Wang Zhong raised his arm high, waving vigorously towards the two figures rapidly disappearing into the sky.
His gaze shifted from the receding figures to Bibi Dong's face, which was incredibly dear to him. After a long, serious look, he nodded with certainty.
Although Qian Renxue had never explicitly stated it, and Bibi Dong had never mentioned it, Wang Zhong recognized the blood relation and connection from their similar appearances.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Wang Zhong paced over to Bibi Dong's side. He winked his left eye at her emerald green gaze and chuckled, "Although as a child, you have many questions and desires to explore, I think it's best to remain silent until Mother explicitly permits it."
"Because you never know if Mother might get angry and hit you when you're exploring."
"I'm a good child, you know!"
His tone was light, carrying the playfulness and childishness that only surfaced when he was with Bibi Dong. Wang Zhong tilted his head slightly, his face radiating peace and warmth.
"My heart holds a past filled with pain and despair, a past tied to love! And the Acacia Tear Red you gave me, like the sharpest knife, tore open the past I refuse to recall, bleeding profusely and presenting it before me once more!"
"You have someone who is as vital as life to you, and so do I, but that was only in the past!"
The vulnerability he had witnessed then, and the warning, were still vivid in his memory.
Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue were mother and daughter; this was an undeniable fact, but Wang Zhong could do nothing at that moment.
A mother's indulgence and leniency towards her child did not grant permission to use that indulgence to rip open the bloody wounds of her past and cause her further pain.
Wang Zhong would wait. He would wait until the day came when this woman, who had already become his mother in his heart, would confide everything to him. He would listen attentively, using the gentlest emotions to soothe the pain in her heart.
Whether it was collecting debts or making repayment, Wang Zhong would fulfill it all as her son.
A father's debt is paid by the son, and a mother's debt by the child; there was no difference.
Her rosy lips tightened at this moment, and Bibi Dong's wine-red eyes complexly stared at Wang Zhong's childish smiling face before her.
Certain complex emotions welled up within her, causing her to utter words that made Ghost Dou and Chrysanthemum Dou's scalps tingle, even making them feel an urge to flee the scene immediately.
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Are you just a replacement for her? Perhaps I haven't doted on you as much as you imagine!"
Bibi Dong's complicated words caused Wang Zhong to cross his arms, tapping his chin with one hand as he pondered.
After a long while, Wang Zhong finally let out a hearty laugh, "No!"
"I am Wang Zhong, another child of a mother named Bibi Dong. I am no one's replacement, nor a fake substitute."
"From your wine-red eyes, as rich as vintage brew, I see only myself, no one else."
"All the love, all the reprimands, all the care, all the guidance Mother bestows upon me are solely for me."
"Qian Jie's appearance has only made me realize how much you spoil me!"
His peaceful words were pure, like sunlight, radiating an almost blinding light and warmth.
How could a heart so sensitive that it could easily distinguish between sincerity and falsehood fail to grasp this?
From their very first encounter, Bibi Dong's intentions were for Wang Zhong.
Like a teacher, like a mother!
First a teacher, then a mother; it was Wang Zhong's pure emotion and sincere heart that reversed this plan, making her a mother first, then a teacher!
Yet, even with the reversal, the object of that affection remained Wang Zhong.
Bibi Dong never approached Wang Zhong because she wanted a replacement for Qian Renxue, so how could she allow him to become Qian Renxue's replacement?
Just as Wang Zhong said, she, Bibi Dong, had two children. One was named Qian Renxue, whom she gave birth to, and the other was named Wang Zhong, whom she raised.
The two held different positions in her heart; one was cast into darkness, the other stood in the sunlight.
This resulted in Bibi Dong's heart being divided in two: one half bright, where Wang Zhong stood, and the other half dark, where Qian Renxue crouched.
Extending her fair, cool jade hand, Bibi Dong gently caressed Wang Zhong's childish smiling face, her red lips pursed.
"You silly child!"
"And a good child! I feel unprecedented joy and happiness to have found you in the academy and become someone who is both your teacher and mother."
Feeling the cool touch on his face, Wang Zhong gently nuzzled, like a kitten.
"Since Mother believes I am a good child, then let me do more."
"Mother, favoritism is not allowed. Although Sister made mistakes, and you dislike her, she is the most important person to me."
"Half of all the care, affection, pampering, reprimands, and expectations you give me, let me share with Sister!"
"I will tell her, 'Sister, look, this is a gift from Mother, let's share it together!'"
In his black-and-white clear heart, Wang Zhong, who stood in the sunlight, now walked towards the darkness. He brought sunlight and warmth, approaching the crouching Qian Renxue in the darkness, extending his hand to pull her up from the ground, so they could bask in the light together.
Tears welled in her wine-red eyes at this moment, flowing down her fair, beautiful face.
As the tears were about to fall, Wang Zhong enveloped them with his spirit power, placing them in his palm.
They were translucent like amber, with a faint pink hue.
Bibi Dong tightly embraced Wang Zhong, murmuring softly in his ear, "Good child, good child!"
"Becoming your teacher was perhaps the most fortunate thing I've done in my life!"
"You are your teacher's pride, and a treasure I cherish as my child."
As a mother, there was no mother who did not love her children, and Bibi Dong was no exception.
She loved Qian Renxue, yet she also loathed her. However, this loathing was not directed at the person, but at the other half of the blood flowing within Qian Renxue.
Qian Xunji!
This man was the source of all her hatred and madness, and this hatred, as time passed and she was powerless to do anything but endure humiliation, festered!
Qian Xunji, Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue… everyone surnamed Qian was a source of her hatred and madness.
Coupled with the influence and distortion of the Rakshasa God position on her will, the people Bibi Dong hated were no longer limited to a surname or a bloodline.
Everyone with an Angel martial soul deserved to die, everyone in the Spirit Hall deserved to die, and everyone in the world deserved to die!
Her thoughts, wild and chaotic, drove her to the brink of madness.
Beneath this madness, one thing was deeply buried: motherhood!
"Women are inherently weak, but become strong for their children!"
This motherhood was an existence that even Rakshasa could not distort or erode.
Qian Renxue carried half of Qian Xunji's bloodline, along with the complete inheritance of the Angel martial soul, making it impossible for Bibi Dong to love her or respond as a mother should.
Wang Zhong's appearance gave this love and response a place to belong, a direction to flow.
Perhaps Bibi Dong never realized what the gentle kiss from the foolish, bold, and reckless young Wang Zhong on his first stage appearance had brought about.
After half a year of observation, she watched Wang Zhong train alone, collapse from exhaustion but still grit his teeth and persist, sweat soaking his clothes as he poured all his effort into something he didn't understand.
Bibi Dong looked at the lonely, hardworking figure, and inexplicably felt a pang of pity, as well as a touch of envy.
Such a young child, working so hard it was heartbreaking.
But she was also envious, wondering what kind of mother had given birth to such a talented and diligent child.
If only he were my child, I would be overjoyed!
This thought made her forgive Wang Zhong's rudeness and impertinence. It also swayed her suspicions about Ghost Dou. Even more, the first time she witnessed Wang Zhong's astonishing talent, she went to the Judgment Hall to investigate his supposed background.
The results were astonishing, far exceeding expectations.
A darling of the gods, a spokesperson chosen by the goddess of life, this was Wang Zhong's background!
Bibi Dong felt a sliver of joy. She saw hope in destroying the foundation of the angels. She even had a fleeting illusion that this child was a gift from the gods.
Wang Zhong came to the Spirit Hall precisely to help her!
And thus, the plan to be both teacher and mother was conceived.
This plan was so successful that Bibi Dong herself fell into it.
And Wang Zhong's earlier words had caused this so-called plan to vanish into thin air. She, Bibi Dong, was Wang Zhong's mother, not because of a plan, but because of that affection.