Chapter 454: Unbearable

For Chen Guanlou, the days of recuperation flew by.

Before he knew it, the year was ending, with less than half a month left until the New Year.

He packed his things, preparing to return to Jingcheng.

The estate head worried his body hadn't fully healed; if he returned and ran into some fool, his wounds might worsen. He hoped Chen Guanlou would stay until next year—that was also the Hou Fu's wish: to heal thoroughly before returning to Jingcheng.

But Chen Guanlou wasn't willing.

He wasn't injured at all—he was faking it.

Even if he had been wounded at first, the Longlife Dao Fruit had long since healed him. Had he not needed to deceive the world, he would never have stayed at the mountain estate so long.

He claimed the New Year was approaching, his injuries were nearly gone, and all he needed now was light recuperation—he insisted on returning to Jingcheng.

A man who loved comfort couldn't endure weeks cooped up in a mountain ravine without the internet or happy fat-boy drinks—he'd reached his limit.

He had to return to Jingcheng, to live freely and joyfully, to breathe in the scent of human life—not wake each day to nothing but mountains, and nothing but men and old women cooking and sweeping.

He couldn't take this life anymore.

He wanted women—he wanted soft, fragrant women to warm his bed.

Not spend every day staring at a bunch of rough men who kept eyeing other mountains. He was an invalid; even hunting was off-limits, and everyone treated him like porcelain. Just thinking about it made the days unbearable. Luckily, the head steward had sent him all kinds of storybooks to pass the time.

He must return to Jingcheng's glittering world—no one would stop him.

Chen Guanlou insisted on leaving; the estate head couldn't stop him, so he reported to the Hou Fu and arranged a carriage for him.

"If you can't stand Jingcheng, come back here. Come spring, the mountains are far more fun."

Can't stand Jingcheng?

What nonsense!

He longed to take root in Jingcheng.

"Don't worry—I adapt easily. I can live anywhere."

Riding the carriage, Chen Guanlou returned to Jingcheng that evening.

After a full day on the road, his buttocks ached.

When he arrived home, surprisingly, everything was clean and tidy. He brushed his hand across the table—no dust at all.

Chunxiang's wife told him his elder sister, Chen Xiaolan, came regularly to clean for him.

"If your elder sister knew you were back, she'd be overjoyed."

"I miss her too."

Worried his sister might rush over the same night, Chen Guanlou waited until the next day to send word to her family.

Soon after the message arrived, his sister hurried back with her two children.

The moment she saw him, tears poured like a faucet. She threw her arms around him. "If you'd died, how could I face our parents in the afterlife? What did you promise me?"

She wept and scolded.

Chen Guanlou grinned broadly.

"I'm perfectly fine, sister. I'm hungry—I haven't eaten your cooking in ages."

Chen Xiaolan wiped her tears. "Fine, I'll cook for you right away. But we've got nothing at home—I'll have to go buy everything fresh."

"No need. I'll send Dawa, Chunxiang's husband, to run errands. Just tell him what you need."

"I need a lot of things. No way—Dawa's just a half-grown boy. He doesn't know how to shop. I have to go myself."

Chen Guanlou couldn't argue with his sister, so he gave her money and let her go about her business.

Her two children, Yaya and Dabao, stayed behind to keep him company.

Yaya was now a half-grown girl, inheriting Chen Xiaolan's looks—she resembled the Chen family, with a pretty face.

Chen Guanlou took the chance to test Yaya's studies.

Dabao was still too young for schooling. Chen Guanlou carved him a wooden sword to play with and taught him two fake martial moves.

Yaya had been given her formal name: Su Rongrong, supposedly chosen by Master Su. Originally, it had been a more elegant name, selected from a book. But Su's old woman complained—it was too refined for a humble household, too hard to pronounce, too awkward to call. So it became Su Rongrong.

Chen Xiaolan seethed with resentment.

"Your brother-in-law has no backbone—he listens to his parents on everything. He can't even decide our child's name. It drives me mad. That's why I've been running back to my parents' home lately—to get some air."

In front of her brother Chen Guanlou, Chen Xiaolan showed no restraint, openly expressing her frustrations and dark thoughts. This was family—unconditionally accepting her flaws and petty grievances.

Chen Guanlou comforted her: "Elder sister, don't be so troubled. When Yaya comes of age, you can choose her courtesy name yourself."

"Can girls even have courtesy names?" Chen Xiaolan was surprised.

"Of course. It's just that small households don't bother with it. Wealthy families always do. If you don't believe me, next time you visit the Hou Fu, quietly ask the young ladies there—they'll know."

"Alright. When I go to the Hou Fu for New Year greetings, I'll ask someone quietly."

Young ladies' courtesy names were usually kept private. Chen Xiaolan had never paid attention to such things, so not knowing was understandable.

Knowing there was a second chance, Chen Xiaolan's mood lifted, and a smile appeared on her face. Neither sibling mentioned the past; Chen Xiaolan didn't ask how badly Chen Guanlou had been injured. Every time she thought of it, fear and unease gripped her—she didn't want to relive the torment, nor add to her brother's psychological burden.

Both nephews loved their uncle's home—free and unrestrained.

And their uncle gave them pocket money, bought them food and clothes.

Chen Guanlou also prepared a set of mid-grade writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone for Yaya. He didn't buy top-grade ones, fearing the child would be bullied at school and have his valuables stolen.

Mid-grade was enough—respectable, yet unlikely to draw envy.

Children's world could be cruel sometimes.

The brother and sister talked at length, then pulled in Chunxiang's wife for gossip.

The second branch's illegitimate son had slept with a servant's wife, giving the man a green hat—everyone in the household knew. His wife caught him in the act, and the matter reached the old matriarch.

The old matriarch was furious.

In wealthy households, this wasn't unusual. Sleeping with one servant's wife? Even ten or eight wouldn't matter.

It was just a matter of face.

The second branch agreed: bury the matter, pretend it never happened.

But Chen Guanfu refused to tolerate it—he despised how the second branch corrupted the Hou Fu's family morals. Against all opposition, he exiled the illegitimate son to the south, forbidding his return for at least two or three years.

There were so many maids in the household—why sleep with another man's wife? Even if she was a servant's wife, there should be some restraint. He didn't just sleep with her—he made a public spectacle of it. What kind of example was that? If no punishment was given, younger generations would copy him, and the family's morals would collapse.

Privately, everyone whispered that Chen Guanfu was making a mountain out of a molehill—pretending to correct family morals, but really just humiliating the second branch.