“No, impossible…… how, how……”
Ling Xue crawled on the ground.
Even though she intentionally suppressed her strength to match Ling Huan’s level, it had only been a short week—how could she have failed so miserably against the Master?
Every single one of her movements was seen through; her thoughts felt completely exposed to Ling Huan.
Was it the contract……?
No, she had never heard of a contract having such an effect!
But if not that?
How else to explain it?!
It was as if he had sparred with her day and night for a month, memorizing all her moves and habits.
Otherwise, it made no sense.
But…… only a week had passed in this world.
Inexplicable doubts twisted into dead knots in Ling Xue’s mind, clogging her heart and leaving her utterly frustrated.
“Are you wondering why I could read your movements？”
Ling Huan sneered.
“It’s simple, because I’m strong.”
Of course, this was inseparable from the hard training in the 【Simulation Space】.
In the 【Simulation Space】, he had been killed by Ling Xue no less than ten thousand times.
If it were reality and Ling Xue were just playing around, she would be no match for Ling Huan at all, especially with her suppressing her own strength.
But if you have the chance to act cool and don’t, you’re a damn fool.
“It’s simple, because I’m a genius.”
Ling Huan’s mouth quirked as he raised his foot and kicked Ling Xue right in the face, knocking her completely unconscious.
The battle ended, and only the hem of Ling Huan’s clothes was slightly dirty.
Ignoring the unconscious Ling Xue on the ground, Ling Huan turned to look at Zeng Xiatong, who stood there dazed, and a wave of apology immediately surged in his heart.
He almost let Ling Xue cause another disaster.
As expected, the people the system forced him to take in were not simple.
If he didn’t keep an eye on them, they would sooner or later cause big trouble, perhaps even frame him or make him a scapegoat, forcing him to become a villain.
“I’m sorry, did I scare you？”
Ling Huan walked up to Zeng Xiatong, handed her a handkerchief from his robe, and leaned down to gently wipe the dirt and blood from her elbow.
“Bear with it, it might hurt a bit.”
Ling Huan’s movements were very gentle.
Even though he was a boy, Zeng Xiatong couldn’t feel any of the typical roughness or rudeness common in other boys.
The wound stung, and while Zeng Xiatong could feel the pain, she wasn’t sad at all.
Instead, she felt a bit happy.
Zeng Xiatong looked at Ling Huan.
He was dressed in magnificent clothes of excellent quality and exquisite tailoring, without a single visible seam.
He was clearly a young master from a wealthy family.
Meanwhile, she wore coarse linen clothes of a dull, simple color, covered in patches.
She was clearly not a child from a rich family.
Yet, he showed no disgust, arrogance, or contempt toward her.
This young master…… was different.
Zeng Xiatong stared blankly, almost forgetting the pain.
Feeling her gaze, Ling Huan looked up, a look of anxiety appearing on his face.
“Sorry, did I hurt you？”
“N-n-n-no! It didn’t hurt! P-please don’t worry, Young Master！”
Zeng Xiatong hurriedly shook her head and waved her hands in a panic.
Hearing this, Ling Huan was much more relieved.
“Are there any other injuries？ Did that person hurt you anywhere else？”
“No, no. It’s just that I was startled and fell on my own.”
“Should I take you to a nearby clinic？ You have a scratch on your face; it must have been from the flying debris during the fight.”
Ling Huan quickly stood up.
Zeng Xiatong was stunned and wanted to touch her cheek, but Ling Huan caught her wrist.
“Don’t touch it carelessly. You just fell, your hands are dirty. If you touch the wound and it gets infected, what if it leaves a scar?After all, you are a girl. It won’t look good if you have a scar.”
Ling Huan turned around and crouched down.
“Come up, I’ll carry you to the clinic. Don’t worry about the cost, I’ll pay for it.By the way, take this money too.”
Ling Huan turned his head, and as if by magic, a brand-new silver ingot sat quietly in the palm that had been empty just a moment ago!
What a…… what a good young master!
Not only was he polite, but he was also so generous!
“Young Master, you mustn’t! This money, I can’t take it! The Young Master’s grace in saving my life is already more than Xiao Tong can ever be grateful for!”
For this life-saving favor alone, Xiao Tong could never repay it!
How could I dare to let the Young Master spend more money!
“Besides, these are all minor injuries! And I’m an ugly b——” Zeng Xiatong paused.
“I’m a tomboy! So whether there’s a scar or not doesn’t matter!”
Zeng Xiatong was terrified and hurriedly waved her hands in refusal.
She had short, clean-cut hair and wore coarse linen clothes full of patches.
The hems of her pants were frayed, and her straw sandals were falling apart.
She looked rustic; she looked more like a boy than a girl.
A girl who looked like a boy—a scar really didn’t matter.
“Young Master, look at me. With the way I’m dressed, don’t I look more like a tomboy？ I have nothing to do with being pretty.”
Zeng Xiatong smiled sheepishly.
Unexpectedly, Ling Huan stood up, moved closer, and carefully examined her face.
“Hmm——”
“W-why are you suddenly staring at my face？”
Zeng Xiatong scratched her cheek awkwardly, her face heating up slightly.
“True, the way you’re dressed is very boyish, it’s quite deceptive.”
Ling Huan observed seriously.
“R-right! So minor injuries like this——”
“But looking closely, I think you still look like a girl. A pretty girl, the kind who will grow up to be a great beauty.”
Ling Huan replied seriously, his face without a hint of a smile, his answer very firm.
This wasn’t comfort; it was…… recognition.
It wasn’t a lie; those eyes truly believed it.
Not a bit of mockery, not a bit of fooling around.
That serious gaze was just like when her father seriously told her she had to keep her hair short from then on.
Hearing this, Zeng Xiatong couldn’t help but daze.
Watching him, Zeng Xiatong couldn’t help but feel flustered.
Her father didn’t allow her to grow her hair long and made her dress like a boy.
She didn’t know the reason, and her father wouldn’t say, but he must have his reasons.
But even though she was sensible, the grievance and misery in her heart couldn’t blow away with the wind like her cut hair.
She also wanted to wear beautiful clothes like other girls, have long hair, and be called pretty.
But with that uneven short hair and her family’s situation—she was destined to have nothing to do with silks and satins, let alone those beautiful little skirts and clothes.
Zeng Xiatong never dared to dream that the word “pretty” would ever be applied to her, nor could she imagine what she could do in her current state to be praised as “pretty”.
But at this moment, a clear, serious voice struck her ears, drifted into her heart, and lingered there.
The wind, which should have been cool, swept through the deep alley and into her eyes, steaming up hot water vapor that blurred the bright smile of the young master before her.
“Eh…… eh……？ I, did I say something wrong？ I’m, I’m sorry…… I——”
Seeing Zeng Xiatong’s tears, Ling Huan immediately became flustered.
“B-but I really think so. If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize!”
“N-no! I…… I’m happy！”
Zeng Xiatong hurriedly wiped her eyes, but the mist only grew more torrential the more she wiped.
“The first time…… it’s the first time someone called me…… ‘pretty’……”
Sobering sobs blocked her throat as she tried desperately to suppress her trembling lips, but tears washed down her cheeks like a broken dam, as if a certain levee in her heart had suddenly collapsed.
Gradually losing control, she began to sob uncontrollably.
“I’m sorry, Young Master…… I, I……” Zeng Xiatong felt uneasy and awkward about her inexplicable tears.
She tried her best to wipe them away, so forcefully it was as if she wanted to rub her eyes right out.
Just for being called pretty, how could she lose her composure like this?
But just as she was feeling restless, a pair of hands gently grasped her wrists, and a clear, soft, and charming voice came again: “It’s okay. Crying is good. Don’t hold it in. Cry out all the grievances you’ve suffered before. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
At this point, how could Ling Huan not understand?
This little girl was crying with joy because she was recognized for the first time, seen as a beautiful girl for the first time.
The unstoppable tears were the grievances she had accumulated in her heart in the past.
People can endure a lot, always burying immense grievances in their hearts even if they seem insignificant to others.
But people are also fragile; a tiny thing can puncture long-standing endurance.
But regardless of which it was, Ling Huan believed it was better to release it.
Emotions are one’s own, and fragility and weakness are also part of oneself.
There’s nothing wrong with showing them.
Don’t care about what others think; care about what you think and what makes you feel better.
If you want to cry, then cry.
It’s enough as long as someone knows about your grievances.
Even if no one knows, it’s enough that you know.
The future you will comfort you.
Because he knows that you are also a confused and lonely child.
It’s just a pity…… Ling Huan learned these things a bit too late.
If he had known these things back on Earth, he wouldn’t have done those stupid things.
But it wasn’t too late; he could let others know these things now.
He gently held Zeng Xiatong’s hand and said softly: “Cry! You’re very beauti——”
But suddenly!
An embroidered shoe met Ling Huan’s face.
That exquisite and cute cheek instantly became unrecognizable, twisting intensely under the massive impact.
The foot arrived first, and the voice came only later: “You beast, let go of that girl！”
Zeng Xiatong’s crying stopped abruptly as she watched her savior, the only young master who had praised her for being pretty, get kicked away!
Forced to stop all her tears, she looked at the person who had suddenly intruded and broken this warm scene.
Is…… is it the pervert’s accomplice?!
The Young Master was ambushed?!
Who could be so detestable!?
The person landed gracefully, her black hair flying, though her delicate, doll-like face was as cold as frost.
Her embroidered shoes tapped lightly, like a dragonfly touching water, and then she stood firmly with a clean and neat posture.
Despite her small stature, her stance was full of style, exuding the heroic spirit of a young knight!
She threw a disdainful look at Ling Huan, who was half-embedded in the wall, gave a light snort, and then turned to Zeng Xiatong with a blossoming smile and a gentle voice: “Miss, you’re not hurt, are you？”
The newcomer was none other than Yin Luoling, who had been searching for Zeng Xiatong for a long time!
Even her appearance, posture, and expression were based on what Zeng Xiatong had told her in the past about the entrance of her dream lover.
Zeng Xiatong had even made Yin Luoling practice these poses to satisfy her fantasies.
While she couldn’t be her dream lover, she could definitely be her best friend again in this life!
Yin Luoling was full of confidence, but her best friend’s face was filled with fear and disgust.
Eh……？
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