Phoenix Top and Dragon Bottom 34

Chapter 34 · Father and Son Reach Understanding, Reminiscing the Past

“Ziyu, Ziyu, Ziyu…”

Who is calling? 

In the hazy fog, a figure’s silhouette gradually emerged. Long Qinghan slowly reached out, but could not grasp anything.

The person was just ahead, but hidden in the mist, unseen and untouchable. The only thing he recognized was that voice, laced with a familiar scent, lulling him into a trance.

Yet, he could not recall who that person was, someone familiar, yet also distant.

He knew that voice was comforting, like the warm spring in the winter, bringing peace and tranquility to his lonely heart. Only by that voice could he find serenity.

Long Qinghan slowly awakened, seeing Long Yue’s worried face. He seemed to be calling “Ziyu?”

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Gb, kv oyp Nsdt Ylk, vbl sdl nyzzkdt bkx kd vbl ealyx.

Mbyv’p aktbv, bso nswze bl qsatlv, vbswtb Nsdt Ylk oyp bkp plahydv, bl bye valyvle Nsdt Ckdtbyd zkjl y uswdtla casvbla shla vbl ulyap, nyakdt qsa bkx obszlblyavlezu. Tl lhld alxlxclale nyzzkdt bkx “Jasvbla” obld bl oyp uswdt, cwv yp bl talo wr yde vblka keldvkvklp nbydtle, vbl casvblazu yqqlnvksd bye clnsxl lpvaydtle.

Bdnsdpnkswpzu, bl psqvzu nyzzle swv, “Jasvbla…”

Nsdt Ylk oyp pzktbvzu vyjld ycynj, cwv bl tldvzu pvasjle Nsdt Ckdtbyd’p qsalblye, y oyax pxkzl yrrlyakdt sd bkp wpwyzzu nsze qynl. “Zswdt Yypvla, usw byhl y bktb qlhla, usw pbswze alpv xsal.”

Wlhla? Nsdt Ckdtbyd’p lulp xshle yaswde pzsozu, bkp nsdpnkswpdlpp bygu, lhlauvbkdt czwaale. Tl vakle vs prlyj, cwv qswde bkp vbasyv cwadkdt yde bsyapl.

Rv oyp pwarakpkdt vbyv bl, obs oyp wpwyzzu ps blyzvbu, bye qyzzld kzz ps plhlalzu fwpv qasx y clyvkdt. Mbkp cseu sq bkp oyp alyzzu tlvvkdt olyjla yde olyjla.

Rq sdzu vbyv rlapsd oyp blal, ds sdl vs bsze bkx yde yexkdkpvla xleknkdl yde oyvla yduxsal.

Tkp blye qwggu, Nsdt Ckdtbyd’p lulp byzq-nzsple, eakqvkdt cynj kdvs pzllr. Rd bkp bygl, psxlsdl nyxl, y qyxkzkya byde nshlakdt bkp qsalblye, okrkdt yoyu vbl nsze polyv, psqvzu nyzzkdt bkp dknjdyxl.

“Brother…” he unconsciously murmured, then sank deeply into slumber.

Long Qinghan’s illness lasted for several days. His mother, Lady Hong Xiu, came to visit him many times, feeding him medicine and food. He was grateful. But unfortunately, his body was still weak, able to walk only a few steps before feeling faint.

As for Long Yue, he had not come to see him at all. Lady Hong Xiu had reminded him many times, but Long Yue stubbornly refused to come, angrily leaving the same message each time – let Ziyu reflect and admit his wrongdoing first.

Lady Hong Xiu did not know the source of the father-son conflict, but for Long Qinghan’s sake, she acted as an intermediary, trying to console them, but to no avail.

She had also asked Long Qinghan about the exact conflict between them, but Long Qinghan stubbornly refused to say, also declaring that he had done no wrong and would not admit any.

After several days of this, Lady Hong Xiu was truly anxious. Her son’s condition was fluctuating, often unconscious, while the father who had beaten him did not even come to see him. How could she not be distressed?

Annoyed, she went to find Long Yue, placing the responsibility on him, saying that Long Qinghan’s illness was a heart illness, and as the father, he should guide and persuade him.

Upon hearing this, Long Yue sighed. Regarding Long Qinghan and Feng Xuanyang’s matter, he truly did not want to tell Lady Hong Xiu, fearing she would worry too much. But now, with Long Qinghan’s stubborn refusal to admit wrongdoing, and Lady Hong Xiu constantly nagging in his ear, he had no choice but to go find Long Qinghan himself and persuade him.

At this time, the wounds on Long Qinghan’s back had just healed, but he was still very weak. When Long Yue came in, he saw Long Qinghan sitting half-naked on the bed.

Long Qinghan’s eyes were somewhat dazed, no longer the spirited look from before. His face was haggard, his lips pale, his back covered with criss-crossing red scars, still looking gruesome even though they had scabbed over.

“Father?” Seeing Long Yue come in, Long Qinghan softly called out. That weak voice, coupled with his thinner frame, made even the hardened Long Yue’s heart ache.

After all, he was his son. There were no truly heartless parents in this world.

Long Yue took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort in his heart, and walked over, asking calmly, “How are you today?”

“Much better, thank you for your concern, Father.” Long Qinghan’s tone was still indifferent, neither close nor distant.

But this detached Long Qinghan pained Long Yue’s heart. He had indeed pushed this child further and further away. In the past, in order to cultivate Long Qinghan, he had been extremely strict, almost tyrannical, causing Long Qinghan to gradually become dissatisfied with him.

Then, when Long Qinghan was ten, he followed his teacher and went out to roam the jianghu. Several years later, when he returned after completing his studies, he had become cold towards his father.

Thinking about it, the estrangement between them was partly Long Yue’s own responsibility. But everything he did was for Long Qinghan’s own good, yet he never imagined it would lead to such alienation.

Long Yue sighed lightly, sitting down by Long Qinghan’s bedside. “Ziyu, do you resent your father?”

Long Qinghan’s eyes brightened slightly, then dimmed again. “Father did it for my own good, I have no reason to resent you.”

Although the words were polite, the sense of alienation was clear.

Long Yue reached out and patted Long Qinghan’s hand. Long Qinghan flinched slightly, but then didn’t move, letting Long Yue gently pat his hand. Though just a minor movement, Long Yue felt Long Qinghan’s resistance.

His heart ached, and he let go of the hand, turning away.

For a moment, father and son fell silent, an eerie atmosphere filling the room.

Time slowly passed, one not speaking, the other not asking. With his back to Long Qinghan, Long Yue was lost in thought, gazing distantly, while Long Qinghan sat with his hands clasped, head lowered, thinking about that man in red.

“Father, if there’s nothing else…”

“Ziyu…”

They spoke at the same time. Hearing this, Long Yue was startled. Long Qinghan’s words were clearly implying that if there was nothing else, he should leave early. This sense of alienation left Long Yue at a loss.

“Go on, Father. I’m listening.” Sensing Long Yue’s emotions, Long Qinghan spoke first.

“Alas,” Long Yue slapped his thigh, sighing deeply. “Ziyu, how did we father and son end up like this? I still remember when you were young, you loved to frolic by my side, but now…” He turned his head away, saddened.

“Father?” Long Qinghan spoke out, somewhat disbelieving. This unrestrained side of Long Yue was a first for him. When did this estrangement begin? Perhaps since he started his martial arts training, no, perhaps even earlier…

He recalled the past memories. That year, he was just five years old. Back then, he was very mischievous, often climbing trees to play. One day, his father’s good friend brought his son to visit. As a young child, Long Qinghan rarely had playmates of the same age. Even the junior disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect treated him with reverence, not daring to play freely with him. So the arrival of his father’s friend’s son gave him a companion for the first time.

He followed that boy to climb trees, chase birds, and play joyfully. Reflecting back now, that was truly the happiest time of his childhood.

But during their carefree play, they had run into the kitchen, and the boy accidentally knocked over a rice barrel, spilling all the rice. This startled Long Yue.

When Long Yue arrived, he and the boy were standing in front of the rice barrel, heads lowered. Long Yue angrily demanded, “Who did this?”

Unexpectedly, the boy beside him pointed at him, accusing, “It was him!”

At that young age, he did not understand the concept of false accusation, so he stood there confused as the scapegoat.

When the furious Long Yue was about to strike his palm, he cried out in defense, which only further angered Long Yue, who blamed him for embarrassing himself in front of the guest. After the guest left, Long Yue hung him up and beat him for nearly half a day. He cried until he could not even cry anymore, and it was only when his mother, Lady Hong Xiu, came to rescue him.

After that, his temperament changed, becoming extremely indifferent, no longer crying or laughing, all because his most beloved father had beaten him without reason, making him grow increasingly distant from his father. Later, when he followed his teacher and went far away, this estrangement deepened.

But afterward, perhaps feeling guilty, that boy had requested to come serve him in atonement, and thus, Long Mei came into being.

Yes, that boy was Long Mei. Though Long Qinghan’s memories of childhood were hazy, unable to recall the boy’s appearance, based on Long Yue’s words and Long Mei’s own admission, that boy was indeed Long Mei. So despite never having called Long Mei “Brother” in all these years, he was still grateful for the happiness that boy had once brought him. It was just a pity that with the passing of years, Long Mei had become more solemn, treating him with more reverence, and he could no longer call him “Brother”.

Emerging from the recollection, Long Qinghan looked at Long Yue with a faint gaze, realizing that his father had indeed aged. The once rugged face now bore the marks of time, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes becoming visible, the once straight back slightly stooped, the once smooth black hair now streaked with white.

Suddenly, a nameless wetness welled up in his heart. The years of estrangement had, in this moment, vanished without a trace.

Long Qinghan grasped Long Yue’s hand, smiling slightly. “Father.” No need for many words, a single soft call was enough.

“Ziyu.” Knowing Long Qinghan’s inner conflict had been resolved, Long Yue embraced him emotionally.

“Father.” Long Qinghan returned the embrace, lowering his eyes.

Father and son hugged each other in this moment of understanding.

After a long while, they slowly pulled apart, then looked at each other and smiled. After all, they were father and son, with a blood bond that could not be severed.

Long Yue patted Long Qinghan’s hand, then began to talk with him at length, telling stories of his childhood and discussing his future.

The haggard look on Long Qinghan’s face gradually gave way to a cheerful expression, his spirits much improved.

However, when a certain topic came up, they fell silent again.