"You... you mean..." she stammered.
"I love you, Su Xiaoxi," Lin Yi said, looking straight into her eyes. "Not as an agent responsible for protecting a target, but as a man loving a woman."
Tears blurred Su Xiaoxi's vision. She leaned down and gently embraced Lin Yi, careful to avoid his wounds. "I love you too... you idiot agent."
Lin Yi's arms wrapped around her—weak but firm. They held each other like that for a long time, until Lin Yi began trembling slightly from blood loss.
Su Xiaoxi quickly found clean cloth to re-dress his wounds, then used her phone to contact the only person she could trust—Li Meng.
"Oh my god, Xiaoxi! Where have you been? I've been going crazy looking for you!" Li Meng's voice exploded through the phone as soon as the call connected.
"Long story short, I need help," Su Xiaoxi briefly explained the situation, of course leaving out the part about him being an agent. "Can you find a doctor friend? Not from a regular hospital—it might draw attention."
Two hours later, Li Meng arrived at the motel with a senior from medical school. The senior quickly treated Lin Yi's wounds, administered an anti-inflammatory shot, and left some medication behind.
"The wounds aren't infected, but he's lost a lot of blood. He needs rest and nutrition," the senior instructed. "If his fever goes above 38.5°C, he *must* go to a hospital."
Throughout the visit, Li Meng's curious gaze kept darting between Lin Yi and Su Xiaoxi, but she tactfully refrained from asking questions. Before leaving, she discreetly slipped Su Xiaoxi a stack of cash and a new phone. "Contact me anytime if you need anything."
Night fell, and Lin Yi slept deeply under the influence of the medication. Su Xiaoxi kept vigil by the bed, her fingers gently combing through his dark hair. This man, who had risked himself for her time and again—this man who never spoke of his feelings but proved everything through his actions—had finally opened his heart to her.
By dawn the next day, Lin Yi's fever had broken. When he woke, he saw Su Xiaoxi curled up asleep in the chair beside him, still clutching the bloodstained towel. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a glow on her exhausted yet peaceful face—so beautiful it made his chest ache.
He carefully sat up, ignoring the pain from his wounds, and draped a blanket over her. Su Xiaoxi jolted awake immediately. "Your injuries! Don't move around!"
"It's fine," Lin Yi smiled—a real, relaxed smile. "Thank you for saving me."