Book 1: Never Giving Up - 152: Confession
This was the time for the new students to say proper goodbyes to their families. Afterwards, they would spend a long period of time cultivating in the Hidden Dragon Institute.
They wouldn’t stay at the Hidden Dragon Institute for a set amount of time. The students would stay there until they reached the Blood Boiling Realm.
The Blood Boiling Realm was the level of cultivation required for graduation. At that point, there was no need to stay and continue studying. Most students reached the Blood Boiling Realm after 10 or so years. Of course, if they reached the Blood Boiling Realm in less than ten years, they were allowed to remain at the institute, cultivating and studying.
Unlike the other exam candidates, who were trying to spend as much time with their families as possible, Su Chen didn’t have many loved ones who he wanted to spend time with.
He refused to meet with Su Cheng’an, and he refused to attend the magnificent celebratory banquet the Su Clan prepared in his honour. He left the Su Palace alone that night and walked to the mountain behind the Su Palace.
Gu Qingluo had been waiting for him there for quite some time.
She opened her eyes wide and glared at him. “I want to take a bath. Prince Su, would you like to stand guard for me?”
Su Chen laughed bitterly. “It’s all my fault. I should have told you earlier.”
Gu Qingluo stared at him without blinking, grimacing.
She asked after a long pause, “When?”
On his way over, Su Chen prepared a perfect story, an elaborate, airtight web of lies. They would have tricked Gu Qingluo without a doubt.
But when he gazed into her crystal-clear eyes, his heart began to beat wildly. He blurted out, “When I killed Lin Xie.”
“That early?” Gu Qingluo gazed at Su Chen in shock.
Her surprised expression slowly morphed into one seeking to draw his blood.
Crap! Su Chen knew it was about to go down.
But he had no regrets.
He gazed at the infuriated Gu Qingluo and said, “I know it’s my fault. I should’ve come clean way before. A proper explanation is all I wanted to give you Qingluo, but when I see you, my reasonings simply pale in comparison. There’s no point...... Yes, I did sneak a peek at you, and I saw all of you. It wasn’t because your movements were too fast that I kept my mouth shut, nor was it because I was worried you would get angry. It was because I wanted to look...... I wanted to look at you!”
Gu Qingluo looked at him, startled.
Su Chen continued, “Yes. Yes, I wanted to look at you! I wanted to see every inch of your body, I wanted to watch you smile as you floated in the water, I wanted to watch you play in a carefree way. I wanted to look at your snow-white skin, your beautiful silhouette......”
As he spoke, he drew nearer to her. “I was afraid, Qingluo, afraid that the most beautiful moment would disappear. It was a magical moment, and I didn’t want to let my mouth ruin it. Otherwise, I might as well go back into darkness.”
Gu Qingluo was speechless.
Su Chen stood next to her. He placed his hand on her face, stroking it gently as he said with a caring voice, “The first time I saw light, I was with you. When I recovered my vision, it was because I wanted to see you. The first thing I saw was the world’s most beautiful body. This world is still fair. It allowed me to be blind for so long, but it also gave me the greatest reward, which is that I could see you. If it took three years of blindness for me to see you taking a bath, I am willing to be blind for thirty years just for a gentle embrace.”
As he spoke, he took Gu Qingluo in his embrace, gently pressing her lithe body against his chest.
Gu Qingluo was completely dazed.
She leaned into Su Chen’s embrace, her heart beating wildly. Her vision swam.
Ahh!!!
What’s going on?
Why do I feel dizzy? Why is my heart beating so fast?
Why am I at a complete loss?
What’s happening?
She felt dazed and numb, her brain jumping all over the place.
She watched Su Chen lower his head to look at her.
Their faces slowly drew closer and closer.
His lips parted slightly as they inched closer to hers.
Just as they were about to land on Gu Qingluo’s lips, she suddenly seemed to realize what was happening. “No!” she cried out, pushing Su Chen away.
Su Chen backed up two steps. He gazed at Gu Qingluo, his face beet-red.
Her face was much like his, her heart in wild disarray. She gazed at Su Chen. Just what is going on? Didn’t I come to hear the truth and punish him accordingly? How did it turn out like this?
Gu Qingluo didn’t understand what was happening.
Su Chen had already confessed he was only pretending to be blind.
According to reason, she should be furious, turning him from a fake blind person into a real blind person.
But as she gazed at Su Chen, she couldn’t muster up a single ounce of anger. All she could feel was her heart beating wildly, as well as the uncontrollable flow of blood rushing to her head.
An answer surfaced in her heart.
Could it be...... I’ve fallen for this guy? Impossible! Gu Qingluo silently cried out helplessly.
Su Chen took two steps toward her, fearlessly embracing her again.
He didn’t say anything. All he did was bring her into his embrace, allowing his body heat to mix with hers.
When the two of them came into contact again, Gu Qingluo couldn’t suppress her emotions anymore. She felt as if she was about to combust.
The affection she had kept buried during the time they had known each other erupted like a volcano, overwhelming her sense of reason. As she gazed at Su Chen, her mind went blank. She unconsciously wrapped her hand around Su Chen’s neck.
She leaned in towards Su Chen.
Her sudden initiative caught Su Chen slightly off guard. But he reacted very quickly, returning the kiss passionately.
In that instant, it seemed as if the Heavens and the earth had disappeared. There was only the passion between him and her, burning furiously.
After a long time, Su Chen and Gu Qingluo separated.
Gu Qingluo backed up a few steps, her face red.
She put her hand to her forehead. “Heavens, what have I done?”
Su Chen gazed at her with a gentle smile. “You followed your heart.”
He wanted to hug Gu Qingluo again, but she hurriedly retreated a few steps and said, “Don’t come over.”
She gazed at Su Chen with suspicion. “What did you just do to me? Tell me! Was it an illusion technique? A bewitching technique? Or did you drug me with something?”
“......” Su Chen was speechless. He could only say caressingly, “It wasn’t an illusion technique. It’s love.”
The word “love” was probably too much for her to handle. Gu Qingluo’s shoulders collapsed, and she pulled in her neck. She said, panicking slightly, “Uhhh...... I was watching you guys compete these last few days, and I haven’t washed my face yet. I hurried over just because I wanted to know when you regained your sight...... I’m not used to you making such a sudden movement...... Give me some time to recover...... some time to think about it......”
“Okay!” Su Chen nodded.
This was probably the biggest mistake he made that night. With love, it was important to strike the iron while it was still hot. When Gu Qingluo heard this, it was as if she had suddenly found an out. She turned around and ran, activating the Snaking Mist Steps to their limit. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared without a trace.
She ran?
Su Chen was dazed. As a youth, he was still quite ignorant. Although he was able to see through all kinds of plots and conspiracies, he was unable to break through the barrier of love.
Gu Qingluo similarly couldn’t understand why she chose to run away like a stray dog. After all, she was furious at him and had come to punish him.
That night, both of them tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.