Chapter 3: The Beautiful Star

After putting on his clothes, Lu Qiwen took a deep breath and walked back into the room.

The room was quiet, with only the sound of soft sobbing.

The woman in the hospital gown was sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to him. Her short hair revealed a delicate, slender neck. From behind, she looked like a beautiful woman, but the mirror reflected a scarred, ugly face.

Even without her saying anything, Lu Qiwen understood why she was so sad. Her face had been burned so badly. Even the strongest woman would cry in secret. If her mental state was weaker, she might not even have the courage to live.

“Miss, please don’t cry. You’ll make yourself sick.”

He Xuan suddenly turned around, and Lu Qiwen was so startled he almost fell off the bed.

Seeing his reaction, He Xuan laughed bitterly and said, “I’ve become like this. I might as well be dead.”

Seeing the deep sadness and despair in her eyes, Lu Qiwen felt guilty. He knew she must be very sensitive and fragile right now, and his startled reaction had only hurt her more.

Hearing her words, Lu Qiwen quickly sat on the bed and said, “Please don’t think like that. What about your parents and family? Have you thought about them?”

Unexpectedly, He Xuan cried even harder after hearing his words.

Not knowing how to comfort a girl, Lu Qiwen was at a loss, unsure of what he had said wrong to make her so sad.

Feeling a sting in his eyes, Lu Qiwen found himself crying silently.

After crying for a while, He Xuan noticed he wasn’t comforting her and looked at him curiously. She saw Lu Qiwen staring blankly ahead, his handsome face covered in tears.

“Why are you crying?”

Her voice, like a clear spring, brought Lu Qiwen back to reality. He realized he had been infected by her sadness, thinking of his recently deceased father, and started crying.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Lu Qiwen smiled at He Xuan and said, “It’s nothing. I just thought of something sad. By the way, I don’t know your name. I should take you back to the hospital.”

“No, please don’t take me back to the hospital.”

He Xuan shrank back to the corner of the bed, shivering at the thought of facing the media at the hospital. She was sure they would sensationalize her current appearance, making it known to everyone. She wouldn’t have the courage to live through that.

Seeing her reaction, Lu Qiwen felt troubled. He didn’t know why she was so afraid of going back to the hospital, but he couldn’t keep her here. He had to return to school soon.

“My name is He Xuan. Please don’t make me leave. I’m scared.”

Seeing her helpless eyes, Lu Qiwen was momentarily lost. Those eyes revealed her inner turmoil and helplessness completely.

Forgetting her scarred face, Lu Qiwen nodded instinctively but quickly snapped out of it, feeling a bit wary. How could he have been so mesmerized? Did she have some kind of mind control ability?

He stared at He Xuan, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t sense any cultivation or mind control techniques. Her clear eyes only showed gratitude.

Lu Qiwen felt a headache coming on. How had he agreed to let her stay? He needed to get back to school soon.

Looking at He Xuan, Lu Qiwen sighed and said, “He Xuan, it’s not that I want to make you leave. I’m still a student. I have to go back to school. I can’t keep you here.”

He Xuan had hoped to stay hidden here, but hearing this, she suddenly cried out and ran towards the wall.

Lu Qiwen was shocked and quickly moved to stop her.

As he caught her, a faint fragrance filled his nose. Holding a woman so intimately for the first time, Lu Qiwen’s body stiffened slightly.

He hadn’t expected her to be so desperate, not valuing her life at all. Feeling a bit angry, he looked down at He Xuan, about to speak, but was surprised when her scarred face quickly approached his.

Before he could react, He Xuan’s lips were on his.

Lu Qiwen was completely stunned. When he came to his senses, he realized she was kissing him clumsily and desperately.

Sighing deeply, Lu Qiwen understood why she was acting this way. The pressure inside her was too much to bear.

A sharp pain on his lips made Lu Qiwen push her away. Looking in the mirror, he saw that He Xuan had bitten his lip, causing blood to seep out.

He Xuan’s lips were stained with his blood, and the madness in her eyes slowly faded as she sat there dazed.

On the train back to school, Lu Qiwen was engrossed in a book. Next to him sat a woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a veil, looking quite unusual.

Across from them sat a family of three. The parents had an air of nobility, clearly not ordinary people. Between them sat a pretty young girl, about fifteen or sixteen, with a beauty mark on her forehead that slightly marred her overall appearance.

Yue Heng kept staring at the veiled He Xuan. To her, women with veils were only seen on TV, and now one was sitting right in front of her, piquing her curiosity.

Yue Heng’s parents noticed their daughter’s behavior. Though they knew it was impolite for her to stare, they smiled apologetically at He Xuan and let Yue Heng continue out of indulgence.

He Xuan could feel the young girl’s curious gaze. A few days ago, she would have felt scared and angry, but now, looking at Lu Qiwen beside her, she felt a slight warmth.

She recalled how she had finally convinced Lu Qiwen to take her away from the place that had changed her life forever.

Feeling hopeless, she had clung to Lu Qiwen like a lifeline, making him feel incredibly frustrated.

The train sped along, Lu Qiwen quietly reading his book, He Xuan watching the scenery, and Yue Heng still staring at He Xuan.

Suddenly, Yue Heng’s face showed pain, and her small body began to tremble, letting out soft cries of pain.

Her parents, Yue Yan and Fang Qi, immediately grabbed her hands, their faces full of concern.

Yue Heng was clearly in unbearable pain, clutching her parents’ hands as if seeking support.

—