Phoenix eyes.

Long, elegant, sharp at the corners yet impossibly composed. Even half covered, even from a slight distance, there was no mistaking them. Bai Li did not need to see her full face. She did not need confirmation. Those eyes and that voice were enough.

Even with half her face hidden, she was breathtaking.

It was the same woman from the elevator. The same woman from the hallway. Her new neighbor.

Her heartbeat stuttered for a fraction of a second. She remained partially hidden behind the trees, watching without making a sound.

Her heartbeat skipped, not because she was afraid, but because something inside her reacted before logic could intervene. She stayed partially concealed by the trees, watching without making a sound. Yan Cijin’s voice carried clearly despite the mask.

"I have told you time and time again not to harass me like this. It seems your shameless self just does not learn any lessons. Must I call the police and have you locked up?"

Her tone was calm, controlled, almost indifferent. There was no tremble, no strain. The man in front of her let out a low, ugly laugh that made Bai Li’s jaw tighten unconsciously.

"I like this fierce side of you," he said in a sickly tone. "But how long can you keep escaping from my clutches? Sooner or later, you will be mine."

The words were possessive and disgusting. Bai Li felt a faint surge of irritation rise in her chest, but she held herself back. She needed to observe first.

Yan Cijin did not step back. She did not flinch. She simply looked at him as if he were something unpleasant she had accidentally stepped on. There was no fear in her eyes. Not even a shadow of it.

The man seemed to notice. In the past, whenever he cornered her, he could sense a flicker of fear in her gaze, something subtle that fed his sense of control. Today, that flicker was gone. Completely gone. In its place was cold evaluation.

What he could not possibly know was what was happening inside her mind. Yan Cijin was not suppressing fear. She genuinely felt none. Instead, she was calculating whether ending him here would be worth the trouble. It would take less than a second for her to snap his neck or rupture something vital. She knew exactly how much force was required. The thought passed through her mind as naturally as breathing.

But she dismissed it.

This was still a structured society. Cameras existed. Witnesses existed. Acting now would create complications she did not need. The apocalypse was close. Once chaos began, removing nuisances would be easier and cleaner.

This man was not one of the true monsters from her previous timelines. He was not one of the obsessed individuals who hunted her relentlessly across worlds. He was merely a persistent stalker who had harassed her before she regained her memories. In her earlier, unaware state, she had feared him. Now, she felt only annoyance.

The longer she stared at him without reacting, the more unsettled he became. His dominance relied on provoking fear. Without it, he felt off balance. His jaw tightened as if trying to regain control of the situation.

"You think you’re special because you’re a doctor?" he sneered. "You think you can threaten me with police and that’s enough?"

Yan Cijin’s eyes remained steady, her gaze almost bored. The indifference was far more insulting than anger would have been.

Behind the trees, Bai Li’s fingers curled slightly. Her instincts urged her to step in, but she restrained herself. There was something different about her that made her think that she was not a damsel in distress who needed saving. She did not look like a hunted woman at all. She looked like someone holding back.

The man took half a step closer, attempting to intimidate her with proximity. His voice dropped lower, forcing depth into it to sound threatening. "You should know your place," he began, trying to reassert control, unaware that the calm woman in front of him was already deciding how long he had left to breathe in this world.

The man’s pride finally snapped when he saw that she still wasn’t reacting the way he wanted. His face twisted, the fake confidence on it cracking bit by bit. Without warning, he suddenly raised his hand, the movement rough and impulsive, like he truly believed he had the right to strike her. It wasn’t even fast. It was careless. Entitled. The kind of movement that came from someone who had never been properly stopped before.

Behind the mask, her eyes did not change at all. They didn’t widen. They didn’t flicker. If anything, they seemed colder. At the very tip of her fingers, hidden by the shade of the trees and the loose fall of her sleeves, a faint blue and black light flickered for just a moment. It wasn’t bright enough for anyone else to notice. It was subtle, like smoke wrapping around her skin. In her mind, she had already made a decision. Breaking his wrist would be enough. Clean. Simple. Quick. It would take less than a second. She knew exactly how much force she needed to apply. The calculation passed through her thoughts like breathing. She was ready to move. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

But before his hand could even come down, something cut across the space between them.

A gust of wind.

It wasn’t strong enough to make leaves fly dramatically, but it was sudden, sharp, and fast.

And in the blink of an eye, someone was standing between them.

For the first time since this confrontation started, surprise flashed in her eyes. Just a tiny flash. Then it disappeared, replaced by something else. Interest.

In her mind, a small amused thought formed. Once may be coincidence. Twice means something interesting.

The man didn’t even process what happened until his raised wrist stopped mid air. Bai Li had moved without thinking. The second she saw his hand rise, something inside her snapped. There was no decision making, no weighing options. Her body simply reacted the way it had been trained to react. In one smooth motion, she stepped forward and grabbed his wrist in mid swing.

Her grip wasn’t visibly violent. She didn’t look tense. She didn’t even look angry.

But the moment her fingers wrapped around his wrist, it felt to him like metal locking around bone.

His arm stopped inches before reaching its target. His expression shifted from anger to confusion in less than a second, and then confusion twisted into pain as a crushing pressure traveled up his arm. He tried to yank his hand back instinctively, but it didn’t move at all. It was like his wrist had been welded into place.

Behind her, she tilted her head slightly without fully turning and said in a low, steady voice, "Don’t worry. I’ll handle him."

Her tone was calm, almost casual, as if she was saying she would handle a small inconvenience instead of a grown man trying to assault someone.

The man stared at her in disbelief. He hadn’t even seen her approach. One second he was about to strike, the next his arm was trapped. Pain throbbed through his wrist, sharp and spreading. He could feel his bones grinding under her grip. His face twisted as he growled through clenched teeth, "Let me go."

She looked at him like he was already a corpse.

"Get lost," she said flatly.

Then she released him.

There was no dramatic shove. No exaggerated movement. She simply let go and gave the slightest flick of her wrist.

To him, it felt like being hit by a truck.

His body flew backward several steps before he lost balance and dropped to his knees. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs. He gasped and looked down at his arm. The skin around his wrist was already turning dark, black and blue spreading under the surface. It looked almost broken. His hand trembled when he tried to move it.

Fear flooded his face for the first time.

He had never met a woman like this before. Taller than him. Stronger than him. Completely unafraid. The way she stood there, straight and steady, made his instincts scream at him to run. The dominance he loved so much had flipped in an instant. He felt small, Weak and Exposed.

He scrambled backward awkwardly, using his good hand to push himself up. His injured wrist hung uselessly. He didn’t dare say another word. He turned and stumbled away, half running, half limping, not once looking back.

Silence settled over the garden again, broken only by the distant fountain.

Bai Li stood there for a second, her breathing steady, the rush of adrenaline fading. Then she turned around.

And for a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

Those eyes were looking at her again.

Even with half her face hidden behind a surgical mask, even standing quietly in the shade of the trees, she was breathtaking. The sunlight filtered through the leaves and landed softly on her hair and shoulders. Her white coat moved slightly in the breeze. There was no fear in her gaze. Only curiosity.

Bai Li suddenly became painfully aware of herself. Of how close she was standing. Of how her hand had just been wrapped around someone else’s wrist moments ago.

She cleared her throat lightly, trying to sound normal. "Hi... miss neighbor."

The words came out more awkward than she expected.

Under the mask, her eyes curved slightly. It was subtle, but Bai Li could tell she was smiling.

"Hello," she replied in that same calm voice. "Thank you for helping me."

"It’s fine," Bai Li said quickly. "He’s not worth your thanks."

The way those phoenix eyes rested on her made her feel strangely light headed. She had faced battlefields before. She had commanded troops. She had stared down enemies without blinking. Yet right now, standing in front of this woman, she felt nervous in a way she couldn’t explain. It was ridiculous. Even she was a little shocked at herself.

"Did you come to the hospital for a checkup?" she asked calmly.

Bai Li nodded almost too quickly. "Yes. Yes. A full body checkup."

Why did she sound like that? Why was she speaking like a student caught daydreaming? She mentally scolded herself for losing composure.

There was a faint pause before the woman spoke again. "Follow me. If you go alone, it will take quite a while. I can get you checked quickly."

Bai Li didn’t even hesitate. "Okay."

She followed behind her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

As they walked out of the garden and into the hospital building, Bai Li’s eyes stayed fixed on her back without realizing it. The way her hair was tied neatly. The way her steps were measured and unhurried. The quiet authority in her posture. She carried herself with effortless confidence. Not loud. Not flashy. Just steady.

Ahead of her, the corners of her eyes curved faintly again.

Amused.

They approached the reception desk, and she spoke softly to the receptionist, mentioning a few details. The receptionist immediately straightened, her tone becoming respectful. Bai Li caught the word "doctor" in the exchange and felt something click in her mind. So she worked here.

After a brief conversation, she turned back to Bai Li. "Follow her," she said gently, nodding toward the receptionist. "She will arrange everything."

Bai Li nodded like an obedient follower. "Thank you."

Their eyes met again. Just for a second longer than necessary.

"I have to go back," she said calmly.

And then she turned and walked away.

Bai Li didn’t move at first. She watched her white coat blend into the hospital corridor, her figure gradually disappearing around a corner. Even after she was gone, Bai Li’s gaze remained in that direction.

"Miss?" the receptionist called out politely.

Bai Li blinked and finally snapped back to reality. "Ah. Yes."

She followed the receptionist down the hallway, but her thoughts were nowhere near medical reports or test results. They were still stuck on a pair of phoenix eyes and a calm voice that somehow managed to make her, a former major general, feel like a nervous fool.

.

.

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To be continued.