Chapter 32

“You mean my brother was…”

Ye Muyan was no fool. As soon as he spoke, he realized something was wrong. His pupils widened slightly, and he instinctively turned to look at Shen Lihuan.

Shen Lihuan nodded. “But they probably didn’t succeed. Otherwise, when your brother was sent to the hospital, the doctors wouldn’t have found nothing.”

“There were no surveillance cameras in that factory, and my brother’s mental state was damaged, so apart from those people, no one knows what really happened. In court, they kept arguing that it wasn’t intentional, that they were just too jealous and wanted to beat up my brother to vent their anger. The difference between intentional injury and attempted murder is obvious. Their defense lawyer kept using that point to get them off the hook. Luckily, we found crucial evidence proving their crime was premeditated. So after the final trial, they were sentenced to thirteen years in prison for attempted murder, with a one-year probation.”

Ye Muyan wiped his face with his hand, his eyes filled with hatred.

Green Nation also had juvenile protection laws, but they didn’t apply to juvenile criminals. This meant that when minors committed crimes, their sentences would be suspended until they turned eighteen, at which point their prison terms would officially begin.

Those beasts had already been in prison for three years. With the Ye family’s “care,” their days in prison were miserable.

Green Nation was a country known for its severe punishments, ranking among the harshest in the world. At the same time, it had one of the lowest crime rates globally, leaving other countries astonished and even prompting them to imitate Green Nation’s legal system.

“If we had been more careful back then, those beasts wouldn’t have gotten away with just thirteen years.”

Thirteen years—what was that? Those beasts were only eighteen when they went to prison. Thirteen years later, they would be thirty-one, with half their lives still ahead of them. But his brother? His entire life had been ruined!

As for why those beasts didn’t admit to attempting to assault his brother, it was because they knew they couldn’t afford to bear the consequences of such a charge.

In Green Nation, anyone convicted of rape would not only face chemical castration and fifteen years in prison but also be required to wear an ankle shackle for life, which could only be removed if they made a significant contribution to the country.

If they had also been charged with attempted rape, they would have faced a combined sentence of over twenty years. Of course, they weren’t stupid enough to expose their own crimes.

Ye Muyan’s grip on his beer bottle tightened more and more. If the bottle could speak, it would probably protest that it was about to be crushed.

“I guess they deliberately wanted to assault and kill your brother, but his resistance prevented them from succeeding. So instead, they grabbed a brick and smashed his head. Even though they didn’t kill him, the severe head injury left him mentally impaired.”

You Changqing understood that in this world, good and evil coexisted. But who would have thought that excelling in academics alone could bring such a life-threatening disaster?

The darkness of the human heart was horrifying.

Shen Lihuan gently held her hand, the warmth of her fingertips pulling You Changqing back to reality. That’s right, no matter how dark the world was, as long as Lihuan was there, her world would remain colorful.

“I suspect that your brother’s condition stems from two causes. First, the severe head trauma caused a cerebral hematoma, pressing on his brain nerves and impairing his cognitive abilities. Second, he experienced extreme psychological trauma, triggering a self-protection mechanism in his brain, selectively erasing painful memories. Additionally, it’s possible that he fixated on the age of three because that was when he felt safest, so his mind remains stuck at that stage.”

After comforting You Changqing, Shen Lihuan analyzed rationally.

“Three years old… the safest time…”

Ye Muyan repeated the words in a low voice, his eyes suddenly turning red. “I might know why my brother feels that three years old was his safest age.”

“When my brother was three, I took him out to play one day. On the way home, we encountered a rabid dog. It bared its teeth and barked viciously at us. My brother was so scared that he started crying. I shielded him behind me and fought the dog. Although I eventually drove it away, my arm and thigh were bitten, requiring more than ten stitches. Ever since then, my brother clung to me even more. Everyone joked that he was my little shadow.”

Ye Muyan covered his eyes with his hand, his smile looking more like a grimace. “My brother is such a fool. I’m right here, alive in front of him, yet he only looks for me in his memories…”

That day, he hadn’t been able to pick his brother up on time, allowing him to experience such a terrifying ordeal. Was his brother angry with him? Was that why he refused to acknowledge reality?

“Brother Muyan, don’t be sad. Your brother definitely doesn’t blame you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t see you as the person who makes him feel safest.”

You Changhong frowned, his face filled with sorrow as he tried to comfort Ye Muyan.

All happy people are alike, but every unhappy person has their own unique misfortune.

That sentence suddenly flashed through Shen Lihuan’s mind.

Wang Qingqing’s mother had remained optimistic despite her cancer diagnosis, bravely facing hardship. Contracting HIV had been the final straw that broke her.

Ye Muyan’s brother had once been a proud prodigy, but jealousy from his classmates nearly cost him his life, leaving him mentally trapped at the age of three.

Different life circumstances, yet both ended in tragedy.

She couldn’t help Wang Qingqing for now, but Ye Muyan’s brother—she might be able to do something for him.

“Mr. Ye, I actually have a deep interest in medicine. I’ve read about a similar case in medical texts. If you don’t mind, could I take a look at your brother? I’m seventy percent confident that I can cure him.”

“Really?”

Ye Muyan looked at her, his face flushing with excitement. “Are you serious? You really read about a similar case? You really think you can cure my brother?”

Faced with Ye Muyan’s barrage of questions, Shen Lihuan wasn’t annoyed. It was only natural for him to be skeptical. This was about his brother, after all—if he wasn’t cautious, she would have thought he was a fool. Besides, given her young age, people were more likely to trust older doctors when it came to medical expertise. To others, she probably seemed too young to even understand medical books, let alone treat someone with mental impairment.

She simply lifted her gaze and met Ye Muyan’s eyes. “There’s a saying—‘if you don’t have the skills, don’t take on the job.’ If I wasn’t capable, I wouldn’t have spoken up. This is a matter of life. Mr. Ye, do you think I would joke about that?”

Ye Muyan’s distrust made You Changqing frown. “Mr. Ye, don’t be so doubtful. Previously, Lihuan and I encountered an elderly man suffering a sudden cerebral hemorrhage outside Minggao. The man was already in shock, and none of the passersby knew how to perform first aid. It was Lihuan who performed CPR on him. Before the ambulance even arrived, the old man regained consciousness.”

In You Changqing’s eyes, Shen Lihuan would be the most outstanding medical professional in Lǜ Country in the future. Someone not believing in Lihuan felt even more infuriating to her than doubting herself.

Her protective attitude made Shen Lihuan curl her lips into a smile.

“Sorry, it’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just that this concerns my younger brother, and I can’t help but ask more questions.”

Ye Muyan was likely from an excellent background. Even when met with You Changqing’s glare, he maintained his calm and gentle demeanor. However, after hearing her words, he started to believe Shen Lihuan a little more when she said she could treat his brother.

“I understand Mr. Ye’s feelings. One’s concern can lead to confusion.”

Shen Lihuan smiled and nodded. “I intend to pursue a career in medicine, so when I heard about your younger brother’s condition, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I hope you can forgive my presumptuousness.”

A doctor has a compassionate heart. In her past life, Shen Lihuan had saved countless patients. Now that she knew about Ye Muyan’s brother’s situation, she truly could not ignore it.

“I understand that feeling. Doctors save lives, and they truly deserve our respect. But over the years, we have taken my younger brother to many renowned physicians, yet there has been no improvement. Every time I hear someone say he can be cured, my emotions swing between excitement and doubt. After all, we have ignited hope countless times, only to taste disappointment again and again…”

That was why, after so many disappointments, he had gradually fallen into despair. He had even prepared for the worst—that his younger brother would remain at a three-year-old’s mental state for the rest of his life.

“If Mr. Ye doesn’t dare to believe me, I can examine your brother first and then write down the prescription. You can take it to a renowned physician for verification. If they confirm that there’s nothing wrong with it, you can come back to me. Some of the medicinal ingredients require special preparation methods that only I know, so you’ll need to get them from me.”

Shen Lihuan’s confident words reignited Ye Muyan’s hope once again.

In fact, this wasn’t his first time meeting Shen Lihuan. The Ye family was also part of the upper-class circles in the imperial capital, and they had attended many of the banquets hosted by the three major families. That was why, when You Changhong invited him to sit with them, he didn’t refuse.

Although he wasn’t sure how skilled the young lady of the Shen family was in medicine, he knew that Shen Lihuan had no reason to harm them. The Shen family wouldn’t even consider the Ye family significant enough to target.

Since that was the case, why not believe once more? For the sake of his younger brother, even if it meant enduring the pain of endless cycles of hope and disappointment, he was willing.

“Alright, no matter the outcome, I am grateful to Miss Shen.”

Miss Shen?

Only then did Shen Lihuan take a proper look at him. She hadn’t been in the imperial capital for long and had only attended two banquets. If he recognized her as a member of the Shen family, he was likely also from high society and had seen her at one of those events.

“Mr. Ye, you’re too polite. Let’s eat first. The sooner we finish the hotpot, the sooner we can head to your home.”

Shen Lihuan and the others hadn’t eaten much yet, and they were still hungry.

“Alright, let’s eat quickly. Brother Muyan is so handsome, I’m sure his younger brother must be very good-looking too.”

Sensing the slightly heavy atmosphere, You Changhong quickly tried to lighten the mood with a smile.

“My younger brother is as adorable as you. But if you compliment his looks, he’ll be very happy.”

Facing You Changhong, Ye Muyan’s expression softened. He picked up several pieces of crispy fried meat and placed them in You Changhong’s bowl. You Changhong appreciatively ate them all. Watching his sister and Lihuan affectionately feeding each other while receiving food from Ye Muyan, for the first time, he didn’t feel like an awkward third wheel.

After paying the bill, the four of them got into Ye Muyan’s car and headed toward the Ye residence. The Ye family’s home was located in Shenggong Residence, a well-known wealthy district with excellent facilities and greenery, perfectly fitting the lifestyle of the rich.

Uniformed servants opened the grand entrance. Upon seeing Ye Muyan, they bowed and greeted him. “Good day, Young Master.”

Ye Muyan nodded. “Mm. These three are my friends. Address them as Miss Shen, Miss You, and Young Master You. Show them the same respect as you would me.”

Introducing Shen Lihuan and the others to the servants, Ye Muyan watched as they hurriedly greeted them. “Good day, Miss Shen! Good day, Miss You! Good day, Young Master You!”

Shen Lihuan and the others smiled at the servants and followed Ye Muyan into the living room.