A quiet little courtyard.
Yu Xiaogang leaned back in a rattan chair. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting spots of light into his deep-set eye sockets. He looked lifeless, his face filled with gloom.
At that moment, Liu Erlong approached him with a bowl of freshly brewed medicinal soup, her steps extremely light.
"Xiaogang, it's time for your medicine." She handed the bowl to Yu Xiaogang, her voice gentle.
This was a prescription Tang San had specially prepared for Yu Xiaogang after waking up. It had the effect of strengthening the foundation and nourishing the essence, speeding up the recovery of their injuries.
However, most of the ingredients for the soup were precious and expensive. To prepare it, Liu Erlong had nearly emptied her family savings.
Yet, Yu Xiaogang did not appreciate her kindness at all.
"Take it away."
Yu Xiaogang suddenly opened his eyes and violently pushed her hand away.
The arm Liu Erlong used to hold the medicine swayed, and the soup immediately splashed onto the back of her hand, leaving a faint red burn mark. But aside from her eyes turning slightly red, she remained silent.
Yu Xiaogang ignored Liu Erlong's current emotions. His expression was gloomy, and his tone carried a hint of irritability.
"Why are you bringing me medicine?"
"I haven't been reduced to a useless person yet; I don't need help with such a small matter."
"Or is it that even you look down on me and think I need help with something so minor?"
Liu Erlong's expression stiffened slightly, her tone carrying a trace of exhaustion.
"Xiaogang, you know I don't mean to look down on you. I just want to be by your side quietly and do what I can for you."
Although she knew that Yu Xiaogang would never be able to perform sexually again, Liu Erlong had loved him deeply for many years. Naturally, she would not let go of her long-standing feelings because of this.
So during this time, she had been staying by Yu Xiaogang's side like a virtuous wife and mother, never leaving him.
She thought her companionship and devotion would surely move Yu Xiaogang.
But she had underestimated Yu Xiaogang's pride.
Yu Xiaogang was an extremely twisted character.
Half of his being was so arrogant that he looked down on everything, while the other half was filled with an inferiority complex that reached his very bones.
Especially after losing his virility, this deep-seated inferiority was magnified countless times.
He felt that no matter who it was, the way they looked at him was full of ridicule, even including his best brother, Flender.
And Liu Erlong's meticulous companionship and care made him feel as if it were a form of pity and charity.
That was why his mood became increasingly gloomy and irritable, often flying into a rage at Liu Erlong.
Yu Xiaogang glanced at Liu Erlong indifferently, feeling only a sense of agitation.
He knew, of course, that Liu Erlong meant well.
But at the thought of Liu Erlong's deep love for him...
While he had been harmed by Yang Yuan and would be unable to perform sexually for the rest of his life, his heart couldn't help but feel inferior.
In fact, the better Liu Erlong treated him, the more irritable his heart became.
Because he was afraid—afraid that Liu Erlong would leave him one day.
Afraid that she, like everyone else, would look at him with strange and mocking eyes.
At this moment, as Yu Xiaogang looked at the expression on Liu Erlong's face, a surge of nameless fire ignited in his heart once more.
But several footsteps suddenly sounded outside the quiet courtyard.
It turned out that Tang San had arrived.
"Teacher!"
"Are you feeling any better?"
Tang San walked into the courtyard.
His injuries had been extremely severe back then. Although a Healing System Soul Saint had stepped in to treat him and he had been consistently taking medicinal soup during this time, he still needed a long period of rest before a full recovery. His movements appeared quite clumsy.
However, his spirit and energy were much better than Yu Xiaogang's.
The reason was that after returning to Heaven Dou City, Liu Erlong, as Xiao Wu's godmother, had personally gone to Heaven Dou Academy out of concern for Xiao Wu and brought back news that Xiao Wu was still alive.
Although it was unclear how Yang Yuan had obtained that hundred thousand yearspirit ring, that spirit ring was clearly not Xiao Wu's.
Tang San had received this news, which was why he had pulled himself together again.
"Little San, you're here."
"Your teacher is fine. As for you, you must recover well and make sure no lingering effects remain."
When Yu Xiaogang saw Tang San, the irritability in his heart calmed down a bit. A slightly stiff smile appeared on his face, and his tone was concerned.
One must know that during these days, even when facing Liu Erlong and Flender, he hadn't shown a single smile.
But Tang San was different.
Tang San was his Personal Disciple, his hope for the future.
Yu Xiaogang's reputation was now in tatters, and he had even lost his dignity as a man.
So he now had only one goal.
That was to nurture Tang San at all costs until he became famous throughout the continent and cleared the name of 'trash' for him.
Yu Xiaogang even harbored an unrealistic fantasy that one day, when Tang San reached Major Achievement in strength, he would kill Yang Yuan to avenge him.
Despite Yang Yuan's unfathomable talent and strength, it still couldn't dampen Yu Xiaogang's determination for revenge.
In his eyes, the reason he had fallen to this state was all thanks to Yang Yuan.
If not for Yang Yuan, why would he have left Heaven Dou Academy in disgrace? Why would he have lost his dignity as a man, to be pointed at and mocked by countless people in secret?
Seeing the shift in Yu Xiaogang's attitude, Liu Erlong became increasingly disheartened with him.
She couldn't help but think bitterly: 'I worked so hard to accompany and care for him, yet Xiaogang not only doesn't appreciate it but instead treats me with coldness and distance.'
'On the other hand, Tang San has only visited him a few times, yet he is treated so warmly.'
'Does my place in his heart not even compare to this precious Disciple of his?'
Tang San looked at the half-spilled medicinal soup in Liu Erlong's hand and her slightly disappointed expression, immediately guessing what had happened before he arrived.
Ever since his teacher was injured, he had become increasingly withdrawn, and his emotions had been very unstable. Except for Tang San himself, he was cold even toward Flender and Liu Erlong.
However, Tang San could also understand his teacher's current state.
After all, not every man could endure the pain of losing his masculine dignity.
He said respectfully, "Rest assured, Teacher. I know my own condition perfectly; there will definitely be no lingering effects."
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang immediately let out a long-awaited laugh.
"Hahaha, good! It's good that there are no lingering effects."
Tang San smiled faintly, then said to Liu Erlong, who was standing nearby, "Teacher Erlong, please go attend to your business. I will take care of Teacher here."
Liu Erlong was already feeling disheartened by Yu Xiaogang's coldness. Hearing Tang San's words, she sighed and handed the remaining half-bowl of soup to him.
"Then I'll leave this to you."
After saying that, she turned and left dejectedly.
Tang San watched Liu Erlong's departing back and thought: 'It's a pity Teacher Erlong is so deeply in love with Teacher. After waiting for him for over ten years, such a misfortune occurred. Yang Yuan, oh Yang Yuan, you've really caused a lot of harm.'
While thinking, he handed the medicinal soup to Yu Xiaogang.
"Teacher, your health is what matters most."
In response to Tang San's action, Yu Xiaogang reacted quite differently than before.
He took the half-bowl of soup from Tang San's hand, a gratified smile appearing on his face.
"Little San, you are still the one who cares for your teacher!"
(End of Chapter)
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