Rebirth: Illuminating a Brilliant Life

Chapter 149 Heartbreak Unhealed, Love and Courage Under the Protection of Cultural Relics

As Su Xuan gazed into Lin Yuzhi's deep and affectionate eyes, her heart stirred with ripples, and an indescribable feeling of affection quietly took root in her heart.

But fate is like a clown who loves to play jokes. Not long ago, she was slapped hard by love. The sharp blade of "betrayal" left her covered in wounds, and the bloody wounds have yet to scab over. Her heart is like a piece of broken glass hastily pieced back together. It seems whole, but it is actually extremely fragile. The slightest touch could shatter it again.

Therefore, even though Lin Yuzhi's love surged towards her like a tidal wave, she could only shrink back in the face of this tide of love, like a wounded little beast hiding in a dark corner, afraid to step into that dangerous and unknown hunting ground of love again, not daring to easily entrust her broken heart to start a new relationship. After all, the unforgettable pain made her know that once you drink the poison of love, you may be doomed forever.

Lin Yuzhi's deep eyes seemed to see through everything; not a single trace of the hesitation and struggle that flashed in Su Xuan's eyes escaped his notice. But he knew that a wounded butterfly needed gentle care, not a tempestuous pursuit.

Thus, he became like a silent guardian angel, quietly settling into Su Xuan's world, meticulously building a warm harbor just for her with his delicate and profound care.

Su Xuan sat alone in the gloomy and empty office of the Institute of Cultural Relics. The pale light above her flickered on and off, as if dancing a strange dance, distorting her solitary shadow and projecting it onto the walls full of the marks of time.

Outside the window, the night was like a huge black ribbon, tightly enveloping the entire world. In the deathly silence, the occasional mournful hooting of an owl could be heard, like a lament of the night, making the eerie atmosphere even more intense.

The entire research institute resembled a cursed ancient castle. The usual lively chatter of colleagues had vanished without a trace, leaving Su Xuan alone, enveloped in endless silence and darkness.

Before her lay a mountain of cultural relics and documents, the yellowed pages seemingly telling ancient and mysterious stories; to the side, precious cultural relics awaiting restoration exuded a cold aura in the dim light, as if carrying the resentment of thousands of years.

Su Xuan's fingers trembled as she gently stroked the weathered artifacts. The cold touch on her fingertips made her shiver, as if she had traveled through time and touched the pain and sorrow of history.

In this chilling environment, Su Xuan's eyes revealed a hint of stubbornness and determination. Although fear and exhaustion surged over her like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming her, her burning passion for cultural relic preservation became the only strength that kept her going.

She suppressed her inner unease, sometimes burying herself in those ancient books and documents that seemed like celestial script, her brow furrowed as she carefully examined every blurred character, trying to find the key clues to restore the artifacts; other times picking up restoration tools, her hands trembling slightly as she carefully performed meticulous restoration operations on the artifacts, every movement filled with awe and caution, as if the slightest mistake would awaken the evil curse sleeping within the artifacts.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew by, making the papers on the table rustle, and the lights went out instantly, plunging the entire room into complete darkness.

Su Xuan stared wide-eyed in terror, her heart pounding in her chest, cold sweat soaking her back. But even in this extreme fear, images of the once glorious artifacts and the profound cultural heritage they embodied flashed through her mind.

In that instant, a strong sense of mission surged through her, dispelling her fear. She fumbled for a spare flashlight, resolutely turned it on, and continued her work on the restoration of cultural relics.

During this long and terrifying night, Su Xuan was alone with the cultural relics in the darkness and fear. With her courage and expertise, she waged a silent battle against the unknown fear, trying to save these precious cultural heritages from the ruins of history and bring them back to the light of day.

And she herself, in these thrilling and challenging overtime hours, stepped into a mysterious and unknown realm, where an unpredictable and breathtaking story awaited her.

In this gloomy and desolate cultural relics research institute, Su Xuan felt as if she were in a lonely fortress forgotten by time, the surrounding darkness pressing down on her as if it were a tangible weight, making it hard to breathe. Her entire being was immersed in the restoration of the broken porcelain piece, her focused expression suggesting that the whole world consisted only of her and the artifact before her, bearing the weight of history.

At that moment, a faint yet eerily strange sound of footsteps echoed like a ghost in the darkness behind her. The sound was like a sharp electric current, instantly piercing the oppressive silence. Su Xuan's body tensed instinctively, every muscle like a taut spring, every hair on her body standing on end like a startled hedgehog. Cold sweat involuntarily broke out on her forehead, slowly sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the cold tabletop.

With a pounding heart, Su Xuan, like a puppet driven by fear, mechanically and slowly turned her head. Her eyes were wide open, trying to pierce through the darkness that seemed like an endless abyss to find the source of the sound.

Step by step, the heavy and oppressive footsteps drew closer, and a tall and blurry figure, like a demon climbing out of the abyss of hell, slowly emerged from the darkness.

Before Su Xuan's terrified scream could pierce the deathly silence, the figure, as if imbued with an evil speed by darkness, instantly appeared before her.

At this critical moment, a faint beam of flashlight light, as weak as a candle flickering in the wind, stubbornly shone in the darkness. Under that dim, swaying halo, Lin Yuzhi's face, so familiar that it made Su Xuan's heart tremble, filled with anxiety and heartache, forced its way into her sight.

His eyes, like twinkling stars in the night sky, were fixed on Su Xuan, as if trying to absorb all her fear and unease. The concern in his eyes was like a surging tide, instantly engulfing Su Xuan.

Su Xuan stared at Lin Yuzhi, the fear still lingering in her eyes, replaced by deep confusion and a hint of barely perceptible joy. Her lips trembled slightly as she softly asked, "Why are you here? It's the middle of the night, and the research institute is so eerie. Aren't you afraid...?"

Lin Yuzhi took a step forward, shortening the distance between them. He reached out as if to touch Su Xuan, but stopped in mid-air. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, "I called you countless times, but you didn't answer. I know you've been working day and night on these cultural relic restoration projects lately, and I was worried something might have happened to you, so I rushed over here."

Su Xuan subconsciously reached into her pocket and realized that her phone had been silenced, displaying over a dozen missed calls from Lin Yuzhi. A warm feeling welled up inside her, and her eyes moistened slightly.