She had to hold on tightly to Su Ning as her bargaining chip.

Today she had no schedules. Previously, Su Ning had told her he wanted to swim, and she had agreed. Today was just right to take him out.

Qin Shiyan told the maternity nanny and the bodyguard to wait outside the swimming facility. After all, this pool was one of the Su family’s properties — a private swimming hall where outsiders couldn’t enter freely, so there was no danger.

“Ningning, come here. Sister Yan will put on your float ring. After Sister Yan finishes swimming, I’ll teach you. You sit here by the poolside and watch me swim first.” Qin Shiyan had booked a private coach today; she came to swim mainly to maintain her figure.

“Okay.” Little Su Ning wore his tiny swim shorts and sat obediently at the edge of the pool, dangling his little feet in the water and kicking gently.

Qin Shiyan knew Su Ning was always easy to take care of. She had someone bring him a glass of juice, then she followed the private coach to the other side of the pool.

The coach was handsome, with a great figure, excellent swimming skills, and he was even a fan of Qin Shiyan. When Qin Shiyan met his infatuated gaze, she enjoyed it greatly.

Their occasional eye contact and brushes of skin made the water temperature gradually rise.

Then, neither of them knew how it happened — Qin Shiyan pulled the coach out of the pool and headed toward the changing room.

The car stopped outside the swimming facility. Su Ci saw the maternity nanny and the bodyguard sitting in the lobby and her gaze turned icy. “Where is my brother?”

“Miss.” The maternity nanny quickly stood up. “Miss Qin took the young master inside to swim.”

“Why didn’t you follow them inside!” Su Ci gritted her teeth and threw the words at them before running inside.

Su Ci had never been good at running. Before she transmigrated, she had a heart condition and couldn’t do strenuous exercise — running was impossible.

And this body clearly also rarely exercised. Su Ci felt as if she couldn’t run at all. Her breathing was rapid and uneven as she stumbled and shoved open the swimming hall door.

Her gaze fell on the pool — her eyes nearly tore apart.

Little Su Ning was struggling in the water, while there wasn’t a single person around. There was no trace of Qin Shiyan anywhere.

Su Ci rushed over and jumped straight into the pool without hesitation.

Behind her, the maternity nanny and bodyguard finally reacted. Seeing the scene before them, their hearts jolted in shock as they immediately ran to help.

Su Ci swam to her brother’s side and lifted his chubby little body.

“Don’t be afraid, Sister is here.” She held him tightly. The little guy had choked so much his face had turned pale, and his two small hands unconsciously clung to his sister.

Su Ci pushed him up to the side of the pool, where the bodyguard quickly picked him up. The maternity nanny grabbed a towel from a lounge chair and wrapped the young master up.

“Heavens, what happened? How did the young master start drowning? Where is Miss Qin?” The maternity nanny’s hands trembled as she wiped Su Ning’s body.

If Miss Su hadn’t rushed in at that moment, with such a large pool and only the young master inside, wouldn’t he have drowned for sure?

If something had happened to the young master — just thinking about how the Su family would pursue responsibility made her realize the consequences were far beyond what she could bear.

The maternity nanny thought this, her heart trembling as she wrapped Su Ning up. “Young master, are you alright? Does anything feel uncomfortable?”

Su Ci came up from the pool, not caring that she was soaked from head to toe. She quickly walked to her brother’s side. “Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

Little Su Ning cried with hiccups, his small face pale. In a milky voice, he said, “Ningning is a little scared.”

Su Ci examined her brother’s complexion. He must not have fallen into the pool for long. She had arrived just in time.

She wiped the tears from his face. “It’s okay now. From now on, little Su Ning will always be safe and sound, and live a long life.”

On Su Ning’s wrist, all the green life-value squares lit up.

Little Su Ning leaned against his sister dependently, still very frightened.

At this moment, the door of the changing room at the far end opened. Qin Shiyan and the private coach walked out.

There was still a hint of seductive smile on Qin Shiyan’s face, charm lingering at the corners of her eyes.

But the moment she saw several extra people in the swimming hall, the smile on her face froze abruptly.

Why was Su Ci here?

Her heart tightened sharply. Qin Shiyan hurried forward, asking in confusion, “Cici, why did you come?”

“Miss Qin, where did you go? You promised to watch over our young master, but you left him alone in the pool. Our young master almost had an accident!” The maternity nanny couldn’t hold back and immediately accused Qin Shiyan, indirectly telling Su Ci that Qin Shiyan had agreed to watch the child — and the young master’s accident was entirely because of her.

Only then did Qin Shiyan notice the pale face of Su Ning being held by Su Ci, fear lingering in his eyes, his whole body wrapped in a towel.

Even Su Ci herself was soaked.

“What happened to Ningning?” Qin Shiyan panicked and quickly stepped forward.

If anything happened to Su Ning, she and her family were finished!

“Get lost!” Su Ci snapped fiercely, slapping away the hand Qin Shiyan stretched toward them.

A sharp smack rang out, and Qin Shiyan winced in pain, instinctively furrowing her brows.

“Don’t touch my brother with your filthy hands.” Su Ci’s fair face was filled with icy coldness. Her black eyes stared at Qin Shiyan with cutting chill. “You brought my brother out, yet you didn’t watch him. Do you know he almost drowned in the pool just now?”

This woman had actually left little Su Ning alone so she could fool around with a man in the changing room?

Su Ci was so furious her heart felt like it was burning. Only she knew — if she hadn’t arrived, little Su Ning really would have died.

Qin Shiyan was shocked. She hurried to explain, “Cici, I didn’t know, I just left for a moment—”

Smack!

The sound was even louder and crisper.

Su Ci directly slapped Qin Shiyan across the face. “Shut up!”

She didn’t want to hear a single word of this woman’s nonsense.

Su Ci shot her a fierce glare, then struggled to lift little Su Ning into her arms and walked out.

Qin Shiyan froze on the spot, covering the cheek that had been slapped, utterly stunned.

Su Ci hit her?

In the past, Su Ci at most teased her or mocked her, but never laid a hand on her. And now, after losing her memory, Su Ci had become this forceful—she actually slapped her!

Qin Shiyan was furious and aggrieved.

“Are you alright?” The private coach, who had been standing beside her the entire time, didn’t dare interrupt. The other party had an imposing presence and an extraordinary aura—clearly not an ordinary person. As a mere coach, he didn’t dare defend Qin Shiyan.

Qin Shiyan’s face twisted with anger. “Get lost!”

Returning to the Su household, Su Mother had already come back.

Seeing her daughter and youngest son completely drenched, she hurried over in fright. “Cici, what happened? Why are the two of you soaked?”

Su Ci told someone to take little Su Ning upstairs to change immediately. “Mom, it’s fine now. I’ll go change first and explain later.”

“Alright, go quickly.” Su Mother ordered someone to make ginger soup at once. Even though it was the peak of summer, she was still worried her daughter and son would catch a chill.

After giving instructions, Su Mother had the nanny who was in charge today report everything that had happened.

By the time Su Ci changed out of her wet clothes and came back downstairs, she saw that rage filled Su Mother’s well-maintained face.

“Cici, come sit by Mommy.” Su Mother pressed down her anger and patted Su Ci’s hand. “Thankfully you got there in time. Otherwise Ningning, he…”

Just the thought of what might have happened to her youngest son made her unable to keep calm.

“Mom, I don’t know what my relationship with Qin Shiyan was like before I lost my memory, but right now, I really hate her.” Su Ci was never the type to hide her feelings.

She truly disliked Qin Shiyan.

“Mommy knows.” Even if Su Ci didn’t say so, based on today’s events alone, she would absolutely hold Qin Shiyan accountable.

She turned to the butler and instructed, “From now on, Qin Shiyan is not allowed to freely enter or leave the Su household. Publicly clarify that she has no connection to the Su family.”

The butler quickly responded. Madam was angry—this meant Qin Shiyan could no longer rely on the Su family.

Su Ci heard her mother’s decision and did not interfere.

Even though she hadn’t interacted much with Qin Shiyan, she knew the woman was full of schemes. To get rid of such a petty person was a good thing.

After chatting with Su Mother for a while, Su Ci returned to her room. Having saved little Su Ning, she could finally breathe in relief.

Su Ci lay back on her bed just as a new message came in—it was from Shen Xue.

Anything from Shen Xue was definitely about Lu Zhe.

She quickly opened it.

Shen Xue had sent a photo — in it, Lu Zhe was entering a hospital.

Tool-person Shen Xue: I was afraid Lu Zhe would notice me following him, so I didn’t go in.

Su Ci: Thank you.

Why would Lu Zhe go to a hospital? Was he sick?

Su Ci frowned slightly. Then she remembered Lu Zhe’s ALS. He was probably there for an examination or follow-up.

She didn’t know what his physical condition was like now. Previously, he had eaten four golden cotton candies — how long could they last?

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

At the hospital.

Lu Zhe had come to get medication. His previous prescription had already run out.

He told the doctor that the numbness in his hands and feet, as well as the muscle twitching, had lessened — could it mean his condition had improved?

The doctor looked at the examination report in his hand. He knew this young man had always cooperated earnestly with treatment, and he didn’t want to crush his hope. But ALS was a chronic, fatal neurodegenerative disease, and at present there was simply no cure.

Many ALS patients died three to five years after symptoms appeared.

A small number could persist up to ten years.

Seeing the faint hope inside the boy’s pitch-black eyes, the doctor couldn’t bear it. “Continue cooperating with the treatment.”

Lu Zhe’s gaze darkened. He took the examination report. “Mm.”

After walking out of the hospital, Lu Zhe received a video call from the girl.

“Lu Zhe, I’m really angry today.” On the screen appeared a face that was excessively fair.

Lu Zhe walked to a shaded spot under a roadside tree. His cold, rigid face carried a faint expression, but his cool voice held a trace of gentleness. “What happened?”

Su Ci huffed angrily as she told Lu Zhe what had happened today. “My little brother almost wasn’t here anymore.”

Lu Zhe listened quietly to the girl’s account. “Are you and your brother both alright now?”

“It’s fine now.” Su Ci lay prone on her bed. She had changed into a white dress earlier; the neckline was a bit low, and lying down like this revealed a wide expanse of pale skin.

“Sit properly.” Lu Zhe turned his gaze away.

Of course Su Ci wouldn’t listen to him. She looked at Lu Zhe turning his face aside, his ear facing the camera, the small mole on his earlobe clearly visible — she had even kissed it before.

“Lu Zhe, I miss you.” The girl was overly straightforward. “Do you want me to come find you? I have something good for you.”

Today she had gotten another golden cotton candy.

Lu Zhe tightened his grip on the report in his hand. The sunset filtered through the branches and fell across his shoulder. He said in a low voice, “I don’t want you to.”