I Am Her Secret Beauty - Chapter 53

Mu Xi felt as if struck by lightning, her entire body seeming to turn charred on the outside yet tender inside. She stood frozen in shock, utterly at a loss for words.

Even Nan Xi furrowed her brows. She had called Anna over merely as a precaution, perhaps with a hint of mischievous amusement at Mu Xi’s expense. But she never actually expected Mu Xi to have something wrong with her brain.

Dr. Anna was still carefully examining the report, while Mu Xi trembled, too afraid to approach her.

“D-Doctor,” she stammered, raising her hand to get Anna’s attention, “you’re not joking, are you?”

Anna showed no intention of comforting Mu Xi, instead smiling brightly. “How could a doctor joke about a patient’s health? Please rest assured.”

That only made it harder to feel assured!

They say people often avoid doctors out of fear…

Mu Xi was now beginning to regret everything. Perhaps it had been a mistake from the very start, she shouldn’t have gone to Nan Xi’s room, shouldn’t have listened to her and come to see the doctor.

Nan Xi comfortingly patted her on the back but didn’t linger. Instead, she stepped forward and asked, “What’s wrong with her brain?”

…This felt incredibly strange.

Mu Xi felt as though her dignity was slipping away, yet Nan Xi was merely inquiring about her condition.

“Don’t worry, young miss, it’s not a serious issue,” Dr. Anna said, her expression finally turning serious as she turned to Mu Xi. “Your brain has suffered trauma before, hasn’t it? Who was your attending physician during your recovery? According to the report, you haven’t fully returned to an ideal state.”

Unfamiliar terms and concepts flooded Mu Xi’s mind, leaving her dumbfounded.

“Wait, trauma?”

Mu Xi struggled to gather her thoughts, only to feel as if she had been struck hard on the head. A sense of blankness and confusion overwhelmed her, as though a massive vortex was about to swallow her whole, with no discernible end in sight.

To make matters worse, Anna continued, “Yes, the traces of damage are quite clear. Of course, there has been a recovery process, and it seems to have gone quite well. So, it was external trauma, right? What kind of external force was it? An accident, or…”

The vortex in Mu Xi’s mind grew larger and deeper, her face contorting in pain. Nan Xi, who had been listening intently, had no choice but to step in, wrapping her arms around Mu Xi and interrupting Anna:

“Dr. Anna, she doesn’t remember.”

Anna nodded in understanding. “Ah, symptoms of amnesia.”

“Well… she’s also said some strange things, like there being two worlds or something.”

“Ah, impaired cognitive function.”

Anna’s assistant scribbled furiously in the file, marveling at encountering a patient with such distinct sequelae of brain damage. If only the symptoms were a bit more comprehensive…

Anna overheard her assistant’s muttering and rapped her on the head twice. Nevertheless, she turned back to Nan Xi and asked, “Does she experience headaches often?”

“Yes,” Nan Xi replied firmly. “Quite frequently, in fact. I always thought it was just due to overwork and lack of sleep.”

As she spoke, Nan Xi glanced up at Mu Xi and noticed her vacant eyes and listless demeanor, as if her soul had been drained by the series of diagnoses.

Well, that’s quite normal, isn’t it? Mu Xi had always firmly believed she was from another world, only to now discover it was merely a lingering effect of her brain injury. The blow to her was immense.

But Nan Xi had always believed that a short, sharp pain is better than a long, drawn-out one, the sooner it’s discovered, the sooner it can be treated.

She accepted it quickly and adapted well. Since Mu Xi still had lingering effects, Nan Xi would accompany her through continued treatment. It would be best if she could recall the past, but if not, that was fine too, as long as their future remained together.

This was the brightest day Nan Xi had experienced in five years, because she could now be almost certain that Mu Xi’s sudden disappearance back then was due to unavoidable circumstances, not because she had stopped loving her.

For Mu Xi, it might be the exact opposite, but that was alright, Nan Xi would stay by her side and help her through it.

Mu Xi’s head began to ache again, her face contorted in pain as she clutched her head. Nan Xi helped her sit back down on the greenhouse chair and handed her half a cup of warm tea.

“It’s alright, it’s alright…” she whispered soothingly to Mu Xi, then brought the teacup to her lips.

Mu Xi was like a walking corpse at this point, she opened her mouth to drink when the cup was offered, dazed and unable to even taste the tea.

Dr. Anna and the others observed the two, gradually understanding the situation, and began discussing Mu Xi’s current brain health in hushed tones while reviewing the medical report.

It took Mu Xi a long time to swallow this truth, but she hadn’t fully processed it yet: “Is there any possibility… that I could bear the pain of past injuries for someone else?”

Receiving Nan Xi’s earnest “increase the dosage” look in response…

…Alright then, she had no choice but to accept reality.

Mu Xi turned to Dr. Anna with some difficulty: “Doctor, you said my cognition is also impaired, right?”

“Medically, there is a possibility of cognitive dysfunction following a brain injury. If your partner, or others, feel that some of your ideas are too far-fetched, then we need to consider this possibility.”

Dr. Anna’s words suddenly became very tactful, yet each sentence confirmed Mu Xi’s suspicions.

Mu Xi collapsed back into the chair, unable to get up again.

Only Nan Xi remained calm: “What can we do now?”

“Oh, young miss, you mean rehabilitation therapy,” Anna said hesitantly. “I don’t know when Miss Mu suffered the injury. If it was long ago, she might have already crossed certain boundaries during that time… But since she’s been able to live normally until now, perhaps it’s best to maintain the status quo.”

“So, there’s nothing we can do?”

“Conservative rest, observation, and companionship.”

Mu Xi raised her hand from the side: “But during this time, I’ve gotten used to working six-hour shifts moving bricks even in temperatures above 35 degrees…”

“Alright, dear, no more talking,” Nan Xi gently covered her mouth. “Let’s follow the doctor’s orders, okay? We don’t want a life of headaches and memory loss.”

Dr. Anna explained many care guidelines for brain injury patients to Nan Xi, some so exaggerated that Mu Xi wondered if they were going overboard, after all, her injury wasn’t the type with a gaping hole in her skull…

But Nan Xi wouldn’t let her speak. Not only that, she even took a notebook from Anna’s assistant to carefully jot down all the instructions, as seriously as if she were recording experimental data.

She politely bid farewell to Dr. Anna and her assistant. When she turned back, Mu Xi was slumped limply in the chair, her expression and gaze both complex.

“Nan Xi,” Mu Xi said weakly, “You’re not thinking of confining me for rest, are you? I don’t want that. I need to have things to do.”

Nan Xi grasped her wrist, gently but firmly pulling her up from the chair:

“Of course I know. Many elderly people’s health declines sharply once they stop working and retire. I won’t let that happen to you.”

“…You even know about the lives of retired elderly people. I’m genuinely touched.”

Mu Xi, who had unwittingly aged fifty years beyond her actual age, stood up straight and smoothed the sleeves she had crumpled in her earlier distress.

Nan Xi seemed lost in thought, she must already have an idea. Mu Xi hoped it wasn’t something on par with confining her for rest.

Cautiously, Mu Xi asked, “What should I do? Can I go to school?”

“Of course you can. I support you in finishing your unfinished studies.” Nan Xi tilted her head slightly, looking innocent and harmless. “But before that, would you like to go on a vacation? A trip?”

“What? …Where to?”

“City Z. It just so happens we can go with my sister.”

…

When Mu Xi and Nan Xi returned from the greenhouse to the first-floor living room, it was their first appearance since the turmoil of the previous night.

To describe the scene as receiving a gaze of respect would not be an exaggeration. From Nan Nan sitting on the sofa to the servants working in various places, everyone looked at them with solemn reverence.

Respect… especially for Mu Xi.

The person who had been wearing a butler’s uniform and working alongside them just last night had, by this morning, become the family’s daughter-in-law.

“Good morning, my dear sister, and… Mu… sister-in-law.”

Nan Nan glanced at them with a mocking expression, unable to hide the sarcasm and amusement in his eyes. “You look quite spirited even without the suit.”

…Even though he said something similar to what Dr. Anna had, Anna’s teasing only made Mu Xi blush, while Nan Nan made her want to pull out a gun.

Nan Xi never tolerated even the slightest disrespect from Nan Nan, and she certainly wouldn’t let him act recklessly now. She immediately grabbed something nearby and threw it at him:

“Watch your mouth.”

Nan Nan barely dodged the angrily thrown clock ornament, his attitude instantly becoming much more polite. “Alright, alright. Have you two had breakfast yet? Should I ask the kitchen to prepare something?”

“We haven’t.” Nan Xi held Mu Xi’s hand and sat on the sofa opposite Nan Nan. “Then hurry up and go.”

With no butler in the Nan household now, tasks usually handled by the butler were left unmanaged.

Although the Nan family had a complete housekeeping system and could function normally without a butler, there were always inconveniences.

Nan Nan sighed and stood up to ask the kitchen to prepare breakfast. For two.

When he returned, he was completely docile and even started worrying about their future living arrangements: “So, you two will be moving out to live elsewhere, right?”

Nan Zhiya wouldn’t allow Mu Xi to stay in the Nan family residence, and Nan Nan understood that.

Nan Xi also softened her tone: “Yes, Mother said there will be a house for us to live in.”

“Ah! I never expected Mom to be so supportive.” Nan Nan clicked his tongue. “Although I also think Mu… uh, Little Mu is indeed a good person, it’s still surprising that Mom agreed so easily.”

“Thank you.”

Mu Xi had remained silent, mainly because she didn’t know what attitude to adopt toward Nan Nan now.

Logically speaking, she should be able to interact with Nan Nan as an equal, but she was quite certain that if she opened her mouth, it would still come out as “Second Young Master.”

She still needed some time to adjust to life no longer being a housekeeper.

The three of them sat silently on the sofa waiting for breakfast. For some reason, Nan Nan let out another exclamation:

“Wait! The house Mom mentioned… it couldn’t be that Western-style house in the west of the city, could it? The one that’s not too big but has a beautiful garden?”

Mu Xi had some knowledge of the Nan family’s properties.

If what Nan Nan considered “not too big” was of that scale… it would be better for her to remain silent.

Nan Xi shook her head indifferently. “Probably. Mom did mention the west of the city. What, do you like it? Did you ask Mom for it but didn’t get it?”

“I love it! But she just wouldn’t give it to me! I had a feeling it was meant for you, you favored brat… That garden was designed by Master Fang! Do you even know who Master Fang is? Hah, I knew you wouldn’t know. How could an experiment-obsessed nerd understand art…”

Nan Xi glared furiously, but instead of resorting to physical violence when Nan Nan raised his hands to shield his face, she began reciting the names of artworks left to her by the late Madam Nan Youlin.

Each famous painting and sculpture mentioned caused Nan Nan visible distress. Their argument grew so heated they nearly came to blows again, and it was only Mu Xi stepping between them that prevented physical conflict.

The siblings sat on opposite sides, and even though they abandoned physical fighting, they refused to give each other any quarter verbally.

Mu Xi sat between them with a strained smile, eating breakfast while watching them argue.

There’s something wrong with my brain. I’ve been injured.

So, I probably didn’t transmigrate. This is a real world.

Those memories about transmigrating into a book were all fabricated.

Siblings probably won’t fight to the death anymore… well, aside from throwing cups around.

This is really nice.