Chapter 638

While I was talking with Li Qingying, the Little Guy had already eaten his fill, let out a big burp, and curled up asleep in my arms.

Li Qingying settled me, then went out, and Liu Junyan came in.

After Liu Junyan entered, he first stroked my sweat-damp hair and said, "Xiao Jiu, you've worked hard."

I smiled at him, shifted my body a little, and let him see the Little Guy in my arms.

Looking at that chubby, rosy little one, Liu Junyan's gaze softened further: "He looks like you."

I laughed, "For now you can't really tell, but his brows and eyes are a bit like her brother's."

"Yeah, he's a bit like Xingchen."

Liu Junyan said, extending a finger to gently touch the Little Guy's cheek, and whispered softly, "Shan Shan, welcome; Mom and Dad love you."

The Little Guy seemed to understand, curling the corner of his mouth in his sleep and giving a small smile.

My heart was about to melt from the sight, and Liu Junyan couldn't resist touching Shan Shan's cheek again.

Shan Shan brought us nothing but the novel experience of being new parents.

It's something we never got to experience from Xingchen back then.

Xingchen was born destined to be a Buddhist sect member; his parents' affinity was thin, and his upbringing differed from that of ordinary children.

Speaking of it, we truly owe him a great deal.

A few months ago, after we finished dealing with Jin Wuya and Shi Rou, we made a trip to the Zàng Qū and saw Xingchen.

Perhaps it's the Zàng Qū's outstanding people and spiritual aura, plus the Buddhist sect's incense and the nourishment of merit, but after not seeing him for a few months, Xingchen had actually grown into a youth's appearance.

The Copper Coin Person and the mysterious cat have always been by his side.

He is very busy.

During the few days we stayed there, we mostly watched him from afar.

He has studies morning and evening; usually he recites sutras, lectures, sits on the altar…

Even the rare times we are together, he cannot be like ordinary children who let their parents hug and kiss them.

He is more like an elder; especially when alone with Liu Junyan, what they talk about most is Liu Junyan's recent travels over the past few years, and urging his father to persevere with this matter for the rest of his life.

When Xingchen is with me, he gives me Buddhist beads and chants sutras to pray for the blessing of my younger sister in my belly.

Those days, my and Liu Junyan's feelings were a mixed bag.

When it was time to leave, we were especially reluctant.

Xingchen, however, faced us with an Amitabha Buddha and said, "You two need not constantly worry about me, nor come see me, nor keep sending me things; I am fine. Familial bonds are also a cultivation for me in this life—I can let them go, and I hope you can too."

I remember crying on the way back.

How could one not feel sad?

But I also understand that, in fact, the words Xingchen finally said to us still looked after our emotions.

Actually, familial ties are detrimental to his cultivation.

Every time we meet, every emotional exchange, more or less, causes Xingchen's mood to fluctuate.

And each fluctuation requires him to resume cultivation and mental refinement before he can gradually sever it completely.

Ah, people, sometimes we are truly contradictory and selfish.

We cannot make up for our debt to Xingchen; after Shan Shan was born, we dumped all that compensation onto her.

Shan Shan was practically born with a golden spoon in her mouth; everyone pampers and loves her.

Especially Liu Junyan, who truly holds her in his palm fearing she'll fall, and keeps her in his mouth fearing she'll melt.

When Shan Shan grew a bit older, he began to guard against all opposite-sex individuals as if guarding against thieves.

But despite all the guarding, he ended up lonely, and still was lured away by Xiaoye's son.

That kid is a carbon copy of his father, known as the "Dragon Clan Street Rascal," fearing neither heaven nor earth, slippery as eel—no one can rein him in.

Can't control him, can't guard against him.

Of course, this happened many, many years later.

On the day Shan Shan was born, the Feng Clan's sky above was filled with multicolored clouds stretching for miles; the fiery clouds formed a pattern of a phoenix spreading its wings and soaring high, while countless birds continually soared and cried in that sky.

Then, one by one, they landed on the wutong tree atop the ruins of Cangwu Mountain.

Afterward, those birds all stayed with the Feng Clan and never left again.

Shan Shan's full-month banquet was held at the hall of the Jiǔyàn qū; it was spacious enough and had sufficient manpower.

I originally didn't want to make such a big fuss, but Liu Junyan insisted it had to be a grand affair.

Over these past years, too many things have happened; along the way we've built a tangled web of relationships, and we need to clarify the context through such a grand celebration so we can plan the development direction for the next ten years, or even a century.

Which relationships should be maintained, which can be severed, which unstable factors we have overlooked… all can be revealed through this full-month banquet.

I was completely convinced by him, but I couldn't help teasing, "With all these excuses, you still can't hide your desire to show off that you have a daughter."

Liu Junyan proudly replied, "There's no way around it; my daughter deserves such treatment."

Immediately after, he added with a hint of regret, "I originally thought I could personally hatch her this time, but I didn't expect…"

I almost couldn't help exposing him: "I didn't expect his 'Egg-Hatching Notes' would still be useless."

On the day of the full-month banquet, the busiest weren't me and Liu Junyan, but Li Qingying and Hui Moqiong.

Every big and small matter of the full-month banquet was overseen and arranged by Li Qingying.

Meanwhile, outside matters—such as sending invitations, greeting guests, maintaining order and safety—were all handled by Hui Moqiong.

Hui Moqiong was so busy those days his feet barely touched the ground, yet he remained full of vigor.

Since Li Qingying returned, he's been like he'd been injected with chicken blood, having endless energy every day.

I still remember the day Li Qingying just came back, when I and Liu Junyan were in the room looking at the child, and we heard Hui Moqiong outside suddenly shout excitedly.

Liu Junyan hurried out to see, and found Hui Moqiong actually lifting Li Qingying into a hug, after confirming three times that Li Qingying had returned and wouldn't leave, then spun him around while holding him.

All those earlier claims that he and Qingying were worlds apart, that he wasn't worthy of her, that he could take it up and put it down, etc., vanished into nothing at that moment.

This time, he held her and would not let go.

Shan Shan's full-month banquet was attended by many, many people.

Feng Clan, Linghai Dragon Clan, Nether Realm, Special Affairs Handling Office... even the Zàng Qū side sent over a Buddha amulet personally consecrated by Xingchen for Shan Shan.

People also came from Lingnan.

Jin Wuya and Shi Rou came together; their complexion had improved tremendously compared to a few months ago when they had just come out of the tomb

While everyone was outside talking, Shi Rou leaned in and said to me: "Xiao Jiu, I have some good news for you... I... I'm pregnant again, three months along, this pregnancy is very stable."

I sincerely said: "Congratulations, Shi Rou sis, this time you will surely get what you wish for."

Shi Rou's eyes turned red, she grabbed my hand and said: "Xiao Jiu, thank you; if it weren't for you breaking our family's curse, the Shi family would truly have died out..."

(Happy New Year)

(Epilogue contains side stories of Yu Nian and Li Qingying; this is where it ends. The next chapter enters Shi Rou's side story, written from Shi Rou's perspective, dear readers can pick and read as they like.)