The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 466 - 468. Identify the cause of the disease

"Have you consulted Doctor Eden?" Wen Xiyao suddenly spoke up. "He was the one who cured Hengyi’s serious leg injury back then, maybe he has a way."

Her words were like a wakeup call. Fu Hengyi and Shen Junyu looked at each other and realized, yes, how could they have forgotten about Doctor Eden? Fu Hengyi knew Eden’s background better than Shen Junyu did and was aware that Eden was more proficient in virus research. Perhaps he could find out what was causing Shen Qinglan’s illness.

Fu Hengyi immediately called Doctor Eden, who, after hearing Fu Hengyi’s explanation, said at once, "I got it. I’ll go buy a plane ticket today, wait for me."

"What did he say?" asked Shen Junyu looking at Fu Hengyi.

"He’s buying a plane ticket today to come over."

"That’s good. What time is his flight? I’ll arrange for someone to pick him up—no, I’ll go myself," said Shen Junyu.

Fu Hengyi gave Shen Junyu Eden’s number, "This is his number; you can contact him when the time comes. I’ll take Anan and go first."

Shen Junyu nodded and didn’t ask where Fu Hengyi was taking Anan. Anan held onto his daddy’s neck, leaning on his shoulder in a dependent pose.

"Mommy." Anan’s voice came before he did. Shen Qinglan was holding her phone, watching a video sent by Shen Junyu when she heard Anan’s voice. At first, she thought her illness was worsening and she was hallucinating, then she saw a little missile rushing straight towards her.

Shen Qinglan was feeling a bit better that day and had asked the nurse to help her sit in a chair for a while. Then, she got a full-on hug from Anan. Instinctively, she hugged her son, but then she realized she was ill and pulled him away, looking at Fu Hengyi who came after, "Why did you bring him here?"

Fu Hengyi’s face was calm, "He missed you; I couldn’t soothe him, so I had to bring him here."

"Take him away, quickly." Her illness was still undiagnosed, and if Anan caught it, she would want to die.

"Qinglan, don’t be so nervous. This kind of disease might not be contagious, look at us, all of us have been in contact with you for so long and nothing has happened, right?"

Shen Qinglan thought about it and realized that was true. Chu Yunrong had been in contact with her every day without any issue. With this thought, Shen Qinglan looked at her son and saw Anan looking back at her with a tear-stained face, obviously understanding that Shen Qinglan had just asked him to leave.

"Anan, mommy didn’t mean for you to leave. Mommy is just worried about you." Shen Qinglan’s heart ached for her son. She bent down, trying to pick up Anan, but she couldn’t lift him; she had no strength left. She forced a smile, "Anan, mommy’s sick and can’t hold you."

But Anan stepped forward and hugged Shen Qinglan’s legs, tilting his little face and saying, "Mommy, I missed you."

Hearing her son’s soft, childlike voice express his longing, Shen Qinglan’s tears instantly overflowed. She slightly turned her head, wiping away her tears and smiling at her son, "Mommy missed you too." She looked at Fu Hengyi, who immediately understood her wish and lifted Anan onto her lap.

Anan sat obediently in Shen Qinglan’s embrace, seemingly aware that mommy was not feeling well, and unlike his usual fidgety self, allowed Shen Qinglan to hold him. She rested her head against her son’s cheek, "Anan, mommy missed you so much."

Gently, Anan raised his little hand to wipe the tears from Shen Qinglan’s face, "Mommy, don’t cry. Anan won’t cry either."

Shen Qinglan’s tears began to flow even more fiercely. During her illness, she had been calm all the time, but now, seeing her son, waves of bitterness rose in her heart.

Fu Hengyi stepped forward, enveloping mother and child in his arms and spoke softly, "Qinglan, it will be okay. I’ve already contacted Eden; he’ll be here soon. You will get better quickly."

Outside the door, Chu Yunrong, who had just hurried from home, watched the scene in the ward, covering her mouth and leaning against the wall as tears streamed down her face. Why must her daughter always be the one to suffer? She had already had such a hard life as a child, and now that she had finally found happiness, why couldn’t it continue? Oh Lord, can’t you be gentle with my daughter just this once? I would gladly trade my life for hers.

Shen Qian held his wife, seemingly aged greatly in that instant. He had only heard the news today and had hurried back from the military.

Chu Yunrong sobbed in her husband’s arms, unable to control her emotions. Shen Qian, seeing his wife so agitated, took her down. Sitting on the long bench in the hospital, Chu Yunrong’s mood could not calm down for a long time. Shen Qian held his wife, "Yun Rong, stop crying, Qinglan will be fine."

"Aqian, my heart aches. You didn’t see how Qinglan looks now; she’s become so thin she’s hardly recognizable. Every time I see her like this, it feels like someone is stabbing my heart over and over with a knife."

"Yun Rong, you’re a mother. With Qinglan in this condition, you need to be strong. If she saw you like this, wouldn’t it just make her worry?"

"Yes, you’re right, Aqian. Give me some time to calm down; I need to compose myself," said Chu Yunrong.

Shen Qian patted his wife’s shoulder, "Yun Rong, believe me, Qinglan will be fine."

Chu Yunrong nodded repeatedly, but the expression on her face did not relax at all.

In Country Y, Jin Enxi and Andre, having heard about Shen Qinglan’s strange illness, were extremely worried. Jin Enxi urged Eden, "Hurry up and go. An’s situation is urgent."

"Enxi, but what about you here..." Eden was also worried about Jin Enxi and Cissily’s situation.

"You don’t have to worry about me and Cissily. Go and check on An’s condition now."

Andre also spoke up, "Enxi and Cissily can be left to me. You go ahead, and keep in touch with us at all times if there’s any situation."

"Okay, I’ll leave this to you, Andre," said Eden, looking at Jin Enxi, "Enxi, this period is crucial for your wound recovery. You must do as I’ve instructed. I checked this morning, and this skin graft surgery seems more successful than the last one. New skin is slowly growing. You absolutely must not touch it. During this process, you’ll feel a lot of pain, but no matter how painful, you must endure it. If this graft takes, the future surgeries will be much less painful for you, understand?"

"I know. I’ll follow your instructions strictly, and I’ll have Andre supervise me. Don’t worry, I care about my face more than you do. If there’s any news about An, whether good or bad, remember to notify us."

"Okay," Eden agreed, preparing some necessary items before leaving. Jin Enxi and Andre exchanged glances; her face was wrapped in gauze, revealing only her eyes and mouth.

"Andre, do you think An will be okay?"

"She will be," Andre said with certainty.

Shen Junyu personally came to pick up Eden, "Doctor Eden, I’ve arranged a hotel for you. I’ll take you to the hotel now." Despite his urgency, Shen Junyu still managed to keep his emotions in check.

"No need, take me straight to the hospital. I want to see An... Qinglan’s condition first."

Naturally, Shen Junyu was only too willing, "Okay." He drove the car quickly, reaching the hospital in the shortest time possible.

By now, it was already Shen Qinglan’s seventh day in the hospital.

Anan had already been taken back by Shen Qian and the others; after all, a hospital was not a suitable place for a child to stay.

Eden carefully reviewed all of Shen Qinglan’s test results and examined her thoroughly once more, his brow deeply furrowed. "Doctor Eden, how is my sister?" Shen Junyu couldn’t help but ask, his clasped hands betraying his nervousness.

Shen Qinglan was rather nonchalant, much more relaxed compared to the tension exhibited by Shen Junyu and Fu Hengyi, "Eden, just tell me straight."

"Qinglan, it’s hard to say. I can’t see any problem for now. Your symptoms are indeed very similar to a common viral cold as those experts have mentioned, but it is much more stubborn than a viral cold. My guess is the same as theirs; you probably have been infected with a very rare virus, but I can’t determine what it exactly is at the moment."

Dr. Eden said this and looked toward Dean Chen, "Dean Chen, I believe your hospital should have a chemical laboratory. I’d like to use it if possible, would that be alright?"

With Shen Junyu and Fu Hengyi present, Dean Chen naturally agreed. Dr. Eden took several blood samples from Shen Qinglan and immediately followed Dean Chen out.

Shen Junyu’s expression was one of dejection. Dr. Eden’s inability to diagnose Shen Qinglan’s condition shattered the hope he was holding onto, plunging his spirits from cloud nine to rock bottom.

"Sis, I want to eat the pan-fried buns from the shop on Xinhua Road," Shen Qinglan spoke up, her voice weak. She’d had a very poor appetite these past few days and could hardly eat anything. Hearing his sister say she wanted to eat something, Shen Junyu couldn’t bear to deny her, even though he knew she was trying to get him to leave.

"Okay, I’ll go buy them for you now, and I’ll bring you a bowl of vegetable porridge as well, alright?"

"Mm, thank you, brother," Shen Qinglan smiled.

Once Shen Junyu had left, Shen Qinglan reached out to smooth Fu Hengyi’s furrowed brow, "Don’t frown, it doesn’t look nice."

"Qinglan." Fu Hengyi held her hand, suddenly at a loss for words. He had already taken leave from his superiors. With Shen Qinglan sick like this, he wouldn’t go back to his unit no matter what, and he secretly felt relieved that he had left Sharp Blade. Otherwise, how could he take leave to care fully for Shen Qinglan?

"Don’t frown. When you do, you make me feel as if all hope is lost. Fu Hengyi, I want to live. There are so many things I haven’t done yet. I want to watch Anan grow up. I want to have a daughter with you, to grow old together with you."

"Mm, everything you are thinking of will come true, I promise you. Once you get better from this illness, we’ll have a daughter, just like you, soft and tender, who will call us Daddy and Mommy, who will call Anan ’Brother An’an.’ We will watch them grow up together, and then watch them get married and have children, while we hold hands and grow old slowly together. When our hair turns gray, I’ll walk with you in the sunset," Fu Hengyi’s voice was gentle and magnetic, a voice that had appeared countless times in Shen Qinglan’s dreams.

"Then it’s settled. Once I get better, we’ll have a daughter, and her nickname will be Tangtang. I think she’ll like it. Just so you know, you’ve promised me now, and you can’t go back on your word later." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Okay, I absolutely won’t go back on my word." Fu Hengyi became even more tender. As he lowered his head, Shen Qinglan had already fallen back asleep. Recently, she had been sleeping more and more. Sometimes, she would fall asleep while they were talking.

A smile hung on the corner of her mouth, softening the coolness of her face and making her seem exceptionally gentle. Fu Hengyi gently touched the hair by her ear and chuckled softly, "What a little pig, falling asleep just like that." His hands trembled slightly, but it was barely noticeable.

And Dr. Eden ended up staying for three days. During those three days, Shen Qinglan’s sleeping hours grew longer and longer, and even when she was awake, she wasn’t very clear-headed. The moments of clarity mostly came in the afternoon, and she sometimes suffered from bouts of high fever. Fu Hengyi stayed in the hospital room the entire time, not even changing his clothes.

"Fu Hengyi, your beard has gotten so long. How long has it been since you’ve shaved?" Shen Qinglan touched Fu Hengyi’s chin and said with a look of disgust.

Fu Hengyi grinned, "Didn’t you say I look most charming with a beard? I’m growing it out specially for you."

"When did I ever say that? Don’t bully me just because I’m ill," Shen Qinglan gave him a sidelong glance.

"Don’t remember? Let me remind you, it was the last time I came home. Do you recall now?" Fu Hengyi’s voice was gentle, but there was a husky enticement within it.

Shen Qinglan’s eyes flickered as she chuckled lightly, "Well, I don’t like it now."

Fu Hengyi smiled indulgently, "Alright, then I’ll go shave it off right now."

Shen Qinglan nodded, "After I get better, I’ll shave it for you."

"Okay, I’ll wait for that. From now on, I won’t shave, I’ll let you do it for me," said Fu Hengyi with a laugh. Then he went into the bathroom. Once Shen Qinglan couldn’t see him, his smile vanished instantly. Without any expression, he began to shave himself. Looking at himself in the mirror, Fu Hengyi clenched his fists tightly. He felt so helpless, only able to watch Shen Qinglan grow weaker day by day, unable to do anything.

After a long time, he finally cupped some cold water to wash his face. It was already November, and Beijing was cloaked in snow, the icy water providing a jolt that helped Fu Hengyi regain some composure. When he stepped out, a smile was once again on his face.

"Is your husband handsome?" Fu Hengyi asked quietly as he looked at Shen Qinglan, who was staring at him. Shen Qinglan nodded, "Very handsome. You are the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. Fu Hengyi, in my last life I must have saved the Milky Way to have such a handsome husband as you."

Fu Hengyi chuckled softly and sat down by the bed. "Would you like to bask in the sun?"

Shen Qinglan turned to glance at the bright sunshine outside the window, "Sure."

Fu Hengyi lifted her onto the wheelchair and took a blanket to cover her legs, then he pushed her to the window. "Look, the snow on the ground hasn’t melted yet."

"Yes, I remember last year when it snowed, you built a snowman with Haohao, and An’an just kept staring at the snowman. He kept clutching my clothes wanting to play too. I was actually thinking of letting you build a snowman with him when the first snow falls this year."

"It’s okay, we missed the first snowfall of the year, but there’s still the second and the third. With the heavy snow in Beijing, it certainly won’t melt so quickly. Once you’re discharged, we’ll build a snowman with An’an."

While the couple was talking, there came a knock on the door. Fu Hengyi stood up to open it and found Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan at the door.

Yu Xiaoxuan had just found out about Shen Qinglan’s serious illness from Han Yi the day before and immediately rushed back from the set. This was her first time seeing Shen Qinglan after she fell ill, and she could hardly believe the change in her, her eyes widening in shock.

Shen Qinglan smiled, "Do I look so ugly now that I’ve frightened you?"

Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan shook their heads.

"Who says you look ugly now? Even when you’re sick, if you played the role of a sick beauty, you would still be stunning," Fang Tong said with a smile.

Yu Xiaoxuan agreed, "Right, Fang Tong finally spoke a true word. Qinglan, you are still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen."

The corners of Shen Qinglan’s mouth curled slightly, "It seems only you guys still think I look pretty now."

"I’m serious. If anyone dares to call you ugly, let them come forward and see if I don’t beat them to death," Yu Xiaoxuan rolled up her sleeves.

Shen Qinglan laughed softly, "Xiaoxuan, you’re already a mother, how come you’re still so impetuous?"

"Hehe, that’s just my personality," Yu Xiaoxuan squatted beside Shen Qinglan, holding her hand, "Qinglan, you’ve lost weight again. When you’re discharged, I’ll take you to eat something delicious and fatten you up a bit. Otherwise, every time I stand next to you, it makes my face look round."

"Okay, next time we can go to the spicy hotpot restaurant beside the school. I haven’t eaten there for so long, I actually miss it," Shen Qinglan said with a tender smile.

Fang Tong squatted down on Shen Qinglan’s other side, holding her other hand, "Qinglan, how are you feeling today?"

"Much better, I think it won’t be long before I can be discharged."

"That’s great. Once you’re discharged, we must go to Charming Color to celebrate," Yu Xiaoxuan suggested.

After Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan arrived, Shen Qinglan’s smile seemed to grow wider. Fu Hengyi quietly left the ward to find Doctor Eden.

Doctor Eden was still in the lab with a few specialists. Through the glass, he saw Fu Hengyi waving at him and came out.

"How is Eden’s result? Qinglan’s body is getting weaker and weaker, I’m afraid she won’t be able to hold on for much longer."

Upon hearing this, Eden’s expression suddenly darkened, "I’m almost there. I found a kind of virus in Qinglan’s blood, similar to the one I once injected into Qin Yan, but different—it seems to be a mutated virus. I suspect that during the last rescue operation, Qinglan might have been exposed to the source of this virus’s infection, but now I don’t know how she got infected. I need your cooperation to ask Qinglan about the possible source of the infection."

"Alright, no problem. How does this virus transmit?" Fu Hengyi asked in a deep voice.

"Direct injection, or via blood transmission. The possibility of direct injection is slim since Qin Yan hasn’t had the chance to inject the virus into Qinglan’s body."

"I understand. I’ll go ask Qinglan right now." After taking a couple of steps, Fu Hengyi stopped and looked at Eden, "Eden, you’ve researched the antidote for this kind of virus before, so you’re confident about curing Qinglan’s illness, right?"

Eden’s eyes flickered slightly, and a hint of pain flashed in his eyes, "The virus in her is different from the one I injected into Qin Yan. It’s a mutation of that virus, and the antidote does not work on her."

Fu Hengyi felt as though someone had poured a bucket of ice water over him in the middle of winter, chilling him from head to toe.

"But no matter what, I will do my utmost to save Qinglan," Eden said solemnly.

"How long will it take?" Fu Hengyi asked. It was uncertain how much longer Qinglan could last given her current condition.

"At the earliest, two months. But I will first develop a suppressant to temporarily solidify the virus in her body to prevent further mutation."

"Good."

As Fu Hengyi approached the door to Qinglan’s hospital room, he saw Yu Xiaoxuan squatting on the ground, her shoulders trembling slightly, while Fang Tong also had red-rimmed eyes.

"Where’s Qinglan?" Fu Hengyi asked softly.

"She’s already asleep," Fang Tong replied.

Yu Xiaoxuan’s emotions had collapsed since coming out from Qinglan’s room, no longer able to maintain her composure in front of Qinglan.

"Mr. Fu, what exactly is wrong with Qinglan?" Yu Xiaoxuan looked up, her tearful eyes hazy, her last visit Qinglan had seemed perfectly fine.

Fu Hengyi’s eyes were deep and somber, "She’s just sick temporarily, she will get better soon." He didn’t bother with them anymore and directly entered the room.

Fang Tong helped Yu Xiaoxuan up from the ground, "Don’t cry, I believe Qinglan will be alright."

"I just feel so sad. Did you see how a perfectly fine person was tormented into such a state?" Yu Xiaoxuan said with a choke in her voice.

"The Shen and Fu families have brought in so many famous doctors and experts, Qinglan will definitely be alright," Fang Tong said, patting Yu Xiaoxuan’s shoulder. "Don’t cry, someone might see and think that something serious has happened to Qinglan." As a public figure, Yu Xiaoxuan could be tracked by paparazzi at any time. Although they had managed to avoid them this time, it was not guaranteed they wouldn’t encounter them in the future. If someone took photos of Yu Xiaoxuan like this, a new round of public critique might follow.

Yu Xiaoxuan dried her tears and calmed herself down, took out her sunglasses, and put them on to cover her red eyes before leaving the hospital with Fang Tong.

Fu Hengyi entered the room and saw that Qinglan had already fallen asleep on the bed, with a peaceful expression and a rare smile on her lips. He sat down by the bed and quietly watched her face.

Today, Qinglan didn’t sleep for long and soon woke up. When she opened her eyes, she saw Fu Hengyi watching her, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, "I just dreamt that you came back, and it turned out to be true."

Fu Hengyi smiled, "Do you always dream about me?"

Shen Qinglan hummed a response, "Yes, I’ve been dreaming about you a lot recently."

"Qinglan, the results from Eden have come out," Fu Hengyi suddenly said with a serious expression.

Shen Qinglan was momentarily stunned, then smiled, "Go ahead, I can accept any result."

"You have indeed been infected with a rare virus, a mutation of the virus found in Qin Yan’s body, mainly transmitted through blood. Think carefully, what did you come into contact with the last time you went to rescue Ya Xi?"

Shen Qinglan’s smile faded with Fu Hengyi’s words, and by the time he finished speaking, there was no trace of it left on her face. She was deep in thought, carefully recalling the events of that day as her brows furrowed tightly.

"That day I was bitten by a snake, but the snake wasn’t venomous."

"What else?"

Shen Qinglan couldn’t think of anything unusual from that day; her gaze fell on her hand, and then, struck by a sudden realization, she hesitantly spoke, "Back then, I was bitten by Ya Xi."

Fu Hengyi’s expression changed, "Where?"

"On the hand." At that time, Ya Xi had lost her reason and wouldn’t let anyone near her. Shen Qinglan was bitten without paying attention, "The wound bled."

Fu Hengyi’s expression was very solemn, he picked up Shen Qinglan’s hand and examined it carefully, however, the wound was no longer visible, leaving only a shallow bite mark that was almost imperceptible unless closely observed.

"The virus shouldn’t have come from Ya Xi’s body. If it did, she would have been infected before me and should have shown symptoms by now, but I haven’t heard Doug mention anything," Shen Qinglan dismissed that theory.

Fu Hengyi was not reassured by this, "I’ll tell Eden about this situation first."

Shen Qinglan nodded and, remembering something, had Fu Hengyi use her phone to call Doug. For the past few months, Doug had been traveling with Ya Xi, and the situation was still the same—apart from Doug, no one was allowed to touch her. Sometimes passersby would accidentally brush against her and provoke an intense emotional response, frightening the pedestrian, and causing Doug to apologize on her behalf.

While the predicament was awkward, Doug still took Ya Xi on travels everywhere because the benefits were clear. Ya Xi had grown much calmer than when she was first rescued, and even her ability to speak was returning at a very slow pace. To Doug, this progress was incredibly encouraging.

When Doug received the call from Shen Qinglan, he was shocked at what she proposed. If Shen Qinglan’s suspicion turned out to be true, then Ya Xi...

Doug turned his head to look at Ya Xi, who was crouching on the ground, staring at a puppy by her feet.

Doug walked over, pulling her up from the ground, "Ya Xi, it’s time to go home."

Ya Xi cocked her head, repeating softly, "Go home?"

"Yes, home. I’m taking you to see your big sister."

The confusion filled Ya Xi’s clear, large eyes, "Big sister?"

Doug smiled faintly, slowing his speech, "Yes, big sister, your favorite person."

Ya Xi still couldn’t understand Doug’s words, and Doug just smiled, accompanying her as they set off to return to Beijing.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Doctor Eden came over. He looked at Ya Xi but didn’t see any signs of abnormality, "Has she always been like this?"

Doug nodded, then shook his head, "Not exactly, compared to before, her condition has been gradually improving lately, but her behavior has become more childlike."

"I need to take her to draw blood for testing."

"Okay," Doug said, holding Ya Xi’s hand, as she showed strong resistance to the hospital, clinging tightly to Doug’s arm, "Don’t go."

Doug patted her on the head, "Ya Xi, be good. It’ll be over soon."

Ya Xi obediently followed Doug, but when Doctor Eden was about to draw her blood, Ya Xi suddenly became agitated, "No, go away."

Doug embraced Ya Xi, gently patting her back, "Ya Xi, don’t be afraid. I’m here, don’t be scared."

Ya Xi trembled, her eyes fixedly on Doctor Eden, or more precisely, on the syringe in his hand. Doctor Eden didn’t approach Ya Xi but handed everything to Doug, "You do it, Ya Xi is very resistant to me." He then left the room directly.

Only when the room had just the two of them did Ya Xi gradually calm down, "Ya Xi, shall we draw your blood?" Doug coaxed softly, but Ya Xi’s eyes remained on the syringe that Doctor Eden had left. In the end, Doug had no choice but to wait for Ya Xi to fall asleep before he could draw her blood.

"Doctor Eden, Ya Xi hasn’t shown any signs of abnormality in the last few months, I think she probably hasn’t been infected with any virus." Doug still didn’t believe in this possibility. He had taken care of Ya Xi himself; no one knew her health condition better than he did.

"Doug, I have studied this virus for a long time. I understand its characteristics better than you. This virus easily mutates and has a variable incubation period in the human body, with each person reacting differently. We can’t exclude the possibility. And don’t forget, when Ya Xi was taken away by Qin Yan, Qin Yan was infected with the virus," Doctor Eden said seriously.

Doug fell silent, and Doctor Eden continued, "If Ya Xi is not infected with the virus, that would be the best outcome. If she has been infected, it’s always better to find out sooner rather than later." If the virus in Shen Qinglan’s body had been discovered earlier, even before the onset of her illness, perhaps Shen Qinglan wouldn’t have to suffer so much now.

"Doctor Eden, when can we expect the results?"

"In two days. We’ll know by tomorrow night." Knowing what to look for made the testing much easier, "Doug, I suggest that you give Ya Xi a comprehensive checkup. If she really is infected with this virus, after such a long time, it’s impossible for the virus to have not caused any damage to her body."

"Alright, I understand. I’ll arrange a full medical checkup for her today."

Shen Qinglan knew Ya Xi was at the hospital and wanted to see her, but she didn’t even have the energy to get out of bed, so Fu Hengyi had Doug directly bring Ya Xi to the hospital room.

"Fu Hengyi, I look too terrible right now. Let me put on some makeup first, at least to look a bit rosier," Shen Qinglan said in a soft voice as she saw her reflection in the mirror.

Fu Hengyi nodded, getting makeup from the nurse’s station for Shen Qinglan, "Does my complexion look better now?"

"Yes, very pretty," Fu Hengyi complimented.

Shen Qinglan glanced at him. She wasn’t asking whether she looked pretty or not.

When Ya Xi arrived, Fu Hengyi had already left. Shen Qinglan looked at Ya Xi, who appeared noticeably better mentally than the last time she had seen her, though her gaze was still vacant, with a hint of fear as she looked at Shen Qinglan.

"Ya Xi," Shen Qinglan started gently, her voice tender.

Ya Xi stepped back and hid behind Doug, a look of disappointment flashing in Shen Qing’s eyes. Doug explained, "She’s very afraid of strangers now."

Shen Qing nodded to show she understood and looked at Ya Xi with an even gentler gaze, "Ya Xi, I’m your sister, do you still remember me?"

Hiding behind Doug, Ya Xi remained unmoved. Shen Qing tried to stand up but failed; seeing this, Doug moved to help her, but Shen Qing waved him off, "Nevermind, it’s good just to look at her."

Doug spent a long while in the hospital room chatting with Shen Qing, with Doug doing most of the talking, Shen Qing listening, and occasionally asking a few questions.

Gradually, Ya Xi became accustomed to Shen Qing’s presence, sitting by Doug’s side, she sneakily observed Shen Qing. Whenever Shen Qing noticed, she would return a kind smile.

Seemingly realizing that Shen Qing was harmless, Ya Xi slowly relaxed. Even when Shen Qing reached out and held her hand, she didn’t struggle, "Ya Xi, I’ve missed you."

She longed for the lively and cheerful girl she had first met, who clung to her and insisted on calling her "big sister," always wearing a smile like a little sun, bringing warmth and happiness to those around her.

Ya Xi looked at Shen Qing and suddenly squatted down in front of her, her hand resting on Shen Qing’s face, "Water."

Shen Qing was momentarily startled before she realized she was crying, she laughed, "Yes, water."

Ya Xi laughed along. Suddenly, Shen Qing leaned in and hugged Ya Xi tightly. Ya Xi wanted to struggle but then stopped moving. Shen Qing whispered, "Ya Xi, how I wish you had never met me."

**

Dr. Eden looked at the test results in front of him, feeling very heavy-hearted. Fu Hengyi and Doug were waiting for him outside, but he was reluctant to go out, wishing the results before him were wrong.

"Dr. Eden, what are the results?" Doug asked.

Dr. Eden silently looked at him without speaking, causing Doug’s heart to skip a beat, "Is Ya Xi..."

Dr. Eden nodded gravely, "Yes, I’ve found the same virus in Ya Xi’s blood sample. Combining the other reports from the past few days, we can conclude that although the virus is progressing much slower in Ya Xi compared to Qinglan, it has already begun to affect her brain neurons."

Doug’s pupils contracted sharply, "What kind of effect?"

"The virus will cause Ya Xi’s intelligence to decline continuously, eventually plateauing at the level of an infant. It’s early detection now, so the impact isn’t very severe." However, the tricky part is that the virus in Ya Xi’s body, while very similar to Shen Qing’s, has subtle differences, having undergone mutation.

Doug grabbed Dr. Eden’s shoulder, "Dr. Eden, since you have encountered this virus before, there must be a way, right?"

Dr. Eden’s face was serious, "Doug, I’m also looking for a solution, but currently, I can’t find any antidote. I did actually produce one before, but it’s not very compatible with their symptoms, and even if used, the effect is minimal and can’t stop the worsening of the condition."

Fu Hengyi and Doug’s hearts sank simultaneously.

"But it’s not completely hopeless," Dr. Eden suddenly spoke.

Fu Hengyi and Doug both turned to him as Dr. Eden continued, "Initially, this virus was injected into Qin Yan by that doctor Peter, who was with Allen, which means he was the first to discover it, or rather, he created it. If we can find him, we might be able to find a targeted drug." After the last rescue operation, Peter was initially with them looking for Allen and Jin Enxi, but after a few days of no news, the man disappeared.

Fu Hengyi immediately said, "I’ll start looking for this person right now." He had met Peter and remembered what the man looked like. If he used the resources at his disposal, he might be able to find him in a short time.