Wind und Rauch

Kapitel 24

"Go back, you'll disturb Yin'er if you keep doing this."

Ouyang Tianyu knew that no matter what he said, his elder brother wouldn't listen, so he gave up on persuading him to rest and turned to leave, but his brother called him back:

"Tianyu, did Yin'er say anything before she left?"

Yes, but I can't tell you. Ouyang Tianyu thought to himself, he couldn't very well say that his sister-in-law hadn't mentioned him at all before she left. Looking at his brother's expectant face, he finally couldn't help but say, "My sister-in-law said... that you should take good care of yourself."

"Is that so?" Ouyang Tianyun chuckled lightly. Although he knew in his heart that she couldn't possibly say that, he still couldn't help but believe Tianyu's words.

Ouyang Tianyu didn't say anything more, but silently left the mourning hall.

A few days later, Su Yuyin was buried. During this time, Ouyang Tianyun showed no sign of grief, making it impossible to tell whether he was happy or sad. Only he knew what her death meant to him. Although she had often said she would never love him, she was still by his side. Now, his life had lost its sunshine, leaving only a lifeless heart…

As for Xiangmei and Xiaolin, Ouyang Tianyun showed no personal feelings and disregarded the Ouyang family's reputation, handing the two women over to the authorities. Within a few days, the case was closed; Xiangmei and Xiaolin were sentenced to death and to be executed in the autumn. The matter finally came to an end.

One day, when the gatekeeper opened the gate, he found Ouyang Tianlin collapsed at the entrance. Terrified, he couldn't speak, thinking he'd seen a ghost. He stood there stunned for a long time before scrambling into the village, shouting, "A ghost! A ghost!" Finally, Ouyang Tianyun couldn't bear their wailing any longer and went outside. He was also shocked. Tianlin? Wasn't he burned to death? Why was he lying there unharmed? Tianlin's explanation was that her sister-in-law had seen through Xiangmei's intentions and had her rescued, allowing her to return safely. As for who had cured her, she had no idea.

Ouyang Tianyun couldn't help but feel happy that his sister had returned alive. If only his own Yin'er could also miraculously return like that...

A ward in the 21st Century Hospital

Mrs. Shen came in with a basin and a thermos, placed the basin on a stool, poured water, and carefully wiped her daughter's face. Shen Jie had been in a coma for six months, and even the doctors shook their heads, saying there was little hope. But Mrs. Shen firmly believed that her daughter would wake up one day. Every day, she tirelessly turned her daughter over and massaged her, and she would often ask her husband and son to come to the hospital to talk to her, hoping it would help Shen Jie recover.

“Xiao Jie, when I came to the hospital today, I ran into Xiao Qiao’s mother from next door. She said that Xiao Qiao gave birth yesterday to a big, healthy boy. Her whole family is overjoyed…” Shen’s mother told her unconscious daughter what had just happened while wiping her hands.

Suddenly, she noticed her daughter's finger twitch. Could that mean...? A great hope ignited in Shen's mother's heart.

Hmm… Shen Jie tried to make a sound. She opened her eyes with difficulty and saw a room full of white. Was this heaven? She remembered being poisoned and stabbed. She should be in heaven now, right?!

"Xiao Jie, Xiao Jie, wake up, it's your mother."

Mom? She thought she heard her mother's voice. But the pungent smell of medicine told her that she had returned to the 21st century. She suddenly closed her eyes, then opened them again. She saw her mother's kind face, looking at her with excited eyes.

"Mom..." she called out hoarsely, her throat burning with pain.

"That's wonderful, Xiaojie! Do you know you've been in a coma for half a year... You've finally woken up! That's great! Is anything bothering you?" Mrs. Shen was so excited she didn't know what to do.

"Mom, I..."

Before she could finish speaking, Shen's mother had already run out; she needed to find a doctor first.

Half a year? She's been there for half a year? Shen Jie stared at the snow-white ceiling. It seemed she had returned to her own time, to her own body. Everything that had happened in the past six months felt like a very long dream. Even she herself couldn't be sure if it had really happened. If it was just a dream, then why did it feel so real...?

Before anyone knew it, Ms. Shen had arrived at the ward with a large group of doctors. They performed various examinations on her, and apart from some phlegm in her throat, everything else was normal. She could be discharged after a few more days of observation. Ms. Shen was overjoyed and shed tears of happiness. The attending physician nodded repeatedly in praise, calling it a miracle. Later that evening, Mr. Shen and his brother, Shen Hao, also arrived.

"Xiao Jie, do you know what I mean? I got a call from your mother. She told me Xiao Jie woke up. I was so happy!" Mr. Shen said, holding his daughter's hand, his eyes red.

"Yes, your older brother dropped out of an important meeting to come here," Shen Hao said happily, affectionately ruffling his younger sister's hair.

"Alright, you haven't eaten for so many days, have some fruit first." Shen's mother carried a plate of fruit and squeezed in front of her daughter (because the "good spots" in front were taken by the father and son). She fed small pieces of fruit to Shen Jie.

"Thank you, Mom," Shen Jie mumbled. It felt so good to be home, with her parents loving her and her brother doting on her. Unlike in the Song Dynasty, she had no one to talk to. The man who claimed to love her had hit her twice. The only thing that made her happy was meeting Ouyang Tianyu, a like-minded friend. But she would never have the chance to see him again. What a pity.

"Xiao Jie? Xiao Jie? What are you thinking about?"

Shen Hao's voice pulled her thoughts back from the Song Dynasty. Shen Jie noticed three pairs of eyes staring at her, and she chuckled dryly. "I was wondering how that case from last time went? Was Weiming injured?" She couldn't very well tell them that her soul had drifted to the Song Dynasty and entered the body of that young master's wife, could she? If she did, they might think she was out of her mind and drag her into some neurosurgeon's office for a thorough examination... Wow, how terrifying!

“Your deputy captain is fine, and the case is closed, so don’t worry about it,” Shen’s mother replied. Her daughter’s injury had really frightened her. She still felt the heartache when she saw her daughter covered in blood. “Xiao Jie, listen to your mother. This job is too dangerous. You should quit. Let your brother find you a more stable job.”

“Yes, you speak foreign languages, right? How about finding a translation job?” Mr. Shen chimed in, frantically winking at his son.

"Dad, Mom, no! I love this job!" Shen Jie resolutely rejected her parents' suggestion. She loved her job, even though it was life-threatening, because it helped people get rid of harm, so everything she did was worth it.

“What you say is useless, Xiaojie won’t give up.” Shen Hao winked at his sister. He knew her stubbornness; even if it meant her death, she wouldn’t give up this job.

As expected, Shen Hao was met with disapproving looks from his parents as soon as he spoke.

"Why are you always dragging your parents down? She's your sister, you should at least try to persuade her." Mrs. Shen was dissatisfied with her son's behavior.

"mom--"

The knocking on the door interrupted their argument. Shen Hao went to speak and found it was several leaders from the police station. They had received a call from the hospital saying that Shen Jie had woken up, so they rushed over to visit her.

In order not to disturb Shen Jie's rest, they only exchanged a few pleasantries with Shen Jie's family before leaving.

A week later, Shen Jie was discharged from the hospital and returned to her job. At first, her parents were very opposed, but in the end they couldn't persuade her otherwise and had to agree.

Chapter Thirteen

One year later

Shen Jie received a notice from her superiors, asking her to go to Japan to assist the Japanese police in investigating a transnational smuggling ring case. Time was of the essence, and she had to leave immediately. Her superiors gave her an hour to go home and pack some simple clothes, and then she was to go directly to the airport to wait for orders.

On her way home, Shen Jie called her mother and asked her to prepare some clothes and other daily necessities for her. Half an hour later, Shen Jie returned home and saw her usual suitcase in the living room. She knew her mother had already prepared everything for her.

"Xiao Jie, didn't you just come back from America? Why are you going to Japan again?" As soon as Shen's mother saw her daughter return, she hurriedly pulled her aside and asked.

"Mom, this is an order from above, I have no choice." Shen Jie picked up the juice on the coffee table and took a couple of sips. She knew her mother had prepared it for her. She put the glass back on the coffee table, picked up her suitcase, and said, "I have to go, I'm running late."

"Xiao Jie!" Shen's mother called out from behind her daughter. For some reason, her eyelids had been twitching non-stop since she woke up this morning. Her daughter had just called to say that she was going to Japan to investigate a case, and she was flustered and even accidentally broke a cup.

"Mom, don't worry, I'll take good care of myself." Shen Jie turned around and hugged her mother. She knew what her mother was worried about. "I will definitely come back safely."

"Xiao Jie, you must be careful when you're traveling alone. Call me back when you get to Japan, okay?" Shen's mother couldn't help but remind her daughter. No matter how capable her children are outside, they will always be children in their parents' eyes.