LOVING AGAIN

FIGHT TO KILL

Nie Lingxi flashed a smile and the lady felt a shiver go through her spine.

She watched the Chen Qianci disappear into the crowd before her legs finally gave out. Sinking into a chair, she covered her face and sobbed uncontrollably.

“Qianqian… you really forgot me.” Her voice trembled with guilt. “I deserve it… I deserve this.”

Outside, Nie Lingxi wandered aimlessly through the busy streets.

Without her contact lenses or glasses, the world was nothing but blurred lights and distorted silhouettes. She couldn't even recognize the road home.

Worse still, the alcohol was beginning to awaken the part of her she feared most.

Every accidental shove from a stranger made her muscles tense. Every passing voice sounded like a threat. She knew exactly what she was capable of in this state, and she refused to let anyone become a victim again.

Regret consumed her.

Why did I drink?

“Kee Shawn!!”

Her furious scream startled the pedestrians around her.

“You devil!”

He had trained her to fight without mercy. He had shattered her sense of security. And today, he had been the reason she'd touched alcohol again. Everything traced back to him.

...

A black Maybach glided past the small convenience store.

From the back seat, a man glanced outside before his sharp eyes narrowed.

“Stop.”

The driver immediately stepped on the brakes.

The man's icy gaze settled on the white sports car parked outside. He recognized the customized license plate instantly.

It belonged to his younger sister.

He pushed open the door.

“Master?” the driver called in confusion.

“Stay in the car.”

His commanding aura drew countless curious stares as he entered the shop.

His eyes quickly found a familiar figure slumped over a table surrounded by empty bottles. That's weird. His sister couldn't drink so much.

“Si Yue?” he called cautiously.

The girl's head shot up.

“Brother!”

She rushed into his arms and burst into tears.

Si Tianxiao stiffened. Comforting people had never been his strength, but after a brief hesitation, he gently patted her head.

Only after her sobs quieted did he ask, “What happened?”

“I… I saw her…” Si Yue whispered between tears.

He waited silently.

“It was Chen Qianci. I'm sure it was her.” Fresh tears streamed down her face. “But she doesn't remember me… She doesn't know who I am.”

Si Tianxiao's expression froze.

“You're mistaken,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Si Yue shook her head fiercely.

“No! Unlike you, I don't mistake every similar-looking girl for her.”

His eyes instantly turned colder.

“Where is she?”

The question struck Si Yue like lightning.

Her face drained of color.

She had forgotten to follow Qianci.

And Qianci had been drunk.

“Brother, I…”

Before she could finish, Tianxiao was already running out of the store.

He lifted his phone and called,

“Find that woman.”

The bodyguards exchanged confused looks on the other end.

Which woman?

Leaning against the wall of a quiet alley, Lingxi pressed a trembling hand against her forehead.

The voices wouldn't stop.

Fight.

Kill.

Fragments of Kee Shawn's ruthless training echoed inside her mind.

“Are you fighting for fun?”

“Stop…” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut.

"No. You fight to kill."

She needed to stay in control or she'd resort to the last method she could think of.

Using the cold brick wall as support, she steadied her breathing, desperately trying to silence the darkness clawing at her mind as she started at people with hatred.

Taking out a pocket knife, she slashed her wrist without hesitation as though she had done it before. Blood gushed out also without hesitation.

“Damn you, Kee Shawn!” she screamed, her voice cracking as she sat on the ground.

People passed by, unaware of the storm raging inside her.

Lingxi slowly opened her eyes.

The sun was still shining.

The streets were still full of people.

She hadn't blacked out yet.

And that terrified her even more.

...

Si Tianxiao didn't want to believe his sister's words.

He had spent years mistaking strangers for Chen Qianci, only to be disappointed every single time. He refused to let hope deceive him again.

Yet…

The mere thought of her made his heart beat irrationally.

Without another word, he chose a random direction and hurried down the street.

Ten minutes later, he stopped. It was probably the wrong way.

He sighed and reached for his phone, intending to ask his bodyguards if they had found any trace of her. Just then—

He heard it.

A pair of harsh, uneven breaths coming from behind a bed of decorative flowers.

His brows knitted together.

Slowly, he pushed the flowers aside and stepped onto the lawn.

Then he froze.

Chen Qianci.

His heartbeat thundered in his ears.

The girl he had searched for all these years was finally before him.

Meanwhile, Nie Lingxi had long gone numb to the pain in her bleeding hand. Blood dripped steadily from her wrist onto the grass, yet it wasn't enough.

She raised the pocket knife again.

If one wound make her unconscious…

Then another would.

Tianxiao's pupils contracted.

“Don't!”

He lunged forward without thinking, grabbing the blade with his bare hand just before it plunged into her thigh.

The sharp edge sliced deeply across his palm.

Blood spilled instantly.

But he didn't even flinch.

The moment Lingxi sensed another person's presence, her eyes turned cold.

She yanked the knife free from his hand and attacked.

Slash!

The blade tore across Tianxiao's already injured palm.

He retreated half a step, choosing only to defend as every strike she made was aimed at a vital point.

His expression grew darker.

She's trying to kill me.

Her speed…

Her precision…

This wasn't ordinary self-defense. It was the work of someone trained to execute.

Another stab shot toward his neck.

This time, Si Tianxiao acted.

He caught her wrist, twisted it behind her back, and sent the knife flying into the grass. Before she could counterattack, she drove her knee upward toward his groin.

He had anticipated it.

He blocked the attack and pulled her against his chest, leaving her no room to move.

She struggled violently.

“Hey…” he whispered into her ear not knowing if it'd work, his voice unexpectedly gentle. “Calm down. It's me… Si Tianxiao.”

For a moment, she stopped resisting.

“Tiangxiao…?”

Her voice was barely audible.

A relieved smile appeared on his usually cold face.

“Yes. It's me.”

Lingxi's trembling fingers slowly grabbed the back of his shirt.

“Tiantian…” she mumbled weakly. “I've missed you… I've missed you so much…”

She buried her face in his chest.

Tianxiao gently stroked her hair with his uninjured hand.

No one knew how many years he had spent searching for this woman.

And now…

She was finally in his arms.

A few minutes later, he spoke softly.

“Qianci… are you alright?”

No reply.

He carefully pulled her back to look at her face.

Her eyes were closed.

Her face had lost every trace of color.

She had fainted.

Without hesitation, Si Tianxiao lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the waiting Maybach.

...At the Hospital...

“Brother… I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry…”

Si Yue held Si Tiangxiao's freshly bandaged hand, tears filling her eyes.

He barely heard her.

His thoughts remained fixed on the unconscious woman lying inside the hospital room.

What exactly happened to you, Qianci?

The ward doors opened.

The doctor walked out with several reports in his hand.

Si Tiangxiao immediately stood.

Before he could speak, Si Yue asked anxiously,

“How is she, doctor?”

The doctor smiled reassuringly.

“She's stable now. Are either of you her family?”

Si Yue instinctively looked at her brother.

Si Tiangxiao answered without hesitation.

“I'm her husband, Si Tiangxiao.”

He raised the ring on his finger as proof.

Si Yue's eyes widened.

Husband?!

She almost blurted it out.

Brother, that's not a wedding ring—that's the master key and tracker to your private safe!

The doctor nodded, seemingly convinced.

“You may go in and see her now.”

He then turned to Tianxiao.

“Mr. Si… I'd like to speak with you privately.”