Liu Nanwei and Li Mi, along with Zhou Feng, Li Shouzhong, and the others, greatly enjoyed their lunch. Only Ruan Tang was picking at her food, finding it tasteless. It wasn't that the food was bad; in the past, she had also enjoyed taking her company employees to eat at street food stalls. It was just that her palate had been gradually spoiled by Xu Lai.

Whether it was the company cafeteria, a Michelin-star restaurant, or a private kitchen, in Ruan Tang's eyes, the flavor of none of it could compare to even a fraction of Xu Lai's cooking.

Even if it was just a simple bowl of egg fried rice.

Xu Lai asked in a low voice, "Not to your liking?"

"Not hungry," Ruan Tang replied.

She was too embarrassed to admit that she had been skipping lunch at the company lately, holding out for the three-course dinners he made. Every day she went to work, she found herself eagerly anticipating what dishes Xu Lai would prepare.

Hearing his wife's stomach grumble softly, Xu Lai couldn't help but say, "I'll make you noodles when we get home."

"Noodles? Great!" Ruan Tang's eyes lit up. Xu Lai's Zhajiangmian was exceptional, but unfortunately, he had only made it once because Yiyi didn't like noodles.

The lunch lasted nearly an hour before Xu Lai, catching a subtle glance from Ruan Tang, excused himself from the table early.

It wasn't until two-thirty that afternoon that Ruan Tang was cradling a bowl of Zhajiangmian and eating with relish. She wolfed down the noodles, paying no mind to her ladylike image.

"Mind your manners. You're the head of a company and the daughter of a distinguished family, after all," Xu Lai said with a helpless sigh.

"Manners are for outsiders," Ruan Tang replied casually.

Xu Lai pondered the meaning of her words, and a brilliant smile spread across his face. So that means I'm not an outsider.

He couldn't help but grin. "I'll add a couple of eggs for you. You need some nourishment, too."

Ruan Tang put down her chopsticks, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Too? Mr. Xu, who was the last woman you offered to 'nourish'? It wouldn't happen to be Ruan Lan, would it?"

As she spoke, a murderous intent began to fill the air.

Sensing the sudden chill, Xu Lai quickly coughed to change the subject. "Are we still going to help your friend? I haven't heard anything about it."

Ruan Tang suddenly fell silent. "She says it's terminal and she doesn't need treatment."

Xu Lai said no more. This was Ruan Tang's friend, and it wasn't his place to interfere.

"But I still want you to try," Ruan Tang said softly, her gaze fixed on Xu Lai. "Can you do me this favor?"

"I'd be happy to," Xu Lai nodded.

After they finished the noodles, Ruan Tang called Ruan Lan, asking her to pick up Yiyi from school and explaining that she might not be home that night.

Ruan Lan naturally agreed at once, repeatedly adding, "Sis, remember to take precautions!"

"..."

Ruan Tang hung up with a dark expression. Honestly, what kind of sister is she?

Her friend lived quite far away. Although it was still within the borders of East Sea City, the area was so remote it was practically the countryside. The drive took them two hours.

There was only a single dirt path leading into the village, so Xu Lai and Ruan Tang left the car and proceeded on foot. It seemed to have rained recently, leaving the path muddy. The stench of the sludge wafted up in waves.

However, Ruan Tang was so worried about her friend that she didn't notice her own white shoes remained immaculate, without a single speck of dirt on them.

"Five years ago, when I was kicked out of the Ruan Family, I had just given birth to Yiyi and was incredibly weak. When Wei Qing heard about it, she took the initiative to lend me thirty thousand yuan and even bought me a ton of nutritional supplements," Ruan Tang explained.

Ruan Tang didn't mention that she had been on the brink of despair back then. If Wei Qing hadn't appeared, she never would have made it. It was more than just a favor. One could say Wei Qing had saved her life, giving her the courage to climb out of that abyss.

The laughable thing was, they had exchanged fewer than three sentences during their four years of college. Meanwhile, nearly all the classmates who had once benefited from Ruan Tang's help now avoided her in her time of need. Forget offering a helping hand; they all rushed to disassociate themselves from her, even spreading rumors that she'd had a bad reputation back in high school.

In those short five years, Ruan Tang had seen people's true colors!

After a pause, Ruan Tang continued, "Wei Qing used to be so cheerful and positive, and her family was well-off. But a couple of years ago, feathers suddenly started growing all over her body. She saw doctors at home and abroad, but no one could find the cause."

"She was pursuing her Ph.D. here, but she was ostracized because of her condition. So, she moved into her deceased grandmother's house to live alone. It took me a lot of effort to find out she was here."

As she spoke, they arrived at their destination—an old, dilapidated house overgrown with weeds.

Before they even entered, they heard several women's voices from inside.

"Beat the monster to death!"

"Hit her!"

"Wei Qing, you'd better get out of this village before you infect us all!"

"..."

As the harsh words continued, Ruan Tang pushed open the door. Her face instantly turned cold at the scene in the messy courtyard.

There, a woman covered in blood-red feathers was curled up in a corner, protecting her head with her arms. Three stout, middle-aged women stood several meters away, viciously beating her with long sticks.

"What are you doing?!" Ruan Tang rushed over to shield Wei Qing with her body, shouting, "It's illegal to assault someone! I'm calling the police!"

The threat of calling the police was incredibly effective.

The three stout women's expressions changed. One of them snorted, "She lives in this village and scares our children. What's wrong with telling her to get out?"

Ruan Tang didn't bother arguing. She simply pulled out her phone and started dialing 110, which sent the three women fleeing in terror.

In the end, she didn't make the call, because Wei Qing stopped her.

"This isn't the first time, is it? Why do you just endure it?!"

"I'm used to it."

Her simple reply made Ruan Tang's heart clench painfully. She was about to say more when Wei Qing pushed her away gently, whispering, "I told you not to come. I'll infect you. You two should leave, quickly."

"This isn't a contagious disease." Ruan Tang pointed to Xu Lai. "This is Xu Lai, my… my boyfriend. He's an amazing doctor. I brought him to take a look at you."

Wei Qing said nothing, her gaze cast downward as she shook her head.

Over the last few years, she had seen countless doctors and tried every folk remedy and medication imaginable, all to no avail. She'd resigned herself to staying in this remote little village to waste away and die alone.

Xu Lai observed her carefully.

Wei Qing appeared to be naked, her entire body—including her scalp—covered in blood-red feathers. Her head itself looked somewhat deformed, and most strikingly, her mouth was shaped strangely, almost like a bird's beak.

A peculiar glint appeared in Xu Lai's eyes. "Can you lift your head? Let me see your eyes."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qing buried her head deeper into her feathers, her whole body trembling.

Ruan Tang tugged on Xu Lai's sleeve, standing on her toes to whisper in his ear, "I forgot to tell you, she… she has double pupils. She's extremely sensitive about it, so please don't ask."

"You're very strong, aren't you? And your voice sounds a bit odd… Logically, your voice should be heavenly," Xu Lai muttered to himself.

"How did you know that?" Ruan Tang asked, surprised. Although Wei Qing had studied history, she was relentlessly scouted by major record labels from home and abroad throughout her four years of college.

Unfortunately, Wei Qing had no interest in the entertainment industry or a singing career and refused all their offers, prompting many industry insiders to lament that a true pearl was being left to gather dust.

Xu Lai smiled. "I not only know that, I also know she isn't sick. That's because she is—"

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