Qin He arrived in country M and was brought to this building by Lu Mingxi.
The top floor and roof of the building were not the institution Lu Mingxi had mentioned, but a rehabilitation center he had built himself, with experts from authoritative institutions invited to help.
The gentle morning breeze blew, and Qin He frowned, the sensation in her body surging again.
In the past few days, she had experienced all sorts of sensations: sudden heat and cold. When hot, she felt like she was burning; when cold, she wished she could pour boiling water on herself.
Accompanied by a deep, bone-chilling ache, Qin He knew how terrifying and dishevelled she must look during her episodes.
Yesterday, if Lu Mingxi hadn't forcibly restrained her, she would have already knelt before those experts, begging them for help.
Lu Mingxi had stopped her, preserving her dignity, yet all he received was her curses.
And the scratches on his face.
Qin He lowered her gaze. Amidst her guilt, she suddenly felt fortunate that she hadn't returned to Qingcheng.
If her mother saw her during her episodes, she would surely cry in secret.
She missed her mother, her brother, Grandma Gu, her master, Wanwan, and all her friends terribly right now.
But she couldn't go back.
Qin He staggered to her feet, but after only a couple of steps, she collapsed onto the ground, curling into a ball.
That feeling had struck again.
At the door, Lu Mingxi was entering with some snacks. Seeing this, he rushed into the garden.
"He'er?!"
Qin He's entire body trembled, her hands tightly gripping Lu Mingxi's collar. "I can't take it anymore, it's too painful."
The continuous, intensifying pain felt like she was being crushed under a hydraulic press, no longer coming in waves but directly obliterating her soul.
"Lu Mingxi, can you help me? Please," Qin He's consciousness began to blur, the flower of malice blooming. "You like me, don't you? Go and get me the Ice Sea, and I'll be with you, okay?"
Lu Mingxi froze. Qin He was still trying to tempt him.
"Get me the Ice Sea, and we'll never be apart again, okay?"
Lu Mingxi's fingers tightened. For a moment, he wavered. He had almost become another Shen Yicong.
Trapped by such means for his own purpose.
Lu Mingxi's gaze became firm. "He'er, just hold on a little longer. It will pass, it will pass."
Seeing Lu Mingxi refuse, Qin He cried out, "It won't pass! I'm going to die!"
In her agony, she began to beat her head, as if trying to fight the pain within her body, and clawed at her exposed thighs and arms.
Lu Mingxi immediately called for help.
The experts, who were on standby around the clock, rushed upstairs from the rehabilitation center below upon hearing the commotion.
They restrained Qin He and took her to a room on the top floor.
She was strapped to the bed with restraints, and a doctor administered a sedative injection.
Qin He's eyes widened, and she gritted her teeth, staring at Lu Mingxi. "Give—it—to—me—"
An expert wiped the sweat from his brow.
Seeing Qin He on the bed gradually quiet down, Lu Mingxi turned to the doctor. "Didn't you say the first five days and the month mark are the most painful? It's the sixth day now, why is she still suffering so much?!"
The expert frowned. "Miss Qin has already told us the formula for the Ice Sea. This is a new type of drug, much more potent than the common ice on the market—"
Lu Mingxi's expression turned cold. "What I want to know is, when can she be free from this pain!"
The expert quickly replied, "Mr. Lu, please don't worry. It's only been a week. Miss Qin's willpower and endurance are much stronger than average people. She should be completely detoxified within three months."
Lu Mingxi looked at Qin He on the bed, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Alright."
Qin He's current state meant the sedative's effect was also reduced. Before long, she was writhing in pain again.
As the sun began to set, the afterglow of the sky shone in. Her entire back was drenched in sweat.
Exhausted, Qin He turned on her side and looked out at the sky, her heart aching.
She vaguely remembered what she had said in her delirium. Fortunately, she wasn't in Qingcheng, but her guilt towards Lu Mingxi grew deeper.
Qin He's eyes reflected the sunset, but they held no spark.
When Lu Mingxi came in with dinner, he saw her lying on her side. Having regained her senses, she had already untied herself.
Qin He heard the sound and turned to look at Lu Mingxi. She smiled.
"You're awake," Lu Mingxi placed the dinner on a nearby table. "You must be starving. Eat something quickly."
Qin He's gaze fell on Lu Mingxi's neck, where new scratches had appeared.
She took a deep breath. Although she didn't want Gu Qichen and her family to see her in this state, she also didn't want to drag Lu Mingxi down.
She had initially thought he would just take her to an institution in country M, but she hadn't expected him to stay with her like this.
Qin He's voice was hoarse. "Lu Mingxi, why don't you go back to China? I'll stay here by myself."
Lu Mingxi frowned. "What are you talking about? How could I leave you here alone!"
Qin He pursed her lips. "I know what I said today. Lu Mingxi, this is a burden I need to carry myself. You don't have to..."
"I'm doing this willingly," Lu Mingxi picked up a bowl of soup and handed it to Qin He. "Have some to replenish your strength. I didn't expect detoxification to be so draining."
Normally, the consumption wouldn't be that high, but Qin He was too skilled, and it often took half the effort to subdue her.
Qin He lowered her eyes and drank the soup.
After eating, she didn't speak again, her mood low.
Seeing this, Lu Mingxi didn't say anything further and left the room with the dishes.
The top floor and the roof were now his territory. However, after bringing Qin He here, Lu Mingxi and the authoritative experts had not stepped out of the building.
Lu Mingxi knew Gu Qichen's capabilities. If he showed himself here, Gu Qichen would surely find him.
So, after painstakingly bringing Qin He here, he decided not to leave.
All the daily necessities were purchased by a local person he had hired. This person worked on the seventeenth floor of the building and their comings and goings wouldn't attract attention.
At eight o'clock in the evening, the city of Washington was bathed in light.
Qin He sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the night sky. She missed her mother.
Her phone was placed beside her. It was a new phone that Lu Mingxi had helped her get, with her old SIM card re-installed.
She picked up the phone, logged into WeChat, and initiated a video call with Ming Yuzhu.
As soon as the call connected and Ming Yuzhu saw Qin He, tears immediately welled up.
"He'er, how are you now?"
"I'm fine, I just finished dinner." Qin He forced a bright smile, but her eyes couldn't help but redden.
"I know about what happened. Your brother is furious that Lu Mingxi brought you to country M," Ming Yuzhu wiped her tears.
In the video feed, Xu Wanwan also squeezed in.
"He'er, when are you coming back!"