Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
As a result, Gu Nianzhi didn’t notice that it wasn’t her own card and signed her name. Reinitz didn’t make a single sound and acted as if nothing happened. When the associate brought the card back, Reinitz got to it first and grabbed it, then he exchanged Gu Nianzhi’s credit card with his. He returned it to her.
Concerning Gu Nianzhi signing for the bill, as long as Reinitz wasn’t against it, no one would investigate. The credit card company would only reject a signature that Reinitz didn’t recognize.
The moment the bag was bought, Reinitz took it out of the dustproof bag. He then took the trademark tag off and put the stuff from the black plastic bag that Gu Nianzhi was carrying into the new designer bag. Gu Nianzhi swung the bag over her left shoulder. It matched her dress very well. Reinitz was happy and could take her to Saint Joseph’s hospital to see Mother Hanna.
The two took a taxi. They arrived at the hospital’s entrance, and after getting out of the taxi, Gu Nianzhi raised her head and looked at the big hospital building. She asked Reinitz nonchalantly, “Why did you take a taxi if you had this much money?”
Reinitz shrugged, not minding it a bit and said, “I wanted to keep this from you, but you found out. I will get someone to drive my car over in a bit.”
Gu Nianzhi was very angry. “I found out? Can you be any more fake?” She saw Reinitz as a friend who had gone through water and fire with her. Even if he did hide something from her, it was undeniable that he had saved her life. But did he have to hide this secret in plain sight?
Reinitz was amused. He leaned toward her a bit and said in a gentlemanly way, “I was wrong, Cereus. Don’t be angry.”
Gu Nianzhi licked her lips and thought about it. What was there to be discontent about? She also hid many things from him… “I’m not angry. Let’s go see Mother Hanna.” Gu Nianzhi wanted to drop the topic. She urged him to quickly go inside the hospital to see his mother.
Reinitz took her with him into the hospital. He found Mother Hanna’s room. It was also a private room, but it was not as big as Gu Nianzhi’s. It was also not as fancy. The design was very normal. Mother Hanna was sleeping on the bed in the middle of the room. Her wrist and forehead were covered with bandages.
Gu Nianzhi felt terrible. She whispered to Reinitz, “Didn’t you say Mother Hanna was ok?” This was ok? It was obvious that she was hurt.
Reinitz shrugged. “It’s only some small wounds. She got burned in the big fire, but it’s not severe.”
Gu Nianzhi looked at him. She walked over to Mother Hanna’s bedside and stretched out her hand. Only after feeling her warm hands could she sigh in relief. Maybe it was her movements that startled Mother Hanna, but Mother Hanna opened her eyes and saw Gu Nianzhi right away. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Then she saw Reinitz behind Gu Nianzhi, and immediately smiled and said, “Reinitz, you are here?”
Reinitz walked up to her. He casually placed one of his hands on Gu Nianzhi’s shoulder and said, “Mother Hanna, are you feeling better?”
Mother Hanna nodded. “I’m fine, but the doctor just won’t let me leave. Tell them I want to go home.”
“Stay a couple more days. Let’s talk about it again when your wounds are healed.” Reinitz folded the edge of the blanket and said, “This is Cereus. Don’t you remember, Mother Hanna?”
“Ah? She’s Cereus?” Mother Hanna said in surprise. She stretched her hand toward Gu Nianzhi. “Quick, come to Mother Hanna’s side. I didn’t know you would look so beautiful in a dress. Mother Hanna totally didn’t recognize you.”
Gu Nianzhi smiled as she walked over and said, “I thought you forgot about me. I was gonna cry.”
“No way! I even asked Reinitz over the phone how you were doing. Reinitz told me you were fine and that you were with him. I only relaxed after hearing that.” When she finished talking, she looked at Gu Nianzhi with playful eyes that said, I understand…
Gu Nianzhi was speechless. Mother Hanna, don’t think too much!
Reinitz smiled as he stood to the side. He took his hand off of Gu Nianzhi’s shoulder and put his hands inside his pants pockets. “A couple days ago, Cereus was… unconscious. She said she wanted to see Mother Hanna the moment she woke up today.”
“You really are a good girl.” Mother Hanna was extremely happy. She held onto Gu Nianzhi’s hand and would not let go. “Cereus, how’s your body? You need to take good care of yourself.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry, Mother Hanna. I’m all better now.” Gu Nianzhi smiled, patting her hand. “After seeing that you’re fine today, I can now relax. Even if I went home, I’d be at peace.”
Hearing Gu Nianzhi say she wanted to go home made Mother Hanna’s heart instantly palpitate with fear. She quickly looked at Reinitz. She pursed her lips and then smiled when she saw Reinitz looking unconcerned. She said to Gu Nianzhi, “Is Berlin bad? Is Reinitz bad? How about staying in Berlin for a couple more days? I can accompany you around Berlin. Wait ’til Mother Hanna gets better.”
Gu Nianzhi thanked her with a smile but tactfully said, “Mother Hanna, I’ve already stayed too long. If I don’t go back soon, my family will worry.”
“That’s true.” Mother Hanna looked very disappointed, but she still let go of Gu Nianzhi’s hand and nodded. “I know family is really important.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t know what to say. At that moment, a nurse pushed the door open and came in. “The patient needs an injection. Anyone who is not allowed to be here please leave for a few minutes.”
Reinitz held Gu Nianzhi’s hand as he took her out of Mother Hanna’s room and waited in the corridor. The two said nothing as they looked out the window. After a long time, Reinitz finally said, “Do you really need to go?”
Gu Nianzhi nodded and tactfully said, “Yes, I’ve been gone for too long. If I don’t go back, my family will worry.”
“Really?” There was not a trace of a smile on Reinitz’s face. He cast a sidelong glance at her. He had such a complex look in his eyes. “Let’s talk about it again when you’ve fully recovered. Aren’t you afraid of these people coming to kill you again since you came out so suddenly?”
Of course Gu Nianzhi was afraid, but should she hide and not go back just because she was afraid? Most definitely not. But what Reinitz said made sense. She couldn’t be too stubborn. If she left Germany too soon, she would end up being caught by those people again. No matter what, Reinitz was still a gentleman. He was a hundred times better than Seth, that bastard.
Gu Nianzhi closed her eyes and thought about it for a moment. She hesitantly said, “Then what should I do? I really want to go home.”
“How about this. First, you will stay until you are fully recovered, and when you are completely recovered, I will take you home. Okay?” Reinitz’s expression softened, and his face didn’t look as cold as before.
Gu Nianzhi knew very well that she couldn’t go against Reinitz, so she obediently nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Reinitz.”
“Good girl.” Reinitz patted her head. He stopped patting her head when the door opened behind him. He turned around and saw that the nurse who had given Mother Hanna the injection had come out.
Once again, Reinitz took Gu Nianzhi back to Mother Hanna’s room. Mother Hanna looked very tired. She laid on the bed looking very sleepy. Seeing that Reinitz had brought Gu Nianzhi in, Mother Hanna smiled and nodded at them, and spoke nearly unintelligibly, “You guys keep each other company. I need to sleep for a while.” The moment she finished talking, she fell asleep.
After Gu Nianzhi and Reinitz said their farewells to Mother Hanna, Reinitz took her back to Charite Hospital. When they left St. Joseph’s, Reinitz did not ask someone to drive his car over. He called for a taxi, and Gu Nianzhi didn’t say anything. It had been a joke to begin with. She wasn’t going to let this little thing get to her.
…
The two of them returned to Charite Hospital. Gu Nianzhi obediently went back to her room to sleep while waiting for those doctors who came by three times a day, every day, to check in on her. All her vitals were perfect.
Two days later, the doctors mentioned wanting to do a blood test on Gu Nianzhi again. Reinitz wasn’t there this time. Gu Nianzhi had to face three overly excited doctors alone who treated her like a lab rat. Gu Nianzhi was in a very bad mood. She wrapped a blanket around herself tightly with only her head showing. She said loudly, “Go away! I am all better! I don’t want my blood drawn!”
“It’s only a routine blood test. It won’t hurt. If you’re afraid of the pain, I will give you anesthesia!” A man in his forties held a big needle in his hand rapaciously. The needle looked like the kind of needle one would use to administer an animal tranquilizer. He stretched his hand out to pull the blanket away from her.
Gu Nianzhi became very angry. She kicked upward from inside the blanket and held onto that doctor’s left hand, then she used her arm to grab the big needle in his right hand. She suddenly pushed it down into his body!
That doctor let out a horrific shriek. He was pierced by the tranquilizer shot that was in his own hand. The pain caused his fingers to recoil as half of the tranquilizer in the needle went through his body. His horrific shriek came to an abrupt stop. His whole body recoiled as he fell to the floor and laid there, motionless.
The other two doctors, who were a bit older, watched Gu Nianzhi and the doctor struggle. They stayed far away and were too scared to help. Gu Nianzhi took this opportunity to run to the window ledge with bare feet. One hand grabbed onto the window frame, while the other hand was propped up against the window ledge. One of her feet was already dangling outside the window.
Gu Nianzhi took a look outside the window and immediately felt dizzy. Her room was on the 18th floor! “If you guys come any closer, I will jump down from here! I will really do it!” Gu Nianzhi’s stubborn spirit surfaced. There was no room for negotiation. She stared at the window ledge with big eyes. Her long hair hanging down her back fluttered in every direction. Her small, pale face was whiter than her patient gown!
The two older doctors got really scared. They waved their hands frantically, telling her to get down in German. Gu Nianzhi could only understand a couple of sentences, but she still said, “You guys get out! Get out quickly!” in English.
The two bodyguards heard the commotion, and immediately took their guns out and aimed them at Gu Nianzhi after pushing the door open. Gu Nianzhi was so angry that she laughed. She stood up on the window ledge and said very loudly, “Go ahead! Shoot me! If you don’t, I am gonna jump down from here!”
The two doctors became really worried and threw themselves at the two bodyguards. They grabbed the two bodyguards’ shoulders and said, “You are not allowed to fire! You are not allowed to fire! She is very valuable! You most definitely are not allowed to fire!”
The two bodyguards quickly said, “Let go! An accidental discharge could happen easily like this!”
Bang!
During the conversation, one of the bodyguard’s guns went off and hit the leg of the doctor laying on the floor. However, even with this type of gun wound, the doctor just laid there without moving.
Gu Nianzhi was secretly scared when she saw that. This tranquilizer was too strong, she thought. If she had let them give her the shot, she… She shivered and felt that death would be better than that.
The moment the gun went off, more people rushed into the room. Reinitz was the last person to come in. He had only gone out for a meeting. On his way back, he went to a four-star Michelin restaurant in Berlin to buy some delicious white sausage, only to see Gu Nianzhi’s room in chaos.
He saw Gu Nianzhi standing on the window ledge in her room when he looked in. The window was very high, about half of the wall’s height. Gu Nianzhi stood there with her white patient gown puffing up as the wind blew. Her long black hair hung against the gown. Her bare feet were like white jade as she stood on the window ledge made of black marble, like a broad-leaved epiphyllum that had bloomed on a black pedestal. He was worried upon seeing her.
“Get out.” Reinitz didn’t have time to put down the box of food that was in his hands when he loudly berated them. The moment they heard his voice, all the bodyguards left. Only the two older doctors and the middle-aged doctor lying there on the floor were left.
“You guys get out, too,” Reinitz told them in German. He even kicked the middle-aged doctor on the floor. “Take him with you.”
The two older doctors looked at each other. They didn’t dare go against Reinitz’s directive. Huffing and puffing, they carried out the middle-aged doctor who had carelessly injected himself with the tranquilizer.
Reinitz put down the box of food in his hand and kicked the door with the back of his foot. It closed with a bang. He walked toward the window ledge step by step while holding out both of his hands to Gu Nianzhi. His voice was extremely gentle. “Come, Cereus, come over here.”
Gu Nianzhi refused as she clung to the window ledge. Tears were forming in her black eyes as she stubbornly held her head high and said to Reinitz, “If you guys want to draw my blood again, I will jump down from here!”
Reinitz stared into Gu Nianzhi’s eyes unwaveringly as he walked steadily toward her. He stretched out his left hand to her, and his voice was even more gentle. “Don’t be afraid, I promise no one is going to draw your blood again. When did Reinitz ever lie to you?”
Gu Nianzhi was speechless. She stared blankly at Reinitz. She opened her mouth but was afraid to say anything. She could only rely on Reinitz in this place. Although he was not that much better than those people, as long as he was better by a bit, she would listen to him.
Reinitz finally stopped walking when he got to the window with his hands still stretched out. “Cereus, come down.”
Gu Nianzhi started to cry, and she slowly let go of the window frame. Reinitz took a step forward, held onto her waist, and pulled her down from the window ledge. He held her close to his chest and patted her back lightly to calm her down little by little. He carried her to the bed, pulled the blanket over her, and said, “I am going to close the window. It’s getting cold. You will catch a cold from the wind.”
Gu Nianzhi looked as he walked toward the window ledge. He locked the window with a click. She closed her eyes. She knew Reinitz had tightly locked the window.
Reinitz caressed her long hair as his dark blue eyes stared into her black big eyes. His facial expression was soft and gentle, and looked as if he found her hard to part with. However, his voice was a bit tense, “Promise me, you will never do something so dangerous again.”
Gu Nianzhi leaned against the pillow looking completely disheartened. “No, I can’t promise you that, unless you let me go.”
Reinitz’s hand stopped for a moment, and he slowly took it away. His voice became composed. “Of course you can go, but it has to be after you are all better.”
“I am better!” Gu Nianzhi said impatiently. “Reinitz, I beg you! Let me go!”
“I… will try.” Reinitz saw her mixed feelings and stood up. He immediately turned around and left Gu Nianzhi’s room.
However, outside of Gu Nianzhi’s room there were even more bodyguards than before. Now there were eight people patrolling outside of her room every day, and they were all fully equipped with guns. Those doctors who wanted to test her blood also stopped coming.
Gu Nianzhi was alone in her room. She couldn’t do anything but read the newspapers and books that they got for her… She couldn’t go online, make phone calls, watch television, or even go shopping.
Her rosy face had become paler, and it was apparent to naked eye. She didn’t eat much and had become skinnier. Even the smallest patient gown on her body looked like there was nothing underneath. It seemed as though the wind could blow her away.
Gu Nianzhi racked her brain as she thought of ways to get out of that room, but the window had been sealed tight. There were eight bodyguards who took turns guarding her outside her room 24 hours a day. Besides Reinitz, no one else came to see her.
Seeing that Reinitz kept her company every day, Gu Nianzhi asked him with curiosity, “Reinitz, don’t you need to go to work?”
Reinitz remained silent.
“You quit? Really?” she asked with suspicion. She was a bit doubtful. “What did you do for a living?” Reinitz really did come there every day to keep her company. When would he have time to work?
“I was a computer software engineer. Now I’m…” Reinitz looked at her with a smile. “Cereus’ full time caregiver.”
Gu Nianzhi licked her lips and mumbled, “Who would believe that?” But she did not continue to argue with Reinitz. She had her doubts, but right now, she was unfamiliar with the place and the people. Reinitz had saved her life before, and being with him was safer than being with other people. At least with Reinitz here, she didn’t have to worry about people with huge veterinary needles trying to give her shots.
That day, after finishing her breakfast, she once again picked up a German dictionary and compared it with a big volume of German law. Reinitz had told her the day before that he needed to help Mother Hanna with the discharge procedures. He legitimately had to take her back home. He didn’t come back the whole night.
Someone suddenly opened the door. Several men in black German military uniforms walked in. The last person who walked into the room wore knee-high boots. He was tall, but his cold, handsome face was much more cunning than Reinitz’s. He looked very sinister. This person’s shoulders had silver epaulettes, three stars with four corners, and a silver wreath ornament. The other people had yellow epaulettes with two silver arrows in the middle. The one with three stars on the shoulders must have been their boss.
