Saving the Crazy Beauty [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Indirect Kiss

The next second, Qiao Yuxin turned around and scurried back into the corner, cowering and trembling.

The excruciating pain didn’t allow Lu Xingning to immediately focus on her patient. She instinctively brought her injured hand to her lips and blew on it. Blood welled up from the tooth-pricked wounds, and in a panic, Lu Xingning could only lightly lick it to stop the bleeding.

Hidden under the bed, Qiao Yuxin watched her every move with heightened alertness. She saw her bring her mouth to the bleeding wound, sucking the pain away little by little before finally turning her attention to her.

Now, that person should get a stick and poke her out, right?

Qiao Yuxin thought to herself, curling further into the corner, hugging her knees in a defensive, evasive posture.

To her surprise, after seeing her, the person did not act immediately. Instead, she took a step back and said to her with a slightly trembling, choked voice, “Yuxin, don’t be afraid. Sister will stay far away from Yuxin, okay?”

Qiao Yuxin couldn’t guess what she was trying to do and maintained her defensive posture.

Lu Xingning saw the girl she had so painstakingly coaxed out retreat into the corner, her eyes filled with resistance. She looked at the bite marks on her own hand, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

The unfamiliar environment, the unknown patient, and an attack she had never experienced in her life—all of it caused her fleeting strength to crumble in an instant.

She didn’t dare to make a sound. Biting her lip, she silently endured it. Tears rolled down her cheeks, causing a slight itchiness.

Lu Xingning lowered her head awkwardly, trying to wipe them away with both hands. The salty liquid accidentally got into her wound, and the intensified pain made her feel even more miserable. Her shoulders trembled, and she let out soft sobs.

Hiding in the corner, Qiao Yuxin was stunned by her sudden crying. She let her guard down and stared at Lu Xingning with curiosity.

“Doctor Lu? Are you okay?” a voice suddenly came from outside the door.

Qiao Yuxin immediately became highly alert. She squeezed herself further into the corner of the bed, digging her fingers into her own flesh to use the sharp pain to quell her inner fear.

Finally, she couldn’t hold back and let out a sound. “Go away, get out! Don’t come near me, don’t come any closer!”

Mrs. Qiao stopped, halted by the sharp rebuke.

Lu Xingning also took the opportunity to quickly compose herself, answering Mrs. Qiao with a slightly hoarse voice. “Auntie, I’m fine.”

She then stood up, hid the bite marks on her hand, and slowly turned around.

Although she had hidden her emotions, Mrs. Qiao still noticed her slightly red eyes.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked with concern again.

Lu Xingning shook her head, forcing a strained smile, and gestured for Mrs. Qiao to talk outside.

When the two of them left, the room fell silent again. Qiao Yuxin’s fingers, dug into her forearm, loosened. A faint trickle of blood seeped out, but she didn’t feel any pain.

After a brief exchange with Mrs. Qiao, Lu Xingning went back into the room and locked the door from the inside.

This time, she didn’t try to approach Qiao Yuxin. Instead, she went to a spot far away from her and asked in a submissive tone, “Yuxin, Sister Xingxing has nowhere else to go. Can I stay in your room for a little while?”

There was no response from Qiao Yuxin under the bed. Lu Xingning knew the other girl wouldn’t answer, so she looked around and pointed to a pile of miscellaneous items in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. “I’ll just sit there and won’t move, okay?”

Without waiting for the owner’s permission, she cautiously went over and sat down on the floor, leaning against the items.

The room was large and messy. From where Lu Xingning was sitting, she could look up and see the framed painting titled “One Thousand Cranes in a Cage,” signed by Qiao Yuxin. The painting depicted a single origami crane trapped inside a cage, gazing lonely at the stars in the night sky.

Lu Xingning knew nothing about art, but when she saw this scene, she was taken aback.

An origami crane wouldn’t really fly away, so why lock it up?

A lifeless object had been given a cage. And yet, this illogical setup seemed to fit so perfectly within the painting, as if that man-made paper crane was destined for this very fate.

The cage, the night sky, the stars…

Lu Xingning stared at the scenes in the painting, unable to make sense of it. She decided to pull out a sheet of rice paper from a pile next to her, tear it into small squares, and fold them. In just a few seconds, an origami crane began to take shape.

She held it up to compare with the crane in the painting but still couldn’t understand it.

So she took another small square of paper and began to fold. She folded one after another, trying to calm herself down this way.

Half an hour later, the carpet was covered in paper cranes. Lu Xingning had used up all the small squares she had torn. Just as she reached for another sheet of rice paper, she sensed someone watching her. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw Qiao Yuxin crawling toward her little by little on the floor.

Lu Xingning’s heart instantly tightened. She held her breath and pretended to nonchalantly tear another sheet of rice paper.

Qiao Yuxin, seeing that the other person wasn’t looking at her, stared at the cranes on the floor with unrestrained curiosity.

Lu Xingning folded while observing with her peripheral vision. When she saw the girl getting closer and closer, she turned her head and looked at her.

Qiao Yuxin was also peeking at her. Their eyes met, and Qiao Yuxin was so startled that she retreated a step.

Lu Xingning looked away and continued folding the paper crane in her hands.

Qiao Yuxin, seeing that she didn’t intend to harm her, grew bolder and timidly moved closer to her again.

She seemed to be very interested in the paper cranes. Lu Xingning noticed this, so when she approached again, she said weakly, “If you like them, you can take them.”

Qiao Yuxin glanced at Lu Xingning’s face, then at the cranes on the floor. After a few seconds of hesitation, she reached out with her slender, delicate fingers and quickly picked up one.

Lu Xingning watched all of her little movements but said nothing.

Qiao Yuxin let her guard down and held the crane in her hands for a long time, examining it. Finally, she couldn’t help but speak. Her voice was slightly hoarse, containing a hint of tension and uncertainty.

“Do birds fly?” she asked.

Lu Xingning turned her head to glance at her, then replied in a casual and slightly cool tone, “Of course they do!”

She saw the clear increase in curiosity in Qiao Yuxin’s eyes, but instead of explaining, she took her time pinching the beak of the finished paper crane, meticulously adjusting it. Then she held it up and gently tugged its tail with her other hand.

Under her manipulation, the paper crane’s wings fluttered, mimicking the motion of a bird taking flight. At the same time, a rustling sound of friction was produced.

Qiao Yuxin was extremely curious, her phoenix eyes fixed on it, blinking.

“Here!” Lu Xingning offered the paper crane on her open palm.

Qiao Yuxin hesitated before reaching out a finger. She pulled back just before touching it. After several attempts, she finally gathered the courage to touch the paper crane’s tail.

Lu Xingning maintained her posture until Qiao Yuxin took the crane from her hand.

Qiao Yuxin held it in both hands, her eyes fixed on it as if it were a treasure. After a few seconds, a faint, fragile smile appeared on her dry lips.

“Do you like it?” Lu Xingning asked.

Qiao Yuxin looked up at her, her long lashes lowering in thought for a moment before she nodded. For the first time, she responded to her words. “I do.”

Lu Xingning smiled. She had natural crescent-shaped eyes. When she genuinely smiled, her canines were sharp and white, sticking out playfully. A pair of shallow dimples formed on her cheeks, like small pebbles dropped into a calm lake. Her smile was sweet and healing, instilling a sense of trust.

Qiao Yuxin was affected by the smile. Her tense nerves relaxed a little more.

“Want to learn? I can teach you,” Lu Xingning said.

—Want to learn?

Qiao Yuxin understood her words one by one and gave a small nod. “I do.”

Lu Xingning scooted over a bit, creating some space. Then she patted the floor lightly. “Come on over!”

Qiao Yuxin was still wary, but her heart was swayed.

Lu Xingning didn’t rush her, saying in a natural tone, “How can I teach you if you sit so far away?”

Qiao Yuxin finally moved her body forward an inch, then another, slowly inching closer to her, but still not fully letting her guard down.

Lu Xingning picked up two pre-cut pieces of paper. She handed one to Qiao Yuxin and kept one for herself. “Watch carefully, I’m only doing this once!”

Qiao Yuxin’s attention was now fully on the paper, and her wariness was significantly reduced.

Lu Xingning’s fingers deftly folded the paper, occasionally glancing at Qiao Yuxin’s progress. When Qiao Yuxin started to fall behind, she would slow down her movements. Qiao Yuxin was very smart and quickly caught up with her rhythm.

Finally, she helped her pinch out the crane’s beak. Qiao Yuxin was very happy with her result.

Lu Xingning praised her. “You’re very smart!”

Qiao Yuxin pursed her lips, and all her tension melted away with that single compliment.

Lu Xingning opened her palm to her and asked, “Want it to fly? I can help you.”

Qiao Yuxin looked down, thought for a moment, and placed her folded crane on Lu Xingning’s hand.

Lu Xingning took the paper crane and held it up, adjusting its edges. Qiao Yuxin stared at it intently. Halfway through, Lu Xingning called out to her, “Come and help me for a second.”

Qiao Yuxin obediently moved closer.

“Pinch this part with your left hand,” Lu Xingning instructed.

Qiao Yuxin reached out her dirty right hand.

“Your left hand,” Lu Xingning corrected.

Qiao Yuxin then offered her left hand.

“Hold it and don’t move!”

She said “okay,” and her entire focus was on the body of the paper crane.

Lu Xingning held her right hand and guided it to the crane’s tail. She said in her usual tone for coaxing children, “Now, we just need to gently tug its tail, and the crane can fly.”

“Remember, you have to tug it gently. Don’t pull too hard, or it will break.”

Her professional habits gave her a natural charisma when she was teaching someone to do something.

Qiao Yuxin repeated her words, “Gently tug, don’t pull too hard…”

And the paper crane, under Lu Xingning’s guidance, began to flap its wings, making a soft rustling sound.

Qiao Yuxin watched the scene. The most radiant smile she had ever had appeared on her pale face. She turned to look at Lu Xingning and whispered, “The little bird flew.”

Lu Xingning nodded, returning her smile.

But a second later, the smiling girl fell straight to her side.

“Ding! Mission target Qiao Yuxin has fainted from dehydration. Host, please begin treatment immediately.”

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