At dinner, Qin Chang Ge finally witnessed the powerful mental focus of Xiao Baozi’s “love for Xiliang, love for martial arts, and love for dear mother.”

At the very least, his fanatical devotion to martial arts was beyond what ordinary people could compare to.

The coffin shop occupied extensive grounds, with the inner courtyard being a very magnificent complex—a three-section residential compound with high, spacious halls. When Qin Chang Ge was led by the host into the warm pavilion where the dinner setting had already been arranged, what she saw was Xiao Baozi standing on one leg like a golden rooster on a chair.

Having changed into a dark green brocade robe, Xiao Rong’s small face looked even more pink and tender against the dark silk, but unfortunately his expression was fierce with furrowed brows, puffed cheeks, and grimacing mouth. He held up a lotus leaf-wrapped chicken, swaying and trembling as he tried hard to stabilize his posture, though it didn’t look very successful.

“What are you doing?” Qin Chang Ge looked up at her son’s “celestial floating posture” and asked with a sincere expression.

Xiao Rong rolled his eyes at her. What a stupid question—anyone could tell it was asked by someone who didn’t know martial arts. For him, Young Master Xiao, to answer such a stupid question was such a waste of energy, especially when he really wanted to fall down.

But the expression on this woman’s face seemed like she really wanted to know… and her feeling was really like mother…

Well, Young Master Xiao was very kind-hearted, naturally so.

“I’m practicing lower body foundation… Do you understand lower body? Lower body foundation is the basis of martial arts training…” Young Master Xiao instructed earnestly, teaching others skills with utmost sincerity.

Qin Chang Ge made an “oh” sound and shifted her gaze to the young man beside them who was lying on the table with a smile, gnawing on a chicken leg while watching his son’s heroic posture. She remembered this was Qi Fan’s younger brother Qi Heng, a child with great commercial talent. When the Huang Meng was first established, all external affairs were handled by Qi Heng. He was even more tactful and diplomatic than his elder brother, and Heng Records was named after him.

As soon as Qi Heng made eye contact with Qin Chang Ge, he immediately trembled, quickly scrambled up, and said with a smile: “Miss, you are…”

“I’m his mother,” Qin Chang Ge casually dropped this statement, ignoring the dumbstruck Qi Heng. She reached out to beckon Xiao Rong: “Son, that’s not how you practice lower body foundation. Your Uncle Qi tricked you. Come down, come down.”

“Really?” Xiao Baozi didn’t believe it.

“Really,” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “Come down, and tomorrow I’ll take you to see real martial arts.”

His eyes immediately lit up brightly. Xiao Rong cheered and put down his leg, but having stood on one leg for too long, his leg went soft and he fell down like a wooden block.

Qin Chang Ge, who had been prepared, caught him securely in her arms.

Holding her son’s small body that was filled with milky fragrance in her embrace, different from the restless mood in the crowd during the day and the lack of time to savor the joy of reunion amidst scheming and plotting, at this moment, the skin-to-skin contact with her beloved child nearly caused Qin Chang Ge’s steel-like will to collapse. How many years of forgetting past lives, how many years of turbulence in the mortal world—when everything started over again, the one-year-old baby who had been held in her arms had grown into the adorable, lively four-year-old child bouncing before her now. After the span of one lifetime, the beloved child she had protected with the last bit of her life’s potential was finally truly held in her arms. The faint fragrance nearly stirred up the deepest, most secret, most heart-wrenching old wounds in her heart. Yet though these scars still bled, her heart felt complete. No matter what the truth was back then, no matter whether Xiao Jue had betrayed her, no matter how much that pain made her secretly resent through the flowing years, no matter how tragic and desolate her experiences back then had been, at this moment none of it seemed to matter. At this moment she felt heaven’s deep love, because Xiao Rong was still here.

She almost couldn’t control herself as she slightly buried her head in Xiao Rong’s embrace, holding him tightly and indulging in his milky fragrance without wanting to wake up.

Qi Fan stood behind her, unable to see her expression, so she could indulge slightly for that brief moment.

Xiao Rong had been smiling cheerfully, but somehow seeing her expression, he suddenly quieted down. He looked quietly at this woman who was gazing at him with eyes that seemed to hold thousands of words for a long moment, then gently hugged her and whispered in her ear: “Now I feel that you really are my mother.”

Taking a sharp breath, Qin Chang Ge suppressed her surging emotions and smiled gently through her tears, also whispering in his ear: “I really am your mother.”

“Then,” Xiao Baozi blinked slyly, “we won’t tell them?”

“Right, we won’t tell them.”

The scheming mother and son smiled at each other knowingly.

“Since you’re my mother, can you help me with something?” After everyone sat down to eat, Xiao Baozi whispered to Qin Chang Ge again.

“Hmm?”

“I really hate the fragrance on my body,” Xiao Rong’s expression was innocent, his long eyelashes fluttering—those lashes were so thick they seemed to make the soft sound of a small fan stirring the air. “That’s a scent only women should have. I’m a dignified man, how can I have this fragrance? Help me get rid of it.”

Women…

That bastard Qi Fan, what has he taught my son… even using the word “women,” Qin Chang Ge was furious. Her gaze drifted over, and Qi Fan was drinking soup when he suddenly shivered, spilling soup all over his sleeve.

“What’s wrong?” He looked up with a confused expression.

Qin Chang Ge stared at him with a smile: “Nothing, it’s going to rain.”

“It’s going to rain.”

When Xiao Jue opened his eyes from the darkness, hearing the desolate sound of wind lashing against the window frames outside, this thought immediately sprang to his mind.

Had he just been reviewing memorials? How did he fall asleep?

And… he had dreamed of Chang Ge.

Vaguely it was Changle Palace from several years ago. Chang Ge had just given birth to Rong’er and was leaning against the bed railing, holding Rong’er and playing. He was reclining beside her, watching this mother and child, his heart filled with infinite contentment and joy.

Chang Ge wore no cosmetics, her plain face supremely pure, her long hair cascading down like a bed of flowing black water, lustrous and glowing, with hidden fragrance. In her naturally noble features, because of her loving murmurs to her child, bloomed a smile as gentle as water lilies—so intoxicating.

His beloved wife, precious child—he too had been intoxicated in the seemingly endless spring breeze of Changle Palace that bloomed with flowers in all four seasons.

Then… the spring breeze suddenly transformed into demonic fire filling the sky. In the firelight, jade steps and golden lamps, palace halls and towers collapsed silently. In the firelight, exotic flowers everywhere, jade trees and precious grass all became charcoal. In the firelight, beautiful faces turned to flying ash, the young child shrank to charred bones. In the firelight, he lost his beloved wife and precious child overnight, becoming a truly alone and isolated ruler.

…

He didn’t know when the candle flame had gone out. Perhaps it was blown out by wind? The windows were actually closed tightly—where would wind come from? Or perhaps, it was Chang Ge—have you come back to see me?

Xiao Jue lay in the darkness on his brocade couch, unconsciously letting out a moan.

Firelight… firelight… why did the memories of that night contain only firelight?

Before and after, some memories seemed like long-preserved masks, eroded by time, slowly decaying, completely shattering at a touch and never able to be pieced together again.

He tremblingly reached out his hand. The past was like a calm water surface, rippling with bewildering waves—some scenes were very clear, some scenes infinitely blurred.

Something flashed by.

Crash!

Shattered pieces everywhere—the gold-painted double dragon and phoenix blue jade vase was smashed to smithereens.

Among the bright white fragments scattered across the floor, he roared with a voice like thunder: “What exactly do you want to do!!!”

She smiled lightly, standing among the debris, forever unperturbed by dust: “I have never wanted to do anything just for myself.”

…

That scene flashed and twisted away before he could retain it.

“Tap… tap…”

Outside the hall, lonely courtyard trees rustled, autumn crickets chirped mournfully. On the sparse white stone path, whose footsteps paced back and forth?

Hesitant, uncertain…

He suddenly jumped up and rushed to the window.

Chang Ge, have you come?

His urgent gaze searched frantically, but what he saw were only several eunuchs.

Because he had fallen asleep and missed mealtime, the eunuchs dared not urge him and waited in the outer hall, occasionally looking in with occasional faint sounds.

Xiao Jue’s fingers dug deeply into the window frame.

The window frame trembled silently, shaking more and more violently.

He suddenly swung his hand.

Crash!!!

As his robe sleeves billowed, wood chips flew, wooden pillars collapsed—the entire long window was torn down by his furious force!

Along with his little finger nail that had been embedded in the wood, which was bloodily torn off by his heedless pulling force, flesh and all.

He didn’t even look at his bloody and mangled little finger, standing alone among the scattered debris of paper and wood.

In the endless reverberating crash of destruction, in the eunuchs’ panicked backward glances.

An endless, desolate, infinitely disappointed roar:

“GET OUT!!!!!!!!!”

While Dragon Chapter Palace erupted with the emperor’s thunderous fury, the coffin shop’s mother and son were enjoying harmonious family time.

Qin Chang Ge held her sleepy son in her arms, carefully helping him relax his muscles and bones. She remembered her sect had a method of tapping and loosening bones that was very effective for children’s health, strengthening the body, and promoting growth. Xiao Rong was very comfortable under her care, humming and whimpering like a little puppy, drowsily sleepy.

“What kind of person is Su Xuan, the leader of the Blazing Flame Gang?” Qin Chang Ge asked Qi Fan thoughtfully. “I need to meet him tomorrow, so I must understand him somewhat.”

“Him?” Qi Fan smiled bitterly. “This person seems to have dropped from heaven. Three years ago, he single-handedly broke into the Blazing Flame Gang and defeated with his sword everyone from the gang leader down—three hall masters, six protectors, and twelve incense masters. Not one was a match for him. People of the martial world naturally respect martial prowess, so they immediately made him their leader. This person is said to be very intelligent, very good at discovering talent, and even better at using people. It’s just that his methods are very mysterious. All we know is that before long, the Blazing Flame Gang developed rapidly, and Su Xuan himself gradually became famous throughout the world.”

At this point, Qi Fan paused, took a sip of tea, and smiled: “Would you like to hear the martial world rumors about Young Master Su?”