Chapter 621 - 372: The True Meaning of Life (2)

"Can’t press any more."

Seeing that Zhao Qingge was almost out of breath, leaving the entire bed soaked with her sweat, Wu Wenyue softly stopped the other two girls: "It’s been too long, and we’ve been using too much force. If we keep going, we might actually send Old Zhao to the hospital."

"But she hasn’t even said a word of concession..."

Huang Tianxuan sighed in disappointment but was considerate enough to get off Zhao Qingge. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and waved her hand: "Let’s leave it at that. Punishing her a bit has satisfied me for now."

"I was even planning on filming her apology."

Even as she said this, Xu Manning reluctantly put down the fascia gun.

"Heh, heh, is it over?"

Zhao Qingge, realizing the three had stopped, felt the restraints from her body lifted. She slightly turned her head to look on either side, then slowly sat up. Though she looked exhausted as if recovering from a serious illness, and her face seemed weak as if she hadn’t eaten in days, her expression was cold and stern, her voice hoarse yet solemn: "Didn’t you guys eat? Is this all you’ve got?"

Xu Manning bit her teeth in annoyance, thinking that if she were treated this way, even for just half a minute, she’d say whatever was needed, but Zhao Qingge endured it. Why? That shouldn’t be possible, there must be...

No wonder she’s the daughter of the stars, the song of the heavens!

Even though Huang Tianxuan was impressed, she didn’t show it outright and smiled: "Old Zhao, there’s no need for harsh words now. Have you forgotten how miserable you just were? Learn from this and don’t act so aloof, or you’ll suffer more in the future!"

Wu Wenyue followed up with a warning: "Stay away from Xiaofeng in the future. Tomorrow is the start of the school term. Though he only has one semester left, you are still his mentor—show some professionalism! That’s my only request."

"What I do is none of your business,"

Zhao Qingge sneered continuously, her arrogance leaving no room for further words. She tried to get up and leave but couldn’t support herself immediately due to weakness.

"Drink some water to recover."

Suddenly, Xu Manning, in an unexpected gesture of thoughtfulness, handed Zhao Qingge her water cup.

With a slight frown, the latter opened the cup and carefully inspected it. Finding nothing unusual inside, she took a big sip, sitting on the bed and taking deep breaths to regain her strength, feeling the soreness in her lower body.

Taking this opportunity, Xu Manning leaned in close, observing Zhao Qingge’s rosy yet pale face, slightly furrowing her brow: "Why do I feel like no matter how hard we went at it, you didn’t seem to feel any pain?"

"Hmm?"

Something seemed to cross Wu Wenyue’s mind, she gasped, grabbing Xu Manning with her left arm and Huang Tianxuan with her right. Despite her own fear, she presented a protective stance.

In an instant, the roles were reversed, now it was one against three.

"What are you all imagining?!"

Zhao Qingge remained cool and proud, ignoring the three’s strange glances, got up to grab a long down jacket from the clothes rack, draped it over herself, and holding her water cup, she left the room without hesitation.

One must admit, despite the three girls’ rough technique and strong pressure, it was effective. Although Zhao Qingge struggled to walk after her leg workout, after the massage and some rest with a drink of water, she walked briskly and confidently, her stride elegant and poised, quickly disappearing from their sight...

...

"Back? Let’s eat."

At 8:10 PM, the three returned to Jintian City Apartments. Li Peifeng had seemingly timed things perfectly, finishing the last dish and placing it on the table.

"Haven’t showered yet, wait a bit..."

"Eat first, you can shower later."

Unable to wait, Xu Manning quickly changed into slippers, followed the aroma into the dining room, sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and grabbed a piece of braised ribs. As soon as it entered her mouth, a serene and satisfied smile unconsciously spread across her face.

This was the taste, and it seemed his cooking skills had improved again.

Beyond the excellent taste and filling satisfaction the dish provided, there was an indescribable emotion and atmosphere.

The flavors of bitterness, spiciness, sourness, and sweetness encapsulated the rush and steadiness of life’s journey, warmth, and happiness. A single bite allowed the experience of life’s beauty...

"Improved your cooking skills?"

But as Xu Manning swallowed her food, her thoughts cleared and she became slightly displeased: "Is it because you’ve been cooking for her often?"

Isn’t that obvious?

Li Peifeng put down the large bowl and moved closer to kiss Xu Manning on the cheek: "Eat up, I’ll serve you rice."

"Aren’t you eating?"

"I already ate with Dao’er."

"Heh~"

Upon hearing the word "Dao’er," the three girls exchanged knowing smiles.

Wu Wenyue even laughed, "Use your special abilities to guess what we did to your Dao’er during fitness?"

Li Peifeng not only knew what they did during fitness, but also what Zhao Qingge was doing now...

"Woosh~"

The shower spray poured down as Zhao Qingge carefully scrubbed her body, completing each step of shampooing, conditioning, and bathing, finally drying her hair and wiping off the droplets from her skin.

Today’s shower routine was slower than usual because Zhao Qingge occasionally lost focus, as if pondering something.

However, it eventually concluded. Draped in a nightgown, Zhao Qingge, instead of opening her computer like usual in the study, opened a long-neglected diary.

Picking up a pen, she wrote down today’s date and weather, pondered, then began to write...

[Injury hones, cinnamon derives, scars etch, sandalwood forms.]

[Wu Wenyue, Huang Tianxuan, Xu Manning, I remember the grudge against you three, and I will settle it one day!]

Zhao Qingge’s exclamation points were a bit large, seemingly to show her resolve, but the next line returned to normal handwriting.

[After all, they are just kids, using these little tricks, meaningless, heedless of the gravity of life.]

[Life is a healing process, we get hurt, we heal, then get hurt, then heal again. I don’t know when it started or how many times I’ve been hurt and healed, but I started to become unafraid of suffering.]

[When my heart is resolute enough, I even come to like the sound of breaking in my body and the healing process. In those alternating moments of sorrow and joy lie secrets of rebirth, and this hopeless life is something I love.]

"You made my Dao’er understand the true meaning of life!"

Li Peifeng sat at the side of the table, saying this earnestly...

"Huh?"

The three girls froze, Wu Wenyue sneered: "Even if your special abilities aren’t working, there’s no need to spout nonsense. Let me be honest: after the leg workout, we pretended to massage her..."

Huang Tianxuan agreed: "You can’t even imagine it, if you saw it with your own eyes... heh!"

Xu Manning added: "To be honest, she’s got a split personality and enjoys being abused!"

"So what?"

Li Peifeng asked in bewilderment: "Most people choose to live on in the world rather than commit suicide after reaching adulthood. From a certain perspective, isn’t that being a masochist?"

Li Peifeng cited references, speaking with reason: "There’s a famous saying, a true hero is someone who, after recognizing life’s cruel truth, still loves it... But life is so cruel, and you still love it? Isn’t that masochism?!"

Huang Tianxuan sighed: "No wonder you and your student match so well. I almost forgot you’re a weirdo too!"

Li Peifeng pondered: "You still have room for improvement."

"To make ourselves more perverted? You’re really sick, shut up!"

"I meant to enhance your understanding of life, duh!"