Tao Yu had countless questions, but she couldn't speak, only convey her confusion through her eyes.

Yue Linze reached out and touched her eyes, his voice hoarse. "It's all over. Rest well. In a while, we'll go home."

Seeing him about to leave, anxiety gripped Tao Yu. She tried to sit up, but the slightest movement revealed something shocking. Her eyes widened.

Yue Linze's eyes reddened instantly, his voice choked. His fingers unconsciously rested on her legs. After a long moment, he said, "Your legs may be disabled, but you can walk steadily enough. From now on... my legs are yours."

Tao Yu stared at him, understanding dawning slowly. It seemed the car accident had indeed left her badly injured.

"Rest first. I'll come back later." 

Seeing her expression less pained than he'd expected, Yue Linze found it even harder to face her. He spoke hurriedly, then left the intensive care unit to the doctors.

Unable to stop him, Tao Yu watched him go. For the next few days, Yue Linze visited her daily, but the doctors always ushered him out after just a few words.

During this time, Tao Yu learned from the doctors that she had been in a coma for months and that her legs were paralyzed. The news itself didn't faze her much; it was just the inconvenience of immobility.

Every cloud has a silver lining, however. The accident had mellowed Yue Linze considerably. He hadn't pursued her for running away, nor did he tie her up anymore. Although her mission seemed indefinitely postponed, as long as she wasn't treated like a prisoner, she had no other complaints.

After a period of recovery in the hospital, they returned home. But after only a few days, Yue Linze took her to another, more scenic location.

Their new home was a mountaintop villa, surrounded by tall trees and meadows, with a clear lake nearby. Secluded and peaceful, it was perfect for recuperation, meeting both their needs.

There were no servants in the villa. Yue Linze did everything himself, from cooking and cleaning to keeping Tao Yu entertained. His schedule was packed, while Tao Yu, due to her paralysis, comfortably did nothing.

This was precisely what Yue Linze wanted. He relished caring for her.

When they first moved in, Yue Linze would often jolt awake from nightmares, finding peace only after confirming Tao Yu was alive beside him. He'd initially been suspicious of her seemingly effortless acceptance of her paralysis, wondering if it was an act to spare him pain. But he gradually realized she genuinely didn't mind. As long as she was well-fed, comfortable, and occasionally taken out, she was content.

This realization lifted a weight from Yue Linze's heart, and he devoted himself even more to her care.

Under his watch, Tao Yu couldn't die, escape, or cure him. All she could do was eat, sleep, and wait for the end. Fortunately, Yue Linze had a knack for cooking, so her days weren't too difficult.

One morning, Yue Linze lifted her from sleep. She opened her eyes drowsily and mumbled, "What is it?"

"It rained just now," Yue Linze said.

Tao Yu gave him a puzzled look, unsure why this warranted waking her.

Yue Linze gazed at her for a moment, then hoisted her onto his back, slowly walking outside. His leg still had a slight limp, making his gait unsteady, but his shoulders were broad and his arms strong. Resting against him, Tao Yu felt a sense of security.

Once in the yard, Yue Linze tilted his chin up. "Look, a rainbow."

Tao Yu followed his gaze and smiled.

In the pristine blue sky, a single cloud floated, and from it, a rainbow arced across the heavens. The sunlight refracted through it, painting the sky with delicate colors. It was so beautiful it seemed unreal, yet it made her heart tremble.

"It's so beautiful," Tao Yu breathed.

Yue Linze smiled, his eyes filled with a serene lightness Tao Yu had never seen before. Because his back was to her, she missed the expression.

"It is beautiful, but not as beautiful as you." His words, filled with deep affection, were for no one else to hear.

Tao Yu paused, about to speak, when the world around her twisted. Space fractured. The house, the trees, the mountains crumbled into fragments, then dust, then nothingness.

Amidst this apocalyptic scene, Tao Yu's legs regained their strength. She jumped down from Yue Linze's back, their eyes meeting.

Yue Linze's body began to dissolve from his feet upwards. Oblivious, he smiled, caressed her face, and kissed her lips. "This is good," he whispered, his voice filled with acceptance.

Tao Yu opened her mouth to speak, but he vanished before her eyes, scattering into a thousand points of light.