Legend of the Dragon King: I really didn't mean to provoke them!

Page 93

When he sat in his study handling company affairs, his brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. A single phone call could make the entire business world of Donghai City tremble. His methods were incredibly swift and decisive.

He was also very sparing with words when it came to his son, only saying "uh-huh," "good," and—

Xie Feng: "Buy it."

Putting everything else aside, Xie Xie felt that his old man was incredibly handsome when Xie Feng said that word, like the epitome of a domineering CEO.

And now?

Xie Feng = Lin Wanqing's exclusive human-shaped pendant!

After being kicked away by her own mother, she would hide in a corner and whine.

Lin Wanqing went to the kitchen to cook, and he moved a small stool to sit at the kitchen doorway, still with a stern face, staring intently.

Lin Wanqing went to the living room to watch TV, and he sat down right next to her, resting his head on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist, rubbing against her like a large dog.

If Lin Wanqing moved her position slightly, he would move along with her without making a sound.

On another occasion, Lin Wanqing jokingly asked Xie Feng who he would save if she and Xie Xie fell into the water together.

Xie Feng replied without hesitation:

"I will fall in love with you."

Xie Xie: "..."

So you're saying I deserve to drown in your love river?

As a result, Xie Xie now breathes in the sour smell of dog food instead of air every morning when he wakes up.

Na'er tilted her head, then tugged at Xie Xie's sleeve and asked softly, "Brother, why does Dad always follow Mom?"

Xie Xie took a deep breath, patted Na'er's head and said, "It's okay, he's sick, you'll get used to it."

Na'er nodded as if she understood, her little hand still clutching Xie Xie's clothes, burying her head in his chest, and remaining quiet without saying a word.

If Xie Feng is Lin Wanqing's big tail, then Na'er is Xie Xie's little tail.

These days have been so sweet, like being immersed in honey, like a dream.

Here, there is a father, a mother, and a lovely little sister; everything is so happy and fulfilling.

Xie Xie sometimes even felt that things were fine as they were.

I don't need to worry about the plot or the hundred-year war between spirit beasts and humans. I just want to stay home, protect my parents, protect my sister, and live a peaceful and stable life.

But fate never goes as planned.

The change came without warning, like a knife chilled to ice, unexpectedly slicing through all the beauty.

At first, Lin Wanqing just said she had a headache and felt weak all over, and no one took it seriously. After all, a Soul Master's physique is far superior to that of an ordinary person, and a little cold can be overcome with a little effort.

Xie Feng nervously brewed ginger soup for her and stayed by her bedside without leaving her side.

The next morning, Lin Wanqing fell into a coma.

Everyone panicked.

Xie Feng almost instantly transformed back into the decisive and ruthless businessman he always was.

Half of the best healing-type Soul Masters in Donghai City were invited to his home, and all sorts of rare, century-old medicinal herbs were delivered in a continuous stream, with the Soul Guidance Healing Device running non-stop for 24 hours.

However, Lin Wanqing's condition did not improve at all; on the contrary, it worsened day by day.

It was at this moment that a thunderclap seemed to explode in Xie Xie's mind, instantly clearing his head from the blissful daze.

He suddenly remembered.

Lin Wanqing, his mother, passed away when he was six years old.

In that instant, immense panic gripped his heart like a giant hand, relentlessly pressing down on it.

The warm atmosphere at home vanished overnight, replaced by an oppressive atmosphere that was hard to shake off.

The air was no longer filled with the aroma of food or Lin Wanqing's laughter; only the lingering bitter smell of medicine remained. The once bustling living room was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Xie Feng is no longer the giant human-shaped accessory who can't live without Lin Wanqing.

He leaves home before dawn every day and doesn't return until late at night, dragging his body as heavy as lead.

Sometimes they even work outside for days and nights without going home.

He still kept himself very clean, but his eyes, which were once as sharp as an eagle and could see through people's hearts, were now bloodshot, filled with overwhelming fatigue and powerlessness.

One night, Xie Xie got up to get a drink of water and saw Xie Feng sitting by Lin Wanqing's bedside with his back to him.

He sat there quietly, his back hunched, holding Lin Wanqing's cold hand, his shoulders trembling slightly.

There was no sound, and no crying.

Xie Xie stood at the top of the stairs for a long, long time before silently turning around and going back to his room.

Chapter 137 Countdown to Fate

Even Na'er, whose five senses are relatively weak, keenly sensed the changes in her home.

Every day, she would sit quietly by Lin Wanqing's bedside, looking at her mother with her eyes that could barely see, and gently touching Lin Wanqing's face with her little hands.

Sometimes when Xie Feng came home exhausted, she would tiptoe and hand him a glass of warm water with her small hands.

Xie Feng would always squat down, pat her head, move his lips as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he would only choke up and say nothing.

As the days went by, Lin Wanqing's breathing grew weaker and weaker, and Xie Feng returned less and less often.

The huge Xie family villa was mostly occupied by Xie Xie and Na'er.

Xie Xie held Na'er, who was sitting on his lap, and looked out at the gray sky, lost in thought once again.

tick-

A tear fell onto Na'er's eyelashes.

Na'er's eyelashes trembled, and she raised her small, cool hand to gently touch Xie Xie's cheek.

Her fingertips brushed against the corner of his wet eye, a tentative and cautious gesture.

"Brother, you're crying again."

Her voice was still soft, like cotton candy, yet it was like a fine needle, piercing Xie Xie's heart.

Xie Xie suddenly came to his senses, hurriedly raised his hand to wipe away the tears on his face, sniffed hard, and forced a smile that looked even uglier than crying.

"No, brother didn't cry. It's just that it's raining outside and splashed on his face."

Na'er didn't expose him.

She simply looked at him quietly, and in those eyes that were always veiled in mist, Xie Xie's red-rimmed eyes were now clearly reflected.

She stretched out her arms, wrapped her small body around Xie Xie's neck, and buried her face in the crook of his neck like a docile kitten. It seemed that doing so could bring her brother a little warmth.

"Don't cry, brother," Na'er gently patted Xie Xie's back, her voice soft, "Mom will get better."

Xie Xie's body stiffened abruptly.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found that his throat felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't utter a single word.

How did he tell Na'er?

Should I tell her that her mother won't get better?

Tell her that in a few days, this mother who always smiles as she makes sweet and sour pork ribs for them, who would ruffle Xie Feng's hair and scold him for being irresponsible, and who would hold her in her arms and tell her stories—!

Will I leave them forever?

He tried it.

He actually tried it.

The moment he realized Lin Wanqing would die, he frantically tried to find a solution.

He searched through all the books in the Xie family's collection and looked up all the records about difficult and complicated diseases;

He secretly used Xie Feng's identity to send countless letters seeking help to medical associations in various cities across the Douluo Continent;

He even shouted the name of the Time-Space Dragon countless times into the air, begging it to lend him even the smallest bit of power, as long as it could save Lin Wanqing, he was willing to do anything.

But it was of no use at all.

There was no record of this strange disease in those books; the letters seeking help either disappeared without a trace or were replied with the message that they were powerless to help.

The Time-Space Dragon remains missing, as if it had vanished from the world.

He was like someone trapped in a glass dome.

He could only watch helplessly as the tragedy unfolded outside. No matter how hard he smashed and shouted, he couldn't make a sound or even create a crack.

He knew perfectly well how it would end.

He knew perfectly well that Lin Wanqing would close her eyes forever on that day and at that time.

But there was nothing he could do.

This feeling of powerlessness surged in from all directions like a tidal wave, completely overwhelming him.

He felt like he was a complete and utter waste.

Time travelers and script-wielding characters? It's all utter nonsense!

He couldn't even save his own mother, his dearest mother; he couldn't even spare her a little suffering!

The huge villa was shockingly empty.

Xie Xie held Na'er tightly, his arms tightening as if he wanted to meld this small, warm body into his very bones.

His shoulders trembled uncontrollably, his teeth clenched so tightly he couldn't make a sound.

He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would break down and cry.

He was afraid of scaring Na'er.

What I feared even more was that my mother, lying in bed upstairs with her breath barely audible, would hear me.

Na'er didn't say anything, she just quietly hugged him and patted his back gently with her little hands.

Her body heat emanated through her thin clothes, providing the only warmth in this cold and oppressive room.

It took Xie Xie an unknown amount of time to calm down. He released Na'er, wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve, and said in a hoarse voice, "Na'er, I'm sorry, I scared you."

Na'er shook her head, took a crumpled strawberry candy out of her pocket, and stuffed it into Xie Xie's hand.

This was given to her by Xie Feng when he came back yesterday; she had been reluctant to eat it.

"Give your brother some candy."

She looked at Xie Xie and said earnestly, "Eating candy will make you feel better."

Xie Xie looked at the small, red candy in his palm, and tears welled up uncontrollably once again.

He lowered his head, unwrapped the candy, and put it in his mouth.

Very sweet.

It's sickeningly sweet.

But the sweetness couldn't mask the bitterness in his heart at all.

He looked up at the closed door upstairs, his eyes filled with despair.

Time passed by, second by second.

With each passing second, he was one step closer to that predetermined ending.