r18novel Chapter 36 Hatred
Chapter 36 Hatred
The next day, the sky was overcast.
Taoyuan University was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, with the teaching buildings in the distance appearing and disappearing in the mist.
He Chutian stood downstairs at the girls' dormitory, holding two cups of coffee in his hand, and looked up at the sky.
He didn't sleep well last night.
Lu Siye.
After returning to his dormitory, he checked Lu Siye's file.
He has access to the external relations department of Taoyuan University's freshman information system and can access basic information.
Nanhe native, 18 years old, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, ranked among the top 200 in the province in the college entrance examination, and only filled in "Father Lu Chen, Mother Lin Ruoxue" in the family information section.
No job, no contact information, no home address.
It's too clean.
He Chutian had seen too many people's files, and he knew what the files of ordinary people were like.
Lu Siye's file is different.
Every blank was filled in neatly, with uniform font and standard format, as if it had been copied from a template.
And most importantly, his college entrance examination scores.
He was in the top 200 in the province, and with that score he could have gone to a better school, or even had a chance at Tsinghua or Peking University, but he chose Taoyuan University instead.
A person who grew up in Nanhe would choose to attend Nanhe University, which is right in their hometown, instead of going to Nanhe University, which is located thousands of miles away, to study at a comprehensive university that is ranked in the middle to upper range.
Why?
He Chutian pondered this question all night, until his gums ached, but he still couldn't come up with an answer.
He thought of Tang Yuan again.
Tang Yuan's file is much more normal.
Her parents run a small business, and the family's annual income is listed as 80,000. She won several essay competitions during high school. Her emergency contact is her mother, and the phone number ends in Nanhe area code.
"never mind."
He muttered to himself, took a sip of coffee, and suppressed those chaotic thoughts.
There weren't many new students today, so the student council's work was much easier.
He messaged Tang Yuan last night, saying he would take her and Lu Siye for a walk around the campus today to familiarize them with the environment.
Tang Yuan replied instantly with "Okay!!!" followed by three exclamation marks and an excited emoji.
Lu Siye did not reply.
But He Chutian knew he would come.
Some people are just like that.
Not replying doesn't mean I won't come.
Not coming doesn't mean they're not here.
That's the feeling Lu Siye gave him.
My phone vibrated.
He Chutian glanced down and saw it was a message from Tang Yuan:
"Senior, we're down! Where are you?"
He raised his head.
Tang Yuan changed her clothes and looked around as she walked. When she saw He Chutian, she waved vigorously.
Lu Siye followed behind her.
She was still wearing that gray hooded sweatshirt.
He Chutian almost burst out laughing. Did this person only have one set of clothes?
But upon closer inspection, I realized they weren't the same piece; yesterday's cuffs were pilling, but today's weren't.
They are the same style, but two different pieces.
A person who buys two identical pieces of clothing is either an extreme pragmatist or an extreme indifferent person.
Lu Siye seemed quieter today than yesterday.
He walked three steps behind Tang Yuan, neither too close nor too far.
He Chutian went up to them and handed them the coffee: "Good morning, I brought you coffee."
"Wow! Senior, you're so thoughtful!"
Tang Yuan took the coffee and held it with both hands.
"I'm so sleepy, I didn't sleep well last night because I was so excited."
"It's normal, it's like this in a new environment." He Chutian smiled and handed another cup to Lu Siye. "I didn't know if you drink coffee, so I just bought this randomly."
Lu Siye took the coffee and glanced down at the label on the cup.
American style, sugar-free and dairy-free.
"Thanks."
He unscrewed the cap, took a sip, and showed no change in expression.
"Let's go, I'll take you to the cafeteria for breakfast first, and then we'll stroll around the campus."
He Chutian turned and led the way, his pace neither hurried nor slow.
"There are fewer people today, making it more comfortable to stroll around. The peak registration period was yesterday, and everyone who was supposed to come has already arrived."
Tang Yuan followed beside him, chattering about what she had seen and heard in the dorm the night before: "Two of my roommates have already arrived, and they're both super nice! One is from the Northeast, and he's naturally funny, and the other is from the South Lake, and he brought a big bag of chili sauce, saying he wanted to give it to me..."
He Chutian listened, occasionally chiming in with a word or two, subtly expressing his interest.
There weren't many people in the cafeteria, just a few early risers preparing for postgraduate entrance exams and students participating in club activities.
He Chutian bought them steamed buns and soy milk. Tang Yuan ate with gusto, her mouth greasy, and kept praising them indistinctly, "Delicious! So delicious!"
Lu Siye ate very slowly, dividing a small steamed bun into three bites, chewing each bite almost the same number of times.
After dinner, He Chutian led them on a tour of the campus according to the planned route.
Starting from the cafeteria, passing the library, teaching buildings, laboratory buildings, and gymnasium, you finally circle around to the main road on the east side of the campus.
That's the most beautiful place at Taoyuan University, with two rows of plane trees providing ample shade, some of which are said to be over a hundred years old.
"Taoyuan University was founded 120 years ago. Its predecessor was Taoyuan Normal School. It changed its name several times before finally being named Taoyuan University."
He Chutian introduced the place as he walked.
"The school covers an area of 3,200 acres and has 28,000 students. It has three campuses, and the main campus where we are now is the largest."
He paused, then changed the subject, his tone becoming more relaxed: "But these are just official statements; you can take them with a grain of salt."
"Today I mainly want to tell you some things that aren't in the official introduction."
Tang Yuan's eyes lit up: "What? A paranormal event? A campus legend?"
"More or less." He Chutian smiled and pointed to a mountain in the distance. "See that mountain?"
Tang Yuan looked in the direction he was pointing.
There was a mountain that was neither too high nor too low, shrouded in mist, with only a blurry outline visible.
There seemed to be some buildings on the mountain, but they weren't very clear.
That's called Jiugongling.
When He Chutian uttered those three words, his tone remained unchanged, but his peripheral vision unconsciously glanced in another direction.
A person was standing on the steps at the entrance of the cafeteria.
苏念
Su Nian stood there, seemingly also looking in the direction of Jiugong Ridge.
The morning breeze blew her ponytail, revealing a small patch of fair skin behind her ear.
Her features are typical of Eastern beauty.
"Ice Queen".
This is the nickname given to her by the male students at Taoyuan University.
He's a junior in the martial arts club, in the same year as He Chutian.
It's said that the line of men pursuing her could stretch from the teaching building to the school gate, but none of them ever succeeded.
It's beautiful, but no one dares to get close.
He Chutian had no interest in her.
It's not because she's not pretty.
Objectively speaking, Su Nian's appearance ranks among the top three at Taoyuan University, and she is even more attractive than Gui Chuyu from certain angles, but that's because of her identity.
Five Elements Heroes.
The Jiugongling system.
They are not from the same lineage as the He family, who belong to the wind-attribute Xia Lan.
He Chutian withdrew his gaze and continued to say to Tang Yuan, "You may not have heard of the name Jiugongling, but it is quite famous in local folk tales."
"Legend has it that more than a thousand years ago, there was a group of people called 'Xia Lan' who lived on that mountain."
"They protect this world, fighting against a monster called 'Zero'."
"Xia Lan?" Tang Yuan tilted her head. "I think I've seen this term online... from an animated series?"
"Pretty much." He Chutian smiled. "But it's also mentioned in folk tales. It's said that each of those Xia Lan has a special ability, what's it called again... oh right, Xia Lan Technique."
"They use these abilities to protect ordinary people and maintain world peace and such."
Xia Lan.
For He Chutian, this word is a wound that will never heal.
He listened to his grandmother tell stories of Xia Lan since he was a child, and he remembers every single one of them.
He remembered Xia Lan's name.
He also remembers the look in his grandmother's eyes after she finished telling him the story.
"It's a pity you can't be a Xia Lan."
Why?
Because he is a member of a collateral branch of the He family.
Because he has fragments of the Taotie beast inside his body.
Because he was born destined to be a vessel, not a warrior.
What if he wasn't a member of the He family?
What if he had been born into an ordinary family?
What if he didn't have that damn fragment inside him?
Could he also become a Xia Lan?
Even the most basic level of sniffing?
Even just standing at the foot of Jiugongling Mountain, catching a glimpse of those real Xia Lan from afar?
He Chutian didn't know.
He only knows one thing.
He hated the He family, hated the fragments of the Taotie, hated the mountain called Jiugongling, and hated everything that prevented him from becoming a Xia Lan.
But what he hates even more is that he no longer even has the right to hate.
Because he was only a collateral relative.
A lowly collateral branch, ready to be sacrificed at any time, and not even allowed to express anger.
"Senior? Senior?"
Tang Yuan's voice pulled him back to reality.
"Oh, sorry, I was daydreaming."
He Chutian adjusted his glasses and resumed his perfect smile.
"I was thinking about some student council stuff. Where were we? Oh right, Jiugongling."
He cleared his throat and continued, "Later, for some reason, the Xia Lan disappeared."
"Some say they went extinct, some say they went into seclusion, and some say they never existed and are just folk tales."
"In short, Jiugongling has now become a scenic area. Trails and viewing platforms have been built on the mountain. The entrance fee is eighty yuan, and students get a half-price ticket."
"Really?" Tang Yuan's interest was piqued. "Then let's go check it out another day!"
"Sure, I'll take you there sometime." He Chutian casually agreed, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards Su Nian.
Su Nian was still standing there.
She had already turned her gaze away from Jiugongling and was talking to a boy.
He Chutian withdrew his gaze, a strange and inexplicable emotion welling up inside him.
disgust.
Yes, disgust.
His dislike for Su Nian was not directed at her personally, but at the system she represented.
Jiugongling, the Five Elements Heroes, those who claim to be the "orthodox" inheritors of the Heroic tradition.
Two hundred years ago, the He family and Jiugongling had a good relationship.
At that time, the Wind-attribute Xia Lan and the Five Elements Xia Lan were of one mind and worked together to fight against the threat of Zero.
The ancestors of the He family fought side by side with the Xia Lan of Jiugong Ridge, and were as close as brothers.
How good is the relationship between the two families?
It is said that a former head of the He family and the guardian of Jiugongling were sworn brothers, and the two had shielded each other from each other's swords on the battlefield.
But later, everything changed.
The threat of zero is gradually diminishing.
No one knows why. Perhaps it's because technological advancements have greatly enhanced human survival capabilities, or perhaps it's because zero itself is declining.
In short, the existence of Xia Lan has become increasingly awkward.
No longer needed.
This era has no need for Xia Lan.
There are police, military, surveillance cameras, drones, and precision-guided missiles.
Zero? What is zero?
Against this backdrop, the He family and Jiugongling went down different paths.
The Ho family chose to "transform".
They proactively contacted the government, offering their research findings on the Taotie sealing technology and wind-attribute primordial energy in exchange for political and economic support.
The Ho family members entered government research institutions and became "special energy body research experts".
They wear suits and ties, attend academic conferences, analyze the molecular structure of primordial energy in the laboratory, and use instruments to measure the activity index of Taotie fragments.
They transformed themselves from a "Xia Lan family" into a "scientific research family".
Jiugongling chose to "stay put".
They refused to cooperate with the government, refused to hand over the cultivation methods of Xia Lan Technique, and refused to turn Jiu Gong Ling into a research institution.
They believe that the legacy of the Xia Lan is sacred and that they should not sell out what their ancestors left behind for personal gain.
The results of it?
The government withdrew its support for Jiugongling, its funding was cut off, its facilities became outdated, and it lost its staff.
Jiugongling, which originally had hundreds of Xia Lan, now only has five left.
Five.
A thousand years ago, there were thousands of Xia Lan; two hundred years ago, there were still hundreds; now, only five remain.
Like five rare animals kept in a zoo.
Occasionally, they are taken out for an exhibition so that the public can see, "Wow, so there really are Xia Lan in the world!" Then they are stuffed back into their cages to continue to eke out a living.
He Chutian felt disgusted.
It's not that I'm disgusted by Jiugongling, it's that I'm disgusted by this era.
But what disgusts him even more is that if Jiugongling had won back then, if he didn't have the Taotie fragments inside him, if he could have become a Xia Lan...
Forget it.
No if.
He Chutian snapped out of his thoughts and found Tang Yuan looking at him expectantly.
"Senior, is Jiugongling Scenic Area fun? Is there anything special about it?"
"It's alright," He Chutian replied casually. "There are a few ancient buildings and some exhibitions about Xia Lan."
"But to be honest, there's nothing much to see, just ordinary mountains and ordinary houses."
"If you want to see scenery, you might as well go to Cuihu Park in the west of the city."
"Oh..." Tang Yuan was a little disappointed, but quickly cheered up again, "Are there any other interesting places at school?"
"Yes, there is." He Chutian pointed behind him, "That's the stadium, and further south is the swimming pool."
"Oh, by the way, the school also has a martial arts club, which is quite active and often organizes performances and competitions. You can check it out if you're interested."
As he said this, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Su Nian.
Su Nian had finished talking to the boy and was standing alone on the steps at the entrance of the cafeteria.
Looking at Su Nian, He Chutian felt that same sense of disgust welling up inside him again.
It wasn't because Su Nian did anything wrong, but because of the "Xia Lan" aura she possessed.
That upright posture, standing like a pine tree and sitting like a bell, that indifferent detachment from everything.
That kind of inherent sense of superiority, like "I am a Xia Lan and I am proud".
He Chutian was all too familiar with this feeling.
He Yezhou also had it.
Every time He Yezhou looked at him, it was with this kind of gaze.
It's not that I look down on it, it's that there's no need to look at it at all.
Just like when you look at a stone on the side of the road, you don't need to look down on it, because it doesn't deserve to be included in your evaluation system at all.
Su Nian is better than He Yezhou; at least she doesn't look at people with that kind of gaze.
But He Chutian knew that in her heart, he was nothing more than a "collateral descendant of the He family," a "container" with fragments of Taotie inside him, and a loser who could never become a Xia Lan.
A loser will not pity another loser.
He Chutian never considered Su Nian to be his equal.
She and her father, who ran a martial arts school, were nothing but pathetic creatures clinging to the glory of their ancestors.
Their martial arts school business was so-so; if it weren't for the recent investment from the Lin family, they would probably be in even more trouble.
Lin.
He Chutian narrowed his eyes.
The Lin family is a core force of the conservative faction and has close ties with Jiugongling.
The Lin family's investment means that Su Nian's martial arts school has a powerful backer, and it also means that the conservatives are secretly accumulating power.
But what does this have to do with He Chutian?
He is a collateral branch of the He family, not the main branch.
The feud between the main He family and Jiugongling is none of his business as a collateral branch.
He just needs to do his own thing, study hard, manage his relationships well, and live a good life.
Being alive is more important than anything else.
"Senior? Senior!" Tang Yuan's voice rang out again, tinged with amusement and exasperation, "Why are you so distracted today?"
"Sorry, sorry." He Chutian waved his hand with a smile, "I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm not feeling well."
"Then you should go back and rest early. You don't have to force yourself to stay with us," Tang Yuan said with concern.
"It's okay, we'll be fine after a walk." He Chutian pushed up his glasses, drawing his attention back to the present. "Come on, I'll take you to Wutong Avenue. It's a really nice place to take pictures, you can post them on your WeChat Moments."
"Great! Great!" Tang Yuan clapped her hands excitedly.
The four of them walked east along the main road of the campus. When they passed the stadium, they saw several clubs setting up booths to recruit new members.
There were photography clubs, guitar clubs, street dance clubs, debate teams... all sorts of colorful signs and flyers, accompanied by deafening music, creating quite a lively scene.
As they walked, He Chutian introduced the various clubs to them, explaining which ones had the most members, which ones had the most activities, and which ones were helpful for improving their comprehensive assessment scores.
Tang Yuan listened attentively, occasionally asking a few questions.
Lu Siye followed behind without saying a word.
He Chutian paused at the entrance of Wutong Avenue.
"This road is called Wutong Avenue. It is 800 meters long and has more than 400 sycamore trees planted on both sides. Most of them were planted when the school was built."
"The leaves turn yellow in autumn, which is especially beautiful and makes it a popular spot for taking photos in Taoyuan City."
As he spoke, something suddenly occurred to him, and his tone became somewhat subtle: "By the way, turn right at the end of this road, there's a rather interesting place. Would you like to check it out?"
"Where?" Tang Yuan asked.
"The martial arts club's activity room," He Chutian said, "is just a short distance ahead. They should be recruiting new members today; they've set up a booth at the entrance. You can go check it out if you're interested."
He spoke calmly, but his heart was churning.
Because the martial arts club's activity room is located at the end of Wutong Avenue, and Su Nian practices swordsmanship there every morning.
Sure enough, when they arrived at the martial arts club's booth, Su Nian was standing there.
She leaned against the table, holding a registration form in her hand, seemingly organizing information about new members.
Seeing the three approaching, she raised her eyelids slightly, her gaze sweeping over them, and then...
That's all.
She lowered her head and continued organizing the registration forms.
There was no change in expression, and no intention to greet anyone.
He Chutian was already used to it.
Su Nian's attitude towards him has always been like this.
Cold and distant.
It wasn't because of personal grudges, but because of the relationship between the two families.
The He family is called the "radicals" by the people of Jiugongling, meaning "traitors who betrayed the Xia Lan legacy for personal gain."
Su Nian is from Jiugongling, so naturally she wouldn't give a friendly look to a "radical" collateral branch.
However, at school, out of consideration for face, they would occasionally have some interactions.
For example, when the student union and the martial arts club jointly organize an event, they need to sit down together for a meeting.
Back then, Su Nian would talk to him, but every sentence was so brief it couldn't be shorter, as if saying even one more word would be a waste of her life.
He Chutian never minded.
Or rather, he made himself not to mind.
A loser doesn't care about the attitude of another loser.
In He Chutian's view, Su Nian, like him, was someone abandoned by the times.
He was abandoned by his family, while she was abandoned by the times.
They all end up as losers, no matter the path they take.
But Su Nian is better than him at least in one thing.
She is a Xia Lan.
Even if it's just the lowest level of Xia Lan, even if the Five Elements Xia Lan's limelight has long been overshadowed by the He family's research on wind attributes.
Even if only five people remain in Jiugongling, treated like mascots by the public, she is still a Xia Lan.
She possesses the Xia Lan seal.
She can use the Xia Lan technique.
She has the right to stand atop Jiugongling Mountain and overlook the city.
And he had nothing.
He Chutian withdrew his gaze and, as if nothing had happened, continued to introduce Tang Yuan and Lu Siye.
"That's the activity room for the martial arts club. It's quite large, and there's also a small training ground inside."
"They train every week and occasionally perform for others. If you're interested, you can go and check it out."
Tang Yuan curiously peeked inside.
"Su Nian is the president of the martial arts club. She's a junior, in the same year as me."
"I practice the Five Elements Fist and have won the provincial martial arts competition."
"However, she has a rather aloof personality and doesn't talk much. If you try to strike up a conversation, don't expect her to talk for very long."
"Wow, that sounds amazing." Tang Yuan stuck out her tongue. "But I'm still not going. Someone as lazy as me would only embarrass myself if I went."
He Chutian smiled and didn't insist.
His gaze swept over Su Nian again.
Su Nian had finished organizing the registration forms and was folding them up and putting them into a folder.
Her movements were swift and decisive, each action crisp and without any unnecessary steps.
She put the folder into her backpack, then picked up the unsheathed sword, turned and walked into the activity room.
She didn't look at He Chutian even once from beginning to end.
He Chutian felt another surge of disgust.
Pitiful.
He Chutian coldly uttered those two words in his mind.
But the one who suffered was not Su Nian, but the entire Jiugongling.
Two hundred years ago, the He family made their choice.
That choice was condemned by countless people at the time; he was a traitor to the Xia Lan clan, a disgrace to his family, and a despicable person who sold his soul for profit.
The ancestors of the He family bore these infamy and walked step by step to where they are today.
Today, the He family is a government-recognized "authoritative institution for the research of special energy bodies," possessing the most advanced primordial energy research technology in the country, with its own independent laboratory and ample funding.
The Ho family's children can go to university, study abroad, and enter any field they want.
What about Jiugongling?
Five Xia Lan, a dilapidated mountain gate, a barely surviving martial arts school, and an "investment" from the Lin family.
What if Jiugongling had won back then?
He Chutian would occasionally think about this question.
If Jiugongling hadn't refused the government's cooperation back then, if they had also chosen "transformation," if they had also entered laboratories and conference rooms like the He family.
So, will today's Xia Lan be different?
Will there be more Xia Lan? Will there be more resources? Will there be...?
Could he also become a Xia Lan?
Even the most basic level of sniffing.
Even just standing at the foot of Jiugongling Mountain and taking a look from afar.
He Chutian shook his head, dismissing the thought.
Pointless.
There are no "what ifs" in this world.
He has fragments of the Taotie beast within him, which prevents him from becoming a Xia Lan in his lifetime. He is a vessel for a collateral branch of the He family, and his fate was decided when he was four years old.
All he needs to do is stay alive.
Being alive is more important than anything else.
My phone vibrated.
He Chutian glanced down and saw it was a message from Gui Chuyu.
"Honey, want to have lunch together? I'll be waiting for you at the library~(＾▽＾)"
He looked at the message on the screen, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Gui Chuyu always uses these cute emoticons, like a little girl who never grows up.
But in He Chutian's eyes, this was not naivety, but a carefully designed "persona".
Just like how he meticulously designs every smile he makes.
In a sense, he and Gui Chuyu are the same kind of people.
He Chutian put away his phone and said to Tang Yuan, "Excuse me, my girlfriend needs to talk to me, so I have to go now."
"Why don't you guys explore on your own? The campus isn't big; just follow this path and you'll find your way back to the dorms."
"Okay, okay, senior, you go ahead and get busy!" Tang Yuan quickly waved her hand. "Thank you so much for telling us so much today."
"You're welcome, it's my pleasure." He Chutian smiled, then glanced at Lu Siyue. "Student Lu, if there's anything you don't understand about school, you can ask Tang Yuan, or send me a message. My phone is on 24/7."
Lu Siye nodded slightly without saying anything.
He Chutian turned and left, but after a few steps, he stopped and looked back.
Tang Yuan was standing under the sycamore tree, looking up at the canopy.
He Chutian withdrew his gaze and strode towards the library.
As he walked out of Wutong Avenue, his phone vibrated again.
It wasn't a message from Gui Chuyu, but from an unmarked number.
Only one line of text:
"Did you feel it?"
He Chutian stopped and stared at the words for a full ten seconds.
He recognized the number.
It was a message from an unknown number last night. He only replied with a question mark, and the other party did not reply.
It's been sent again now.
He typed a line: "Who?"
send.
The message was sent and showed as read, but there was no reply.
He Chutian stood by the roadside, holding his phone, his fingers slightly clenched.
"it".
This word sent chills down his spine.
Because this morning, he did indeed feel "it".
The restlessness of the Taotie fragments.
It wasn't the faint burning sensation I felt last night, but a stronger, more distinct...excitement.
Yes, I'm excited.
The gluttonous fragments inside him were excited.
From the moment Lu Siye appeared before him, the fragments of the Taotie seemed to be awakened, surging, churning, and roaring in his blood.
He Chutian took a deep breath, put his phone in his pocket, and continued walking forward.