Lian Yan found herself entangled in a whirlwind of thoughts and questions, her mind racing to piece together the fragments of the story that Jian Wei had begun to share. "The rumor was that he... died while I was being tortured," she started, her voice a soft murmur, as if the weight of the words themselves was almost too much to bear. She paused, her eyes searching Jian Wei's face for any hint of clarity. "What exactly happened?" Her questions lingered in the air, a testament to her confusion and the depth of her desire to understand the truth behind the enigmatic tale.
Jian Wei, sensing the gravity of the moment and the need for privacy, extended his hand towards her. "Let's discuss this in my room this time," he suggested, his voice steady and calm. The idea of talking about such sensitive matters in a more secluded space, away from prying ears and the lingering presence of his father, seemed not only appropriate but necessary. Lian Yan, recognizing the wisdom in his proposal, willingly accepted his hand, her fingers intertwining with his as they made their way to his room.
The journey to Jian Wei's room was a silent one, the weight of their unspoken thoughts and the anticipation of the conversation to come casting a somber mood over them. As they entered the room and settled themselves at the table, the familiar surroundings seemed to offer a sense of comfort and security, a sanctuary where they could freely express their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or interruption.
Once they were both seated and comfortable, Lian Yan took a deep breath, preparing herself for the conversation that lay ahead. She knew that the questions she was about to ask were not only personal but potentially painful, and she wanted to ensure that she approached the topic with the sensitivity and respect it deserved. "So... were you the one who saved your father then?" she asked, her voice gentle yet firm, her gaze fixed on Jian Wei as she awaited his response.
Jian Wei, however, shook his head, a bitter smile playing on his lips as he recalled the events of that fateful day. "No, it was... someone who betrayed my father, only to save him afterward," he revealed, his words laced with a complexity of emotions that Lian Yan could scarcely begin to unravel.
Lian Yan, her brow furrowed in confusion, leaned in slightly, her gaze searching Jian Wei's face for any hint of clarity. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice a soft murmur, as if the weight of the question itself was almost too much to bear. She wanted to understand, to unravel the layers of the story and gain insight into the events that had shaped Jian Wei's life and the lives of those around him.
Jian Wei, recognizing the sincerity of her question and the depth of her desire to understand, took a deep breath, steeling himself for the tale that lay ahead. "Before my father was a bandit, he was a slaved to... the Jin family," he began, his voice steady yet tinged with a hint of reluctance, as if the words themselves were a bitter pill to swallow. The revelation seemed to cast a shadow over the room, the weight of the past threatening to consume them both.
Lian Yan, her eyes widening in shock, struggled to reconcile the man she had come to know with the harrowing tale that Jian Wei was weaving. She had been unaware of any drama or turmoil within the Jin family, but she realized that the events Jian Wei was describing may have transpired before her stepmother's marriage to her father. "How... did he escape from being enslaved?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the weight of the question itself was almost too much to bear.
Jian Wei, his gaze distant and haunted, seemed to retreat into the recesses of his mind, the memories of the past threatening to consume him. "My mother... she was nearly violated by the eldest son of the Jin family," he revealed, his voice tinged with a bitterness that ran deep. "She was pregnant at the time, carrying my little sister within her. He had struck my mother for rejecting his advances, and the trauma of the encounter proved to be too much for her to bear. She managed to give birth to my sister, but the ordeal claimed her life in the end."
The room seemed to spin around Lian Yan as she grappled with the gravity of Jian Wei's revelation, the weight of his words threatening to consume her. She struggled to imagine the pain and suffering that his family had endured, the depth of their loss, and the complexity of their journey. "Your father... he must have been devastated," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the weight of the words themselves was almost too much to bear.
Jian Wei, his gaze never leaving hers, nodded solemnly, the pain of the past etched into the lines of his face. "He was," he admitted, his voice tinged with a rawness that seemed to cut straight to her heart. "He struggled to raise us, to provide for us and protect us from the cruelties of the world. But he was a fighter, a survivor, and he refused to let the darkness consume him. He killed his owner, the man who had enslaved him and subjected him to a lifetime of suffering, and he stood trial for his actions. But he was fortunate, for the other slaves and commoners spoke up on his behalf, their voices a testament to the injustice he had endured. And then... a courtesan, a woman of great influence and power, added her voice to the chorus, and my father was spared the gallows. We were fortunate enough to escape death, to forge a new path for ourselves and build a life away from the shadows of our past."
The room seemed to hold its breath as Lian Yan grappled with the gravity of Jian Wei's tale, the weight of his words threatening to consume her. She struggled to imagine the strength and resilience that his family had displayed, the depth of their courage, and the complexity of their journey. "And the Fearsome Child?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the weight of the question itself was almost too much to bear. "I have heard the tale, but it is not one that is commonly told. Is it not a story about a couple who longed for a child, who were ultimately gifted a child with the strength of a thousand men and the speed of a tiger?"
Jian Wei, his gaze never leaving hers, nodded solemnly, a bitter smile playing on his lips as he recalled the events of that fateful day. "Yes, that is the tale," he admitted, his voice tinged with a rawness that seemed to cut straight to her heart. "And it is a tale that is deeply intertwined with my own story, with the journey that has led me to this moment and the path that lies ahead."
Lian Yan, her eyes widening in shock, struggled to reconcile the man she had come to know with the harrowing tale that Jian Wei was weaving. She had heard whispers of the Fearsome Child, of course, but she had never imagined that the legend was anything more than a myth, a story passed down through the generations to entertain and captivate. "You... you are the Fearsome Child?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jian Wei, his gaze never leaving hers, nodded solemnly, the pain of the past etched into the lines of his face. "I am," he admitted, his voice tinged with a rawness that seemed to cut straight to her heart. "And it is a burden that I have carried with me for as long as I can remember, a constant reminder of the complexity of my journey and the challenges that lie ahead."
Lian Yan, her heart aching for the pain and suffering that Jian Wei had endured, reached out and placed her hand over his, the warmth of her touch a silent testament to her support and solidarity. "And your strength?" she asked, her voice gentle yet firm, her gaze fixed on Jian Wei as she awaited his response. "Your speed? Are they... are they truly as formidable as the tale suggests?"
Jian Wei, his gaze distant and haunted, seemed to retreat into the recesses of his mind, the memories of the past threatening to consume him. "They are," he admitted, his voice tinged with a bitterness that ran deep. "And they are a constant reminder of the burden that I carry. I was the cause of all of my family's misfortune."
Lian Yan, her mind reeling from the gravity of Jian Wei's revelation, struggled to reconcile the man before her with the legendary figure of the Fearsome Child. She had heard the tales, of course, but she had never imagined that they were anything more than mere stories, passed down through the generations to entertain and captivate. And yet, here was Jian Wei, a man of flesh and blood, claiming to be the very embodiment of the myth.
She searched his face for any hint of deceit, any sign that he was not being truthful with her. But all she saw was the pain and suffering that he had endured, the depth of his courage, and the complexity of his journey. And yet, despite the sincerity of his words and the weight of his burden, she found herself struggling to believe him, to accept that the man before her was truly the Fearsome Child.
"I... I don't know what to say," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the weight of her words was almost too much to bear. "I have heard the tales, of course, but I never imagined that they were anything more than mere stories. And yet, here you are, claiming to be the very embodiment of the myth. I... I want to believe you, Jian Wei, truly I do. But I find myself struggling to reconcile the man before me with the legendary figure of the Fearsome Child."
Jian Wei, his gaze never leaving hers, nodded solemnly, a bitter smile playing on his lips as he recognized the depth of her struggle. "I understand," he admitted, his voice tinged with a rawness that seemed to cut straight to her heart. "It is not an easy thing to accept, to believe that the tales of old are anything more than mere stories."
Lian Yan, her heart aching for the pain and suffering that Jian Wei had endured, reached out and placed her hand over his, the warmth of her touch a silent testament to her support and solidarity. "I... I want to believe you, Jian Wei," she admitted and repeated once more, as if the weight of her words was almost too much to bear. "I still won't leave you alone on this. We made a deal and… I promised your father that I would be back tomorrow." This time, she try and not let him recall his past. More can be told later, but now she really did want to help him. "If it is okay with you, are you alright if I help care for your father?"