Xu Mei.

The girl lying on the floor of his leaving room was Xu Mei, the granddaughter of his greatest political opponent, Prime Minister Xu Yanhuo. Lin Longwei laid his forehead on a hand and sighed. That was surely a complicated situation.

The rest of the report in front of him was about the girl's daily life, including her studies and nearly non-existing political engagement.

Xu Mei was a junior at the A University, majoring in Maths and Minor Degree in Philosophy. Lin Longwei skipped the information about Xu Mei's family circumstances, as he already knew a thing or two about it. He read the last sentence: involved with the Insurgents, probably knows some big shots.

Lin Longwei sighed again.

So, that was the reason she was in Shen Peng's hands. Instead of drinking tea safely in her residence's garden, she had been causing trouble with the Insurgents. What reason could a young princess have to side against her family, though? Was she in a rebellious phase, or was there something more to the story?

He folded the paper and put it away in his pocket, before turning to the girl.

He recalled seeing that girl in a couple of official events. She had always been a step behind the Prime Minister. He had never seen her talking with anyone except for her family members. She had a younger cousin that was friendly and talkative, the exact opposite of Xu Mei.

That girl looked like all the arrogant young ladies from prominent families. She didn't talk to strangers, and no one knew what she thought. Even in that kind of situation, her dignity was still untouched.

«I know your grandpa,» Lin Longwei sentenced, slowly.

Xu Mei glared at him with a sarcastic expression with her eyes half-closed.

Really? She was in an unclear situation, and she still dared to challenge him with her gaze. He smiled, surprisingly amused by the girl's reaction.

«I mean, personally.»

She didn't react at this last statement.

«I think you should take off the collar by yourself since you don't want my help. Or should I guess that you like this kind of stuff?»

She wanted to say something, but changed her mind at the last second and closed her mouth. She tried to unlock the collar, without luck.

«You want help now?» he asked.

Xu Mei nodded and let him take off that device. She was still trembling.

«Are you afraid of me?» Lin Longwei asked while sitting on the floor next to her. He kept some distance, to not alarm the girl more than necessary.

«I am not afraid of Shen Peng, why should I be afraid of you?» she asked, finally talking. Her voice was soft yet cold, without any emotion in it.

«Are you sure? Does Shen Peng know that?»

Her back stiffened, and Lin Longwei lifted an eyebrow. That reaction was somehow clumsy for an overbearing princess.

«Maybe a little,» the girl whispered, looking to the side.

«The doctor will be here soon, do you want me to carry you to the sofa?»

«No, thanks. I can walk on my own.»

«No, you can't,» he observed. «If you truly are not afraid of me, then your body has some issue.»

At that moment, a middle-aged woman entered the room in a hurry. «Senator Lin, what is the problem?»

Lin Longwei pointed at Xu Mei, still on the floor.

«What happened to this girl?» the doctor asked briefly, hiding her surprise and suspicions.

«Electric shocks. Probably a lot of them.»

«Help me carry her on the sofa.»

He followed the doctor's instructions, while Xu Mei turned silent again. She didn't struggle when he picked her up, but her ears turned red like peppers.

The doctor examined Xu Mei thoroughly before formulating her diagnosis.

«Her nerves seems to be damaged, but I need some equipment to perform further analysis. She is young, and she will probably return to her former self soon. She may have psychological traumas too, I suggest you consult an expert, but that can wait. The first days she will not be able to move on her own very well, so you will need a nurse to help her.»

«Understood,» Lin Longwei nodded.

«She needs to drink a lot of water, force her if necessary. I prefer not to use an IV in her condition. I'll prescribe some sleeping pills, one each night for at most a week. I'll be back tomorrow to see if she improves.»

«Anything else?»

«She is malnourished as if she didn't eat for two or three days. I suggest some light soups for today and sweet tea.»

«Thank you, doctor. The butler will see you at the door. This is a sign of gratitude for your professionalism and discretion.» He let a check slide into the pocket of the doctor's jacket. The woman made a quick bow before vanishing.

Lin Longwei went back to the sofa and sat near Xu Mei.

«It seems that you owe one me, now,» he sentenced with a somehow evil smile. The girl turned her head away, hiding her expression.