Chapter 130: Chapter 115: Revealing One’s Feelings Chapter 130: Chapter 115: Revealing One’s Feelings In the darkness,
Zhao Rong didn’t turn his head and fell silent for a moment.
His right hand struggled, but that small hand was still relentlessly winding around it.
Zhao Rong pursed his lips.
He lifted his left hand, which was exposed to the rain, and without explanation, brushed away the small hand that was attempting to cling to him.
Zhao Rong could feel the soft body beside him suddenly stiffen.
He thought for a moment, then shifted his body away from her, no longer touching her, yet his right hand holding the umbrella didn’t move, giving up most of the space under the umbrella to her.
Zhao Rong felt as if the entire world outside the umbrella was drowned out by the sound of the rain, but inside the umbrella it was strangely quiet as if it were a different world.
He felt the atmosphere become a bit awkward for a second.
But before Zhao Rong could think further,
That warm, soft hand covered his again.
He frowned and brushed it away again.
The warm, soft hand relentlessly entwined with Zhao Rong’s hand holding the umbrella.
Zhao Rong couldn’t brush away or push away her hand any longer.
Both of their hands were stuck on the umbrella handle.
A gust of wind surged.
The umbrella slipped from their struggling hands.
Blown away by the wind.
Vanishing who knows where.
Zhao Rong and Su Xiaoxiao were exposed to the torrential rain.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh—”
The two stood still in place.
Zhao Rong stared intently at Su Xiaoxiao before him.
The cold raindrops that the sea of clouds above could not bear, falling from the skies, struck his eyelids, yet he did not blink.
He could only see Su Xiaoxiao with her head upraised, her wet locks clumped together, lifted by the cold wind, her countenance indiscernible.
But Zhao Rong could feel her gaze piercing through the countless raindrops between them, cast upon him.
Surely, her wet countenance hidden in the darkness was still extremely beautiful.
Was she still biting half her lip with that cute fang showing, as she used to?
But I really haven’t made up my mind yet…
Barely visible in the dark, she lowered her head, her trembling hand reaching out, grasping Zhao Rong’s palm.
Zhao Rong only felt her hand, which had been warm and soft just moments ago, now cold and damp, like a winter plum blooming in the piercing frost.
For a moment, he did not try to break free.
In the darkness, Su Xiaoxiao suddenly lifted her head again. Tentatively extending her other hand, she took Zhao Rong’s right hand and pulled it toward her chest.
Closer and closer, ever closer.
She intended to warm him with the warmest part of her drenched and supple body.
She believed the heat bursting from her heart, as it burned with life, could melt away the coldness and despair in his hand.
The very next second,
Her movements came to an abrupt halt.
He yanked his hand back forcefully.
Zhao Rong retracted his hand and saw Su Xiaoxiao’s body go stiff in an instant, a bad premonition welling up in his heart.
He opened his mouth, ready to say something.
But before he could make a sound,
Su Xiaoxiao suddenly turned around and bolted out, running desperately.
In an instant, she disappeared into the heavy rain.
Zhao Rong’s eyes snapped open as he shouted hoarsely, chasing after her.
But his voice seemed to be drowned out by the rain, met with no response.
Zhao Rong sprinted through the rain.
Following the general direction, he relentlessly pursued without pause.
But the entire heaven and earth were shrouded in rain and darkness.
Su Xiaoxiao was already nowhere to be found.
He didn’t know how long he had been running.
The rain gradually subsided.
Zhao Rong slowly stopped in his tracks.
He propped his hands on his knees, staring blankly at the ground, gasping heavily, his entire body cold and soaked through.
Zhao Rong then leaned back and sat on the ground.
“Hey, you’re not chasing anymore?”
Zhao Rong didn’t speak, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
In front of him was still a dimly lit forest.
Gui continued, “You haven’t gone daft from the rain, have you?”
Zhao Rong still didn’t answer.
“Actually, I think this is quite good. It’s better not to get involved in these mortal affairs. Not just for your own sake, but also for others. We cultivators should be pure at heart, with few desires, embracing Supreme Forget Love, not entangled in karma, and fully focused on our ascent… You should also stop looking for your wife in name, let’s change our appearance and head to Southern Tranquility State. I’m familiar with the place there, and we could find something that could help you defy the heavens and completely transform…”
Zhao Rong suddenly spoke up, cutting off Gui’s words.
“I said I want it all.”
Gui: “What exactly are you talking about?”
Zhao Rong’s voice was hoarse; it was the result of shouting over and over again in the rain.
“Do you know what Liu Sanbian’s death taught me?”
However, Gui still cooperated and asked, “What did it teach you?”
Zhao Rong said calmly.
“I used to think that responsibility simply meant doing what one should do given one’s role.”
“Like as a childhood sweetheart and husband, I traveled thousands of miles north to return the Jade Token to Qing Jun.”
“Like as a Confucian Scholar, I stood up for justice on the ferry at Qingfeng Pavilion and saved Su Xiaoxiao under that young official’s sword.”
“Like as a close friend and scholar, I helped Lin Wenruo participate in Confucian debates.”
“Like as a friend, I used my Golden Core to level Liangjing’s Qin residence and reclaimed Liu Sanbian’s body.”
“Liu Sanbian, as a son, went alone to kill Qin Ji, resolutely facing death.”
“Lin Wenruo, as a minister and scholar, saved Zhongnan Country with Confucianism.”
“Lin Qingxuan, of the Lanxi Lin family, refused to betray his family.”
“These, to me, were responsibilities.”
Gui curiously asked, “Isn’t that what responsibility is?”
Zhao Rong spoke gravely, “Yes, but that’s not all it is. Responsibility is more than just these.”
“There’s another kind of responsibility we have.”
“And that is, to prevent things that can’t bear the consequences from happening.”
“That is what Liu Sanbian’s death taught me. Until his death, he always regretted not bringing Liu Qingshan back to see his foster father. That was his biggest regret and pain, something that later efforts to fulfill his duties could never make up for.”
“For the people around me who matter, this is the responsibility that I should fulfill at all costs, not after the regret of unbearable consequences occurs, then to carry out what’s so-called responsibility.”
“Sounds… somewhat reasonable, thanks to Young Master Zhao for this enlightening chicken soup for the soul,”
Gui, unsure what he was thinking about, fell silent for a while before suddenly smiling and using a term he had heard from Zhao Rong before.
“But what does this have to do with your claim that you want it all?”
Zhao Rong’s tone was serious.
“Qing Jun and Xiaoxiao, I want them both!”