Han YunXi felt her body slowly sinking. She tried to open her eyes, but everything was pitch-black.

She held her breath. Her hands and feet were tightly bound—completely immobile.

If she kept sinking like this, she would drown in the sea.

Oddly, that thought made her relax a little.

She suddenly recalled the moment above the water—when Han ShuYi stopped Ruo Dan from shooting her.

He’d even taken a bullet for her.

Would he survive? How was he now?

Her mind was full of questions, yet at this moment, she felt only sadness.

She never expected Han ShuYi’s story would end like this. He had so many chances to leave this place. If it weren’t for protecting her, things wouldn’t have escalated like this.

[Han ShuYi… you could’ve continued living as part of the Han family…]

[And what about my real brother? Where is he now?]

[Is he still alive in this world?]

[Mom, Dad… I feel so cold... I'm so sleepy…]

[HuMing, will I be able to wait for you to come? But please, prioritize your own safety. Don’t get hurt for someone else again.]

[HuMing… I’m sorry…]

Han YunXi’s mind began to fade. Her body kept sinking, growing colder by the second.

The sea at night was bone-chilling, yet Han YunXi suddenly felt warmth creeping back into her limbs.

It was like her body was rebounding, sensing warmth despite the freezing water.

Was this the sign of death?

She opened her mouth slightly, as if all life had drained away.

[Don’t die!]

Suddenly, HuMing’s voice rang out in her head.

Han YunXi thought she was hallucinating—until the next moment, a hand grasped her wrist and pulled her upward with all its strength.

Her heavy eyelids struggled open. A shaft of light pierced the water, bright as if from heaven, and in front of it, a shadowy figure drew near.

He held her close, pulling her up. As she stared in a daze, he lowered his head—and pressed his lips against hers.

Suddenly, she could breathe again. Her mind began to clear.

She forced her eyes open. Finally, she saw his face.

“HuMing…”

Relief washed over HuMing when he saw her regain consciousness. He’d feared she would lose it underwater—but he’d made it in time.

Wrapping his arms around her, he swam upward.

Han YunXi leaned against him, staring up at the light drawing closer and closer from above.

…

The helicopter circled in the sky, all its searchlights focused on the two speedboats below.

This operation had cost two lives.

HuMing stood on the deck of the boat, looking down at Han ShuYi’s lifeless body. He lay flat on the floor, a faint smile still on his face. No one knew what thoughts occupied him in his final moments.

Beside him, Ruo Dan wore a look of disbelief—though even more prominent was unwillingness. As if to the very end, he hadn’t imagined he’d die like this.

Han YunXi sat nearby, wrapped in a towel. Her wet hair clung to her skin, droplets falling steadily onto the metal floor.

She turned her head toward Han ShuYi’s body, sinking into a long silence.

Han LiTian sat next to her, his hand resting on her shoulder, as if trying to offer support—but there was nothing else he could do.

Lying there… that was his son. How could a father ever accept that?

Gu WeiJun was coordinating the aftermath. Glancing over at them, he didn’t speak or interrupt.

The case had blown up. He’d also received confirmation that everyone from that village had been taken into custody. Investigations revealed they were all involved in child trafficking.

What awaited them would be grim.

“Dad… Han ShuYi died saving me. Why do you think he did that?”

“...Because he was your brother, I suppose.”

Han LiTian’s voice was heavy. He couldn’t offer her a better explanation—yet that was the only one he could think of.

HuMing turned to look at Han YunXi, just as she slowly shook her head.

It seemed she’d made up her mind to tell the truth.

“Dad, do you know what Han ShuYi told me? He said… he wasn’t really part of the Han family. My real brother was switched at birth a long time ago. Han ShuYi… was just someone used by others.”

Han LiTian froze. Her words hit him like a blow to the head, leaving him stunned and speechless.

Han ShuYi wasn’t his son? His real son had been replaced the moment he was born?

All this time… they’d been deceived?

His gaze slowly turned to HuMing. His instincts told him HuMing knew the answer.

But when their eyes met, HuMing said nothing—just looked back at him quietly.

And in that silence, Han LiTian understood.

It was true.

He frowned deeply, staring at the body on the floor. The boy he had seen as his son… had no blood ties to him at all.

And yet, in the end, that boy took a bullet for Han YunXi.

“Han ShuYi said this was something he owed you. That protecting Han YunXi was his way of repaying your kindness.”

HuMing stood and pulled a white cloth over Han ShuYi’s body.

The dead were gone. There was no point in digging through the past anymore.

Besides—he really had saved Han YunXi. And in the end, HuMing had seen it too—through the scope, he saw the faint smile on Han ShuYi’s face.

Like he had finally done what he was meant to.

Maybe, all these years, Han ShuYi had been living in pain. From the moment he met that twisted couple, or even after crossing paths with HuMing.

He should have been the main character of his own life.

But in the end, he became nothing more than a pawn of Francis.

Now, everything about him had come to an end.

Han LiTian took a deep breath and pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

He put one in his mouth—but didn’t light it. He had quit smoking a long time ago, for Han YunXi.

But tonight… he really needed one.

A flame sparked in front of him. The cigarette lit, smoke curling up into the night.

Han LiTian looked at the daughter who had helped him light it. Her hand held a cheap, scratched-up lighter.

There was even a trace of blood on it.

“He started smoking after he got out of prison. Just for tonight… let’s keep him company.”

Han YunXi leaned her head against Han LiTian’s shoulder, staring at the lighter in her hand, sinking into a silence that seemed endless.

If we are able to reach 25 Reviews on NovelUpdates, We will be mass releasing 15Bonus Chps+7(daily chps) when goal is reach!!!

Leave a Review HERE right now!!

Current: 15/25 Review

We will be also releasing 5 Bonus Chapters when we reach rank 50 on the monthly rankings!!

You can help by leaving a review or voting!

415/50