svetikya 1095. After winning
1095. After winning
Overwhelmed with emotion, Lei Jingxiao didn't think twice and immediately reached out and hugged Zi Yan.
The latter was somewhat surprised by this, especially with so many people watching. Zi Yan, whose emotions had calmed down, became extremely shy again and subconsciously tried to break free.
But as she felt Lei Jingxiao's body temperature, and especially as he kept whispering in her ear, "I finally won, I didn't lose to him again..."
Zi Yan even heard a hint of a sob in Lei Jingxiao's voice, and she couldn't bring herself to push him away any longer.
"That's right, you won!"
After embracing for a while, Lei Jingxiao also sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere, especially when he looked up and saw Wei Jiangyuan looking at him with a mocking gaze.
"Hey, Lei Zi, pretend I don't exist! Seeing you reaping success in both your love life and career is truly touching!"
Lei Jingxiao awkwardly released Zi Yan, who gave a slightly helpless hum and then went to find Xun'er.
At this moment, Xiao Yan and Wei Jiangyuan truly offered their praise.
"Great job, Lei Shao looks really handsome today!"
"Xiao Lei, you did a great job today!"
Besides attending the Medicine Clan's pharmacopoeia, their most important reason for coming was to witness Lei Jingxiao's battle firsthand. Now that they could see him successfully defeat his nemesis, everyone was genuinely happy for him.
That very evening, these young people gathered again to share Lei Jingxiao's important moment. Surrounded by his friends, Lei Jingxiao felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.
……
On the second day of the Lei Clan's succession battle, Lei Jingxiao met his father, Lei Ying, the patriarch of the Lei Clan.
Whether before meeting Lei Ying or when the two were alone in a room, Lei Jingxiao could not suppress the turbulent emotions churning within him.
He admired the man before him from the bottom of his heart, because he was his father, and also because he was the strongest member of the Thunder Clan, the one he was determined to pursue for the rest of his life.
Within the Lei Clan, succession is determined by strength, so until yesterday, everyone assumed that Lei Dong would inevitably inherit the position of clan leader. Lei Ying had also expressed his approval of Lei Dong to Lei Jingxiao, but this approval of others was seen as a form of neglect towards Lei Jingxiao.
Lei Jingxiao could accept this: within the Lei Clan, strength is paramount, and it has always been so.
So when he truly began cultivating, he completely regarded Lei Dong as his imaginary rival, setting all his standards according to Lei Dong's. He worked frantically, and with the help of his aunt Jiang Yunyan, successfully surpassed many of the young prodigies of the Lei clan.
Just yesterday, Lei Dong, the strongest member of the Lei Clan, had already been defeated by him. Lei Jingxiao could finally stand tall and face Lei Ying with his head held high. He wanted to tell his father that he was now a strong man too. He was no weaker than anyone else, and he could be trusted.
No one doesn't yearn for their father's approval, and this is especially true for Lei Jingxiao, who lost his mother at a young age.
But when he actually stood in front of Lei Ying, Lei Jingxiao didn't know what to say; he was caught in a panic, completely at a loss.
"Jingxiao, you did very well yesterday."
He longed to appear nonchalant, to accept this recognition with the composure and humility of a seasoned victor. He tried to control his emotions, wanting to say, "It's what I should do," or "Thank you for the praise, Father."
But the body's reaction is always more honest than words. His cheeks instantly burned, and he responded quickly and loudly, "Yes, Father!"
Lei Ying patted Lei Jingxiao on the shoulder: "Your mother will be very happy to see that you have accomplished this much."
Mentioning his mother stirred up considerable emotion in Lei Jingxiao. His mother had passed away a little over a year after his birth, and he had never had any image of her in his mind.
All his knowledge came from Jiang Yunyan and other members of the Lei Clan. Over the years, Jiang Yunyan hadn't talked much about her mother, but she conveyed only one message to Lei Jingxiao: his mother was absolutely the person who loved him most in the world.
"I really wish she were here!"
When this topic came up, Lei Ying himself became somewhat strange, tightly closing his eyes as if he were recalling something, or perhaps he was in great pain.
"She...is the only love of my life, and that has never changed."
This was the first time Lei Jingxiao had heard his father talk about his mother. He was puzzled and unsure how to respond, realizing that his father was quite different from the authoritative figure he remembered. He had never imagined his father would be like this; the sudden change caught him off guard.
"Jingxiao, there's something I think... it's time to tell you."
"What?"
Lei Jingxiao keenly sensed that the atmosphere between the father and son seemed a bit strange, quite different from what he had expected—his father's joy at finally becoming strong.
From Lei Ying's behavior at this moment, he could only sense the intense pain in Lei Ying's heart.
"Actually, I've seen every bit of progress you've made and every drop of sweat you've shed over the years."
"But... most of the time, I'm actually... taking my anger out on you."
"Huh? What?"
Lei Jingxiao even doubted his own ears at first. He didn't believe what Lei Ying said, and he didn't dare to think that it was true.
"Because without you, your mother... could have avoided dying."
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, leaving Lei Jingxiao frozen in place.
Lei Ying didn't pause. Once this topic started, he had to tell the whole story. His voice carried an eerie calm: "Descendants of Dou Di are completely different from ordinary people, especially since I am the patriarch of the Lei Clan, and my bloodline power is extremely domineering. Your mother didn't have any outstanding talent in cultivation, and I originally used all sorts of methods to prolong her life."
"But an accident still happened. This wasn't your mother's first pregnancy; we had a child before, but after weighing the options, your brother wasn't born."
As Lei Ying recounted the story, Lei Jingxiao was trying his best to digest the information Lei Ying was sharing.
"But that incident dealt your mother an unprecedented blow. For a long time, she was unable to get over it and remained deeply mired in self-blame. I originally thought that as long as I comforted her, she would eventually be able to come to her senses and move on..."