Thrown Away by my Family, Cherished by my Enemy-Chapter 26: Li Xiyan looking like a complete mess

For another two days, Li Xiyan remained in the Shen Estate.

Not much had changed—except that she could now move around without help.

Her back no longer ached with every movement, and though her wounds were far from healed, they were much better than when she first woke up.

That morning was quiet, the light just starting to spill through the sheer curtains.

Shen Rui, as usual, was getting ready for her lessons.

Nurse Lin had just stepped out to fetch her breakfast from the kitchen, reminding Li Xiyan before she left not to overexert herself.

Li Xiyan, finally able to move without assistance, stood in the bathroom.

The tiles were cool beneath her bare feet, and the faint steam from warm water curled in the air.

She gently dabbed a soft cloth along her skin, careful not to press too hard on the healing wounds.

The bruises had begun to fade, leaving faint yellowish hues along her ribs and arms.

The more serious injuries—deep gashes and cuts—were now neatly bandaged, clean and dry.

Still, she couldn't bathe fully just yet.

For now, this careful washing would have to do.

On her first two mornings, Nurse Lin had helped her with all of this, but today, Li Xiyan had insisted she could manage on her own.

She continued running the damp cloth along her arms, then down to her legs, mindful of the bandages and the tender areas of her skin.

The warm water gave her some comfort, even if her body still ached faintly in places.

She was nearly done when her foot slipped.

Her heel caught a patch of water near the edge of the mat, and before she could react, her body lurched backward.

The next moment happened in a blur.

She crashed hard onto the cold tiles, her back hitting first with a sickening thud that stole the breath from her lungs.

Pain exploded instantly—her healing gunshot wound searing as if it had torn open. Her head slammed against the counter with a dull crack.

A strangled cry escaped her.

"Shit—!" she hissed, her breath trembling, vision flashing white.

Dazed, she lay there, heart pounding, her body trembling from shock. Wet hair clung to her face, the floor icy beneath her.

She tried to move, but the pain in her back was sharp and unforgiving.

She bit down a scream.

Great, just great.

Panic rose in her chest, but she forced herself to breathe through it.

Her right ankle throbbed too—it must've twisted on the way down.

Cursing softly again, she clenched her jaw and rolled onto her side with difficulty, then onto her front, using her elbows to push herself into a prone position.

Her entire body trembled. She was still in her underwear, her skin dripping wet.

With one arm, she reached blindly for the towel hanging from the rack nearby, wrapped it around herself with a wince and crawled forward, pulling herself up against the sink.

Her ankle buckled slightly when she tried to stand, and her back screamed in protest.

Li Xiyan stepped out of the bathroom and stumbled toward the bed, planning to wait for Nurse Lin.

This is what she got for thinking she could manage on her own.

Limping heavily, each step sent pain lancing through her back and ankle.

Her damp towel clung loosely to her frame, barely covering her.

As she neared the bed, the door suddenly opened.

Thinking it was Nurse Lin, Li Xiyan turned—only to freeze in place when she saw who it was.

Shen Yuze stood at the doorway, equally stunned.

His brows furrowed at the sight of her.

Her hair was a tangled mess, one hand pressed against her back, her posture tense and hunched. She wore only one slipper, and the towel barely clinging to her made her look even more fragile.

In short—she looked like a complete mess.

Just as he was about to turn away to give her some privacy, something on her back caught his eye—and his expression shifted.

There—right on the towel, near the small of her back—was a faint smear of red.

Barely noticeable, but against the stark white of the fabric, it stood out like a warning sign.

Blood.

His jaw tightened. "You're bleeding."

Li Xiyan stiffened, instinctively clutching the towel tighter.

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"I—it's nothing," she muttered, turning slightly away from him, her pride flaring even through the pain.

Shen Yuze stepped forward, his voice firm but calm. "That's not nothing, Li Xiyan. Sit down before you collapse again."

"I was about to—" she tried to argue, but the moment she shifted her weight, her ankle buckled and a sharp gasp escaped her lips.

Shen Yuze acted on instinct the moment he saw her grimace, moving without a second thought.

Before she could take another step, he was by her side in an instant, his arm reaching out to support her.

"Dammit," he cursed under his breath as he steadied her, his grip firm yet gentle.

"What were you thinking? You shouldn't be moving around like this."

Li Xiyan winced but tried to keep her composure.

"I just wanted to wash..." she muttered, her voice a bit weak than usual, the defiance she'd clung to quickly evaporating in the face of the pain.

"You should've waited for Nurse Lin," Shen Yuze said, his tone more concerned than reprimanding.

He guided her carefully toward the bed, his hand never leaving her waist, steadying her as if he were afraid she might collapse at any moment.

Li Xiyan's lips pressed into a thin line, too tired to argue.

The pain now was worse than when she was running, even with the bullet wound in her back and all her other injuries. Back then, adrenaline had numbed the pain.

And now each breath was a struggle as the pain clouded her thoughts.

Li Xiyan let her weight shift onto him, her fingers weakly gripping his shirt.

Shen Yuze didn't hesitate. He pulled her closer, settling her gently onto the bed.