For two more days, Li Xiyan did her part as a medical student intern in the hospital.
As time passed, she slowly began to relax, realizing that the people from her previous life couldn't recognize her so easily. Her interaction with Shen Yuze the other day had proved that much.
But just as she was starting to feel at ease, something happened.
That day, she was once again assigned to the fifth floor—not for Shen Rui, but for other duties. T
he fifth floor was reserved for VIP suites, housing only the most influential patients. As she walked past Suite 501, however, something caught her attention.
The bodyguards were gone.
Li Xiyan frowned.
She knew what kind of man Shen Yuze was—possessive and fiercely protective of what was his.
What more when it came to his daughter?
She had seen with her own eyes how much he loved her, how he wouldn't allow anything to happen to her.
And from what she knew, they were still in the hospital.
Her steps slowed as unease crawled up her spine.
Something felt off.
Logically, she told herself that maybe something urgent had come up.
Maybe he had recalled his men temporarily. But no matter how she tried to reason with herself, that nagging feeling in her chest refused to settle.
In the end, she hesitated only a moment longer before stepping forward and knocking on the door.
No response.
Her unease deepened. Without further delay, she pushed the door open—and froze in place.
Inside, two men dressed in paramedic uniforms were moving quickly.
One of them was adjusting the straps of a stretcher, while the other was lifting Shen Rui from the bed.
The little girl looked groggy, her eyelids fluttering as if struggling to stay awake.
Li Xiyan's eyes swept the room.
The private duty nurse—missing.
Her frown deepened. Her priority now was Shen Rui.
Narrowing her eyes at the two men, she forced herself to remain calm. She couldn't act rashly—not yet.
Steeling her expression into one of professional detachment, she stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. "Where are you taking her? I need to take her temperature first—she's been running a fever."
The man adjusting the stretcher didn't even look at her. "Doctor's orders. She's being transferred to another hospital."
Lies.
Shen Yuze would never move his daughter elsewhere.
Not when Zhenrui Medical Institute belonged to him.
Her eyes narrowed.
These men—
They weren't paramedics.
And they were trying to take Shen Rui.
Li Xiyan nodded, keeping her expression neutral as if she found their explanation reasonable.
She reached for a new thermometer, her movements steady and professional.
"I need to take her temperature first. The child's been having a high fever," she said calmly.
The man lifting Shen Rui hesitated for a moment before nodding, lowering the girl back onto the bed.
Li Xiyan moved to the opposite side of the bed, positioning herself closer to the nurse call button attached to the bedside rail.
If pressed, it would immediately alert the nurses' station or a connected pager system.
Keeping her demeanor composed, she spoke gently to Shen Rui. "I'm just going to take your temperature now, okay?"
Shen Rui nodded groggily, her small face scrunching slightly as the thermometer was placed under her tongue.
As they waited for the reading, her voice, quiet yet firm, reached Li Xiyan's ears. "I don't want to go. I want to wait for Daddy."
Li Xiyan gave her a reassuring smile, maintaining her act.
"But don't you want to get better? That's why they're transferring you." Her tone was smooth, as if she were merely explaining standard medical procedures.
She then said to the two men, ensuring their gaze was on her, "She has a high fever. I'll give her some medication first."
Her fingers inched toward the remote, her heartbeat steady despite the situation.
The other paramedic was growing impatient, shifting on his feet. Just as she pressed the button, a sharp click echoed in the room.
She froze.
The man was now aiming a gun straight at her forehead.
Shen Rui's breath hitched, her eyes widening in terror, tears immediately welling up.
Li Xiyan froze, lifting both hands slowly, her gaze never leaving the men.
"Just grab the girl," the man holding the gun ordered. "Inject her with it."
The second man hesitated. "We're not supposed to use that unless it's the last resort. Her condition—"
"Fuck, just focus on the job. Inject her and let's go."
Li Xiyan seized the moment.
She walked away from the bed slowly, her voice calm but firm. "You can't inject her with anything. The girl has Chronic Granulomatous Disease—a rare disorder that compromises her immune system. Who knows how her body will react? You could kill her. And that's the last thing you want, isn't it?"
The man with the gun narrowed his eyes, but Li Xiyan saw the flicker of hesitation.
She pressed on.
"Take me as well." Li Xiyan's voice was calm, deliberate. "I'm a medical intern, assigned to her case. If you move her without proper precautions, she could go into septic shock."
She let the words sink in, keeping her gaze locked on the man holding the gun. "She needs medication, temperature control, and careful monitoring. If you take her without me, you're risking her life. I know how to take care of her—I'll make sure she stays stable, and I'll keep her quiet."
She took a slow step forward towards the man. "You don't want to lose her before you even get where you're going, do you?"
The gunman exchanged a glance with his partner, clearly weighing his options.
After a beat, he gave a sharp nod.
"Fine. Grab her. And if you so much as make a noise, I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your head."
Li Xiyan nodded slowly, carefully lowering her arms before stepping toward Shen Rui, who was already trembling.
Lowering herself to the girl's level, she met her frightened gaze and whispered words of reassurance.
"It's going to be okay. I'm right here with you."