "Why aren't you washing your face? It's all dirty."

Offering him a gentle smile, Lin Wanbai replied, "This isn't dirt. It's because big brother got hurt and was beaten up by some bad people. And oh, does it hurt so, so much."