Acknowledgement

Time slowly passed, hour by hour, its leisureliness making people even more anxious, wishing they could make it pass quickly, but only able to silently endure. Lying on the hospital bed, Bai Lin stared blankly at the scenery outside the window, calling Chi Thanh's name countless times in her heart.

Three days had passed since she was rescued from the deserted island. In these past days, apart from wandering around the room, she had never stepped out the door. She also didn't proactively visit Chi Thanh, nor did she ask Lu Wei Lai about the other's condition. It was as if there was no relationship between them.

Bai Lin didn't know why it had turned out this way. That day, they had clearly confessed their feelings and acknowledged that they wanted to be together. Was it because of the extreme danger that Chi Thanh spoke nonsense?

Just as Bai Lin was lost in thought, the room door slowly opened, and a figure dressed in hospital blue approached, but stopped at the doorway instead of coming towards her. This person had a patient's pale face, and the left shoulder of her outer garment was noticeably higher than the right. She was Chi Thanh.

"What are you thinking about?"
Looking at Bai Lin's dazed and lost expression, Chi Thanh finally couldn't help but speak.

Suddenly hearing Chi Thanh's voice, her body trembled slightly, and she sharply turned her head towards the sound, seeing Chi Thanh slowly approaching her, with eyes filled with dissatisfaction and confusion.
Bai Lin didn't expect Chi Thanh to proactively come looking for her, seeing the other party clearly walking with difficulty. She instinctively wanted to stand up and help Chi Thanh, but forgot that she herself had an injured left arm, and her right arm still ached dully, causing Bai Lin to fall back onto the bed as soon as she stood up, her eyes helplessly looking over at Chi Thanh standing beside her.

"Why so careless? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Bai Lin was startled by the question; Chi Thanh also didn't expect that someone as steady as Bai Lin would sometimes lose her reason. Seeing the other person avoid her gaze, like a child who made a mistake, afraid of being scolded by adults, Chi Thanh couldn't help but feel helpless. She gently pulled a chair to the bedside, glaring at Bai Lin.

After only three days apart, Chi Thanh felt that the distance between herself and Bai Lin, which they had struggled so hard to close, now seemed vast again. People often say that true friendship is seen in adversity. Although Chi Thanh knew Bai Lin could sacrifice everything for her, when she witnessed Bai Lin using her own blood to sustain her life, the level of extreme fear she felt was more intense than ever before.

Bai Lin was very thin; there wasn't much flesh on her body. She was also very quiet; if you didn't ask, she would absolutely not initiate conversation. She was just such a person, having been by your side since childhood, always enduring your harm, and even as she grew up, she remained by your side, protecting you. Bai Lin had dedicated all her most beautiful years to her. From the age of 3 to 22, even though there was a period when she left, this feeling never changed, lasting until now.

She owed Bai Lin too much, and now she had no way to leave this person. What if they were mother and daughter? What if society criticized? They didn't need anyone's blessings, and certainly didn't need anyone's approval. Chi Thanh only wanted to use all her strength, use the rest of her life to protect the woman in front of her. To be both a mother and a lover.

"I'm sorry."
Hearing Chi Thanh's words, Bai Lin lowered her gaze and said in a low voice.

Chi Thanh was no stranger to Bai Lin's demeanor. Before, she felt that Bai Lin did this to deliberately reject or show dissatisfaction towards her. Only now did she realize that Bai Lin avoided her gaze out of shyness.
"If you didn't do anything wrong, you don't need to apologize. Wei Lai said your body is much worse than before, and you had to stay in Germany for two months; it must have been very difficult?"
Looking at Bai Lin's sunken cheeks, Chi Thanh's heart ached, and she asked worriedly. These past two days, she had constantly asked Wei Lai about Bai Lin's illness, but the answers were always perfunctory.

Chi Thanh also knew that Bai Lin's body was so weak, and she was certainly partly to blame. Thinking of all the things she had done to Bai Lin, each time this memory resurfaced, her mood became extremely uncomfortable because she herself had caused this person such suffering.

Being asked about the situation in Germany caught Bai Lin a bit by surprise. How did she live in Germany? Perhaps there was no way to describe those hardships. Her body was uncomfortable, her longing for Chi Thanh, and the jealousy of everyone in the organization. And now, the woman sitting opposite her asked how she had fared.
"No. I feel very good."
Bai Lin said these words with an extremely pale appearance; perhaps she had used all her strength to open her mouth.
"If you truly felt good, then we wouldn't need to be meeting here."
Bai Lin, what exactly are you trying to hide? Do you want to appear strong?

"I truly don't understand what you mean."
Suddenly hearing Chi Thanh say that, Bai Lin could only feign ignorance to cope. She knew exactly what she was saying, yet couldn't articulate what was wrong with her.
"I feel a bit tired."
Chi Thanh couldn't get angry at Bai Lin's feigned ignorance; she could only say she was tired.
"Mm. Your wound hasn't healed yet; you should rest more."
Hearing Chi Thanh's intention to leave, a trace of dimness appeared in Bai Lin's eyes. In fact, she still wanted to play dumb with this person for a while longer, as they didn't have much time together after all.
"Move over to that side and lie down."

Chi Thanh said these words with ten parts command, and the content made Bai Lin even more incomprehensible. She didn't understand why the other party told her to lie on that side, but seeing Chi Thanh's serious expression, she didn't dare to delay, obediently moving over. Unexpectedly, no sooner had she moved than Chi Thanh lay down right beside her at lightning speed.
"You..."

A single "you" was uttered without a follow-up word; Bai Lin frowned, looking at the person lying beside her, completely disregarding everyone. At this moment, she couldn't understand Chi Thanh's behavior. This behavior was fundamentally not Chi Thanh's style, but more precisely, an overbearing and somewhat childish act.
"What's wrong...?"
Seeing Bai Lin's hesitant expression, Chi Thanh found it very interesting, and her mood also improved considerably.
"I'm afraid I'll bump into your wound, and this bed is small; with two people, I..."
"This will be better."

Chi Thanh didn't wait for Bai Lin to finish speaking but slipped her arm under her neck, letting Bai Lin's head rest on her shoulder. Surprised by the intimate action, Bai Lin was flustered, not knowing where to put her hands. She also didn't know what Chi Thanh was thinking. While she was still hesitating, she felt warmth on her head; it turned out Chi Thanh was rubbing her chin against her hair.
"Do you still remember what I told you on the island?"

As Chi Thanh spoke, she noticed that the person lying in her arms had stiffened all over. She had proactively brought up the matter on the island, which Bai Lin hadn't expected. She had once thought that what happened on the island was merely Chi Thanh speaking nonsense out of extreme fear. But right now, at this moment, in a completely quiet place, hearing Chi Thanh mention this again, Bai Lin didn't know what to say.
"I know you still remember, you just don't dare to bring it up! Why are you so afraid of me after all? Or rather, have I hurt you too many times that you don't believe what I said on the island is true?"
"I... I don't know."

As intelligent as Bai Lin was, how could she not understand the meaning in Chi Thanh's words? By her side, their eyes met, Bai Lin pinched her thigh to prove that she truly wasn't dreaming. Could it be that her long-cherished dream had finally come true?
Seeing the confusion in Bai Lin's eyes, Chi Thanh's heart ached, making her feel even more remorseful and self-reproaching. Looking at the other's gaze fixed on her, her dark pupils reflecting her face, it was as if only she existed in the other's world; though that world was small, it allowed no one else to intrude.

Unable to restrain herself, Chi Thanh proactively embraced Bai Lin tightly, raising her right arm to caress the other's slender back, and gently brushed kisses onto her dark hair.
"Bai Lin, what I said, I won't regret. You must be confident in yourself and trust me, okay?"
If that night on the island was like an illusion, then right now, at this moment, was truly reality. Bai Lin looked up, into Chi Thanh's deep black pupils, and at her face with features similar to her own. She propped herself up with her elbow, gently tracing Chi Thanh's face with her fingertips, finally stopping at the corner of her eye. Their love not only existed in the dark night or on a deserted island, but was proven right now.

"Thanh. I love you."
You will never know why I can say these words so fluently right now. In fact, to be able to tell you in person, I practiced countless times, from spring to summer, then from autumn to winter. I love you, truly love you very much. I will be by your side forever, never leaving.
"Mm, I know."

Without needing preparation for a passionate, burning kiss, she held Bai Lin tightly in her arms, forcefully sucking on the other's soft petals, stealing her breath. Watching her collapse limply in her embrace, dazed, Chi Thanh gently closed her eyes, only regretting that she couldn't just merge her into her own body.
It was at this moment of passion that neither of them noticed that right at the door, a pair of eyes filled with surprise was staring directly at their intimate scene, only to be startled by the subsequent image and hastily opened the door and rushed out...