Protoganist's Sidekick Fights Back-Chapter 16: Her Excuses

Su Kang sat beside Bai Yunxi, gently lifting her head to rest in his lap. His fingers traced a light path along her temple, sending a controlled pulse of energy through her meridians, washing away the last traces of the sleep incense.

The fragrant smoke curled around them, lulling, soothing—a silent promise of peace.

Bai Yunxi had slept for four hours. When she stirred, a foreign warmth beneath her head, a presence close by, her body tensed instinctively.

Her breath hitched. She wasn't alone.

"It's just me," Su Kang murmured, his voice a steady anchor. His fingers combed through her hair with deliberate care. "You're safe."

Her lashes fluttered, her sleep-heavy mind slowly catching up. Then, recognition softened the tension in her body.

"Why... why are you in my room?" she asked, her voice husky from sleep.

"We're going on a journey," he said simply, his gaze holding hers. But there was something more in his eyes—something firm, unshaken.

"I have a surprise for you."

She tried to rise, but her body wouldn't move. The realization widened her eyes, confusion flickering across her face.

"I really like you, Bai Yunxi," Su Kang said, his voice quiet, but there was no hesitation in it. "I won't ask you to pretend anymore. You already know, don't you? The person I spoke of... it was always you."

A sharp inhale. Her pulse pounded.

"Give me this week. Let me... pursue you."

The careful walls between them—built over time, out of duty and politeness—shattered. Bai Yunxi found herself at a loss.

"Su Kang, you shouldn't..." Her voice faltered, but he silenced her with a gentle press of his finger against her lips.

"I don't want an answer now," he murmured.

Su Kang exhaled, leaning back slightly. "You worry too much. But let me ask you something...are you still worried about Li Fang?"

A flicker of hesitation. Then, finally, she nodded. "I... I am."

Su Kang took her hand, warmth seeping into her fingers.

"You don't need to be. I wouldn't let him go if I wasn't certain he'd be safe." His voice was unwavering.

"This journey... it might be dangerous, but he'll be fine. Absolutely fine."

His grip tightened slightly. "If it will ease your mind, I can swear a Heart Demon Oath."

Bai Yunxi closed her eyes. A Heart Demon Oath. A promise that couldn't be broken without severe consequences.

Yet, she thought of Su Kang—how he had always protected Li Fang. How, despite his methods, he had never once failed to watch over him.

"No," she whispered. "I trust you. I'll... try not to worry."

A faint smile touched his lips. "Good. As long as you understand. He'll be fine in the Heavenly Sword Sect. He has a future there."

With a flick of his fingers, he released the restriction on her body.

Bai Yunxi sat up, quickly pulling her hand back.

"What else is troubling you?" he asked, his voice gentler now.

She turned away, flustered under his gaze. She felt... unsettled. His presence, his warmth, the words he had spoken—it was too much, too fast.

Su Kang studied her, then suddenly reached out, cupping her face between his hands.

"If you won't speak, then don't blame me for what happens between us." His lips curved into a playful smirk.

Panic flickered in her eyes. She tried to pull away, but his grip remained firm.

"Y-you... stop. Don't... don't do this." Her voice wavered. "I'm an old woman!"

Su Kang sighed, finally letting her go.

"You're barely a dozen years older than me. My father is fifteen years older than my mother. I know plenty of couples with a fifty-year gap. Stop making excuses."

He studied her reaction for a long moment before leaning back slightly.

"At least give me a real reason. Take your time—think of all the reasons you have to reject me. I'll listen to them tomorrow."

Bai Yunxi's heart pounded. She had thought she could push this away, that Su Kang would let it go if she refused.

But now, she understood.

The journey began. Su Kang didn't press her, giving her space.

Bai Yunxi struggled to sleep that night, but exhaustion eventually won. The incense lulled her into deep rest.

Su Kang prepared food in the morning, bringing it to her as she stirred.

"Where... where are we going?" she asked, her voice light, almost casual.

"It's a surprise," he said with an easy smile. "You'll see."

Bai Yunxi hesitated. Then, she inhaled deeply.

"I've... thought about it."

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Su Kang waited.

"We... we can't be together," she finally said.

His expression didn't change. "And your reason?"

She lowered her gaze. "You're Li Fang's friend. It would ruin his reputation. And the Li family's."

Su Kang exhaled softly, shaking his head.

"I met you long before I met your son. If that's the problem, I'll speak to Li Fang. I'll even break my friendship with him if that's what it takes."

Bai Yunxi's breath caught.

"As for the Li family's reputation..." Su Kang's eyes sharpened. "That's not your concern. Most of them don't even know your name.

"And let's be honest. If the Li family were weaker than the Bai family, you would've been remarried long ago."

His voice remained calm, almost indifferent, yet each word carried the weight of undeniable truth.

Silence stretched between them.

Bai Yunxi clenched her hands together, her heart a mess.

"Your marriage should've secured the Bai family's position in Qin City—brought you status, resources. Instead... look at what happened."

His gaze never wavered as he continued.

"Your path to cultivation was severed, your family was suppressed, and even your parents weren't spared. Instead of gaining anything, you became a caged bird—offering everything, receiving nothing."

Bai Yunxi stiffened. She knew this. She had lived this. Yet hearing it spoken aloud, so plainly, felt like being stripped bare.

"And in the end," Su Kang said, his voice dipping lower, "you gave the Li family a golden child. A peerless talent. But his legacy belongs to them, not to you. No one even remembers the woman who gave birth to Li Fang."

A flicker of something—pain, resentment, maybe even anger—passed through Bai Yunxi's eyes, but she said nothing.

Su Kang leaned back, studying her reaction. Then, in the same composed tone, he asked,

"Tell me... is the Li family's reputation truly tied to you?"

"Li Fang once fought a man over Junior Sister Ying'er. Not a rival, not an enemy—her fiancé. He nearly crippled him, then took his fiancée as a lover."

Bai Yunxi inhaled sharply.

"You tell me," Su Kang pressed on, "is that good for the Li family's reputation?"

Her mind reeled. She had never heard of this incident. Her own son—taking another man's fiancée? Beating him to claim her?

She had always believed in Li Fang's righteousness, his sense of justice. But this...

Su Kang didn't stop there.

"Many high-level cultivators have multiple partners," he mused, his tone turning light, almost amused.

"Many female cultivators do too. In the Central Plains, there's a renowned female expert with five husbands."

Bai Yunxi's breath caught.

"Five?" she repeated, stunned.

Su Kang chuckled softly. "Her body constitution is unique, so naturally, many still covet her."

Bai Yunxi struggled to process his words. She had always thought of remarriage as a rare, reluctant decision. But this?

Her foundations were shaking.

She opened her mouth, searching for a refutation, but nothing came.

Because deep down, she knew.

The cultivation world didn't revolve around love. It revolved around power, alliances, and mutual benefit. Relationships were no different.

Su Kang watched her, his expression unreadable, but the glint in his eyes told her he could see it—her hesitation, her crumbling walls.

Then, his voice softened.

"Tell me... do you still think about Li Xiao?"

The question landed like a thunderclap.

Bai Yunxi's body tensed.

Su Kang hadn't wanted to ask. But he needed to know.

Li Xiao. The father of her child. A man who had been in her life for such a brief time—yet perhaps long enough to leave an imprint that couldn't be erased.

Bai Yunxi didn't answer. A shadow flickered in her gaze, her lips parting slightly—then pressing together, as if holding back something unspoken.

Su Kang studied her face, searching for something—an answer, an emotion, anything that would give him clarity. But her silence was an answer in itself.

He let out a slow breath, then murmured softly,

A twist of fate, a second chance,

To rewrite time, to join the dance.

Her gentle soul, a guiding star,

To heal the wounds, to mend the scar.

But destiny's a fickle game,

A whispered curse, upon her name.

I'll wager all, my life, my soul,

To break the chains, to make her whole.

To see her smile, to reach my goal.

Bai Yunxi's lips parted slightly, her heart pounding at the quiet intensity in his voice.

Su Kang rose to his feet, casting her one last look—one filled with something she couldn't name.

Then, with a small, almost melancholic smile, he turned and left, closing the cabin door behind him.

Leaving behind only the weight of his words.

And a poem she wouldn't forget.