Chapter 633

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 633: Bitter Resentment

The first feeling upon returning home was not nostalgia, not excitement, not even the wanderlust and confusion of a returning traveler.

It was resentment.

Bai Wei didn’t inquire further, and Xue Hanlei seemed to have not uttered the two words just now, her expression unchanged.

Arriving at the Dragon Palace under Huaishui, the palace was not magnificent, but tranquil, giving a sense of peaceful passage of time.

The news had already spread here.

The carriage halted, within the somewhat chilly Huai River Dragon Palace, there were not many aquatic beings in sight. Only a few aquatic guards nearby, and some clam maidens and Fish Mothers stood quietly on both sides of the main hall, glancing over discreetly.

Xue Hanlei got off the carriage and looked at the familiar place, the familiar palace. She grew up here and knew every corner of this place.

After leaving for a short time, she felt like she had traveled to a different world. She even thought she might never be able to come back here again in her lifetime.

Now, she finally came back, fulfilling a long-time wish in her heart.

She should have felt happy, but instead of feeling relieved, she felt heavy inside, as if something was pressing on her heart, like a heavy object about to pierce through a plastic bag, with something ready to spill out.

"Why are you standing there like a fool?" a voice came from the side, "Come on, show me around your home."

This voice brought Xue Hanlei back to reality. She quietly agreed and followed Bai Wei. Walking behind him, she felt like a stranger in her own home.

Visiting was unnecessary.

In the center of the Dragon Palace’s main hall, Huaishui Dragon King was already waiting.

Bai Wei had seen many dragons before, each with its own unique features. Huaishui Dragon King appeared gentle and delicate, with facial features somewhat similar to Xue Hanlei’s but even more effeminate, described as scholarly or lacking in masculine qualities.

During a chat, Ao Hanli mentioned that Chi Long is a very beautiful dragon race. In the dragon’s aesthetic perspective, both male and female Chi Long are very handsome, just like the ancient spirits in the Europa legend, long-lived, beautiful, elegant, and skilled in battle.

"Huaishui Xue Zhengli." The Dragon Lord bowed to Bai Wei. "Thank you for escorting my daughter back to Huaishui, it has been a tough journey."

Bai Wei accepted the gesture gracefully, without any pretense, and asked straightforwardly, "You know about it?"

"Yes," Xue Zhengli nodded.

"Did you also arrange the water clans on both sides?"

"Correct."

"It’s unnecessary," Xue Hanlei said in a cold tone. "Even without those water clans, we could have returned."

Xue Zhengli, with a very good temper, nodded gently and said. I was a little flustered. Should I recall them?

Xue Hanlei asked. Recall them? So everyone outside knows I’ve returned and then waits for others to block the gates of the Dragon Palace?

The obedient Huaishui Dragon King said. Then let’s not withdraw, just stay there, also a good diversion, that…

Xue Hanlei waved her hand impatiently and said. Do as you wish!

Xue Zhengli lowered his hands, held out a fruit in front of him, and said pleasingly, "Hanlei, are you tired or hungry? Let the kitchen maid make a dish. This is a spiritual fruit from the South Sea, try it…"

Xue Hanlei felt a surge of anger, raised her hand and knocked the fruit away. The fruit flew out and Bai Wei casually tucked it into his sleeve.

"It is indeed…"

She stared at her father, opened her mouth as if to say something, swallowed many words, turned and left, leaving behind a bitter sigh, "Nothing has changed at all."

She walked towards the exit on the side of the main hall.

"Where are you going?" Bai Wei shouted.

"To bathe and change! Burn incense and sweep the dust!" Xue Hanlei left without looking back, after all, this was her home, she could do as she pleased.

After Xue Hanlei left, Xue Zhengli clasped his hands together and said. I apologize for the inconvenience caused to our guest.

His demeanor was exceptional, even somewhat humble. When Bai Wei, a commoner, met Lord Chaohu, the latter expressed gratitude without being overly humble. Respect from within rarely showed on the surface, with a ten-point inner respect translating to a maximum of three points externally, or even just one point, due to the inherent pride of the dragon race.

The naturally humble dragon race, much like the disciplined pandas, made people wonder if they truly existed.

Furthermore, Xue Zhengli was a Dragon Lord, with the strength of a Dragon King. His overall ranking reached an impressive fifty-nine, not far from the legendary Dragon race.

Is it necessary to be so modest? It makes me quite uncomfortable… You should revert to the typically unruly and proud manner of the dragon race; it suits you better.

During the conversation with Xue Zhengli that lasted for a quarter of an hour.

Bai Wei was starting to realize that this Huaishui Dragon King had a surprisingly gentle personality. He was not forceful, but rather polite and courteous, fitting the standards of a gentleman in the Ming Country’s eyes. However, as an Earth Dragon King in the Dragon Palace, he might be seen as a bit too soft.

Being the Huaishui Dragon King, and not belonging to waters like Lake Taihu or Dongting Lake, known for their peacefulness, meant that he was destined to be at a disadvantage when facing the Black Dragons of the North Sea. Initially disadvantaged in appearance and nature, this situation turned into an ultimate disadvantage. There was no possibility of turning the tables unless they encountered collective EDG.

Xue Zhengli’s temperament gave the impression that he was quite easily influenced.

Bai Wei has been dealing with different races for many years, and he is sure that the more gentle the Dragon King behaves, the more there must be a reason why he cannot be firm.

Despite his seemingly weak nature, people say that there is a lion hidden in Lumingfei’s eyes.

The truth is reciprocal, he is not really weak, he just hasn’t lost his temper yet.

About an hour passed, Xue Hanlei finished washing up, changed into new clothes and returned to the hall, her emotions seemed much calmer.

Xue Zhengli also had dinner prepared, and at the dining table, the father and daughter were silent like strangers.

The father wanted to express his care for his daughter, but he knew he was not good with words, so he just kept passing dishes.

Xue Hanlei was increasingly annoyed by the attention, she held back her temper several times, but then Bai Wei’s bowl suffered, as she continuously filled it with various foods.

Thus concluded Xue Zhengli passing dishes to Xue Hanlei, Xue Hanlei passing them to Bai Wei, and Bai Wei being responsible for silently eating without time to talk.

Here, Bai Wei ate too much for the first time, and used an excuse to leave the table to digest, giving the father and daughter some space to talk.

He tried hard to listen at the corner of the wall, but didn’t hear much of the conversation. Xue Hanlei ended the conversation in just a few short sentences.

"Since I chose to save myself, I don’t need your help."

"I didn’t do this for you, so don’t try to impress me with your emotions."

"That’s all I have to say… I’ll take him to see our mother later, you don’t need to come along."

After giving one-sided instructions, Xue Hanlei stood up and left. She walked to the corridor outside the door and said to Bai Wei, "I’m leaving."

"Hmm?" Bai Wei pretended to look around at the scenery.

"I know you were eavesdropping, and I didn’t plan to hide it from you," Xue Hanlei rolled her eyes. "There’s nothing to hide, you’ve always been curious why I had to marry to Hongze, right? Come with me and you’ll find out the answer."

Bai Wei readily followed Xue Hanlei.

Passing through layers of sailors and guards, they arrived at the deepest part of the Dragon Palace. It was clearly a very old place, with a timeless aura filling the water. Bai Wei felt strangely familiar with this aura, like recognizing something but not necessarily fondly. It was like seeing an interesting picture before, feeling like you’ve seen it somewhere but forgetting where.

In the depths of the old address, there was a stone house furnished with all kinds of furniture. At the far end, there was a bed with curtains hanging down to separate the space.

Bai Wei vaguely saw a woman sitting up gently on the bed. She seemed to have heard footsteps that were different from before. Her breathing was slightly quick and weak.

"Yes…?"

When Xue Hanlei heard the voice, all the sadness, resentment, helplessness, and anger between her brows faded away. Without these disguises, all that remained on her face and in her voice was love and fragility.

"Mother."

Her nose felt sour. "Hanlei, you’re back."

…

Bai Wei didn’t enter but stayed outside, waiting. He had a good level of emotional intelligence, realizing that intruding on a reunion between a mother and daughter was not the right thing to do. If he were to reunite with his own mother, he would definitely not want onlookers present.

Of course, curiosity was also important to him, so he listened from the corner.

"Please come in, guests from outside," a weak voice said.

Bai Wei heard the call, hesitated for a moment, then walked inside where the curtains had been drawn open.

Xue Hanlei sat by the bedside, supporting the ailing woman lying on the bed. Her appearance bore some resemblance to Xue Hanlei, both beautiful and delicate, yet her face was too pale, exuding a strong sense of duskiness that discounted her beauty significantly. She seemed weak, as if she hadn’t eaten for days, and thin as though she was just skin and bones.

"Come closer, so I can have a better look at you."

Her voice was very gentle, like delicate water flowing over river rocks, creating light ripples.

Bai Wei slowly approached and saw her lifting a hand to reach out, involuntarily lowering his head slightly. It was then that he noticed her eyesight was nearly failing.

Xue Hanlei’s mother gently held Bai Wei’s hand, "Thank you, kind child."

Bai Wei nodded, this close proximity allowing him to see a series of words floating above the woman’s head.

[Huai]

[Water Deity]

[The people’s grievance is like a poison, and the illness has reached a critical point.]

A glimpse of it was seen before, and now it is completely confirmed.

Xue Hanlei’s mother is not of the dragon clan, but of the Huaihe River Water Deity.

The flooding of the Huaihe River has caused backlash from the people. The water disaster has been going on for five hundred years, escalating more and more. The Water Deity cannot escape death, sooner or later.