"Drip, drip."
The silence was so profound that the only sound seemed to be the faint dripping.
Qin He twitched her fingers and slowly opened her eyes.
She turned her head and saw the man dozing by the bedside. Just as she was about to sit up, she realized she was in so much pain that she couldn't move.
Her face was pale, and she weakly called out, "Gege..."
Qin Yun, half-asleep, was startled by her voice. The hand supporting his chin slipped, and he stumbled.
He blinked, saw Qin He awake, and his tone, though not entirely pleasant, couldn't hide his concern. "You're awake?"
"Ge..." Qin He was in agony.
Qin Yun paused, sensing something was off with Qin He.
She had rarely returned home in the two years since marrying Gu Qichen. He had felt that his sister had become distant from him, but now...
Qin He coughed, her throat feeling like it was on fire. "I want water."
Qin Yun, who had been about to say something else, immediately got up when he heard her thirst. He poured her a glass of water and then carefully helped her sit up. "You're lucky. You were hit by a car but didn't suffer any serious injuries."
Just bruises and some minor fractures all over.
Qin He moistened her throat and handed the water cup back to Qin Yun.
"Where's Gu Qichen?" Qin Yun placed the cup on the bedside table, crossed his arms, and snorted. "The hospital said they called him, but no one answered."
Qin He was a little bewildered. "Who is that?"
She thought for a moment. "Is that the person who brought me to the hospital today?"
Now it was Qin Yun's turn to be bewildered. "Huh?"
After a long moment, he recovered. "What do you mean? You don't know who Gu Qichen is?"
Seeing Qin He shake her head, even more confused, Qin Yun leaped up from his chair and frantically pressed the call bell by the bed.
Ten minutes later, the doctor finished his examination. "Although there are no major physical issues, there's hippocampal damage, and a section of memory has been lost."
Qin Yun thanked the doctor and then turned to look at Qin He.
After a long pause, he managed to blurt out, "How old are you this year?"
Qin He looked bewildered. "23."
Qin Yun: "?!"
What the hell? Could her memory regress?
However...
Qin Yun's eyes lit up.
Now! This was the perfect opportunity for him to save his younger sister, who had lost her mind!
He cleared his throat and solemnly warned, "The Gu Qichen I just told you about is a scumbag. Stay away from him. As far as possible, understand?"
Qin He, looking utterly confused again, nodded.
...
After a few days in the hospital, Qin He's abrasions had mostly healed. Qin Yun took her back to the Qin family home.
Qin He hadn't been back in two years, but now, with her memory reset to two years ago, she remembered nothing and walked in as if she'd never left.
Seeing her mother watering flowers in the garden, Qin He went over and hugged her. "Mama, I'm back. Why didn't you come to see me these past few days?"
Mrs. Qin had already learned about her younger daughter's amnesia from her son. Although she missed her, she was too proud to admit it and had been brooding at home.
Only when Qin He was to return today, and unwilling to water flowers outside because of the winter cold, had Mrs. Qin gone to the garden early that morning.
She was absentmindedly watering the plants, with a maid nearby constantly saying, "Madam! That's enough, you'll drown the flowers!"
Now, embraced by her daughter, Mrs. Qin's eyes immediately welled up. She stroked Qin He's head. "Your Gege didn't tell me."
Qin Yun: "..." He wouldn't take the blame.
"Good girl, go inside. I've prepared your favorite dessert for you."
Qin He cheered and ran into the house.
Mrs. Qin watched her retreating back, her heart filled with complex emotions.
After a moment, she turned to Qin Yun, her tone hardening. "Erase He'er's medical records. Don't let Gu Qichen find her. Preferably, may they never see each other again in this lifetime!"
"Yes."
Her father had passed away ten years ago in an accident. Her mother had single-handedly built up the Qin family's empire.
Now that she had stepped back from business, Qin Yun had almost forgotten what a decisive woman with an iron will she was.
With the family complete and happy, Qin Yun also felt a sense of relief.
Now, his little sister wouldn't have any entanglements with that scumbag.
She had returned to being the Qin family's little princess.