Lei Ruolan raised an eyebrow. She winced. "Can you quiet the hell down? Your voice is hurting my brain..."
Yan Wenqing huffed and puffed, stalking towards her with a murderous look in his eye. "It is you! You have his face! How the hell is it that two of my mother's killers' kids are here tonight?!"
"Ha. What the hell do you mean?" Lei Ruolan snapped, holding her side. She glared at Yan Wenqing, seeming unimpressed with his muscles and massive Mo blade. When she spoke, her voice was mocking. "What are you going to do--kill me?"
Yan Wenqing's face flooded red, and he raised his blade, pointing it at her. "I'll do it!"
"Whoa, whoa!" Qiu Yunru stepped forward again, blocking Yan Wenqing's path. "Let's calm down!"
"No!" Yan Wenqing snarled, pointing the blade at Qiu Yunru now. "Her father's even worse than Li Guiren! Lei Xifeng was the one who really killed my mother with his own two hands. He was Li Guiren's dog!"
Qiu Yunru jumped back. That blade had almost sliced right through his chest! Was this kid really intent on killing someone? And what was this about Lei Ruolan's dad working for Li Guiren? What on earth was going on?!
Sweating, Qiu Yunru tried an apologetic smile, waving his hands.
"Is that so? I'm sorry to hear it..."
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he felt exceedingly awkward. I'm sorry to hear that your mom was murdered? What a lame response!
Thankfully, Yan Wenqing was susceptible to kindness, and his grip on the Mo Blade faltered. When he looked up, Qiu Yunru nearly jumped away in horror.
This muscle-man's eyes were filled with tears!
"I was just a little kid..." He sniffed. "I barely remember it...but they said...Li Guiren manipulated her into falling in love with Lei Xifeng...and then...one night...he destroyed her meridians..." Tears began to drip down his rough cheeks. "Even though she lived a few more years as a shell, she eventually hung herself..."
Qiu Yunru was horrified.
What could he say to this?!
That's awful...How could they do that? You must be sad...So useless! What words at all could be used in response to such a horrible situation?
"I...I'm sorry..." He managed. He thought about reaching out to pat this kid's back, but thought better of it--that Mo Blade was still pointed out as him, dripping with blood.
Yan Wenqing seemed to remember something. His face hardened, and he lifted the Mo blade again, swinging it around to point it at Lei Ruolan, who was still lying pitifully against a tree trunk.
"I still remember the look on her face in the years before she died. She was like a ghost--grey, full of only sadness. I could see all of her bones!" He wiped at his eyes furiously, holding the Mo blade up with one hand. Qiu Yunru's eyes bulged. How could one hold a blade as heavy as the Mo blade with one hand?! Yan Wenqing went on: "Because of your father, my mother was practically tortured to death! Even if Li Guiren's son isn't like him, your father was willing to destroy my mother's life with his own hands. That kind of evil doesn't disappear! I'm sure you're not different form him!"
Lei Ruolan glared at him. After a moment, she sneered. "Go ahead, then. Kill me."
"What?!" Qiu Yunru yelped. "Lei-shijie! You can't say that, he might actually do it!"
Lei Ruolan glowered at him. "So what? It's not as if I'm entirely opposed."
Qiu Yunru's heart sank into his stomach. His mind raced--he had learned about this kind of thing in medical school. He had also experienced it himself sometimes, but rarely: the lack of a will to live. It was a dangerous thing, to be treated with gentle caution and a watchful eye.
He opened his mouth, planning to say something he'd learned--maybe Your life has meaning, or I value you as a friend!
However, he never got the chance.
At that moment, there was a flash of silver light.
Yan Wenqing had rushed forward.