C1 The King Returns

Gazing out the window at the swiftly receding landscape, Zhang Xiaodong's gaze was tinged with a mix of complex emotions and deep reflection.

Five years! An entire five years had passed!

It had been that long since the once fresh-faced young man had left home, and he never imagined he'd make it back after all this time.

"I wonder how my former lover, friends, and brothers are doing now?" Zhang Xiaodong mused, as scenes from his past flickered through his mind. Each memory brought a subtle smile to his lips, sometimes sparking laughter, sometimes tinged with sadness.

"Hello, sir."

While Zhang Xiaodong was lost in his reverie, a crisp female voice broke through his thoughts.

Turning around, he found himself face to face with a city-dwelling office lady clad in a professional OL uniform.

The woman was strikingly beautiful, with an oval face, willowy brows, and refined features. Her figure was accentuated by the silver-white uniform, giving her a captivating allure. If Zhang Xiaodong had to describe her in a word, 'exquisite' would be the first to come to mind.

"What can I do for you, miss?" Zhang Xiaodong asked with a gentle smile.

"You're in my seat," the woman said, pointing to the seat number on her ticket with a detached tone.

Zhang Xiaodong glanced up at the seat number, his brow furrowing in confusion as he asked, "Are you also 2B?"

"What are you talking about? You're the idiot!" The woman's face flushed with anger, her previously favorable impression of Zhang Xiaodong plummeting.

Zhang Xiaodong was taken aback, thinking to himself how quickly her charming image had shifted.

However, it didn't take long for him to realize she had likely misinterpreted his words. With a wry smile and a shake of his head, he clarified, "Miss, you've misunderstood me. I wasn't calling you an idiot; I was referring to your ticket, seat 2B."

Seeing the fury in the woman's eyes, Zhang Xiaodong knew that any further explanation would only dig him deeper into trouble, so he chose to drop the subject.

Nalan Feifei shot him a piercing look before taking her seat with an icy demeanor.

She thought to herself about the variety of people one encounters, her previously good mood now thoroughly disrupted by this man's blunder.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaodong held the ticket with its smudged watermark, lamenting the unscrupulous scalper who had promised a legitimate ticket but had sold him a counterfeit.

At that moment, Zhang Xiaodong turned to take a look at the woman beside him.

She was undeniably beautiful, with her long black hair and lengthy legs, but it was her exquisite face that was particularly captivating.

Perhaps due to exhaustion, Nalan Feifei had succumbed to sleep shortly after getting into the car. She drifted off, her beautiful eyes closing without her even realizing it.

Slowly, her slender body began to lean towards Zhang Xiaodong, her lovely head eventually resting boldly on his shoulder. Completely relaxed and breathing evenly, it was clear she was truly worn out.

Inhaling the enchanting scent emanating from her, Zhang Xiaodong shook his head with a wry smile, finding himself unable to resist her. It was, after all, just a minor misunderstanding, and he felt a certain fondness for her.

It was hard to believe such a stunning woman could be so exhausted. With her looks, she could easily have wealthy suitors lined up with offers, so why exhaust herself to such an extent?

She had no idea how long she had slept, but as the train reached its destination and the announcement played, Nalan Feifei slowly opened her beautiful eyes.

As she tried to sit up, she was shocked to find herself in an embrace.

Turning her head, she discovered the very man who had insulted her earlier was now holding her close, asleep. Most unforgivably, his hand was resting on her waist, and his head was propped against her shoulder.

Nalan Feifei, who had never been touched by a man, was now wrapped in the arms of a stranger! This completely shattered her understanding of the world.

What was even more infuriating was that this disheveled man, upon waking, wiped away some drool and stretched lazily, saying, "You're awake? You look so mischievous when you sleep. If I hadn't held you so tightly, you might have ended up kissing me."

In that moment, Nalan Feifei felt like she was in a surreal dream, having encountered such an oddity.

After his stretch, he casually placed his hand back on her waist, embracing her with an air of ease.

"Release your grip!" Nalan Feifei, livid, her complexion turning, forcefully pushed him away. She glared at him icily, demanding, "Tell me, what have you done to me?"

Nalan Feifei was brimming with unspoken hurt, her luminous eyes glistening with a few crystal-like tears, giving the impression that Zhang Xiaodong had truly wronged her.

Zhang Xiaodong couldn't help but feel wronged himself. It was she who had fallen asleep on his shoulder, and he hadn't minded, yet now she was turning the tables on him.

"Come on, miss, it seems like you're the one who did something to me," Zhang Xiaodong said with a sense of resignation as he looked at her.

Nalan Feifei, her teeth clenched in frustration and aware of the surrounding stares, realized that persisting would lead nowhere. She grabbed her purse and stepped hard on Zhang Xiaodong's foot, demanding icily, "Out of my way!"

Zhang Xiaodong winced in pain, thinking to himself that this woman was the epitome of unreasonableness.

Stepping off the train and standing at the station entrance, Zhang Xiaodong clutched his military green bag, gazing at the azure sky, his heart heavy with emotion.

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

The number on the display prompted a frown from Zhang Xiaodong, and the warmth in his smile was replaced by a chill.

"Wang, have you really gone?" The voice on the other end was a woman's, magnetic and tinged with both sorrow and urgency.

Zhang Xiaodong let out a wry, helpless chuckle, his voice rough and gravelly as he replied, "Yali, I've told you before. I just want to live a normal life now. Don't call me again. I'm no longer your king. Follow the new one."

"But you are the only king in our hearts, irreplaceable!" Yali's voice was fervent with emotion. "Once a king, always a king."

"Foolish woman. The past is the past. Don't call me, don't look for me. Let me enjoy my days in peace."

"But, Wang, what if..."

"Enough. I'm about to catch a ride. If I'm still around, I'll be sure to find you."

With that, Zhang Xiaodong ended the call.

A touch of melancholy crossed his face as he instinctively reached for his chest, acutely aware that his time was running short. Determined to make the most of his remaining days, he was ready to embark on the final journey of his life.

After stepping out of the train station, Zhang Xiaodong decided against hailing a taxi, opting instead to make his way home on foot.

Years had passed, and in this era of rapid development, he was eager to witness the extent of Zhonghai City's growth.

Guided by the memories etched in his mind, he trekked along the rugged mountain road until the evening drew in at six o'clock.

His hometown nestled in the Eastern District, one of the four quarters of Zhonghai City, known to be one of the less developed areas. To his surprise, after all these years, the small town on the outskirts where Zhang Xiaodong's home lay had scarcely changed.

Leaning against the roadside, Zhang Xiaodong took a reflective pause, the half-burnt cigarette dangling from his lips.

As he pressed on, a desperate plea for help pierced the air.

"Help! Don't come any closer, or I swear I'll..."

In a nearby copse, less than a hundred meters from Zhang Xiaodong, three bald thugs were assaulting a young woman. Her struggles only fueled their brutish fervor.

The thugs cackled with excitement; two of them pinned the woman's arms and legs, while the third set about stripping her of her clothes.

Ning Qingqing's tears flowed as her jacket was ripped apart. She continued to fight back fiercely, her cries for help echoing through the trees.