Chasing You Like a Tenacious Falcon

Chapter 152

Zi Ling was a talkative and enthusiastic fellow. As he led Wei Shixu towards the back mountain, he kept chattering away.

"When Zi Nian first returned, she was in tears," Zi Ling said with a sigh. "I suspect she’s nursing a broken heart, oh my poor little sister, it breaks my heart to see her like this."

He shook his head as he spoke, sighing heavily.

Wei Shixu grew nervous and asked, "Is she... here?"

He was almost too afraid to face her.

Zi Ling shook his head. "Oh, she’s not here. She’s gone out to play."

Wei Shixu became even more nervous. "Where did she go?"

Zi Ling thought for a moment. "I don’t know, actually. Master sent her on a journey around the world."

Wei Shixu quietly followed his senior brother up the steps, his coin pendant swaying in the chest, glinting with hues of gold and red, dazzlingly brilliant.

Zi Ling glanced at it again and suddenly shouted, "Wait! Could you be the one who broke my sister’s heart?! Did you and she date?!"

Wei Shixu: "......"

"Wow, you’ve got some nerve!" Zi Ling leaped up, rolling up his sleeves. "You little brat! Do you know she spent the entire night kneeling in the Ancestral Hall, burning incense?! I should beat you to death!"

His voice was too loud, and the tea room door opened. Master Fan Shiliu stood there, looking over.

Zi Ling immediately retracted his hands, lowering his head meekly and calling out a respectful "Master."

Fan Shiliu scrutinized Wei Shixu and said, "Come in and talk."

Wei Shixu stepped inside, closing the tea room door behind him.

The room was quiet, with incense burning.

Fan Shiliu poured him a cup of tea. "Explain, what’s going on?"

Wei Shixu had a thousand words, but ultimately summarized them into one phrase: "I’ve come for a follow-up consultation."

Fan Shiliu raised an eyebrow, a smile creeping onto his lips. "You’re quite deep."

Wei Shixu remained silent, not looking up.

Fan Shiliu snorted coldly. "You broke up, huh? You got dumped."

Wei Shixu: "......"

Fan Shiliu asked again, "Any thoughts?"

Wei Shixu looked up. "What did I do wrong?"

Fan Shiliu raised his eyebrow once more, slowly saying, "How did your brain end up like this? Even though the first three pillars of your birthday coincide, how did you become so meticulous?"

Wei Shixu: "......"

Fan Shiliu tapped the table. "Drink the tea first. Your lips are so dry they’re peeling."

Wei Shixu downed the tea in one go without hesitation.

Fan Shiliu grumbled, "Drinking tea like it’s alcohol."

Wei Shixu stared at the empty teacup, only then realizing how thirsty he was.

Fan Shiliu asked, "Feeling a bit more composed now?"

Wei Shixu shook his head.

Fan Shiliu said, "Then have another cup, calm yourself."

This time, Wei Shixu didn’t gulp it down. He slowly savored the fragrance, appreciating the tea in silence.

Shortly after.

Zi Ling came to knock on the door, bringing some roast sweet potatoes and giving Wei Shixu several sharp glances before leaving again.

Fan Shiliu handed over the sweet potatoes. "Eat them. Your stomach’s growling like a frog."

Wei Shixu began eating the sweet potatoes, occasionally sipping tea.

After finishing and drinking, he felt much better.

Fan Shiliu finally spoke. "You’re wrong in being overly demanding."

Wei Shixu’s eyes widened.

Demanding?

Fan Shiliu continued, "Are you an independent individual? Without her, you can’t survive, which means you aren’t."

"But she can. She’s independent and free, a complete soul. Why should she accept you, a broken being like yourself?"

Wei Shixu was stunned, as this was a perspective he had never considered before.

He had always thought that the problem between them was the unequal wealth, so he had been desperate to make Quan Zhisui rich, believing that once they were equal financially, she wouldn’t feel pressured and they could be together.

But he had never considered that their spirits were also unequal.

Fan Shiliu laughed. "Your affection is a form of energy demanding, not true love. Only when you’re spiritually abundant should you revisit this matter."

"She grew up on Wudang Mountain, in the sanctuary of the Great Emperor Zhenwu. She’s stubborn but well-read, mischievous but never without love."

"Her spiritual energy is abundant, while you lack it, which is why you’re so drawn to her, uncontrollably."

"She’s emotionally stable, decisive, and even when fighting, the energy she exudes is positive, powerful, and rising."

Master’s words were charged with power, approaching a divine level.

Wei Shixu’s mind raced, quickly understanding: "Like a poor person wanting someone else’s wealth?"

Fan Shiliu nodded. "An apt metaphor, both are forms of demanding."

Wei Shixu was deeply shaken.

"Child, this is your inner deficiency." Fan Shiliu reached out, warm fingers tapping his forehead, "It’s a hole that no amount of material wealth can fill. Your soul is full of holes."

Wei Shixu frowned. "But I don’t have trauma."

Fan Shiliu shook his head. "Not that. It’s like forcing a plant to grow too fast. Exposing yourself too early to the darkness of society and human relationships. Jumping too quickly over the age where you should have been playing. Your issue stems from childhood, in essence—not playing enough as a child."

Wei Shixu’s eyes widened slightly.

Fan Shiliu continued, "So it’s time that will help, there’s no rush. The process of maturing should follow the natural order of time."

Wei Shixu lowered his head, deep in thought.

Fan Shiliu added, "Affection should be equal, not one party demanding."

Wei Shixu picked up his words, "One plus one equals more than two, not one plus half, then divided by two."

Fan Shiliu looked at him jokingly. "So clever, tempting fate?"

Wei Shixu looked up, asking, "Master, can I call you that?"

Fan Shiliu nodded. "You’ve been guided by me, taught by me, so you can call me that."

Wei Shixu’s eyes lit up. "Master, can you teach me a few more words?"

Fan Shiliu replied, "What other doubts do you have?"

Wei Shixu frowned, thinking, and asked, "Mindfulness, I don’t understand your mindfulness. It’s not about passively accepting, so what does it mean? You help anyone and everyone, show kindness to all?"

Fan Shiliu shook his head. "Kindness needs to be paired with wisdom, or it can lead to foolishly aiding evil."

Wei ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Shixu touched the coin pendant at his chest, then asked, "What do you believe someone in power should do?"

Fan Shiliu smiled. "Those in power should possess both a compassionate heart and decisive actions."

Thump! Thump!

Wei Shixu felt his heart racing, a sense of breaking through the clouds.

He continued, "Then what should the course of life be?"

Fan Shiliu raised an eyebrow. "Which aspect?"

Wei Shixu answered, "In love, family, marriage—is there a perfect life?"

Fan Shiliu stated, "The greatest awakening in life is not about marriage or having children, nor is it about societal achievements. It’s about finding and becoming yourself."

Wei Shixu questioned, "What?"

Fan Shiliu reached out again, gently tapping his forehead. "Child, this is the same issue as breaking up. Are you being yourself?"

Afterward, he laughed, "Zi Nian isn’t perfect; no one is, but she is herself."

Wei Shixu suppressed the deep awe stirring within him, unable to speak for a long while.

Fan Shiliu stood up, declaring, "A person is inherently unique!"

"Stars like Tian Yi, Wen Chang, Tian Chu, Hua Gai—there are endless metaphors! Countless qualities!"

"Life’s path is one’s own, with varying talents, so why stick to one form? Live authentically!"

Wei Shixu gazed at him, experiencing his first heart pounding moment that wasn’t because of Quan Zhisui.

Fan Shiliu opened the tea room door, pointing to the adjacent bungalow. "You haven’t slept for two days straight, have you? Stay at the dojo for a while, restore your energy."

Wei Shixu bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master, for your hospitality."