The Purple Spider's Second Chance

The Beginning of Redemption

Jiang Fengmian POV

After that night, I can’t stop thinking about A-cheng and Zewujun. I’ve seen the way he looked at him- it’s the same way A-se used to look at A-ren when we were kids. The look of pure love and devotion. 

There was such fondness in his gaze- such joy and warmth. 

But it was also the look of despair- the love marred with sorrow and pain. The delight that was masked by self-doubt and uncertainty. The disappointment and hurt that my son masked with a look of anger. 

It was so familiar. 

I had seen it so many times before. 

It was the same look that my lady used to have every time she saw me with A-xian or A-ren.

I gave a weary sigh, turning towards A-Ren. 

Right now, me and A-ren are drinking tea near the Lotus pond in Lotus Pier. The next day after that fateful day, A-xian came to us with big news. Right before we sent A-li and Zixuan away for their honeymoon, he told us that he and Hanguangjun were getting married. We were all shocked- Lan Qiren even spit out blood after he heard the news,

The very same day, my lady came to me, to ask for an extended time in staying in Lotus Pier. To which I replied that she’s welcomed anytime. 

“Fengmian!” called A-ren,snapping her fingers in front of me. “You zoned out on me,” she murmured with a worried frown on her face. “Her again?” she questioned, raising her eyebrows slightly.

“You look like her,” I chuckled. 

“Wow, did you accidentally drink alcohol there Fengmian? In what world do I have anything similar to her?” she replied with a chuckle of her own. 

“Well, you both love your sons, and the fact that raising eyebrows are kind of her signature move whenever she’s intrigued or just trying to challenge me about something,” I murmured with a wishful on my face.

“Gods Fengmian. This is why I told you to just go after her,” she sighed.

“I don’t deserve her A-ren. I’ve said that countless times and I’ll keep saying it for the rest of my life.” I replied, a strained smile on my face. 

“Yes, yes, I know! And you have a lot to do to make things right with your children, especially your son.” she cried. 

“Yes, and I’m planning on doing it right now, if you’ll excuse me,” I said, turning to look at the view of the woman I love- laughing alongside my son.

“A-cheng, seriously though- if he ever hurt you, I don’t care if he's the first jade or the number one cultivator of his generation, I’ll kick his ass from sun up to sun down,” Yu Ziyuan murmured, a scowl starting to form on her regal face.

“A-niang, I can fight my own battles and I do seem to remember you are close friends with his father and beating his son up seems to lead the way to a crack in your relationship whatever that is?” hinted A-cheng, slightly smirking at her. 

“A-cheng...” she tried to say, pausing when she saw me from the corner of her eyes. “Sect leader Jiang,” she saluted. 

“Madame Yu,” I replied with a nod, ignoring the squeezing sensation in my heart when she didn’t call me my lord or even Fengmian. “May I talk to A-cheng for a while?” I inquired with a smile.

She didn’t reply for a while and only looked worriedly at A-cheng’s face that was turning colder by the second. “I’ll be fine, A-niang!” A-Cheng exclaimed, warmly smiling at her. 

“Alright,” Yu Ziyuan sighed, hugging her son. “Sect leader Jiang,” she saluted with a passive face.

“What do you want, A-die?” asked A-cheng after his mother was out ear shot.

“I would like to apologize,” I answered, holding myself back from hugging him. I know I have a long way to go to even have a cordial conversation with him. 

“What for?” A-cheng challengingly asked,raising his eyebrows whilst crossing his arms in front of his chest. 

“Everything,” I murmured. “For neglecting you all these years, the pain I’ve caused you, everything I did or said that hurt you. I’m… sorry” I whispered, stepping a few steps closer to him.

He immediately took a few steps back- which made me flinch a little. He stared at me hard on the face for a while. 

“I need some time to think,” he replied finally and I just nodded. He walked past me to his mother’s courtyard I presume.

“A-cheng!” I called him.

“Yes?” he asked with his back still turned towards me. 

“I love you. I may have not said this enough- but I’m very proud of the man you’ve become, if you’ll have me, I’d like to get to know him better,” I added, a sorrowful smile on my face.

He merely nodded his head and walked away. 

I sighed, well, at least this is progress I suppose. I walk around Lotus Pier with a smile on my face. I stopped at the docks, remembering the first time I saw her. She was beautiful with her hair loose and a stern look on her face. There was no bitterness in her eyes- no sign of the turmoil and torment I had caused her. 

I looked out into the river, “I really did a number on her didn’t I?” I murmured, regret seeping out of me in waves. “My lady, I wish you all the happiness in the world. But is it too selfish of me if I want to be the one to give you that happiness- even after everything that I have done?”  I whispered into nothingness.

Suddenly, I felt wetness on my cheek, I raised my hands up and wiped a tear from the corner of my eyes. I stared at it for a while, and laughed. It was a bitter laugh. 

Oh what irony. 

It seemed that the only person that could break my heart- was the one whose heart I broke first. I suppose karma has finally gotten to me. She seems to have moved on, leaving me behind in her past.

I stared at the tranquil and quiet scenery around me. I took a deep breath and sighed, closing my eyes in hopes of chasing some measure of calm. 

“Sect leader Jiang!” called A-Hui, running up from behind me. 

“Yes?” I asked him, a dash of annoyance in my voice. 

Could I not even have a moment's peace?

“The dignitaries from Gusu Lan have arrived, along with the twin jades,” he replied formally.

I sighed. “Very well then, let us go.”

ʷˢ