I was really curious about what Lin Ye had said about me at that time, but I just claimed that it was ancient history as if I didn't care about him at all. Plus, I had no idea if He Ling was currently on good terms with Lin Ye, so in the end, I gave up brazenly asking about it.
But he continued regardless. "Later, once he spread his wings, he heartlessly turned against me regardless of our past friendship. Just as I had gently reminded him of his place, you showed up to fight for him. And coincidentally, we met right after that."[1]
Thoughts raced through my brain at the speed of light until I remembered something. "Master He, did you just say that our first encounter was a coincidence?"
"Of course it was a coincidence. Otherwise I would have picked a place other than a restroom."
"Then those photos…" I mused.[2]
He looked at me expressionlessly, but there was a hint of confusion in his eyes. "What photos?"
I didn't answer, and he decide to just continue, "I was just curious what kind of person would throw away everything to save someone else. Curious who could cause Lin Ye to abandon even the most basic norms at such a crucial time."
I didn't know what to say. There was a long moment of silence, before I finally raised my head and asked, "You said you have a question for me?"
He Lin nodded, his eyes seeming to be less cold than usual. "What's the relationship between you and Chu Yuan Jiang?"
My heart twitched and I gained a miraculous, sudden flash of enlightenment. Slowly, I answered, "We have been together for over a decade, and we supported each other all the way till now…"
He Ling lowered his eyes, and mulled over my answer for a long time. "So nice."
He put down his cup and looked at me with a complex expression. "You can relax. As long as I am here, Lin Ye won't be able to do anything to harm you two."
Before I realized what he meant, he was on his way towards the door.
I chased after him. "Master He, what happened?"
He Ling paused and looked back at me. Outside was full of loud thunder and howling winds, but He Ling's expression was perfectly tranquil and aloof.
He didn't answer, so I asked again, "Why do you want to help me?"
He slowly looked into my eyes. "Just like what you have said yesterday, it's not easy to find the one in your life that you can be true to." Then he patted me on my shoulder. That woke me up from my stupor and, for a reason that eluded me, the ice in his eyes seemed to have melted into rivulets of water that flowed out from his eyes.
He took back his hand gently, turned around, opened his umbrella, and walked out back into the rain.
I stood on the stairs watching as he left, and exhaled deeply as the sense of relief gradually grew inside me. The cold sweat on my back had dried up, but I could finally see the whole situation clearly.
It was such a coincidence that, of all the people out there, Lin Ye found He Ling, allowing him to ask for help using our secret relationship as an excuse. That similar nature of grief they seemed to share allowed him to enter He Ling's circle.
By the time He Ling discovered that Lin Ye's situation was a completely different one, the two of them had already fallen out. First he witnessed the engagement of Lin Ye, then my 'fidelity' to Chu Yuan Jiang.
He Ling's car moved farther and farther away, eventually becoming a dot in the rain. I sighed and went back into the house. I didn't know how to feel. Should I feel sad for him, or happy for myself? Was this going to end up bringing good luck, or misfortune?
Today's conversation told me at least three things:
Firstly, He Ling and Lin Ye had resolved their old grudge, and might even be working together now.
Secondly, Lin Ye had inquired He Ling about me, and it was very likely that he had already figured out my whereabouts. Moreover, he did not come for peace.
Thirdly, described charitably, He Ling was a man that followed his heart, not his head, somebody with a distinct set of values, who considered himself a judge of character; described harshly, he was a guy with few screws loose.
Following these assumptions, it was possible that Xiong Xi Liang, having heard some rumors, found an excuse to send Chu Yuan Jiang away to keep him from getting involved and dragging his business down. Given that Lin Ye wouldn't be pleased to see Chu either, Master Xiong saw no need to make everyone unhappy.
I slowly took off my dirty clothes, and went directly to the bathroom to get rid of all of the day's grease and grime.
[1]Volume 1 Chapter 33&34
[2]Remember the photos in the emails Ou received in the last two chapters of Volume One?