Wey Xiong lay on the bed, surrounded by Duie, Su Nian, Lao Duan, and Wuzu. The four of them stared at him curiously, trying to figure out.....just who was this unconscious young man?
And then, with a sudden jolt.....his eyes snapped open.
As if he had just woken up from a terrible nightmare.
Before he could make sense of where he was or what was happening, the door creaked open… and in stepped Yu Sui and Mo Yan.
The moment the four recognized Yu Sui, they couldn't contain their emotions.
Laughter, joy, and something much deeper...relief, perhaps...bubbled up all at once. They rushed to him and clung to him as though he were a long-lost brother returning from the battlefield. Their smiles were bright, and their hearts even brighter.
Mo Yan, on the other hand, said nothing.
He quietly walked across the room and sat beside the table.
His sword—silent and deadly.....he placed gently beside him.
With graceful hands, he poured himself a cup of tea and took a slow sip.
He didn't need to speak.
There was something alive in his every movement now.
The way he sat. The way he lifted the cup. The expression on his calm face.
No longer did he seem like a shadow or a myth. He was alive. Present. Breathing.
Even in silence, the soft joy on his face was undeniable.....subtle, but unmistakably there.
The room began to fill with laughter, chatter, the clinking of cups, and warm, colorful voices.
Stories flowed like rivers. Jokes burst like firecrackers.
And poor Wey Xiong...
He was still scratching his head, trying to wrap his mind around who these people were.
Of course, he recognized Joye and Shu Bi Suan...Yu Sui's siblings in this lifetime.
But the other two young men.....he had never seen them before in his life.
He sat up slowly, still dazed, his fingers ruffling through his hair like he was scolding his own skull.
"How can you be such a fool?"...his inner voice roared.
"You don't even know who they are?!"
And then his eyes darted to Mo Yan.
Silent. Still. Calm.
Like a lion in repose.
Mo Yan… looked like a quiet, deadly beast.
Wey Xiong's breath caught in his throat.
To make matters worse, he had one very specific fear in life.
Girls.
He was terrified of girls.
A fear so irrational and intense, it often led to fights with his spiritual beast.....who would mock him, "You call yourself a mighty warrior, but you can't even speak to a girl?"
And today…
In his own room…
Was Joye.
The girl he feared the most.
---
A little while later…
Everyone had gathered around the table, and the atmosphere was nothing short of festive.
From outside, arrived three familiar figures....Master Zu Gushion, Master Chang Shi, and Master Lee Wen....along with their wives, stepping in to welcome the guests and join the celebration.
The room came alive.
The once somber air was replaced with the warmth of homecoming.
Tea cups clinked joyfully.
Laughter echoed in every corner.
Duie and Lao Duan, ever the mischievous duo, cracked jokes and teased everyone until stomachs hurt from laughing.
It was no longer just a gathering.
It was a celebration.
Stories were exchanged.
Wounds were left in the past.
Names and introductions were shared.....Su Nian, Duie, Lao Duan, Wuzu.....all were formally welcomed, and their tales gently acknowledged.
No sorrow remained.
No bitterness lingered.
The pain had been washed away.
The scars had healed.
And in that room, surrounded by friends, laughter, and the warmth of long-awaited union.....
Only joy remained.