“Meng Jia!” Cried Yun Bai.

Out of all the people he would have expected to see knocking on his door tonight, Meng Jia was even less expected than the Grim Reaper. In fact, ever since their secret engagement, he could only see her once a month. Her father limited her time outside which also limited the couple’s quality time. Although betrothed to him, he had never truly touched her, in a sexual sense. From time to time, she would take the initiative and grab his hand while walking, but that truly was the extent of contact between them. Their physical contact probably could have progressed more, but the issue lied in Yun Bai himself being a pussy. He was afraid of scaring her away, so he always spoke in his lightest and kindest tone, while allowing her to show him the extent that she was willing to go to without getting scared. Any man would find this outrageous and if we're in the place of Yun Bai, would immediately push her down and let loose the beast caged inside. Yun Bai was different, he held Meng Jia in the highest place in his heart, so he was afraid of harming her even one bit.

“Hello! I haven’t seen you in a while, Yun Bai! Where have you been!” She said with her soothing voice and fragrant smell wafting through the air. She immediately closed the distance between both of them and pinched his nasty cheek without even a spec of disgust flashing through her face or showing through her movements.

This caused Yun Bai to lose all bearing and float into heaven, he couldn’t care about anything else in life other than Meng Jia and this moment he was currently in. He smiled the brightest smile and his eyes twinkled like the stars. He quickly became just like a little kid and jumped up and down which caused a giggle from Meng Jia.

“Jia! Jia! Come look at the new book I obtained today! It talks all about the ancient race of elves you have always loved. It was one of the best books I have read in years, hurry come in so I can tell you all about it!” Yun Bai, who lost all bearing and defense he ever had, couldn’t suppress his excitement with her around.

“Hahaha” Yun Bai heard the most beautiful melodious laughter coming from the goddess whom he loved dearly.

“Brother Yun, you really are cute! Too bad this sister can’t spend any time with you tonight, I would if I could but I came here for a reason.” She said in a low voice, as to not alert anyone of her presence.

“Oh! And what would that be?” Yun Bai asked innocently, completely lowering his guard against her.

“Mmm, Brother Yun, promise not to get angry with me?” She said pleadingly.

“Of course, how could I become angry with you? Tell me, what is it, Jia?”

“It is… I am… getting married to Sung Ban..” She said quickly with a shameful expression.

Yun Bai’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. As if thunder from the heavens above dropped on him. His eyes glazed over and his deformed face lost all expression he had previously. His knees gave in and he dropped on the floor, his eyes dampened and tears threatened to fall.

“Brother Yun! I am so so sorry!” She hurriedly said while weeping.

“I truly didn’t want this engagement, but my father was forced by the Sung family to make this engagement, otherwise, they would harm our family. And although Sung Ban is talented and strong, 1000 Sung Ban’s could not equate to 1 Yun Bai in my heart. So please settle down Yun Bai! You will always be number 1 in my heart!” She cried out while weeping heavily alongside Yun Bai, who was now letting his tears out like a river.

“Ahh, I..I…” Yun Bai gave up on his sentence due to the sad and depressing feeling clouding his mind and heart.

“In the end, i-it is my fault. I am t-too incompetent t-to marry someone as great as you. I guess it was only a matter of time. I, Yun Bai, apologize for my incompetence Lady Meng. Please, to save your face, do not associate yourself with me anymore ok?” Yun Bai said devoid of emotion.

“Yun Bai! Since when have we been strangers, wasn’t I always sister Jia! I would and will never forget you Yun Bai, you know that more than anyone, so please don’t act like this!” She cried out yet again.

Her words only acted as a propeller for the waterworks and emotions which were oozing out of Yun Bai.

“Yun Bai! I Meng Jia have always loved you! So don’t cry, even if I am married to another man, you will always be in my heart. You are my, Meng Jia’s, most loved person after my parents. How could I forget about you!” She yet again cried out as her tears began pouring.

Her words acted as a lightning bolt from heaven which struck right onto Yun Bai. His face showed an expression of surprise, then quickly lit up to become as bright as the sun.

“Yo-you love me?” he stuttered out.

She giggled in a low tone as she looked at him, eyes full of love and affection.

“Of course I love you, Yun Bai!”

Yun Bai began crying again as he made his way towards her quickly and embraced her, crying on her shirt. She looked surprised, this was the first time he touched her without her consent or initiative, so it was definitely weird for her. A smile soon covered her surprised face as she rubbed his back, accidentally touching the sword-like protrusions on his bones from his back. She pulled back her arm and rubbed his head as she smiled and pulled away from the hug. She looked at him with a loving gaze and turned around and walked towards the door.

“Jia, wait!” Yun Bai fearfully yelled, as if afraid that he would never see her again.

“Can’t you stay a while more?” He asked quietly.

“Ahh, I truly wish I could. But if Sung Ban found me here, he would be very suspicious and maybe even take his anger out on not only me, but my friends and family. This is exactly where I have to leave, Yun Bai. I hope we can see each other again, truly.” She said softly as she left the door, waving towards Yun Bai.

Yun Bai sat there, dazed. His head was muddled and he couldn’t think straight. Half of his brain was sad due to the broken engagement while the other half was happy due to Meng Jia’s confession. He had always thought that she only was kind to him out of pity, but it turns out that she felt the same way about him. This was simply a dream come true!

Yun Bai didn’t move a muscle for a while. And so there he sat, waiting for someone to wake him from his stupor of both grief and happiness. But no one came, and so there he sat the whole night.

As soon as she left Yun Bai’s room and closed his door, she made her way onto the pavement and towards the gate. She instantly spit on the floor with an unladylike expression of pure disgust. She scratched the parts of her body which Yun Bai touched and shivered. A look of pure disgust and hatred flashed across her eyes as she quickly controlled herself and continued onwards to her carriage outside the gates.

She was always the kindest one to Yun Bai, no one would suspect that underneath her kind ruse, he actually hated him the most out of everyone in this world.

‘That damn little imp dares to touch me! I should have his life taken! Ughh!” She shivered as she tried to shake away his touch. She was excited when her father told her that she was engaged to the son of a very wealthy merchant when she was 10. In her head, she imagined a beautiful and noble prince charming, just waiting to pick her up and lead her to his castle. But when she first saw, she realized that he was far from prince charming and that even if he wanted to, he didn’t have the physical capabilities of picking her up. For she was even taller than him at the tender age of 10. She cried herself to sleep afterwards and at one point of her life, cut her jade-like skin as an outlet.

When she began having to spend time with him, she found his character to not be all that bad and ignoring his looks, he would have been slightly cute with his character alone. But nonetheless, she could not ignore his looks and deformities, for she wasn’t a goddess nor was she a saint. She was but a normal girl, born in good circumstance. She was thankful that he never took the initiative to touch her though, as she wouldn’t have been able to retaliate due to their engagement. He wasn’t really the horrid beast everyone thought he was, and she, in fact, would have been fine with being good friends with him, as they got along very well. But nonetheless, the engagement continued to fuel her unconditional hate for him. And tonight, was the night where he drew the line by touching her without her permission. They weren’t even engaged anymore so it wasn’t appropriate at all. Yet she still endured for her family and especially for her depressed father.

Meng Jia quickly wiped her crocodile tears as she hopped into the carriage and said in a cold voice to the coachman to take her home.

“Yun Bai! Yun Bai! What are you doing here on the floor!” His father came in and asked worriedly.

Yun Bai gathered the energy and the small willpower he had left to look up to his dad and utter a small phrase.

“Broken engagement….” He said blanky, the phrase itself was devoid of any feelings, even sadness and/or anger. He was simply an emotionless casket currently.

“Yes… where did you hear this from?” Yun Lie asked this because he hadn’t told anyone yet about any of this, even his most trusted friends.

“Meng… J-Jia” He stuttered out emotionlessly.

Boom!

It was as if he was struck by thunder. Yun Lie stood there and the aura around him rose up and rage permeated his face completely. He clenched his fist with a popping sound being produced by the sheer force and anger behind all of it.

“Oh..” Yun Lie said coldly as his eyes flashed.

“Alright then, I guess I might have to give Meng Su a visit huh?” Yun Lie got up and stomped towards the door.

Yun Bai instantly awoke from his daze and yelled towards his father.

“Father don’t! It’s ok, this son here will be obedient and marry any girl you tell me to marry. I will become a great scholar and hide my beliefs like you told me. Just please don’t start a fight with them, you can get hurt, maybe even die father. You are the last one left that has any relationship with me that even cares about me. Other than 2nd cousin who is a whole nation away, you are my last pillar. Father, I can’t bear to see you in a fight.” Yun Bai cried out. One could tell that his voice and even his eyes were filled with deep melancholy.

Yun Lie was slightly dazed as he looked at Yun Bai.

“Yun Bai. You are the greatest son one could ever ask for! Who cares if you’re a cripple, it must only mean that the gods are jealous of you to the extent of making you like so. You are the best and most I could ever ask for, and you have never failed me. So this time, let me do something right as a father for once, ok? I could not keep your mother or your brother alive, that is my sin. But I still have you! So let me atone for my sins and show you what a true father should be like this one time!” Yun Lie cried out, with tears in his eyes and rage plaguing his expression.

“Yes, father! Just don’t harm Meng Jia. I need to ask her some questions.” Yun Bai said softly in a depressed tone.

“mmm” Yun Lie nodded as he walked towards the door before turning around one last time.

“What was it that she said to you to make you like this?” Yun Lie asked.

“She told me that she loved me..” Yun Bai said with deep melancholy.

Yun Lie was very surprised at this statement. Of course, he out of everyone knew that Meng Jia cried herself to sleep and even harmed herself as an outlet of her depression which came from her engagement when she was young. She could never truly love Yun Bai.

“What is so wrong with that?” Yun Lie asked.

“Hahaha,” Yun Bai laughed self-deprecatingly.

“If I did not understand her this whole time, then was I actually ever truly in love with her?” He softly said.

Yun Lie choked on his words as he couldn’t reply. His eyes widened and his eyebrows clenched.

“She never loved me in the first place, she in fact probably hated me the most! This I know, for I have known her for these past 5 years and loved her all these years. Tell me father, is it wrong that I knew how excited she was to break the engagement off and I knew that the only reason she came here was to stop the fight that you were going to start with false words, yet I still love her? I am very perceiving and can easily see through most lies that have been told to me. How can I not know when the woman I love is lying to me. She does cloud my judgement, but not how I perceive others. I have always known her hatred and feeling towards me. In fact, I could say that I know her the most in this world. Yet I still chose to ignore all of that, and love her! Tell me father, am I a failure? Am I one who deserves such things in his life? Do the gods really hate me that much? If they are truly fair, then why was an innocent newborn made into a monster right when it exited the mother’s womb!?!?” Yun Bai lost control of all his emotions as he yelled statement after statement and question after question.

Yun Lie remained quite for a couple of minutes before looking up and sighing.

“If the gods were truly fair, then why would they allow someone who breaks his promises like Meng Su to keep his wife and his children while even though I have always kept my promises, in the end, my wife and my kids all died ”

Yun Bai’s eyes widened as he stuttered his next words.

“A-all your children dead? Ar-are you sure? For I am here! Right here, father!” Yun Bai cried out.

“Ahh, this day was sure to come, but it came sooner than I expected.” Yun Lie sighed as he looked outside the window of Yun Bai’s room.

“15 years ago, My wife and I ventured out to the [Ashen canyon of the 7 dragons]”

Yun Bai’s eyes widened as his mouth opened and he couldn’t say a word. That is the correct reaction to have for anyone! The [Ashen canyon of the 7 dragons] was a place that everyone knew not to go to. Even the greatest cultivation experts feared going over 2 km inside the canyon, for it was permeated with not only the smell of blood and the aura of death, but It instantly struck unconditional fear into the hearts of those near it. Even the sect master of the Che sect was said to be completely afraid of going in there.

“It was stupid, yes, but our newborn son was born with sickness and disease which ate away at his vitality every day. My wife and I knew we had no less than a week to find a solution. We brought the most famous doctors and the most famous experts to check our child out. No one could cure our child! They all repeated the same dog shit nonsense that everyone else says. The baby couldn’t be cured! My wife and I refused this so we went around, looking for treasures, with the help of many hired experts. When we had all but run out of options and ideas, we thought of the [Ashen canyon of the 7 dragons]. But no one wanted to venture there with us, so we went in alone. Not trusting our babies life with anyone else, we foolishly took him with us. That day, I experienced true fear! We went deeper than the set limit of 2km deep, we could only persevere so much due to the life of our baby counting on it. Oh, how stupid we were…” Yun Lie took a short pause. He inhaled a deep breath of fresh air as he turned around and looked at Yun Bai.

“And that is where we met you!” Yun Lie stated calmly.

“huhh!!” Yun Bai was at his limit for mental attacks and surprises, he couldn’t comprehend the fact that he was but an adopted child. and the biggest surprise wasn’t the fact that he had no blood relation to Yun Lie but that he was found in the depths of the [Ashen canyon of the 7 dragons].

“ At this point, our child was long since dead and we were soon to follow him after, we continued to move on and on through the canyon but the aura quickly killed off your mother as well as my son. I kept moving onwards due to having lost my will to live. As I was at death's door, I heard a cry. A cry which came from a pool of blood somewhere in the canyon. Not only did this cry relieve the pressure the canyon gave off to me, but it also reignited my will to live. I got up and made my way to where this cry came from. And there you were, deformed; yes but you were but an infant. I couldn’t help but pity you and feel sympathy. So together with you, I made it out alive from that canyon, I owed my life to you, so I decided to make you my son and treat you like you truly were my son.” Yun Lie said with dampened eyes.

“Ahh, Father!” Yun Bai ran and hugged his father as both cried for a while.

“I must go now, take care of yourself until I come back, ok?” Yun Lie said, clearly happy that the news that he was adopted didn’t affect Yun Bai.

“Mmm, yes father, you be careful around those sneaky and shameless people father!” Yun Bai said with seriousness.

“Of course, if I wasn’t careful, then how would I, Yun Lie have lived this long.”

Yun Lie walked out the door, leaving the reliable image of his back imprinted in Yun Bai’s mind, which gave an extra layer of comfort in Yun Bai’s heart.

END OF CHAPTER-