Beauty—that was Xia Tian's first impression.
Although Xia Tian disliked women who wore makeup, the woman before him had applied very little, yet her beauty was strikingly enhanced by it. A rose is beautiful, but without green leaves to set it off, its elegance and brilliance are incomplete.
Compared to her, even the most celebrated actresses on television paled in comparison.
Her beauty existed on an entirely different level. Moreover, her figure was flawless. Unlike the nurse—whose uniform concealed her shape—this woman's attire subtly yet perfectly accentuated it.
On her, makeup and clothing were merely embellishments.
Not only Xia Tian, but even Dr. Li couldn't help staring. He quickly caught himself, lowering his head, not daring to meet her eyes."Madam Zeng, you're here," he greeted respectfully.
"Mm, thank you, Dr. Li."
Madam Zeng's voice was like the song of an oriole—soft, melodious, and capable of stealing one's soul.
"Madam Zeng, it's good that you've come. This student insists on being discharged, no matter what I say. I was just about to contact Director Zeng."
Dr. Li still dared not look up. He knew he couldn't face such beauty directly. They lived in entirely different worlds.
Madam Zeng was a legendary figure. She had entered the business world at eighteen and quickly elevated the Zeng family's enterprise to new heights. She married at twenty-five, but her husband died within half a month. Now thirty, she was one of the most powerful women in Jianghai City.
"Your injuries haven't healed yet. Why do you want to be discharged?" Zeng Rou asked, puzzled.
"I have something important to take care of. My college entrance exam is in half a month," Xia Tian replied.
He deliberately avoided using his Clairvoyance on Madam Zeng—her presence alone was already difficult to withstand.
"College entrance exam? Don't go. Stay here and recover. Once you're healed, I'll arrange for you to attend the best university and give you a sum of money as thanks."
Zeng Rou's expression remained indifferent. She was not a kind woman; rather, she was a ruthless one—otherwise, she could never have risen so high in the business world. To her, everything had a price.
Xia Tian had saved her daughter, and she was genuinely grateful, but in her world, gratitude was expressed through comfort, privilege, and money.
Yet nothing disgusted Xia Tian more than people who treated him as if money could buy him. Even his girlfriend had left him for that reason.
"I don't need it," Xia Tian said coldly. Though poor, he would never take someone else's money. He had saved the girl simply because it was right—he would have done the same for anyone.
His father had raised him with one lesson: never bully the weak; if you must fight, fight the strong.
Everyone in the room was stunned by his tone. To most people, such an offer would be a blessing.
"One million," Zeng Rou said calmly. She had noticed the shift in Xia Tian's expression, but she didn't believe anyone could truly be indifferent to money. She had met countless so-called "gentlemen," and every one of them eventually had a price.
"Hmph." Xia Tian snorted coldly, turning to leave—not hastily, but firmly.
"Two million."
Still, Xia Tian didn't stop.
"Five million."
This time, he halted and turned back.
Seeing this, a trace of disdain crossed Zeng Rou's face. The nurse and Dr. Li also nodded; in their eyes, no one could resist Zeng Rou's offer.
"I'll have the money sent to you," she said confidently. "And I'll ensure you're admitted to the best university in Jianghai."
To her, Xia Tian's resistance was merely an act—an attempt to raise his worth.
Xia Tian slowly walked back toward her. When he reached her, he turned to the nurse and asked, "Could I borrow a hundred yuan? I promise I'll pay you back."
"Uh…" The nurse hesitated, then took out a hundred-yuan bill.
"Thank you. My name is Xia Tian." He smiled politely, accepted the money, and walked out of the ward.
All three people in the room were dumbfounded—including the dazzling Zeng Rou.
When Xia Tian had turned back, she had felt certain she'd won. But in the end, she realized she had lost.
He hadn't turned around for the five million—but to borrow a hundred yuan.
Zeng Rou's face flushed. Without another word, she left the ward. It was the first time she had ever encountered someone like Xia Tian.
"What a strange guy," the nurse murmured.
After leaving the hospital, Xia Tian hailed a taxi to his cousin's residence. Since he was injured, he couldn't continue his part-time job, so he had no choice but to stay there.
His aunt was wealthy. The apartment had been bought for him and his cousin, and its interior was luxurious and fully equipped. That was precisely why Xia Tian disliked returning—he always felt out of place.
He usually earned just over a thousand yuan a month from part-time work, but that money was his own, and spending it felt right.
When he got home, his cousin hadn't returned yet. Fortunately, the door used a passcode; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to enter.
After changing clothes, he opened the wardrobe. It was filled with designer garments his cousin had bought for him, but he had never worn them. The few clothes at the bottom—those he had bought himself—were cheap, the most expensive barely over a hundred yuan, yet they gave him comfort.
In the drawer, he found a small box containing a blue necklace. When he held it, the pendant emitted a faint sky-blue glow.
His father had once told him, "Tian'er, if you ever face an insurmountable crisis or are gravely injured, wear this. It's what your mother left you."
His father had also warned him never to wear it unless absolutely necessary—to keep it safe as his mother's final keepsake.
"Father… your son will wear it today."
Xia Tian placed the necklace around his neck. The blue light pulsed once—and he fainted.
When he awoke, it was already night. All his injuries were gone.
It felt like a dream, until he noticed the necklace's glow had vanished completely, and his skin appeared to have shed a thin layer.
He rubbed at his wounds; the dead skin peeled away, revealing smooth, healed flesh beneath. The bruises and swelling were gone too.
"I've only heard of snakes shedding their skin—what's going on with me?" he muttered. "Guess I should wash up first."
He walked toward the bathroom—just as the door opened.
A beautiful woman stepped out, wrapped in a towel, nearly colliding with him.
"Ah!!" she screamed sharply.
"What's wrong?!" his cousin shouted, rushing out of her room. When she saw the scene, she immediately understood.
"Alright, Bing Xin, calm down. He's my cousin."
"Xia Tian, when did you get back? I've been home all day and didn't even notice."
His cousin, Ye Qingxue, walked toward them, still half-amused.
"All day?" Xia Tian frowned, glancing at the wall calendar. He had been unconscious for two days.
So it hadn't been a dream after all—he had truly saved the girl, been hospitalized, refused five million yuan, and experienced the miraculous effect of the blue necklace.
As he thought this, his Clairvoyance suddenly activated.
"Winnie the Pooh print," he murmured.
What appeared before his eyes was Bing Xin's underwear. This time, he was certain he hadn't imagined it.
Both women froze, then their expressions changed dramatically.
"Xia Tian! You were peeping?!" Ye Qingxue shouted. "Let's see how I deal with you!" She rolled up her sleeves and lunged.
But to Xia Tian's surprise, her movements seemed slow, almost sluggish. His vision instinctively focused on the inside of her arm—and a strange sensation told him that if he struck there, he could neutralize her attack.
Of course, he didn't do that. Instead, he quickly darted into the bathroom.
There was no way to explain what had just happened. If he told Ye Qingxue he had simply guessed, she wouldn't believe him. If he told her about his Clairvoyance, she would—without a doubt—tell everyone, and he'd end up a lab experiment.
Inside the bathroom, Xia Tian looked at the necklace. Its blue light was gone. No matter how he turned it, it remained dull.
"Is it connected to my injuries?" he wondered. He realized that when he had been wounded, the necklace had healed him—and lost its glow in the process.
"So this is what Father meant… this necklace can heal injuries."
Xia Tian clenched the necklace tightly in his hand.