Unpure Friendship, an Affair.

Is this city in danger?

Fu Xiuran's question was clearly not without reason. Since a monster could already appear in a human-inhabited city, it would not be surprising if more monsters emerged.

Su Qing'an carefully considered her words.

Even if he were completely inarticulate, he wouldn't speak frankly about the consequences and specifics of the Honkai outbreak at this moment.

Even if that is the reality we will eventually face, tearing it apart at this point will only make everyone's future days gloomy and miserable.

He thought for a moment and said:

"Far from this city, there is an experimental field filled with enemies hundreds of times stronger than the monsters you've ever seen, but it's highly likely to be a safe zone for at least the next six months."

"That's the journey I've made all the way here, and that's all I can tell you so far."

"As for the rest, you must also be worried about why someone like me, with an unknown background, would rashly approach an ordinary young girl, and even cause the situation where I have to confess some things to you now."

Su Qing'an gazed intently into the man's eyes and spoke each word with a solemn and serious tone:

"I can only tell you one reason: your daughter is very important to me."

"Before death takes me away, her life will be my top priority in this world."

The words had barely left his mouth.

Things that were both sudden and as light as falling snow filled the air from all directions.

The overwhelming Martial Intent, as vast as the ocean, completely engulfed the world outside the boy, as if a storm from another world was sweeping away all the frost and disease from the vast land.

Shortly after those words, as sharp as a winter wind, brushed past Fu Xiuran's ears, an invisible and colorless tsunami arose.

A towering mountain to be admired.

This is a level of martial arts that men pursue for half their lives but have never even scratched the surface of.

He had never seen such pure, dazzling, and gentle Martial Intent.

Gentle, powerful, earnest, and resolute.

And then there is the sorrow and resolve that, beneath all the underlying qualities, rises and falls as the will surges into the mind.

Unwavering yet incredibly gentle.

This is the first assessment made by the brain.

That's so strange.

Almost instantly, Fu Xiuran had completely understood the boy's true nature.

It turned out that during the previous week they spent together, he hadn't even seen through the tip of Su Qing'an's iceberg.

The emotion represented by this will was conveyed into Fu Xiuran clarity.

This is Su Qing'an's completely different martial will after his Soul Essence has been sublimated once again.

Currently, he can use this method to convey his most genuine emotions and will.

Su Qing'an wouldn't have used such pure Martial Intent if it weren't to gain the other party's trust.

Such an action is tantamount to completely exposing one's true nature to the outside world, and only someone like him would make such a decision without much thought.

The reason is that Su Qing'an himself has a clear conscience; what he said is the absolute truth, so there is naturally less hesitation and concern.

Fu Xiuran stunned, speechless for a moment.

There's no need to ask the other party why they care about their daughter anymore.

Since this is already an undeniable fact, why bother investigating the reasons further?

Su Qing'an likes Fu Hua.

This will remain true from now until 55,000 years from now.

Fu Xiuran couldn't understand it that deeply, but even if he weren't a martial artist, that will just now was enough to convey a message.

The only people in this world who would never harm Fu Hua are the person standing before her.

Martial arts that far surpass the realm of the Mind's Eye.

To manifest martial will to such a terrifying level—a martial arts realm that no longer exists in ancient texts—is perhaps only describable by the Martial Immortal.

Martial Immortal at only 17 years old? This world is getting more and more fantastical.

And most importantly...

That absurd guide to choosing a son-in-law could be perfectly matched by someone, and even far exceed the requirements, which was completely unexpected.

Even though Fu Xiuran himself had no expectations, Su Qing'an appeared as promised.

It was as if... these two were destined to meet, an unbelievable coincidence.

Fu Xiuran sighed softly:

"You should demonstrate that Martial Intent of a marriage proposal yourself and Hua."

"I will," the boy said instinctively and matter-of-factly.

He quickly realized what the other person had said to him.

Wait a minute, what does this have to do with a marriage proposal?

Oops.

Because this was the first time he had used his Martial Intent after his Soul Essence had been sublimated, was it because other things in his heart were inadvertently perceived when he uttered those words?

Su Qing'an's intention was simply to reassure Fu Xiuran that she would not harm Fu Hua, thus putting his mind at ease.

But now it has turned out strangely, leaving him completely at a loss as to how to continue the conversation, while also feeling ashamed that his secret has been exposed.

Fortunately, due to his unchanging expression, Fu Xiuran did not notice the boy's wavering.

The man continued:

"I believe you won't hurt Hua."

Su Qing'an said in a serious tone:

"Thank you for your trust."

Actually, Su Qing'an didn't need to do this; his observations over the past few days alone were enough to uncover many problems.

But it was precisely because of Su Qing'an's decision that Fu Xiuran realized his son-in-law selection guide had been completely overrun.

Coupled with the crisis information brought by the young man and the identity of his benefactor, his gaze and expression towards Su Qing'an gradually began to soften.

Upon hearing Fu Xiuran waved his hand and said:

"Right now, we are the ones receiving your kindness, so I should be the one saying thank you."

Su Qing'an said softly:

"That's all I can do, and besides, I also have many troubles to deal with."

"Please don't thank me anymore. Please spend as much time as you can with Hua during this period."

"If possible, try to talk to her as much as possible. She will definitely listen patiently and be happy about it."

Because... this might be the last time you spend with her.

Every minute and every second now is like an inextinguishable firefly in the girl's palm in that bleak future.

These precious things will warm her for a very long time after the grief has passed.

Su Qing'an couldn't save Fu Xiuran.

This feeling of helplessness made it difficult for him to truly feel gratitude towards the man.

Perhaps he always felt he could have done better and had no regrets.

But after experiencing so much, there are still too many things Su Qing'an cannot do.

The boy won't feel guilty about it, but he will feel sad about it.

The man was silent for a while, which was perhaps the case most of the time.

Silent martial arts practice, silent interactions, silent life.

But after going through a life-or-death situation, it's only natural to make some changes.

Fu Xiuran has already done enough.

From a father's perspective, he tried his best to guide Fu Hua to follow certain principles and rules of conduct, taught her martial arts for self-defense, and provided her with a life free from worries about food and clothing. Now, he is letting go and intends to let the girl find her own future.

He is a good father, but a family cannot consist of only one father.

Fu Xiuran now carries more than just that identity.

This habitual silence, while thankfully not becoming a rift between father and daughter, did make their love too unspoken.

Silence is not a mistake, but perhaps speaking out would be better.

Just like a man who never knew whether his daughter liked practicing martial arts.

He simply granted her this future without ever asking for her own wishes.

Fu Hua, who shares a similar personality with him, would not express her inner confusion.

Even if there is a tacit understanding in life, without habitual communication, there will ultimately be less warmth.

In a daze, his mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts.

A scene suddenly resurfaced in my mind from long-forgotten memories.

The beautiful woman looked at the sleeping little girl on the sofa, a serene and gentle smile appearing on her face. She gently picked up the small girl and the curve of her lips became even more tender.

The girl groggily snuggled against the softness of the other person's arms, her little hand still tightly clutching a toy chick, while her other delicate hand rubbed her eyes, as if wandering back and forth between sleep and wakefulness.

The young man carrying the dishes out of the kitchen looked at them and couldn't help but smile.

Just like a still photograph, Fu Xiuran recalled this scene and smiled the same way he did back then.

He looked closely at Su Qing'an and said softly:

"I understand, I will."

There are already people who take every detail seriously, regardless of your joys or sorrows, Hua.

Perhaps... our daughter has grown up by now.

As Su Qing'an stepped out of the hospital, he suddenly realized something very important.

Fu Xiuran's discharge from the hospital is undoubtedly a good thing.

But he wants to go home after being discharged from the hospital.

And as soon as he gets home, he'll realize something is clearly wrong.

... That means Su Qing'an also lives at his house.

In a sense, it is an undeniable fact that Su Qing'an is living with Fu Hua.

Although it's a purely platonic relationship where they don't sleep in the same bed, and they don't even hold hands...

No, no, no, they haven't reached that stage yet.

But this seems... difficult to explain clearly.

Thus, the usually composed young man, unusually, became like a fool, slow to realize what was happening.

Su Qing'an walked silently on his way home. When he saw a park bench nearby, he paused for a moment and fell into deep thought.

How about we stay here tonight?

Today is a very special day for Fu Hua.

First.

My father has been discharged from the hospital and seems to be in good health. Contrary to what the doctor initially said, his condition is not as bad as expected, to the point that he will never be able to practice martial arts again.

Having entered the State of Still Water, she could clearly sense that Fu Xiuran's physical condition was already very good.

Although it's not as good as before, at least the future is promising.

In fact, if Su Qing'an hadn't used the [Stigmata] to absorb the Honkai Energy immediately, Fu Hua might have realized that the original situation was far more cruel than she had anticipated.

This is also why Su Qing'an used the [Stigmata] without hesitation as soon as he realized the Honkai Energy within the other party.

It should be noted that the [Stigmata] is currently in an incomplete state of being half-manifested and half-dormant, and is already struggling to protect itself from the erosion caused by the passive absorption of Honkai Energy within its body.

Actively using [Stigmata] is a burden for Su Qing'an, and could even jeopardize his lifespan.

He made this decision without hesitation, simply because he didn't want to upset Fu Hua.

The girl may never know these things, but the boy doesn't need to let her know either.

The thought of that girl who would one day show a sorrowful yet incredibly resilient expression made Su Qing'an even more eager to ensure that the girl in the beginning could experience less hardship.

This is also a form of selfishness and self-gratification.

Since darkness is inevitable in the future, such indulgence and pampering may turn into a more painful poison later on.

Therefore, in order to prevent the girl from lacking the resilience to withstand that cruelty, Su Qing'an had already planned to toughen her up a bit.

But that's a matter for the future.

Compared to these issues, perhaps the current situation is what Su Qing'an and Fu Hua should face together.

The little girl secretly glanced at the boy next to her, only to see him calmly and composedly picking up food and eating.

During that time, I also went to the refrigerator and grabbed a can of Coke.

As an aside, based on the girl's careful observation of Su Qing'an over this period of time, she discovered that Master Su doesn't seem to have any particular favorite things, except for this kind of unhealthy soda.

They act remarkably childlike in this kind of place.

Then, on the very day he discovered this, Fu Hua secretly stuffed half a case of cola into the refrigerator, so that when Fu Xiuran returned, he found all his oolong tea neatly arranged in the corner next to the sofa, having lost its wonderful chilled taste.

Clearly, this is a necessary sacrifice to ensure the refrigerator has enough capacity to hold all the Coke.

This led the man to question whether he had been too indifferent to his daughter lately, not even noticing when her favorite drink had changed to cola.

This is incredibly irresponsible of a father. It seems Su Qing'an was right; he needs to communicate more with his daughter.

While serving food to the little girl Fu Xiuran asked her all sorts of questions that she wouldn't normally bring up, clearly taking Su Qing'an's words to heart.

The girl tried her best to respond seriously, but occasionally glanced absentmindedly at Su Qing'an beside her.

The boy, who had used the [Hidden] option to block Fu Xiuran, opened the metal pull ring without any concealment. The sound of bubbles colliding and the soft sound of metal tearing were very clear between the two, but were subconsciously ignored by the man who was also very close to him.

Su Qing'an took a sip of cola with a blank expression, feeling that the situation in front of her was somewhat surreal.

The boy chose to drink the cola not to show off Fu Xiuran imply that Fu Xiuran couldn't see him, but because only in this way could he calm down a bit and understand the strange situation at hand.

In short, it's a bit like having an affair.