The Unsurpassed Maiden - Chapter 157

“My ancestors?” Se Heon asks, confusion written all over his handsome face. “Why? What did they do?”

“So, it’s true.” Zhong Liu says while raising an eyebrow at the younger male.

“What’s true?” Se Heon once again asks, even more confused than before.

“I thought you were just bluffing earlier so you can get on my good side but seeing as you’re genuinely confused, I guess your parents never really said something to you.” The teacher replies while slowly walking back and forth in front of the young student.

Although he was getting impatient, Se Heon remained calm as he asked the teacher, “Why would I bluff about something I really don’t know? Plus, how can my parents teach me when they don’t even have the time to raise me as their own child.”

The last sentence was meant to be a whisper, to answer and remind himself that he never grew up with loving and caring parents. However, it was enough for the teacher to hear him.

Zhong Liu raises an eyebrow while giving the student, who was currently hanging his head down low, a side glance. For a second, he remembered his old self, where he was cast away and forgotten by his own parents when they found out that the other twin, Zhong Yu, possesses their family’s bloodline.

Clearing his throat to avoid the sudden awkwardness, Zhong Liu starts to say, “Anyway, so you don’t really know what mean and awful things your ancestors have done to us? To my own family clan?”

Se Heon shakes his head innocently, “No. Why? What did they do?”

“And if I tell you? What would you do?” Zhong Liu asks. He means to ask this to the young child to test his loyalty as well as his self awareness and how he would deal with troubles in the future.

Se Heon was quiet for a minute, unable to think about anything else. But when he closed his eyes and asked himself the question over and over again, he finally came up with a solid and honest question. “I won’t do anything. If they did things that were awful, then I can’t do anything to change it. Although some others may apologize for the wrong things their ancestors have done, I would never do that. It’s not my fault nor theirs. If they did that because they think they were doing something right, then so be it. We may have the same blood but their mistakes aren’t mine. We all have a mind of our own.”

“Even though they are the sole reason why you are alive right now?” Zhong Liu asks, eyebrows raised and eyes squinting at the young boy.

Se Heon nodded his head in affirmation. “I don’t think I have a say about those things anymore. If you are still thinking about the past then that’s your problem. The only thing I can tell you is to let it go. Someone told me once that changing the past can’t do anything for the future because if it’s destined to happen then you can’t do anything to change it/ It will happen sooner or later still.”

Zhong Liu is completely impressed. He may not say it in front of the young student because of his pride but he is deeply impressed with the kid’s answer. For his age, he sure does have some sort of knowledge and dignity.

“Hm.” Zhong Liu hummed while thinking of something. Later, he adds, “What would you say if your family begs you to come back to them? You said something about your own parents not taking care of you, right?”

“Why would they beg me to come back to them?” Se Heon asks with a slight chuckle. Although his chuckle didn’t reach his eyes at all. “Someone like me is never going to get accepted to our family.”

“Is that so?” Zhong Liu asks while raising an eyebrow at the man. He stops pacing in front of Se Heon and turns to face the boy fully, “I once knew someone who got cast away from his own clan just because his brother was way more powerful than him. However, something happened and the once family’s cast away became the star of the family in the blink of an eye.”

It was Se Heon’s turn to raise an eyebrow at the teacher. “So? What are you trying to say?”

“Patience. I’m not done yet.” Zhong Liu says with a small smile. “Anyway, this boy accepted all the love and affection from everyone in the family even though it was just days ago when he was treated so badly. If you ever have the chance to meet this boy, what would you say to him?”

Se Heon chuckles for a minute before answering the teacher with an oh so honest answer. “Pathetic. That’s what he is.”

Zhong Liu raised an eyebrow at the student’s question. But he lets him continue without saying a word. “Why would he bask in those fake glories and praises? You know it would have been a better ending if he just massacred his clan, not gonna lie there. Anyway, if he’s that kind of person then I think up until now he’s really good at hiding his own emotions. Although his situation is somewhat pathetic, I still feel pity towards him, as well as a little envy because he gets to hide his real emotions.”

“That’s an interesting answer.” Zhong Liu replies. His eyes weren’t on the younger’s form anymore but instead he was looking down at the ground. Although his ears are attentively listening to Se Heon, his mind was swarming with thoughts of his past and how hard the younger’s words hit him like a dragon stomping its foot directly on his chest.

“It’s true though. If it were me, I’d rather leave my family than bask in their fake love and care. At least I grew up not caring about anyone else but myself.” Se Heon replies. He was also looking at the ground, reminded of the childhood he grew up in and how his parents wouldn’t even look him in the eye after they found out about his condition.

Before, he swore that he would do anything just to find a cure for his condition. But after knowing Mi Young and how the girl reminded him over and over again that his difference doesn’t make him any less of a human somehow made an impact on his own self. He thinks that he rather have his parents not minding him than them dotting on him like they are on his younger brother. The only regret Se Heon has was the fact that he wasn’t able to be the good brother he was supposed to be in front of Shi Yun.

“Off to another topic, what would you do in order to save Mi Young?” Zhong Liu suddenly asks, making the younger student snap out from his own thoughts.

He looked the teacher straight in the eyes before uttering his next words, “Everything.”

Zhong Liu shrugs before saying, “I expected you to say that. Besides, who would throw away their own academic position just to save a friend who you don’t even know where she currently is.”

“That’s why I’m trying to tell you to tell me everything.”

“Everything?” Zhong Liu says with a raised eyebrow.

“Everything.” Se Heon says with pure determination. He even took a step forward just to show how serious he is even though it meant crossing his teacher’s boundary. “Please.”

Zhong Liu was quiet for a minute or two before sighing. “What do you want to know?”

“From my ancestors’ mistakes to the part about what you know with Mi Young’s current situation.” Se Heon says.

“Are you sure you want to know about your family’s secret? It’s not a pretty good story, you know.” Zhong Liu says with a sarcastic chuckle.

“I don’t care if they were murderers. I just wanted to know what they did so I could maybe use it someday.”

“Use what?”

“The knowledge of the past.” Se Heon says. He didn’t even know that he was smiling as he said his next words, “Someone told me that it’s better to know the future now than to be blinded by the past.”

Zhong Liu also couldn’t stop himself from smiling upon hearing those words. Little did Se Heon know that he was the first person who ever said that last sentence. Obviously, Se Heon heard it from Mi Young while Mi Young heard it from her teacher Ning Gwang, who also heard it coming from Zhong Liu’s very own mouth. The teacher only shakes his head when he realizes that history truly repeats itself.

“Very well. Where  do you want to start?” Zhong Liu asks, but he changes his mind the next second and changes his question, “No, the better question is, are you ready to hear about the past?”

Se Heon nodded his head once more, eyes filled with determination.. “I am more than ready.”