081 Crying Together in Secret

“Pfft…” Staggering down the road, his steps unsteady, Xuan Ye clutched his chest, his face devoid of all color.

“Damn it, damn it, I’m still too weak…” His bloodshot eyes brimmed with frustration and unwillingness.

If only… If only his strength were great enough, he wouldn’t be so constrained at every turn. This suffocating sense of helplessness—he’d endured it enough in his previous life. Was he to walk the same painful path again in this one?

No. Impossible. This could only be temporary. One day, everyone would look up to him; he would stand atop this world.

At this moment, Xuan Ye’s heart was both resolute and wild with determination.

“Ugh…” A mouthful of black blood, reeking of iron, spilled forth as his vision blurred and his body threatened to collapse.

Suddenly—a pair of slender arms, fragrant with the freshness of youth, caught him. Xuan Ye fell into the softness of a gentle bosom.

His feverish blood soaked through clothes in an instant, staining Peach Rabbit’s chest crimson.

“Are you alright?” Her gentle, melodious voice full of worry, Peach Rabbit held him, anxiety etched across her features.

“Cough… cough… I suppose I’m not dead yet.” His eyes half-closed, Xuan Ye felt as though his body had fallen to pieces.

“They went too far.” Peach Rabbit’s face flushed with anger, her heart aching terribly at the sight of Xuan Ye’s battered chest.

“Blame only my own weakness.” Xuan Ye mocked himself, shamelessly leaning against Peach Rabbit, his breath so faint as to be almost inaudible, “Please…help me to Master Zephyr’s house.”

Feeling the movement on her chest, Peach Rabbit’s cheeks flushed. She nodded and, with great care, supported Xuan Ye as they made their way to Zephyr’s home.

“What a perfect couple,” came a lazy voice. Behind them, Aokiji let out a wry smile, but did not show himself.

This alone was proof enough that Aokiji truly regarded Xuan Ye as a friend.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a familiar place.

Bang! Bang! Urgent knocking sounded at the door.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” a gentle voice replied, accompanied by the soft creak of hinges as the door was opened.

“Xuan Ye, what happened?” The young matron’s beautiful face paled, her eyes already rimmed red.

“Who is it, who is it…” Behind her, the monkey’s eyes gleamed with savage intent.

“Brother Ye!” Little Xing called out with a sob, at a complete loss.

“Quick, bring him in!” The woman stepped aside, tears streaming down her face in her panic.

“Mmm?” Groaning, Xuan Ye opened his eyes, managing a faint smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“How can we not worry?” The young matron’s face was ashen as she rummaged frantically for medical supplies.

“Who did this? I’ll kill him!” The monkey’s fur bristled, fangs bared in a display of violence.

“It’s fine. Stand guard for me while I heal.” Sweating profusely, Xuan Ye struggled to sit cross-legged, then turned to Peach Rabbit. “Thank you.”

“I’ll make sure no one disturbs you,” the monkey said, nodding vigorously.

“It’s nothing—we’re friends,” Peach Rabbit replied. Her chest was soaked with Xuan Ye’s blood, and the metallic scent filled the entire room.

By the faint, flickering light, Xuan Ye closed his eyes, his breathing gradually calming.

Having gathered the medical supplies, the three humans and the monkey all sat to the side, watching Xuan Ye with worry as he meditated.

“You must be Peach Rabbit, Crane’s younger sister. Thank you for bringing Xuan Ye home,” the young matron said gratefully in the heavy silence of the hall.

“It’s nothing. Xuan Ye and I are friends,” Peach Rabbit replied with a wave of her hand.

“Go and clean yourself up—the bathroom’s over there. It must be uncomfortable with so much blood on you,” the matron said, indicating the direction.

“Then, I’ll trouble you,” Peach Rabbit replied, her cheeks tinged with red.

An hour later, with the sound of bones shifting, Xuan Ye’s chest began to return to normal.

Two hours after that, Zephyr returned home, furious and grim-faced.

He’d been instructing cadets at the academy and arrived at the scene too late—the fight was long over. Enraged, he stormed into Kong’s office to raise hell, but in the end, it was only under Crane’s persuasion that he could swallow his anger.

Three hours passed.

Five hours.

All through the night, Xuan Ye bathed in flames, his breath shifting from weak to steady, consuming the entire night.

By his side, the four humans and the monkey kept vigil without rest.

Only Little Xing, unable to endure any longer, finally fell asleep.

At dawn, as the first light broke through, Xuan Ye opened his eyes with the sunrise.

“Master, Mistress, Little Gold, Peach Rabbit,” he called softly, warmth blooming in his heart.

“Are you alright? Do you need a doctor?” Zephyr asked gently.

“No, I’m stable now. A few more days and I’ll be fine,” Xuan Ye replied, shaking his pale face.

“Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll make it for you!” The matron wiped tears from her eyes, her voice full of maternal care.

“Mistress, you should get some sleep. I’m not hungry.”

“Are you still in pain anywhere?” the monkey asked, concern etched on his face.

“Are you really alright?” Peach Rabbit asked, equally anxious.

“I’m really fine now. Sorry for making you all worry. Please get some rest—you mustn’t exhaust yourselves because of me.” Xuan Ye smiled, feeling a pang of guilt as he looked at their haggard faces.

“My dear, Peach Rabbit, Little Gold, you all go rest. I’ll keep watch here,” Zephyr said after a moment’s thought, turning to the others.

“I… I should go home,” Peach Rabbit stammered, unsure of herself.

“There’s a room here, child. Stay and rest,” the matron urged.

“Well, alright then,” Peach Rabbit agreed, nodding.

Soon, only master and disciple remained in the hall.

“Master, if one day I turn my back on the Navy, what would you do?”

In the heavy silence, Xuan Ye’s expression was calm as he looked at Zephyr.

“Sigh… So you’re disappointed in the Navy after all.” Zephyr met Xuan Ye’s steady gaze and let out an inexplicable sigh.

“Master, I’m on the verge of collapse. I’ve had enough—more than enough.” Xuan Ye’s words dripped with irony, his contempt for the Navy undisguised.

“I know all too well. The Navy today is not what it once was. It’s begun to wither,” Zephyr replied with a bitter smile, his face lined with worry.

“Thank you, Master.” Xuan Ye looked at Zephyr with gratitude, words almost stuck in his throat.

“No need for that. You are my disciple. As long as you do not violate your conscience, do as you must!” Zephyr shook his head, looking at that stubborn face with regret. “I’m sorry, as your master I haven’t been able to help you.”

At the end, Zephyr’s tone was tinged with sorrow. Even as an admiral, there were things he was powerless to change. He was bound—by ideals, by friendship, by family. He could not leave the Navy, and above all, he was growing old. He was no longer the young man he once was. Perhaps it sounded dramatic, but time was a butcher’s blade—no matter how you cried out, it would, in the end, mercilessly reap your life.

“Master, you’ve already helped me so much. Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

“My greatest fortune in this life is having you, Mistress, Little Xing, and Little Gold. At least you all have shown me that even someone like me can be loved.”

“Truly, I’m so happy. All this time, it’s just been me and Xiao Xi depending on each other. I never knew that being loved could be so blissful, so warm.”

As he spoke, Xuan Ye could no longer hold back his tears. He wanted so much to cry, to finally let go.

But he couldn’t—not when he wasn’t alone in this world. He still had his sister. If he died, Xiao Xi would become an orphan forever.

“Go ahead and cry. Bottling it up only hurts more.” Zephyr patted Xuan Ye’s shoulder with a smile. “No matter when, you’ll always be my most cherished disciple. Do what you must—your master is always behind you.”

“Thank you… thank you…” Xuan Ye wept openly, for the first time since arriving in this world.

He had suppressed himself for too long. In his past life and this one, no one knew what burdens he bore in his heart.

Were it not for his resilient nature, he might have broken long ago.

Unknown to him, in the adjacent room, Peach Rabbit—her ear to the door—listened to Xuan Ye’s anguished sobs and found tears streaming down her own cheeks.

Feeling the dampness at her fingertips, she smiled softly, “Why am I crying?”

So poignant and pitiable, cheeks streaked with tears, Peach Rabbit leaned against the door, silently sharing the sorrow of the man outside.

She didn’t understand why her heart ached so terribly. They say women are creatures of emotion, made of water. She wanted to hold back her tears, but as she listened to his cries, she could not help but want to comfort him, to protect him. What was happening to her?

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