Chapter 101: System: Ye Feng Envies Yu Xiaogang?
Yu Xiaogang stopped on a bridge over a small stream, his expression unreadable. Tang San, who had been following behind him, came to a halt as well, watching his teacher's back in silence.
Perched on the trunk of a tree near the stream stood a woman with a graceful figure, dressed in plain clothes. Further away, on another tree trunk, a young man observed everything with a calm gaze.
Yu Xiaogang stared at the rippling water, his voice low and distant. "Xiao San, are you curious about the relationship between Erlong and me? Why things turned out like this? Why I've been avoiding her for twenty years? Let me tell you a story."
Tang San nodded silently.
"More than twenty years ago, a young man was born into a prestigious family but was ostracized because of his martial spirit mutation. Desperate to prove himself, he left the sect and devoted himself to research, hoping to gain recognition from both the world and his clan. During his travels, he met a powerful spirit master. The two became close friends and ventured through the spirit master world together.
"One day, they encountered a lively and beautiful girl in the Spirit Beast Forest. Her bright personality quickly captivated both young men, and the three of them became inseparable companions. As time passed, both men fell in love with the girl, who possessed the Fire Dragon Martial Spirit. Yet, neither of them confessed their feelings—especially the young man with the mutated martial spirit, who knew he could never match her strength.
"As the three continued their journey, their bond earned them the title of the 'Golden Triangle' in the spirit master world. But emotions, once buried, only grow stronger.
"Eventually, one of the young men finally confessed his love to the girl. But she rejected him. She told him that her heart already belonged to the one with the weak, mutated martial spirit—the one who loved studying theories more than actual combat.
"You've probably figured it out by now. That girl was Erlong. The two young men were me and Flender. When I heard Erlong's sincere words, I experienced a happiness I had never felt before. And Flender, being the man he was, accepted it with a smile and stepped aside. He declared that from then on, he and I were sworn brothers, and Erlong was his sister-in-law."
Tang San listened quietly. When Yu Xiaogang paused, he sighed. "Dean Flender is a good man. Maybe that was the best possible outcome."
Yu Xiaogang let out a bitter laugh. "If things had ended there, maybe it would have been the best ending. But fate is cruel—it played a twisted joke on us, destroying everything in an instant. I remember that night clearly... The stars were exceptionally bright.
"Flender officiated our wedding, and Erlong and I were finally married. We were at the peak of happiness. It should have been a perfect storybook ending. But then… an unexpected guest arrived. My second uncle, Yu Luomian, the second patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
"But he didn't come for me. He came for my bride, Erlong. Because she was, in fact, his illegitimate daughter. Which meant that she was my cousin."
Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled slightly, his fists clenching. "I ran out of there like a madman. Erlong tried to chase after me, but my second uncle held her back. At that moment, all I wanted was to disappear. Flender caught up with me, tried to stop me, but my heart was already dead.
"Broken and lost, I could only run away. Later, Flender sent word that Erlong had cut ties with her father and was searching for me everywhere, desperate to find me. I wanted to see her, I really did. But I couldn't. I just… couldn't."
Yu Xiaogang fell silent, lost in the painful memories.
Tang San sighed. "Teacher… does the opinion of the world really matter so much? Aunt Erlong has been waiting for you all these years. If you keep running, it only prolongs the suffering for both of you."
Yu Xiaogang hesitated before answering in a quiet, resolute voice, "No, this is the kindest thing I can do for her. Loving someone doesn't mean you have to be with them. I just want her to be happy."
Liu Erlong, who had been listening from the shadows, finally stepped forward. Her voice was clear, unwavering.
"He's wrong."
Yu Xiaogang turned sharply, his gaze locking onto hers.
Liu Erlong met his eyes with fierce determination. "Xiaogang, I don't care about the world's opinions. I don't need approval from anyone. I just want to be with you. I can't live without you."
Their eyes locked, emotions swirling between them. Tang San, recognizing the weight of the moment, silently stepped away, leaving them alone.
Yu Xiaogang hesitated, standing on the bridge. Liu Erlong was only a few steps away. His heart ached with love for her, but when he took a step forward… he hesitated. Then, slowly, he turned his back on her and walked away.
"Xiaogang!"
Liu Erlong called out, but Yu Xiaogang didn't stop. He didn't even look back. He just kept walking, leaving her standing there alone. He still wasn't ready to face his feelings.
Liu Erlong stared after him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She stubbornly refused to cry.
"Are you really happy like this?"
A calm voice spoke from behind her.
Liu Erlong flinched. She turned, startled to find Ye Feng standing there. She hadn't even noticed his presence.
"Ye Feng?" she murmured.
"A forced love is never sweet," Ye Feng said casually. "Are you sure this is what you really want? Do you even understand the real reason Yu Xiaogang keeps avoiding you?"
"What do you mean?" she asked, frowning. "Are you talking about society's judgment?"
"No. It's not just about that," Ye Feng replied. "It's also about something else—the approval of elders. And your future children."
"Children?" Liu Erlong blinked, caught off guard. She had never considered that.
"You and Yu Xiaogang are closely related by blood. If you marry him, there's a high chance your children will be born… mentally impaired," Ye Feng said bluntly.
Liu Erlong's face went pale.
"Yu Xiaogang is a proud man," Ye Feng continued. "He wants to prove himself to the world. If he ends up having a child with severe defects, do you think he'd be able to accept that?"
Liu Erlong fell silent. Knowing Yu Xiaogang as well as she did… she realized Ye Feng had a point.
"And another thing," Ye Feng added. "He lied to you about something. When he heard you reject Flender, he said it was the happiest moment of his life. But that's not true. Because as far as I know… you weren't his first love."
Liu Erlong's eyes snapped up. "First love?"
"Yeah."
"Ye Feng, what the hell are you trying to say?"
"You tell me."
"Are you trying to slander Xiaogang?"
"I—"
"Enough." Liu Erlong cut him off, her eyes turning sharp and cold. "This is the last time. If I ever hear you talking shit about Xiaogang again, I won't let you off easily."
Ye Feng froze.
He let out a small sigh and turned away. He had tried to reason with her, hoping to earn a reward from the system, but it was clear—Liu Erlong was completely devoted to Yu Xiaogang.
Ye Feng shook his head. Man, I don't know what kind of luck Yu Xiaogang has, but for some damn reason, both Liu Erlong and even Bibi Dong are still hung up on him after all these years.
That's some real envy-worthy shit.
(End of Chapter)
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