Lin Xi straightened out his clothes and then walked towards the bamboo wall.

He wore crimson-colored clothes. Before those Green Luan Academy golden spoons, it definitely seemed a bit tacky, but this was something his mother from Deerwood Town sewed for him.

She added five bats and peanuts embroidery around the collars and sleeves.

These were the images that the people of Deerwood Town saw as auspicious, five blessings descend up this home and long life. [1]

Because she felt like he would like it, there were a few lotuses added on the back of the clothes.

The wheels rolled. The carriage Jiang Xiaoyi drove was still rather far from the bamboo fence, but the curtains were already pulled open by the people inside.

“Big brother!”

A voice that seemed to be crying tears of joy sounded from the carriage.

It was as if a small boat was drifting along a calm river surface, but then a fisherman suddenly cried out, immediately filling this scene with color. This loud cry suddenly made everything in Lin Xi’s eyes become vivid, full of indescribable brilliance.

Lin Xi began to run towards the carriage.

The carriage stopped.

Ah!

The pigtailed little girl screamed as she ran out from inside the carriage, rushing into his embrace. She immediately began to jump about, not willing to let go.

“Sis…”

Lin Xi smiled as he continuously patted this screaming little girl’s back. Suddenly, his nose became a bit sore, his body bowing slightly as he said, “Mom, dad.”

The stout middle-aged man and pretty middle-aged woman walked out from the carriage.

Since this meeting was too sudden, the two of them not understanding much of what happened at all, the change of this son who they had to take care of and worry about too sudden, when they looked at Lin Xi, they both stood in place, a bit stunned.

When they heard Lin Xi call out to them, they saw that this was indeed their son who they missed dearly, the middle-aged woman’s eyes immediately became misty, while the ordinary faced, even almost a bit like an unscrupulous and shrewd stout middle-aged man’s eyes twitched, cursing out quietly, “Little brat, I told you…”

“Not to speak any nonsense, right?” Lin Xi decided he might as well just raise his little sister and run towards the carriage, making Lin Qian immediately scream with joy. He directly cut off his dad Lin Fu’s words, saying with a chuckle, “It’s fine, we’re all family here.”

“You little brat.” Lin Fu scolded in a smiling manner again, but then felt like his face became a bit rigid.

He watched Lin Xi walk over through slightly sour eyes, looking at this son who was already quite a bit taller, at his confident smile. In the end, he finally couldn’t help but shake his head, saying with a sigh, “You finally grew up a bit.”

Lin Xi didn’t stop. He carried the happily screaming Lin Qian hanging from him, hugged Lin Fu and hugged his mother who was normally strict on him, but couldn’t even find it within her to ever hit him.

The family of four all embraced each other.

He knew that no matter how he changed, in his parents’ eyes, he would forever be a child, forever the son they worried about.

“Big brother! Look at our birds!”

Lin Qian’s shrill excited and happy voice sounded again, a bit inharmonious with the current mood.

When he only saw her squirm her way out of Lin Xi’s embrace, and then run with her fastest speed back into the carriage, how her hands were dancing and feet tripping, even Second Grandpa Zhang who was slowly walking out from within the bamboo fence began to cough intensely from laughing.

She brought out a large birdcage from inside the carriage, and then directly opened it.

“Look, they won’t fly randomly! After flying around for a bit, they’ll always listen to me and return.”

“Big brother, the big one is named Lin Xi, the little one is named Lin Qian.”

While looking at these two yellow orioles fly around Lin Qian’s head, Lin Xi’s face immediately became bitter. “Sis, didn’t I tell you not to give them the same names as us?”

…

Nightfall.

Lin Qian closed the large metal case filled with all types of local candies and specialties, and then after washing up, she made her way into the bedding Lin Xi prepared for her. However, she still continuously bothered Lin Xi, not satisfied yet, not willing to sleep.

“Be good, or else I’m going to tell you the story of the ghost baby beggar again.”

“Ah! Stinky big brother!”

The little girl was now scared. She quickly made her way into the thin blanket, covering even her head.

Lin Xi chuckled, and then blew out the oil lamp.

The frost-like moonlight scattered in through the window lattice.

“Big brother, don’t forget that you have to take me horse riding tomorrow! Also, you promised that you’ll tell me the story of the Lord of the Rings.”

Lin Xi laughed, patting her head that was covered under the thin blanket, knowing that she definitely wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if he was still here. “Alright, when have I ever lied to you?” After saying this, he walked out. When he heard Lin Qian open up the metal case, eat something, and then finally become silent, he chuckled, and then walked up to the place where his parents were staying, knocked on the door, and then entered.

Even though there were always letters being exchanged, there were many things that couldn’t be explained too clearly through letters. Together with many secrets being restricted by Green Luan Academy in letters, there were many things he had to explain to his parents.

Lin Xi began to slowly chat about everything he could with his parents. He told them what kind of place Green Luan Academy was in Yunqin Empire, what kind of relationship it had with Principal Zhang and Yunqin’s late emperor and that his office in East Port Town was only a practical cultivation segment of Green Luan Academy.

Regarding his attempt at dealing with the cultivator sent after him, Yuhua Family’s status in Yunqin and what kind of power they have, he quietly explained it all.

It was because he understood that regarding some things, after explaining everything clearly, he would instead not feel that much worry.

…

“Brat, after I listened to your ideas, added some fragrances to the soap, business really took off for some time, allowing me to save up quite a bit of silver. Say, what else do you think will do well? ...There is a large trading company who is also adding fragrances to the soaps, so the business isn’t as easy to do anymore.”

“Have they added coloring yet?”

“Color?”

“You can add some flower nectar, grass juice-like colors, make all types of pretty colors, and then say that different colors have different effects. This should be able to help you sell again for a bit of time, right?”

After chatting about some more serious issues, Lin Xi and his parents began to talk about some more trifling matters regarding business back home.

During these years, Lin Xi’s family has always done quite well in business, not lacking silver. The outside world all felt like Lin Fu had skill, but Lin Fu himself understood extremely clearly that most of the ideas were from his son Lin Xi.

For Lin Xi who came from a different world just like Principal Zhang, even though this world had already been changed greatly by Principal Zhang, there were still many ideas that could make a bit of money. However, before leaving Deerwood Town, he always felt like this type of lifestyle was rather peaceful, quite good, so he never tried to go too far through these ideas, deciding not to open up some massive Lin Family trading company.

In the end, he had already seen places far more prosperous than the most flourishing places of this world, so he knew what he lacked, what he truly needed. That was why he instead preferred to live a simple life.

“Xi’er.”

When it was deep into the night, Lin Fu who already spoke a lot about the family’s matters no longer spoke. After a moment of silence, Lin Xi’s mother spoke out.

Lin Xi, who was extremely familiar with how the most important words spoken in the family were always by this softhearted but outwardly strict mother, knew that today’s conversation was reaching its end, as well as the most important part. As such, just like before, he just calmly listened.

“After your sickness, it was already almost as if you became a different person, became much more intelligent. However, when you came back this time, you really grew up.”

The pretty middle-aged woman carried great emotions as she looked at Lin Xi, saying, “However, no matter how outstanding of a student you are at the academy, no matter what you do in the future, you will always be my son, as well as our only son. I am only a middle-aged woman, I do not have too much knowledge and that many experiences, I only wish for my son to be safe and well. Even if we are being a bit selfish… if you have to make some choices in the future, we still hope you can choose places that aren’t too dangerous.”

“I understand.”

Lin Xi replied. There is a common saying that nobody understands one’s son better than his father, his parents’ understanding of their child’s mischievous nature might be better than anyone else in the world. Similarly, as long as one carefully thought about it, they would also understand their parents’ well, understand their intentions. He knew that on their way here, his parents definitely already thought over and considered many things, the meaning behind these words, the intention contained within them, was that if Lin Xi had a choice, then he shouldn’t head to the borders. Even though they didn’t know just how dangerous the border stations were, they still knew that many people went to the borders but never came back. For ordinary parents, this was already conceding as much as possible.

…

After speaking some more words to console his parents, have them feel more at ease, Lin Xi closed the door behind him, entering the stone room Second Grandpa Zhang and Jiang Xiaoyi were in.

The three of them didn’t turn on any lights, all of them quietly resting.

The frost-like moonlight and starlight scattered over the three individuals’ bodies through the window.

Not long afterwards, the lightly coughing Second Grandpa Zhang opened his eyes. He took a deep breath with difficulty, and then nodded towards Lin Xi and Jiang Xiaoyi who woke up due to his abnormal movements.

The three stood up, quietly opening the door and walking into the courtyard, leaving the bamboo fenced wall.

A chubby merchant walked over along the path, on his face a smile. In his hand was a green and red short staff.

“The moonlight is like frost, everyone is present. I like it.”

While looking at Lin Xi and the others who faced him from the distance, the fat merchant rubbed his sleeves out of habit. His eyes squinted as he laughed, saying, “Zhang Longwang, was it your life that was too tenacious, or was that well too short?”

Lin Xi, Jiang Xiaoyi and Second Grandpa Zhang didn’t say anything.

The reason they didn’t say anything was because they saw that in the distant forest behind the fat merchant, an individual whose face and clothes still couldn’t be made out was currently walking over.

The fat merchant didn’t have eyes on his butt. Right now, he didn’t see anyone else appear, so when he saw that Lin Xi and the others didn’t say anything, he naturally felt that it was because Lin Xi’s group was scared. As such, he felt more and more pleased with himself, his smile even more happy. “Lin Xi, you are quite smart, you figured out that I am acting against the people around you, and that is why you hid all of your good friends and loved ones. However, did you think that just because you made a trip in the middle of the night and hurried here, that I wouldn’t be able to find you all?”

After a slight pause, the fat merchant smiled in even greater self satisfaction. “Thank you for your arrangements. I believe that by killing all those who you care about before your eyes, I will feel much happier. Also, no one will come disturb us here, so it’ll be much easier for me to do anything i please.”

“We shouldn’t be able to win against you.” Lin Xi suddenly said this.

The fat merchant laughed and said, “Did you expect anything else?”

Lin Xi chuckled. “Since we can’t win against you, that is why the three of us are only here to buy soy sauce.” [2]

Not even Jiang Xiaoyi and Second Grandpa Zhang knew what this ‘buy soy sauce’ meant.

Lin Xi smiled in an extremely harmless manner, but the always smiling fat merchant suddenly felt like he couldn’t smile anymore. He also sensed something, suddenly turning around.

“This lake’s lotus flowers truly are fine.”

Someone said with a sigh of admiration.

1. Five blessings and five bats sound similar in chinese. The literal translation of peanuts is long life fruit.