My position in the Propaganda Department was effectively a sinecure; yesterday, the Minister sent me to the countryside simply because they were short on hands. When I delivered the newspapers today, he anxiously asked how things went. I assured him everything was proceeding according to plan, though I neglected to mention that the plan was mine, not the one he’d assigned.

The midday heat was oppressive, rendering any work impossible. The slag heap, luckily, lay in the shadow of the government office building. I lay back on it again, watching the few sparse figures drift through the farmers’ market, preoccupied with their own thoughts. I felt I shouldn't remain confined within the small government compound; to grasp the true state of Liangshan, I had to venture out. But where should my first stop be? I knew nothing of the conditions here, and navigating without a guide would surely be troublesome.

As I pondered, my eyes began to scan my surroundings, though I wasn't sure what I was looking for—a flicker of anticipation warmed me. For some reason, that frail silhouette occupied my thoughts so intensely. On such a scorching day, what could she be doing now?

The familiar corner was empty of Xiao Yao’s presence. At this temperature, she shouldn't be out selling vegetables. I might have to wait until evening to see her. How strange it was that I couldn't stop thinking about her; she was dirty and ugly. Was my pity stirring up again?

“Zhao Qian, why aren’t you back at the dorm for your nap? What are you doing hanging around the wall top? Hurry up and get over here!” Ning Shixuan called down to me, poking her head out of the dormitory window.

“Can’t I just sunbathe? Are you saying you can’t sleep unless I’m here to keep you company? Ouch!” Before I could finish my sentence, two sandals were hurled from the window, landing squarely on me.

“You brute! For talking such nonsense! Bring these shoes up to me later!” Ning Shixuan said indignantly. My little joke had truly angered her. But lately, for some inexplicable reason, I found immense pleasure in watching Ning Shixuan pout and get angry. Honestly, it made her a hundred times prettier and cuter than her usual self. Strange indeed. It was as if my nerves had gone awry since I arrived in Liangshan.

Ning Shixuan ignored me. I picked up her sandals and placed them on the wall top. I’d deal with returning them whenever I went back inside. Two farmers walked past outside the wall, chatting. “This heat is brutal, must be close to forty degrees, right? If it doesn’t rain soon, the crops will be ruined.”

The other replied, “True. If this high temperature continues, people will literally bake to death! No wonder that little beggar fainted. If she can’t handle the shade, what about standing in the midday sun selling vegetables? Such a fool. Her vegetables are already wilted—who would buy them?”

A vegetable-selling beggar? A bad feeling struck me. I jumped down from the wall and grabbed the two farmers. “Uncles, the little beggar you mentioned selling vegetables—was she a girl with long hair?”

“Yes, she was. Are you her family? You’re ruthless! Making her sell vegetables in this heat. Who knows if anyone bought anything, but she could easily die from sunstroke!”

I asked urgently, “Where is she?”

The farmer pointed, “Just around the corner by the Post Office. Go check on her quickly. No one is paying any mind. If she isn't rescued soon, she might actually die.”

I shot off like a rocket. It turned out I hadn't seen Xiao Yao not because of the heat keeping her away, but because she had moved locations. Was this person completely mad? How many vegetables could she sell at noon? Couldn't she wait until the afternoon?

I quickly reached the Post Office. Indeed, a small crowd of rubberneckers stood at a safe distance in the shade, pointing and gesturing toward a frail figure on the ground. Why were they so indifferent? Couldn't they even make an emergency call? Didn't a little beggar’s life matter?

I rushed forward and checked Xiao Yao’s breathing. Thankfully, her life wasn’t in immediate danger; it seemed to be just heatstroke. I needed to get her into the shade immediately to cool her down, or she risked serious complications if she remained unconscious. In that brief moment, I got a clear look at Xiao Yao’s face. How should I put it? The structure of her face was perfect, absolutely flawless. It was a pity that beneath the grime and dust, there wasn't a single trace of a girl’s complexion.

I scooped up Xiao Yao and sprinted back toward the government dormitory. Passersby thought I’d gone mad, sprinting with a beggar in my arms. I didn’t care about their stares; I only knew this person needed my help, just as Xu Chen had needed mine back then.

The first step for heatstroke is cooling. If she could drink some Zhengqi Shui (A type of traditional remedy), that would be best, but where would I find that now? I could only grab a piece of cardboard and start fanning her frantically. After just a couple of swings, I realized my hand felt sticky. A closer look revealed: blood!

What was happening? Where was this blood coming from? It couldn't be from me; my skin never broke. Besides, I hadn’t noticed any blood when I was relaxing on the slag heap. So, the blood was from Xiao Yao! This work is exclusively presented in text format by 16k Novel Network. Reproduction or excerpting without permission is prohibited. For the latest and fastest chapters, please visit www.16k.cn!

This shock made me realize Xiao Yao’s lower body was soaked. She—she was injured! I turned her body over but couldn't find a wound. Then, smelling the blood and tracing its origin point, I suddenly understood. She wasn’t injured at all; it was just her period. Idiot! With so many women around me recently, how could I have forgotten that possibility?

I bolted out of my room and hammered on Ning Shixuan’s door: “Xiao Ning, Xiao Ning! Hurry up and help me save someone!”

After several hard knocks, I realized her door was locked. Where had this girl disappeared to in an instant? I frantically called her mobile, as dealing with that kind of thing myself was highly inappropriate.

“Xiao Ning, where are you? I need you urgently.”

Ning Shixuan replied irritably, “Who told you to upset me earlier? I’m working overtime in the office, I don’t have time for you.”

I pleaded, “Miss, can I apologize right now? Come back immediately. Oh, and do you have any sanitary pads in your room? If not, hurry downstairs and buy some, then bring them up. If you do, come up right away; I have something extremely important I need your help with in my room.”

Ning Shixuan asked doubtfully, “What is it? Are you having that time of the month too? Are you a pervert?”

“I’m begging you, it’s a matter of life and death. I’ll explain when you get here. Hurry!”

Ning Shixuan sensed I wasn't joking and didn't waste a moment. Soon, I heard the hurried sound of women's leather shoes downstairs, and a moment later, she rushed up from the landing. “What is it? Why the fuss? If you dare play a joke on me, I won't let you off!”

I pushed open my door. “I was resting on the wall top and heard people say Xiao Yao had fainted, so I carried her back. I meant to cool her down from the heat, but it turns out she suddenly started her period. Could you please help me sort this out? It would be best to take off her clothes and cool her down quickly; if she remains unconscious, I’m worried.”

With the situation explained and analyzed, Ning Shixuan immediately understood everything and didn't hesitate. “I have an electric fan. Hurry and carry her into my room. Also, bring me a basin of cold water. And you, go buy some heatstroke medicine and brown sugar immediately. I just finished the bag I had; here’s the money for now, but remember to pay me back when you get paid.”

So stingy. I had saved her over a thousand yuan last night! I took the hundred yuan from Ning Shixuan, filled a basin with cold water, and ran downstairs. When I returned with the required items, Ning Shixuan’s door was already locked from the inside. I could only knock twice to let her know everything was ready, then retreat to my own dorm to wait.

Not long after, there was a loud thump as Ning Shixuan kicked open the dorm door. “Hurry up, Zhao Qian, come see a great transformation!”

Confused, I asked, “I asked you to save her, what are you doing? How is Xiao Yao? Is she okay? If it’s serious, let’s take her to the hospital; I’ll pay whatever it costs.”

Ning Shixuan smiled mysteriously. “Zhao Qian, Xiao Yao is just a dirty and ugly little beggar. Is she really worth all this concern? You should spend that energy worrying about me instead.”

I jumped to my feet. “Are you crazy? Your own pants are on fire, and you want to debate this? What about the little beggar? Believe it or not, this little beggar might be a big shot someday. We shouldn't judge people by their appearance. Besides, if she cleaned up, she might even be prettier than you.”

Surprisingly, Ning Shixuan didn't get angry. She grabbed my arm and pulled me into her room. “See for yourself, the beggar turned beauty!”

Beauty? A beauty? My thoughts stumbled for a moment. “L-L-Little Yao? Is that her?” Of course, I wasn't stunned by the sudden appearance of a beautiful woman—this beauty was genuinely shocking—but who was I? What kind of intensely stimulating scenes hadn't I experienced? My shock was only at the radical change from before to now.

The dirty, ugly little beggar was gone. In her place was a girl whose beauty made one’s heart bleed. Her level of attractiveness could almost rival Li Qi’s, but their beauty was distinctly different. Xiao Yao possessed a kind of delicate, heartbreaking charm, much like Xu Chen’s.