"Yiyi, you must take good care of your younger sister."
"Sister, where are you? Save me, Tingting's scared."
Before her eyes, two figures, one large and one small, intertwined. Her mother's and younger sister's faces wavered, shouting and pleading for help.
But she could only watch helplessly as they gradually drifted away until there was not a trace of them left.
"Tingting—"
Shen Jianyi lay in bed, her palm-sized face covered in cold sweat. She let out a pained whimper. A loud noise pulled her out of the nightmare.
She jolted upright.
Outside, the sky was still dark. She glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was only five in the morning.
She turned her head and looked at the empty space beside the bed.
Lu Jinsheng wasn't there?
Another loud noise came from the bathroom.
It was the sound of glass shattering.
She threw off the covers and walked towards the bathroom.
The scene before her eyes made her usually calm and composed heart flutter for a moment.
Lu Jinsheng stood in front of the mirror on the washstand. The mirror was broken, with shards scattered all over the floor. That's where the sound had come from.
"Yiyi, go out."
Lu Jinsheng gritted his teeth, forcing the words out of his throat while enduring the restlessness, heat, and fury in his heart.
Scarlet blood trickled down his hand that was propped against the mirror.
Those eyes that had always looked at her so tenderly and lovingly now held a hint of scarlet.
Shen Jianyi instantly understood.
His bipolar disorder had flared up.
Too many things had happened today, a roller - coaster of emotions from great joy to great sorrow. Coupled with the betrayal of those around him, his psychological defenses had almost been shattered.
Seeing the little girl standing by the door not moving, Lu Jinsheng gritted his teeth again and repeated, "Go out."
He knew how terrifying he could be when having an episode. He didn't want her to see him like this.
But the next second, the little girl standing by the door seemed not to hear his words. She slowly walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
She let his tall and straight body lean on her shoulder.
"Don't be afraid, Lu Jinsheng."
She still had injuries on her body.
Leaning against the washstand with difficulty to support herself, she held the man who refused to show his vulnerable side in her arms.
"Go, go get the tranquilizer for me."
Lu Jinsheng buried his face in the crook of her neck, suppressing the urge to bite her throat as he mumbled.
"You can't use it anymore."
Shen Jianyi grabbed his wrist firmly and said, "You can't rely on tranquilizers anymore."
Although tranquilizers were effective for bipolar disorder, they could also make patients develop a serious dependence on them.
To treat his bipolar disorder, they had to figure out what was weighing on his mind and resolve his inner conflicts.
"Be obedient. Go, go get the tranquilizer for me."
Lu Jinsheng stubbornly repeated, his right hand gripping the countertop tightly to avoid hurting her.
"Lu Jinsheng, trust me. I can help you."
Shen Jianyi let go of him and took his bleeding hand, leading him out of the bathroom step by step.
She was trying to soothe his restless emotions, and he, in turn, was trying to stay somewhat lucid and cooperate with her consolation.
When they reached the bed, Shen Jianyi pulled back the covers and let him sit on the bed.
She fetched a clean towel from the bathroom and wiped the fresh blood off his hand.
"Lie down and don't move around."
Shen Jianyi helped him lie down on the bed and threatened him in a low voice, "If you can't hold it in, then hit me."
Lu Jinsheng tensed his body and let out a suppressed sigh.
"Look clearly. I'm Shen Jianyi. If you hit me, it'll be hard to appease me later."
She murmured to herself in a low voice, then climbed onto the bed and obediently lay beside Lu Jinsheng. She lifted one of his arms and nestled under it.
Like coaxing a child, she gently patted Lu Jinsheng's back and hummed a nursery rhyme with indistinct lyrics.
The gentle and soothing melody filled the air. After an unknown amount of time, Lu Jinsheng's body gradually relaxed.
His scarlet eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. It seemed as if he saw something he couldn't bear, and he closed his eyes in pain.
Noticing his unease, Shen Jianyi didn't stop humming. She continued to croon the tune, soothing him.
It wasn't until the man beside her completely relaxed that she curled up and nestled into Lu Jinsheng's embrace.
Lu Jinsheng's hand gently rested on her back.
"Lu Jinsheng, why are you like this?"
A soft voice came from his chest.
Lu Jinsheng was stunned for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh. "It's not a good thing, Yiyi."
"You can't rely on tranquilizers for the rest of your life."
Knowing she would be rejected, Shen Jianyi still said.
"There's already a research institute studying a treatment method. Don't worry."
Lu Jinsheng gently patted her back.
Shen Jianyi let out a soft whimper.
What research institute? It was just her.
Oh well. If he didn't want to talk, she'd always find a way to solve it.
She stretched and snuggled closer to the man, letting out a contented sigh.
She was extremely sleepy. Before long, even breathing sounds came from her.
Lu Jinsheng looked down at the petite girl in his arms.
For the first time, he understood what a tender wife was.
...
Since Shen Jianyi was injured, Lu Jinsheng simply had his secretary bring all his work from the company home so he could stay with her while she recovered.
The sun was shining brightly. Shen Jianyi was lying on a chaise longue. There was a plate of fresh cherries on the table beside the chair.
She was lying in a lazy and comfortable position, with her legs slightly bent, letting the sun shine on her.
Lu Jinsheng was dealing with work beside her.
They didn't say a word, but the atmosphere was still extremely harmonious.
Until Zhong Jin walked over.
"I saw the news that Jianyi had a car accident, so I came to visit. I hope I'm not disturbing you two?"
Zhong Jin asked as he sat down beside Lu Jinsheng.
The overly familiar way of addressing made Shen Jianyi frown. She didn't want to respond.
Lu Jinsheng shifted his gaze from his laptop and glanced at his friend. A faint smile appeared on his handsome face.
"It's okay. She just suffered a minor injury."
"Was it man - made or an accident?"
Zhong Jin raised his eyebrows and asked again. His gaze swept across Shen Jianyi's fair calves. After seeing the bandages, a barely perceptible shadow flashed in his eyes.
Before Lu Jinsheng could answer, Shen Jianyi interjected, "Oh, it was an accident."
Lu Jinsheng glanced at Shen Jianyi and followed her words. "Yes, an accident."
Zhong Jin let out an "um". "Do you want to find a plastic surgeon? Girls don't like to have scars on their bodies."
He took out a business card from his pocket. "I have the contact information of a doctor. His skills are—"
"No need," Shen Jianyi waved her hand coldly. "I'm not that delicate."
The smile on Zhong Jin's face faded. He awkwardly scratched his nose, a sense of loss welling up in his heart.
He remembered the scene of seeing her climbing over the wall last time, and then he laughed again. "Right, Jinsheng. Your wife is lively and active. She shouldn't care about such trivial matters."