<h4>Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Found Out</h4>


    And such aftereffects were precisely what Zhao Haishuang could not ept.


    Once she had reveled in beauty, but now, faced with this face, she felt its ugliness was breaking her heart.


    She almost thought about ending it all.


    "Haishuang, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"


    At that moment, the door of the room was pushed open, and Cheng Guomin’s voice came through.


    It was the first time the two had spoken since theirst cold war.


    Cheng Guomin had probably heard about her illness and came by to check on what was going on.


    He still cared about her deep down inside.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Haishuang started crying again.


    She thought, if he saw her like this, he would definitely stop loving her.


    As usual, she wrapped herself tightly in the nket, hiding her face entirely, turned her back to Cheng Guomin, and said softly, "It’s nothing. I’ll be fine after I get some sleep."


    "Let me check. Are you running a fever?" Cheng Guomin said as he began stepping closer.


    "No need. I’ve already taken medicine. Don’t disturb my rest."


    Hearing Zhao Haishuang say so, Cheng Guomin didn’t persist.


    "Alright then, take care and rest well."


    With that, he turned to leave.


    As she listened to Cheng Guomin’s departure, Zhao Haishuang breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart was weighed down with an even greater sadness.


    She simply rejected him, and he didn’t try further.


    With love like this, how could she ensure that Cheng Guomin wouldn’t continue his affair once he saw her like this?


    Had all her years of struggling led to nothing after all?


    Zhao Haishuang barely rested through the entire night.


    The next morning, she seemed to have aged even more. People of her age couldn’t afford sleepless nights.


    One sleepless night, and you age.


    But Zhao Haishuang couldn’t sleep no matter what.


    She covered herself tightly and went to find Zhao Wan.


    When Zhao Wan saw her like this, she was startled too.


    However, being just a beautician, Zhao Wan didn’t know what to do about such a problem.


    "Haishuang, why don’t you go to a hospital for a check-up?"


    "If even you can’t fix it, does that mean I can only wait to die?"


    "Don’t say that. There’s always some solution." Zhao Wan replied.


    But she also didn’t know how to fix it.


    "I don’t care! Zhao Wan, if my face is ruined, then don’t think your salon can continue running!" Zhao Haishuang snapped relentlessly.


    She thought, if it weren’t for Zhao Wan’s injection that day, her face wouldn’t have turned into this.


    Otherwise, why would her face only start having problems right after the injection?


    Zhao Wan was flustered. "Haishuang, we’re like sisters. Let’s talk this through calmly. Don’t get so angry."


    "My face is ruined!" Zhao Haishuang screamed, long gone was the soft-spoken, graceful image she had shown others in the past.


    Her expression was twisted, her eyes were round and bulging like brass bells, and paired with her now aging skin, she looked even more horrifying.


    If Yun Shifei saw Zhao Haishuang like this now, she would definitely be startled.


    Her gaze had turned resentful and sharp; if looks could kill, Zhao Wan would have died multiple times over by now.


    Still struggling, Zhao Wan said, "The sooner you go to the hospital, the better. Maybe the top doctors can cure this. Try going to the hospital where you had your surgery."


    Zhao Wan’s words snapped Zhao Haishuang back to her senses.


    Indeed, back when she had her surgery, the doctors were returning specialists from abroad. Over the years, whenever Zhao Haishuang needed follow-ups, she would go back to the same doctor.


    If she could find him, perhaps she still had hope.


    However, the hospital where she had the surgery wasn’t in South City.


    Back then, afraid of being discovered, she had gone to a neighboring city for the procedure.


    But it didn’t matter. Now she could just head to the neighboring city immediately. If it meant restoring her face to its original state, she would even go to the Capital.


    Thinking this, Zhao Haishuang hurried to book a ticket and then went home to pack her things.


    At this hour, Cheng Guomin was already at work, so Zhao Haishuang had nothing to fear.


    At home, it was just her, Cheng Huai, and that little brat. Cheng Huai knew about her current state—he was her son, so no matter how she looked, he wouldn’t reject her.


    As for Cheng Lie? What could he possibly understand?


    Zhao Haishuang packed her things, ready to call Cheng Guomin to say she had some matters to attend to with friends in a neighboring city and would return in a few days.


    Cheng Guomin didn’t know she had undergone cosmetic surgery; he merely thought she was skilled at makeup and that was why she looked so beautiful.


    In truth, makeup can only enhance existing features; if you don’t look good to begin with, no amount of makeup will make you beautiful.


    For instance, now, with her skin so ragged and aged, no matter how she applied makeup, her face would still look old, failing to hide her weariness.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Haishuang felt another wave of anxiety.


    Returning to her room, she finished packing and headed out into the hallway to call Cheng Guomin.


    Unbeknownst to her, the door to Cheng Lie’s room quietly pushed open.


    The boy watched silently through the crack in the door, observing Zhao Haishuang as she made the call.


    As he had expected, the woman’s face was utterly ruined by now.


    Her skin looked like a rough cloth stered onto her face, the cloth ill-fitted, emphasizing the abundance of wrinkles.


    It looked eerily unsettling.


    Cheng Lie knew Zhao Haishuang’s face was beyond repair, but she remained oblivious, still believing she had hope.


    Just like that year, when young Cheng Lie had sat in a hospital hallway, staring at the red light on the emergency room door in a daze.


    He had thought it signaled ongoing efforts to save a life.


    Little did he know, from the moment his mother had been rushed into the hospital, there had already been no signs of life.


    All the rescue efforts were merely procedural, making the oue seem proper and justified.


    Cheng Lie lowered his gaze.


    In truth, he hadn’t nned on acting so soon, but his patience had been gradually worn down by them.


    He also wanted to rid himself of thebel of autism—otherwise, there were so many things he wouldn’t be able to aplish.


    Cheng Lie thought of Yun Shifei.


    She had cared so much for him despite his autism. What if she saw a healthy version of him?


    Healthy...


    Cheng Lie wasn’t sure if he could be considered healthy at this moment.


    Even without autism, his heart was still dark inside.


    And she lived in the sunlight.


    If she discovered his true nature, would she fear him?


    Cheng Lie didn’t know, and he didn’t care.


    Whether she feared him or not, he would never let her go.


    "Haishuang, are you feeling better?" At this moment, Cheng Guomin’s voice broke through, interrupting Cheng Lie’s thoughts.


    The boy looked up, seeing Cheng Guomin walking upstairs.


    He curled the corners of his lips into a smirk that held a hint of menace and a shred of amusement, as though anticipating the thrill of impending disaster.


    When Zhao Haishuang, calling Cheng Guomin, realized he wasn’t answering, she felt something was off.


    Upon hearing Cheng Guomin’s voice, she froze momentarily, then hastily ended the call and covered her face with her hand.


    She hurriedly retreated to her room.