Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Guo'er, calm down.

"stop!"

A figure flashed by.

Huang Rong firmly gripped the whip tip with two fingers.

Her face was frosty, her purple robes billowed in the wind, and her eyes held an unprecedented sternness.

Guo Fu was startled, her hand trembled, and the whip slipped from her grasp.

"Mother..." Guo Fu's face turned deathly pale. She had never seen her mother with such a terrifying expression. "Yang Guo bit someone first! Look at Brother Xiao Wu's leg!"

Wu Xiuwen sat on the ground, hugging his leg, blood seeping from his trouser leg, groaning in pain.

Huang Rong loosened her grip, and the whip fell to the ground. She didn't even glance at Wu Xiuwen; her gaze was fixed on Yang Guo.

The boy was covered in mud and sand, his clothes were tattered, and the bloodstains on his back were shocking. A trace of blood still clung to the corner of his mouth.

But his eyes were clear, without a trace of resentment.

That look in her eyes is just like Mu Nianci's back then.

Huang Rong's heart skipped a beat.

Although she resented Yang Kang, she also felt pity for Mu Nianci.

If she hadn't met Brother Jing first, Sister Mu would probably have been her original partner.

The image of those hot, large hands from last night clashed violently in my mind, along with the image of this pitiful young man before me.

How could I still doubt him?

Huang Rong, you're really getting worse as you get older.

"Stand still, all of you!"

Huang Rong shouted sternly.

Guo Fu, Da Wu, and Xiao Wu immediately stood in a row, heads bowed, not daring to breathe.

Yang Guo also struggled to get up, patted the dirt off his body, and stood at the very edge.

"Fu'er, how have I always taught you?" Huang Rong stared at her daughter. "Sparring between fellow disciples should be limited to a point of mutual restraint. If you had struck him with that whip just now, would you have killed him?"

Guo Fu's eyes reddened with grievance: "Mother, I didn't mean to kill him, I just wanted to scare him... It's his fault for biting people..."

"Why did he bite? The two of you were fighting him, and you weren't even allowed to fight back?" Huang Rong's gaze swept over Da Wu and Xiao Wu. "Did your master teach you martial arts so you could bully the weak?"

Da Wu and Xiao Wu were so frightened that their legs went weak: "Master's wife, we were wrong, we will never dare to do it again."

Huang Rong snorted coldly, about to reprimand her a few more times.

"Aunt Guo".

Yang Guo suddenly spoke.

He took a step forward, his body still swaying slightly, but he stood in front of Guo Fu and the other two.

"It's not Fu-mei's or the two brothers' fault." Yang Guo lowered his head, his voice hoarse. "I was too stupid. Brother Da Wu is right. I don't know martial arts, so it's only right that I practice with them. I couldn't bear the pain just now, so I bit Brother Xiao Wu. It's my fault."

Upon hearing these words, Guo Fu and the other two were stunned.

Has this kid changed his ways? Wasn't he just yelling for help?

Huang Rong looked at Yang Guo.

The boy wore a fawning smile, a smile that was both humble and glaring.

"Are you pleading for them?" Huang Rong asked.

"I'm not pleading, I'm telling the truth." Yang Guo raised his head, his eyes sincere. "Uncle Guo is a great hero, and Sister Fu and the others are also outstanding individuals. I, Yang Guo, am just an orphan. Being able to have food to eat on Peach Blossom Island is already a blessing I've accumulated over several lifetimes. How could I dare to have any complaints?"

This tactic of retreating to advance was executed with masterful skill.

He sank himself into the mud while praising Guo Fu and the others to the heavens.

Huang Rong is a smart woman, how could she not hear the bitterness in her words?

If Yang Guo had cried and complained, she might have thought the child was narrow-minded. But his sensible and submissive nature made Guo Fu and the others seem even more detestable.

Huang Rong's soft spot was touched.

"Guo'er..." Huang Rong's tone softened, and she reached out to brush the dust off his shoulder.

He reached out halfway, then suddenly remembered the sensation from last night and pulled his hand back as if he'd been electrocuted.

"You don't need to cover for them," Huang Rong sighed. "I saw what happened today clearly."

Despite suffering such a great injustice, she still tries to defend the person who bullied her.

This child is so kind-hearted it breaks your heart.

Yang Guo lowered his eyes, concealing the glint of shrewdness in them.

As long as it's clear, that's fine.

What I want is for you to see clearly.

Guo Fu was still crying and making a scene: "Who wants his fake kindness! Mother, look at his pathetic face, he's just putting on an act for you!"

"Shut up!" Huang Rong pointed at the boat. "Get on board! Nobody's allowed to eat today. You'll all kneel in the ancestral hall when you get back!"

Guo Fu stamped her foot, then ran onto the boat crying. Da Wu and Xiao Wu didn't dare linger and followed her off sheepishly.

Only Huang Rong and Yang Guo remained on the beach.

A sea breeze blew by, and it was a bit chilly.

Yang Guo kept his head down, twisting the hem of his clothes in his hands.

"Guo'er..." Huang Rong sighed, her tone softening considerably, "It's because your aunt didn't discipline them properly, causing you to suffer."

Yang Guo shook his head and raised his face.

Those peach blossom eyes were clean and clear, without resentment, only a maturity beyond their years.

"Aunt Guo, Guo'er is not wronged."

He paused.

"only……"

"Just what?" Huang Rong asked.

Yang Guo took a step back, then suddenly knelt down and kowtowed heavily to Huang Rong.

"Aunt Guo, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Tell me, I'll do whatever you say, as long as it's within my power." Huang Rong felt guilty and just wanted to make it up to him.

Yang Guo straightened up and looked directly at Huang Rong.

"Guo'er wants to... leave Peach Blossom Island."

"What?"

Huang Rong was taken aback, wondering if she had misheard.

The waves crashed against the rocks, churning up white foam.

Yang Guo knelt upright, his back straight as a pine tree.

"Guo'er wants to leave Peach Blossom Island." He repeated it again, his tone resolute, "I beg Aunt Guo to grant my request."

Huang Rong's sense of guilt instantly doubled.

She thought Yang Guo had acted impulsively because he had just been wronged.

"Guo'er, what nonsense are you talking about?" Huang Rong stepped forward, wanting to help him up, but as soon as her hands touched his arms, she felt the boy's body stiffen slightly.

She subconsciously withdrew her hand, but her tone softened further: "What happened just now was Fu'er and the others' fault. When we get back, I will definitely have your Uncle Guo discipline them strictly, and I will never let them bully you again. You are Jing-gege's nephew, Peach Blossom Island is your home, where can you go?"

Yang Guo did not get up.

He lowered his eyes and said, "Aunt Guo, you and Uncle Guo have been incredibly kind to me, and I know that in my heart."

"But in the past few years, apart from making you angry and making Sister Fu unhappy, it seems that Guo'er hasn't accomplished anything on the island."

He gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"My mother died young, and my father died even earlier. Fu Mei is from a family of great heroes, a golden branch and jade leaf; Da Wu and Xiao Wu are also from prestigious families. Only I am an orphan."

"Guo'er, don't say that..." Huang Rong's heart trembled.

If Yang Guo had said these words before, she would have thought that the boy was scheming and trying to gain sympathy.

But today, after witnessing that bullying firsthand, she felt as if every word was piercing her heart.

This child has suffered too much.

proceed with extreme caution, as if walking on thin ice.

"Aunt Guo, although I am dull-witted, I know that some things cannot be forced." Yang Guo raised his head, his eyes clear. "Rather than staying on the island and getting on each other's nerves, making everyone unhappy, it would be better to let me leave. The world is vast, and I will surely have something to eat."

He spoke frankly and openly.

There were no complaints, only a detached acceptance of the ways of the world.

This is precisely where Yang Guo's brilliance lies.

He knows Huang Rong too well.

If he were to cry or be indignant at this time, Huang Rong would become wary, thinking that he harbored resentment and would become a great threat in the future.

But the more sensible and considerate he is, the more Huang Rong's heart will tip in his favor.

More importantly, only by leaving Peach Blossom Island can the secret that happened in the bathtub last night truly become a secret forever.

As long as he's on the island, Huang Rong will eventually realize what's going on.

Distance is the best cover.

Huang Rong remained silent.

Looking at the boy in front of her, she suddenly felt that she couldn't see through him.

The glib-tongued, cunning Yang Guo of yesteryear is gone. In his place is a small man with unyielding integrity, yet forced to bow to fate.

"Where do you want to go?" Huang Rong asked softly.

Yang Guo was secretly delighted, but he remained outwardly calm.

"I've heard that the Quanzhen Sect is the orthodox school of martial arts in the world," Yang Guo said, cupping his hands. "My father was a disciple of the Quanzhen Sect. I want to go to Zhongnan Mountain, to the Quanzhen Sect, to learn some real skills, so that I can become a person as upright and honorable as Uncle Guo in the future."

Quanzhen Sect.

Huang Rong's eyes flickered slightly.

This is a good place.

Guo Jing has a deep connection with the Quanzhen Sect. Sending Yang Guo there would not only fulfill Guo Jing's wishes but also allow those old Taoist priests to help discipline and temper the child's temperament.

The key is……

Looking at Yang Guo's increasingly handsome face, Huang Rong felt a sense of relief.

The child has grown up.

His eyes were too bright, and the subtle air of wickedness and roguishness about him had a strange attraction for women.

If we leave him on the island, there's no guarantee that he won't cause trouble when Fu'er grows up.

and……

Huang Rong subconsciously touched her lower back.

The feeling of those hands from last night came back to me once again.

Although she rationally ruled out Yang Guo, subconsciously, whenever she saw him, she would be reminded of that absurd night.

This feeling is too dangerous.

Sending him away might be better for everyone.

"The Quanzhen Sect..." Huang Rong pondered for a moment, "This is no small matter. I can't make the decision on my own. I have to go back and discuss it with your Uncle Guo."

"Thank you very much, Aunt Guo!" Yang Guo kowtowed deeply.

It became.

As long as Huang Rong gives the word, Guo Jing's side will not be a problem at all.

"Get up," Huang Rong sighed and reached out to help him up.

This time, Yang Guo did not dodge.

The two hands touch each other.

Yang Guo's hands were a little cold, and his fingertips felt rough with the texture of sand.

Huang Rong's hands were soft and delicate.

The two parted ways immediately upon touching.

Huang Rong's heart skipped a beat again.

The size of this hand...

She couldn't help but glance at Yang Guo's hand again.

Tall and slender with well-defined joints.

The hands that roamed over her body last night seemed... somewhat similar, yet somewhat different.