Chapter 23: Why Is This Happening?

"Why on earth is this happening?"

"Why does everyone want me to be their Foster Father?"

"Do I really have a face that screams 'father figure'?"

He gazed at his reflection in the river: a delicate, handsome youth with a slight frown and a bitter, pouting smile.

Ren Yidao sighed helplessly.

"It doesn't even look like that; looking like a husband would be more accurate."

"Or is it that in my fate, I am truly destined to suffer this tribulation?"

Is it my natural destiny to be a Foster Father to others?

After carefully recalling his past and present lives, Ren Yidao thought about it and actually felt there was some truth to it.

In his previous life, he had been a 'foster father' to his roommates for many years while at school, and just before he died, he had been a rebirth parent to two children.

In this life, he was still performing consistently, having just taken in a well-behaved foster daughter.

Just a moment ago, there was also a mature, female knight-type foster daughter who was almost forcibly pushed into his hands.

Upon learning Ren Yidao's age, Shi Anqi was stunned for a long time, and then did not bring up the matter of recognizing a foster father again.

He said nothing, carried Shi Xue with a look of disbelief, and led his team away from the Zuixian Small Pavilion.

As for Ren Yidao, he had a brief exchange with the person in charge of the Zuixian Small Pavilion, asking him to help record the whereabouts of You Wujian in the future, before setting off toward his sect.

He did not walk very fast; while tapping his Wooden Fish, he reviewed everything that had happened that night, pondering if he had missed anything.

To sum it up, although there were some flaws in certain areas, it was generally quite consistent with, or even exceeded, his expectations.

He had gained many unexpected things.

For instance, the 'friendship' of an important official of the Imperial Court.

"This Shi Anqi is really quite interesting."

Setting aside that dangerous Evil Qi, the dignified leader of the Dark Guard was actually a goofball.

Of course, regarding someone who mixed in official circles, Ren Yidao would never fully believe what the other party displayed on the surface.

Whether it was the fear of his wife he displayed, or the tenderness he revealed when talking to Shi Xue, none of it could be taken entirely as truth.

Because those were not emotions directed at him.

Even though the two now had a so-called cooperation and promise in place, when things actually happened, no one could say for sure which side Shi Anqi would stand on.

Or to put it more bluntly, when Ren Yidao's interests conflicted with the Beiqian Dynasty, there was naturally no need to wonder which side his 'Brother Shi' would stand on.

But even excluding those uncertain parts, Shi Anqi was interesting enough as a person.

Ren Yidao had never disliked interacting with such interesting and clever people.

After paying with a future transaction, Ren Yidao obtained Shi Anqi's promise of assistance.

It was just that, while one could believe the words of an outsider, one could only believe them a little.

The only people truly worth entrusting everything to were one's own people, those who knew you inside and out—the kind who "know your depth, and you know my length."

"The night of the full moon has just passed, which means there is still about a full month of preparation time... that should be enough to discover more clues."

I'll go back and discuss it with Jian Xinxin; let's see if he can provide me with a new line of thought.

By the time Ren Yidao returned to Luoyue Peak around noon, he did not see a single one of his own people there to welcome him.

There wasn't even a dog on the entire Luoyue Peak.

"... Where is everyone?"

I was out fooling around all night, and none of you cared where I went?

Shouldn't you be blocking the door to interrogate me?

"Where are my dear ones? Where have you all gone?"

Jian Xinxin lived in seclusion year-round, forever damply keeping company with paper cutouts; he could be excluded.

Jing Yueqin was performing consistently; when she had nothing to do, she could stick to her bed, repeatedly waking up and falling back asleep.

Yu Yu...

"That's right, where is Yu Yu?"

Where is my good foster daughter?

Well, look at the time, and she still hasn't gotten up?

So lazy.

She's only been at Luoyue Peak for a few days, and she's already learned the essence of the Peak Master.

"Heh."

But you have a lot of nerve.

What status does Jing Yueqin have to sleep in, and what status do you have?

I wouldn't dare lay a hand on Senior Sister, but wouldn't I dare lay a hand on Junior Sister?

This isn't me deliberately making things difficult for you; it's you who delivered the opportunity into my hands.

Don't blame me later when you get punished (bullied).

"Sleep, sleep, sleep? Get up and party!"

Swaying as he walked toward Yu Yu's Cave Abode, just as Ren Yidao was about to push the door open, his expression changed, and his palm paused before the door.

His nose twitched slightly, and his pupils contracted.

"Hm?"

He smelled a scent that was somewhat familiar, yet somewhat strange.

It was the scent he often smelled on those restless little female foxes during the spring when all things were reviving.

"Hm???"

What is going on?

Everything was fine yesterday, so how could it be... ah?

Could it be my fault?

But I didn't do anything to her yesterday!

After thinking about it seriously, Ren Yidao could only attribute this phenomenon to Yu Yu's sudden growth and the warm season.

Standing quietly outside the door for a moment, after confirming that Yu Yu had not woken up, Ren Yidao turned and left.

"The child has grown up."

"She should learn to wash her own bedsheets."

Hmm.

Although he had only been a Foster Father for two days, he suddenly had a real sense of what it was like to be a parent.

Yu Yu, in her sleep, did not know that she had luckily escaped a disaster and had not been caught by her Foster Father's Demon claws.

She had a dream.

In the dream, she was like a small boat, drifting on a calm, waveless lake.

The shore was planted with clusters of flowers, and the air was filled with the rich scent of photinia flowers.

But soon, the wind and clouds changed.

The lake water suddenly became wild and turbulent, whipping up layers of giant waves that continuously battered her small boat.

The waves seemed endless, one higher than the next, crashing back and forth.

Finally, while passing a huge reef, a giant wave pushed the small boat toward the rock, smashing it to pieces in a hearty, unrestrained collision.

After that, she woke up.

"Haa, ha..."

Opening her eyes wide and sitting up, Yu Yu looked at the unfamiliar room in a daze, taking several seconds to come back to her senses.

"Everything is soaked."

Perhaps because it was too intense in the dream, her clothes and trousers were already soaked with sweat, and she felt sticky everywhere, which was very uncomfortable.

Wanting to get rid of this uncomfortable feeling as soon as possible, Yu Yu rolled off the bed, wanting to change into a new set of clothes.

Ouch.

But just as she took a step toward the wardrobe, her knees suddenly went weak, and she sat back down on the bed.

"Eh? Why is this?"

"Why is this? I really can't understand why it would be like this."

"Hmm."

It has nothing to do with me.

"Senior Brother, do you think I'm not wrong?"

Jian Xinxin did not even lift his head, answering mechanically:

"Hmm."

You are guilty.

"Senior Brother, I think you should get more sun."

"Hmm."

Not getting any.

Jian Xinxin had already made up his mind that no matter what Ren Yidao said this time, he would not pay attention to him.

"I have found the clue as to why the sect wants to take back Luoyue Peak."

"Hmm."

No matter... hmm?

Slowly lifting his head, Jian Xinxin looked at the smug youth whose face showed his scheme had succeeded, and said hoarsely:

"Speak."

... You win.