Four more days passed.
Yi Chen had been completely absorbed in work, attending endless meetings, signing urgent contracts, and managing the growing pressure from the board. But even through all the chaos, his thoughts kept drifting back to the girl in the hospital,he had assigned Hao Yang to watch over her and dig into her past.
That evening, just as he was finishing a long document in his office, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Yi Chen said without lifting his eyes from the paper.
The door opened and Hao Yang stepped in, holding a file in his hand. His expression was serious, his eyes tired.
He walked over and placed the file gently on the desk in front of Yi Chen. "This is everything I managed to find about the girl."
Yi Chen leaned back in his chair and looked at him.
"I had to bribe some of the hotel staff who were working during the shareholder meeting that night," Hao Yang continued. "Getting their testimony wasn't easy. They were scared. It took days to convince them."
Yi Chen opened the file slowly, flipping through the contents. Photos, written statements, timelines,all carefully gathered.
"What did they say?" Yi Chen asked, his voice calm but cold.
Hao Yang met his eyes. "Boss… your instinct was right. This girl—she's somehow connected to your aunt."
Yi Chen's eyes narrowed.
"That day," Hao Yang went on, "she arrived at the hotel… in your aunt's car. Multiple staff confirmed it."
Yi Chen stared at him, silent for a few seconds.
"Strange, isn't it?" Hao Yang said cautiously.
"The girl's background is hidden. No ID, no digital records. But she came with your aunt. She didn't arrive alone or sneak in—she was brought."
Yi Chen leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "There's something going on," he muttered.
"And she's the missing piece."
"Has she started talking yet?" he asked after a pause.
Hao Yang shook his head. "No. Every time I try to speak with her, she turns away. She's keeping her distance from everyone. I've stationed two bodyguards outside her ward just in case she tries to escape again."
Yi Chen let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair.
"She's the only one who knows why that shareholder meeting turned into chaos. If she's close to Lei Xian, then she definitely knows more than she's saying. Maybe…" His voice dropped. "Maybe she's staying silent to protect herself."
Hao Yang hesitated. "There's… one more thing."
Yi Chen gave him a look. "What now?"
"Your grandfather asked me to tell you .....your brother's engagement ceremony is scheduled for next week. It will be held at the Yi Group Hotel. He said you must attend."
Yi Chen closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.
"And…" Hao Yang added carefully, "he also wants you to apologize to Miss Bai Ning Jing. For your behavior at the last meeting."
Before he could finish, Yi Chen stood up abruptly. The chair scraped loudly against the floor, making Hao Yang stop mid-sentence.
Yi Chen rubbed his temples, clearly irritated. "Can you just give me a break? I'm already dealing with too much."
"I understand, Boss, but… it's my job to inform you."
"I know… I know," Yi Chen said, shaking his head. "But our focus right now isn't this engagement… or Bai Ning Jing. It's her."
"Yes, Boss."
Yi Chen grabbed his coat from the stand, pulled it over his shoulders, and headed for the door.
As he paused to button it, he said firmly, "Let's go to the hospital."
"Now?" Hao Yang blinked.
Yi Chen checked his wristwatch. The time read 10:03 p.m.
"Yes. Now."
"Understood, Boss."
****
It took them around 35 minutes to reach the hospital.
The building looked peaceful under the dim night sky. Yi Chen stepped out of the car quietly, followed closely by Hao Yang. The hospital entrance was calm, with only a few night-shift staff at the reception.
Without wasting a moment, they entered the elevator and pressed the button for the 10th floor,the VVIP floor.
The elevator moved silently. When it stopped, the soft chime echoed in the quiet hallway.
A nurse at the reception desk looked up and greeted them with a gentle bow. "Hello sir"
They nodded and moved down the hall. The polished floors reflected the soft lights overhead, and only a few dim wall lamps lit the corridor. The air was cool and sterile.
They arrived at the last ward. Two tall bodyguards stood outside the door, standing perfectly still until they saw Yi Chen. They bowed respectfully.
"What's the update?" Yi Chen asked. "Has she done anything unusual? Tried to escape again?"
"No, Boss," one of them replied. "She hasn't left the room. We tried speaking to her, but she didn't respond. Not a single word."
Hearing that, Hao Yang let out a soft sigh, defeated.
Yi Chen's jaw tightened. Without another word, he motioned to Hao Yang.
"Wait here. I'll handle it."
"Yes, Boss."
Yi Chen pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room was mostly dark, with only a soft glow coming from the bedside lamp. The air was calm and cold. His eyes scanned the room—and then he saw her.
Xin Yi was standing silently by the large window, gazing out at the glowing city lights. She wore a loose hospital gown over pants. Her hair was tied back in a lazy, low ponytail, a few strands falling around her pale face.
Yi Chen reached for the light switch and flipped it on. A soft click echoed in the quiet room.
Startled by the sound and sudden brightness, Xin Yi turned sharply.
Her eyes met his. Panic flashed across her face, raw and unguarded, but only for a moment. Almost instantly, she masked it with a calm expression. Her back straightened. Her lips pressed together. She said nothing.
She just looked at him… silently.
Yi Chen stood silently at the door for a second, watching her.
Then his face darkened.
He took a few steps forward and spoke coldly, "Are you planning to keep pretending you can't speak forever?"
Xin Yi remained silent, her eyes still locked on him.
Her silence only fueled his frustration.
Yi Chen's voice dropped to a sharp, bitter edge. "If you think staying quiet will earn you your freedom… then don't be so delusional."
He took another step forward, eyes burning. "Do you really think you can keep protecting your boss like this? That by keeping your mouth shut, you'll walk away clean?"
Xin Yi's face remained neutral. Unreadable. Not a flicker of emotion crossed her expression.
Yi Chen clenched his fists.
"I already found out who you're working for."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "You think I wouldn't figure it out?"
He paused, then said the name coldly, like a dagger being unsheathed.
"Lei Xian."
The moment he said it, Xin Yi's eyes widened.
Her calm mask cracked.
It wasn't much—but it was enough.
Yi Chen noticed the subtle change instantly. His lips curled into a faint smirk.
"So it's true," he said softly, dark amusement in his voice. "You did work for her."
He stepped closer.
But as he moved forward—Xin Yi instinctively stepped back. Her body tensed, her fingers curling slightly by her sides.
Inside her mind, a silent storm began to swirl.
"How… how did they find out?""Did Lei Xian send them? Is he giving me back to her?""No… no… I can't go back…"