Chapter 702: “Prepping for the Counter (1)”
Ah Jing would not stop hitting his head on the floor. He knew, the only person that could save Fan Jin now was only Jun Xie and Ah Jing had pinning all his hopes on Jun Xie as he begged and pleaded, deeply ashamed of his own impotence, as the dull thuds made by his head striking the floor reverberated in Jun Wu Xie’s ears.
“I will save Fan Jin.” Jun Wu Xie finally said.
Ah Jing raised his head, and the blood flowed down his face. But a wide smile split Ah Jing’s face. He looked at Jun Wu Xie for a moment, his heart filled with gratitude and was about to continue to kowtow when Jun Wu Xie grabbed him by the shoulder.
“If you continue kneeling there, I will not save him anymore.” Jun Wu Xie said threateningly to Ah Jing.
Ah Jing was greatly shocked. He was silent a long while before he finally decided to stand up and he still gave Jun Wu Xie a deep bow. His fully bent and apologetic back fully exemplified Ah Jing’s unreserved shame at that moment.
[Jun Xie did not want his life, and neither did he expect an apology.] That made Ah Jing’s heart almost explode at the regret and remorse that filled him.
[If only he had not believed what he heard that easily and vilified Jun Xie’s character in the first place, would things have turned out different now?]
[With Jun Xie’s capabilities and his skills, if he had remained within the Zephyr Academy and not left, would those things not have happened to Fan Qi and Fan Jin?]
When all those thoughts went through his head, Ah Jing’s tears flowed endless down his face. He did not know what he could do to bring everything back to the way it was.
“Ye Sha.” Jun Wu Xie said suddenly.
Ye Sha who had left just moments ago reappeared once again. Jun Wu Xie pointed at Ah Jing and said to Ye Sha: “Bring him down to Chan Lin Town and don’t let Fan Zhuo see him.”
Ye Sha nodded, and Ah Jing stared at Jun Wu Xie in shock. He had just heard his Little Young Master’s name mentioned!
“Fan Zhuo does not know of the things that happened here. If you wish to redeem yourself for your past misdeeds, then live on, and use the rest of your life to make up for it. Not to me….. but to Fan Jin.” Jun Wu Xie threw a few bottles of medicine to Ah Jing. Ah Jing’s injuries were not grave and there was no way of making his tongue grow back.
Saving Ah Jing was not because she was that benign or forgiving. But it was because Jun Wu Xie felt that, no matter whether it was Fan Zhuo or Fan Jin, both of them would be glad that she made such a choice.
Ah Jing cradled the bottles of medicine Jun Wu Xie had thrown to him, his tears still flowing. He understood what Jun Xie was telling him. He must have been delirious when he had doubted Fan Jin at that time, causing a rumour that Fan Jin wished for Fan Zhuo to come to harm to sweep through the Zephyr Academy’s hallowed halls for a time. Although Ah Jing had not intended for it to happen, but that had caused Fan Jin’s stellar reputation to take a big hit. And this time, the fact that Ning Rui was able to heap the crime of murdering Fan Qi onto Fan Jin so easily could very well have been influenced by the previous rumour.
People always liked to believe that things always had a hidden dark side to them, below the sunny side presented to everyone. When those unfounded speculations were spoken often enough, it would be perceived to be fact and no one would bother to consider the real truth behind it.
“Ah….. Ah…..” Ah Jing was looking at Jun Wu Xie, his hoarse voice breaking into unintelligible sounds coming out from his throat.
He wanted to say he’s sorry, he wanted to say thank you. But he was even too ashamed to say it properly.
Now that he had lost his speech, it might be his punishment from the Heavens. For his ignorance, and for his naivety, that had brought harm to so many people.
Ah Jing cast another long silent gaze at Jun Xie, before he left with Ye Sha.
In his heart he prayed fervently, that everything would turn out fine.
For Fan Jin, for Fan Zhuo, and for Jun Xie.
When Gu Ying got back to the little dwelling in the bamboo grove, Ah Jing had already left a long while ago. He did not seem to have noticed Ah Jing’s disappearance but Jun Wu Xie could detect a strong pungent stench of blood emanating off Gu Ying.