In the late afternoon, Lee Dachin released his students. While the students were packing their schoolbags, Lee Dachin heard Fang Yaoting's footsteps at the door. He glanced quickly, but there was no one, and his heart was empty again. Lee Dachin walked his students out of the door. The students waved at him as they despaired into the crowded street. He closed the door of the school and turned to the three young students.
Lee Dachin smiled at them, "I will send you to Ah Bao."
Xiao Mei, "Teacher Lee, is third Master coming home soon?"
Lee Dachin smiled, "I don't know, I hope so."
Guozhao Zhaohui, "I don't want him to come back so soon."
Lee Dachin smiled and asked, "Why?"
Guozhao Zhaohui, "I hate doing horse stance." He frowned. "He always punishes me for the smallest mistake."
Xiao Mei nodded in agreement, "I made a mistake when I practiced sword last time. I was doing horse stances for three hours."
Guozhao Bolin, "I like horse stance." He held Lee Dachin's left hand.
The two older children made ugly faces and stuck their tongues at Guozhao Bolin.
Lee Dachin smiled and said, "Then you should work hard to perfect it. When your third master comes back, you won't be punished."
The two older children frowned, "Ah..."
The three children followed Lee Dachin to the house. The family store is not too big. It is decent. Lee Dachin and the children walked in, and Yang Bao was putting the dried medicinal materials into the cabinets.
Yang Bao, "Teacher Lee, thank you for sending the children back."
Lee Dachin, "I'm on my way home anyway."
Yang Bao, "Children, Song nai nai has already cooked, teacher Lee stay for dinner."
Lee Dachin refused, "Maybe next time. I have paper to correct."
Without Fang Yaoting, Lee Dachin's home feels so big. He sat at the dining table, staring at the empty seat opposite him. He suddenly lost his appetite, so he picked up the dishes and put them in the kitchen. He sat in the backyard marking the students' homework. At this time, the empty courtyard reminded him; after eating every night, he would sit here to correct the students' homework while listening to Fang Yaoting's sword practice. After that, the two went to take a bath and then the two went to bed.
That night, he was lying on an empty bed, staring at the ceiling, with warm tears dripping from the corners of his eyes. He never felt that the bed was so big. He lay there, sobbing softly. Fang Yaoting promised that he would return home when Wang Shuchun become pregnant, but as he waited months after months, Fang Yaoting did not return or wrote to him. It has been a year since he saw Fang Yaoting and heard from Fang Yaoting. Lee Dachin turned to the right, staring at the flickering candlelight, tears constantly falling from his eyes. He knew that there was a high possibility that Fang Yaoting would not return.
He knew that once Fang Yaoting got married and had children, he will have responsibilities. Wang Shuchun is a good woman, Fang Yaoting's family loves him very much. No matter how strong a man is, he is still a man after all, and will eventually lose to the tenderness of a woman. However, deep in his heart, he hoped that one morning, when he opened his eyes, he would see Fang Yaoting's handsome face holding him in his arms.
When he left Fang Yaoting behind at the Fang Resident, he was preparing to face the lonely road ahead alone. He would write to Fang Yaoting every two weeks, but Fang Yaoting never replied, and now he is sure that Fang Yaoting will not come back. Lee Dachin understands why Master Fang wants Fang Yaoting to get married. He believed that if Fang Yaoting had a wife, he would become fond of woman. After months and months passed, and there is no news from Fang Yaoting, and he began to believe that his theory is true. Despite the pains inside his heart, at the same time, he also given his blessing to Fang Yaoting and Wang Shuchun.
He knew that he could not forget Fang Yaoting. If Fang Yaoting decided to be with Wang Shuchun, he would accept it wholeheartedly and would not have any malice towards Wang Shuchun and Fang Yaoting. He is willing to spend his life waiting for Fang Yaoting. The rain dropped on the roof, making a soft clanging sound. Lee Dachin closed his eyes, hoping that he could dream of the special person he had been missing.
Early in the morning, when Yang Bao went to open a store, he found Guozhao Zhiqiang leaning on the door, drunk and drenched.
Yang Bao rushed to Guozhao Zhiqiang and said strongly, "Senior brother." He went down and helped Guozhao Zhiqiang up. He put Guozhao Zhiqiang's left arm around his shoulder, and helped his senior brother inside the house.
Yang Bao sat Guozhao Zhiqiang on his bed and removed the sword from his back. Yang Bao then lay him down.
Guozhao Zhaohui stood at the door, "Second senior brother, is that senior brother?"
Yang Bao nodded, "Look after him, I will fetch water."
After a while, Yang Bao came in with a basin and towel. He began to wipe Guozhao Zhiqiang's face, wondering how he became like this. He had never seen his brother look like this before.
Yang Bao, "Senior brother, what's wrong with you?"
Guozhao Zhiqiang pushed Yang Bao's hand away, "I want to stay alone." He turned to the left and closed his eyes.
Yang Bao, "I'm sending the children to school, and Song nai nai will be here soon. Tell her if you need anything let her know."
Yang Bao is very worried about Guozhao Zhiqiang, but there was not much he can do because of Guozhao Zhiqiang's indifferent attitude makes it difficult for anyone to approach. Yang Bao is packing medicine for a customer. He looked at the door, his Shimu stood there with two small sacks. The customer paid him and the customer left.
Ping'an, "How's the business?"
Yang Bao, "As usual Shimu. Masters?"
Ping'an, "Your two Masters went out hunting?"
Yang Bao, "Shan took a new case?"
Ping'an smiled and said, "No, it's deer hunting."
Yang Bao put on a long face.
Ping'an, "What's the matter?"
Yang Bao, "Senior brother...he...He is back but not himself. He is in his bedroom."
Ping'an, "Zhiqiang has returned? He send a message with Shan, he will not be back in a few months."
Yang Bao, "He seems to be dying." Two customers walked into the store. "He's behind, I'll help the guests first."
Ping'an walked to the back of the shop. She put the peach bag in the kitchen and walked to Guozhao Zhiqiang's bedroom. The Young teen was sleeping on his left side facing the wall.
Ping'an, "Zhiqiang..."
Guozhao Zhiqiang turned around and saw Ping'an. He sat up on the bed.
Ping'an looked at the young teen who was very handsome and well dress sitting on the bed, with a broken spirit. Ping'an walked to the bed and sat on the bed.
Ping'an, "What's the matter? She moved a few strands of hair away from his face.
Guozhao Zhiqiang sobbed, "Shimu." He wrapped his arms around Ping'an's waist and cries inside Ping'an's arms.
Ping'an worried, "What is it? Peizhi didn't say anything."
Guozhao Zhiqiang sobbed and said, "It hurts, I am very hurt."
Ping'an worried, "Where did you hurt?"
Guozhao Zhiqiang slid down and leaned his head on Ping'an's lap, "My heart hurts so much, I feel that my heart is shattered."
Ping'an rubbed his head, "Someone broke your heart?"
He said nothing. He continued to whimper.
Guozhao Zhiqiang, "I don't understand what I did wrong."
Ping'an, "Sometimes we did nothing wrong, but we just aren't meant to be."
Guozhao Zhiqiang, "If we can't keep our promises, why bother making promises in the first place?"
Ping'an, "Promises are easy, but hard to fulfill. To find the person who truly loves you, no mountain is too high for that person to climb, no ocean is too wide for that person to swim across, or no path is too dangerous for that person to walk to reach you. Only that special person deserves your tears."
Guozhao Zhiqiang, "Shimu, I want to lie down like this for a while." He continued to cried his heart out.
Ping'an, "You go ahead and cry. Cry your heart out and afterward, stop crying. Our Zhiqiang can overcome any difficulties without shedding a tear."
It is difficult to watch Guozhao Zhiqiang broken like this. He has always been strong-hearted, and he did not shed a single tear when he was almost beaten to death, but in the face of love, he was as fragile as an egg. After a while, Guozhao Zhiqiang fell asleep. Ping'an covered him with a blanket, and then she went to the kitchen. Song nai nai is preparing meal for the children.
Song nai nai said, "Ping'an, are you staying for dinner?"
Ping'an, "Yes, let me help you. How about you go ask Dachin to have dinner with us? I will take care of the rest."
That night, Guozhao Zhiqiang lay on the bed and closed his eyes. His memory repeats itself again and again. He tried to figure out what he had done wrong. If Hu Dingxiang had no feeling for him, why would he agree to live in Cloud City? He still felt the warmth of Hu Dingxiang's body next to him. He also felt Hu Dingxiang's soft lips press lightly on his lips. He can still feel the smooth skin of Hu Dingxiang on his hands. Only then did he realize that the more he wanted to forget Hu Dingxiang, the harder it was for him to erase the image of Hu Dingxiang from his mind.
He regretted choosing another path. He should've come back to Waterfall City and head back home. Instead, he decided to venture to an unknown land alone. In the end, he returned home heartbroken.