Xiao Rufeng wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but the second she regained her consciousness, she felt that her whole body was covered with sweat, making her wish she could take a long shower as soon as possible. Thankfully, this time, she regained her ability to move, but it was obvious that she was still weak and feeling exhausted.
She turned her attention to the person who was dozing on the armchair near the glass window and felt guilty for having Yan Xiuchen to look after her, trying to keep her awake by conversing with her.
The digital clock on the nightstand said it was already four in the morning, and Xiao Rufeng didn't have the heart to wake Yan Xiuchen from his slumber.
'He might have fallen asleep before I did.' Xiao Rufeng thought.
She silently slipped out of the bed and walked to the ensuite bathroom to relieve herself and wash the sweat and dirt off her body. She then opened the wardrobe and was glad to find a pair of white robes inside.
When she returned to the bedroom, Yan Xiuchen remained asleep. The air conditioner was a little cold tonight, so she adjusted the temperature and decided to cover him with the blanket he provided earlier.
However, as soon as she was about to place it on his lap, Xiao Rufeng was given a full view of his face. The moonlight revealed the rest of his face to her sight.
Scarred, but beautiful. Xiao Rufeng wasn't sure how the two words could be described by this man, but nonetheless, his scars somewhat gave him a character, a trait she had never seen on any man before. His body was well proportioned and perfect in her opinion, despite the fact that she had never seen what was beneath those clothes.
Yan Xiuchen was the kind of man that was perfect in her eyes. His calm demeanor, his personality. The only thing that wasn't perfect was his face. Still, this didn't make him a lesser man in her eyes. Being an actor for some years now, how many times had she met a handsome man that was too narcissistic and arrogant for their own good?
She had thought that Yan Xiuchen was the mysterious and shy type during their conversations as he wouldn't even look her straight in the eyes, but now, she understood why.
Yan Xiuchen was conscious of his face and didn't want her to see or look at him. No wonder he would always keep his responses short and direct to the point, making it hard for her to continue their conversation. However, now that she had seen his scarred face, it only made her curious.
What was the story behind those scars? Xiao Rufeng wondered.
When her mother was still alive, she used to tell her not to judge people with scars or disabilities. Her mother used to tell her that scars were a badge of courage and healing of a person. She also used to remind her that there's always a story behind it.
Scars weren't limited to the physical ones because there were also emotional and mental ones, her mother claimed. She also said that they don't necessarily define a person, but often they help them grow. Xiao Rufeng was too young to understand her mother's words, but now she knew.
Almost no one gets through life without a few scars and there are few that would have to live with it for the rest of their lives. However, Xiao Rufeng had never met nor seen a person as scarred as Yan Xiuchen.
She gently placed the blanket on his lap and sat on the edge of the bed, wondering how traumatic it could be for Yan Xiuchen to have such scars on his face.
Half an hour later, Yan Xiuchen squirmed in his seat as staying in the same position for a long time finally made him uncomfortable. He cracked his eyes open, his own body clock reminding him it was time to wake up. Once he sat up, he finally noticed the blanket that fell from his lap down to his feet.
Yan Xiuchen turned his head slightly and saw that the woman on bed was already up and was looking at him with curiosity. Realization dawned upon him and he snapped his head to the other side and shielded his scarred face with his right hand.
"You've seen my face." He said in an accusatory tone, as if Xiao Rufeng had committed a grave mistake for sneaking up on him to look at his face. He felt fully exposed, now that Xiao Rufeng had seen his scars. He was hoping that they would part ways after today, with her having a good impression on him and not to be repulsed by his grotesque appearance.
Xiao Rufeng cocked her head one one side and blinked.
"Am I not supposed to see you clearly?" She retorted.
She didn't sound repulsed nor bothered by what she had seen, which startled Yan Xiuchen. If she was any other woman, she would have made sure to keep a safe distance from him and won't even dare to cast a look in his way.
So then why? Why was Xiao Rufeng looking at him like this and why did his treacherous heart feel so hopeful at the moment?
"You… you aren't bothered at what you've seen? You aren't afraid of me?" He continued to question her.
"Should I be afraid of you?" Xiao Rufeng frowned. "You don't scare me at all. Those men who kidnapped me last night are more frightening than you. You could have taken advantage of the situation last night, but you didn't. You could have your way with me at my weakest point, but you didn't. Unless you are planning to assault me, I don't think I should be fearful of you."
Yan Xiuchen opened his mouth, but realized he didn't have any words to say. His fingers lightly touched the scars on his face and wondered if his wish was somehow granted by the heavenly bastard above.
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