NOVPUB"What's wrong?" Shen Mochen asked with concern.
"It hurts, hurts, really hurts!"
Han Muxue cried out as she grabbed her leg, almost falling from the wheelchair.
"Hold her down!" Wu Yunpeng quickly instructed.
Upon hearing this, Shen Mochen immediately embraced Han Muxue, "Hang in there, Xuexue. Your leg hurting means it's regaining sensation. Hold on, you're almost healed!"
"It hurts..." Han Muxue bit down on Shen Mochen's shoulder.
"You're almost healed, almost healed, 5, 4, 3..."
As Wu Yunpeng slowly withdrew his hand, Shen Mochen released Han Muxue and gently touched her leg, "How does it feel now?"
Han Muxue's lips trembled slightly, "You, pinch it a bit."
Shen Mochen then applied a little more force.
"There it is, there it is!" Han Muxue suddenly excitedly grabbed Shen Mochen's arm, shrieking with joy.
"Try standing up," Shen Mochen encouraged.
"Okay, okay!"
With Shen Mochen's support, Han Muxue slowly stood up from the wheelchair. However, within a couple of seconds, she nearly collapsed again.
"What is this..." Shen Mochen looked towards Wu Yunpeng.
"It's okay. It's probably because she hasn't stood up for a long time, and her leg muscles have atrophied. Although she's healed now, she still needs to exercise and rehabilitate properly over the next few days to function like a normal person," Wu Yunpeng said with a smile.
"Thank you, thank you so much!"
Ignoring her own image, tears streaming down her face, Han Muxue kept bowing in gratitude to Wu Yunpeng, almost wanting to kneel before him if not for Shen Mochen's support.
"It's nothing, just lending a hand," Wu Yunpeng seemed accustomed to the gratitude of patients and remained cool, waving his hand, "You should really thank Miss Chaoyan and Captain Shen. They both care about you a lot!"
Really, you're thanking the wrong person. You should be thanking me! I practically sold myself to Liu Chaoyan for your sake! Shen Mochen thought to himself.
Liu Chaoyan informed Cai Yuncui and Xia Qingrou over the group chat that Han Muxue's legs had healed. Soon after, both pushed open the door to Shen Mochen's room.
"Xuexue!"
"Xuexue!"
Both Cai Yuncui and Xia Qingrou excitedly checked on her condition. Han Muxue's face was shy, not as frantic as before, but her eyes could not conceal the joy, her eyes brimming with tears, "Yes, yes! I can move now! My legs are healed!"
Liu Chaoyan and Wu Yunpeng chatted in the living room outside, while Shen Mochen sat on the bed, watching the deep sisterly bond among the three women without interrupting, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Liu Chaoyan had Wu Yunpeng stay for a meal and then left with Shen Mochen to see him off.
Wu Yunpeng parted, adding Shen Mochen as a friend and making plans to meet for a meal during a future leave.
"Finally, a big issue settled," Shen Mochen said with a smile while driving home.
He was not only happy for Han Muxue. Just this level of improvement was enough to easily solve Han Muxue's problem, which gave Shen Mochen hope for healing Yin Caiyu. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪
Liu Chaoyan sat in the passenger seat, smiling lightly, "If Yin Caiyu wakes up in the future, what will you say to her?"
Shen Mochen fell silent for a moment, "She should agree, I guess... at worst, I'll kneel down and lick her feet..."
"Please be serious for once, and don't just take the opportunity to indulge your own fetishes."
"This..." Shen Mochen scratched his head, a look of difficulty on his face, "Maybe I'll act cute. She has always agreed to everything since we were kids..."
Liu Chaoyan gave him a sidelong glance and said, "You are really a bad kid, taking advantage of the other person's love to do as you please."
Shen Mochen scoffed, throwing in the towel, "Yeah, I'm a bad kid. But you're hardly one to talk."
"Eh—didn't you just call me a good woman before?" Liu Chaoyan gently caressed Shen Mochen's face, her tone teasing, "Bringing this up now, are you missing my lips?"
"Stop it… I'm driving, it's dangerous!"
"Then let's pull over for a while, there's nothing pressing waiting for us back home …"
Liu Chaoyan gently grasped Shen Mochen's collar, her tongue lightly brushing his earlobe, her breath as soft as clouds.
"You guys got back so late."
In the living room, Cai Yuncui and Xia Qingrou were helping Han Muxue practice walking. Seeing that Liu Chaoyan and Shen Mochen had been gone for nearly an hour, Xia Qingrou casually remarked.
"We had to exchange pleasantries after they helped us out with such a big favor. We couldn't just send them off after using them."
Liu Chaoyan smiled slightly, still as graceful as a lotus. Shen Mochen thought to himself that he believed his ability to bluff was strong, but it seemed there was always someone stronger.
Han Muxue gently freed herself from Cai Yuncui's grip, leaned on the couch, and asked with a smile, "Ask him... how much money..."
"No need for money, they are the captain's friend, just lending a hand. You should thank the captain; it was out of respect for her."
Shen Mochen pointed towards Liu Chaoyan, pushing all the credit to her, thinking if one day their cover got blown, hopefully, Han Muxue would understand and forgive.
Liu Chaoyan looked at Shen Mochen with a half-smile, obviously aware of what he was scheming.
"Ah, captain, thank you, I…"
Liu Chaoyan interrupted Han Muxue, sincerely saying, "Hey—no need for thanks between good sisters. Your issues are my issues. If you're this formal, it feels too distant."
Xia Qingrou chimed in from the side, "Exactly, no need to be so formal. You know what kind of person Yanyan is!"
"Um, um… good sisters, good sisters!" Han Muxue's eyes filled with moved tears, which started falling again.
"Now that Muxue's legs are better, but after so many years without walking, she still needs to practice more. It looks like we'll be bothering you a lot to help her with that! We'll head back first!"
Xia Qingrou proclaimed loudly, pushing Han Muxue towards Shen Mochen before turning and striding back to her room.
Cai Yuncui was momentarily stunned, then also said with a smile, "Sounds good, the boyfriend should really step up to his responsibility!"
"I'll go play chess with Qingrou... She won the last game, and I need to win it back. I hope she doesn't cry if she loses." Liu Chaoyan stretched in an adorable way, giving Shen Mochen a meaningful smile before heading toward Xia Qingrou's room.
The living room soon had only Shen Mochen and Han Muxue left.
"Muxue, don't push yourself too hard now. I'll accompany you more for walks in the evenings."
Seeing Han Muxue standing alone by the couch, Shen Mochen smiled and lifted her into his arms.
"It's like a dream! I never thought, never thought… there would really be a day like this!"
Han Muxue lay in Shen Mochen's arms, feeling a wave of relief and letting her emotions flow freely, sobbing uncontrollably as if releasing years of grievances and pain.
Shen Mochen comforted her tenderly, "There, there, let's not cry for now. We need to discuss a serious matter."
"What's the matter?" Han Muxue managed to stop her tears.
"Do you remember the bet we made earlier?"
Han Muxue paused for a moment, her face flushing with a mix of shyness and annoyance.
