I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! Douluo: Seven Kill Shock the World
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A gentle breeze blew, the thin mist lingering as faint insect chirps echoed in the distance.
At this moment, inside the manor.
Dai Chengfeng's hand rested lightly on Liu Erlong's shoulder. The warmth from his palm seemed to be the only solid support in her now shattered world.
She buried her face deeply into Dai Chengfeng's shoulder, as if trying to hide herself completely.
Since Yu Xiaogang had fled their marriage, years of pent-up grievances, heartbreak, frustration, and anger finally found an outlet, pouring out as tears that drenched Dai Chengfeng's clothes.
She sobbed so hard her body trembled, almost unable to breathe. Dai Chengfeng simply stood silently, letting her lean on him without a trace of impatience.
For a moment, the crisp, unique scent of youth emanating from Dai Chengfeng oddly brought Liu Erlong a strange sense of comfort.
Time slipped by quietly.
After a long while, Liu Erlong's violent sobs gradually subsided, turning into soft, restrained hiccups.
As her emotions calmed, reason returned.
At this point, she suddenly realized she had completely lost composure in front of a man she barely knew, even soaking his clothes with her tears.
Feeling awkward, Liu Erlong shifted slightly, attempting to pull away from Dai Chengfeng's embrace.
However, the hand resting on her shoulder didn't loosen. Instead, he gently brushed away the strands of wet hair clinging to her cheek with the tips of his fingers from his other hand.
His movements were delicate, his fingertips barely touching her skin, as if handling a fragile treasure with care and tenderness.
"Crying it out must feel better now."
Dai Chengfeng's deep voice sounded, gentler than usual, carrying a soothing warmth that could calm any unrest.
"A man like that isn't worth your tears. He doesn't deserve your pain."
Liu Erlong's body stiffened for a moment before she slowly raised her head.
Her eyes were red-rimmed, tears still clinging to her lashes, but the emptiness and despair in her beautiful eyes had vanished, replaced by a clear determination and resolve.
"You're right."
Liu Erlong took a deep breath of the cool morning air. Her voice was hoarse from crying but incredibly firm. "It's not worth it."
"Not for him. Not at all."
"All these years… I've been blind!"
As she spoke, Liu Erlong straightened her body abruptly.
Though her eyes were still swollen and her hair disheveled, her spine was straight, her usual bold and resolute demeanor returning—now sharper, fiercer, as if she had broken free from the past and cut ties decisively.
Her gaze turned icy cold, piercing toward the direction where Yu Xiaogang had disappeared.
"This time, it's truly over."
"I, Liu Erlong, swear here and now to sever all ties with Yu Xiaogang. From this day forward, we are strangers with no connection."
"If I break this vow, may my hair burn as proof!"
Before her words faded, Liu Erlong swiftly raised her hand, reaching into her hair and cutting off a strand with precision.
Without looking, she clenched her fist tightly, and the strand of black hair slowly ignited, burning in her palm.
Opening her hand, ashes fluttered to the ground, reflecting a cold, fragmented glint in the morning sun.
"Huff!"
Liu Erlong lowered her head, her gaze resolute without a hint of hesitation. She stomped her foot fiercely over the ashes, grinding them into the soil with her sole.
It was as if she were crushing and burying the painful memories of the past.
After finishing, her chest rose and fell slightly. She took another deep breath before turning to face Dai Chengfeng, who had remained silently standing nearby.
"Dai Chengfeng."
Her eyes were complex, filled with sincere, unmasked gratitude, as well as a hint of vulnerability and confusion after experiencing such a seismic change.
She softly called his name, her tone softer than ever, stripped of her usual sharp edges.
"Today… I owe you so much."
"Thank you for speaking up for me, for staying with me during my most wretched and ugliest moment, and for comforting me like this."
"I, Liu Erlong, will remember this kindness!"
Dai Chengfeng watched quietly as Liu Erlong vented, made her vow, and crushed the strand of hair. Listening to her heartfelt, tearful thanks, a faint smile slowly formed on his lips.
"Gratitude?"
He tilted his head slightly, his intense gaze fixed on Liu Erlong's tear-streaked yet exceptionally clean face. His voice carried a lazy undertone. "Sister Erlong, is verbal gratitude too light?"
Liu Erlong paused, confused. "Then… what do you want as thanks?"
"Anything within my ability, anything I have…"
Dai Chengfeng took a small step forward, naturally closing the already somewhat ambiguous distance between them, created by her earlier reliance on him.
His gaze was invasive, landing heavily on Liu Erlong's eyes, then slowly trailing down her proud nose, finally locking firmly onto her pale but still plump and tender lips, reddened from crying.
His eyes grew deeper. "To show sincerity, gratitude requires some… practical actions, doesn't it?"
Dai Chengfeng's voice lowered further, the lazy tone becoming more pronounced, like a feather brushing against the tip of Liu Erlong's heart, sending an inexplicable shiver through her.
Under Dai Chengfeng's gaze, Liu Erlong's heart raced wildly, her blood seemingly rushing faster.
She seemed to sense what Dai Chengfeng wanted. Instinctively, she stepped back slightly, her breathing quickening with nervousness, her voice tinged with subtle tension.
"You… what do you mean? What kind of action do you want?"
Dai Chengfeng didn't answer immediately.
He took another step closer.
At this point, their breaths were nearly mingling.
The crisp, distinct male scent emanating from him, mixed with a faint trace of metallic blood, became overwhelmingly present.
Soon, Dai Chengfeng reached out, his slender fingers gently lifting Liu Erlong's chin.
The warmth of his fingertips seeped through her skin, exerting an irresistible force that made her tilt her head up, forcing her to meet his deep, penetrating gaze.
"Dai Chengfeng… you… don't do this…"
In an instant, Liu Erlong's eyes widened in shock as she watched Dai Chengfeng slowly lower his head. His handsome, masculine face loomed larger and closer in her vision.
Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst from her chest. Instinctively, she raised her hands, pressing them weakly against his firm, warm chest, attempting to push him away.
But her resistance was so feeble it was barely audible, more like a helpless murmur.
Rather than rejection, it was more a sign of confusion and helplessness.
At this moment, countless images flashed rapidly through Liu Erlong's mind—Yu Xiaogang's venomous, ugly expressions, his resolute departing figure, Dai Chengfeng's steadfast defense of her earlier, her own ironclad vow, and the crushed strand of hair…
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