Chapter 79: Beautiful to Death

Tang Yu immediately offered kindly, “I can tutor you.” She added, “I won’t charge you anything.”

As long as Bian Yang was willing to study, she was confident she could help improve his grades.

Bian Yang lifted his eyelids slightly, his tone casual, “But time is so precious in senior year. If you, the top student, take time out of your busy schedule to tutor me for free, wouldn’t I be taking advantage of you? Do I look like the kind of handsome guy who only takes and never gives back?”

Tang Yu: “…”

He snapped his fingers, making a decision on his own. “So, you’ll stay at my place, tutor me while you’re at it, and you can keep your promise to take care of my daily needs. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”

“But…”

The boy’s voice was gentle and persuasive, cutting her off. “Or is it…”

He leaned in slightly, his dark hair falling loosely over his forehead, moving closer to her. “Are you scared of me? Afraid I might do something to you?”

Tang Yu was caught in his gaze, her expression freezing for a moment.

After two seconds, she quickly looked away.

“I’m not,” she exhaled softly.

“Then that’s settled.” Bian Yang straightened up, helping her pack her books and other things, his lips curved in a smile. “You’re taking all this home, right?” It was as if he was giving her an out. “I’ll help you pack.”

Without another word, he shoved all her books into his own backpack.

Tang Yu had two sets of school uniforms—one had been torn, the other was so muddy and stained that it was unwearable.

But Bian Yang had already left a few sets of spare clothes in the hospital locker.

There was a sky-blue dress that reached her ankles, perfect for the season.

Tang Yu held the dress up to herself and looked at Bian Yang. “Did you… buy this?”

Bian Yang put the packed things on the sofa and glanced back at her. “What’s wrong? Don’t like it?”

He’d never shopped for a girl before. He just found a store that looked decent and told the clerk he needed clothes for a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl.

The clerk recommended some, so he bought them all.

“If you don’t like any of them, I’ll go out and buy more.”

Just as Bian Yang stood up, Tang Yu quickly said, “No, it’s just… I think it’s really pretty.”

She’d never worn a dress like this before, except for her school uniform, so she felt a little out of place.

Besides, the fabric felt expensive…

“How much was it? I’ll pay you back later.”

She looked for the price tag but couldn’t find one.

Bian Yang had expected her to say that, so after paying in the store, he’d asked the clerk to cut off all the tags.

“It was cheap, just some stuff from a street stall. The one you’re holding was only fifteen.”

He sat on the sofa, speaking casually.

Tang Yu was skeptical and pulled out another dress, this one cherry-pink. “And this one?” Still no tag.

“That one was eighteen.”

Tang Yu held up a black dress, tilting her head. “And this?”

“Oh, that one was fourteen.”

“…”

Tang Yu’s expression turned a little odd—she clearly didn’t believe him.

But Bian Yang remained composed. “I bought a lot, so the shop owner gave me the wholesale price. See, they’re all odd sizes with no tags. Really cheap.”

Then, not giving her a chance to ask more, he stood up, took her by the shoulders, and steered her toward the bathroom.

“Don’t dawdle, go change. I’ll go take care of the discharge papers.”

With that, he gently pushed her into the bathroom and closed the door, letting out a quiet sigh of relief before heading toward the doctors’ office.

Inside the bathroom, Tang Yu silently looked at the dress in her hands, then at her flushed face in the mirror.

She actually wanted to ask how Bian Yang knew her size…

And all her undergarments had been bought by him as well…

At first, she’d assumed a nurse had helped, until a nurse praised her “brother” for being meticulous and thoughtful, more so than some parents. Only then did she realize it had all been Bian Yang.

Feeling awkward, she changed into the dress and came out to find Bian Yang gone.

She picked up her things to leave, and as she passed the doctors’ office, she heard Bian Yang’s voice.

“Doctor, is there anything else I should be aware of?”

“You’re the patient’s brother, right?”

Bian Yang nodded. “Yes.”

Since he was a family member, the doctor explained in detail, “She injured her corpus luteum, that’s her uterus. She’s recovered now, but it may cause irregular periods and dysmenorrhea in the future. When her next cycle comes, if the pain is severe, she can take some painkillers, and if she can’t stand it, come back to the hospital.”

“All right.” Bian Yang listened attentively.

Outside, Tang Yu’s expression grew a little uneasy.

Such things were easy enough to discuss with family, but with Bian Yang…it felt strangely awkward.

Bian Yang came out of the office and saw Tang Yu standing at the door with bags in hand. He immediately frowned and took everything from her, including the lightweight fabric bag she was holding.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait? Why are you out here?”

Tang Yu tugged at her skirt, looking a bit ill at ease. “I came out after I finished changing.”

Bian Yang slung the backpack with her books over his shoulder and looked straight at her, studying her appearance for a long time.

She stood there with her hands clasped in front of her, looking up at him obediently, pure to the point of innocence. In the sky-blue dress, her skin seemed almost translucent, like a fragile, unspoiled angel—beautiful in an unassuming, gentle way that made him want to hide her away at home.

“Tang Little Rain.”

She blinked, puzzled by his gaze.

Bian Yang pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek and said, “Absolutely stunning.”

She stared blankly for two seconds before he took her delicate wrist in one hand and led her toward the elevator.

Tang Yu glanced at her reflection in the elevator wall.

Her hair was cut unevenly, without a trace of style. Though most of the bruising on her face had faded, faint marks remained—she didn’t look pretty at all.

Her eyes drifted to Bian Yang’s reflection instead—he had always been handsome.

Outside the hospital was a small garden for patients and their families to walk.

As they passed a pavilion, Tang Yu paused, pulling her hand gently from his.

Bian Yang looked back at her. Tang Yu said, “I see someone I know. I’d like to have a word. Can you wait for me outside?”

Bian Yang tilted his head, glancing casually around. There were only patients about. Following her gaze, he saw a girl in a wheelchair under the pavilion.

She stared blankly into the distance, silent and still.

She looked about the same age as Tang Yu.

He didn’t know her, so Bian Yang withdrew his gaze. “All right, I’ll wait for you.”

“Mm.” Tang Yu answered softly.

Only after Bian Yang had walked away did she touch the item in her pocket and head toward the pavilion.

The moment she saw Tang Yu, the girl in the wheelchair’s gaze sharpened and slowly lifted to meet hers.

“Tang Yu.” Her lips were cracked, like a person in a desert long deprived of water.

She was in the prime of her youth, yet her eyes were withered. “It’s been a long time.”

Tang Yu’s lips moved, but although it had only been two months since she last saw Xu Xinyan, it felt like years.

Even her memories of Xu Xinyan’s radiant smile as she decorated the classroom blackboard at the start of term had grown hazy.

Seeing her again felt like a dream.

“Have you been well lately?” Tang Yu asked softly.

Xu Xinyan gave a crooked smile. “What can I do if I haven’t?”

After a few seconds’ silence, Tang Yu’s gaze dropped to the blanket covering her legs. “Your legs…will they recover?”