Chapter 15: He Begs Her.

Sheng Zhaoming had only come out to see what the commotion was about; he never expected to hear such a statement.

His entire body froze on the spot, his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and his mood plummeted in an instant.

He wanted to say something, but his lips merely opened and closed. As he breathed, the air entering his throat felt dry and rough, making it impossible to utter a single word. It sounded like a joke—how could a perfectly fine person suddenly be diagnosed with a terminal illness?

A burning gaze was on her back. Lu Hui turned around and saw a man with a pale face, looking at her with confusion, as if silently asking why he was there.

Sheng Zhaoming swallowed twice, forcing down an inexplicable bitterness and trying his best to keep his breathing steady. He explained, “Just taking out the trash.”

Since when had a young master ever taken out the trash himself? Probably never in his entire life. Lu Hui didn’t expose this obvious lie and simply responded with a soft “oh” twice.

“You two continue.” After saying that, Sheng Zhaoming moved his stiff legs, turned around, and went back inside. He needed time to process what he had just heard.

Xie Ran didn’t even register anyone else’s presence besides Lu Hui, nor did he pay attention to the conversation that had just taken place. His hands were shaking uncontrollably, his eyes were red, and his gaze struggled to focus on the medical record in his hands. Every page he flipped felt like a knife slicing into his heart.

From the initial diagnosis to the recommendation for chemotherapy, the last page stopped at the words—”bilateral cancer cell spread.”

All the strength in Xie Ran’s body seemed to be drained away, and he nearly dropped the medical record from his hands. His face was deathly pale, filled with despair and hopelessness.

Was the heavens playing a joke on him? A terminal illness, again?

He had used every means possible, gone through countless hardships to find his way into her world, yet he hadn’t even earned her forgiveness or had the chance to say a single heartfelt word to her. Was he really going to lose her again?

No, no, no. He refused to accept this.

Xie Ran refused to believe this was real, refused to accept the diagnosis in front of him. His obsessive thoughts told him this was just a lie Lu Hui had fabricated to drive him away.

“No, you’ll be fine,” he whispered, his voice squeezed out from deep in his throat like a sorrowful cry of pain. His bloodshot eyes filled with tears, trembling at the rims, adding a heartbreaking clarity to his gaze.

Lu Hui watched as the man before her looked as if he were about to cry, yet she felt nothing. Calmly, she took the medical record back from his hands. “Black and white text—I can’t fake this,” she said. “I also wish I were fine, but unfortunately, my luck has never been that good.”

Xie Ran’s lips quivered slightly, his teeth chattering against each other.

Seeing him look so devastated, as if he were about to cough up blood, Lu Hui actually found it quite satisfying.

Xie Ran’s face was expressionless, his jaw tightly clenched, as if he was about to bleed from biting too hard. “You’re lying to me.”

Lu Hui was speechless. Why didn’t he listen to anything she said? Such a stubborn man.

Xie Ran shut his eyes, his mind flashing with images of stark white hospital walls, the nauseating smell of disinfectant, and endless medical forms waiting for signatures. When he reopened his eyes, he grabbed her slender wrist. “Are you trying to get back at me?”

“You’re overthinking it,” Lu Hui replied. She truly wasn’t. Seeing that Xie Ran seemed to feel guilty about her supposed death, she had a little idea and decided to take advantage of his useless guilt to trick him into leaving.

But Xie Ran was completely unyielding—he just wouldn’t listen.

His expression turned terrifying as he said sharply, “I forced you to give up a kidney to save someone else. I admit, what I did was inhumane. You have every right to hate me, and it’s understandable if you want revenge.”

His grip was too strong, and Lu Hui couldn’t pull her hand free.

She remained expressionless. “I really don’t. Don’t make up your own stories.”

Xie Ran couldn’t stand her cold attitude. “If you want revenge, fine. But don’t joke about something like this. I’ll go insane—I don’t even know what I’d do.”

Lu Hui felt exhausted. “Let go. If you don’t believe me, fine, I’m going home.”

Xie Ran still wouldn’t release her. He loosened his jaw slightly, his face no longer so tense, and said, “I owe you. I’ll repay you.”

Lu Hui didn’t understand what those eight words meant at first.

Xie Ran’s eyes were red. “You can take one of my kidneys too, or any other organ from my body. Whatever you want, it’s yours. I’ll compensate you.”

Lu Hui was stunned. She felt like this medical record had really rattled his brain. He was acting completely insane, saying the most ridiculous things.

What did she need his kidney for? Was she supposed to eat it? She wasn’t that hardcore!

Without hesitation, Lu Hui replied, “I don’t want your organs. If you really feel guilty, then just let me live my last days in peace. Stop showing up in front of me.”

Xie Ran’s nose stung. He let go of her hand and kicked the car door open before shouting at his bodyguards, “Did you bring a knife?”

The bodyguard nodded, then shook his head—neither confirming nor denying.

Xie Ran, burning with rage, yelled, “I asked you a question! Did you bring a knife?!”

The bodyguard had no choice. “Yes.”

“Give it to me.”

The bodyguard misunderstood, thinking their boss was about to commit murder. “Sir, please calm down. If there’s anything that needs to be done, we can do it for you. There’s no need for you to get your hands dirty.”

Xie Ran kicked him hard. “Give it to me!”

Seeing how furious he was, the bodyguard didn’t dare delay and handed over the knife.

Xie Ran strode over to Lu Hui, shoved the knife into her hand, took off his suit jacket, and pointed to his waist. “Go ahead, stab me here. I’ll make it up to you. Just stop joking about having a terminal illness, okay?”

Lu Hui held the knife: “……”

If murder were legal, she might have really stabbed him.

Was he crazy?!

She wasn’t some kind of recycling bin—why did completing a mission come with after-sales service?! No money, just endless trouble.

Seeing her hesitation, Xie Ran, driven to the edge, grabbed her hand and tried to force her to stab him.

Lu Hui backed away and threw the knife to the ground. “Stabbing someone is illegal.”

“Then let’s go to the hospital.”

“You think that’ll help? Didn’t I beg you back then? Seeing your regretful face doesn’t move me at all—it’s actually a little disgusting.” Lu Hui didn’t think she was being particularly cruel, but judging by Xie Ran’s expression, her words seemed to have hit him hard.

But she hadn’t lied.

She didn’t mind making things clearer to help Xie Ran wake up from his self-pitying delusions.

“You remember what you said, don’t you? You said she needed my kidney. I said I didn’t want to, and you said I had no choice. Xie Ran, I did beg you, I did cry, and you admitted you forced me. So now, who are you putting on this show for? I’m not your dog, rushing to you just because you throw me a bone. I’m not as pathetic as I used to be. I can’t do it.”

This time, Lu Hui wasn’t acting. She truly meant what she said.

She sighed and tried to reason with him. “So just go back to your world. My cancer has already spread all over. Let me die in peace, okay?”