Volume 1, Chapter 168: Afraid of Pain

Lu Yuan had just stepped out of the underground boxing arena. Although he had won the match today, his opponent was a ruthless fighter, leaving him battered and bruised all over.

He was already in a foul mood, and to make matters worse, he happened to cross paths with a scumbag bullying a young woman.

Considering himself devoid of any surplus sympathy or kindness, he had initially intended to ignore the scene.

Unexpectedly, however, he caught sight of a pair of tear-filled black eyes. The girl was crying so pitifully, her face deathly pale, with blood smeared across her lips and nose, looking utterly wretched.

He saw a silent plea reflected in her eyes.

Yet his heart remained completely unmoved.

As his car sped past the two of them, it suddenly struck him that had it not been for Song Qingyu taking him in back then, he would likely be dead by now. With that thought, he turned the car around.

That goddamn bastard had not only attempted assault but had also meant to kill.

Griping the scumbag's collar, Lu Yuan pinned him to the ground and rained heavy blows on him.

Emerging from the third subterranean level, his punches carried considerable force. Within moments, the man passed out cold.

Still unsatisfied, Lu Yuan raised his foot and delivered a vicious kick straight to the man's groin, completely crippling him to prevent him from preying on anyone else ever again.

Gu Chenxi had never witnessed such a violent spectacle; she clutched her collar tightly, trembling all over.

With no streetlights in the pitch-black surroundings, seeing that her savior was about to leave, she endured the sharp pain and scrambled to her feet, running over to grab the hem of his jacket.

Lu Yuan turned around and locked eyes with a pitifully bruised face. Her cheeks were swollen, with distinct slap marks visible—a picture of utter distress and misery.

"Let go."
"I... I don't know where this is. Can... can you take me with you?"
"Call the police."
"My phone is gone."
"Tch." Impatiently, Lu Yuan handed her his own phone. "Dial 110."
Gu Chenxi shook her head. "I can't call the police."

Lu Yuan had never been a patient man, and the intense throbbing of his injuries only added to his mounting irritation. Anyone who dared not call the police could hardly be a good person.

"Then let go!"

Gu Chenxi shook her head, gripping his jacket even tighter. "I have nowhere to go. Can you take me in for a while?"
"No."

With a cold refusal, Lu Yuan climbed into his car and started the engine.

Terrified of being left behind alone, Gu Chenxi lunged forward and hugged him from behind. "I'll be very good! I won't cause you trouble, I won't bother you, and I don't eat much."

Catching him completely off guard, the sudden embrace collided directly with his bruises. Lu Yuan sucked in a sharp breath of pain, his fists clenching fiercely. "If you don't let go right now, I'll hit you!"

Gu Chenxi burst into heartbroken tears, large drops falling like cheap pearls. "C-can you hit me gently? I'm scared of pain..."

She sniffled. "And... after you hit me, can you take me to your home?"
Lu Yuan: "..."

In the end, Lu Yuan brought her home anyway.

To call it a home was generous; it was merely a cramped apartment of forty square meters.

Gu Chenxi stood awkwardly in the tiny space, completely at a loss. A sharp, recurring pain shot through her foot, and unable to bear the agony, she started crying again.

"Tch—are you made of water or something? Stop crying."

Gu Chenxi sniffled, looking deeply wronged. "My foot hurts."

Lu Yuan pulled her over to the sofa, lifted her skirt hem and sock, and took a look. Her fair, pretty ankle was bruised and swollen—truly rather severe.

He retrieved a first-aid kit from the cabinet, squeezed a dollop of ointment into his palm, and knelt to apply it to her foot.

"Hiss... It hurts so much..."
"Suck it up."

Gu Chenxi wanted to endure it, but the pain was simply overwhelming, especially when flashes of today's terrifying ordeal rushed back to her.

Tears flowed endlessly, splashing onto the back of Lu Yuan's hand. Frowning, he glanced up and saw the girl's eyes as red as a little rabbit's, prompting him to ease the pressure of his hands.
"Stop crying, or I'll throw you out."

Gu Chenxi pressed her lips together, trying desperately to stop, but the tears simply refused to hold back.

Once her ankle was bandaged, Gu Chenxi pointed to her face. "My face hurts too."

Lu Yuan hadn't even had a chance to treat his own injuries, and now he had to wait on this living deity.
"You can't use this ointment on facial injuries."

Stepping into the kitchen, Lu Yuan boiled a couple of eggs.

The sight of the kitchen made Gu Chenxi's stomach rumble in protest. "I'm hungry."
With a deadpan expression, Lu Yuan tossed her a cup of instant noodles.

Gu Chenxi picked up the paper cup, turning it over and inspecting it from all angles before looking up at him cautiously. "How do you eat this?"

Lu Yuan furrowed his brow, staring at her as if looking at a mental patient. Yet her expression was dead serious, and her gaze so innocent she genuinely seemed to have no idea what instant noodles were.
"Open it, pour water, and eat it."
"Oh..."

Gu Chenxi clawed at the plastic seal for ages without managing to tear it open. Looking at him with wide, innocent eyes, she asked, "Can you lend me a knife?"
Lu Yuan: "..."

There was only one sofa. Lu Yuan brought over the boiled eggs, plopped down beside Gu Chenxi, snatched the noodle cup from her hands, tore off the lid, and shoved it back to her. "No more questions!"

Staring at the noodles in the bowl, Gu Chenxi had no clue what to do next. Seeing Lu Yuan's gloomy expression, she didn't dare ask, terrified he really would throw her out.

Lu Yuan peeled open his own cup of noodles, tore open the seasoning packets, and emptied them in.

Seeing this, Gu Chenxi clumsily imitated him, dumping the seasoning packets into her own cup.

Lu Yuan poured hot water into both bowls and handed her the two eggs. "Peel them and roll them on your face."

Gu Chenxi stared at the round eggs, struggling to peel them for a good while. Seeing Lu Yuan tap his egg against the table first before peeling it smoothly, she copied his technique and finally managed to free the egg from its shell.

Pressing both eggs against her bruised cheeks, she leaned closer to him. "Like this?"

Hearing her voice, Lu Yuan turned his head and nearly collided with her lips. He jerked backward in a panic—
"Cough, cough—"
He choked on a piece of the egg yolk.

Is she genuinely an idiot, or just putting on an act?
"Roll them!"
"Roll what?"
"Roll them on your face!"

Gu Chenxi looked utterly astonished. "With eggs?"
"Or would you prefer rocks?"

Though completely bewildered, Gu Chenxi obediently did as she was told.

A rich, savory aroma drifted into the air, and her stomach began to protest with a hunger she could no longer ignore. "Can... can I eat this now?"
"Eat."

Gu Chenxi peeled back the lid and peeked inside, looking at Lu Yuan in sheer wonder. "It's amazing, it really turned into a bowl of noodles. You're incredible."
Lu Yuan: "..."

He sized her up for a moment. Judging by her clothes and her slender, delicate hands, she was clearly not a girl from an ordinary background.
"Is this your first time eating this?"
"Mm-hmm."

Taking a bite of the noodles, Gu Chenxi's eyes lit up. "This is delicious."
"Who are you? How did you end up in a place like that?"

Gu Chenxi's expression shifted slightly, and she fell silent.

Noticing his unwavering gaze, she hugged her noodle bowl and turned around, presenting him with her back.

Lu Yuan was struggling to get by himself; naturally, he wanted no part in other people's troubles. "I'm only letting you stay for tonight. You leave tomorrow."

Gu Chenxi remained stubbornly silent.

Moving swiftly, Lu Yuan finished off his noodles in a few large mouthfuls. Noticing the eggs sitting on the table, he tapped the wood. "Hey... eat those two eggs."

Turning back to look at the eggs she had just been rolling over her bruised face, Gu Chenxi wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "They're dirty. I can't eat them."
"Tch, look at this high-and-mighty young miss. I told you to eat, so eat!"

Startled by his sharp tone, Gu Chenxi picked one up and took a bite, tears welling up in her eyes from a deep sense of grievance.

The saltwater tracked across the cut on the corner of her lip, stinging so sharply that she began to cry even harder.

Regret instantly washed over Lu Yuan!

Had he known he was bringing home such a high-maintenance creature, he would have left her to fend for herself!

Snatching the egg back from her hand, he snapped, "If you don't want to eat, then don't!"

Thinking it a waste to throw it away, he popped it into his mouth and finished it himself.

After the meal, feeling sticky and uncomfortable, Gu Chenxi announced she wanted to take a shower.

Since it was already past midnight and all the nearby shops were shuttered, there was nowhere to buy toiletries. With a sigh of resignation, Lu Yuan tossed her a clean, unused bath towel of his own. "The bathroom is over there."

Nodding, Gu Chenxi stepped inside, only to quietly back out a moment later. "Why is there no bathtub in your home?"

If the absolute sincerity on her face hadn't made it clear she wasn't sneering at his poverty, Lu Yuan would have seriously considered hitting her.

Irritated, he ran a hand through his hair and bit down on his back teeth. "Are you going to shower or not? If not, get lost."