It was a lake that glowed faintly red, its surface as smooth as a mirror.
Beyond it, there was nothing but deep, desolate darkness.
Ma Xiaotao sat on the lake, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head bowed as she curled up. Her long, wine-red hair trailed across the water.
"Are you planning to stay like this forever?" Xu Lanqing asked.
He sat down beside Ma Xiaotao, but she remained curled up and motionless, without the slightest reaction.
Her face was buried in the crook of her arms, making her expression impossible to see.
She was like a stray cat abandoned in a cardboard box by the roadside, waiting for someone to adopt her.
"Life means looking forward. Don't dwell on all that nonsense. Time will heal your wounds. They might leave scars, but at least they won't hurt anymore."
Xu Lanqing turned to look at Ma Xiaotao, who was only an arm's length away. "You're still young, still at the beginning of life's journey. You could still meet someone you love. You're so beautiful, after all, so the odds are pretty good. I'm usually very patient with good-looking people.
"If you don't want to think about that, then think about something more immediate—something that'll make your blood boil. Don't you want revenge? Are you just going to let the people who hurt you roam free?
..."
"But I've killed so many people. Innocent people, people who were just unlucky... I..."
Ma Xiaotao spoke. Her voice was hoarse, like a throat raw from crying.
"I lost my parents when I was little. Because of my Evil Fire, those relatives of mine were all afraid to go near me. I went to Shrek Academy just to suppress the Evil Fire, but... I never wanted this..."
Xu Lanqing told her