Chapter 156: Zheng Zhanglie's Confession (Part 1)
Returned to an hour ago, or maybe less than an hour.
"Ahaha, I have to thank old man Ji for our farewell present." Zheng Zhanglie heaved a sigh of relief with a small stick in his hand. At one end of the stick glowed with a faint light, giving an illumination. Even though it was very faint, it was much better than nothing. Especially, when there was an awkward atmosphere in the room.
Zheng Zhanglie wanted to give the Light Stick to the other party, but the other party didn't move at all, as if not realizing Zheng Zhanglie's intention. No, as if Zheng Zhanglie was an air, between noticeable and unnoticeable. Realizing it, Zheng Zhanglie didn't force it. He just sat down and did nothing, waiting for an almost non-existent external help.
It was an awkward atmosphere between the two of them.
Both of them didn't know how long they passed out, but also understood no matter how long they waited, no one would come to help.
They had given up of any help - not expecting any rescue. They thought it was a little impossible for anyone to save them.
Their bad day didn't stop. They were trapped in this place, a small room around 5x5 metres, while the only way in and out of this place was sealed by the pile of rubbles.
They could only wait for their end, without doing anything and nothing they could do.
In order to ease the awkward atmosphere, Zheng Zhanglie talked about many things, included the Light Stick that he received from his uncle. But unfortunately, he didn't receive any response from the other party. But even so, he kept continuing to ease up the atmosphere.
"Ah, you remember old man Ji? My uncle? He is a peddler, and he is not staying in one place for an extended time. And when he heard about our plan of adventuring, old man Ji gifted me with this device. Amazing, right?" Zheng Zhanglie saw the other party's delicate feature from the faint illumination. He was enchanted by that views, but he shook his head.
"Haha, this device is not very useful. The first time using it, I found this thing unreliable. The light is almost unnoticeable, while I have to supply with Elemental continuously. When the Elemental is cut, the device will be turned off automatically. A weird device, but unexpectedly useful. Haha. . ."
No matter many things he talked about, no matter what topic he brought up about their hometown, the other party didn't respond at all. He was taken as air, wounding his pride as a man.
Thinking about the reason behind the other party's silence, Zheng Zhanglie only sighed with a saddened expression. ". . . Do you hate me, Zhener?"
His voice was very small, almost inaudible, signing his helplessness and fragility in front of Peng Zhen.
Hearing her name, Peng Zhen's body jolted in surprise. But she didn't move, only hugging her knees under the dark, hiding the faint blush on her face.
"Sorry, Zhener. It's not like I have any ulterior motive about you, but that is my sincerest expression." Lifting his face upward, Zheng Zhanglie was in full reminiscence. "No. perhaps, I have an ulterior motive. I want to have you. Leaving my trace on you, repelling any other men other than me."
Peng Zhen tightened her hug when she heard the latter sentence. She was filled with fear, but she didn't know what to do except burying her face in her own hug. Not knowing whether she would accept her fate or retaliate if Zheng Zhanglie made his move toward her, he continued his word.
"I want to be with you, until wrinkles filled our body, until the earth embraces our body. Enjoying the life together, adventuring everywhere while depending on each other. Sharing the sadness and happiness while not leaving each other, be together no matter what happen, whether it is in present or future."
Thump!
Something tugged inside her chest as Peng Zhen listened to his word, his confession. His feeling. She didn't know what happened, but warmth crept from inside, filling her body. All she knew was the comfortable feeling which was shrouding her entire body, like a baby hearing a lullaby. She wanted to hear more, know more, understand more about him. What aspect that made him interested in her, wanting her, even going so far to sacrifice himself for her sake.
She turned her head a little, giving a side-glance toward Zheng Zhanglie. She wanted to see more about him, not the him as a brother of her childhood friend, not the him as a brother of her best friend, not the him as someone from the same town, but the real him. Just him.
The faint illumination pasted on his slouched figure, showing the lonely figure. The sharp eyebrows and strong jaw, making Zheng Zhanglie a little manlier if compared the usual him. But after some time, Peng Zhen realized something.
Bead after beads of sweat slid down, drenching the unmoving figure of him. His lips parched and the colour paled.
Seeing that, a sharp pain touched her chest, which was a surprise for herself. She didn't know what happened, but she understood the reason.
After contemplating for some time, Peng Zhen decided to open her cherry lips, ". . . Are you okay?" Her voice was full of timidity and low volume. But inside, there was a trace of concern, which could be felt by Zheng Zhanglie.
Giving a reassuring smile, Zheng Zhanglie replied, "It's okay, Zhener. Only a little tired. After resting for some time, I will be okay."
". . . Lie. If you want to lie, don't talk to me."
No matter how much Zheng Zhanglie wanted to hide his condition, Peng Zhen was not blind. The pale face and rough breathing, adding with the discomfort expression on his pale face had already sold him out.
"Ahaha." With a wry smile, Zheng Zhanglie had no other choice than telling the truth. "This Light Stick is being fed by Elemental, which comes from me. If I cut the Elemental, this place will lose the only source of illumination."
"What are you doing!" Peng Zhen paled as she leapt toward Zheng Zhanglie and tried to snatch the Light Stick. The unprepared Zheng Zhanglie was caught off guard and the darkness filled the room after the Light Stick was taken over.
It was a public secret that one must not be allowed to overexert themselves by using Elemental. Moreover, for talentless people like both of them, even using Elemental was already a huge burden. With the exception of creating a small amount of element, for example, drink water or lighting firewood.
To sum it up, for daily use.
But if it was supplying Elemental in a prolonged time, one's body would receive the burden after the prolonged duration. And in extreme condition, one would be in Overexertion. Hence, it was a normal decision for Peng Zhen to snatch the Light Stick.
Not used with the darkness, Peng Zhen inserted her manipulated Elemental toward Light Stick.
A faint illumination filled the room for the second time, but the distance between the two of them was very close, they could even feel each other's breath. It was the first time Peng Zhen observed the other party this close, staring at every corner of his face, his rugged chin, sharp eyebrows but kind stare from Zheng Zhanglie.
Peng Zhen's heart jolted when she realized what she had done, that she was dazzled right before Zheng Zhanglie. Blush tinged all over her thin skin as she wanted to leap back. But before she could do it, a rough hand held her hand, making her stay in the same place.
"Zhener. . ." Filled with confusion, uncertainty, wishful thinking, Zheng Zhanglie wanted to make sure of one thing. "Do you hate me?"
It was the thing that Zheng Zhanglie feared the most. He might be a rough man, he was not a bright person and a little dense, but also he had a soft spot in his heart.
Her.
He couldn't handle the fact that Peng Zhen would distance herself from him, just like what had happened all day. Or more exactly, ever since a little mischievous from a little devil.
Peng Zhen wouldn't look at his eyes, would lower her head every time Zheng Zhanglie was close to her. And sometimes, she would run away with a various excuse. Not only he himself, but Zheng Yi understood what had happened, and the latter would glare at him. It was the worst thing he had ever experienced.
Zheng Zhanglie was scared, filled with uncertainty. And in this dangerous and hopeless situation, he wished to make sure of something. He took his first step, bracing himself, and asked.
Peng Zhen couldn't handle the passionate expression, not to mention the close distance between the two of them. From her spot, a manly scent tickled her nose, making her unable to hide her blush anymore.
". . . N- no. ."
Her shy reply was very faint, almost inaudible. But for Zheng Zhanglie, it was akin to a rainbow after the tempest, every negative feeling he had was washed away along with that answer. His vigour was renewed and he took another step, a brave step that he wouldn't do if it was any other day.
He pulled in Peng Zhen into his embrace and hugged her, not letting the latter escape while savouring the sweet and alluring fragrance. It was a woman's scent, the woman he loved.
This stunt made Peng Zhen's heart jolted as she struggled inside his embrace. But the musky scent from his chest, his body, rendered her weak, scrapping her will to struggle.
Along with that, the darkness returned and enshrouded both of them as Peng Zhen's control of Elemental was disturbed along with the turmoil inside her heart.
After Peng Zhen calmed down and didn't struggle, Zheng Zhanglie didn't make anymore advance as he asked, "If you don't hate me, then don't ignore me. It hurts, it hurts me very much, you know? My chest, my heart, my mind, my everything. Seeing your disappearing figure everytime makes me feels a heart-wrenching pain every time. Without exception."
His tone was filled with melancholy, touching Peng Zhen's soft spot. She wanted to refute, wanted to explain, but no voice escape her mouth. She was comforted with this warm embrace, fearing that she will lose it, the only warmth in this cold and closed place.
"I, my feeling is real, without any false." Tightening his embrace as if he feared the important thing in his life, he continued, "Just thinking that I will lose you forever, something inside my chest tightening, as if screaming that my life will be no different from the dead. Bland without colour."
She was his light in the dark, showing him the road to the never-ending warmth, and making his eyes glued in her illumination.
She was his rainbow, painting the sky and clearing the dark clouds of his life. Thousands of words were not enough to explain the colour which was injected into his life.
Tracing his hand toward her hair, into her head, he caressed her soft cheek in the dark. Even though he couldn't see her facial, he never forgot her everything. Her smile, her pouting, her laugh, her sleeping figure, everything was etched deep inside his heart.
"Zhener. . ." Zheng Zhanglie used his softest voice, lifting Peng Zhen's head a little so he was talking into her face. Even though there was nothing he could see, he wanted to convey his sincerest feeling.
"I am not the brightest person, and I am not a learned person. Even though I am a little rough person, I am not very strong. Perhaps, you will experience various hard day. But, there is one thing that I am sure of." A very faint illumination appeared, showing a trace of a gentle smile on his rough face. And on the opposite side, a red colour akin to a boiled shrimp touched her delicate and dazzled facial feature, making her into a very enchanting.
"Zhener," Zheng Zhanglie was enchanted by Peng Zhen's beautiful feature. "I love you. From the very first time, now, and far in the future."
His rugged face went closer toward Peng Zhen's face.
…
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