32 No one can dictate your worth

"Who are you laughing at, brat?" Zhao Wei rubbed the bridge of his nose with an embarrassed expression on his face.

His stern gaze intently locked on the scoundrel bursting her lungs off without a care in the world.

"Bahahaha!"

"I-I really can't-!"

"Pfft!"

'What's wrong with her?' Zhao Wei arched an eyebrow.

'It seems my words didn't get to her. They entered her left ear and exited on the other one.'

'This is truly troublesome,' He then sighed helplessly inside his mind.

When she had decided to return to his living quarters, Zhao Yufei reckoned she had only acted on impulse.

He had been harsh to her. Extremely cruel and ruthless. Cold.

She was merely 15 years of age, her maiden heart was still soft and brittle like glass. Untempered.

Yet she had still experienced her first heartbreak indirectly from a young man.

If the man who didn't want to involve her in his life said so, then what exactly was she doing there?

Zhao Yufei didn't know. It was her own reformed resolve that had pushed her to such a decision.

Zhao Wei's words hadn't truly deterred her from doing whatever she wanted. She had known going back to his home was being shameless but the universe should just allow her to embrace shamelessness just for once.

A new found fire now blazed deep within her heart.

The new changes had triggered her own breakthrough. From the peak of the fourth rank to the fifth rank, the transition had been smoother and unhindered.

She had remembered how his grandpa had been super worried when he had seen her messy state. With just a glance, he had known the root cause of her distress but hadn't made any effort to pity her or offer her words of consolation.

The sharpness of Zhao Yufei's determined gaze and fighting spirit had made him stop in his tracks and only watch her from afar. He had witnessed the start of the inevitable rise of a phoenix.

And when Zhao Yufei had taken another step in her cultivation and broke through, he had been thoroughly convinced. Not like he didn't know the uniqueness of his own granddaughter.

***

"Alright, I am truly sorry for laughing at you, O Immortal Emperor." Zhao Yufei struggled to speak out an unimpactful apology as she used her knuckles to rub the little beads of tears from the corners of her eyes.

Zhao Wei threw the drawing brush away in feigned anger and annoyance as he looked at Zhao Yufei.

"Have you already laughed enough?"

"Ah, I am good. I am good. I showed you such an unsightly image of myself." Zhao Yufei smiled widely, her current self more vibrant and quite unrestrained unlike her previous meek self.

"I am surprised that you have the heart and guts to return here after what happened," Zhao Wei said expressionlessly as he walked towards the makeshift table and picked up a small cup of tea.

He then lifted the small cup toward Zhao Yufei.

"Do you want some?"

Zhao Yufei waved her hand downward.

"I am not a tea lover." She then slowly walked to the painting and absent-mindedly stared at it like it was some lost ancient art.

"And I dare return since I have had my eyes opened for once."

Zhao Wei paused the hand holding the cup of freshly brewed tea midway as the steam gently warmed his face.

"Women." He muttered before taking a modest sip.

"What did you say?" Zhao Yufei asked with puzzlement written on her beautiful face.

"Nothing." Zhao Wei hid his expression as he took another sip while savoring the freshness of a well cultivated tea.

'She seems more confident and free. Did my previous words, by chance, come off as a motivational speech to her?'

'It can't be?'

'If it's like that then it seems I have earned myself another headache inducing situation.'

"It seems you are like a rarely seen talent in arts and drawing that only appears once in every hundred years. Who would have guessed that the oh so Mr perfect in everything also sucked at certain things?" A sarcastic smile adorned Zhao Yufei's pink lips as she traced her pinkie finger along the lines of the stick figures.

"So that's how you perceived me. I feel flattered that the image you have of me is that great." Zhao Wei raised his cup at her before taking the last swig and gently placed the cup on the table.

"Phew, " He then exhaled in a relaxed manner and put his hands behind his back.

"So little girl-"

"I will feel offended if you call me 'little girl' once again. At my current state, it surely comes off as condescending. I want to be always addressed as an equal." Zhao Yufei turned her head and ferociously glared at Zhao Wei.

Zhao Wei didn't take her attitude to heart and went to stand next to her. Her valiant and domineering persona visibly shook when he 'accidentally' brushed his shoulder against hers.

"An equal, you say huh?" Zhao Wei mused without looking at her.

"An equal?" He touched his chin with a thoughtful look on his face.

"You know equality is an illusion. People can never be truly equal in the grand scheme of matters."

"If you want others to treat you as an equal, then you have to increase your value and worth which only you can understand. Only yourself can realize your own worth and nobody can dictate it. Isn't that right, Yufei?"

"I really can't stop being awed by your ideologies. You are always a strange one." Zhao Yufei nodded in agreement as she lightly brushed a loose strand of her silky hair behind her small, cute ear.

"But I have an inkling that you have never deemed me as an equal, right? I honestly wouldn't be surprised." She then sighed with a little sadness hidden within her angelic voice.

"That… You are not wrong. I have never viewed anyone as an equal. No one has so far given me a reason to show them my sincere respect." Zhao Wei didn't deny her claim and honestly replied.

"You-" Zhao Yufei looked at him with a defeated expression.

"I am insanely arrogant, I know it very well." Zhao Wei interjected.

"Wouldn't it seem ridiculous if I treat those weaker than me as equals or something along the lines? Just call it pride."

"I think I am getting to know who you really slowly by slowly even if I have just barely scratched the surface." Zhao Yufei flashed him a bright smile that seemed to eclipse the beauty of nature.

"So that means that if you want me to treat you as an equal, grow stronger than me and then senselessly beat me up." Zhao Wei chuckled. It sounded like an impossibility, coming off his tongue.

Fighting intent started showing and shining brighter in her pristine eyes.

"Hmph, I will handle you at any time of the day since I have now broken through." Zhao Yufei released her true cultivation and tried to intimidate Zhao Wei.

The waters of the sea have different sea levels and the deeper one goes below the water surface the higher the pressure.

Zhao Wei was a person that categorically belonged to the depths of the sea since his inner strength was basically thicker and stronger than Zhao Yufei's.

The water pressure of anything that belonged above the deepest level of the sea can't cause any waves to someone like Zhao Wei.

Her intimidation was like that of a cute kitten to a Siberian tiger.

"I will humor you then," Zhao Wei confidently said.

"Don't cry after this!" Zhao Yufei bared her fangs.

"We will see!"

***

[Author's Note]

Enjoy!

In this chapter, I was trying to build up some character dynamics.

For 5+ advanced chapters and extra support here's the link [Patreon.com/OneArmedImmortal].

Also look at my new side novel to keep my brain juices flowing and keep my writing consistent... [The Devouring Menace | Rampaging across the Rim and MonsterVerse].

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