At midnight, An Yuci sat on the sofa, unable to fall asleep. The room was very quiet, and he could only hear the sound of rain outside the window and the sound of car wheels pressing against the ground.

He had just taken a shower, and his hair was still damp. He now wore gold-rimmed glasses and sat on the sofa with a changing expression.

In his hand, he held the bird that he had saved. It was a little bird that had been on the brink of death, but now it was warm in his palm, a small bundle.

His fingertips traced over its smooth feathers.

Unfortunately, the bird still had not fully recovered and could not yet fly.

But if everything was discovered, what would happen to the bird?

It would be kept in a cage, starving to death in a place where no one knew.

Only he was helping it, only he was showing it mercy. Apart from him, no one would care about this pitiful and sad little life.

It had struggled so hard to survive, but what was the use?

Why hadn’t it healed and flown yet?

An Yuci’s eyes reddened, and he became so sad that he was on the verge of tears.

Instead of that, it would be better to… kill it and end its pain as soon as possible.

At this thought, his fingers gradually tightened.

An Yuci could feel the little bird jumping anxiously in his palm.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. An Yuci woke up from his nightmare-like state, put the little bird back in the cage, and got up to open the door.

Liu Mengying stood at the door, holding an umbrella in her left hand and a bag in her right. To avoid getting her shoes wet, she wore a pair of thick-soled sandals.

An Yuci gave her a clean pair of slippers and let her in, saying, “I’m sorry to trouble you so late. Her clothes were all wet, and I could only borrow my clothes for her to wear temporarily, but this is not a long-term solution, and it’s too late to buy now.”

“It’s nothing.” Liu Mengying handed him the bag, which contained two sets of everyday clothes. Then she peeked inside and asked, “Has the girl fallen asleep?”

An Yu-ci said, “She just took a bath, she should be sleeping now.”

Liu Meng-ying whispered, “Dr. An, can you let her stay here…”

An Yu-ci looked around the room and gestured for her to be quiet. He pulled her into a nearby room and closed the door. “I know you’re worried about the police. They don’t have enough evidence, and they’re afraid of dragging the case on for too long. For suspicious cases like this, if they can’t find anything, they’ll just let it go. Right now, it’s just a bit tense.”

Liu Meng-ying looked at him, but she couldn’t be as optimistic as him. “Dr. An, I admit that you’ve always been cautious. But I think those police officers have definitely found something…”

She still remembered the two police officers who arrested her. They gave her a feeling of pressure.

Since that night, Liu Meng-ying had never slept well. She always felt that she would be sent to prison, wearing prison clothes and cold handcuffs. She was too scared, and she was even more afraid of being constantly questioned and forced to tell the truth.

“Do you remember what you promised me?” An Yu-ci said.

“I remember…” Liu Meng-ying’s eyes became a little moist. She lowered her voice, her fingers trembling as she said, “I promised you that no matter what happens, I can’t tell the truth… that’s more important than my life.”

An Yu-ci reached out and wiped the corner of her eye, praising her. “Good.”

An Yu-ci was silent for a moment, staring firmly into her eyes. “We are doing this for justice, to save more people. What we’re doing is not wrong. We need to stay firm in our beliefs to help more people.”

Liu Meng-ying’s eyelashes drooped. “I know what I have to do. I will also try my best to stop others from telling the truth.”

Liu Meng-ying stood very close to An Yu-ci and could smell the faint scent of mint on him. She felt her eyes heat up. In those lonely and helpless days, this man had reached out to her and saved her. He was the light in her life and her savior. She was willing to do anything for him, and if danger approached, she would do everything in her power to protect him and uphold justice.

Liu Meng-ying suddenly whispered, “Dr. An, can I hug you?”

An Yu-ci replied, “Liu Meng-ying, you have already recovered. You are no longer my patient.”

Liu Meng-ying was a bit at a loss. “But…”

Seeing her expression change slightly, An Yu-ci stepped forward and gentlemanly hugged her, patting her head. “You can go back now. I will seal off that forum recently and deal with everything. From now on, you don’t have to worry about anything.”

Tears still streamed down Liu Meng-ying’s face. “We volunteered to do all those things. Dr. An, it was you who saved us. We even caused a lot of trouble…”

“You’ve been doing well all along,” An Yu Ci keenly felt it, and the girl today was especially clingy. “Mengying Liu, are you okay lately? If you need it, I can help you with another psychological examination, and we can talk in more detail.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Liu Mengying wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes and looked at the handsome man in front of her. “I just haven’t slept well. I’m going back now. Don’t worry, I won’t say anything. Doctor An, please rest early.”

An Yu Ci was relieved and helped her smooth out her messy hair. He gently reminded her, “It’s so late, be sure to stay safe.”

“I’ll take a taxi once I leave the community, and I’ll even take a picture of the license plate.” Liu Mengying wiped away her tears, picked up her umbrella, and quickly left.

An Yu Ci walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked out through the glass. He could see the girl with the small flower umbrella walking away.

She looked completely normal now, avoiding puddles as she walked. He remembered when he first met Liu Mengying, she was beautiful but thin, lifeless, like a walking corpse or a soulless doll.

It had rained that day, and the girl’s shoes were wet, but she paid no attention to the water on the ground. When she took off her gloves, he could see her broken fingers.

“My friend introduced me to you, she said you’re a very good psychotherapist…” 

He could help her with her depression but couldn’t ease the conflict between her and her mother.

In the end, he still helped her…

At this moment, An Yu Ci looked at the back of the girl downstairs and suddenly thought of these things.

Perhaps this was the last time they would meet. An Yu Ci’s gaze gradually changed, and he drew the curtain closed.

He turned and walked into the bedroom, turned on the light.

Fang Jiayue was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, her eyelashes twitching slightly.

“You’re awake, aren’t you? You don’t have to pretend to sleep anymore.” An Yu Ci’s voice came.

Fang Jiayue, wearing An Yu Ci’s white shirt, sat on the bed with her legs curled up, looking at him. The tone of his questioning made her feel a little unfamiliar. She blinked her eyes and said truthfully, “I…I only heard some of it…I only heard the beginning and the end. Is that your girlfriend?”

An Yu Ci breathed a sigh of relief, his tone softened, and he put the bag on the bed. “She’s a former patient of mine. I borrowed two sets of clothes from her. You can wear them later.”

Fang Jiayue didn’t expect that the person who came just now was also a patient. She remembered her mother’s question earlier and hoped that she would recover as soon as possible. She asked softly, “Does that sister not sound like a patient at all? Has she already recovered?”

An Yuci’s voice softened, as if she was in the clinic, “She has now been liberated from depression and is living well.”

Fang Jiayue blinked her eyes and showed an envious expression on her face, “Then Dr. An, can I also be like that? Will I recover soon? Do I also have a chance to be saved?”

“You will, everyone has a chance to be saved, and you will definitely get better,” An Yuci sat at the end of the bed and looked at Fang Jiayue, “However, you first need to understand your situation and solve the difficulties in your life. After coming to me, you can temporarily stay here, but you cannot stay for a long time. What will you do after this?”

When Fang Jiayue couldn’t sleep before, she also thought about this problem, “I want to transfer to a boarding school…”

An Yuci immediately pointed out the impracticality of this plan, “But you don’t have enough money to pay the tuition now, and your mother won’t agree.”

“I heard that there are some kind-hearted people and organizations that help women and children…” Fang Jiayue said tremulously.

“These organizations do exist, but how many people can really be helped? Do you think you are the lucky one?” An Yuci softly asked, “Do you think your mother will still believe in you? Will she choose her husband or choose you?”

Fang Jiayue sobered up and felt like she had just been doused with a bucket of cold water, “Then… then I won’t study anymore, I’ll go to work, go to the factory, live on my own, as long as I can avoid Zhang Fumin, I can go anywhere.”

An YuCi calmly analyzed for her, “You are not yet sixteen years old, and you belong to child labor. No one would be willing to hire you. Besides, you are still young. What will you do if you are bullied outside?”

Fang JiaYue’s body trembled, feeling like she was surrounded by no way out.

She seemed to hear Zhang FuMin’s voice in her ear — “Even if you report to the police, they will send you back.”

Fang JiaYue’s face turned pale, and tears flowed from her eyes. “Doctor An, please save me.”

An YuCi said, “I have a way to help you…and only this method can help you. Otherwise, no matter how much medicine you take or how long you seek treatment, it will be of no use.”

“What…what method?” Fang JiaYue seemed to see a glimmer of hope and asked with emotion.

An YuCi touched the girl’s head, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. “Tell me everything about Zhang FuMin, and I will help you handle it.”

“Are you…you want to kill him?” Fang JiaYue’s lips trembled. Although she had raised a knife to Zhang FuMin and said she wanted to kill him, she only said it and never had such thoughts. “But killing is…against the law…”

“Do you have any other way?” An YuCi looked at her with compassion, as if a deity looking down on his people.

Fang JiaYue shook her head.

“As long as Zhang FuMin is killed, everything will be over. You will be relieved, your illness will be cured, and you will no longer have nightmares or want to die. His house will be inherited by you and your mother. You won’t have to wander anymore. His savings can allow you to finish high school or even college. From then on, you will no longer be in danger.” An YuCi painted a beautiful future for her.

“But…but…I’m afraid…” Fang JiaYue cried.

“Would you rather be ruined by that man than kill him?” An YuCi continued to ask her.

Thinking of that man, Fang JiaYue felt nauseous and wanted to vomit. She cried and shook her head desperately. “Doctor An, please save me…what should I do?”

An YuCi looked at her seriously. “I will arrange everything for you quickly, and others will think this is just an accident and has nothing to do with you. However, there are conditions. If one day I need you to help other people who need help like you, you must provide assistance. Are you willing?”

Fang JiaYue had never thought of such a thing, and she was terrified. But when she thought of her situation, she made up her mind. She could be kind to others, but who would show her mercy?

安郁辞 lifted up the small face of Fang Jiayue with his hand, saying, “That matter is not that difficult. You just need to do as I say. You have to trust me. They are definitely wicked people, and you are saving someone.”

Fang Jiayue felt convinced by An Yuci, and her expression calmed down. She murmured in agreement.

An Yuci’s soft voice continued to sound in her ear, “This is fairness, an equivalent exchange. That person and I helped you, and now you have an obligation to help others. Otherwise, it is immoral. Do you agree with this theory?”

The room was lit with soft light, and Fang Jiayue felt dizzy and groggy. She murmured, “I think this is fair…”

An Yuci’s voice was attractive and tempting. He leaned closer to the girl and said, “You know, I took a big risk to help you, didn’t I?”

Fang Jiayue nodded and murmured, “You are saving me, otherwise I would have died.”

“Will you do something ungrateful?” asked An Yuci.

“No, Dr. An, you are so good to me,” Fang Jiayue replied.

An Yuci said, “No matter what happens, you must never reveal my identity. Keeping this secret is more important than your life.”

Fang Jiayue repeated his words, “Keeping this secret is more important than my life…”

“If you can’t do it, then you can pretend that nothing happened tonight.”

Fang Jiayue said, “I can do it. I will never reveal what I learned tonight. Dr. An, no one can help me anymore…”

An Yuci listened to her words, as if hearing the cry from the depths of her heart.

“Don’t ignore me, please save me…” 

He showed a gentle and warm smile, “You will soon break free from hell and be redeemed.”