Wang Feng in Despair

“Hah…”

Lu Chen let out a bitter laugh.

He’d been thinking about just lying low, waiting for Lin Tian to make it big so he could get a ride.

But who could have predicted the plot would go so wrong?

Now, how was he supposed to face his two brothers?

It was true he’d transmigrated into a book, but these weren’t just paper characters.

They were flesh-and-blood real people.

The more he thought, the more agitated he became.

He simply closed his eyes and continued meditating, but he hadn’t been at it long before urgent knocking came from outside the cave.

“Senior Brother!”

“Are you there?” It was Zhang Fan’s voice.

Lu Chen got up and opened the door.

Zhang Fan stood outside, panting.

“What’s wrong?”

“Something happened to Senior Brother Wang Feng!”

“He sent a message saying it’s urgent and told me to come get you!”

Lu Chen’s heart skipped a beat.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“The message didn’t say, but from his tone… it’s urgent.”

“Senior Brother Lin Tian already went over.”

“We need to hurry!”

Without time to think, Lu Chen followed Zhang Fan, flying toward Alchemy Peak on their swords.

At Wang Feng’s cave on Alchemy Peak.

As they landed, they heard a loud bang from inside, like something had been smashed.

The cave door was wide open.

Lu Chen and Zhang Fan hurried in to find the hall in shambles.

Wang Feng stood in the center, eyes bloodshot, chest heaving violently.

His fist was still dripping blood.

He had clearly punched the wall.

Lin Tian stood nearby, flustered, trying to console him.

“Senior Brother, calm down.”

“Maybe things aren’t what you think!”

“Not what I think?” Wang Feng whirled around.

“She said it herself!”

“How could it be false?!”

Lu Chen’s steps faltered.

When Wang Feng saw him, the anger in his eyes blazed hotter, but it wasn’t directed at him.

It was directed at himself.

“Brother!”

“You’re here!” He strode over and grabbed Lu Chen’s arm, hands trembling.

“Senior Brother, what’s going on?”

Wang Feng opened his mouth, and suddenly his eyes went red.

“Today… Huaiyu came to see me.”

Lu Chen’s heart tightened.

“She came on her own.”

“I thought… I thought she’d come around.” Wang Feng let go and turned away, his back shaking.

“I poured tea for her, apologized.”

“I said I was going crazy thinking about her, said I knew I was wrong, said I’d never…”

He suddenly punched the table, which split apart with a crack.

“Then I saw the bruises on her neck.”

Lu Chen’s breath caught.

“I asked what happened.”

“She said she bumped into something.” Wang Feng turned back, eyes red-rimmed.

“Then I saw her arms, her wrists.”

“They were everywhere…”

“They were clearly… they were…”

He couldn’t continue.

A muffled sob choked in his throat.

“And then?” Lu Chen asked, his voice pained.

He really hadn’t meant to.

In the beginning, he hadn’t been conscious!

“Then she smiled.”

“She looked into my eyes and smiled.”

“She said…”

“She found a new Dao companion.”

“He treasured her, so he showed it on the outside!”

Deathly silence filled the cave.

Zhang Fan’s mouth hung open.

He couldn’t say a word.

Lin Tian kept his head down, not knowing where to look.

“Just a few days… and that person beats her like this!”

“The one I cherished so much is treated like this…!”

“Senior Brother…” Lin Tian wanted to console him but had no words.

“I don’t blame her.” Wang Feng wiped his face, voice hoarse.

“I abandoned her first.”

“What right do I have to blame her?”

He turned to look at Lu Chen, eyes full of bloodshot veins.

“But I’m in pain, brother… I’m just in pain!!”

Lu Chen met his gaze, a stone lodged in his throat, unable to speak.

He thought of how Jiang Huaiyu had looked last night… then of Lin Tian consoling Wang Feng, and then of Zhuang Jingbai kneeling to beg his forgiveness.

He felt like he wanted to die!

“Senior Brother, maybe… maybe Senior Sister is just trying to provoke you.”

“She still cares about you.”

Wang Feng shook his head and laughed bitterly.

“You don’t understand.”

“I know her.”

“If she cursed me or hit me, that would mean there was still room for reconciliation.”

“But she smiled like that…”

“She’s never smiled like that before.”

He leaned against the wall, looking as if all the strength had drained from him.

“She really doesn’t want me anymore.”

The cave was quiet for a long time.

Lu Chen stood there, watching Wang Feng’s despondent figure, feeling torn by two forces inside him.

On one side, his brother.

On the other…

When Lu Chen left Alchemy Peak, it was almost dark.

He walked very slowly, each step like treading on cotton.

At the entrance to his cave, he stopped, staring at the closed door.

Inside, Jiang Huaiyu should have already sneaked back.

He remembered the jarring marks on her neck when she was pushed out the door this morning.

She had done it deliberately.

Deliberately not covering them.

Deliberately going to see Wang Feng.

Deliberately letting him see.

Deliberately saying those things.

She wanted to break it off completely.

Lu Chen pushed open the door and went in.

The hall had been tidied.

A pot of fresh tea sat on the table, still steaming.

Jiang Huaiyu was not in the hall.

The door to the guest room was closed.

He stood in the hall, staring at that closed door, silent for a long time.

Then he walked over and opened it.

“You’re back?” Jiang Huaiyu’s voice was soft, as if nothing had happened.

“Why did you do that?”

“If it’s going to end, let it end cleanly.”

Jiang Huaiyu didn’t pretend to be confused.

“He regrets it.”

“I know.”

“But it’s too late for everything.”

“You knew he would suffer…”

“Better a short pain than a long one.” Jiang Huaiyu cut him off, lifting her head to meet his eyes squarely.

“If I hadn’t made it absolutely clear today, he would have kept waiting, kept hoping.”

“Waiting today, waiting tomorrow, waiting a year, two years, three years…”

“Do you think that would be better for him?”

Lu Chen opened his mouth but said nothing.

“But you shouldn’t have… shouldn’t have used those injuries to provoke him.”

Jiang Huaiyu looked at him and suddenly smiled.

“Then tell me, what should I have said?”

“‘Sorry, I’ve fallen for someone else’?”

“Or ‘I refuse,’ and then he keeps clinging to me?”

“No matter what I said, he would ask who it is.”

“Rather than let him investigate and find out it’s you, it’s better to let him hate me.”

Lu Chen was silent for a long time.

“Even so, I can’t be with you.”

“Mm, I know.”

Lu Chen was stunned.

“I know you have your concerns.”

“Your brotherhood, your hang-ups…”

“So I won’t ask for a title.”

“I don’t need you to marry me.”

“I don’t need you to acknowledge anything publicly.”

“I don’t need you to fall out with anyone for my sake.”

“I just want to be with our daughter, to be with you…”

“That’s enough.”

“You’re crazy.” Lu Chen’s voice trembled.

“Maybe.” Jiang Huaiyu smiled.

“But I’ve never been more clear-headed in my life.”

She stood up, walked up to him, and looked up into his eyes.

“Lu Chen, I know you’re under a lot of pressure right now.”

“You’re afraid of letting Wang Feng down.”

“Afraid of letting Lin Tian down.”

“Afraid the sect will find out.”

“Afraid of ruining your friendships.”

“It’s okay.”

“I’ll comfort you.”

“I’ll relieve your stress!”

With that, she began to imitate Zhuang Jingbai’s actions.

Lu Chen was left speechless again.