At the inn, Hao Jian’s men dragged him into the main hall, where he waited tensely for his father. When Hao Jian’s father finally entered, flanked by three guards, the atmosphere thickened. Ruqi, sensing the tension, couldn’t warn Xian Lian in time.

  "Welcome. How may I assist you?" Xian Lian greeted, her voice calm but her anxiety betraying her stillness. Her mind, however, was elsewhere—waiting for someone who had never returned.

  Hao Jian’s father sighed, his voice heavy. "May I speak with you in private, young lady?"

  Xian Lian nodded, her movements deliberate, though unease flickered in her eyes. She gestured toward the door. "Certainly. There is a room where we can speak privately." Though her voice was steady, her heart raced beneath her calm exterior. Her thoughts, despite the moment, remained with him—Zhiyong.

  Once inside the room, Hao Jian’s father stood near the table, stiff with discomfort. The silence stretched between them like an unspoken weight.

  "I’ve heard my son has taken an interest in a young lady who works here. That would be you, correct?" His gaze was sharp, searching for any hint of deceit.

  Xian Lian smiled faintly, but her eyes betrayed a quiet sadness. "I believe that’s true. But I’ve made it clear that I do not return his feelings," she replied, the words more painful than she had expected.

  Hao Jian’s father paused before speaking again. "May I ask why? If it’s not too forward," he added, concern edging his voice.

  Xian Lian’s heart fluttered, but she held her ground. "I have someone I’ve long awaited, but he has yet to return," she said softly. "I still wait for him."

  His expression softened, a rare sympathy flickering in his eyes. "I understand," he said, his voice carrying unspoken sorrow. "My son has known loss. His mother passed away when he was young, and I’ve been… absent in many ways. I hope, in time, you might offer him your friendship. He struggles to connect with others."

  "I respect your perspective," Xian Lian replied, her voice steady despite the stirrings within her. "But my heart is set on something beyond these walls. The world is vast, and I wish to see it, not remain in this small village."

  Hao Jian’s father studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "I appreciate your honesty. Thank you for your time. You may go whenever you wish."

  Xian Lian smiled politely, but her calm was a thin veneer. Outside, Ruqi pulled her aside.

  "Is everything all right?" Ruqi asked, concern heavy in her voice.

  Xian Lian gave a reassuring smile, though her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil. "Everything is fine. Let’s return to work," she replied, her tone clipped but composed. Yet, her thoughts remained with Zhiyong—the one she had waited for.

  Back at the Lui residence, Hao Jian entered to find his father already seated, his back straight, his eyes cold and unwavering. The unspoken weight of their years apart filled the room. Hao Jian’s voice broke through the silence.

  "Father?!" he exclaimed, disbelief and frustration bleeding through his words.

  His father glanced at him, dismissive at first, before moving past him with deliberate calm, settling into a chair. His voice, when it came, was firm but weary. "Sit down. We need to talk."

  Hao Jian stood frozen, his feet heavy. The distance between them felt greater than it had ever been. Finally, he sat, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "When did you return?"

  Hao Jian’s father sighed, his tone deliberate. "Son, I know I’ve been absent. But it’s time for you to settle down—marriage is the next step. It will strengthen our family’s position."

  Hao Jian shot up from his seat, frustration bubbling over. "No!" His voice cracked. "I won’t marry just anyone. I—"

  His father’s voice, cold and cutting, interrupted. "I’ve spoken with the woman you’ve been seeing. She doesn’t return your feelings."

  Hao Jian clenched his fists, his pulse racing. "Father, I won’t marry anyone else!" he shouted, desperation lining his voice as it cracked under years of trying to earn his father’s attention.

  "She’s waiting for someone else," his father replied, each word a dagger. "You are not the one she’s meant to be with."

  The words pierced through Hao Jian, reopening his deepest insecurities. "She’s been waiting for him for over four years! Who knows? Maybe he’s married, or worse, he’s dead!"

  His father slammed his fist onto the table, anger flaring. "Don’t speak of him like that!" he growled, his voice low and seething. "It’s not him that matters anymore. What matters is that she doesn’t see you as worthy of her love."

  Hao Jian’s frustration boiled over. He swept his hand across the table, scattering papers and objects. "You were never there for me!" he cried, the grief of a neglected child spilling out. "If I hadn’t been born, maybe she’d still be alive, and you’d be a father who loved me!"

  The words hung in the air, heavy and raw. His father’s face twisted—not with anger, but something deeper—something Hao Jian had never seen. His hands trembled as he fought to contain his own fury, but there was sorrow in his voice as he spoke through clenched teeth. "I never blamed you for your mother’s death!" he shouted. "I did everything I could to protect her!"

  The silence between them was suffocating. Hao Jian’s father inhaled deeply, voice quieting. "But you must let go of this bitterness, Hao Jian. Open your heart to someone else. You can’t keep living in the past."

  Hao Jian’s anger burned through his chest. He pounded his fists against the door, his cries reverberating in the empty room. The weight of his years of isolation crushed him, and all he could do was scream into the void.

  Outside, Xian Lian stood in the stillness of the night, practicing with her sword beneath the lantern-lit sky. The soft glow of the lanterns mirrored the turmoil within her. Her thoughts, though veiled beneath her motions, remained fixed on Zhiyong, her heart aching with each swing.

  As the last lantern ascended, she sheathed her sword, her resolve hardening. With a soft prayer to the stars above, she whispered, "Zhi Gege... I hope to see you soon. I can’t wait any longer."

  Meanwhile, outside the gates, a lone figure sat astride a horse, cloaked in shadow. The moonlight caught his eyes, revealing an unspoken secret. "Xian Lian, wait for me," Li Zhiyong murmured to himself, his voice a whisper on the wind. "I still have something to complete for Sifu."

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  He turned his horse and rode off into the night, disappearing into the darkness.

  A week passed, and Xian Lian couldn’t help but notice Hao Jian’s absence. She wasn’t sad nor disappointed—only curious, a quiet question lingering in her mind. As customers came and went, the whispers of the town reached her ears. They spoke of how Hao Jian's father had been searching for a suitable marital partner for him, and how Hao Jian's blatant refusal had spread through the town like a ripple in a still pond, growing ever wider as it touched more hearts and minds.

  "He even refused the beauty of the town?!"

  "Aiyah! Such a foolish child!"

  "Even the second powerful family’s daughter?"

  "Damn... For a respectable Lui to have a son like him is such a disappointment..."

  "Who is expecting to marry him if he does this? Does he want a princess or something?"

  The common people murmured among themselves, their words heavy with disapproval. They deemed Hao Jian’s behavior unworthy of his noble birth, speaking of his actions as a tarnish upon the family name and his ingratitude as a breach of the privilege bestowed upon him. Yet, despite the quiet judgments that circled the town, Hao Jian's father, though disappointed by his son's erratic ways, did not yield to despair. With the patience of one who understands duty, he continued his search for a wife of virtue, believing that through perseverance, the path of honor could still be restored. And with a heart burdened by both hope and sorrow, he approached his son, ever bound by the responsibility of his role.

  "Father, please. Let me go. I don’t need to inherit the title... I just want to stay with her..." Hao Jian begged. His father groaned in disappointment.

  "Son, it’s time to embrace your duty. The arrangements have been made, and the day of your marriage is set. In two days, your bride will arrive, and the union will proceed as determined. What is required must be done, regardless of personal will," Hao Jian’s father explained.

  Hao Jian's once-bright dream of marrying the woman he loved lay in ruins, scattered like glass across the floor, each shard a painful reminder of a love he could never claim. Panic gripped him as he thought of a way to resolve his desire to be with Xian Lian.

  "Father... If I can choose, may I ask for her hand in marriage? If she refuses, I will marry the woman you have chosen for me," Hao Jian surrendered.

  His father, momentarily struck by the sight of Hao Jian’s broken state—once strong and proud, now fragile and diminished—sighed quietly. A burdened heart ached within him, but he knew that true compassion required him to guide his son back to the path of honor, no matter the difficulty.

  "Very well. Should she decline, return here without delay, for the will of heaven must be respected. If she accepts, then bring her forth, for in all things, one must follow the path that unfolds with grace," Hao Jian’s father stated, his voice firm yet compassionate. Then, he turned and walked away.

  Hao Jian’s heart swelled with joy at his father’s agreement, his excitement spiraling into madness. He dressed quickly, stormed out of the residence, and set off to see Xian Lian immediately.

  Xian Lian was wiping down a table when the last customers left. Hao Jian entered and smiled at her. He walked up to her and cleared his throat.

  "Xian Lian..." he called softly, his voice as gentle as he could manage. Xian Lian turned around and bowed.

  "Sir Lui. What brings you here?" she asked politely. Hao Jian smiled shyly.

  "Xian Lian, I know you were waiting for someone, but he hasn't appeared for more than four years now..."

  "Sir Lui, it matters not how long I have waited for him. I place my trust in him, for I believe that, in time, he will come, as his heart is steadfast and true," Xian Lian replied firmly.

  At that moment, Hao Jian’s father appeared from behind, watching the scene unfold. Hao Jian began to feel uneasy.

  "Why not accompany me? I know it may not be your wish, but I ask, for I seek your approval, even if it may not align with your heart’s desire," Hao Jian said.

  Xian Lian smiled softly, placing the cloth down on the table and bowing respectfully.

  "Sir Lui, I seek nothing more than the bond of friendship with you. I cannot follow you, for I have chosen to remain here, waiting for the man who has promised to return. My heart remains steadfast in that trust," Xian Lian rejected adamantly.

  Hao Jian trembled in fear, his mind racing with ways to change her mind.

  "I..." he began, but was cut off by his father’s commanding voice.

  "Hao Jian, it is time to return. Come, let us go now."

  Hao Jian turned slowly, his face flushed with a mix of shame and indignation, yet he held his composure as best he could. He nodded and said goodbye to Xian Lian.

  Since that day, the plans his father had set in motion proceeded. Hao Jian married the woman his father had chosen for him. However, on the night of the wedding, instead of seeking the company of his new wife, Hao Jian called for Xian Lian. His wife, enraged by this, confronted Xian Lian, accusing her of seducing Hao Jian. But Xian Lian, calm as ever, denied any such intentions, making it clear that she held no interest in him.

  When Hao Jian learned that his wife had troubled Xian Lian, he confronted her in a fit of rage, dismissing her as his wife and showing no respect. Furious at this display, his father berated Hao Jian, demanding that he act honorably and show proper respect toward his wife. But Hao Jian, undeterred, retorted that his wife had no right to harass Xian Lian, as she had done.

  Feeling that both his father and wife were united in opposition to Xian Lian's presence, Hao Jian, overwhelmed by frustration and a sense of isolation, fled from the residence in search of solace with her. But things did not unfold as he expected. Hao Jian, who had hoped to find comfort in Xian Lian's presence, was instead consumed by a distorted mind. The vulnerability he sought to embrace quickly turned into raw aggression. His emotions surged violently, his sanity teetering on the edge as he looked at her.

  "Sir Lui," Xian Lian called out. Hao Jian twitched, fighting to hold his unraveling sanity together. Though he forced a smile, it trembled on the edge of madness, his composure barely clinging to the surface.

  "Xian Lian... Perhaps... Perhaps we should leave this place and journey together, exploring the world as it unfolds. If it is your wish, I shall follow, for your heart’s desire is what I seek to honor," Hao Jian expressed as best as he could.

  Xian Lian felt the weight of urgency in his words, as though his very soul cried out in desperate need. She sighed deeply.

  "Sir... You are now wed, and with this, you bear the duty of a husband. It is your responsibility to fulfill the role entrusted to you with honor and integrity," Xian Lian adamantly refused once again.

  Hao Jian’s anger flared at her rejection, pushing him to the edge. Unable to contain his fury, he seized her wrist with force, pulling her toward him in a moment of reckless desperation.

  "Let go!" Xian Lian cried, struggling to break free.

  "You will follow me whether you consent or not!" Hao Jian furiously declared, his words sharp and commanding. Xian Lian stood in shock, stunned by the sudden, drastic change in him. The crowd buzzed with confusion as Hao Jian forcibly dragged her away, despite her struggles. Ruqi attempted to intervene, but Hao Jian swiftly kicked her down, leaving her clutching her stomach in pain.

  Despite the chaos, Xian Lian struggled with all her might to break free, determined not to harm anyone, especially Hao Jian, a noble.

  "Let go of me!" Xian Lian cried, straining to break free. But Hao Jian refused, his grip tightening as he continued to drag her away. The crowd fell silent as the sound of galloping hooves grew louder. As the rider stormed toward them, the crowd parted to make way. Hao Jian paused, realizing the rider was coming for them.

  Xian Lian’s eyes widened in recognition, a surge of happiness and relief flooding her heart. As the rider reached them, she broke free from Hao Jian’s grip and reached for his hand, desperate for help.

  "Xian Lian!" Hao Jian cried out, fear gripping him as he saw her escaping. But before he could react, the rider swiftly seized her hand and pulled her onto the horse behind him, placing her safely behind him. The rider halted, turned the horse to face Hao Jian, and fixed him with a look of clear disgust.

  Xian Lian, feeling a wave of relief and contentment, couldn’t help but smile, her heart swelling with gratitude.

  "Zhi Gege," she said softly, her voice filled with joy. "You finally came."

  Her patience had been rewarded. Hao Jian clenched his teeth, rage surging through him as he glared at Zhiyong, who sat arrogantly atop his horse. The intensity of his fury burned like a storm inside him, his mind clouded by an uncontrollable urge to strike down Zhiyong.