"I've always wanted to marry a warrior like you. I remember when Grandma told me we were engaged, I was so excited I nearly jumped for joy. But when I saw you arrive at the Tang Family home covered in blood, I was terrified…
"Qin Long, sometimes I just want to give up," she continued. "No one in the Tang Family is willing to accept you. Even though we're engaged, they… Over the years, I've been driven out of the family villa and ridiculed by everyone because of you. But I don't regret it. I know you're a hero who fought to defend our country."
In the narrow courtyard, sunlight bathed Tang Xuewu's face as she spoke softly to Qin Long.
Hearing her words, a warmth bloomed in Qin Long's heart.
My master always said that those who offer a helping hand when you are at your lowest are your true friends. Those who flock to you in your moments of glory could very well be your true enemies.
Now, Qin Long was a cripple. For Tang Xuewu to have cared for him so selflessly for three years was an immense kindness. It was no exaggeration to say she had given him a second life.
Truthfully, I had planned to leave the moment the meridians in my leg healed. But after hearing this woman's confession, I've made a decision. I, Qin Long, have lived my life with decisive action and integrity. I have always believed in repaying even the smallest kindness with a flood of gratitude, let alone the fact that Tang Xuewu saved my very life. I must repay this girl.
"I hope you can stand on your own two feet again," she said, her voice soft. "I want us to protect our little home, together. I want to go for a stroll, see a movie, and have a warm shoulder to lean on when I'm tired. I dream of being held in the arms of the man I love as we walk down the aisle, but… it feels like an impossible dream. I… I long to go on a date with the one I love. I feel so empty and lonely."
Tears streamed from her beautiful eyes as she rested her head on Qin Long's shoulder. For some reason, all the emotions she had suppressed for so long finally came pouring out today.
"Thank you."
A gentle voice suddenly spoke. Startled, Tang Xuewu's body trembled. She whipped her head around to look at Qin Long, an inexplicable excitement bubbling up inside her.
"You protected me for three years. From now on, I will protect you for a lifetime! You, Tang Xuewu, are my one and only love in this world. No one will ever dare to bully you again. I, Qin Long, will be your strongest pillar of support."
His sudden words made her delicate body tremble. After a moment's pause, her pretty face flushed crimson, and she turned away, overcome with embarrassment.
He really has regained his memories. And what's worse, I just laid bare all my vulnerable, girlish thoughts!
"Mother was right, you did get your memory back! Why did you lie to me?" Tang Xuewu glared at him, fuming.
"I didn't lie. It only just came back," Qin Long said, trying his best to explain.
"You liar!"
Overwhelmed with humiliation, Tang Xuewu spun around and stormed off, leaving Qin Long alone. He watched her lovely figure retreat, a faint smile on his lips.
A fool for three years, a cripple for three years. And through it all, she meticulously cared for me. As the Guardian War Dragon who once commanded battlefields, I am now filled with endless tenderness for this woman. This debt of saving my life can never be forgotten.
A short while later, Tang Xuewu returned with a black suitcase for him.
"I will spend the rest of my life repaying you," Qin Long said, looking at her with the utmost sincerity as he opened the case. "You said you needed a shoulder to lean on. I can give you one, and I will make you the happiest bride in the world."
"Stand up first, then we'll talk," Tang Xuewu retorted, her tone turning cold. She glared at him before glancing at the crutches beside him.
Even though my memories have returned, I'm still a cripple!
"It won't be for long. I will recover," Qin Long said with a helpless smile.
"It's been three years. How many 'three years' does a woman get in her life?" Tang Xuewu handed him a lunchbox and turned to leave for work. Now that his memory was back, she didn't need to stay. After all, the family's expenses all depended on her.
"Xuewu, I swear I will make you the happiest woman in the world!" he called after her.
Once she was gone, he looked inside the suitcase. He saw a worn black card, a copper-colored bracelet, and a few changes of clothes.
"Yue'er, I never knew you were so thoughtful," Qin Long smiled, relieved. With a flick of his wrist, the copper bracelet flew into his hand.
Instantly, nine Golden Needles shot out from the bracelet, embedding themselves into the meridians of his right leg.
BUZZ!
With another wave of his hand, red flames flared to life on the nine Golden Needles, causing them to vibrate intensely. The meridians in his right leg began to mend as waves of heat spread through them. Every cell was repairing itself at a rapid pace. The long-absent Qi Force was steadily returning.
Few people knew that not only was Qin Long's combat prowess unparalleled, but his medical skills were also heaven-defying, said to be able to raise the dead and regrow flesh on bone.
After about an hour, the meridians in his leg had significantly recovered. The Golden Needles then reverted to their bracelet form, which he slipped into his pocket. At this rate, he would fully recover his strength after two more treatments.
When that time came, Qin Long, the Guardian War Dragon, would return. No one would be his match again.
"After three years of being a fool, I, Qin Long, am back!" he roared, staring out the window.
Xuewu's kindness must be repaid. The Tang Family's insults must be avenged. I, Qin Long, will take back everything I have lost! Master, I will personally cleanse the sect for you and reclaim everything that is yours. Then, I will fulfill your wish and reconquer the lands of the Southern Region.
At that moment, Qin Long's gaze was exceptionally resolute.
In a high-class suite in a hotel by the river, Wang Ming and Zhang Meilan were feasting.
"Aunt Zhang, what is this Qin Long capable of?" Wang Ming asked, raising an eyebrow. The memory of Qin Long's punch sent a shiver down his spine. "He doesn't fight like an ordinary person."
"He's just a washed-up soldier," Zhang Meilan spat, her face contorting with rage at the mere thought of Qin Long. "I have no idea what potion the old matriarch drank to make her want Xuewu to marry such a cripple! Thank goodness it was just a verbal agreement. Now that she's passed away, no one supports this marriage. Otherwise, wouldn't Xuewu have become the laughingstock of the city?"
"My Wang Family made some inquiries," Wang Ming said. "Several years ago, there was a War God in the Southern Military Region named Xiao Long. He was an idol to countless soldiers. A peerless prodigy who dominated the battlefield, single-handedly crushing enemy forces. His might was said to be world-shaking, and he was the dreamboat of countless young women. This Qin Long couldn't be…"