...
On the other side, in Tiandou City, at Blue Tyrant Academy.
Several days have passed since Shrek Academy and his group were kicked out of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and arrived at Blue Tyrant Academy in a sorry state.
Liu Erlong was genuinely delighted by the arrival of her former mentor, Flander.
After all, the Golden Trio had been separated for many years, and she truly regarded Flander as a close older brother she could confide in.
With a wave of her hand, she not only arranged the best food and lodging for all the teachers and students of Shrek Academy, but also opened up all the academy's resources to them.
However, Liu Erlong's feelings about Yu Xiaogang's arrival were extremely complicated.
She originally thought that if the man who had run away from her for most of her life were to reappear in front of her, she would be so excited that she would burst into tears and throw herself into his arms without a care in the world.
However, when Yu Xiaogang actually stood in front of her, Liu Erlong was surprised to find that she did not feel the surprise and excitement she had imagined at all!
On the contrary, looking at Yu Xiaogang's perpetually stiff, dead-fish face, as if the whole world owed him money, she even felt a faint sense of rejection.
What she's more worried about now is whether this guy's arrival will disrupt her peaceful life, which, despite being infuriated by some jerk every day, is fulfilling and vibrant.
All these subtle reactions were keenly observed by Flander's sharp owl eyes.
Back in Soto City, Flander had already suspected, because of Xuan Hao's hostile attitude towards Yu Xiaogang, whether Liu Erlong had some kind of secret relationship with Xuan Hao.
Therefore, after bringing Shrek to Blue Tyrant Academy, Flander didn't act like a mother hen, rushing to reunite Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang.
He didn't even take any action, simply observing Liu Erlong's true reaction from the sidelines.
As a result of this observation, Flanders had a clear idea of what was going on.
Several days have passed, and Liu Erlong has not shown any joy at the long-awaited reunion.
She has not even taken the initiative to go to Yu Xiaogang to confide in him.
The two of them have not even exchanged a single unnecessary polite word!
When Liu Erlong faced Yu Xiaogang, her unnatural avoidance and indifference were as if she were avoiding a plague.
That evening, Flander couldn't hold back any longer.
He took two jugs of strong liquor and went to find Liu Erlong, who was standing alone in the courtyard lost in thought, intending to get to the bottom of the matter.
"Second Sister, would you like to have a drink with your brother?"
Flander handed her the wine jug and sat down on the stone bench opposite her.
Liu Erlong did not refuse.
She took the wine pot, tilted her head back, and took a big gulp.
The spicy wine flowed down her throat, but it could not quell the restlessness in her heart.
"Boss Fu, you've come to see me so late at night, just get to the point."
Liu Erlong wiped his mouth, his eyes darting around.
Flander sighed, pushed up his crystal glasses, and said with a touch of emotion, "Erlong, the reason I made up my mind to bring these Shrek kids to Heaven Dou City this time, even though it was to improve their training environment, was also... largely because of you."
"Although I've been holed up in that poor, remote place called Soto City for the past ten years, while you've been in Tiandou City, I've been secretly keeping an eye on things here.
I know you've had a tough time all these years, searching the world for Xiaogang's whereabouts, but without any news.
For so many years, you've kept your heart closed off, showing no sign of starting a new relationship."
Flander gave a bitter smile:
"I know you only see me as an older brother, and you know that it's destined that we can never be together.
That's why I thought of bringing Xiaogang over to you, hoping it might help you resolve your inner conflict and make you a little happier."
"But now it seems… I was just being presumptuous and made a mistake."
Flander stared into Liu Erlong's eyes. "You weren't happy about Xiaogang's arrival. On the contrary, you seemed upset, even… running away."
Liu Erlong's hand gripping the wine pot tightened suddenly, his knuckles turning slightly white.
"Erlong, tell me something from the bottom of your heart," Flander took a deep breath, "Do you... still think about Xiaogang at all?"
Faced with this question, Liu Erlong fell into a long silence.
Should I read it?
To say she'd completely forgotten him was, after all, the man she loved recklessly in her youth, even against societal norms; she simply couldn't bring herself to say it.
But... to say that she still expects this guy to bring her any so-called happiness and support.
The image of Yu Xiaogang's cowardly figure fleeing in panic at the wedding flashed through Liu Erlong's mind, along with his ridiculous pretentious aloofness at the academy these past few days.
She felt a surge of disgust and couldn't bring herself to say anything!
Seeing Liu Erlong's conflicted expression, Flander understood completely.
He took a sip of his drink, then suddenly changed the subject, throwing out that fatal test:
"Since it's not because of Xiao Gang, then... do you already have someone else you like in Heaven Dou City?"
"Bullshit! How could I possibly like that brat who talks nonsense?!"
Almost as a reflex, Liu Erlong sprang up from the stone bench like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her face flushed as she loudly retorted.
However, as soon as these words left his mouth, Liu Erlong froze completely.
A deathly silence fell.
Flander's hand, holding the wine jug, froze in mid-air, his expression turning extremely unnatural.
He looked at Liu Erlong, whose face was flushed red and who seemed to want to bite off her own tongue, with a half-smile, and added sarcastically, "Erlong, what's all the fuss about?
I didn't even say anything about her name, or whether she's male or female, old or young.
Why are you taking it personally?"
"I...you...don't try to trap me!"
Liu Erlong's thoughts were exposed on the spot. Frustrated and embarrassed, she stomped her foot and turned away guiltily, her back to Flander.
She had no idea how to explain her absurd "self-confession" just now.
At this moment, her feelings were extremely complicated, and she felt like she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
Even she herself found this matter absurd and incomprehensible! Because of that coward Yu Xiaogang, she had been living a life of celibacy for almost half her life, a "living widow."
And now, things have turned out this way.
At the very last moment, she's been so easily swayed by Xuan Hao, that mischievous devil who's so much younger than her and takes pleasure in provoking her every day!
She's ended up in this contradictory state that even she doesn't recognize!
Seeing Liu Erlong's trembling back, trembling with shame and indignation, Flander abandoned his joking thoughts, stood up, walked behind her, and spoke with unprecedented seriousness and encouragement:
"Erlong, now that you have a new idea in mind, go for it and do it boldly."
"Go ahead and do it?"
Liu Erlong turned her head, gave a self-deprecating bitter laugh, her eyes filled with a struggle of insecurity:
"Brother Fu, don't joke with me. How old am I?
I'm almost an old woman! How old am I? How can I 'go all out'?"
"Foolish!"
Flander snapped, "Precisely because we're not young anymore, we should take advantage of our remaining years and go all out!"
Flanders patted her on the shoulder and earnestly advised, "If you keep hesitating and procrastinating like this, when he really becomes the ruler of the world and has a group of beautiful women around him, you really won't even have a chance to stand on your own two feet!"
"Life is neither long nor short.
For Xiaogang's sake, you've trapped yourself in a cage and suffered for half your life..."
Flander looked directly into her eyes.
"Are you really planning to spend the rest of your life alone and miserable?"
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