Past Is Like the Wind . . .
"I don't drink," Zhao Pingtian initially stated.
In response, Cha Eun Xiao, with a reflective look in his eyes, spoke softly, "I do. Destiny has entwined our fates, bringing us together in these extraordinary circumstances. Such an occasion deserves a toast. Moreover, to listen to your story without the warm camaraderie of liquor would render it incomplete and dull."
Zhao Pingtian was taken aback by Cha Eun Xiao's words. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded with an understanding gaze and replied, "You're right, Feng Monarch. Let's have a drink."
With that, he reached for a jar of liquor and swiftly drained its contents in a matter of seconds. This took Cha Eun Xiao by surprise. [This is far from 'not drinking.' His definition of 'not drinking' is exceptional, to say the least.]
Zhao Pingtian placed the now-empty jar down, fixed his eyes firmly on Cha Eun Xiao, and asked, "Feng Monarch, can you truly see Rou-Er? My Rou-Er?"
Cha Eun Xiao activated his Yin Yang Eyes once more and scanned the area around Zhao Pingtian. Within the gray fog, a girl with a gentle countenance met his gaze, her eyes filled with hope. "I cannot definitively confirm that she is your Rou-Er, but I do see a young lady with a mole on her forehead standing right beside you," Cha Eun Xiao affirmed.
Zhao Pingtian's face lit up with a warm smile. He addressed the girl in the ethereal fog, "Rou-Er, you've been with me all this time? I never knew. It seems the heavens have smiled upon me."
In the gray mist, the girl sighed softly, her eyes brimming with tears.
Cha Eun Xiao inquired, "Brother Zhao, if you don't mind sharing, could you tell me more about your situation? With a better understanding, I might be able to provide you with further assistance."
Excited, Zhao Pingtian raised the jar and took another hearty swig. He replied, "Even if you didn't ask, I would have told you eventually. My story... Ah... it's my greatest sorrow. I hardly know where to begin..."
Taking a deep breath, he appeared lost in time, transported back to days long past, memories he could never forget...
"Rou-Er was my fiancée," Zhao Pingtian began, his eyes reflecting his deep affection. "At that time, I was a scholar, immersed in the world of books and knowledge. My dream was to succeed in the imperial examination and secure a position in the court. Rou-Er hailed from a village adjacent to mine, and we had grown up together. Our parents, aware of our affection for one another, had arranged our engagement..."
"When I was eighteen, Rou-Er was seventeen, and we were preparing for our wedding," Zhao Pingtian began, his smile bittersweet. In his eyes, there was a mixture of tenderness and anguish. "We were just village kids, living simple lives. We spent most of our time together, playing and laughing. When we turned fifteen, we began to understand the nuances of love and the importance of marriage. For a brief period, we distanced ourselves, but we eventually found our way back to each other. We believed nothing could go wrong."
"We were blissfully happy. Our hearts were intertwined, and Rou-Er had already sewn her own wedding dress."
"Then, one day, I went to the river near her village—the place where we often met for our secret rendezvous. We always went there to be alone, just the two of us. However, on that day, Rou-Er didn't show up, which was unusual."
"I thought she might be feeling shy or anxious about our impending marriage, so I patiently waited for her. But after a few days of her absence, my anxiety got the best of me. I couldn't bear not seeing her, so I went to her home and met her father. I thought that, since we were going to be married, it wouldn't hurt to sneak a peek at her."
Zhao Pingtian let out a heavy sigh and gazed into the distance, lost in thought. He paused in his storytelling, and Cha Eun Xiao remained patient, sipping his drink. [This is where things must have taken a painful turn.]
Cha Eun Xiao glanced at the girl in the gray fog, who was watching Zhao Pingtian with sorrowful eyes, her gaze unwavering.
"That day... I saw Rou-Er with another man, and they seemed incredibly close," Zhao Pingtian continued. "She looked happier than she ever was with me. Her face turned pale when she saw me."
"You can imagine the shock I felt at that moment. I... I..." Zhao Pingtian's voice trembled, and he lowered his head in despair. "I confronted them, demanding to know who the man was and what their relationship was."
"Rou-Er looked at me indifferently. She said she had always seen me as a brother, not a lover, and she never felt secure with me. She confessed that she had never truly known the type of man she desired until she met this person. I was merely a passerby in her life, a man with no destined future."
"She had fallen for a powerful man, a hero, she said. According to her, intellectuals like me were worthless in tumultuous times. She asked me if I would use books to defend her in times of trouble and told me that intellectuals were the weakest beings in the world."
"She claimed that girls needed security, and the man she was with was a formidable cultivator at the pinnacle of the Human Origin Stage. I had neither wealth nor power and was merely a penniless youth. While I took pride in my intellectual pursuits, I had never managed to secure a government position."
"All in all, I was a man with no prospects."
"She said, 'Brother, I don't want to disappoint you. If you were a powerful cultivator, I would happily marry you. However, you're not.'"
"She continued, 'If you can become rich, that's an acceptable alternative. Alternatively, if you can offer a bright future, that would suffice. Failing that, strength and power might be enough. But you have none of these qualities. How can I be with you? How could I possibly dare to spend my life with you? Would you have us starve together at home? Love alone won't put food on the table, and there is no room for love.'"
As Zhao Pingtian recounted the words of his lost love, he displayed a mix of self-mockery and sorrow. Even the girl he adored had ridiculed him.
Cha Eun Xiao wasn't surprised by the revelation; he had sensed that something was amiss in this tale.
"I was devastated," Zhao Pingtian continued. "I asked her if she was truly committed to that man. I inquired if she intended to erase everything about us from her life as though it were mere wind."
He let out a bitter smile. "Rou-Er's response was... The man by her side needed three more years to advance his cultivation before they could marry. In three years, their wedding would take place. She said, 'Brother, if you can defeat him within those three years, maybe I will marry you.'"