"With just your words just now, I could kill you." A cold voice echoed in Yi's ear, the chill seeping all the way into his heart as he leaned against the cold wall.

"If you want to kill me, go ahead, I won't retaliate, but you must leave Yanjing." Yi's determination made Xiao Lin release his grip, hoping to find a hint of possibility in Yi's expression.

"You know who it is, don't you?" Yi slightly turned his head away from Xiao Lin, his heart in turmoil: "What's the real reason that old man returned this time?"

"I can't say." These four words thoroughly enraged Xiao Lin, who thoughtlessly swung his fist at Yi.

"Are you going to help the old man betray me?"

Betrayal!

Yi opened his eyes, feeling the crushing weight of the word spoken by Xiao Lin—a warning of distrust. He stood up from the ground, a trace of blood on the corner of his mouth. He gave Xiao Lin a bitter smile; his anger was justified.

"Yi!" Watching Yi's departing back, Xiao Lin called out to him: "Are you going to betray me?"

"Xiao, you must leave Yanjing." Yi did not turn back. He knew this step forward was one he could not take back. If someone must die in this struggle, he hoped it would be himself. "The fall of the Wang Family is your hope, I've accomplished it for you, but you must leave."

"Why?" Xiao Lin ignored everything else; why must he leave Yanjing.

"Your third brother is here." Yi exhaled, weakly stepping forward.

Xiao Lin didn't respond, just gazed blankly at the receding figure. Won't he come back? Yi wouldn't betray him; with that belief rekindled, there was only one possibility—he wanted to take his place in death. What a fool.

"Xiang Fei!" Xiao Lin silently called Consort Ling's name into the air: "From this moment on, protect that person, don't let him die."

"No." The reply in the air was a refusal.

To the direction of the voice, Xiao Lin unceremoniously kicked, eliciting a muffled grunt from the other person.

"I won't let him die."

A sigh echoed, and the person disappeared from around him.

His third brother? Xiao Lin stood alone, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. The least likely candidate for his enemy turned out to be the first to want him dead. Such irony pierced his soul, old man, what do you really want, why can't you spare anyone around you, or was he too naive, overlooking human greed.

Greed is a demon in people's hearts; in the Xiao Family, no one isn't greedy, lusting for that seat, for that emblem of towering power, for that immense wealth, haha, Xiao Lin laughed coldly, unwilling to compete with anyone for such greed, yet the old man used the safety of others to leverage his helplessness.

If not for the Xiao Family's influence, who else would back you up, this statement truly hits on human nature.

Dragon Soul's military doctor is just a pawn in Dragon Soul, not representing power, just a title. If he weren't the heir of the Xiao Family, would Lao Long and those old men still bow to him as they do, catering to his every wish?

Thinking of this, Xiao Lin walked out of the underground garage, the night breeze raising goosebumps on his skin, his coat left in the basement. A bit of cold wind might clear his mind.

The QQ car stopped at the Yan University Hospital, and in the parking lot, a red Porsche ostentatiously occupied his parking spot. Laughter and familiar singing came from ward 311, and Xiao Lin stood at the doorway, savoring the brief sense of happiness without entering.

Xiao Lin's original intention was simple, just to hold onto this little bit of joy, power wasn't important to him, and as for that position, he had even less interest; yet the old man forced him to this point, involving more and more people.

Is this really necessary to make him ascend to power?

Xiao Lin was unwilling to be led by the nose, even less willing to see those around him treated as mere pawns. Feeling increasingly engulfed by inexplicable confusion and bewilderment, Xiao Lin shook his head, emotions indeed make one timid, but not to the point of blurring everything. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Brother Xiao, you're here." The first to see Xiao Lin was Niu Niu, who bounced up and clung to Xiao Lin's thigh, looking up with her little face scrunched up, clear nasal mucus hanging from her nose, snuggling continuously.

"A little cold, huh!" Xiao Lin picked up Niu Niu, pulled out a tissue to wipe her nose. "Why didn't you wear more clothes?" He touched Niu Niu's little hand; her body temperature was normal, with no signs of fever. "I'll prescribe you some medicine later, there's a hissing sound in your throat, without treatment the cold might progress to a fever, and then you'll need an injection!"

"Liar!" Niu Niu sat on Xiao Lin's lap, her feet waving in the air, her round eyes glimmering mischievously. "Sister Xiao Yuan said colds aren't a big deal, they'll get better in a few days." Her cute round face donned a mock adult-like maturity, making Xiao Lin laugh.

"Niu Niu, don't keep sitting on Dr. Xiao, he'll get tired." Dan Qing lay in bed, unable to get up or walk at the moment, her wound healing slowly due to her coagulation.

"No, I just like sitting on Brother Xiao, it feels super stable." With that, she vigorously swung her legs to show her words were genuine.

"It's okay." Xiao Lin nodded to Dan Qing, the daily nutrient infusions making Dan Qing look less sallow.

"Let me hold her!" Xia Xue took Niu Niu from Xiao Lin: "You go check on Dan Qing."

Opening the bandage, Xiao Lin didn't touch the packing on the wound directly. Instead, he went to one side, soaked his hands in diluted disinfectant, dried them, and then parted the cotton to examine the cut. Tender granulation tissue emerged beneath the brown scab; the healing wasn't ideal. "Drink more fish and bone broth, it's beneficial for wound healing."

"I'll order the nurse to handle it later, you look very tired." Xia Xue tightened the bandage for Xiao Lin: "Let Dan Qing sleep for a while, Niu Niu is tired too."

Xiao Lin nodded at the quiet Niu Niu on the sofa: "Please rest well, call me if there's any issue."

No matter how late, he would routinely check on Dan Qing, sometimes playing a bit with Niu Niu, a habit he'd grown into. As Xia Xue walked through the hospital corridor, Xiao Lin beside her, she suddenly felt a bit distant. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you're welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to recommend or vote, your support is my greatest motivation.)

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