Xiao Wu, How Could You Leave Me?

The Voice Pack sounded again.

[Say what you will about Tang Hao, he truly went to great lengths for his son Tang San.]

[When he first saw through Xiao Wu's true identity, he didn't hunt her down.]

[Instead, he let her spend every day with Tang San and experience the sweetness of young love.]

[Once she couldn't bear to leave Tang San and had fallen deeply in love, he would find a way to make her sacrifice herself!]

[This Seat strongly suspects Tang Hao had a hand in Xiao Wu's first sacrifice!]

[Otherwise, how could the timing have been so perfect? Xiao Wu had barely sacrificed herself to save Tang San from certain death when Tang Hao arrived to rescue him!]

[First he gave her the illusion of tenderness, then pushed her into the abyss. How moving!]

"..."

Ning Wen looked utterly baffled.

Come on, you're rewriting the plot again?

What the hell do you mean Tang Hao showed up after Xiao Wu's sacrifice to save the day?

Are you sure we read the same book?

Or did you make up another plotline on your own?

Xiao Wu sacrificing herself twice? How did you even come up with that?

Xiao Wu: "???"

You call that moving?

Watching the touching display between Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, Ning Wen's mouth twitched.

That's it?

He hadn't seen nearly enough of this show!

Xiao Wu's body was tense. Her gaze swept over Tang San, then instinctively darted around them.

After hearing Ning Wen's thoughts, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone in a hidden corner had their eyes fixed firmly on her.

The thought made every hair on her body stand on end.

"Teacher, I'll remember your teachings from now on. I'll never defy you again."

Tang San let out a long breath. Relief at having escaped disaster showed on his face as he spoke earnestly to Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang was clearly pleased. He nodded slightly, adopting the solemn bearing of a teacher.

Ning Wen gave Tang San an odd look.

The guy was a Transmigrator from the Tang Sect. How had Yu Xiaogang fooled him so thoroughly?

The Tang Sect took different forms in different worlds. Sometimes it was an ambitious faction vying for supremacy over the martial world; sometimes it was a secretive force outside the divide between good and evil. In every version, it was famous for Hidden Weapons, poisons, and mechanical devices.

Whatever version of the Tang Sect he came from, Tang San had managed to steal the inner sect's secret Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record while he was only an Outer Disciple. He was obviously no innocent simpleton.

Leaving aside the fact that Yu Xiaogang was useless, his intentions were glaringly obvious. Anyone with half a brain could see them.

In truth, though, it made sense.

Having grown up in the modern world, Ning Wen couldn't understand what a master meant to people of an earlier age.

Heaven, earth, ruler, parents, and teacher.

The bond between master and disciple ranked below only one's ruler and parents.

A teacher for a day was a father for life.

That ancient saying captured it perfectly.

And the Tang Sect, a martial faction that stood between good and evil, certainly wouldn't teach its disciples to be loyal to the ruler.

If it did, wouldn't the Tang Sect become a training ground for the imperial court?

Most of the Tang Sect's Outer Disciples were orphans taken in from outside.

Naturally, their upbringing placed special emphasis on the idea that a teacher for a day was a father for life.

That was why Yu Xiaogang had such a complete hold over Tang San.

Just then, the Voice Pack sounded again.

[Tang San, This Seat won't just steal your woman. This Seat will watch you choke down your anger with nowhere to vent it. How does that feel?]

Ning Wen: So the goal is to drive him mad and get away with it? Works for me!

"Brother, thanks for taking care of my Xiao Wu this past year."

With that thought, Ning Wen's lips curved upward. He deliberately took Xiao Wu's hand and walked straight up to Tang San, his voice dripping with "gratitude." "Don't worry. I won't forget this favor. I'll be sure to repay you someday."

He added silently:

To repay your kindness, I'll help myself to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and the Asura God's position.

He had already offended Tang San. Offending him a little more didn't bother him.

Whether Xiao Wu was flustered by his words or deliberately playing along to anger Tang San, she shot Ning Wen a reproachful look. "Wh-who says I'm your Xiao Wu?"

Though her words sounded like a protest, she made no attempt to pull away. Instead, she let Ning Wen hold her hand tightly.

Watching them flirt as though no one else were there, Tang San felt a surge of stifling hurt, bitterness, and nameless anger rise in his chest.

Over the past year at Notting Academy, the two had been nearly inseparable.

In Tang San's heart, Xiao Wu had long since become the most important person in his life.

Yet now, this boy who had appeared out of nowhere kept calling Xiao Wu "mine" in front of everyone and had even brazenly taken her hand.

What hurt even more was that Xiao Wu made no move to pull away.

Her cheeks were pink and she complained aloud, but she stood there calmly and let the boy hold her hand.

Tang San was about to say something when he remembered his teacher's words. He fell silent.

[Hahahaha! Tang San, look at you!]

[You're burning with anger, but you can't let any of it out. Your fists are clenched so tightly they creak, and all you can do is hold it in. What a sight!]

[Tang San, how does it feel to watch the girl you've been longing for get taken by someone else?]

[Does it feel like a knife scraping back and forth across your heart?]

[This Seat loves watching you rage helplessly!]

Ning Wen: "..."

This Voice Pack really knew how to rub it in!

Every line hit the mark.

Still, that suited him just fine.

Apart from being a little noisy, there was nothing wrong with it!

Seeing Tang San look so devastated, Xiao Wu's eyes flashed with pity. It was soon replaced by coldness.

She raised her eyes. Her voice was soft, but every word was cold and resolute. "Brother San, you'll give us your blessing, won't you?"

Boom—

That one short sentence struck Tang San like thunder and sent a storm raging through his heart.

His whole body shuddered. It felt as though an invisible hand had crushed his heart, sending pain through every limb until he could barely breathe.

Blessing?

Why should he give them his blessing?

The girl he had spent every day beside and treasured more than life itself was leaving him for good.

Endless sorrow and helplessness swallowed Tang San whole.

His throat worked. Countless words struggled to come out.

Do you know you mean more to me than my own life?

Do you know that ever since my father disappeared, I've thought of you as my only family?

But every word lodged in his throat and dissolved into silence.

It wasn't only because of Yu Xiaogang. He had no right to say any of it.

Ning Wen was her rightful fiancé. Tang San was merely a "brother" with no claim on her, a man who had imagined there was something more.

It hurt!

The pain cut to the bone!

Xiao Wu, how could you leave me?

In that moment, Tang San could only watch as someone took his most precious treasure from him in front of everyone.

And there was nothing he could do.

If Ning Wen had to describe him, he would have called him a helpless husband.

Though, given their relationship, Tang San wasn't a husband at all.