Chapter 31: A Stirred Heart

"Um…"

Tang Wulin's consciousness was hazy and drowsy, as if drifting in a golden sea.

The water that soaked him was very warm, making him feel extremely comfortable.

If he could, he truly wished to sleep here forever.

But he couldn't; he still had things to do.

He had to protect his companions, protect Wang Dong, protect big brother, protect…

"Yutong…"

Tang Wulin forced his eyes open, and unexpectedly met a pair of lively eyes shining with gentle expression.

For some reason, Huo Yutong was leaning over him, and their faces were less than a fist apart, close enough to count each other's eyelashes.

The situation was so sudden that, for a moment, their bodies froze, unable to move while maintaining the pose.

Huo Yutong's eyes were very beautiful; looking at his own reflection in them, Tang Wulin couldn't help but feel an illusion that only the two of them existed in the world.

Time passed slowly, and warm breath continuously exhaled from Huo Yutong's delicate lips, reaching Tang Wulin's mouth, causing his heartbeat to inexplicably quicken; the atmosphere gradually turned ambiguous and enchanting, and Huo Yutong's gaze became somewhat hazy.

Tang Wulin spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Yutong, you…"

"!"

Hearing his voice, Huo Yutong finally reacted; she quickly rose, sat upright, averted her gaze, and explained in a slightly flustered tone: "I think I just heard you call my name, so I came closer to you. No other meaning, don't misunderstand."

Other meaning? What other meaning? What shouldn't be misunderstood? She now looked as if trying to hide something obvious.

"…Hmm."

But under her pressure, Tang Wulin could only nod; otherwise, seeing her flushed face, his head might as well start steaming.

Besides, he also needed to calm down a bit.

Because of what just happened, he felt Huo Yutong's lips possessed an astonishing allure, making it hard for him to look away.

If that state continued to develop, what would happen? Just imagining it made his mouth dry, and his body heat rose gradually.

He hurriedly forced himself to shift his gaze away from Huo Yutong's pink lips and glanced around.

He was familiar with this place; a couple of days ago he had just brought Huo Yutong here.

This is the Shilake Academy infirmary.

Tang Wulin exhaled, and it seemed they had been rescued.

He lay on a pristine white hospital bed, while Huo Yutong, wearing the same patient gown as him, sat obediently on the stool beside his bed.

He adjusted his breathing and said to Huo Yutong:

"Yutong, what happened after I fainted?"

"Hm?"

Huo Yutong instinctively replied, her hand on her lips as she seemed lost in thought; from her dazed expression, it was clear she hadn't heard Tang Wulin's question clearly.

Tang Wulin had to repeat it.

"I want to know what happened after I fainted."

"Oh." This time Huo Yutong heard clearly; she moved her hand away from her lips and said, "Shortly after you fainted, the Academy's support arrived. None of us were injured; we were all rescued smoothly. Supposedly the attackers who ambushed us were taken away, and they should be able to interrogate them and get results soon."

"That's good."

After getting the answer, Tang Wulin exhaled.

It's good that everyone is fine.

Speaking of which…

"Yutong, how long do you intend to hold my hand?"

Since he woke up, he could feel an icy little hand gripping his tightly.

Although her hand was soft and small, holding it felt very comfortable, making him reluctant to let go, but keeping it forever wouldn't be good.

Hearing him say that, Huo Yutong made a petulant face, pouted, and asked:

"You don't like me holding you?"

"Not at all."

If anything, I quite like it.

"Then that's fine," Huo Yutong hummed lightly, "Just let me hold you obediently." "…"

Tang Wulin didn't know how to react, and the air fell silent for a moment.

He always felt that after waking up, Huo Yutong's attitude toward him had changed a bit.

Specifically, she had become more delicate.

The old Huo Yutong, toward him, still had a bit of an older‑sister demeanor, always giving a feeling of an older sister caring for a younger brother.

But now that feeling had completely vanished; she no longer kept any pretense toward him, and even constantly seemed eager to act coquettishly, making him see Na'er's shadow in her.

This made him a bit concerned—what had happened during his unconsciousness?

After a long silence, Huo Yutong suddenly spoke.

"Wulin, do you know? I was really scared this time."

"Hmm."

I suppose so.

After all, Huo Yutong was just an eleven‑year‑old girl; facing powerful assassins who came to kill her, she couldn't help but be scared.

Yet Huo Yutong, as if reading his thoughts, said:

"Do you think I was frightened by those assassins, scared of being killed? No, that's not it."

She suddenly squeezed Tang Wulin's hand harder, and he could feel her trembling through her palm.

What I fear is you dying before my eyes; whenever I thought you would also leave me, my mind couldn't think of anything.

After Huo Yun'er passed away, she became utterly alone in this world.

Now, with great difficulty, there is someone who knows her past, feels angry for her, and wants to help her take revenge; if even he were to leave her side, she would break down.

She could have endured the darkness and cold, but after encountering a fire that brought warmth and light, she could no longer imagine living without it.

"Yutong..."

Feeling the tremor transmitted from Huo Yutong's small hand and seeing her eyes waver from fear, Tang Wulin instantly understood why she clung to his hand and wouldn't let go.

Because this let her feel more at ease, and through skin contact it more concretely let her feel that he was still alive.

Tang Wulin only felt a warm glow inside; he extended his other idle hand, placed it on Huo Yutong's head, and began to gently stroke.

In the past, when Na'er was afraid, he comforted her this way.

Huo Yutong's eyes widened for a moment, then she pursed her lips, allowing Tang Wulin to gently stroke her hair with his hand.

Back when Huo Yun'er was still alive, that was how he comforted her.

For a moment, the room fell silent, except for the occasional chirping of birds outside drifting in, bringing a bit of vitality.

Huo Yutong clenched her small hand, tightly biting her lower lip, as if enduring something.

However, under Tang Wulin's gentle stroking, she could no longer hold back, and large tears began to well up from her eyes.

She loosened her tightly gripped hand, flung herself onto Tang Wulin, and burst into sobs.

"Uuu... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's all my fault for being too weak; if I could be stronger, you wouldn't have to suffer like this, I'm sorry..."

She kept apologizing, lamenting her own weakness.

These words are actually what she most wanted to confess to Tang Wulin; while he was unconscious, her worry for him constantly burned in her heart.

Tang Wulin didn't speak; he simply continued to gently comfort her, his eyes warm.

In fact, it wasn't only Huo Yutong who gained a sense of reassurance from him; he felt the same.

One person, having traveled back ten thousand years, penniless and without relatives, in that helpless moment, she proactively reached out a helping hand, which prevented him from dying in the perilous Star Dou Great Forest.

Without her, he could never have met Bei Bei and Tang Ya, thus could not have joined the Tang Sect, let alone entered Shrek Academy.

This time is the same; without her assistance, he would have long been dead at the hands of that Soul Emperor.

She relied on him immensely; how could he not also be relying on her gentleness?

They are both the same—just mutually relying on each other.

Side note: strategy completed~

Actually, little Huo Niang is really easy to win over; after all, at the start nobody treated her well, so if you just show her a little kindness, this love-starved girl will rush at you like a moth to a flame.

The key is that she is also extremely devoted; once she sets her sights on someone, she never changes, just like her mother.

She is practically the easiest woman to handle on the Douluo Continent (laugh).

(End of chapter)