Mu Jiu Chen watched her open her eyes, looking at her with a mixture of tension and excitement.
He rarely shed tears, but his eyes welled up at this moment.
"Wife, are you awake?" His voice, silent for too long, sounded hoarse yet filled with emotion.
Jiang Nuan looked at his reddened eyes, surprised. She had come back to life.
"How long have I been asleep?" Jiang Nuan asked weakly.
"Half an hour," Mu Jiu Chen replied, his grip tightening on her hand with excitement.
"Half an hour? Did the bullet miss my heart?" Jiang Nuan looked at him in disbelief. Had her judgment been wrong?
"Do you really wish for it to hit your heart?" Mu Jiu Chen exclaimed angrily. "Your cardiovascular system ruptured, and you were almost beyond saving. But then someone came. Do you remember that man who kidnapped you last time? He brought a pill and saved you."
Jiang Nuan was astonished. "Indeed, there's always someone better. I thought I was the best, but I never expected someone even more capable."
Jiang Nuan felt ashamed, finding her previous thought ridiculous.
Knowing that the man was looking for a Ji Dan, Jiang Nuan asked with some surprise, "He's not the kind of person to do favors out of pure kindness. He must have had other conditions, right?"
Mu Jiu Chen knew she had guessed correctly. "Yes! The condition was a Ji Dan. He said the Ji Dan could save his life."
Jiang Nuan was finally relieved. "He saved my life, and I will find a way to save his. If you see him later, tell him that once I'm recovered, I'll find a way to prepare another Ji Dan for him."
"Okay..." Mu Jiu Chen replied.
He was also grateful to that man, though he'd forgotten his name.
Because of his medicine, he could see his living wife before him now.
"I'm sorry, my wife." Mu Jiu Chen felt guilty for having shot her himself.
The moment the bullet flew towards her, his heart had died with it.
Jiang Nuan recalled the trembling words, "Dodge," and smiled in surprise. "I never guessed it was you. So, you are the master of the Shadow Hall. I was always wondering why Chu Yun Ying knew Hong Bin."
Moreover, he had hidden it so well, only to have his other identity revealed in such a manner.
She also remembered Madam Jiang's words, saying Mu Jiu Chen had another identity, referring to the master of the Shadow Hall.
Now, everything made sense.
"I'm sorry, Nuannuan. I wanted to tell you about this before. It was when you mentioned Hong Bin was engaged in illegal activities outside.
But Han Yi Xuan called, and the topic was interrupted. Later, when I wanted to tell you, Kuo Bao came over, and for the next half a month, you were so busy every day that I didn't even have a chance to talk to you. The matter just got dropped."
"I had people watching Hong Bin, but they only found him embezzling money from the Shadow Hall, not anything else. He used people from outside, not from the Shadow Hall."
"I'm sorry, my wife." Mu Jiu Chen lowered his head and kissed the back of her hand. The joy of regaining her was indescribable; he felt alive again.
Jiang Nuan reached out and stroked his head, looking at him tenderly. "Husband, don't mention this anymore. I know it pains you more than me!"
Mu Jiu Chen held her hand tightly, watching her without speaking.
In that moment, he had been truly afraid of losing her from his world.
"Wife."
They looked at each other, everything unspoken.
Only after Jiang Nuan woke up did Mu Jiu Chen dare to answer Jin Yan's call.
It was already ten o'clock in the evening.
Jin Yan, who had been restless all day, was enduring immense anxiety.
Her daughter's phone was off.
Her son-in-law's phone was going unanswered.
The second child had taken the two children out and hadn't returned yet.
Lu Jin Cheng, knowing his sister was in trouble, had taken Yun Yun to Jiang Nuan's house and dared not return himself.
Jin Yan called anxiously. This call finally went through, and she asked with great concern, "Xiao Jiu, what were you all doing? Why wasn't anyone answering my calls? I've been so restless all day; I'm going crazy with worry."
Mu Jiu Chen apologized and explained what had happened to Jiang Nuan.
"Ah..." Jin Yan's anxious heart felt as if it had paused and found solid ground.
She pounded her chest a few times, her pained expression making Lu Jin Yue's heart ache.
Lu Cheng Si hugged her tenderly, comforting her. "Yan Yan, it's okay. Nuannuan is blessed and will be fine."
He hadn't felt right all day either, but he hadn't expected his daughter to be in trouble.
Yan Yan's restlessness throughout the day was a strong maternal intuition.
"Xiao Jiu, we'll be at the hospital right away. Please hang in there a little longer."
Jin Yan hung up the phone, instructed the kitchen to prepare a lot of food, and then left for the hospital with Lu Cheng Si.
When the couple arrived, Jiang Nuan had fallen asleep again due to the anesthesia.
The couple stood at the doorway, looking at their daughter lying on the hospital bed, both feeling distressed.
Jin Yan tearfully said, "When Nuannuan wakes up, I'm going to have her resign from all her work. I want her to stay at home and live a peaceful life."
Every time she saw her daughter injured, she felt heartbroken and angry.
Was their family short of money?
Why was everyone pushing themselves so hard?
Lu Cheng Si remained silent, his eyes also turning red. His daughter's pale face and tightly closed eyes pierced his heart like a knife. His daughter had truly endured a lot of hardship.
Meanwhile, Mu Jiu Chen was sent out by the couple to eat dinner. Despite his worries, he needed to maintain his health.
As he stepped out, Kuo Bao was still sleeping, leaning against Ji Huai Shu.
Mu Jiu Chen looked surprised. He walked over and said to Ji Huai Shu, "Thank you for the medicine!"
Ji Huai Shu was surprised by Mu Jiu Chen's thanks. This man, so aloof and proud, was difficult to get a word out of. This "thank you" truly astonished him.
"No..." Ji Huai Shu stopped himself. He was too surprised and flustered to say what he intended, which was "You're welcome."
"You're... you're welcome!" Ji Huai Shu stammered slightly.
Their voices woke up Jiang Yu Kuo from his sleep.
He slowly sat up, his arm numb from being pressed. He frowned in discomfort, and upon seeing his father, his sleepy eyes widened instantly.
"Dad, how's Mommy?" His voice still held the grogginess of sleep.
Mu Jiu Chen sat beside him and said, "Your mother has woken up and is sleeping again. Eat dinner first. Your mother is out of danger, so don't worry."
Jiang Yu Kuo let out a huge sigh of relief.
He looked at Ji Huai Shu beside him. "You really didn't lie to me. My mom woke up after I slept. Fine, seeing as you saved my mother, I'll study medicine with you."
Mu Jiu Chen looked at his son in surprise. "Darling, why do you suddenly want to study medicine? You can't. You must inherit everything from me. Your mother and I missed many years. After you turn 18, I want to take your mother traveling."
Jiang Yu Kuo stared at him, stunned. He wanted to shirk responsibility as soon as he became an adult. He had never seen a father like this. "Dad, studying medicine doesn't prevent me from inheriting the family business."
Mu Jiu Chen immediately agreed. "Then that's fine. Come, everyone, let's eat."
He had important matters to attend to after dinner.