Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 61: Fourth Life - Challenging the Heart

It was morning. Uncle Lin offered the guest room for me in his house, and he asked me to stay hidden for the time being. I didn't want to do as he say, but I wanted to stay close to Yang Zi Huo. It was a bold thought, but I wanted to leave Pingfan with him. He most likely wouldn't agree to have me come along, but I had to try.

I was sitting in the back courtyard near my chambers when Ying Jun made his way over and sat in the wooden stool next to me. I didn't care to pay any attention to him, treating him as transparent air.

He finally said, "Ah Xin, I'm sorry, honestly. The meeting, everything. It was my idea to get you to offer yourself so that Chun Mei would be safe."

I sighed, "I knew it was a set up, to hear that it was you who orchestrated the whole thing... I'm not surprised."

"Do you hate me?"

I stared into his eyes. "I hate you."

He was taken aback. Perhaps surprised that the foolish girl who had always secretly loved him wasn't that in love with him anymore. Now, I no longer wished to be a fool.

"I guess there's nothing I can do to make it up to you."

"No, there's not."

You pushed me towards death.

"Tell me. Are you really going to leave with that Yang Zi Huo?"

"I am."

"He's a demon killer, aren't you scared?"

"I'm not a demon, why would I be scared?"

"Don't you know who Yang Zi Huo is?"

"A brave and extremely good looking man?"

Ying Jun seemed disgusted by my answer, and retorted, "He's the Sect Leader of Bleak Night Sect. Don't you know why he's so good at killing demons?"

Bleak Night Sect? Young Hero Yang Zi Huo is Yang Zi Huo the fearless Sect Leader of Bleak Night? Who doesn't know of Bleak Night? Even a sheltered village like ours knows that the ruler of Jianghu is the dominating Bleak Night Sect Leader.

Ying Jun leaned in and exposed, "He's a demon himself."

"Well, obviously. Bleak Night is a demon sect." I shook my head at Ying Jun's ploy of tearing down Yang Zi Huo.

"The-- Then, are you not scared?"

"Again, why would I be scared?"

Fuming with frustration, Ying Jun stood and said, "Because! Because he's a demon!"

I also took a stand and confronted Ying Jun. "Like the humans of this world, there are good demons and bad demons. Yang Zi Huo is not bad."

"You don't know that."

"Maybe I don't. But he saved me from a bad demon that terrorized our village and was going to eat me. Even if he is a demon, he's my savior."

"Wow. You really fell for him, didn't you?"

"What's it to you?"

"You're so shallow, Rong Xin. Falling for a demon because of his good looks."

"I-- I fell for you too, and you look like a mud-fish."

"Rong Xin! You!"

I turned my back and went into my room, slamming the doors shut. Ying Jun had a lot of guts to pick a fight with me considering he threw me away like some useless thing.

Someone knocked on my door.

Still annoyed, I swung the doors opened. "What?!"

I encountered Yang Zi Huo's emotionless face.

"Yang Zi Huo?"

"The matters with the Heifang Forest Demon has been dealt with, so I'm leaving."

"All right, let's go."

"I'm not... telling you this, so you can come along. I'm bidding you farewell."

"What?"

"You're back here in your village, and the demon will no longer bother your people. You'll be safe."

"Even so, I don't feel at ease here. These people used me. I don't trust them, and they will never look at me the same. They probably think I'm some pitiful overdue demon food."

He listened to what I had to say without interrupting.

"I promise I will make myself useful. I want to go out and see the world! When I was sitting in that cave just waiting for death, I realized I haven't experienced anything beyond this village. But you! You're a powerful leader and the whole world respects you. And I luckily had the chance of being saved by you. My life from now on will be yours."

Yang Zi Huo shifted uncomfortably with wrinkled eyebrows as I professed my undying loyalty. Perhaps he was moved by my words. I smiled at the thought. 

"Rong Xin," Aunt Lin walked toward me,"Rong Xin, your parents are here. They'd like to see you."