Lin Yuan didn’t know how long had passed when the door finally opened again, and Liu Zhiguang stumbled out from the room. His face was expressionless, making it impossible to tell whether he had succeeded or failed.
But with that look, he must have failed, right?
As he approached, Lin Yuan carefully began to persuade him, "Big, big cousin, don’t be sad. Aunt and uncle didn’t let you go because they have your best interests at heart. They can’t bear to see you on the battlefield..."
"They, they agreed," Liu Zhiguang blurted out abruptly, his bewildered expression resembling someone who had heard something unimaginable.
"You have to understand their feelings as parents. Don’t ever... Wait, what, what did you just say?" Lin Yuan almost bit her tongue off. They agreed? Really?
Liu Zhiguang was still in a daze, his tone flat as ever: "They, they agreed. They consented to me learning martial arts, and dad even said if I’m willing, I can join the army and go to battle."
After finishing, Liu Zhiguang pinched his own face. Although the pain was very real, he was still not reassured, so he grabbed Lin Yuan’s hand and put it on his arm, urgently saying, "Yuanyuan, quick, pinch me. Pinch hard! Ouch, you really do pinch hard, don’t you? It hurts to death, you’re too fierce!"
Lin Yuan let out a laugh, someone was eagerly presenting themselves to her mercy, so naturally, she fulfilled his request wholeheartedly.
Liu Zhiyang too was amused by his big brother’s antics, excitedly clapping his shoulder: "That’s great, big brother! Dad and mom finally agreed!"
"Yes, yes, hehe," Liu Zhiguang chuckled, then suddenly remembering the events from before, his expression changed. He pushed him away from the front, snorting, "Yeah, they finally agreed to me, are you disappointed? Heh, I’m really sorry that I couldn’t follow your wishes, I’m so very sorry!"
Lin Yuan pursed her lips; this guy really knew how to hold a grudge.
"Big cousin, you’ve misunderstood second cousin."
Before Lin Yuan could finish, Liu Zhiguang laughed ironically: "Misunderstood? Oh right, it was a misunderstanding. Could it be that he’s upset because the money was too little?"
While speaking, he used the tip of his foot to kick the money pouch he had thrown earlier, still lying on the ground, contemptuously refusing to look at Liu Zhiyang again.
Lin Yuan looked at the two of them; Liu Zhiyang simply offered a bitter smile without any intention of defending himself. Was this guy really intent on causing a rift between brothers?
"Big cousin, listen to me, you really misunderstood second cousin. What he did just now was to provoke you on purpose. You have to understand, no matter who went to plead on your behalf to aunt and uncle, it wouldn’t be as effective as you expressing your own determination."
Now Lin Yuan too understood Liu Zhiyang’s intentions: "Besides, even if I had pleaded for you just now and actually convinced aunt and uncle to allow you to learn martial arts, they might not have agreed to let you enlist and fight on the battlefield!"
All parents in the world are the same; learning martial arts is acceptable, at most used for staying healthy or finding a job as a Protector for a wealthy family in the town. These posed no risk to life whatsoever. But going to battle was different; that was risking one’s life. If Liu Zhiguang himself wasn’t fully committed, then this wish might never be fulfilled. And that would become his lifelong regret, no matter how old he was.