Where is this medicine smell coming from? I said, "Where am I? Have I died?" I was speaking with my eyes closed.
"No, you haven't died yet, but if you don't open your eyes, I'll definitely kill you."
I heard a voice in my ear, and I quickly opened my eyes. I was in a hospital, surrounded by white walls and the smell of medicine everywhere...
The first thing I felt after opening my eyes was the pain from the bullet near my shoulder. My shoulder hurts so much, it feels like my soul is about to be ripped out. It feels like someone just shot a fireball at me. Ouch, this pain. I said, "With every breath, it feels like someone has stabbed me with a hot knife or fired a hot bullet into me."
"You woke up? You're alive? I thought maybe you'd only get up after you'd completely finished the script of death. 'While you were sleeping, how many sparks were you throwing? I'll do this, I'll do that.' You kept babbling that all day. Shu-Jen leans in close, stares at me seriously, and asks what I'm talking about."
A cold, silky yet dangerous voice echoed in my ears. I turned my head and looked at him. "What do you mean?" I asked.
Shu-Jen, smiling, took off his doctor's coat and said, "You're not like you used to be—why are you so interesting? Tell me." I stared at him, and he smiled back, stepped back, and said, "Okay… okay." Then he draped the coat over a side chair, his sleeve rolled up.
I said, "Where is Shen-Shauoa?"
"He's fine," Shu-Jen said, his face moving closer to mine. "I saved you—if it hadn't been for me, you would have died." He said this, looking into my eyes, his cold breath brushing against my neck.
"Shu... Jen..." my voice came out like a dry leaf. "Shhh," he placed his ice-cold finger on my lips. "Don't talk too much, Bai-Luna. Your heart has just come back from the brink of death. But you know what? When the bullet passed through your body, you should have seen the look on Shen-Shauoa's face. I said in surprise, "How do you know? You weren't even there." I asked in astonishment.
Haha, I mean, when Shen-Shauoa brought you to Hospital, you know, Bai-Luna, he said. he was laughing in that strange way and said, "I've seen the hands of 'The Great Mafia King Shen-Shauoa' tremble for the first time."
Shu-Jen was smiling, but there was no sympathy in his eyes, only a strange kind of joy. He picked up a syringe and, cleaning its needle, began to say, "You changed, didn't you?" he whispered.
Shu-Jen's tone cold as he knew my secret.
"You... what are you saying? What do you mean?"
"At first, you were nervous, you cried. You were innocent. But today... today, in your cold eyes, I see a 'girl' who can make even death dance to her fingers.
" He suddenly grabbed my hair in his fist and pulled my face toward him. "I love mysteries. And you know... you're becoming my favorite secret. Do you know what I feel like doing right now, Bai-Luna? I feel like tying you to this bed so you can't go anywhere else."
Thud! The door was thrown open. Shen-Shauoa burst in. His face was aglow with anger, and bloodstains still marked his white shirt.
Shu-Jen immediately stepped back and, laughing, "Joke... hah... just joking. Don't be serious," he said, he giving an innocent, doctor-like smile. "Shen-Shauoa, look, our 'Bai-Luna' has woken up."
Shen glared at Shu-Jen and came straight to my bedside. He stared at me in silence, but there was a strange kind of anguish in his silence. He hates me, but he wouldn't let me die either.
"Why?" he asked, just one word. His hand reached out toward me, as if he wanted to touch my face, but he stopped himself halfway and clenched his fist. Then he said angrily, "You hated me. So why did you take the bullet?"
I gave a small, bitter laugh. I didn't save your life because I love you, Shen. I took that bullet so I could show you that I was at the accident scene, so your 'Heroine' Xi-Xiao wouldn't frame me just by crying out of fear. But now, you owe me your life... I said, looking into his eyes.
"Alright, what price does this debtor want?" he grabbed my neck and said,
"I collect my debt at a very high price." I grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, saying,
"Tell me what you want. There's nothing Shen-Shauoa can't get. I'll give it to you right now, and 'll be free of this debt." He squeezed my neck tighter.
I want you, I want your time, I want your love. Can you give it to me? I pulled him even closer and said.
A storm of surprise and anger crossed Shen's face. "You've gone crazy. It seems the bullet's effects have reached your brain. He tries to step back."
"No," I said, looking into his crimson eyes. "I've just woken up for the first time. I want you to make me feel like a living person, to give me your time and—" I was speaking; for the first time today I felt a strange sensation in my heart.
"What's going on, Shen-Shauoa?" Just then Xi-Xiao burst in and shouted in anger, a small bandage on her hand—clearly to stage that knife-attack drama again.
"Shen! What were you doing?" she asked angrily.
"Nothing," Shen-Shauoa said, looking at me. "Something got into Bai-Luna's eye. I was just checking to make sure it didn't affect her vision."
Oh, right. If something got in my eye too, I'd come to you too, Shen-Shauoa. But look how badly I'm hurt! she said.
It was Bai-Luna herself—Shen-Shauoa's sister—who must have paid off all those attackers. That's why they wanted to kill us both!
At first, Shen always did as she said. Even now, he's supposed to follow her instructions—according to the novel, I know he'll side with the heroine.
But why am I so sad? I was the one who kept telling myself…
But Shen-Shauoa turned and glared at Xi-Xiao. "Shut up, Xi-Xiao! This girl took a bullet for me, risked her life for me, and you're saying she orchestrated the attack? He glared at her in anger.
The attack I took on you'r behalf—was it just to save you? What is Shen-Shauoa to you, then? Xi-Xiao said through tears.
"Why are you making such a fuss over a minor injury?" Shu-Jen says quickly. "Get out of here!" Let the patient rest. Xi-Xiao's face turned pale with anger and hatred. She was humiliated in front of Shen-Shauoa for the first time, and in anger she storms out of the room, crying.
Xi-Xiao has become the target for the first time today. "My first victory—I've changed this plot! Wow, good job," Bai-Luna I said with a laugh hah!
Shen-Shauoa and Shu-Jen both stared at me in surprise, but then Shen-Shauoa got a phone call and started talking on the line.
Shu-Jen looked at me, smiled, and walked out.
I was having fun and enjoying everything, but my fun was spoiled when I found a note on my bedside table. I picked it up. Shen had a meeting and told me to rest before leaving the room.
I opened the paper, and someone had scratched the words with a surgical blade: "I know you're not the real Bai-Luna. Tonight, when everyone is asleep, I will show you the fate of the real 'Villain.' Be ready."
My heart began to pound. Had Shu-Jen found out everything? Was this doctor not going to leave me alive?