In the imperial city, at the Central Hospital, lay a young girl on the operating table. She possessed a captivating beauty akin to a blooming ice lotus. Her slender figure was enveloped in a black long dress, and her delicate and fair feet were exposed in the open air. Her legs, concealed by the hem of the dress, exuded a mysterious charm.
A masterpiece of creation.
However, all the beauty was marred by the bloodstains that covered the girl's body. Her once lively and spirited eyes were now dull and lifeless.
The girl gazed longingly, aware that she was about to go to a faraway place. Her soft voice, fragile as a strand of silk, was filled with reluctance.
"Ye Fan, I... like you... I don't want to go to a world without you. If there's a next life, will you... marry me?"
*Drip, drip!*
The piercing sound of medical equipment rang out, as if mourning the girl's departure.
"Don't... don't go!"
Ye Fan's shoulders trembled violently, tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes, his cries filled with heart-wrenching despair.
At this moment, all hope was lost! The world was collapsing! From now on, there would be no more Ning Xi! In the vast sea of people, he would never find her again...
Since his mother's death, Ning Xi had been the only light in Ye Fan's dark world. Years of companionship had made him fall in love with this innocent, lovely, and beautiful girl.
Ye Fan had buried this love deep within his heart, never revealing it, afraid that if he confessed, he wouldn't even be able to be friends with her. Only today did he realize that Ning Xi had feelings for him too...
They say that when it comes to love, even if you cover your mouth, it can still be seen in your eyes. But he had been as oblivious as a log to Ning Xi's feelings.
Endless regret surged within him!
Every moment from the past formed a series of images that flashed before Ye Fan's blurry eyes.
"Brother, it's getting cold. Remember to wear more clothes."
"Brother, don't you know staying up late is bad for your health? Go home and sleep now!"
"Brother, do I look pretty in this outfit?"...
Ye Fan hated himself! He hated that he was so clueless!
Ning Xi had liked him for so long, yet he couldn't even give her an answer...
The saddest thing in the world was probably this.
Tragic, lamentable, pitiable...
Half an hour ago, while on their way to a business negotiation, their car had broken down. As they got out of the car, a large truck came hurtling toward them.
In that critical moment, Ning Xi had pushed Ye Fan aside without any regard for her own safety. She was hit hard and sent flying, her decisive and resolute actions leaving a deep impression on him.
The words Ning Xi had spoken before her passing echoed endlessly in Ye Fan's ears.
Helpless, full of regret, and in pain—these emotions completely overwhelmed him. His eyes were devoid of color, like ashes.
Trembling, Ye Fan walked to the operating table and gently touched Ning Xi's face. His eyes were filled with deep affection, like a whirlpool.
A sudden, intense heartache accompanied by a sense of suffocation overwhelmed him. Instead of reaching for his medication as he usually did, he lay down beside Ning Xi, held her cold hand, and slowly closed his tired eyes. His consciousness gradually faded.
Life was too short—
Without you, there's no joy!
...
"The Creator will bestow great responsibility upon a person. Before that, they must endure hardships, labor, hunger, and deprivation. Their actions will be disrupted, their hearts and minds tested, to strengthen their character and abilities beyond their limits..."
Ye Fan was awakened by a loud recitation, his hazy consciousness slowly returning to his body.
His head throbbed, sending shivers down his spine. Why did he still feel pain after death?
Ye Fan struggled to open his eyes and saw an aged face, wrinkled with the passage of time, recounting the story of lost years.
Pang Wenjian squinted his eyes, gnashing his teeth as he asked, "Are you sleeping soundly?"
"Sort of," Ye Fan instinctively nodded.
"Haha!" The recitation in the classroom came to an abrupt halt, replaced by laughter from the students.
"Ye Fan!"
Pang Wenjian's face turned red with anger. He pounded the desk with his right hand, staring at Ye Fan with fiery eyes.
"Do you know what time it is now? We're in our senior year!"
"Skipping classes, using the internet during class, coming late, fighting; he's done it all this month. Does a student like him even deserve to stay in school? He must be expelled!"
"According to the statistics from the Academic Affairs Office, this month alone, Ye Fan has received two minor infractions and three warnings. According to school regulations, three warnings count as one minor infraction, and three minor infractions count as one major infraction. Students who receive a major infraction are expelled."
Pang Wenjian argued vehemently.
"We can't expel him!"
Just then, a middle-aged woman rushed into the office. Time had left faint traces on her face, but it was clear that she had been a beauty in her youth.
Seeing the woman's appearance, Ye Fan's eyes instantly turned red. He quickly walked up to her and hugged her tightly, his lips trembling as he managed to say, "Mom..."
Ye Xian stood still, staring in disbelief. After she remarried, her son hadn't hugged her like this. She patted his back gently, suppressing the tears in her eyes, and softly reassured him, "Don't worry."
She turned to Wang Maomin, her tone urgent. "Principal Wang, no matter what mistakes Xiaofan has made, we can't expel him."
"If even the school gives up on him, what will happen to him in the future?"
Wang Maomin glanced at Pang Wenjian, who was silent, and sighed softly. "Mrs. Ye, please don't worry."
"How can I not worry? This..."
"Mom."
Ye Fan interrupted, his emotions strangely calm. "From a moral and logical perspective, the school has the right to expel me."
Hearing this, Ye Xian's face showed incredulity. She asked in astonishment, "Xiaofan, do you... do you know what you're saying?"
"Yes."
Ye Fan's gaze drifted through the window, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. "I want to transfer to another school."