Chapter 83: Wang Han's Outpouring
Zhao Dong glanced at Wang Han. "Let's just talk here."
"Come on out for a bit. The river is right beside us. I want to walk by the river with you and clear my head, just like when we were kids."
"There's no need," Zhao Dong's tone was cold.
Wang Han stamped her foot and huffed, "Why are you so stubborn? Would it kill you to come out for a moment?"
"It would."
Zhao Dong simply turned and walked back toward the house. Wang Han's face darkened. She stepped forward to block him, suddenly grabbed his hand, and without another word, dragged him out of the courtyard.
Arriving at the river, Wang Han finally let go of Zhao Dong's hand and stared at him, frowning. "How can you be so stubborn? Haven't all these years in the military fixed that rotten attitude of yours?"
Zhao Dong frowned at Wang Han. "I don't want to get into all that. What do you really want?"
Wang Han was stunned, gazing blankly at him. "Zhao Dong, do you really not want to talk to me that badly?"
"That's right. The sight of you now is completely repulsive to me. We're not on the same path."
Wang Han fell silent. After a few seconds, she chuckled self-mockingly. "Yes, I know. I know I've become realistic and materialistic, but people have to grow up. You just haven't stepped out into the real world yet. After a few years in society, you'll become the same."
Zhao Dong shook his head and said earnestly, "No, I will never become like that. You became so selfish and materialistic for your own reasons, Wang Han. Before I was discharged, I used to think of you often. I even dreamed of you a few times... What I never imagined was that my closest childhood friend could change so drastically in just a few short years. Wang Han, you've truly disappointed me. You disgust me."
Zhao Dong spoke these words in a calm tone, and a pale, bleak smile appeared on Wang Han's face.
"Don't act like a saint, Zhao Dong. And don't just blame me. I've become this way partly because of you."
"Me?"
Wang Han looked toward the distant riverbank, her smile self-deprecating. "Zhao Dong, do you remember when you left? I told you more than once not to join the military. We could have built something together, but did you listen to a single word I said? Did you see me crying into my pillow every night because you were leaving? Did you care when I tearfully begged you to stay on the day you left? You've probably forgotten all about it."
Zhao Dong frowned. "Don't bring that up."
"No! I will bring it up!"
Wang Han's emotions suddenly erupted, her eyes reddening. "From that moment on, I told myself I would never like you again. I hate you! I truly hate you! I didn't hate you when you rejected my confession, nor when you dated Ding Lan, because I knew I just needed more time and that we would end up together! But... on the day you left, I truly, truly hated you!"
Zhao Dong looked at her, frowning, and fell silent.
A tear glistened in Wang Han's eye as she scoffed, "Zhao Dong, stop acting so innocent. You knew I liked you. You knew how much I cared about you back then. I never hid my feelings for you; they were passionate. I threw myself at you, willing to sacrifice everything. But what about you? Did you ever, even for a moment, genuinely care about me?"
Zhao Dong was speechless. After a few seconds, he said softly, "Wang Han, you're being too extreme."
Wang Han let out a few mocking laughs. "I'm being too extreme? Zhao Dong, why don't you just admit that you were too heartless to me? In your first year in the military, I must have written you over a hundred letters. And you? Did you ever write back even once? Zhao Dong, you made me feel like an idiot..."
As she spoke, Wang Han began to choke up, finally slumping down by the riverbank, covering her face and sobbing.
Zhao Dong frowned. After a long pause, he said quietly, "I was a special forces soldier, constantly away on missions. I couldn't receive your letters. Not yours, not even my parents'. It wasn't that I intentionally ignored you."
Wang Han suddenly looked up, her tear-streaked face a mask of disbelief as she stared at him. Her lips trembled. "So, you're saying you never saw the last letter I wrote to you?"
Zhao Dong was taken aback. "What letter? I really never saw it."
Wang Han gave a tragic smile and shook her head with an air of resignation. "Forget it. It's all in the past... I have a boyfriend now. We really aren't on the same path anymore."
"Mm."
"Is 'Mm' all you have to say to me?"
Zhao Dong lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and said, "The Wang Han of today only deserves that one word from me. She's no longer the Wang Han from my memories."
Wang Han bit her lip so hard her face turned pale. She retorted resentfully, "You're not the Zhao Dong from my memories either! Any man I find now would be ten thousand times better than you. You didn't cherish me back then, and you're not good enough for me now!"
"Think whatever you want," Zhao Dong said indifferently.
Her words were like a heavy punch landing on a bale of cotton. Wang Han felt a surge of anger with nowhere to go.
Finally, she let out a heavy sigh. "Let's not talk about this. Let's get down to business. Where did you get the gifts you brought today?"
"What about them?" Zhao Dong asked, turning his head.
Wang Han hesitated for a moment. "My mom had them appraised. She said the things you brought... are all real."
Zhao Dong said teasingly, "Of course they're real. You and your mom just couldn't recognize them. Having regrets, are you?"
Wang Han's face flushed then paled. She was, in fact, filled with regret.
"I... I wanted to ask where you got those things."
Zhao Dong glanced at her and said coolly, "Is that any of your business?"
"What's wrong with you? Can't you speak properly?" Wang Han fumed.
"No. I have zero patience for you right now. In the future, please try to stay out of my sight. I really don't want to see you."
With that, Zhao Dong started walking toward the courtyard, leaving Wang Han stomping her feet in anger. She yelled after him, "Zhao Dong, you jerk! Who do you think you are, acting so arrogant? You haven't even found a job yet. Let's see you not come begging our family for help later!"
Zhao Dong suddenly stopped in his tracks. Seeing this, Wang Han smirked triumphantly. Despite his tough talk, he still has to compromise, doesn't he?
However, in the next second, Zhao Dong spoke with unmatched indifference, "Check your attitude. Your family isn't qualified to have me begging at your door. You're not worthy."
After saying this, Zhao Dong walked away without another glance, leaving Wang Han stunned for a long moment, gritting her teeth so hard they audibly scraped together.
"Zhao Dong, I will make you regret this! I swear it! I will make you realize how wrong you were to reject me! I'll make you understand that the woman I am today is someone you can never hope to reach!"
Zhao Dong, of course, did not hear her. It was already afternoon. Instead of staying home, he went to the nearby Dragon Spirit Mountain.
Dragon Spirit Mountain was a deep mountain on the outskirts of East Sea. Zhao Dong wanted to see if there was any Spiritual Energy there.
The moment he arrived, he sensed an extremely rich concentration of nature's spiritual energy and was instantly delighted.
What a perfect place for cultivation!
He immediately sat down, crossed his legs, and began to meditate. He was already at the fifth level of Qi Refinement. He wouldn't be afraid even if he encountered a late-stage First-Rank Grandmaster like Wei Wu again. He could now face a late-stage Second-Rank Grandmaster head-on. Even if he couldn't kill them, they couldn't do anything to him either.
Right now, his most important task was to increase his strength as quickly as possible. The Dragon-Binding Division had also turned on him, and he didn't know if Sun Feichen would send people to attack him from the shadows. Hong Wu had also started to notice him. His relationship with Xu Yafei would be discovered sooner or later. On top of that, there were Xiao Hongtian from the Provincial City and the Wei Family to consider.
More importantly, the leukemia in his body was still not completely cured.
Although he had been using nature's spiritual energy to nourish his body and the leukemia was slowly improving, it seemed to have worsened in the past two days.
This startled Zhao Dong. This leukemia... it doesn't seem like the ordinary kind!
Moreover, it seemed to have a backlash effect; the leukemia had grown more severe than before. If not for the Spiritual Energy now protecting his body, he'd probably be lying in a morgue already.
A sense of crisis welled up in Zhao Dong's heart. He had to cure this leukemia as soon as possible. As long as it remained, he felt a constant sense of unease, as if there was something bizarre about it.
After cultivating for a while longer, Zhao Dong felt full of energy. He clenched his right fist and punched forward. The sound of an invisible air explosion echoed out, and each punch generated a gust of wind.
A glint flashed in Zhao Dong's eyes. My strength is increasing steadily!
Just then, his phone rang. Surprisingly, it was Zhao Qirou. Zhao Dong hurriedly answered.
Zhao Qirou's laughter immediately came from the other end. "Bro, are you busy?"
Zhao Dong smiled. "Not busy. Are you out of the hospital?"
"I was discharged yesterday. The doctor said I'm perfectly fine! If you're not busy, come hang out with me. I'm at a bar on Star Street with a few friends. I told them you're handsome, and they all want to meet you."
Zhao Dong gave a bitter smile. "I'll pass. You guys have fun."
"Come on! You're not busy anyway. I already told my friends you were coming," Zhao Qirou whined.
Zhao Dong was helpless. He was a sucker for her pitiful act and said with a wry smile, "Fine, I'll head over."
"Heh heh, you're the best, Bro! Starlight Bar, hurry up!"
After hanging up, Zhao Dong shook his head with a bitter laugh and headed toward the bar.
Arriving at the bar, Zhao Dong quickly spotted Zhao Qirou in a booth. She was surrounded by several other girls, each of them pretty and with delicate features.