CHAPTER 21

If she had never touched true light, she would never have known how unbearable the darkness can be. But now that she has experienced the presence of light, she can't imagine living without it.

It's like a person who has stumbled through a long winter suddenly feeling warmth. The frozen heart thaws, and if the light were to leave, the now tender heart would struggle to resist the biting cold wind.

However, these words cannot be spoken.

Li Jia fluttered her eyelashes, concealing all the unspoken words beneath a calm and natural expression.

Her hair was already tied up, but the Omega suddenly raised her hand and touched Ye Chengxing's long hair again, as if confirming that the other person truly existed.

It wasn't until she felt the fine texture of the strands again that she withdrew her fingertips.

... All of this, to her, felt like a dream, an overly beautiful dream that she didn't know when she would wake up from.

Li Jia had many things she wanted to say, but as she looked at Ye Chengxing, all the things she shouldn't say were ultimately filtered out, leaving only a quiet smile.

She had noticed that in Ye Chengxing's eyes, her image was pure and harmless. If Ye Chengxing liked her that way, she could continue pretending to be that way. She would never reveal a trace of the fierceness, madness, and paranoia she disliked in front of her.

Ye Chengxing was completely unaware of Li Jia's internal thoughts.

She touched her neatly tied hair and felt in a good mood.

This good mood was especially evident after she checked Li Jia's wounds and found that the Omega was obediently maintaining the state of having taken her medication, without intentionally aggravating the wounds.

Communication really had an effect.

Indeed, problems should be communicated more.

Ye Chengxing smiled and lightly brushed against the Omega's skin through the edge of the gauze, praising, "Good girl."

Unlike the previous application of force that carried a hint of punishment, this time it was as gentle as a feather, or even lighter than a feather.

Li Jia couldn't help but curl her fingertips.

It seemed that the skin touched by Ye Chengxing carried a faint electric current, spreading along her texture, making her heart tingle.

After noticing that Li Jia had stopped self-harming, Ye Chengxing entered the kitchen in a very good mood to try out the nutritional recipes she had listed. Those recipes had been repeated in her mind countless times and were now firmly memorized.

In addition, now that the dishes have been made many times, Ye Chengxing's use of these utensils is no longer as unfamiliar and clumsy as at the beginning. She is skilled and quick in cooking, and she finishes the dishes in almost no time.

Ye Chengxing had Xiaobai to bring the dishes to the table and sat down herself. Her gaze, filled with a smile, fell on Li Jia: "Try it, these are all beneficial for your body."

Since Ye Chengxing entered the kitchen earlier, she had kept it a secret from Li Jia and didn't let Li Jia in. Although she didn't feel like she would fail, Ye Chengxing still didn't let Li Jia in, considering the possibility of "what if."

Li Jia looked at the smile in Ye Chengxing's eyes and unconsciously rubbed the gauze in her palm. She knew what it meant in her heart, but she still showed a slightly vulnerable expression on her face. "So that's it. I thought you found me troublesome..."

"How could that be," Ye Chengxing heard Li Jia's words and quickly shook her head, denying, "I just thought if it failed, it would be a bit embarrassing, so I didn't let you in. It's to prevent you from being bothered."

As Ye Chengxing's words fell, Li Jia gently curved her lips.

She understood it in her heart, but she still wanted to hear Ye Chengxing say it in person.

After saying that, Ye Chengxing looked at Li Jia, her eyes sparkling. "Try it and see how it tastes."

Li Jia finally shifted her gaze away from Ye Chengxing and picked up her chopsticks. Just as she was about to pick up a small portion of the dish, Ye Chengxing raised her hand and served her a bowl of soup. "I made these dishes through my research. They are very nutritious and will be helpful to your body, which has been affected by the drugs for many years. After tasting, let me know if there is anything that needs improvement, and I will make adjustments. After all, dietary therapy requires persistence. It won't have an effect by just eating one or two meals..."

She naturally spoke one sentence after another, not noticing that Li Jia was staring at her in a daze, and the dish she had picked up with her chopsticks fell back onto the plate after being suspended in mid-air for too long.

...She actually knew.

However, as soon as Li Jia finished thinking this, a hint of bitterness welled up in her heart. She self-mockingly thought that this was her "selling point."

Since those people wanted to please Ye Chengxing by giving her to her, how could Ye Chengxing not know?

She had fooled herself into thinking that Ye Chengxing didn't know anything.

Afraid of Ye Chengxing noticing something wrong with her, Li Jia quickly suppressed those emotions in her heart and picked up the dish that had fallen back onto the plate.

To tell the truth, the dishes made by Ye Chengxing in front of her were the most delicious dishes she had ever tasted in her two lifetimes. But the more she ate, the more she felt not only bitterness in her heart, but also a hint of bitterness in her eyes.

In her past life, she had become numb to those who toyed with her and had grown accustomed to not being seen as a person. However, now there was someone who truly saw her as a person, and she began to feel restless and uncertain.

Why would someone be so kind to her? She felt that she had nothing to offer in return.

Ye Chengxing enthusiastically discussed her dietary therapy plan and placed a bowl of soup in front of Li Jia.

Li Jia lowered her gaze, looking at the bowl of soup, and suddenly spoke, "Sister, it's useless. This medicine won't work. The reason for all of this is because of me. It's all my fault. I trusted others too easily, and I deserve it..."

Just like in her past life, she would continue to suffer from the effects of this drug, helplessly witnessing her body betraying her own will.

Because of those people's twisted desires, even in the most disgusting moments, she couldn't lose consciousness. She could only endure the pain and suffer.

If there truly existed a hell in this world, she had already walked through it countless times.

Upon hearing Li Jia's words, Ye Chengxing paused for two seconds and set down her chopsticks. "Indeed, it may not completely resolve the issue."

Li Jia's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this, only a deeper sense of self-derision could be seen in her eyes.

She suddenly felt that she, this kind of person, this kind of soul, was unworthy of standing by Ye Chengxing's side.

After Ye Chengxing finished speaking, she spoke again, "But even if it's not a complete solution, it can greatly alleviate your discomfort and repair the damage to your body. Moreover, the most important thing is..."

At this point, Ye Chengxing noticed that Li Jia's eyes were still slightly lowered. She paused in her words and said, "Li Jia, look at me."

Li Jia followed her instructions and looked at her, but beneath the surface disguise, there was a hint of bitterness in her deep amber eyes.

Seeing that their gazes had met, Ye Chengxing spoke again, "The most important thing is that it goes against your will, doesn't it? Li Jia, you haven't done anything wrong."

She looked at her, never averting her gaze for a moment, speaking calmly, "Those sc*mbags are the ones at fault, the ones who should be condemned and criticized. It has never been you, and it should never be you."

Ye Chengxing looked into Li Jia's eyes and suddenly couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

This person, the person in front of her, should have been dazzling and radiant. But now, because of those disgusting sc*mbags, her life has plunged into darkness, and she is trapped in endless malice.

Ye Chengxing couldn't help but repeat in a low voice, "Li Jia, you haven't done anything wrong..."

She took a breath, blinked her eyes, feeling a hint of moisture at the corners of her eyes. "You have never been wrong. It should be them who deserve punishment, not you."

Li Jia looked steadily at the tears in the corners of Ye Chengxing's eyes.

She looked into the depths of the Alpha's pupils and there, she saw clusters of unextinguished fire and her own reflection.

At this point, Ye Chengxing slightly averted her gaze and said, "I know that saying this may not make you feel this way, but I will repeat it over and over again until you believe it. Even if this world is unfair and inherently dark, I will make those who have humiliated and mistreated you pay the price."

She had said too much at once, and Ye Chengxing took a breath. The more she thought about those people and Li Jia, the more angry and sad she felt.

Li Jia felt her eyes welling up even more. She wanted to speak, but it felt as if something was stuck in her throat, making it difficult for her to utter a word. Her chest seemed to be filled with another emotion, making it almost impossible to speak.

The dishes in front of her still emitted steam, but under the influence of this emotion, she felt her heart become chaotic in an instant.

Thump, thump.

Even the sound of her heartbeat became so pronounced.

In this long silence, a more uncontrollable emotion suddenly surged within Li Jia.

Ye Chengxing was so good, embodying everything she longed for and expected in a person.

She was like her sun, dispersing all the darkness around her.

But the sun brings its light to everyone, that is a fact.

Yet at this moment... she shamefully only wanted the sun to illuminate her alone.

Li Jia thought about her past, the things she found most disgusting and repulsive, the things that used to cause her inexplicable pain just by remembering them, suddenly seemed okay now.

At least those things could make Ye Chengxing's gaze stay on her for a long time.

She could be a little more fragile, a little more in need of her love, making Ye Chengxing feel like she was a flower that would wither without love.

Li Jia raised her eyes and also put down her chopsticks.

The Omega's slender eyelashes gently lifted and fell. Her beautiful face seemed like glass at this moment, guarding her most fragile and sensitive core. "Sister."

Ye Chengxing met her gaze and felt as if she saw a carnelian hidden beneath layers of petals.

So transparent, yet so fragile.

Li Jia looked at her and spoke softly, "Can... can you hug me?"

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