novelhk Page 71
Page 71
Last year, during a heavy snowfall, the half-eaten, hard cornbread that kept him and his child through the night was secretly thrown out of the window by the owner of a noodle shop on the street corner, who saw it shivering in the cold wind.
At that time, she had just given birth to her cubs and had nowhere to shelter from the snow. The swirling snow almost buried her and her little bundle in the frozen ground, and every breath was incredibly painful.
But it was also lucky.
It has never experienced human malice since birth.
An old woman passing by would toss it half a cake, and a peddler carrying a load would pour it a bowl of warm water, until it finally met Ah Fu.
It remembered the warmth of Afu's hand warmer when he wrapped it in a towel, the heartache in his eyes when he looked after its cold cub, and how Afu always brought home delicious food for his wife and children, and never forgot to share some with it.
In its simple world, humans are never something to be avoided, but rather partners who lend a helping hand time and time again.
And Afu is the family member who shares the warmth in its heart with it.
It is its owner, whom it would protect with its life.
The new warmth coming from Mu Qinghan's palm made it squint its eyes and let out soft "woofing" sounds, rubbing its head even more happily against Mu Qinghan's palm.
Looking at the faint smile on Mu Qinghan's face, Afu felt as if his mind was being warmed by the morning light, and he was somewhat dazed.
The smile was no longer distant; instead, it was like spring water melting snow, gently flowing over the eyes, softening even the gaze.
When it lands on the puppy, it is full of tenderness.
He suddenly realized—the young master seemed different.
Although Mu Qinghan was polite to people in the past, he always had a sense of distance, like the moonlight in winter, which shines brightly but does not easily warm people.
But now, that faint sense of distance seems to have been blown away by the wind, leaving only affability and friendliness, and even the tone of voice has softened.
This change was like a sweet date falling into his heart, and Afu's joy surged up all at once.
He turned around abruptly and shouted into the mansion, his voice filled with barely suppressed joy.
"Young Master Qinghan is back! Everyone come and welcome him!"
Not satisfied with just shouting, he raised his voice even higher, as if afraid the kitchen staff wouldn't hear him.
"Young Master Qinghan is back! Fine wine and delicious food are all prepared!"
The sound struck the vermilion gate and bounced back, rippling through the courtyard in the early morning.
Mu Qinghan raised his head slightly, his gaze falling on Afu's back, and his brows furrowed slightly.
It wasn't that I was unhappy, but I felt that he was being a bit too flamboyant.
When Afu turned around, he happened to see this scene, but he was not flustered at all. Instead, he chuckled, raised his hand to scratch the back of his head, and revealed a bit of his simple and honest nature.
"Young master, please come inside. Madam and the others have been talking about you every day these past few days. They're so worried about you."
Mu Qinghan responded, gently rubbing the puppy's ears with her fingertips before getting up and following Afu's footsteps.
The morning light fell perfectly on his shoulder, turning his snow-white clothes a warm gold, and even the aura around him seemed to have a touch of everyday life.
"Qinghan is back?!"
"Qinghan! My Qinghan!"
"Little brother! Little brother's back!?"
"Young Master is home! Hahaha—Young Master is home!"
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Go home...go home, with love there's nothing to fear~
Chapter 86 Pass on my orders
The young man in white slowly stepped through the gate, followed by a crowd that surged in.
"Qinghan, when did you get back?"
Mu Shenqi's sharp gaze swept over his younger brother's entire body. Seeing that there was not a single scar on that familiar face, his tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.
"My dear son! I've been waiting for you to come back!"
Old Man Mu's face was full of anxiety. He rushed forward in three steps and slapped Mu Qinghan's shoulder heavily with his rough palm. "Has any blind monster bullied you? If anyone dares to bully you, I'll call people to fight them!"
"Stop saying these scary things."
Grandma Mu gently pushed her husband away, and carefully rubbed her son's cheek with her pale hand, her eyes full of heartache.
"Qinghan, are you fully healed? I haven't been able to sleep these past few days because I haven't seen you."
The herdsmen who gathered around also chimed in, some grabbing his wrist to check his breath, others offering him freshly warmed ginseng soup.
"Qinghan, are you feeling unwell anywhere? Drink this soup to help you recover."
"I have some powerful tonic pills here, Qinghan, would you like to take one?"
"Isn't that supposed to be good for your kidneys? Get out of my way. Qinghan, Qinghan, is there anything you want to eat?"
"You must have suffered a lot outside. Your favorite ribs are still cooking in the kitchen!"
Mu Qinghan sat in the middle of the group, listening to the chattering concerns around him, and his brows furrowed slightly.
But when his gaze swept over the genuine worry in his loved ones' eyes, his impatience quietly dissipated.
He reached out and took the ginseng soup, saying softly, "I'm sorry to have worried everyone, my injuries are almost healed."
As he finished speaking, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and a very faint aura quietly emanated from his body.
The scent was initially like a gentle spring breeze, so soft that it was almost imperceptible.
But the next second, a powerful pressure suddenly swept across the entire hall.
The lamplight flickered, the teacup on the table made a soft "click," and even the sound of the wind outside the window seemed to be cut off instantly.
The noise in the hall came to an abrupt halt, and everyone froze in place, their eyes filled with shock.
"Demon... Demon Emperor Realm?"
Mu Shenqi's voice trembled with disbelief. He felt a suppression emanating from his soul in front of this aura, as if he were facing not his younger brother, but the mighty power of heaven and earth that could overturn the clouds with a wave of his hand.
Old Man Mu's raised hand froze in mid-air, his anxious expression completely replaced by blankness.
"How...how did Xiao Qinghan suddenly break through to the Demon Emperor realm?"
It should be noted that no one in the entire human race has ever reached this level.
Although the human race has supreme experts who can use magical artifacts to possess combat power comparable to a demon emperor, they cannot mobilize the power of heaven and earth.
Without the power of heaven and earth, it would be difficult to win in the territories of the various demon kings.
At this moment, Mu Qinghan had indeed entered that realm, which was unprecedented.
They...witnessed history!
"Now, even Wang Quan Shou Zhuo, who wields the Wang Quan Sword, is probably no match for Qing Han, right?"
The eldest second grandfather in the clan stroked his white beard, his voice filled with excitement.
"The Wangquan family has been the leading family for so many years, and now... our Mu family..."
"Hahaha—our Mu family's descendants might even surpass the Wang family..."
Fourth Uncle also realized what was happening, and suddenly slapped his thigh, his hearty laughter causing dust to fall from the roof beams.
"Although Xiao Qinghan doesn't like to compete, with her strength at the Demon Emperor Realm, in the future... who in our Mu family can stop her?!"
The crowd chattered excitedly, their worries turning into pure elation, and even the air seemed to be filled with a festive atmosphere.
Only Mu Qinghan, holding the ginseng soup, remained calm and composed.
Mu Qinghan held the white porcelain soup spoon between her fingertips and gently scooped up a spoonful of ginseng soup and put it into her mouth.
The rich aroma of ginseng spread across his tongue, but the next second, he frowned slightly.
The broth was a bit too salty, overpowering the natural freshness of the ingredients, and it was far from the warm soup I remembered.
Subconsciously, the image of Ya Ya standing in front of him holding a celadon bowl suddenly appeared in his mind.
The girl smiled, her eyes crinkling, her fingertips still damp, and said, "This is freshly made meat soup, have a taste."
The taste of that soup still seems to linger on my lips and teeth.
He snapped back to his senses, his hand holding the soup spoon paused slightly, and then he gently put down the ginseng soup, the porcelain bowl making a soft sound as it collided with the table.
A faint smile unconsciously curved his lips, and he smiled helplessly to himself.
It seems I'm completely bewitched by that little vixen.
His gaze fell on the silver bell on his wrist, and he subconsciously pulled it back a little.
After calming down, he slowly got up.
The crowd, which had been whispering, fell silent instantly. Dozens of eyes fell on him, and even their breathing became softer.
"This time... it was the people of Tushan who saved me."
Mu Qinghan's voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"The Tushan people treated me very well, taking good care of me and treating me with hospitality."
His gaze swept over everyone in the hall, his eyes calm.
"Therefore, my attitude towards Tushan is friendly. Everyone... please remember that."
After the words were spoken, the hall was silent for a moment, then a buzz of discussion broke out.
Some people looked puzzled and muttered, "Although Tushan has a decent reputation, it is still a demon race after all."
Some people frowned, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
The Mu family has always kept to themselves with other demon clans, so their willingness to take the initiative to show goodwill is bound to cause some hesitation.
Mu Qinghan did not interrupt the discussion, but simply stood there, watching calmly.
A moment later, Old Man Mu was the first to slam his hand on the table and shout loudly.
"Good! Tu Shan saved Qing Han, so he is our Mu family's benefactor!"
"We will remember this life-saving grace. If Tushan is ever in trouble in the future, our Mu family will definitely help!"
"I had long heard that the monsters of Tushan rarely harm people and often help humans solve their problems."