Fortunately, my condition hadn't worsened much. My parents decided that we would continue our travels to another country the next day.

That night, as I stayed in my room, I realized many of my things had been packed away—all of which were related to Julian.

I was flipping through my childhood comic books, momentarily immersed in my own world.

Suddenly, a clatter came from outside the window.

I looked out in confusion, and then came another sound.

I walked to the bedside and pulled back the curtains.

The light was on in the room next door, and Julian, dressed in pajamas, was standing on the balcony.

His hair was down now, resting softly against his face, devoid of the sharp edge he carried during the day.

My heart skipped a beat.

We hadn't seen each other for far too long.

I had fantasized countless times about what our reunion would be like—would my heart still race for him, or would it remain still?

The reality told me otherwise.

I hadn't forgotten him.

I still loved him.

I felt my heart tighten, and breathing became difficult.

What does he want to say? I wondered.

"Do you want some sugar-coated haws?" Julian pulled out a stick of the treat and waved it twice in the air.

In an instant, the memory of the sugar-coated haws from Children's Day flooded my mind.

Along with the image of Julian, shining under the lights.

His smile, his gaze, his touch—none of it had faded.

— You really are hopelessly in love with him.

I reached out and gripped the curtain tightly, took a deep breath, and said, "No."

After saying that, I pulled the curtains shut.

I slid down the wall to the floor, curling up and holding myself tight.

This is enough. This is for the best.

Everything is over.

The romance no longer exists.

He is still the brilliant prosecutor with a bright future, and I am still the traveler searching for a place to heal.

...

The next day, I packed my luggage and folded my blankets under my parents' urging. Then, I pulled back the curtains.

A note was taped to a stick of sugar-coated haws hanging outside my window.

A long string connected it to the balcony next door.

Across the way, the curtains were wide open, but no one was in sight.

I hesitated for a moment before taking the note.

[In the past, it was you waiting for me. Now, it's my turn to wait for you.]

I took a bite of a haw and held it in my mouth; the sweet and sour flavors tangled back and forth.

I said, "I don't need sugar-coated haws anymore."

I spat out the haw, then threw the entire stick into the trash can.

Resolutely, I pulled my suitcase and walked out the door.

At the airport, my parents were worried about the early start and feared I would be hungry, so they prepared some food.

I couldn't taste anything in the heated meal, so I forced myself to swallow it.

To distract myself from the food, I looked up at the news in the departure lounge.

Suddenly, a news report caught my eye.

"A prosecutor surnamed Jiao was targeted in an act of criminal retaliation. A severe car accident occurred this morning on Dongting Road."

Chapter 38

With a clatter, the lunchbox fell to the floor.

I stood up abruptly, staring in horror at the television.

My parents were stunned at first, but then they saw the news report and their faces paled.

"Sienna..."

Before my mother could finish, I suddenly turned and ran out.

"Sienna!" My mother tried to chase after me but slipped on the smooth floor.

My father paused, helping his wife up, only to be swatted by her: "Go after Sienna! She's a patient!"

But in the blink of an eye, Sienna was nowhere to be seen.

I ran outside frantically. Air rushed into my lungs, and though my throat burned with a tearing pain, I didn't stop.

I took out my phone and dialed that familiar number.

"I'm sorry, the number you dialed cannot be reached..."

My eyes dropped, and despair slowly enveloped me. "Julian, please answer the phone..."

On my third attempt, the call finally went through.

"Julian!" I cried out urgently.

"Hello, this is the police. Julian is currently at the hospital..."

I hurriedly asked for the location, ran to the roadside, and hailed a taxi.

As I sat down, my phone rang. It was Jude.

As soon as he heard me answer, Jude asked, "Where are you right now?"

"I... I'm going to find Julian..." My voice trembled with fear.

"I understand. I'm going too. Don't run around blindly."

I nodded messily and asked cautiously, "Brother, how is Julian doing?"

"He's fine. Don't be nervous."

In this situation, Jude couldn't explain things clearly; he could only comfort me repeatedly.

Perhaps the comfort worked, as I slowly quieted down. Aside from the lingering anxiety on my face, I showed no other outward signs of distress.

The car soon stopped at the hospital entrance, and I rushed inside.

My attending physician had received a call from Jude and had been waiting there for a while.

The doctor soothed me, "Don't worry, his condition isn't severe. Calm yourself down first."

I nodded and took deep breaths in the corridor for three minutes before going up.

During that time, Jude also arrived at the hospital.

He led me to the front of the operating room.

The red light reflected on my face, making my expression look even more terrified.

A trail of red blood flowed out from behind the operating room door.

"Ah—!"

I covered my ears and let out a scream.

"Sienna!"

The attending physician rushed forward: "Take her away, quickly! To the injection room!"

The sedative was already prepared.

I struggled, twisting my body incessantly, my eyes fixed on the blood slowly flowing across the floor.

Inside the operating room, the man opened his eyes weakly.

A scream had slowly brought him back to consciousness, and his sluggish brain recalled something.

He moved his mouth and said something.

A nurse immediately leaned down.

"...Turn off the light."

The nurse didn't understand.

"Turn off the light at the door. She’s afraid of red..."

The doctor and nurse exchanged looks.

They truly couldn't fathom how a severely injured patient could wake up under the dual effects of heavy unconsciousness and anesthesia.

"Sir, turning off the light is against regulations."

The man couldn't hear her; his mouth just kept murmuring, "She's afraid."

The doctor felt helpless.

At that moment, a nurse walked in and whispered something in his ear.

The doctor looked surprised and said, "Then turn it off."

With a click, the red light of the operating room was suddenly turned off, and white light reclaimed the corridor.

Everyone looked at the door of the operating room in surprise.

Jude was still wondering why the light was no longer red but hadn't turned green yet.

Suddenly, my struggling stopped. My eyes rolled back, and I lost consciousness.

Chapter 39

I woke up, my memory frozen at the moment the red light vanished.

The sound of weeping reached my ears. I turned my head in confusion and saw my mother sitting on the sofa, sobbing quietly.

I wanted to speak, but a sense of powerlessness crawled through my limbs.

I knew this feeling; it always followed an episode. Extreme emotional fluctuations take a heavy toll on the body.

Just then, Silas rushed in. Seeing me lying on the bed, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Jude stepped forward. "I’ll have to trouble you with this lawsuit."

Silas nodded. "Don't worry. I won't give that person any chance of getting out."

The two walked out to begin investigating the evidence.

When my mother finished crying, she came to the bedside. Seeing me awake, her face lit up with surprise and joy.

"Sienna, do you feel unwell anywhere?"

I shook my head weakly. "Mom, how is Julian?"

My mother was furious that the first thing I asked about upon waking was Julian. "He’s fine, but from now on, I am not allowing you to see him!"

Such a major incident had happened before they even met; there was no telling what would happen if they actually saw each other.

I didn't object. I had already prepared myself to leave.

It was only today’s sudden accident that had caused me to lose my composure.

Since Julian was safe, I could leave in peace.

"Mom, I'm sorry. As soon as I feel a bit better, let's go."

Though still angry, my mother nodded. "The flight has been rescheduled to tonight."

I nodded in response.

The attending physician came in to check on me again.

I remained silent throughout the process.

Finally, the doctor said helplessly, "Although the onset of the illness isn't aggressive, you must still be careful of extreme emotional highs and lows."

After a long silence, I finally spoke. "I saw hallucinations today... I thought that was Julian's blood..."