Someone in the procession shouted something in a foreign language. The man responded in the same language. The person who had called out laughed and waved his hand, continuing on with the procession.

Most of the common people watching the excitement chased after the foreign procession, though some remained, curiously observing the man who had walked over.

The man was tall with long legs and upright bearing. Even though one could tell he was no longer young, one had to admit he was a handsome man.

“He really does look like us Great Zhou people.” Someone in the crowd sighed with emotion.

The man’s expression was pleasantly surprised. He patted the clay-statue-like Lin Shi. “Wanqing, is it really you?”

Lin Shi awoke as if from a dream, grasped the man’s wrist, and began to cry. “Elder Brother, I thought something had happened to you!”

The man was none other than Cheng Shu’s father, Cheng Zhiyuan, Lin Shi’s sworn brother. When Cheng Shu was three years old, he had left home to travel far and wide. In the beginning he would return once every few years, but in these past four or five years, forget about returning in person—there hadn’t been even a single letter.

Lin Shi had secretly worried that her sworn brother had met with misfortune. Old Madam had secretly worried that her adopted son had met with misfortune. Each had quietly dispatched people to search in some places mentioned in his letters, yet no one dared discuss it openly. It was as if by not speaking of it, that passionate and free-spirited person would surely return one day.

Her sworn brother had truly returned!

Lin Shi’s tears flowed like streams.

“Wanqing, don’t cry. I’m perfectly fine, doing very well.”

“Doing well?” Lin Shi repeated.

Cheng Zhiyuan smiled, showing a mouthful of white teeth, even patting his chest. “Especially well!”

Lin Shi’s expression suddenly became fierce as her hand reached toward her waist.

The moment Cheng Zhiyuan saw this gesture, he ran on conditioned reflex.

After all these years, Wanqing still resorted to her whip at the slightest disagreement.

Naturally Lin Shi grasped nothing. She lifted her legs and gave chase. “Especially well? If you have the guts, don’t run!”

This left Lin Hao dumbstruck, bearing countless curious gazes.

Hadn’t that touching scene of siblings reuniting just disappeared a bit too quickly?

The General’s Manor was in complete chaos, though it was joyful chaos.

After chasing him all the way back, Lin Shi panted sharply and sneered coldly. “I thought Elder Brother couldn’t even recognize his own home anymore.”

Old Madam’s eyes reddened as she scolded her daughter. “You’re a grown woman, yet your temper flares at the drop of a hat.”

“Mother, you didn’t hear him. Elder Brother said these past years he’s been doing well, especially well!” Lin Shi said through gritted teeth.

Old Madam showed her adopted son a kind smile. “If Zhiyuan has been doing especially well these years, I can rest easy.”

The corner of Cheng Zhiyuan’s eye twitched.

If his adoptive mother’s hand would stop reaching for her cane, he might believe her.

A wise man submits to circumstances. Cheng Zhiyuan dropped to his knees with a thud. “This unfilial son made you worry. These years this child hasn’t slept a single peaceful night, thinking of you and adoptive father day and night!”

“If that’s the case, why didn’t you come back, and why wasn’t there even a word sent home?” Old Madam’s voice sounded relatively gentle, striving to suppress the impulse to strike her adopted son a few times with her cane.

Cheng Zhiyuan said with shame, “This child went out to sea. Separated by vast oceans, contact was truly inconvenient. I did entrust people to help send letters, but later I never saw those people return. If Adoptive Mother didn’t receive the letters, perhaps those people met with misfortune…”

It was true that maritime trade could reap enormous profits, but the risks were also great. Setting aside human disaster, just the ocean’s power alone had claimed the lives of countless people to the seabed.

Great benefits had always been accompanied by great risks.

Old Madam listened to her adopted son speak of overseas matters and let out a sigh. “As long as you’re safe.”

“Is Adoptive Father not home?”

At these words, the scene fell silent.

Cheng Zhiyuan looked at Old Madam, then at Lin Shi.

Lin Shi, who had been fierce and menacing just moments ago, now had reddened eyes and looked about to cry.

Cheng Zhiyuan’s heart sank. His voice carried a tremor. “Where is Adoptive Father?”

Old Madam lowered her eyes to suppress the tears welling up, saying calmly, “Your adoptive father passed away.”

“Passed away?” Cheng Zhiyuan’s face showed disbelief. Before he even realized it, tears were streaming down. “How could… how could this be?”

Old Madam appeared increasingly calm, consoling her adopted son in a gentle voice. “No one can avoid birth, aging, illness, and death. Your adoptive father died of illness. When he passed he was already nearing sixty, so it wasn’t a short life.”

“This child couldn’t be there to see Adoptive Father off!” Cheng Zhiyuan kowtowed repeatedly with loud thuds, crying as he knocked his head.

Lin Shi moved her lips as if to console him but was stopped by Old Madam shaking her head.

Some emotions were better released through venting.

Only after allowing Cheng Zhiyuan to cry his heart out like this did Old Madam say, “Hurry and get up. If your adoptive father knew you were like this, he’d surely beat you.”

“If only Adoptive Father could still beat me.” Cheng Zhiyuan’s tears fell again.

In his memory, Adoptive Father had beaten him twice. Once was when he dragged his feet about marrying, and Adoptive Father beat him, scolding him for being unfilial and unworthy of his birth father who had entrusted him to Adoptive Father. The second time was when he decided to travel far away. Adoptive Father had given him a thorough beating, cursing him for being heartless toward Shu’er.

After beating him, he still let him go.

Cheng Zhiyuan covered his face with both hands, weeping silently.

Movement came from the doorway as a maid’s announcement rang out. “Young Master has returned.”

Cheng Zhiyuan’s crying stopped abruptly. He froze in place for a long moment without moving.

Of course he knew who the “Young Master” in the maid’s mouth was.

This man who had sailed across seas and ventured through stormy waves had shallow tear ducts that couldn’t hold back tears since returning home, yet he also lacked the courage to turn around and look at his son.

Shu’er must resent him.

Cheng Shu stared fixedly at the back of the man kneeling on the ground for a moment, then looked at Old Madam with suspicion.

Grandmother had sent someone to inform him that his father had returned and to hurry home. This person kneeling here… was his father?

Why didn’t his father turn around when he heard he’d come back?

Cheng Shu recalled his emotional changes during the entire run home—from initial shock to excitement, to slight resentment, and now to bewilderment.

Could it be that his father had raised a whole bunch of children outside, so he felt too ashamed to face him?

After forming this conjecture, Cheng Shu’s face tensed up.

Old Madam couldn’t stand it any longer and coughed. “Zhiyuan, Shu’er has returned. Stop just crying.”

Cheng Zhiyuan slowly turned around.

Before turning, his emotions had been turbulent and conflicted, but the moment he saw that young man who resembled him so closely, he could no longer hold back. He stood up and quickly walked several steps to stand before Cheng Shu, grasping his hand.

“Shu’er!” Cheng Zhiyuan called out.

Cheng Shu had an open and magnanimous temperament. Looking at his father with his swollen forehead, tears and snot running down his face, the anger in his heart involuntarily dissipated. After hesitating for a moment, he called out, “Father.”

“Yes.” Cheng Zhiyuan’s face immediately bloomed into a smile as he vigorously patted his son’s shoulder. “You’ve grown so big, so tall.”

Cheng Shu really couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Your last visit was eight years ago. Of course I’ve grown taller.”

Cheng Zhiyuan’s expression darkened as he sighed. “Father has wronged you.”

“Then are you leaving again this time?” Cheng Shu couldn’t quite explain his psychology as he blurted out the question.

Cheng Zhiyuan glanced at Old Madam and Lin Shi, saying somewhat guiltily, “This time I’ll stay for quite a while.”

Cheng Shu smiled without mirth. “Have you settled down somewhere else? Every time you come back you leave again before long. If you ask your son’s opinion, why not bring your wife and children to the capital?”