Lu Shiyan's eyes were bloodshot. Barefoot, he kept running toward the hospital, his face twisted with complicated and conflicting emotions.
At the entrance, the Su family's bodyguards stopped him."Mr. Lu, please halt."
"Get out of my way!" Lu Shiyan roared in fury.
"Sorry, sir. Our young lady said your mind isn't clear, and you shouldn't leave the hospital for now. If anything happens to you, we can't bear that responsibility."
The bodyguards hadn't dared to stop him at first, but seeing Lu Shiyan's current state—still wearing loose hospital clothes, running barefoot on the cold ground in this weather, his hair disheveled and eyes bloodshot—he no longer looked like the elegant young master he once was.
To anyone who didn't know better, he looked like someone who had just escaped from a mental hospital.
Lu Shiyan couldn't care about any of that now. He grabbed the guard's collar and demanded, "Can you see her?"
"See… see what?"
"Su Wan. She's right beside me."
The guard looked around carefully. "Mr. Lu, you must be mistaken. The Fourth Miss isn't here."
Behind him, Su Ning'an and my mother finally caught up."Brother, stop making a scene. You just had a gastroscopy. What you need now is rest."
Lu Shiyan's gaze at her was icy. His face darkened as he said coldly, "I know very well I wasn't hallucinating. I truly saw her. Why are you so afraid of me going to the police? Are you afraid of what might be found?"
If I were truly dead, then Su Ning'an's lies would collapse.
Lu Shiyan was starting to doubt her.
Su Ning'an's expression turned unpleasant. "Brother, I'm not trying to stop you from reporting to the police. But are you sure you want to go dressed like this? If the media takes photos, tomorrow you won't be on a finance magazine cover but on entertainment headlines!"
Under her coaxing, the coldness on Lu Shiyan's face gradually faded. She continued, "Sister has been missing for so long. There's no rush for a few more hours. But you represent both the Lu family and the company's image. If Grandfather hears of this—he already favors Uncle—you'll only lose more of his trust!"
Lu Shiyan glanced at his own disheveled state and said coldly, "We'll go home first."
My mother hesitated, remembering my father's warning."Do we really need to report this? If things get blown up, it'll hurt both our families' reputations."
"So long has passed—don't you want to know where Su Wan is? Calling the police is the simplest way."
Lu Shiyan was done with doubt and torment. These days had been like being cut open by a blunt knife—slowly, endlessly. He'd rather end it once and for all.
His words hit my mother's weak spot. With the old lady of the Su family also recently falling ill, she only wanted this whole thing to be over soon.
"Fine. We'll go to the police together."
Lu Shiyan went home to wash up. Along the way, he kept urging the driver, "Faster. Drive faster."
The driver looked helpless. "Mr. Lu, there are too many traffic lights on this road. I can't go any faster."
Lu Shiyan rubbed his tired brow. He had been on his feet for hours since dawn and hadn't drunk a sip of water or eaten a bite of food.
His stomach ached faintly. He pressed a fist against his abdomen.
"Mr. Lu, are you alright?"
"Just drive. I'm fine."
He searched the car for stomach medicine. I used to always keep medicine by his side—his car had the most of it.
To prevent him from drinking too much at social events, I'd always stocked it with stomach pills, cold medicine, hangover tablets.
He opened the medicine box only to find it nearly empty—just a few cold pills left. Even the hangover medicine had been used up weeks ago.
The stomach medicine container was completely empty.
Lu Shiyan stared at the empty bottle, recalling that in the past few months, he had barely spent any time with me.
I hadn't prepared his medicine for nearly a year.
Su Ning'an was full of sweet words and emotional comfort.
But I was different. After years together, our relationship had turned into that of an old married couple.
I always tended to his daily needs, making sure he could focus on work without worry.
He'd grown tired of my "nagging," found someone new, and forgotten the old.
Those photos clearly recorded the sweetness of their year together—climbing mountains, watching sunrises and sunsets, diving, skiing, strolling through night markets. They looked more like lovers than any couple.
Su Ning'an gave him excitement and freshness, but she knew nothing of his health or his pain.
Only in moments like this would he think of the good in me.
But even if I were still alive, I wouldn't care anymore.
"Mr. Lu, are you sure you're okay? Should I stop to buy stomach pills?"
"No need. Just get me home as soon as possible."
Lu Shiyan's tone was urgent. He didn't want to wait another minute. He quickly showered, changed into a suit, and rushed to the police station.
But before the car even reached it, they were stopped.
My father had gotten word and intercepted them in advance. My mother stood by the roadside, being scolded in a low voice.
"Have you completely lost your mind?"
Tears welled in her eyes. "But it's been so long. Su Wan hasn't shown any sign—aren't you worried at all?"
Father paused. "What's the point of worrying? She's an adult. When it's time for her to come back, she'll come back."
Lu Shiyan got out of the car and slammed the door. Dressed neatly in his suit, he looked cold and emotionless.
"Father-in-law, what if Su Wan never comes back?"
"Shiyan, I heard everything. That girl Huang Ying's mind isn't right—her words can't be trusted. You were still under anesthesia; how could you believe something so absurd?"
My father was always a firm atheist. His lips curled into a mocking smile as he said, "How could such nonsense exist? The dead refusing to leave? Then wouldn't the world be full of ghosts? Those who died unjustly would be haunting everywhere by now."
"Shiyan, you're different from your mother-in-law. You're educated. How can you fall into superstition like them?"
I thought Lu Shiyan would be swayed by my father again—but not this time.
He looked determined, his expression cold and unwavering."Father-in-law, my mind is made up."
"Have you thought about the consequences?"
"Whatever they are, I'll bear them. I only have one thought now—to find out the truth as soon as possible."
Then he strode toward the police station.
Standing outside, looking at the police emblem, I found it all ironic.
A month ago, Officer Huang Yu had summoned them, but they'd refused to cooperate—mocking him, saying he could only act once a corpse was found.
I wondered if today they regretted that.
Lu Shiyan's steps were slow and heavy; perhaps he too was torn. He knew once he walked in, there'd be no turning back.
Whether I was truly dead or not, the Lu family would face consequences.
Then, his low voice came again: "Wanwan."
My body stiffened—I thought he saw me again. But he only rubbed the prayer beads in his hand, his expression complex.
"If you're here, guide me to you."
I wanted to guide him. But to them, I was no different from air.
I couldn't do anything. Otherwise, I'd have already torn Su Ning'an's head off and used it as a ball.
To my surprise, my mother ignored my father's protests and followed him inside. My father, face dark, followed reluctantly.
Su Ning'an said nothing. Her head was lowered, eyes full of icy hostility.
Their arrival drew shocked looks—after all, their arrogance the last time they were here was still fresh in everyone's memory.
Few families in this world could be so heartless.
A young officer stepped forward. "Do you have business here?"
"Where's Officer Huang?"
"He's in his office. What's this about?"
"I want to file a report!"
Lu Shiyan's aura was so oppressive that the young officer didn't dare move.
He pushed open Huang Yu's office door. Huang was busy on a call but hung up as soon as he saw Lu Shiyan.
"Mr. Lu. What brings you here?"
My mother rushed forward. "Officer Huang, we'd like to file a report. My daughter has been missing for over a month."
Huang Yu's brows furrowed, his expression turning grim."You mean Miss Su hasn't returned home since last month's disappearance?"
My mother nodded. "Yes."
"This is outrageous! Whether she's been harmed or kidnapped, the longer it's delayed, the harder it'll be to gather evidence. It's been this long—you didn't come. I thought she'd already gone home."
He couldn't hide his anger, and even the other officers looked over.
Their judging stares made my mother flush with shame.
"We… we thought she was just throwing a tantrum," she murmured weakly.
"What kind of family does that? If it were my child missing, I'd be frantic after half a day, not over a month."
"Yeah, last time Captain Huang even asked them to cooperate. What did they say then?"
"Now they're worried? If something really happened, the body's probably long gone!"
Huang Yu turned and glared at the gossiping officers. "Quiet!"
Lu Shiyan, too, had shed all arrogance. His face was grave. "Officer Huang, please don't hold my past behavior against me. I only want to find Su Wan as soon as possible."
Huang Yu sighed. "Alright. Sit down. We'll take your statement and file the report. Since I know Miss Su personally, I'll take the case myself."
The veins on the back of Lu Shiyan's hands bulged as he struggled to control his emotions.
Pressing both palms on the desk, he stared straight at Huang Yu and said through clenched teeth,"Alive or dead, I must see her. Even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I will find Su Wan."