A few days ago, the cold wind wrapped with frost and snow decorated most of Xia Country's landscape in silver, causing the temperature to plummet across the country.
Only the southern sea region had a mild climate, and on Divine Concealment Island, it was like a vibrant spring, full of life.
A man wearing a floral vest and slippers strolled into the hospital room. He looked at the man on the hospital bed, whose face was devoid of color, and his eyes were filled with pity. Yet, when he spoke, his voice carried a smile, "Mr. Xiao Huo, congratulations, you have escaped death once again."
The man on the bed had a pale face, with closed eyes, and his sharply defined features presented a dark and mysterious danger that deterred close proximity. However, his thin lips appeared as though they were smeared with cherry juice, a captivating cherry-red hue.
Facing the man's teasing, the person on the bed remained silent, not even bothering to open his eyes.
Seeing that Huo Wen'an couldn't be bothered to respond, the man didn't mind. He sat at the edge of the bed and said, as if talking to himself, "Last night, the daughters of the Su Family, Jiang Family, and Murong Family were all waiting in the hospital corridor, trembling with fear, just like concubines afraid of being chosen to accompany the emperor in death. You really should have seen it with your own eyes."
"Mrs. Huo truly deserves her reputation as a world-renowned collector. Every wife she picked for you is like a celestial beauty. You're quite the lucky guy."
"Ha." The young man on the sickbed finally opened his eyes and cast a lazy, deep look at the man in the vest, "Jealous? Do you want me to send you to the Huo Family to experience it firsthand?"
Seeing the young man finally willing to respond, Ye Mingluo smiled, his eyes forming creases, and said, "I can't handle that kind of fortune."
Seeing the young man's eyes turn a startling red, like a dying ember expending the last of its energy, Ye Mingluo's smile gradually faded. He lowered his eyes and said, "Huo Wen'an, your days are numbered."
Nodding, Huo Wen'an, with a peaceful demeanor and calm voice, said, "Even Ye Mingluo, known as the Ghost Doctor's Divine Hand, can't cure me. It seems I am truly destined for an early death." These words were clearly sad, yet they carried a sense of indifference when spoken by the man.
He seemed unconcerned about his own life or death.
Living or dying, it didn't matter to him either way.
Clearly a ruthless person, yet possessing a heart that viewed life and death lightly.
Ye Mingluo frowned, "Shut your crow's mouth." Ye Mingluo got up and walked to the window, staring intently at the blue sea in front of the hospital.
He saw a seagull dive from the cliff into the sea, bravely facing the waves to catch fish, soon emerging with a fish in its beak. That spirit of risking everything for survival reminded Ye Mingluo of the man on the sickbed behind him.
Once, he was like that fearless seagull.
But this fearless seagull was eventually defeated by illness, facing the gates of hell numerous times.
Ye Mingluo suddenly turned to look at Huo Wen'an, his gaze lingering on the man's young, stern face before saying, "A Zui, in the time you have left, live for yourself. Go back to Yujiang City, alright?"
Hearing this, Huo Wen'an shifted his gaze outside the window, becoming engrossed in watching the seagulls flapping their wings in flight.
After a while, Ye Mingluo finally heard Huo Wen'an lightly say, "Alright."
"As it happens, I heard something interesting occurred recently in Yujiang City, and I plan to take a look."
Before Huo Wen'an could ask further, Ye Mingluo explained, "In Yujiang City, there's a patient who became a vegetative state due to a high-altitude object hitting their head. She's recuperating in my uncle's hospital. It's said she couldn't breathe on her own and had severe organ failure, but she miraculously woke up."
"My uncle and others call it a medical miracle. Heh, I love studying miracles!" Ye Mingluo turned back to give Huo Wen'an a mischievous smile and said, "Brother will take you to see a miracle."
Huo Wen'an was not interested at all.
At that moment, he had no idea that the 'miracle' Ye Mingluo spoke of would completely change his life.
The news of Xu Xingguang's recovery quickly spread throughout Yujiang City, with all her former acquaintances rushing to the sanatorium to visit her.
Xu Xingguang's hospital room was lively every day.
That evening, close to ten o'clock, just as Xu Xingguang was about to fall asleep, the door to her room was knocked on again.
This time, a young woman in a camel-colored coat with shoulder-length short hair walked in. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but her features were dignified and she exuded a grand aura.
She was a woman whose presence transcended superficial looks.
For a moment, Xu Xingguang couldn't remember her identity.
The woman, holding a few books, stood at the back of the room, gazing at Xu Xingguang on the bed. Seeing that she was indeed awake, tears glimmered in her eyes.
"Xingguang!" The woman hurriedly walked over to Xu Xingguang.
As she got closer, with tears streaming down her face, Xu Xingguang suddenly felt a bittersweet sensation, realizing that the woman must have a close relationship with her.
The visitor hugged Xu Xingguang tightly and cried, "Xingguang, the teacher is gone."
The word "teacher" finally awakened Xu Xingguang's distant memories.
She remembered the woman's identity. She was Zhang Zhiyi, her mother's proud student and her most beloved senior.
Xu Xingguang didn't have a sister; Zhang Zhiyi was her sister.
After Zhang Zhiyi's parents died unexpectedly in her third year of middle school, Mo Yinshu had been funding her education.
Zhang Zhiyi worked hard and was admitted to Xia Country's top university in the most sought-after foreign language department. She is now one of the Alliance Government President's appointed interpreters.