Incurable Chapter 1 Part 2

Chapter 1 (2/2)

PART 2

Mu Wan stayed with Lin Wei until the rain finally stopped. Taking her umbrella, she walked out of the Inpatient Building. The two-day downpour had thoroughly soaked the air with warm moisture, and as soon as she stepped outside, the cool post-rain breeze carried a slight, refreshing chill.

Twilight had settled, casting long, dark shadows over the city. The hospital buildings were brightly lit, and the puddles on the ground reflected the neon and fluorescent lights. Mu Wan stepped into one, shattering the reflection with her heel, before finding her car and sliding into the driver’s seat.

The moment she sat down, her phone chimed. The screen illuminated her face in the dim cabin. Unlocking it, she saw a transfer notification—her salary for the drama.

Mu Wan had chosen to attend the film academy simply because acting paid well. Even if she didn’t fight for roles and just played minor characters with a few lines, it was more than enough to support herself.

She had grown up without a father, living in the sprawling Mu family estate with her mother. After her mother passed away and she graduated high school, Mu Wan moved out. Now, she was truly alone, with only her shadow for company. She had signed with a small agency, playing unnoticed, minor roles. She was completely on her own, with only herself to feed.

Truthfully, this kind of life was quite good. Not every drama could rely solely on the lead; playing supporting roles was the norm.

She was probably the most ambitionless actress in the entire entertainment industry.

After texting a quick thank you to the company’s finance department, Mu Wan set her phone aside and prepared to start the car. Her foot hovered over the clutch, but before she could press the ignition button, a dull thud echoed against the driver’s side window.

A figure stood outside the dark glass. The silhouette reflected on the window was lean and tall, but his features were obscured by the twilight. Mu Wan stopped the engine and rolled down the window.

The glass descended slowly, like a theater curtain falling to reveal the stage.

Outside, the man had already taken off his white coat, shedding his refined, elite demeanor, which only made his striking aura more pronounced. He wore a loose, comfortable linen shirt that draped effortlessly over his frame. He held a collapsed long umbrella in his hand, his long, slender fingers with distinct joints resting casually on the black handle.

The sky was draped in a thin veil of dusk. Under this dim light, his pale, cool-toned skin seemed to emit a faint glow. Up close, his features were even more exquisite than from afar, especially his eyes.

They were dark and bright, clear yet unfathomable, like a deep, still pool.

Seeing that Mu Wan had opened the window, his expression remained quiet and peaceful. He pointed down at her car.

“Wait a moment. There’s a cat under your car.”

His voice was like a clear spring—deep, resonant, and cool.

It was Daoist Liu.

As Liu Qianxiu spoke, he had already walked to the back of the car. Amidst the rustling of the damp bushes, Mu Wan rested her wrist on the window frame and glanced sideways at the rearview mirror.

In the small mirror, the man bent his long legs into a half-squat. He held a small, biscuit-shaped snack in his right hand. The contour of his profile was both hazy and clear under the dim shadows, like an uncolored ink painting come to life.

Staring at the area beneath the rear tire, Liu Qianxiu’s voice was steady, his tone gentle as he called out.

“Come here.”

In the narrow frame of the rearview mirror, a cat walked out from under the car.

Mu Wan’s gaze shifted.

It was a calico cat, plump and round-bellied, its fur covered in a layer of gray dust. As soon as it emerged, it looked up and meowed at Liu Qianxiu. The sound was soft and sweet, clearly recognizing him.

Once the cat was out, Liu Qianxiu didn’t hesitate. He bent down, reached out, and scooped it into his arms.

The ground was covered in puddles, and the cat’s paws were caked in mud. The moment it entered his arms, it stepped on his shirt, leaving distinct, muddy paw prints on the pristine linen fabric. He didn’t seem to mind at all.

Lin Wei had said he barely interacted with people, yet he was so effortlessly affectionate with a stray cat. As she watched him hold the animal, his tall, slender figure resembled a mist-shrouded peak, carrying an illusory, ascetic quality. For a brief moment, Mu Wan truly felt as if she were looking at a celestial being who had wandered down from the clouds.

“Is this your cat?” Mu Wan rested her elbows on the window frame, looking up at the man and the cat.

Liu Qianxiu turned his head, and the calico cat in his arms looked over at the same time. The woman in the car was as gorgeous as fire, smiling at him with curved eyes and a bright, teasing gaze.

“No. It’s a stray.”

“It seems very close to you.” Mu Wan glanced at the calico. The cat’s pupils had dilated into dark, round pools.

“I occasionally feed it.”

Their conversation was brief. She asked one question, he gave one answer, and no more.

Truly as detached and unbothered as a hermit.

“Do you like cats?” Mu Wan asked with a light smile.

“Mm.”

Another simple, single-word answer.

Having gotten her answer, Mu Wan gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, her delicate face scrunching up into a bright, playful smile.

“Meow~.”

It was a short, soft sound. The sweetness in her voice, mixed with her radiant smile, was like a marshmallow drizzled in chocolate sauce—soft, sweet, and utterly captivating.

Distracted by her call, the calico cat twitched its ears and opened its eyes to look at her. And the man behind it slightly raised his eyelashes, his gaze resting on her—still and unruffled, yet as deep and boundless as a vast ocean. 

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