Betrayal and Confession

"Hua, what do you think of Su Qing'an?"

Just as Su Qing'an was drinking cola to calm himself down, Fu Xiuran's words made his fingertips tremble instinctively. He managed to control his strength in time and didn't penetrate the aluminum can, but it did leave clear fingerprints on the surface.

The cool bubbles spreading in his throat almost made him cough.

Why would you suddenly ask this?

In fact, Su Qing'an was also very curious about this question, but with Fu Hua knowing that she was there, asking it was practically tantamount to humiliation.

Upon hearing this, the girl secretly glanced at the boy beside her, only to find that he was slightly frowning, staring at the aluminum can in his hand, making it impossible for her to tell what he was thinking.

She turned her gaze back to the white rice in the bowl and replied in a muffled voice:

"Su Qing'an is a strange person."

Fu Xiuran taken aback. His original intention in asking the question was naturally to test his daughter's attitude towards this person.

At least he's certain he doesn't dislike them, but calling them friends doesn't quite fit, and the relationship between them is even more ambiguous.

Coupled with Su Qing'an's attitude, many things became even more confusing.

But emotions are inherently an uncontrollable and unpredictable factor, so Fu Xiuran didn't find anything unbelievable.

It's only natural that people like their adorable daughter.

"What's strange about it?" Fu Xiuran asked, having considered many possible answers, but "strange" was an unexpected response.

The girl lowered her eyes, her chopsticks quietly disappearing into the pile of rice. The warm steam rose through the gap, gradually spreading and obscuring her eyes beneath her eyelashes.

She said softly:

"For example, I can't figure out what he's thinking at all, I don't know who he is, and I know nothing about him except his name."

Her voice grew softer and softer, as if she were reciting a lullaby. Her clear voice, tinged with a soft murmur, was as light as the sound of falling snow, barely audible.

"I don't understand why he seems to have known me for a long time, and I don't understand why I also... seem to have known him for a very, very long time."

"I felt that way the moment I saw him."

"I don't understand what that emotion is, because it's too complicated."

"Dad, isn't this strange?"

Fu Xiuran silent, wondering what this meant.

Destined to be together, a match made in heaven, soulmates?

Several words flooded his mind, making the man's feelings incredibly complicated. They had known each other for no more than a month, but their feelings for each other were profound. One had proven too much with his Martial Intent, while the other had expressed his tangled confusion with words.

This unfolds like a magical story, coupled with the boy's unusual identity and a world crisis that seems to be gradually unfolding, making it feel like a clichéd and ordinary opening.

Fu Xiuran possesses the ability to appreciate such stories and even enjoy them.

But if the heroine of the story is one's own daughter, then everything is completely different.

He put down his chopsticks and agreed.

"That's strange."

"But there's nothing to be uneasy about. Since it's already happened, we might as well accept it calmly."

"It exists in your heart, and there must be a reason for that. But instead of dwelling on whether that reason is due to some strange coincidence or a sudden flash of inspiration, you should pay more attention to your true inner thoughts."

"Observe, think, understand. Struggle with choices and arrive at an answer. It might be tiring and difficult, but it's something you have to do."

"Because this applies to everything."

Fu Xiuran's words were devoid of any personal bias or the father's innate dislike for his son-in-law.

This earnest tone and lengthy explanation are quite rare for someone of his nature.

So even though these principles are abstract, and all they contain is a formula that you have to fit into yourself, Fu Hua still listened very attentively.

Fu Xiuran continued:

"You're going to Canghai City soon. If Su Qing'an is still staying here, are you happy?"

After he finished speaking, a brief but long silence fell over the room.

Su Qing'an, standing to the side, had a deep, unfocused gaze; he didn't care about the girl's answer later.

... Of course, I do care a little bit.

But more than that, he was concerned about Fu Hua's previous self-narration.

Just as he suspected, she did indeed retain some of the feelings she had before the last reboot.

However, Su Qing'an couldn't guarantee that the same thing wouldn't happen again if there were a next restart.

Whether this was something permitted by the gods or an exceptional bug, the boy still had no idea.

Even if he could actually achieve something beyond that, he might not be willing to let Fu Hua regain all her memories through it.

The sorrow of having no outcome and the profound grief of constantly dying and being repeatedly forgotten.

These are things you only need to take responsibility for yourself.

Su Qing'an twirled the exquisite and beautiful feather, which resembled a work of art; it seemed to exist between illusion and reality.

He brushed the feather across the bowls and chopsticks on the table; it moved through the matter as if it were a non-existent phantom.

The boy was captivated by its transparent beauty and subtle, almost imperceptible texture, while the feathers wagged their tails listlessly, as if expressing their discontent with a wronged expression.

This must be an Udu-dust left behind by Fu Hua when she revived him last time.

Although it was restarted, it was like a child who had been left behind in the timeline and had nowhere to go, and was forced to be bound to Su Qing'an. At the same time, it underwent wonderful changes, such as becoming very spiritual.

However, the boy himself was still limited by the lack of adaptability of the Divine Key, making it impossible for him to exert any of its effects.

If it hadn't wandered and played in the Mind Lake that day, Su Qing'an might still not know that there was a feather in her soul.

It's easy to imagine that my relationship with it was that of a very close landlord and tenant.

The kind of place that can't even collect rent.

While pondering her father's question, the little girl blinked, secretly glancing at the feather in the boy's hand, feeling both its beauty and a sense of closeness.

In fact, the answer had already been echoing in Fu Xiuran asked the question; the reluctance that welled up in his heart proved everything.

But having someone right next to me made me too shy to speak.

Fu Hua tried her best to ignore Su Qing'an beside her, but she soon realized she couldn't. So, the girl angrily poked the pile of rice impolitely with her chopsticks, as if she were poking the boy next to her.

Why can you listen to this so easily?

Master Su is too cunning; this skill is strangely convenient.

With a blush slowly spreading across her face, she responded softly:

"I won't be happy."

I'm a little reluctant to part with it, but only a little!

Fu Xiuran and chuckled. Now, he no longer felt any aversion to his daughter's feelings for Su Qing'an.

Was it the longing and obsession within that Martial Intent that moved him, or the qualities he recognized in the boy's nature? It should be said that both were true.

She will eventually entrust herself to someone else.

Given this, Fu Xiuran couldn't find a more suitable candidate than Su Qing'an.

That kind of noble, even strange, belief is hard to find in this lifetime.

He doesn't dislike people like that.

If viewed without prejudice, Su Qing'an would be someone he greatly admires.

Even without conveying his Martial Intent, his behavior alone shows that his character has not been affected in the slightest by this powerful force. This restraint and adherence to his own beliefs and rules is enough to earn his respect.

Fu Xiuran seemed to have let go of some burdens, and he smiled and said:

"Ask yourselves more questions. Dad won't interfere in your relationship anymore."

"Um."

After instinctively responding, the girl paused, as if she had been asked something extraordinary.

Something's not right, something's not right, what's going on between us?

There's nothing between me and Master Su!

We're perfectly normal!

The usually shy Fu Hua was in turmoil, but on the surface, she was blankly and mechanically stirring the rice grains in the porcelain bowl with her chopsticks.

The shame of being chosen by her father exploded in her heart, causing a blush to rise on her face and spread to her neck, as if moisture was evaporating, making her snow-white skin look somewhat alluring.

Su Qing'an, who was standing to the side, began to cough violently.

What's going on? Although he had considered some factors that might make the other party dislike him, this change in attitude, while reasonable, still surprised him somewhat.

So much so that Su Qing'an choked on the cola.

He had originally planned to appear directly and answer the question, but after Fu Xiuran said those words, it would be very inappropriate to release [hidden] [hidden].

That's like saying, "Your daughter and I have been living together for a long time, so since you've said that, it doesn't seem like such a big deal."

That's utterly outrageous.

I think I should leave today; I'll just spend the day in the park.

Judging from the situation, even if I formally come to ask for lodging tomorrow, I have a pretty good chance of success.

Su Qing'an picked up the Coke can and got up to leave through the window.

The girl standing nearby caught a glimpse of this scene, and a sudden, piercing phantom pain flashed through her heart. The bitterness and sorrow overwhelmed the shame that had been there before, and for some reason, she was instinctively afraid to see this person's back.

We can't let him go.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, she stood up and grabbed the boy's sleeve.

The moment Fu Hua grabbed Su Qing'an, the emotions in her mind vanished like smoke. Realizing what she had done, Fu Hua sat back in her original seat with a blushing face, trying her best to pretend that nothing had happened.

But the sleeves she was still tightly clutching made Su Qing'an stiffen, forcing her to obediently sit back down.

The boy gave a helpless smile. "Has Hua been a bit clingy lately?"

Although he doesn't dislike it, it's more accurate to say he likes it a lot.

But this situation is really bad; it would be strange if my uncle didn't notice something was wrong.

Fu Xiuran's expression gradually became strange. Even though he was still pulled out of his subconscious by Su Qing'an's [Hidden], he still sensed a strange sense of unease after trying his best to find the abnormality in his Mind's Eye's Eye Realm.

Assuming Su Qing'an intends to maintain his hiding position, he is still confident that he can find another opening to hide under the opponent's unwavering will.

But now that things have come to this, it's better to just be frank here and now.

The vague, strange feeling dissipated from his consciousness, like looking at flowers through fog, and correspondingly, a boy appeared in the empty seat next to his daughter.

His eyes, almost entirely black, should have possessed an innate solitude, but at this moment they held a hint of doting and tenderness, neutralizing his natural asceticism.

The pristine white vintage shirt, accentuated by the boy's well-proportioned frame, exudes a retro-chic style.

The top few buttons looked as if they had been forcefully ripped off, leaving the collarbone and faint scars visible beneath the clothing.

Judging from the fact that the girl was still holding onto his sleeve, that's probably why the button came off.

Even in this disheveled state, Fu Xiuran had to admit that the person in front of him might actually be a bit better looking than he was when he was younger.

But that's not the key point.

The key question is: why is this person here?

And why is this person wearing a white shirt that they haven't worn in years?

Yes, this is Fu Hua handed to Su Qing'an to wear.

In fact, Su Qing'an was wearing the same clothes before, but because of the presence of [Hidden], Fu Xiuran subconsciously ignored what clothes the other party was wearing.

Now that [the hidden] has been completely removed, Fu Xiuran naturally immediately sensed the source of the shirt.

The man's face darkened, and he felt an unprecedented surge of power coursing through his body, instinctively wanting to unleash his most familiar punching style.

But reason suppressed the sudden influx of information and the shock it caused.

Fu Xiuran silently recited the calming mantra three times in his mind before glancing at the girl and Su Qing'an, who were both silent and with their heads down, and said:

"Is all the Coke in the fridge yours?"

Su Qing'an hesitated for a moment, then nodded in affirmation.

Fu Hua silently raised her hand and honestly said:

"This is what I bought for Su Qing'an."

Fu Xiuran's face darkened further; he felt as if his home had become utterly unfamiliar.

So, my iced oolong tea, isn't it important?

This strange feeling is like a hero discovering on his way to the Demon King's castle that his own kingdom has been bypassed by the Demon King, who has stolen his home and turned it into a new Demon King's castle.

On their way back, they were met with devastating news: the princess had transformed into the shape of a demon king, with strange markings etched on her abdomen and a heart-shaped tail growing out of her.

At this moment, Fu Xiuran's inner thoughts were even more complex and tortuous. Having painfully abandoned the humiliating outcome of having his attempt to use his Inch Strength: Sky Splitting, the man found a new path. He said:

"Su Qing'an, I agree to let you stay."

Having just said he wouldn't interfere in their affairs Fu Xiuran couldn't even find a reason to get angry.

So, remembering that he probably couldn't beat his opponent, the man simply chose to let go of the past.

A large part of the reason was that he understood the two of them hadn't done anything strange. Apart from the fact that he might not be as important to his daughter as someone else, which made him angry, Fu Xiuran realized after calming down that there was really nothing to be angry about.

Hmm. But he wouldn't be satisfied without doing something difficult for people.

"But the price is that you must learn all my boxing techniques within three days."

Since Fu Xiuran coldly sneered, Su Qing'an chose to agree.

"I agree."

Fu Xiuran's smile froze before it could even appear; such a rapid response gave him a bad feeling...