Chu Mengling

Watching Chen Hao walk away, Chu Jinliang slowly stood up, his eyes filled with boundless hope.

It had been only a few simple words, not even a promise, yet for some reason, Chu Jinliang felt an inexplicable confidence. Chen Hao would surely bring Chu Mengling out of this darkness.

Chu Mengling's parents were standing guard at the door. When they saw a stranger about to enter, they immediately blocked his way. "Who are you?"

Behind him, Chu Jinliang said, "Huasheng, his name is Chen Hao. He's the one who saved Ling'er."

Chu Huasheng's face immediately lit up. "So it was you! Thank you so much."

A moment later, however, Chu Huasheng slumped again. "But now, Ling'er..."

Chen Hao gently patted Chu Huasheng on the shoulder and said confidently, "Uncle, let me try."

As Chen Hao was about to push open the door, Chu Huasheng glanced at Chu Jinliang. Only after receiving his approval did he refrain from stopping him.

Once Chen Hao had closed the door, Chu Jinliang said, "Chen Hao is no ordinary young man. He saved my life yesterday. He might really have a way to help Ling'er."

Chu Huasheng's eyes widened as he stared incredulously in the direction Chen Hao had gone.

Although Chu Jinliang had kept his terminal lung cancer a secret from everyone, his earlier condition had been that of an old man whose bodily functions were rapidly failing, a flickering candle that could go out at any moment.

Yet in just a single day, Chu Jinliang, who had needed help even to walk, suddenly seemed to have returned to how he had been over a decade ago. It had truly stunned Chu Huasheng.

"Just who is this Chen Hao?" Chu Huasheng murmured to himself.

The moment Chen Hao stepped inside, a cup flew straight at him. "I told you, nobody comes in!"

Chen Hao reacted swiftly and caught it.

Chu Mengling was wearing a hospital gown, with gauze wrapped around her right cheek. She looked haggard, her face streaked with tears.

Seeing a stranger enter, Chu Mengling glared at him with hostility. "Who are you? Get out!"

Chen Hao smiled faintly, gently set down the cup, then leaned against the wall and immediately activated the Heavenly Eye Art.

Using the Heavenly Eye Art, Chen Hao saw that the burns on the right side of Chu Mengling's face were indeed quite severe. Although the underlying muscles had not suffered much damage, the skin and tissues of the face were extremely delicate. With burns like these, current medical technology probably could not restore them completely.

For a young woman in the bloom of youth to be left with such a large scar across half her face would truly be a shame. It was no wonder Chu Mengling's temperament had changed so drastically.

But Chu Mengling was undoubtedly fortunate, because she had met Chen Hao.

After getting a general understanding of Chu Mengling's condition, Chen Hao smiled and said, "If I'd known you would turn out like this, I shouldn't have saved you."

Chu Mengling stared blankly at Chen Hao, silent for a long time. Then tears spilled from her eyes again. "Do you know what? I really wish you hadn't saved me. My face is ruined. How am I supposed to face anyone from now on? I'd be better off dead than living like this."

Chen Hao said nothing, quietly listening.

"Do you know how important beauty is to a woman? I'm only twenty. How am I supposed to face the rest of my life?"

After just those few words, tears were already streaming down Chu Mengling's face. She sat on the hospital bed with her arms wrapped around her knees and her head buried between them. The sight made Chen Hao's heart ache.

"If I said I could restore your face to exactly how it was before, would you believe me?"

Chu Mengling continued sobbing. "Stop trying to comfort me. My grandfather has already invited all the best rehabilitation specialists in the country. They all said it would definitely leave scars."

"I'm asking you one thing. Would you believe me?" Chen Hao asked again.

This time, Chu Mengling finally stopped sobbing. She raised her tear-streaked face and stared at Chen Hao with lifeless eyes, wanting to say something but seemingly unable to speak.

Chen Hao smiled gently and walked over to Chu Mengling. After sitting down beside her, he smiled at her and said, "Let's make a bet. If I can cure you, promise me you'll go back to being that bright, cheerful girl. But if I fail, I'll do whatever you tell me to. You can even have your grandfather lock me up. How does that sound?"

Chu Mengling's eyes remained lifeless, but Chen Hao keenly sensed the tiny spark of hope hidden deep within her, a hope she had long since abandoned.

Chen Hao stood and went straight to the door. He said to Chu Jinliang and the others outside, "Grandpa Chu, please have a nurse bring some clean gauze. I'm going to treat Chu Mengling."

Chu Huasheng and his wife were bewildered. Chen Hao was not a doctor at all, and his abrupt declaration left them completely confused.

Chu Jinliang's eyes, however, lit up. He immediately shouted at the soldiers behind him, "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and do as Chen Hao says!"

"Yes, sir!"

Four or five soldiers, including Qiao Shan, immediately jogged toward the nurses' station.

When the young nurses heard that someone was going to treat Chu Mengling, they were dumbfounded, but they could only supply the gauze Qiao Shan requested.

One of the nurses hurriedly picked up the phone and made a call.

In another room, a group of gray-haired elderly men sat together in heated discussion.

Wearing reading glasses, Gong Honglin was leafing through books on cancer, his brow tightly furrowed as though countless worries weighed on his mind.

These men were not to be underestimated. Every one of them was a renowned figure in the medical world, with more than forty years of clinical experience apiece.

Ever since the "supernatural" incident involving Chu Jinliang the previous day, Gong Honglin's understanding of the world had been shattered. He had hurriedly gathered experts from various fields for a symposium.

Yet after all their research and discussion, none of them had the slightest idea how to explain it.

One elderly man shook his head in bewilderment. "Gong, we're talking about terminal lung cancer, with cancer cells that had already spread throughout his body. For all those cells to disappear completely within a few hours simply defies logic."

Another elderly man shook his head as he paced. "It really should be impossible, but the world is full of wonders. We probably have no way of uncovering the secrets behind something science can't explain."

Another elderly man slowly closed his book and looked at Gong Honglin questioningly. "Gong, didn't you say Commander Chu's cancer was cured by some kid? Could you invite him here to discuss it with us?"

The suggestion immediately met with everyone's approval.

Gong Honglin took off his reading glasses and closed his book. "If I could invite him, I would have done it already. Commander Chu holds him in such high regard that I don't even get a chance to exchange more than a few words with him."

As they were talking, Gong Honglin's phone suddenly rang. "Director, something has happened with Chu Mengling. Please come down and take a look."

Gong Honglin replied impatiently, "I'm in a meeting. What happened?"

The nurse on the other end said, "I'm not quite sure either. I only heard them say someone was going to treat Chu Mengling, and they asked me to prepare some gauze and things."

"Someone is going to treat Chu Mengling?" Gong Honglin murmured. Suddenly, his tired eyes flew wide open, and he slapped his forehead. "Oh! How could I have forgotten about that?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gong Honglin sprang from his chair without a thought for decorum, his reading glasses nearly slipping off his nose.

The elderly men in the room were utterly baffled as they watched Gong Honglin race out the door.

"Hey, Gong! What happened?"

"That young man from yesterday is here!" Gong Honglin's immensely excited voice rang out in the corridor.

The elderly man standing by the door paused briefly, then immediately understood and rushed out after Gong Honglin.

Everyone else in the room caught on as well and thundered outside, nearly crushing the doorway in their rush.

When Chen Hao took the gauze from Qiao Shan, he instructed him, "The same rules apply during treatment. No matter what happens, don't let anyone in. Sorry for the trouble, Brother Qiao."

Qiao Shan thumped his chest. "Don't worry. Leave it to me."

Seeing that Chen Hao had even drawn the curtain over the door, Chu Huasheng and his wife immediately grew anxious. "Dad, can we really trust Chen Hao? Could he hurt Ling'er?"

Chu Jinliang merely smiled. "All you need to worry about is how to thank Chen Hao."

When Chen Hao returned to the room with the gauze, Chu Mengling had completely calmed down. She had wiped away her tears and was sitting obediently on the hospital bed, watching him.

Chen Hao set down the gauze and said, "Turn around."

"Okay!" Chu Mengling obediently turned around.

When she felt Chen Hao's hand begin to touch her hair, Chu Mengling's heart inexplicably started racing, and a faint blush seemed to sweep across her pale cheeks.

Seeing that even Chu Mengling's ears had turned red, Chen Hao shook his head with a smile. "I'm going to take the gauze off your head now and change your dressing."

"Okay!"

Chu Mengling's reply was barely louder than a mosquito's hum, and she slowly lowered her head.

Only after removing all the gauze did Chen Hao say, "Turn your head back toward me."

"No. I... I... I'm too ugly now." Chu Mengling seemed reluctant.

"If you won't let me look, how am I supposed to treat you?" Chen Hao asked patiently.

After a long while, Chu Mengling finally turned her head slowly toward him.

When Chen Hao got a clear look at the burns on Chu Mengling's face, his brow furrowed slightly.

Chu Mengling had lovely features, with a high nose bridge, large eyes, and smooth, delicate skin. She was very pleasant to look at, a sweet, adorable young woman.

But the extensive burns on the right side of her face were like countless flaws marring a beautiful piece of jade, leaving anyone who saw her filled with regret.