Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Luo Yunzhu was supposed to take the Marrow Cleansing Pill, and she looked very nervous.
“I’m not nervous. You made those…” Luo Yunzhu almost let the origin of the pills slip. She quickly changed the topic. Smiling, she said, “As long as you’re around, I’m not afraid of anything, and I don’t have to be nervous.”
Feng Tianlan stifled her laughter and said, “Go in, then. I’ll wait for you to become stronger, too.”
Luo Yunzhu nodded vigorously, walking hand in hand with Feng Tianlan until they reached the courtyard.
“Dean Luo is not around?” Feng Tianlan saw that the courtyard was empty and was puzzled by this. Marrow cleansing was a significant moment for his daughter, and she was surprised that her doting father was not around to witness it.
Luo Yunzhu grinned and said, “I didn’t tell him I’m cleansing my marrow.”
“Huh?” Feng Tianlan was thoroughly confused.
“I want to become strong without him knowing because I want him to know that the best decision that I ever made in my entire life was being friends with you, Feng Tianlan!” Luo Yunzhu declared with steady eyes.
To her, being friends with Feng Tianlan was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She was upset that her father always thought of Tianlan as a good-for-nothing and disliked her spending time with Tianlan.
“I also want Father to know that he can’t stop me from being friends with you just because you’re a good-for-nothing. Besides, you’re not a good-for-nothing anymore!” Luo Yunzhu took Feng Tianlan’s hands in hers and smiled knowingly. “What I need are real friends. I don’t care for fair-weather friends.”
“Got it,” Feng Tianlan smiled as she looked at this genuine friend of hers. “I’ll listen to anything you say.”
“Tianlan, I love it best when you smile. You’re so pretty when you smile. If I were a man, I’d definitely marry you!” Luo Yunzhu meant this from the bottom of her heart. Feng Tianlan was really pretty.
“If you continue saying all these useless things, it’ll be nighttime, and there won’t be any time to cleanse your marrow.”
Luo Yunzhu smacked her forehead lightly and said exaggeratedly, “Oh my dear lord, I’ve been so taken in by your beauty that I forgot that I have important things to do. Tianlan, you’d better keep your distance from me—if I suddenly turn into a wolf and pounce on you, whatever shall we do?”
Luo Yunzhu was always bright, like the sun. She brought warmth and fun to everyone around her, and Feng Tianlan was always able to laugh sincerely in her presence.
“Yunzhu, the process of marrow cleansing is very painful,” Feng Tianlan reminded Luo Yunzhu as she sat cross-legged on the bed, ready to start.
“Is that so?” Luo Yunzhu comically pretended to ask piteously, “Is it more painful than my Papa caning me? If it is, then I’m not doing this anymore!”
“It’s going to be a thousand times more painful,” Feng Tianlan answered her gravely.
“What?” Luo Yunzhu went pale and blinked her large eyes, hard. “When my father beats me, my heart hurts. But this won’t give me heartache, right?”
“You are terrible,” Feng Tianlan shook her head at Luo Yunzhu’s antics and relaxed a little.
Luo Yunzhu held onto Feng Tianlan’s hands, laughed, and said, “Tianlan, I’m not afraid of marrow cleansing. What I’m afraid of is that I might remain weak forever. Then, I wouldn’t be able to protect myself or you, and my father would always worry. He loves me dearly, but he always has to beat me in hopes of making me stronger. He tries to stop me from being friends with you, even though he knows it’s cruel.”
She was terrified of pain and teared up instantly when she just bumped into something. However, if this pain could make her stronger, then, even if it hurt her soul, she would not be afraid. She knew that this world was a cruel one, and she understood that becoming stronger was the only way to protect herself and Tianlan. Besides, she did not want her father to worry about her for the rest of his life.