"Help! Somebody call an ambulance! He's hurt bad!"
Chaos erupted at the construction site. Workers shouted and ran around frantically. In the middle of the welding area, a young man lay curled on the ground—his name was Ray Xia.
The skin around his left eye was blackened by arc flash. Blood and ash smeared across his face, the stench of burnt flesh lingering in the air.
"Damn… such a good-looking kid, and now he's lost an eye?"
"His little sister just got accepted into college. If he goes blind, how's she supposed to go?"
"Ray's always been the hardworking type. Polite, helpful. Why would something like this happen to him?"
Ray's mother died when he was young. His father vanished five years ago, right after Ray got accepted to Beijing University. But for the sake of his little sister, Snow Xia, he gave up that dream and started working construction.
And now… this.
A surge of pain shot through his skull. Ray's body convulsed, then collapsed into darkness.
He heard voices, faint and distant, calling his name. But he was drifting. Like a body in a river, pulled slowly toward the underworld.
✦
Who knew how much time had passed.
Ray's right eye blinked open. The lights above were a blur, and a chubby face filled his vision—his childhood friend, Mason An.
"Ray! You're awake!" Mason's voice cracked with emotion.
"Where… am I?" Ray mumbled. Then instinctively reached for his face.
His left eye was bandaged. The slightest touch made him wince in agony.
Mason quickly grabbed his hand. "Don't move it! The doctor said… your eye might not be completely lost. There's still hope."
"Might not…?" Ray's voice tensed. "What does that mean?"
Mason hesitated, lips trembling.
"Tell me!"
Just then, the door opened. A bulky man in a flashy suit walked in, decked out in gold—Tiger Chen, the site manager.
Ray sat up with effort. "Mr. Chen, you came—"
"Cut the crap," Tiger Chen snapped. "Do you even realize what you've done? One welding machine and a transformer—burned! That's over twenty grand down the drain. You know how much time and money we've lost?"
Ray's heart sank. He thought the man had come to check on him. But no—he came to settle scores.
Mason exploded. "You bastard! Ray could lose his eye, and you're whining about machines? Are you even human?"
The words hit Ray like a punch. He froze.
Mason's face paled—he'd let it slip. But it was too late.
Tiger Chen sneered. "What does his eye have to do with me? He's not even officially employed. No contract. No responsibility. You want to sue me? Bring it on."
Ray's fists clenched, his teeth grinding.
"I paid ten grand to get you into the hospital. That's more than generous. When you're patched up, get lost. Don't come begging for more."
"Ten grand for a damn eyeball?" Mason roared. "You think we'll just take that and move on?"
"Watch your mouth, kid," Tiger Chen snapped, pointing at Mason's nose. "Mess with me again, and I'll have you crushed. You know who I am?"
That was it. Ray grabbed a water cup and hurled it.
CRACK!
The glass slammed into Tiger Chen's forehead. Blood poured down his pudgy face.
"You little punk!" Chen raged.
Two tattooed thugs burst through the door.
"Get him!"
They charged at Ray—but Mason threw himself in front. Fists flew. Mason took the hits like a shield, teeth gritted, refusing to move.
A nurse screamed from the hallway. "Security!"
Tiger Chen stormed off with his goons, leaving a mess of blood, pain, and silence behind.
Mason winced, his head swelling with lumps.
"Why'd you stop me?" Ray shouted.
"Because you've got a sister," Mason muttered. "He lives like a king. You haven't even lived one good day. Don't throw it all away for trash like him."
Ray calmed, guilt washing over him.
"Thanks, man…"
"What are friends for?"
"Should I tell Snow?"
"No! She's tutoring right now. If she finds out…"
"We'll tell her later," Ray said softly.
✦
That night, sleep wouldn't come. Ray lay in bed, thoughts racing—about the hospital bills, the future, and his sister's college dream.
At some point, exhaustion won.
But something woke him. His left eye… it itched. Not just a little. It was unbearable.
He pressed the nurse call button. Broken.
"Damn it. What kind of dump is this?"
He got up, slowly.
Just as he reached for the door, he hesitated.
"They know I can't pay. After what happened today, they probably wouldn't lift a finger to help me. Forget it. I'll wait it out."
He turned back.
Passing the mirror, he caught a glimpse of himself—tall, lean, with sharp features. He used to look… confident.
But with that bandage and the looming threat of blindness, who'd want to even look at him?
He felt… like nothing.
The itching worsened.
"They say wounds itch when they heal… but this fast? I got hurt today."
He stepped to the sink and carefully peeled the bandage off, layer by layer.
The final piece fell.
His left eye was sealed with dried blood, like red resin.
But—he gasped.
He could see light. Through the scab.
It was faint, blurry, but real.
"What the hell… is happening to me?"