With Lu Yitong's urging, Gu Pan finally trudged down the fifty meters of the hallway.

　　He'd stood outside all night in the open air, sleepless. His slow pace wasn’t just because he was physically exhausted.

　　His mind had been racing all night. He replayed every detail he could remember before Ling Hanlu collapsed, hoping to find some clue. But everything seemed too normal, even brimming with a happiness he hadn’t fully absorbed. In the class that Ling Hanlu had tailored just for him, he hadn’t even had the chance to bask in his moment of pride before disaster struck. If only he’d paid more attention to that person in the black hat and mask, could he have prevented all this?

　　Thinking about it made Gu Pan's brain feel like it was on fire.

　　At a crucial moment, Lu Yitong called.

　　But to her surprise, Gu Pan slowly and leisurely appeared at the end of the hallway.

　　Lu Yitong worried about waking up the whole floor so early in the morning, so she resorted to more gestures than words. But Gu Pan’s sluggish steps finally wore her patience thin. She couldn't hold back and blurted out, “Hurry up! She’s really awake! I fell asleep, and it was the nurse who woke me... oh no…” Overcome with excitement and anxiety, she shouted louder than intended. Realizing her blunder, she quickly covered her mouth and hurried back inside, standing by the bed with wide, darting eyes.

　　The nurse shot her a disapproving look. After finishing her tasks, she pushed the IV stand past Lu Yitong and out the door. She glanced down the hallway, spotting a tall man walking toward her against the light. His face was indistinct, but unlike most frantic relatives she’d encountered, his stride was unhurried. In fact, his casual hands-in-pockets demeanor was calmer and steadier than any passerby’s. She shook her head and continued on her way.

　　Gu Pan finally halted in front of the hospital room door. Just stood there. An invisible force seemed to anchor him in place, preventing him from taking the next step.

　　Lu Yitong waved him over and pointed to Ling Hanlu, who was regaining consciousness on the bed. Seeing his continued hesitation, she stepped forward and dragged him in.

　　Ling Hanlu lay slightly on her side. One ear and her jaw were covered by the blanket, revealing three-quarters of her face. Her eyes were half-open, catching the light filtering through the curtains until a large shadow appeared.

　　The boy's back shielded her from the increasingly assertive morning sun. This comfort brought a smile to her eyes.

　　“How long have I been lying here?”

　　“Not too long, just overnight.”

　　“That girl just now…” Ling Hanlu's eyes searched for the girl with the neat bangs.

　　“Yeah, she came with me.”

　　“You both stayed here all night?”

　　“Of course. You gave us quite a scare yesterday.”

　　“Guess I have to admit I'm getting old. Can't push myself so hard anymore. Staying up all night shaves off years of life, haha…”

　　“You were poisoned.”

　　“Poi...soned?” Ling Hanlu became more alert. Her brain cells, dormant all night, suddenly sparked to life. “Specifically?”

　　“They found disinfectant compounds. A rare type here. The doctor said it was ingested, through the digestive tract.”

　　“Poisoned? A rare type here… could it be that an overseas organization is targeting me?” Ling Hanlu saw Gu Pan's worried face and tried to suppress her own doubts to comfort him first.

　　“If that were the case, they'd have taken you out in one go. Who has the patience to poison you slowly?” Gu Pan muttered, head down.

　　“I’m not even upset, so why are you? Lift your head and let me see!” Ling Hanlu stretched a weak hand from under the blanket.

　　“Miss Ling, I've been thinking all night. Could it be the imported ingredients I bought? Or maybe I accidentally spilled disinfectant into the food? I…” Gu Pan slowly lifted his head, meeting her weary eyes.

　　“Don’t overthink it. The dizziness and chest tightness didn't just start recently, it has nothing to do with you. Trust me.”

　　“Okay, I trust you.”

　　“Since it’s chronic poisoning, it means it accumulated over time and then suddenly flared up. Disinfectant, taken regularly… could I be sleepwalking and not know it? But there's no such rare disinfectant at my place!”

　　“Just focus on getting better first! Whatever the reason, we’ll be more careful with food from now on.” Seeing Ling Hanlu getting tangled in her thoughts, Gu Pan tried to change the subject, “Rest now!”

　　“Alright.” Ling Hanlu pulled her hand back under the blanket.

　　Gu Pan tucked the blanket around her and sat back down. Noticing the light falling across her eyelashes, he adjusted his chair to block the light with his body…

　　“Hey, Brother Gu Pan, I’m heading back to school now! Call me if you need anything! Bye!” Lu Yitong quickly said as she disappeared from the doorway, closing the door gently behind her.

　　"She..." Ling Hanlu motioned towards the door with her mouth, "that girl, what's her name?"

　　"Lu Yitong."

　　"Oh, that's a nice name. Does she like attending my classes?" Ling Hanlu still harbored doubts about the girl who had seemed like an adversary at first but had later become an auditor.

　　"She likes you. Really. She likes you as a person."

　　"That's quite rare." Ling Hanlu seemed to understand that unrequited love often turns to resentment. So when she said "rare," it also meant precious.

　　"Yeah, it's more than rare, it's a miracle."

　　"Oh. But yesterday, I let you down. I'm sorry." Ling Hanlu turned her face away, her eyes blinking rapidly due to dryness and the sudden recollection of unpleasant scenes.

　　"You're talking about the Maugham lecture?"

　　"Yes. Maugham. I prepared it just for you." Ling Hanlu's voice gradually faded, and her entire body sank into the blanket.

　　"The moment I saw the first slide of the PPT, I knew. That's why I was smiling until you fainted."

　　"It's a pity the best part hadn't even started yet..." Ling Hanlu then hid under the blanket in silence. The combination of physical discomfort and a touch of inner sorrow made her usually composed self tear up and sob. It was so unexpected! For her, such behavior was akin to losing control.

　　"Miss Ling, what's wrong? Where does it hurt? Your stomach? Should I call the doctor?" Gu Pan stood up.

　　"Don't go!" Ling Hanlu grabbed his wrist. She allowed herself to lose control once more.

　　At that moment, someone stopped outside the hospital room door. At first, they assumed it was just a patient or medical staff passing by and didn't pay much attention. But when the person walked away and then came back, lingering in front of the door for a long time, they realized this person was here for one of the three beds in this room.

　　After some hesitation, the person walked straight towards Ling Hanlu.

　　The approaching figure was a middle-aged woman. She walked up to Ling Hanlu's bed and only then removed her sunglasses. Even with her face revealed, she was still a stranger.

　　"Excuse me, are you looking for...?" Gu Pan gently placed Ling Hanlu's hand back under the blanket and covered her up.

　　"I'm looking for her. Could you please step outside?" The woman gestured towards the door, her voice slightly hoarse.

　　Ling Hanlu glanced at Gu Pan and nodded.

　　"Miss Ling, I'll be right outside. Call me if you need anything." The young man stepped aside, offering the wooden stool to the middle-aged lady.

　　"Hello! I'm sorry to intrude and disturb your rest."

　　"It's fine. Please, go ahead and say what you need to."

　　"Alright, thank you! First, I ask for your forgiveness. This matter is urgent." The woman looked around, uneasy about the enclosed space of Ling Hanlu's bed. She asked, "Can we draw the curtains?"

　　"Sure."

　　With the curtains drawn, the woman finally introduced herself. "My name is Wen Hui, and I'm Fang Yucheng's ex-wife."

　　As Wen Hui continued to speak, her information gradually began to shed light on the poisoning incident that had puzzled Ling Hanlu. It also triggered a shockwave within her — Fang Yucheng was the poisoner.

　　"I looked into your situation. The disinfectant... that man is truly incorrigible." The hoarse voice conveyed a mix of accusation and anger, making it all the more chilling. "Ah, the devil!"

　　"I don't get it."

　　"You're not his first victim. What he did to you is just another one of his old tricks. I'm sorry, I should have warned you sooner. Maybe then you wouldn't be here."

　　"Sooner?"

　　"Yes, a few months ago, I wrote you a letter telling you to stay away from Fang Yucheng. I didn't have your contact info and was worried about being too forward, so I sent that useless letter. Turns out, it really was useless."

　　"But why did you focus on me?"

　　"You two went to the New Year's Eve fireworks show together, right? I was there too and saw you with him. He called you Ling Hanlu..."

　　"Oh, that makes sense."

　　"I had a gut feeling back then that you might be his next target because you’re exactly his type."

　　"His type?"

　　"I apologize for unintentionally objectifying you..."

　　"No worries. But just because he's attracted to me, he hurts me?"

　　"Has Fang Yucheng ever praised you for being pure? Untouched by the world?"

　　"Let me think... yes, he has."

　　"He used to say the same thing about me."

　　"Oh... so what did he do to you?"

　　"What did he do... listen to my voice, how does it sound?" Wen Hui moved her chair closer. "Listen carefully."

　　"It sounds nice, very sexy and husky, like many Hollywood actresses..."

　　"Ha, but I used to be a soprano, a musical theater teacher. Now I can't sing anymore."

　　"The word 'musical' made Ling Hanlu's hair stand on end, dispelling her fatigue. 'Did you play Christine?'"

　　"Yes, in Phantom of the Opera. It was Fang Yucheng's favorite musical. Did he mention it to you?"

　　"He did. But why can't you sing anymore? Was it because of him?"

　　"He poured half a bottle of disinfectant down my throat. And that marked the end of my singing career."

　　Wen Hui explained that she used to work at University A, teaching musical theater and piano. For a while, a male student would come to her house on weekends for piano lessons. They spent hours in the piano room, and sometimes their laughter could be heard. Over time, Fang Yucheng became suspicious that they were having an affair.

　　One night, after failing to get answers from her, Fang Yucheng lost control, pried her mouth open, and poured disinfectant down her throat.

　　"I remember him saying that since I wouldn't admit it, he'd take matters into his own hands to 'purify' my inner circle... That's when I realized I was in deep trouble. Even though I managed to vomit, my throat felt like it was on fire. When he wasn't paying attention, I discreetly started recording on my phone. Later, I intentionally provoked him into saying some irrational things."

　　"You wanted proof?"

　　"Yes."

　　"But despite his current social status and academic achievements, he hasn't faced any consequences. Clearly, I let him off the hook."

　　"Destiny! The next morning, my mother-in-law called, saying she missed me. I lay in the hospital bed, putting on a brave face for the dear lady, even explaining away my hoarse voice as a result of a cold. His mother has been so kind to me. If she knew her son was such a psycho, she'd be livid."

　　"Later, we divorced, and finding a reason wasn't easy, right?"

　　"He told his family he was infertile and didn't want to hold me back. Ha, how noble, right? As for why I left the music industry, before meeting you, no one else knew. Afterward, I went abroad to study stage drama directing. I returned late last year and went to a fireworks display with friends, unexpectedly running into all of you. He used to call you Lin Hanlu, oh no, now I know, it's Ling Hanlu."

　　"So why are you here today?"

　　"I can't keep ignoring his misdeeds. My hesitation has already harmed you. I still have that recording from back then. If you can provide some useful physical evidence, who knows..."

　　"I'm not sure exactly how he poisoned me," Ling Hanlu shook her head. "He never physically harmed me."

　　"You've been poisoned over time. Think back, was there anything unusual about the food when you were together?"

　　Prompted by Wen Hui, Ling Hanlu recalled the wine-red porcelain cup with its lid always waiting for her, and those two boxes of unsealed floral and fruit teas.

　　"I think there might have been," Ling Hanlu shuddered. These past months, she had unknowingly borne the title of 'untainted' while Fang Yucheng purged her inner circle.

　　"Teacher Hanlu, I apologize again."

　　"...Wen Hui, were you the one in my class? The one in the corner with the fisherman's hat?"

　　"Yes, that was me. I feel guilty because I debated whether you were worth revealing my identity to."

　　"You were following me to assess me?"

　　"Yes. Looking back, I'm not much better than Fang Yucheng. I'm sorry!"

　　"Don't..." Ling Hanlu took a deep breath. "Wen Hui, you're a good person. Stay happy. After enduring such pain in the first half of your life, shouldn't the rest be treated with kindness?" She turned her palm up, where two words were written that only she could understand, a mutual encouragement.

　　"Okay." Wen Hui's eyes glistened with tears, gently clasping hands with the smiling woman on the hospital bed.

　　"Oh, before I forget, could you do me a favor? Fetch that guy outside. Ask him to take you to my place to get the herbal teas, in the kitchen, in the glass jars. Also, my thermos should be with him, it might be useful..."

　　"Got it."

　　Two minutes later, upon hearing Ling Hanlu's instructions, Gu Pan's face turned pale. Without waiting for Ling Hanlu to calm him down and advise him to stay calm and rational, he clenched his fists and led Wen Hui out of the hospital room.

　　Ling Hanlu briefly worried, but she trusted Gu Pan. Despite his fiery nature, he had a sense of propriety. She drifted off to sleep peacefully with that comforting thought.