First Meeting Qinglin, a Strong Girl Who Broke One's Heart

Meng Chen remembered that the original story mentioned the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's base being in the south of the city. Qinglin was currently living in the west of the city, which meant the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had yet to take her in.

Without delay, Meng Chen immediately headed for the western district.

The burly man put away the gold coins and strode off. The mercenary insignia on his chest was unmistakably that of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

Although he had learned from the burly man that Qinglin was in the western district, it was so vast that Meng Chen could only ask for directions as he went.

With gold coins paving the way, everyone he questioned told him everything they knew.

After asking around, he finally learned that the girl with blue snake scales on her wrist was shunned by everyone and spent most of her time hiding in a dilapidated house in the western district. Meng Chen immediately hurried there.

Western district, before a rundown little house.

A group of seven- and eight-year-old children surrounded the house, clutching stones and broken tiles as they continuously hurled them inside. They cursed viciously as they threw.

"Little demoness, get out of Stone Desert City! You're not welcome here!"

"That's right! Get out of Stone Desert City! Don't spread your curse to us!"

"Get out! Get out!"

"If you don't get out, we'll scrape off all those disgusting snake scales on your body! Let's see how you scare people then!"

"Little demoness, nobody wants you! You pick through trash and eat slop!"

Inside the little house, a girl dressed in ragged, ill-fitting clothes huddled in a corner. Her hair was disheveled, and the exposed skin on her body was stained with dust and grime, as well as bruises.

Her small, battered hands tightly hugged her legs as she buried her head deeply between them. The blue snake scales on her wrist were especially conspicuous, while her bare little feet were covered in wounds as well.

She hid in the corner as best she could, avoiding the stones being thrown at her. Amid the children's vicious insults, her malnourished little body trembled uncontrollably.

It's okay. They'll leave once they're done cursing me. They'll leave once they're done.

Though terrified, the girl still comforted herself in her heart.

As long as she endured it, the children outside would leave after they were done cursing her.

Just like usual, they would leave after cursing for a while longer. She only had to endure it.

Yet even though she had told herself countless times that she only needed to endure it—

Those venomous words still pierced her heart like blades, adding fresh wounds to a heart already covered in scars.

Mist filled the girl's jade-green eyes, and tears blurred her vision. Unable to suppress the sorrow and pain in her heart, her helpless sobs echoed through the little house.

She did not understand. She had asked herself countless times before.

Why? She only wanted to survive. Why was that so difficult?!

She knew her birth had been a mistake, and that living for so long was itself a curse. Yet she still wanted to live—she wanted to live on for her mother's sake as well!

When she was hungry, she ate whatever scraps others threw away.

When she was thirsty, she found water to drink.

She would not cause anyone trouble. She would not hurt anyone. So why was there no place for her?

Endure it. Just endure it a little longer, and it'll pass.

The girl continued comforting herself. She only had to endure it.

Suddenly, the curses by her ears stopped, replaced by the pained howls of those children.

"Ah—"

"Don't hit me!"

"Wuwuwu, Dad! Someone's bullying me... wuwuwu!"

"Ah! My teeth! I'm going to kill you!"

The girl, who had been comforting herself, froze. What was happening? Why were those children being beaten?

She wiped away her tears and raised her head, revealing her grimy little face.

But before she could poke her head out to see what was going on, a handsome youth in purple robes, as elegant as jade, had already entered the little house and appeared before her.

The girl had never seen anyone as handsome as him, nor did she know what words could describe him. For a moment, she stood there in a daze.

Meng Chen looked at the grimy girl, a trace of pity surfacing in his eyes. Then he slowly extended a hand toward her and called softly, "Qinglin."

The fair hand held out before her, along with that gentle tone, made the girl's heart tremble.

Other than her mother, no one had ever spoken to her in such a gentle voice. No one had ever called her by name.

Every word she had heard had been abuse or ridicule. Never had anyone been as gentle as this youth.

The girl looked at the refined youth. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the eaves and fell over him, coating him in a faint golden glow.

At that moment, Meng Chen shone as brilliantly as a deity in her eyes. The girl involuntarily raised her arm and reached her hand toward him.

But when she saw her dirty little hand, covered in wounds, the girl hesitated and tried to pull it back.

She did not want to dirty him.

Yet to her surprise, the youth took the initiative to grasp her dirt-stained hand. Without caring about the filth or stench on her body, he pulled her into his embrace.

The girl felt a kind of warmth she had never known beyond her mother's embrace.

At that moment, even the sun in the sky could not compare to even a fraction of the gentleness of the youth before her.

Meng Chen held the dirty Qinglin in his arms. Seeing how gaunt she was, with barely any flesh on her bones, his heart ached even more.

Perhaps because he had lived under another's roof in his previous life and endured plenty of insults and humiliation, he strongly empathized with the suffering and injustice Qinglin had endured.

Feeling the girl's frail body trembling faintly, Meng Chen gently patted her thin back to soothe her.

Other than her mother, Qinglin had never been comforted like this by anyone.

She wanted to hold Meng Chen tightly, but she was afraid of dirtying his clothes. She could only curl up in his arms as much as possible, trying her best not to stain him.

Holding the girl lightly, Meng Chen walked out of the dilapidated little house. Outside, every child who had been clamoring for Qinglin to get out of Stone Desert City received a slap from Meng Chen, sending them sprawling to the ground as they clutched their cheeks and wailed.

Especially the child who had shouted about scraping off Qinglin's snake scales—Meng Chen knocked out all his teeth and made him swallow them, then threw him into a cesspit together with the child who had yelled that Qinglin should eat slop.

At an inn in Stone Desert City, Meng Chen rented a superior room and instructed the waiter to prepare hot water. He helped Qinglin bathe and wash away the grime covering her body.

Qinglin was somewhat shy, but she did not resist Meng Chen.

From the moment the youth had extended his hand to her and picked her up, she had already regarded him as the only salvation of her life.

After changing the hot water four times, the dirty girl was washed clean inside and out. But it also allowed Meng Chen to clearly see the bruises and scars covering her body.

Even many of the snake scales on her body had been ripped off, leaving ugly marks everywhere—dense and horrifying to behold. This made his heart ache even more, while an uncontrollable rage surged within him.

"Those beasts! How could they do this? You're still just a child!"

He had thought Qinglin's experiences in the animation had already been miserable enough, but compared to what Qinglin had truly suffered, they were insignificant.

Meng Chen reached out and lightly touched Qinglin's scars, old and new layered over one another. The pity in his eyes deepened.

"Qinglin, it must have hurt so much."

It had obviously hurt so much, yet she had endured all that pain, endured the curses and cold stares of the world. She must have been so miserable and sorrowful inside, yet she had still persevered and survived. She truly was a strong girl...