Chapter 50: Sir, What Did I Do Wrong? - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

### Chapter 50: Sir, What Did I Do Wrong? Luo Hao was seething with anger. He couldn't fathom how that once timid and subservient brat dared to lay hands on him now. Luo Hao's eyes were nearly ablaze with fury as he fixed his glare on Luo Cong An. The unexpected slaps had left him nearly dazed. "Alright, alright, so you're Luo Cong An, huh? Just you wait!" He turned and stormed off, only to run into the oncoming Chen An. A glimmer of delight flashed in Luo Hao's eyes as he loudly exclaimed, "Mr. Chen, that jinx—no, that white-haired wretch—hit me!" He hurried over to Chen An, his face painted with grievance as he whined, "Sir, you have to stand up for me! Do you know how much those slaps hurt me?!" However, Chen An didn't pause. He walked right past Luo Hao, quickly making his way to the girl. Luo Hao was dumbfounded momentarily, but as he realized that Chen An likely planned to shield that jinx, anger and determination welled up within him. Biting his lip, he dashed back toward his home. He intended to report to his father and have him properly deal with this wretch. He was resolved to show that jinx that a wretch was forever a wretch, and merely cozying up to a teacher wouldn't change that status. And Chen An too—Luo Hao harbored resentment, feeling that calling him "sir" had perhaps gone to his head. Who did he think he was, just a mere teacher? Just wait until his father arrived—he planned to deal with both that pathetic teacher and the so-called jinx! --- The incident between Luo Cong An and Luo Hao quickly fermented. The girl’s harrowing childhood experiences also began to resurface. Chen An was uncharacteristically angry. He now understood why, during their first encounter, Luo Cong An carried an air of deep-seated humility. Yet, Luo Cong An had never shared these details with him, nor had she ever complained or cried in front of him. "Are you alright?" Chen An softly asked the girl, who stood trembling slightly with her head lowered. Hearing the familiar voice, Luo Cong An lifted her gaze, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, before diving into his embrace. She mumbled softly, "I'm sorry, sir. It seems I've caused trouble again..." Chen An smiled gently, running his hand through her hair, his voice carrying no hint of reproach as he slowly asked, "Do you realize what you did wrong now?" Luo Cong An bit her lip, hiding her face in his chest. Silencing the urge to retort that it was Luo Hao’s provocation, she eventually whispered, "Yes, yes, I know what I did wrong." "And what was your mistake?" Chen An repeated his inquiry. At this, a flood of injustice swelled within Luo Cong An. "I-I shouldn't have hit him..." Then she heard his soothing voice. "You were indeed wrong, but not for hitting him." At this, the girl suddenly looked up, confusion clouding her eyes as she stared at Chen An. "Then, what was my mistake?" Chen An chuckled lightly, correcting her, "Your mistake was apologizing to me." "I distinctly remember telling you long ago, when you're with me, no matter what happens, you don't need to apologize." His straightforward words pierced the sensitive, fragile fortress of her heart like an arrow. Luo Cong An couldn't hold back any longer, tears flowing like a breached dam, soaking his shirt. "Sir... I didn't want to hit him either. He kept saying I meant harm towards you... I'm not a curse; I won’t harm you..." Her voice was fragmented, occasionally punctuated by choked sobs. As her emotions surged tumultuously, Chen An comforted her, simultaneously addressing the onlooking students, saying, "Alright, that's enough. Time to disperse." He waved them off, dismissing the crowd. "Today's class is dismissed early. You all get half a day off, now head on home." Hearing about the break, the students joyfully prepared to return to their respective homes. A few lingered out of curiosity, hoping to see more, but were promptly shooed away by Chen An. Soon, the classroom quieted, leaving only the faint noises from the girl. After a while, Luo Cong An lifted her head again, somewhat bashfully tapping Chen An's chest. "About..." She started, but catching his gaze, quickly corrected herself, "Sir, I didn't mean to disrupt your teaching." Chen An waved it off casually, finding a chair to sit down, "Taking a break once in a while is perfectly alright." Luo Cong An sat down next to him, finally calming down, but not without some residual anxiety. "Sir, will there be any trouble because I hit Luo Hao?" "Like what?" Luo Cong An pressed a finger to her lips in thought, speaking with concern, "Like he might go home and complain, and what if my uncle comes for revenge?" Chen An glanced at her in surprise, "You still call him 'uncle'?" At his words, Luo Cong An's expression fell, and she murmured, "Even if Uncle wasn't kind to me, if not for him, I might have died long ago and never met you..." Doubts began to swirl within her, "Perhaps Uncle is afraid of me too..." She gathered a small lock of her white hair, "After all, I don't look like someone good." Chen An let out a silent sigh while maintaining a warm exterior. "Do you remember what I said to you the first time we met?" Luo Cong An turned to him, her heart swelling with warmth, thinking how she could ever forget? That winter night when she met him was a cherished memory she dreamed of time and again. Suddenly, her ears flushed with a light shade of red as a memory drifted back. Seeing Chen An expectantly, she sulked and said, "Of course I remember. Even if I forget everything else, I’ll always remember you, sir." "Then tell me." Luo Cong An hesitated, nervously biting her lip under his gaze, finally murmuring softly, "It was... wonderful." Sunlight filtered in through the window, casting a gentle hue across the girl’s face. A rosy glow. --- --- The next day, just as Luo Cong An had feared, Luo Hao indeed brought his father, Luo Hua, to Chen An's small courtyard early in the morning. Yet, it was not what she had anticipated—a scene of accusation. In the fresh morning sunlight, Luo Hao stood shirtless, bound with a bundle of thorny vines across his back. He kneeled at the courtyard entrance, grimacing, clearly in pain, but holding back any cries. Beside him knelt Luo Hua, similarly attired. Luo Hua, much larger in stature, also kneeled, his expression more tinged with fear compared to his son. The door was opened by Luo Cong An. Upon doing so, she was greeted by this unexpected sight. Her emotions were complex as she just wished to live peacefully with Chen An, without dredging up the past. Yet her leniency only seemed to deepen the man's fear. Luo Hua, kneeling at her feet, hastily spoke, "Cong An, Cong An, slap me as well. It was all my fault in the past. I'm here to beg your forgiveness now..." While Luo Hua's words were filled with pleas, seeking her forgiveness, Luo Cong An remained unmoved. She simply stood there, blankly. To her surprise, even the once cold and arrogant head of the Luo family had moments of kneeling for mercy. (Chapter End)