BTTH : Emperor Yang

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Her

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**

Wei Yang’s words, spoken on this cold night as the sky darkened, seemed to inject a trace of warmth into the young girl’s frozen heart and frail body.

At this moment, the inferiority and timidity in her eyes flickered slightly, replaced by a strange glow. Deep within her pupils, the three tiny emerald-green specks of light shimmered faintly, becoming even more distinct.

Seeing this, Wei Yang’s brow twitched slightly.

Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils—its reputation was well-earned.

Of course, it had no effect on him whatsoever.

He gently tucked a few stray strands of her hair behind her ear and asked softly, ”What’s your name?”

The careful motion made the young girl’s cheeks flush slightly. She answered timidly, ”My name is Qing Lin.”

”Qing Lin... That’s a beautiful name.” Wei Yang nodded approvingly before continuing, ”Do you have any family?”

Qing Lin shook her head, lowering it as she bit her dry, pale lips. Her eyes shimmered with faint tears, carrying a trace of loneliness and sorrow. ”I... I don’t have a family. It’s just me.”

Wei Yang’s gaze softened with sympathy. He extended a hand toward her with a gentle smile. ”My name is Wei Yang. Would you like to follow me from now on? From now on, I will be your family. Wherever I am—that will be your home.”

Qing Lin froze.

She stared blankly at the warm-smiling young man in front of her, who looked so gentle and kind. Her small lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

Two crystal-clear tears slid down her pale cheeks.

Hidden within the oversized black robe, her tiny hands twitched slightly as if wanting to reach out—yet hesitation and fear still lingered in her subconscious.

Wei Yang, however, continued to watch her with encouragement in his eyes.

After a brief moment, she seemed to gather her courage. Her small hand, trembling slightly, hesitantly emerged from the wide sleeves, revealing a slender, pale wrist.

On that fair wrist, faint azure snake scales could be seen.

She nervously watched Wei Yang’s reaction.

Wei Yang’s gaze landed on those scales, yet his gentle smile remained unchanged—showing no hint of disgust.

At that moment, her last bit of hesitation disappeared.

She bit her lip, then, with trembling fingers, gently placed her frail little hand into Wei Yang’s broad palm.

It was warm.

That was Qing Lin’s first thought.

Very warm.

The warmth seeped straight into her heart.

Unknowingly, her final defenses completely crumbled.

As if guided by an unseen force, she tightened her grip around that warm, strong hand and nodded with determination. ”I... I want to!”

Seeing Qing Lin nod, Wei Yang’s smile grew even softer and warmer.

His fingers curled slightly, wrapping around her cool and delicate hand.

Then, without hesitation, he bent down and scooped her up into his arms.

She was light.

Far too light, as if she had no weight at all.

Being suddenly lifted into the air, Qing Lin let out a startled yelp before instinctively wrapping her arms around Wei Yang’s neck.

Wei Yang adjusted his hold and chuckled, ”Why are you so light? You’re too skinny.”

Before he could finish speaking—

A faint gurgling sound echoed from Qing Lin’s small stomach.

It was the unmistakable sound of hunger.

Qing Lin’s face turned beet red in an instant.

She buried her head into Wei Yang’s shoulder, too embarrassed to lift it again.

Wei Yang laughed and carried her out of the alley, saying, ”Hungry? Let’s get you something to eat first, and then we’ll buy you some new clothes.”

Qing Lin...

A truly pitiful girl.

Her mother was human, while her father was a snake-people.

In the Tagore Desert, there were occasional instances where human women were assaulted by male snake-people.

Under normal circumstances, humans and snake-people could not conceive children.

However, nothing in this world was absolute.

For example—Xiao Yan and Queen Medusa.

Wasn’t their situation a one-in-a-million success?

Thus, while extremely rare, there were times when a woman who had been with a snake-people would conceive and give birth.

Yet, even if a child was born, they rarely survived.

Most died young due to their mixed bloodline.

Qing Lin’s birth, survival, and growth—all within a city that hated snake-people—was nothing short of a miracle.

But at the same time, she was also incredibly unfortunate.

Someone like her was not accepted by humans or snake-people alike.

From the moment she could remember, both humans and snake-people treated her as a cursed existence.

Growing up to her current age, she had known nothing but rejection, ridicule, and disgust.

Her world had always been cold and unforgiving.

From a young age, she played alone, because no one wanted to befriend her.

Whenever she gathered the courage to approach the other children, full of hope yet treading carefully, their parents would immediately pull them away—often hurling insults at her before leaving.

Over time, she grew to fear adults, especially the way they looked at her.

Only when she was older did she finally understand—that look was one of disgust and scorn.

At times, when mercenary families lost a loved one to snake-people attacks, they would come specifically to find her—cursing her, even beating her—to vent their anger.

They called her an ill omen, a damned mongrel, and many other cruel names...

From a young age, Qing Lin had learned to be humble.

She was timid, never daring to hope for anything.

Not even from her own mother.

In her memory, her mother often sat alone, silently weeping. And whenever that happened, the way she looked at Qing Lin became terrifying.

Sometimes, it was anger and hatred.

Sometimes, she would mutter curses under her breath.

And sometimes... she would even hit her own daughter.

But for the most part, when her mother was acting normally, she wouldn’t behave like that.

And even so—she was still the only person in Qing Lin’s life who was ever good to her.

In her cold and lonely heart, her mother was her only source of warmth in this world.

But over a year ago, that small warmth disappeared forever.

When her mother lay in bed, gravely ill and on the verge of death, not a single neighbor came to help.

Qing Lin had begged them.

But everyone just ignored her.

Not a single soul was willing to reach out a hand.

At that moment, she lost all hope.

This supposedly warm Desert City—

To her, it felt like nothing but ice.

They were kind and passionate toward others, but toward her—they were only ever cruel and cold.

To them, she deserved only hatred, only rejection.

And so, on one fateful night, in her mother’s final moments, the dying woman clutched her daughter’s hand tightly and whispered her last words:

”Don’t hate them... Just live. Live well.”

And then—she closed her eyes forever.

Qing Lin collapsed onto her mother’s now-lifeless body, her cries full of pain and despair.

Her already shattered young heart—

Lost its final warmth.

The next morning, though only twelve years old, she used a thin straw mat and an old blanket to wrap her mother’s body.

Then, with all the strength her frail body could muster, she dragged the corpse toward the city’s outskirts to bury her.

Step by step.

Struggling forward.

Along the way, every single person who saw her only gave cold, indifferent stares.

Some even spat at her feet before hurrying away as if she carried some terrible disease.

Not one person—not a single person—stopped to help.

By the time dusk fell, she had finally reached a spot ten miles outside the city.

There, she used the desert sand to bury her mother.

Exhausted and starving, she knelt before the grave, her heart filled with nothing but ice.

The world around her felt gray and lifeless.

For a moment, she considered just lying down beside the grave—

And never getting up again.

What was the point of living?

Everyone hated her.

Everyone despised her.

Why?

What did she ever do wrong?

By the time the sky darkened and the cold of the desert night settled in, the chill finally woke her up.

In the end, her instinct to survive, along with her mother’s last words, pushed her to summon what little strength she had left—

And drag her exhausted body home.

Surviving on the last scraps of food left in the house, she managed to endure.

From then on, she became like a rat in this city—

Hiding in the shadows.

During the day, she didn’t dare go out.

Only at dusk, when the streets became emptier, would she wrap herself in her black robe and sneak outside.

She would either scavenge for leftover food behind restaurants and wealthy estates,

Or help foreign travelers find their way in exchange for a few copper coins.

If she was lucky, a generous traveler might toss her a silver coin, which she could use to buy food for weeks.

Some nights, even she didn’t understand why she continued living like this.

But she did.

Day after day.

A life of numbness. A life of struggle.

For over a year.

Until today.

Until she met him.

A young man, dressed in elegant black robes embroidered with gold—

With a face as handsome as a prince from a fairy tale.

And he did not hate her.

He did not look at her with disgust.

Instead—

He was gentle. Kind. Warm.

Like a ray of sunlight, piercing through the darkness of her heart.

He told her—

Her eyes were beautiful.

That her existence had meaning.

That she was unique.

That her birth was a miracle—

And that those who rejected her simply did not understand her beauty.

Then, he said something even more incredible.

That their meeting today was not a coincidence.

That it was fate—

Destiny.

He told her his name was Wei Yang.

A man who shone like the sun.

And then, he asked her—

”Will you follow me?”

He told her—

From now on, he would be her family.

That wherever he was, that would be her home.

Home.

A word she had nearly forgotten.

And so—

She nodded.

Just like a broken, lonely boat, drifting endlessly in a vast ocean—

Had finally found a safe harbor.

Maybe... just maybe... the reason I exist—

Is so that I could meet him today.

That thought filled her heart.

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Support me at patreon for 30+ advanced Chapters :

/YaoIk