Luo Xiu hurriedly lifted Xu Qianqing from the bathtub and ran into the bedroom to lay her on the bed.

It was only then that he noticed the nightgown clinging to her snow-white skin was tattered, as if it had been torn by someone. Her once beautiful face bore several cuts from a blade, shocking to see, and now pale from being soaked in water. The entire room was a mess, showing signs of having been ransacked. Lingerie and stockings were strewn on the bed, along with torn but unused condoms.

Luo Xiu let out a sigh, shaking his head as he looked at Xu Qianqing. He could roughly guess what had happened. Otherwise, a strong woman like her wouldn't have considered taking her own life.

"A bit troublesome, but at least she's still breathing."

He grasped Xu Qianqing's wrist and, after a brief hesitation, made up his mind.

A blue light suddenly burst forth from his body, quickly condensing into wisps of profound energy that flowed through his hand and into Xu Qianqing's body. As a few moments passed, the wounds on her body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Her pale face gradually regained its color, and her breathing became steady.

At the same time, however, a pained expression crossed Luo Xiu's face. He clenched his jaw, seeming to endure immense agony.

「A long time passed.」

Xu Qianqing woke up groggily from a dream. Before she could form a single thought, she heard violent coughing from the bathroom.

She hurriedly rolled out of bed, grabbed a vase, and cautiously approached the bathroom. Upon reaching the door, however, she quickly put the vase down and rushed inside.

"Luo Xiu! Luo Xiu, what's wrong?"

She saw Luo Xiu slumped weakly over the sink, his face as pale as paper. The sink was filled with dark blood.

Luo Xiu waved a hand, indicating he was all right. "You're awake. How do you feel?"

"I..." Xu Qianqing trailed off, supporting Luo Xiu by the arm. Remembering what had happened felt like a nightmare. "Luo Xiu, did you save me?"

Luo Xiu walked out on unsteady legs. "I haven't been through what you have," he said indifferently, "so I can't offer you any advice. But at the very least, you shouldn't choose to take your own life. You only get one life; nothing is more important than living."

At his words, Xu Qianqing's eyes welled with tears. She lowered her head and bit her lip. "I'm sorry... but I really couldn't go on."

Luo Xiu walked into the bedroom and slowly sat down in a chair, waiting for the pain to subside a little before he spoke. "When I was just a few years old, I already knew I had a terminal illness and wouldn't live past thirty."

Hearing this, Xu Qianqing stared at Luo Xiu's profile in shock.

Luo Xiu smiled. "Over the last twenty-something years, my illness has flared up countless times. Every time it did, I wanted to end it all just to escape the pain, but in the end, I persevered. I've held on until now.

"Qian Qing, when I first met you, I felt you were like me in some ways. Even though life was hard, you kept going, holding on to that faint hope, refusing to give up.

"Seeing you, I felt a sense of kinship. It must be that feeling of shared misfortune."

Tears gathered in Xu Qianqing's beautiful eyes. She choked out, "Can your illness be cured?"

Luo Xiu shook his head with a smile. "Alright, I'm not telling you all this for any special reason. I just want you to keep holding on. Even if I only have a few years left, I want to live every day to the fullest.

"If I can hold on this long, I believe you can too. Besides, I'm the one who saved your life. If you want to die, you have to ask for my permission first."

Xu Qianqing nodded. "Luo Xiu... thank you."

"Alright, go get yourself cleaned up."

Hearing this, Xu Qianqing froze, suddenly realizing she wasn't wearing anything. She let out a shriek, spun around, and ran.

She grabbed a random set of clothes from the wardrobe and dashed into the bathroom. A few moments later, she returned, red-faced, and began to tidy up the messy room.

Luo Xiu leaned back lazily in his chair and suddenly asked, "What happened earlier?"

At his words, Xu Qianqing's movements faltered. She shook her head. "Never mind. It's my own business, you don't need to get involved."

"I'm only asking because I consider you a friend," Luo Xiu said.

"Sigh..." Xu Qianqing sighed, then proceeded to tell him everything.

With Luo Xiu's help last time, she had secured a large fifty-million-yuan order for her company, and her own commission and bonus had come to over two million. With money in hand, the first thing she did was send her husband, who was in a vegetative state, to the hospital to receive the best treatment. Since she was busy with work, she gave the money to her parents and asked them to help watch over her husband at the hospital. But she never expected that her parents would turn around and use the money to buy her brother a house and a car. She'd had a huge fight with her parents over it.

After leaving the hospital and returning home, a debt collector unexpectedly showed up with a group of men, demanding she repay a gambling debt. The debt collector's men trashed her house, and overcome with lust, they tried to assault her.

...

"They pinned me to the ground, humiliating me... Later, I cut myself with a blade I had prepared beforehand. I guess they were afraid of making a bigger scene, so they all ran off."

A murderous glint appeared in Luo Xiu's eyes. "Who were they?"

Xu Qianqing shook her head slightly. "I'm not sure, but they're probably from Lan Gui Casino. That's where my husband lost all his money."

Luo Xiu reached out and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll cure your husband."

"You... you know medical techniques?" Xu Qianqing asked, astonished.

Luo Xiu smiled and countered, "Otherwise, how would you be standing here talking to me perfectly fine?"

Xu Qianqing was taken aback. She only then realized she didn't have a single wound on her body. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a divine miracle.

"What's going on? Luo Xiu, what did you do?"

"Alright, that's enough questions," Luo Xiu said, waving his hand dismissively. "Also, take me to that casino tomorrow night."

Xu Qianqing's expression changed. "What are you going there for?" she asked anxiously.

"To get revenge for you."

"Don't be foolish! Those people... we can't afford to provoke them."

Luo Xiu stared at her and said firmly, "You're my first friend since I came to Sea City. I can't stand by while a friend is bullied. Besides, I don't have long to live anyway. I have no ties and nothing to worry about.

"And since they didn't get their money, they'll be back for you, or even your family. It's better to deal with them once and for all."

Xu Qianqing's face filled with worry. "But..."

Luo Xiu suddenly stood up. "You can't stay here anymore. There's no guarantee they won't return when I'm not around."

Xu Qianqing's cheeks reddened. Lowering her head, she said softly, "Then... could you stay here with me? I'll cook for you."

"I'll go look for another place tomorrow."

In truth, she was terrified those people would come back.

"Oh, right, your clothes have blood on them. I'll get some of my husband's old clothes for you to change into."

"..."

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