The lamplight flickered, making the four characters “For Father’s Eyes Only” on the envelope dance across the table.

A-Zhao’s handwriting had improved greatly since before.

Chu Li gently stroked the envelope before raising his head to look at the young man A-Jiu, who had returned.

Zhong Fujiang had been asked to leave again by Chu Li, leaving only the two of them in the room.

“Did A-Zhao tell you she wants to come back?” Chu Li asked.

A-Jiu frowned. “Does that even need to be said? She went to such great lengths, deceiving so many people to act in her play, all to return here.”

Is that so? Wasn’t it because she had caused trouble in the capital? This young man probably didn’t know about A-Zhao hitting someone.

Concerning a young lady’s reputation, Zhong Fujiang and the Crown Prince of Zhongshan would certainly not have said much to these courier station soldiers.

Chu Li remained silent.

“So you won’t let her come back?” A-Jiu pressed.

Chu Li nodded. “That’s right.”

A-Jiu made a sound of acknowledgment and shrugged. “It’s between you and your daughter. You decide what’s best. I’ll take my leave.”

He had just wanted to ask, and now that he knew the answer, that was enough. With that, he turned to leave.

Chu Li watched him, his fingers lightly tapping on the table—once, twice, three times—

The young man suddenly spun around.

“Why won’t you let your daughter come back?” he asked with an annoyed expression, then smiled as if in understanding. “Is it because she’s too much trouble?”

“My daughter is not troublesome at all,” Chu Li shook his head firmly.

One’s child is always good in their eyes. A-Jiu pursed his lips. He should leave. He should have left already, but his curiosity was too strong!

“I’m ill,” Chu Li suddenly said, looking at A-Jiu. “And it’s quite serious.”

A-Jiu froze, his gaze falling on Chu Li. This military official in his forties, with his imposing figure, bright eyes, and ruddy complexion—

“It’s not apparent. I’ve been hiding it,” Chu Li said with a smile. “No one knows.”

He waved the letter from Young Master Xie as he said this.

“If he knew, Young Master Xie probably wouldn’t have written to establish a connection with me.”

No one knows, yet Chu Li was now plainly telling him?

Was this trust?

Young A-Jiu never rejoiced in being trusted. In this world, trust always led to death.

It seemed he wouldn’t be able to leave tonight.

It served him right for asking so many questions, looking for his demise.

A-Jiu smiled self-mockingly, yet without a trace of fear or panic.

“So when I can no longer hide it, things will become very lively here. For safety’s sake, I sent my daughter away. Back in the capital, living in our home, my family has nothing to do with military power, so they can live peacefully and safely,” Chu Li continued, looking at A-Jiu. “These things I cannot tell her. I can only be a stern, heartless father. When the dust settles here, she will understand.”

A-Jiu looked at Chu Li and made a sound of acknowledgment, but couldn’t help adding, “But I think Miss Chu already understands.”

Chu Li asked, “What did she tell you?”

“She didn’t tell me anything,” A-Jiu frowned.

This was the truth. The girl had only told him lies before, and after her identity was revealed, she barely spoke to him. She just sat before him, silently weeping.

A-Jiu was quiet for a moment, then said, “She knows you’re sick, and she understands why you won’t let her return. She understands your intentions.”

Chu Li looked at the young man’s face, also silent for a moment, then smiled gently. “Good. If she understands, then I can rest easy.”

A-Jiu let out a derisive laugh.

Chu Li looked at the young man and asked with a smile, “What? You think I’m wrong?”

“I didn’t say you were wrong,” A-Jiu looked at him, a mocking smile at the corner of his mouth. “I just think people are indeed selfish. The idea that parental love is selfless is just a lie.”

Chu Li smiled. “You still think I’m wrong. What do you mean by that?”

“General Chu, you say you have only Miss Chu’s best interests at heart, so you hide your illness from her and refuse to let her return to avoid involving her in the dangers here,” A-Jiu said. “Everything you do is for her benefit, to let her live a peaceful life.”

Chu Li nodded. “Correct. I believe most parents would make such arrangements for their children.”

A-Jiu’s phoenix eyes were full of laughter. “Yes, every parent would do this, wanting their children to live stable, prosperous lives, to achieve success and rise in society, to wear gold and silver, to eat and drink well, to be envied by all—”

Hmm, Chu Li looked at this young man. Whether all parents would do this, he wasn’t certain, but he could tell this young man’s parents were the same.

“But,” A-Jiu’s laughter faded from his eyes, “that’s just what parents believe. They think it’s for their children’s benefit, they think that’s a good life, but they’re not doing it for their children—they’re doing it for themselves.”

Chu Li watched him without speaking.

A-Jiu stared at him, emphasizing each word: “For your peace of mind, to make yourselves feel good.”

“You don’t care what your children truly want, you don’t care about the pain they’ll face in the future.”

“They wear gold and silver, eat every mouthful of food, thinking this came from their parents’ sacrifice. They’re not wearing gold and silver but their parents’ blood-stained clothes. They’re not eating food but their parents’ flesh.”

“They’re trapped day and night in suffering, regret, and self-blame. This is what you parents consider a good life.”

“You’ve made your sacrifices, you’ve freed yourselves from worries. What does it matter if your children are sad, sorrowful, or in pain? As long as they have stable lives, eat and drink well, live in abundance—that’s enough. They shouldn’t be ungrateful and disappoint their parents’ good intentions.”

In the brightly lit room, the young man’s hoarse voice echoed. His face was full of mockery.

“You parents can do whatever you want because you’re the parents. You call the shots. But please, stop saying it’s for your children to have a good life.”

“It’s not really for your children’s good life. It’s only for your peace of mind.”

Chu Li looked at him, the gentle smile fading from his face, his eyes growing deep.

A-Jiu’s scorn disappeared, replaced by regret. Why was he saying all this nonsense, and to a stranger at that?

No one spoke. The room became strangely quiet.

“All right,” Chu Li nodded, breaking the silence. “I understand. It’s getting late, and you need to continue your journey. You should go now.”

Without a word, A-Jiu turned and strode out, pulling open the door and walking past Zhong Fujiang, who stood outside, looking straight ahead as he hurried away.

This time Zhong Fujiang didn’t immediately go in but stared at the young man’s retreating figure.

Sure enough, just as he was about to step through the main door, he came back.

Zhong Fujiang rolled his eyes, not even glancing at the young man as he passed by and entered the room.

“What else did A-Zhao tell you?” Chu Li asked.

“I already said she didn’t tell me anything!” A-Jiu interrupted irritably.

Chu Li smiled but said nothing, gesturing for him to speak.

A-Jiu looked at him. “You tell me something so important and then just let me leave?” He raised his head arrogantly. “Let me say it again. Your daughter and I have no relationship whatsoever. Her life or death means nothing to me, and my life or death means nothing to her.”

So don’t misunderstand that A-Zhao had deep feelings for him, and that he wouldn’t be killed for fear of breaking A-Zhao’s heart? Chu Li laughed heartily.

“Young man,” he said, tapping his finger on the letter on the desk, “didn’t you just say it yourself? You only came to deliver the letter. Once delivered, your task is complete. Whatever else is not your concern, so what does it matter if you know?”

A-Jiu glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to leave.

“One more thing,” Chu Li said from behind. “If someone truly threatened me, even if my daughter had deep feelings for him, I wouldn’t spare him. A man who would harm me would inevitably harm my daughter. For her sake, I would certainly eliminate him.”

A-Jiu waved his hand dismissively. “I wish your daughter luck in never meeting such a person.” With that, he strode away.

This time, he walked out the main door and disappeared into the night, not returning.

Chu Li withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes to look at the letter on the table.

“What a pity,” he said softly. “If there truly were such a man, I probably wouldn’t live long enough to eliminate him.”