Lin Wan fell ill on the fifth day after Wang Xiao's death.
During this time, she had mechanically attended a simple memorial service, watching helplessly as her lover's body was sent to the crematorium, then placed into a small box. She cried over that box the entire night, unable to tear herself away. She dared not look at it again, knowing that if she did, she would drown in the ocean of sorrow. But there were more important things to do. However, what came next seemed even more difficult than anything she had ever faced. After several blows to her spirit, she collapsed from exhaustion and fainted in the hospital lobby.
When she woke, she found herself lying on a hospital bed, surrounded by the harsh white light and the sharp scent of disinfectant. Beside her was Mrs. Wang, holding the hand that had an IV needle inserted.
Lin Wan cracked her dry lips, but before she could speak, tears began to fall. Mrs. Wang quickly took a towel to wipe her face, her eyes red with sorrow as she spoke in a trembling voice, "You silly child, look at you—so frail and worn out. After Xiao's death, if something happens to you too, what are we going to do?"
At the time of the accident, Mr. and Mrs. Wang had been traveling abroad. When they received the tragic news, they rushed back by plane that very night. The sudden blow had been fatal to them, especially Mr. Wang, whose heart disease had flared up, and he was now under observation in the hospital. Mrs. Wang had aged considerably in just those few days. Seeing the new white strands in her hair, Lin Wan's heart ached even more. She grasped Mrs. Wang's hand, trying to comfort her, but found herself unable to speak, her face filled with terror.
Mrs. Wang hurried to explain, "The doctors said it's temporary voice loss caused by high fever and emotional strain. With rest, you'll be fine in a couple of days."
Lin Wan's mind went blank when she heard this. Of all times, why did she lose her voice now? She still had so many things to say and so much to do. It felt like the last straw. Over the past few days, her experience could only be described as hitting one wall after another. She had gone to the higher authorities, requesting a review of the accident report, only to be met with countless excuses and rejections. She had taken her case to court, but it was swiftly dismissed due to lack of evidence. She had even sought out lawyers, but not a single one was willing to take her case, citing the same reason—insufficient evidence and little chance of winning. A few sympathetic souls suggested she collect evidence herself, but when she went looking, she was either directly refused or subtly advised against pursuing the matter. The implication was clear: she was powerless against the Chen family.
She had slowly pieced together the Chen family's background. Chen Jin and Chen Zui's father was a government official, known for his integrity and uprightness, but recently, he had been abroad, leaving his sons to take advantage of the situation. Their real support came from their mother's side of the family. It was said that her grandfather was a powerful general, and several of her uncles held prominent positions in both the political and military fields, with deep-rooted connections in both the central and local governments. This powerful network allowed Chen Jin to swiftly make arrangements and create an almost flawless defense. The situation was much worse than Lin Wan had imagined, but she still clung to the hope of a breakthrough. Despite hitting dead ends repeatedly, she hadn't yet given up.
What truly chilled her was her attempt to find the doctors and nurses who had treated Chen Zui after the accident. She hoped they could testify that he had been drunk, but they all refused. How could people's hearts be so cold? A life was weighed so lightly against power and money. This was supposed to be a place for saving lives, yet here, they were called "angels in white," yet their hearts were as ugly as demons. She began to despise the place; every inch of white made her sick. After wiping away her tears in the bathroom, all she wanted was to leave immediately. But ironically, just a few steps away from the exit, her body gave out, and she collapsed from exhaustion. And so, she found herself back in the very place she hated.
Lin Wan had become physically weak from the continuous grief, exhaustion, and poor eating and sleeping. She was trapped in a hospital room, hooked up to an IV. Watching the slow drip of the medicine, each drop seemed to take forever, and she felt like her heart was on fire from the urgency to get out. But with her current condition, she could hardly make it to the hospital's door, and her plans seemed to have been crushed before they even started. She wanted to struggle, but there was no way forward.
Mrs. Wang spent half her time sitting by Lin Wan's bed, feeding her, peeling apples for her, and urging her to rest whenever she became restless. But Lin Wan couldn't sleep. It was as if she had developed a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder, constantly thinking about the case. She couldn't afford to let herself sink further into sadness over Wang Xiao. The thoughts of him consumed her, and yet she couldn't stop. The nights were the worst. She hadn't been able to sleep properly for days. When she finally did drift off from exhaustion, she was haunted by nightmares of violent crashes, blood-soaked hands, and the cold, lifeless sheets. She would wake up, gasping for air, only to find sleep slipping away again.
Eventually, she did "sleep." This happened after Mrs. Wang accidentally found the consulting message Lin Wan had been drafting on her phone. Since then, Mrs. Wang had repeatedly told her, "Wan Wan, stop looking into this. We can't fight them." Unable to speak, Lin Wan pretended to sleep, her eyes closed. She wondered if they finally believed her, feeling a faint sense of relief. Honestly, fighting alone was exhausting, but the worst part was that even those around her didn't understand.
While they might understand, they clearly didn't support her. She tried to understand their hesitation. Her parents were old, and with so many concerns, they had their reasons. But she was alone, with nothing left to lose, and she couldn't let Wang Xiao die without justice. She would give anything for it. But right now, it felt as though her life had lost all meaning. Every lead had been cut off. Every person who might help her had been silenced. She was left, not knowing where to turn, ready to face whatever came next. But Lin Wan refused to give up. As long as she lived, she would keep fighting for Wang Xiao, for justice. Her determination burned in her, and she finally found a breakthrough in her plans.
As night fell, a young man in a baseball cap quietly opened a window on the second floor of a small villa in the government compound. He glanced around, ensuring no one was watching, then climbed down using the window railing, running into the darkness.
This man was Chen Zui, who had been grounded by his brother after the incident. He had been severely punished—no driving for a year, no leaving the house for a month. For someone who was used to a carefree life, a month of confinement was unbearable. After a week of restraint, he couldn't take it any longer. As soon as his mother let her guard down, he seized the opportunity and slipped out.