I Will Protect You

It was Nan Xukun who recovered first. Gasping, he exclaimed. "Whoa! Is Shi Nian your girlfriend?"

Shi Nian snapped out of her stupor and she hurriedly stepped back, her face flushed in shame. Her muddled mind sobered up instantly and only then did she realize that there were other people here with them. But…But…

Gingerly, she reached out for the hem of Xu Binchen's shirt and grabbed it tightly, her head lowered pitifully.

Shi Nian never knew that she could feel fear before. But when the forgotten memories inside her were triggered, she was scared, terrified. She was filled with apprehension, insecurity and anxiety. Waking up in an empty and desolate room frightened her so much that with all of the accumulated emotions, when she saw Xu Binchen's face, she instantly rushed out without thinking further.

Xu Binchen knitted his brows but didn't comment about her unusual behavior. Instead, he asked. "What's wrong?"

Shi Nian fearfully lifted her head and glanced toward Nan Xukun, abashed.

She felt like digging a hole on the floor and buried herself within. How could she show such an embarrassing sight of her in front of this man whom she had just known? No, wait, she even fainted in front of him…

Color drained from Shi Nian's face.

Irked, Xu Binchen moved to the side and covered Nan Xukun from Shi Nian's sight. "What's wrong?" he asked once again, now Nan Xukun was unseen, only his rainbow hair that was poking out from behind Xu Binchen's shoulder.

Nan Xukun pursed his lips, a hint of envy flashed through his eyes. But whether it was envy toward Xu Binchen or Shi Nian, only he knew.

Doctor Chun cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Shi Nian, why are you running out? Did you pull your IV drip off?"

Xu Binchen reacted and reached for her hand. So skinny and tiny that he could easily circle her wrist just with his thumb and forefinger. A trail of blood running along her arms. He pressed down on the tiny wound and she hissed in pain. "Idiot." He chided softly. "Who told you to take this off?"

He turned her around and pushed her inside, conveniently closing the door behind him.

Doctor Chun was accustomed to Xu Binchen's rude behavior so he reopened the door. Turning to Nan Xukun, he smiled amicably. "Young Master Nan, thank you very much for your cooperation this time. Detective Xu will notify you soon so you may go back first to your room and rest."

Young Master Nan, who had just wanted to squeeze inside: "…fine." He huffed and stomped his feet, walking back into his room.

Doctor Chun closed the door behind him and went inside. "So…" He saw Xu Binchen fished out Nan Xukun's phone. "This is the wallpaper on the phone you found in the alley?"

Shi Nian nodded desperately. [The ringtone too.]

"What is this ringtone?" He fiddled with his own phone, entering Nan Xukun's number and called his phone. In the next second, a soft tune of classical melody resounded within the room. Shi Nian let out an inaudible gasp, her lips trembled and her eyes went unfocused.

She could hear it again, the man's hoarse voice as he said, "Hello." Then…the voice changed. He had used a voice changer, but in reality, his voice was nothing like that. It was smooth, calm, steady with a hint of maturity.

She felt like she had heard it somewhere before…

The ringtone stopped and her train of thoughts broke. Xu Binchen's face appeared in front of her, his brows knitted. "Remember something?"

Shi Nian was frustrated. She felt like she was almost grasping onto something just now but it all disintegrated into dust in the next moment.

Xu Bicnhen gave her time to calm down before saying, "I have something to tell you."

Doctor Chun: "Shall I give you two some time alone?"

"No, please, Doctor," Xu Binchen gestured. "Feel free to listen. It's better this way because I need the hospital's cooperation."

Doctor Chun stood beside the window and flipped through Shi Nian's statistical report. "Is this about the case? Any development?"

"I don't know whether it's a development or not but," He paused and looked straight at Shi Nian. "I feel that it's better for you to know it. But I tell you that it's definitely not good news. If you can't endure it, then I will not say it now."

Shi Nian gulped and braced herself. [Say it.]

"Report has come in from the public security bureau near the area where you're found." Xu Binchen enunciated clearly. "It has been confirmed that there were signs of manmade explosive in the soil."

Shi Nian's heart skipped a beat.

"That means that your accident, you falling into a landslide, is not a coincidence. It's premeditated, Shi Nian. The culprit is determined to kill you."

Shi Nian felt shudders run down her spine and her head turned blank.

It was Doctor Chun who voiced his doubt. "Then, why didn't he kill Shi Nian like other victims? Pardon my rudeness, Shi Nian, Detective Xu, but logically, planting explosives, waiting for you to enter that specific area, it was more complicated than dismembering you. The chance of success is unpredictable. What if you ran into another direction? What if you didn't die? What if you woke up and remembered him?"

Xu Binchen narrowed his eyes. "A criminal psychologist in our squad said that the culprit is getting cocky. He's starting to leave clues to us."

Doctor Chun was shocked. "Shi Nian is that clue? Is he that confident?"

"Maybe," Xu Binchen pondered deeply. "Maybe he was sure that even if she didn't die, she still wouldn't be able to remember him. See, the fact was she indeed forgot about him."

Doctor Chun clicked his tongue. "Then what if she suddenly regains her memories?"

Xu Binchen pursed his lips. "There are two possibilities. One, she still will not be able to tell anything specific about him."

"And two?"

"Two…" Xu Binchen kneaded his brows. "The culprit has already closed in on her. So close that he can manipulate her however he wants and if I am the culprit, then I will choose this possibility." He sneered in contempt. "That's why Detective Xu, I may need you to increase the security on this floor."

"How tight?"

"Make a record log of the visitors. Verify their ID and their relationships with the patients before letting them in."

Doctor Chun hesitated briefly. "I will try to do it."

Shi Nian tremblingly wrote. [What should I do?] Imagining the devil being close to her was enough to give her goosebumps. She wanted to run far away, but she was helpless to do so.

Xu Binchen gave him a reassuring look. "Don't worry too much and leave it to the police."

Doctor Chun sighed. "Then, you may tell us some of your plans so that Shi Nian can have a peace of mind, Detective Xu."

Xu Binchen contemplated for a moment before speaking slowly. "We already got clues regarding where the next body part will be found. We will start from there. Meanwhile, our criminal psychologist is working hard to do a precise profiling on him. We will start investigating the possible suspects one by one."

Xu Binchen stopped. He didn't tell the last ultimate plan and also the one that he wished would never happen.

And that was to wait for the culprit to approach Shi Nian, making her the perfect bait. He pursed his lips in displeasure.

Shi Nian's icy hands were suddenly being covered by a warm, huge, palm. She looked up in shock to see Xu Binchen's sharp and steadfast gaze. "Don't be afraid. I will protect you."