In the back mountains of Shrek Academy, near the edge of a cliff, a waterfall flows down into a stream that leads far away.
The dirt path, lined with fresh trees and lush flowers, is full of birdsong and the fragrance of flowers, creating a green, refreshing, and beautiful scene.
However, Chen Xuan had no mood to appreciate it; instead, he felt nervous because a pink figure stood before him, her back to him.
Since arriving here, no one had spoken, and the silence was overwhelming, creating an odd, extremely quiet atmosphere.
Chen Xuan felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He opened his mouth to speak but ended up silent, unsure how to start—just like many times before.
Not long ago, when he returned to the academy, he first reported to Dean Flender. Then, while walking on the academy grounds, he happened to meet Ning Rongrong. After a brief conversation, he learned what had happened since he left.
Ever since the day he left, Xiao Wu had locked herself in her room, her mental state very poor. She stayed in her room all day, refusing to see anyone, and no amount of persuasion could change that.
Recently, with the encouragement of Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, her emotions had finally stabilized, and she was willing to leave her room. However, when asked about the reason for her seclusion, she still refused to speak.
Chen Xuan felt overwhelming guilt and immediately rushed to the girls' dormitory. To his shock, Xiao Wu was there, waiting for him.
Later, on the edge of a cliff, beneath a silver waterfall that formed a stream flowing into the distance, Chen Xuan stood, troubled, not knowing how to make amends.
"Is this your attitude?" A cold voice suddenly broke the silence, full of icy bitterness.
Xiao Wu didn't turn around, still facing away from Chen Xuan, her demeanor indifferent.
Chen Xuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the words caught in his throat, and he said nothing.
He could clearly feel that Xiao Wu was suppressing her anger. In this situation, anything he said would only make her angrier. The best course of action was to remain silent.
He knew this day would come and had prepared himself to face it, but now that it was here, he felt powerless, unsure of what to do.
Regardless of how it all started, he could not escape his responsibility. After all, that crystal radish had come from his hands.
How could he have known that the cursed fruit required both a man and a woman to take it for the effect to manifest? If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have left it around carelessly.
As a man, Chen Xuan wanted to take responsibility, but he knew very well that Xiao Wu had always loved Tang San. Did she need him to take responsibility?
"I'm sorry," he said seriously. No matter what, he had to apologize.
He had ruined a girl's purity, and regardless of the cause, he had to take responsibility and show the proper attitude.
"Do you think 'sorry' is enough now?" Xiao Wu suddenly turned around, her face pale with rage, her eyes filled with hatred as she glared at Chen Xuan.
Her fists clenched and trembled, her small chest heaving slightly, a clear indication of the intensity of her anger, which she had been suppressing all this time.
"Sorry, I truly am," Chen Xuan repeated, apologizing again. He didn't want this to happen any more than she did.
But this only fueled Xiao Wu's anger, which she could no longer contain.
"Sorry... sorry! Is that all you can say?" Xiao Wu exploded, her whole body trembling slightly.
"Does saying 'sorry' restore my purity? Does saying 'sorry' bring me back to Third Brother?"
Xiao Wu screamed, her voice hoarse with grief.
Chen Xuan remained silent, unable to respond.
"Everything is my fault. If you need me to, I will take responsibility," he offered, ready to swear it now.
"Responsibility?" Xiao Wu suddenly laughed, but it was a bitter, almost deranged laugh, as if she had heard the world's biggest joke.
"And how will you take responsibility? What can you do to take responsibility? You took away my purity, and now a simple 'sorry' and a promise to take responsibility will return it to me?" Xiao Wu shouted, her voice full of resentment.
"Mingming Rongrong likes you so much; why did you do this to me?"
"I don't want your apology, and I don't want your responsibility. I don't want anything from you!" Xiao Wu screamed, her voice hoarse. As she spoke, her eyes reddened, tears welling up.
She collapsed to the ground, hugging her legs and curling up, her head buried in her knees, sobbing quietly, "I don't want anything. I just want my purity back. I just want to be with Third Brother."
Watching Xiao Wu break down in tears, Chen Xuan felt a complex mix of emotions. He reached out, but in his current position, there was nothing he could do.
He also sat down, but without approaching her, silently watching over her from the side.
Time passed, the sun set, and the sky turned a deep red as evening approached.
In the glow of the sunset, the evening clouds painted the sky in golden hues, casting a romantic yet sorrowful scene over the world.
The golden rays of the setting sun fell on Xiao Wu, her hair glowing with a soft halo, making her look like a divine maiden.
She hugged her legs, her head buried in her knees, her whole body curled up.
Her sobbing had long since stopped, but Chen Xuan did not leave. He quietly sat under a large tree.
Because at some point, Xiao Wu had fallen asleep, drifting into a slumber with tears still in her eyes.
The area had finally become peaceful.
Under the light of the golden sunset, the evening breeze gently blew, lifting the hair of the girl bathed in the afterglow, soothing her wounded soul, bringing peace and comfort.
Chen Xuan watched quietly, not leaving, keeping watch by her side, waiting for Xiao Wu to wake up.
Night fell, stars twinkled, and the white moon hung high in the sky, its light shimmering over the earth.
Eventually, Chen Xuan couldn't resist anymore. He reached out towards Xiao Wu.
The moonlight was beautiful, its soft glow gently falling in the quiet night, like a thin layer of silver gauze spread over the land of dreams.
Finally, Xiao Wu leaned against a tree, sleeping soundly.
Chen Xuan took out a blanket from his storage soul guide and gently covered her with it.
After finishing this, he descended the mountain. He couldn't stay to keep watch any longer because his sister was waiting for him to return.
He wanted to stay until dawn, but he couldn't. If he didn't return, Yi Yi would likely go hungry all night.
Chen Xuan descended the mountain and entered the city. Unsure of what else Chen Yi Yi liked to eat besides chicken legs, he bought a variety of food to bring back.
"Brother!"
The little girl had been waiting in the courtyard for his return. As soon as she saw him, she rushed over, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the house.
"We didn't have any vegetables at home, so I took some from the backyard to cook," Chen Yi Yi said as she led him to the dining table, where several plates of vegetables were laid out.
Thinking of how this girl had grown up eating such things, and sometimes not even that, Chen Xuan felt a pang of sadness.
He gently seated Chen Yi Yi on the sofa, then took out the food he had bought from his storage soul guide and headed into the kitchen.
**Shrek Academy**
That evening, Tang San discovered that Xiao Wu was missing again, and he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
It was late at night, and Xiao Wu still hadn't returned.
He was going crazy with worry. Ever since that guy named Chen came back, nothing good had happened.
The last time, Xiao Wu didn't come back all night, and now she was missing again. Both times were related to Chen Xuan.
Tang San's mind was in turmoil. Two coincidences, both involving the same person, made him think deeply.
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