CHAPTER 127: CHAPTER 127; WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED?

Shen Xiao lay sprawled on the cold stone floor, his body trembling, every movement sending jolts of pain through his battered limbs.

His wrists and ankles were bound tightly, muscles weak and unresponsive. Beside him, Bai Zhi slumped against the wall, her swollen, bloodied face twisted in anguish and fury.

Her eyes snapped open, burning with accusations, "Look at me," she spat, voice hoarse and bitter. "This is all your fault. You brought this upon us! All your fault..." She was devastated and her face was ruined.

Shen Xiao’s gaze flickered toward her, pain flashing behind his own. "I didn’t..."

"You didn’t what?" Bai Zhi cut him off, shaking her head. "Protect me? Save me? Or was this your plan all along? To watch me suffer while you play the victim? Have you fallen in love with her? Is that it?"

Shen Xiao’s lips pressed into a hard line, unable to argue through the weight of his own guilt.

A soft shuffle came from the doorway. The maids who had stayed nearby appeared, faces pale but resolute. One spoke quietly, "We called an ambulance and it’s on its way."

Shen Xiao’s eyes locked onto hers, burning with silent urgency. "Help her out first..." She signaled them to assist her. Bai Zhi’s legs were brutally smashed, and they would never recover; it was the same with Shen Xiao.

The maids moved quickly yet carefully, glancing between Shen Xiao and Bai Zhi with a mixture of fear and pity. They exchanged hushed words, trying to steady Bai Zhi as best they could while preparing to move her.

Shen Xiao’s breath hitched, every movement sending waves of pain through his shattered body. His mind screamed against the helplessness that tethered him to the cold floor. He reached out weakly, brushing a stray strand of hair from Bai Zhi’s bruised cheek.

She flinched but didn’t pull away. Her eyes, red-rimmed and fierce, locked onto his with a raw intensity. "You should have protected me," she whispered, voice trembling with bitterness. "Now look what we’ve become."

His jaw clenched, but no words came. The weight of failure settled heavily in his chest.

The maids gently lifted Bai Zhi, careful not to worsen her broken legs. Shen Xiao tried to shift but only managed a strained groan.

One maid knelt beside him, her hands trembling slightly as she loosened his restraints. "We need to get you to the hospital too," she said softly.

Shen Xiao nodded, swallowing down the pain that threatened to overwhelm him.

Together, they prepared to leave the room, a grim procession bound by broken bodies and shattered hopes, moving toward uncertain salvation.

Outside, the faint wail of sirens grew louder, slicing through the oppressive silence that had settled over the building. The heavy door creaked open, flooding the room with harsh fluorescent light and a rush of cold air.

Paramedics hurried in, their faces set with professional calm as they assessed the broken figures before them.

One crouched by Bai Zhi, speaking gently but firmly, while another turned to Shen Xiao, swiftly checking his pulse and injuries.

The maids stepped back, eyes glossy with unshed tears, watching as the injured were carefully lifted onto stretchers.

Shen Xiao caught Bai Zhi’s gaze one last time, a mixture of pain, accusation, and something unspoken lingering between them.

The ambulance doors slammed shut, and the sound of the engine started filling the space. As they were carried out into the night, Shen Xiao’s thoughts were a tangle of guilt, rage, and the cold certainty that nothing would ever be the same.

The sirens faded into the distance, leaving only the echo of broken promises in their wake.

— — — — —

The grand Shen Mansion lay shrouded in quiet darkness, its halls steeped in the deep stillness of past midnight.

Old Madam Shen and Old Master Shen were both asleep in their separate chambers, wrapped in heavy silk blankets, their breathing slow and steady.

Suddenly, the sharp, insistent ringing of the antique telephone pierced the silence, jolting Old Madam Shen awake.

Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for the receiver, the weight of the hour making the urgent news feel even heavier.

"Madam Shen," the hospital nurse’s voice was calm but urgent, "your son, Shen Xiao, and Miss Bai Zhi have been admitted. Both are critically injured and require immediate surgery. We need your authorization to proceed."

Madam Shen’s breath caught in her throat, and she quickly rose, her heart pounding as she moved down the hall to wake her husband.

Old Master Shen stirred groggily as she gently shook him awake. "It’s the hospital call," she whispered, her voice tight with worry. "Shen Xiao and Bai Zhi need surgery.... now."

He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Without a word, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, already reaching for his robe.

Together, they moved through the dimly lit halls of the Shen Mansion, the silence between them thick with unspoken fears.

The flicker of candlelight from the ornate sconces cast long shadows on the polished wooden floors, reflecting the weight of the night.

Old Madam Shen’s fingers tightened around the edge of the silk shawl draped over her shoulders, steadying herself with practiced grace. Old Master Shen’s jaw was tight, his usual commanding presence softened by the vulnerability of a father desperate for news.

Outside, the cold night air wrapped around them like a shroud as they stepped into the waiting car. The driver, already aware of the urgency, nodded solemnly and eased the vehicle into motion, tires whispering on the wet driveway.

Neither spoke, their thoughts racing ahead to the sterile hospital rooms, the beeping machines, and the fragile lives that awaited their signatures, a promise of hope amid the shadow of pain.

As the city lights blurred past, Old Madam Shen’s voice finally broke the silence, barely above a whisper. "We must be strong... for them. What could have happened?"