Ke Mingxuan ran out of the church, jumped into the wedding car, and slammed the accelerator to the floor. The engine roared like an arrow shot from a bow as the car sped off at top speed, completely ignoring the trouble his sudden departure would cause for both families.

He felt his blood turn cold the moment he heard that Bian Yiqiu had gotten into an accident. His hand on the steering wheel trembled uncontrollably, and an overwhelming fear surged from the depths of his heart, spreading like a demon with bared teeth, roaring and opening its bloody mouth to tear apart both his body and soul.

He only heard He Xu say “XX Hospital” through the earpiece before the connection was suddenly cut off for some unknown reason. In a panic, he ran through more than a dozen red lights but found himself stuck in traffic just two kilometers from the hospital.

He angrily slammed his fist onto the steering wheel, then abandoned the car on the side of the road. Dressed in an impeccably tailored and elegant haute couture suit, he sprinted madly down the crowded street.

He couldn’t wait another second. He had to reach Bian Yiqiu’s side as quickly as possible. He had to see him and confirm that he was still alive! Otherwise, his setbacks, his compromises, and all his efforts would lose all meaning!

He Xu and Zuo Cheng sat with a grim expression on the chair outside the operating room.

Officer Lu and several prison officers stood nearby with serious faces, while Director Yu paced back and forth between the two groups, his hair nearly being pulled out from stress.

He Xu was dizzy from the constant pacing and couldn’t take it anymore. He spoke up, “Director Yu, can you let us have a moment of peace?”

As a well-known top lawyer in the industry, He Xu frequently visited detention centers to meet clients and had dealt with many officers. Director Yu was naturally familiar with him. Given that this incident was indeed the detention center’s responsibility, even though He Xu’s tone was quite rude, Director Yu didn’t argue. Instead, he stopped and stood next to Officer Lu, cooperating fully.

Finally, there was some quiet. However, the silence didn’t last long before it was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching at a run.

Everyone instinctively turned their heads toward the source of the sound. When He Xu saw Ke Mingxuan’s figure appear before him, he immediately stood up from the chair.

Ke Mingxuan had run two kilometers at full speed, his immaculate suit soaked in sweat, his hairstyle from earlier that morning disheveled by the strong wind. His lips were pale, his breath uneven, and his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. Though he desperately wanted to know Bian Yiqiu’s condition as soon as possible, he came to a sudden halt when he saw the LED screen above the door showing “Surgery in Progress.” He froze ten meters away, too afraid to take another step forward.

He was terrified, a fear like he had never felt before. He was afraid he was too late, afraid the doctors would come out with bad news, afraid he might never see the vibrant Bian Yiqiu again… The fear was so intense that he wanted to turn and run, trying to convince himself this was just a nightmare—that Bian Yiqiu was already on a plane with He Xu and Zuo Cheng, and they’d soon be meeting in America. His plans were still on track, and this damn accident wouldn’t change that!

But at the same time, he knew clearly that this wasn’t a dream. This was reality. Bian Yiqiu was lying in that operating room, struggling at the edge of life and death. He had to get closer, just a little closer.

“Mr. Ke.”

Director Yu called his name, and Ke Mingxuan seemed to snap out of a daze. Without even glancing at him, he walked straight up to He Xu and Zuo Cheng and asked, “How long has it been?”

“Half an hour.”

Ke Mingxuan nodded, not saying anything further.

The lights in the operating room remained on, and time dragged on in the anxious waiting. Every minute, every second felt like it was stretched endlessly, each one adding to the torment.

No one expected Commander Ke and his wife to show up at the hospital. When everyone heard the footsteps coming from the elevator and turned around, they were so shocked they almost dislocated their jaws.

Commander Ke didn’t give anyone a chance to react. He strode up to Ke Mingxuan and, without saying a word, slapped him across the face.

“Mingxuan!” Feng Shuxian, who had been walking behind, was startled. She rushed forward, only to see her husband immediately follow up with a harsh kick to their son.

Ke Mingxuan didn’t dodge. The kick sent him stumbling back a few steps, crashing into the wall. He hunched over, clutching his stomach in pain, his face twisted in discomfort.

“Ke Zhenshan, what are you doing?!” Feng Shuxian cried, rushing up to him. “Why can’t you just talk to him? Why resort to violence?”

Commander Ke ignored his wife, pointing at Ke Mingxuan. “Get back to the wedding and finish it!”

Ke Mingxuan struggled to straighten up, his gaze fixed on his father with no hint of negotiation. “If Bian Yiqiu doesn’t come out, I’m not going anywhere.”

Commander Ke was so furious he was about to lash out again, but Feng Shuxian rushed in front of her son, blocking him. “Ke Zhenshan, have you lost your mind? This is a hospital!”

“Your precious son is the crazy one!” Commander Ke was on the verge of exploding, but just then, his phone, left with the security guard, rang at the most inconvenient time.

The security guard glanced at the caller ID, then looked at the enraged Commander, hesitating and unsure whether to approach.

Commander Ke turned and barked, “Answer it!”

The security guard, startled, fumbled and accidentally put the phone on speaker. Immediately, Minister Chen’s furious voice erupted from the other end. “Ke Zhenshan, you owe our entire family an explanation!”

Commander Ke’s anger boiled over, and he had no way to release it. In a sudden outburst, he grabbed the phone and threw it hard. It shattered instantly, pieces flying in all directions. The largest fragment struggled briefly, the screen flickering to black before rolling twice and coming to a stop at the feet of the nearest person.

Commander Ke and his wife both looked up in shock, their breath catching as they fell silent.

Ke Mingxuan straightened slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Grandfather.”

Old Master Feng, with his white hair and beard, stood straight as an arrow. His eyes were sharp, and though he leaned on a cane, it was not for support—it was usually a tool for hitting people.

Feng Shuxian couldn’t bring herself to look directly at her father. Her eyes darted to Director Feng standing beside him, silently asking: Didn’t I tell you to take Father back?

Director Feng, helpless, responded with a glance: I couldn’t stop him.

Ignoring their exchange, Old Master Feng snorted coldly. “What’s going on? Speak.”

Feng Shuxian turned to her husband. She didn’t know what had happened either.

Just as Commander Ke was about to speak, Ke Mingxuan suddenly blurted, “I’m not getting married.”

Feng Shuxian’s face went pale in shock. Commander Ke, already burning with anger, spun around and grabbed Ke Mingxuan by the collar, ready to strike. But before he could, Old Master Feng slammed his cane onto the floor with a deafening thud, his voice thundering, “Ke Zhenshan!”

Commander Ke’s fist froze mid-air, the weight of his father-in-law’s presence stopping him cold. For a moment, he stood there, unsure of what to do, until the door to the operating room suddenly creaked open.

The doctor, drenched in sweat and furrowing his brow, had originally intended to remind everyone that noise was not allowed in the hospital. But when he saw the imposing figures before him, especially Commander Ke and Old Master Feng, their military uniforms and gleaming shoulder epaulets, he swallowed the words that were about to leave his mouth. With a stern expression, he said, “The patient’s condition is critical. The critical condition notice—who will sign?”

Since Bian Yiqiu had been sent from the detention center, the family member section was skipped entirely.

Ke Mingxuan felt his head spinning, his mind reeling. He rushed forward and grabbed the doctor’s arm. “How can it be bad? Why is it bad? If you’re doing everything you can to save him, why the hell are you asking for this notice?”

The doctor tried to steady him, his voice serious. “Sir, please stay calm. Signing the critical condition notice doesn’t mean we’re giving up. We will do everything we can to save him as long as there’s even the smallest chance. But his injuries are too severe. Both his head and heart are critically damaged. The situation is really bad, and we’re asking you to sign this because…”

“I don’t care what you’re saying. This man has to survive. He will survive!” Ke Mingxuan cut him off, his voice urgent and sharp.

“We will do everything we can, but please, we can’t waste any more time. Who will sign the critical condition notice?”

“I will,” Ke Mingxuan said, his tone determined as he reached for the paper.

“The patient is a suspect. If you’re not a direct family member, someone from the detention center will have to sign.”

Director Yu, who had been quietly standing in the corner, trying to avoid drawing attention to himself, reluctantly stepped forward. “This person is under our custody. He doesn’t have any direct family members…”

Ke Mingxuan shot him a look that could burn holes through him. Director Yu, feeling helpless, thought to himself, What did I say wrong now?

“Wait.” He Xu stopped the doctor who was about to hand the paper to Director Yu. “I’m the patient’s legal representative. He has a will with me.”

The mention of the word “will” made everyone’s hearts skip a beat.

 “He Xu!” Ke Mingxuan snapped at him. “Only people who are about to die make wills! Don’t talk nonsense!”

“The will is made by the living, you don’t have to be so superstitious about it,” He Xu said, then turned to the doctor. “The patient told me before he was taken into custody that if anything happened to him, all matters should be handled by Mr. Ke Mingxuan. A verbal will is also legally binding, so I believe Mr. Ke should sign this document.”

Before the doctor could respond, Ke Mingxuan had already snatched the critical condition notice from his hands and quickly signed it.

Feng Shuxian frowned at his actions but didn’t say anything. It was only when Ke Mingxuan finished signing and handed the document back to the doctor, and the surgery doors closed once more, that she couldn’t help but ask, “Mingxuan, this man inside… Mr. Bian, is he a good friend of yours?”

At this point, everyone in the room could tell that the relationship between the two was far from ordinary, but Feng Shuxian still held onto a sliver of hope. She couldn’t bring herself to accept it. Just this morning, she had carefully dressed up, ready to attend her son’s wedding. Now, only a few hours later, her son was telling her that he would forgo the wedding for the sake of a man. How could she accept that?

There had to be some misunderstanding. Maybe Bian Yiqiu was really just a good friend, the kind of friend who’s especially close. It wasn’t impossible that he rushed over from the wedding upon hearing something had happened to his friend. Perhaps, once this person woke up, everything would settle down, and the wedding could go ahead as planned. Maybe things weren’t as she had imagined…

Feng Shuxian’s mind was a whirlwind of confusion, yet she stubbornly fixed her gaze on her son, hoping for some reassurance, some confirmation that things weren’t as bad as they seemed. But with just a few words, Ke Mingxuan shattered the lies she had been telling herself.

He said, “He’s the person I love. In this lifetime, I’ll only ever love him.”