That year, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Li Jiu officially adopted Bian Yiqiu as his godson.

Before this, Bian Yiqiu had already become Li Jiu’s most trusted subordinate. At just twenty years old, he was young, passionate, and able to command respect. More importantly, he was fiercely loyal to Li Jiu. After the incident where he shielded Li Jiu from harm, rumors had begun to spread, encouraged by Li Jiu’s men, that Bian Yiqiu had saved his life.

Bian Yiqiu didn’t dare to accept such a claim, knowing his place. He understood that, far from being a savior, he was little more than a human shield. If Li Jiu ever ordered his death, he wouldn’t have the right or the means to refuse.

What Bian Yiqiu didn’t expect was for Shi Anzhi to approach him one day, shortly after the twelfth lunar month began, with an unexpected question:

“Would you like to become Master Jiu’s son?”

“Huh?” Bian Yiqiu was stunned.

Shi Anzhi simply smiled warmly and gestured for him to sit.

Standing in the grand library at Xuyuan, surrounded by the scent of books and the towering shelves, Bian Yiqiu felt completely out of place. But since it was Uncle Shi speaking, he stood properly, blinking in confusion for a full half minute before asking the man seated behind the desk.

“Why me?”

“Master Jiu has no children and never will. Your mother has passed away, and your father… well, he’s not in the picture. Master Jiu cares for you deeply, isn’t that enough?” Shi Anzhi’s gentle gaze met Bian Yiqiu’s as he explained. After a brief pause, he added, “Of course, if you’re not willing, that’s fine too. I’m just here to ask your thoughts. I can assure you that no matter your decision, it won’t affect your position at Jiu’an.”

Bian Yiqiu vaguely felt something was off with this long speech, but Shi Anzhi’s gaze was gentle and sincere. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, realizing that with his worthless life, there was nothing worth scheming over. Moreover, the one asking him was Uncle Shi, and the one planning to take him as a son was Master Jiu. Even if those two wanted his life, it wouldn’t matter—let alone asking him to call Master Jiu “godfather.”

So, he raised his head and cheerfully said, “Alright, I guess I’ll have a father from now on.”

Shi Anzhi, sitting behind the desk, broke into a delighted smile, his gaze so warm that it softened something in Bian Yiqiu’s heart. For a fleeting moment, Bian Yiqiu thought, If it were you adopting me, how great would that be?

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, at Xuyuan, following the southern customs, incense was lit, and wine and fruits were set out. Bian Yiqiu knelt three times and bowed nine times in front of Master Jiu, performing the formal ceremony. He respectfully called out, “Godfather.”

Li Jiu’s face was full of smiles as he handed over a bank card as a welcome gift. Bian Yiqiu happily accepted it, silently marveling at the conveniences of modern times. With Li Jiu’s generosity, who knew how many zeros were in that account? Yet, all he had to do was reach out to take it. If this had been the old days, receiving silver coins, gold bars, or cash would have been such a hassle.

Standing beside Li Jiu, Shi Anzhi also smiled and handed over a brocade box. Bian Yiqiu, caught off guard, received it with both hands and instinctively glanced at Li Jiu. Li Jiu tilted his chin, signaling him to open it. Bian Yiqiu carefully opened the box, which appeared quite old, and inside was a jade pendant with a deep green, flawless appearance.

Bian Yiqiu was momentarily stunned. Shi Anzhi chuckled and said, “This is an old item brought from the north many years ago. It’s too old now, and there’s no point in keeping it. Taking advantage of Master Jiu’s happiness, we’ll give it as a gift to Young Master Qiu.”

The weight of the brocade box suddenly felt much heavier in Bian Yiqiu’s hands. Suddenly, his nose felt a little sore, and a soft voice from years ago drifted through his mind. That person had gently cleaned his wounds, asking softly, “Does it hurt?”

For some reason, an impulse stirred within him. With the same brocade mat he had just knelt on before Li Jiu, Bian Yiqiu suddenly bent his knees and knelt down in front of Shi Anzhi.

Looking at the man he had called “Uncle Shi” for many years, his throat inexplicably tightened. He called out softly, “Uncle Shi—”

He managed to suppress the emotions surging in his chest and, with respect, performed another kowtow.

“Your kindness and great favor surpass the heavens. Xiaoqiu accepts it.”

Later, Madam Mei gifted him a house. Although Mei Xiaoran was the Mistress of Xuyuan, she did not hold the official title. She stood at the forefront of the old brothers from Jiu’an but did not receive his formal respect.

At the start of the new year, everything was renewed. That evening, to celebrate the joyous occasion at Xuyuan, fireworks and firecrackers lit up the sky over the sea to the south for a full half hour. Bian Yiqiu, having been heavily encouraged to drink by a group of lively brothers, quickly reached his limit. With his low tolerance, he soon became disoriented, stumbling and barely able to tell man from beast. He was helped to a corner of the courtyard, where the restroom was, and there he threw up for a while. After some time, weak and exhausted, he waved his hand to send his brothers back, taking a moment before slowly making his way back himself.

Halfway through, he weakly waved his hand, signaling the younger men to leave him be. After some time, he finally composed himself and started to walk back slowly.

Far off, the smoke from the sea began to dissipate, the wind carrying with it a lingering aura of battle and bloodshed, echoing the sounds of ancient war cries. But in the end, it slowly faded away. On the side of Xuyuan facing the sea stood a beautifully designed small fountain, its misty light shining up from beneath the water, creating an atmosphere like a celestial cave. Two figures stood there, and Bian Yiqiu recognized them as Master Jiu and Uncle Shi.

He faintly overheard their conversation.

“Another year has begun. Have you made your wish?”

“The same as always.”

Li Jiu chuckled and teased, “Peace, prosperity, and full moons? But it’s clearly a crescent moon tonight.”

“It’ll be full in a few days. And, year after year, it will always be full.”

“The scholars are right, as always.”

As time passed, Bian Yiqiu gradually took over most of Li Jiu’s responsibilities. It wasn’t until later that he realized just how lazy his godfather truly was. He couldn’t help but feel a little disgruntled, wondering if Li Jiu had taken him as a godson solely to gain an additional laborer.

Li Jiu seldom appeared at the Ruide Center anymore, and his old house in the old city district, where he once mingled with gangs, had become a thing of the past. Most of his time was spent at Xuyuan, where he tended to flowers, cared for birds, and even acquired a plot of land on the neighboring hillside, turning it into a pasture for a group of dogs and horses. He spent much of his time there, idly passing the hours.

The legendary “wine pools” and “meat forests” of Xuyuan, once spoken of in tales, only began to take shape at this point in time.

After the start of spring, a litter of puppies and a foal were born in Li Jiu’s pasture, which intrigued Shi Anzhi. Throughout his life, he had never done any rough work. Even when he was sent to the countryside, with his delicate hands, he only did paperwork and bookkeeping tasks. Watching Li Jiu crouch in the stable to help a mare give birth, his hands covered in blood as he pulled the foal’s legs out, then swiftly cut the umbilical cord, Shi Anzhi was overwhelmed by the strong scent of blood. Despite the discomfort, he was also deeply curious.

He asked Li Jiu, “How is it that you seem to be born knowing how to do all this?”

Li Jiu wiped his bloody hands with a handful of dry hay, chuckling as he handed over the remaining work to someone else. Standing up, he laughed heartily, “Well, because I’m your Xiao Jiu?”

He knew that Shi Anzhi couldn’t stand the bloody scene. Standing up, he gestured with his chin towards Shi Anzhi, signaling for him to go back to the house. But Shi Anzhi handed him a warm, damp towel instead.

Li Jiu declined, shaking his head. “Blood like this won’t come off properly with just a wipe. I’ll take a shower instead.” With that, he headed toward a nearby wooden cabin.

In the steamy shower room, Shi Anzhi used a loofah to scrub the back of Li Jiu’s neck and spine. Li Jiu’s body bore numerous scars, and the smooth, muscular lines of his body told the story of the years he had weathered through storms. Shi Anzhi reached out from behind to hold him, brushing his lips against his neck, and suddenly called his name.

“Xiao Jiu.”

“Mm.”

“You once said you owed me.”

“Mm.”

After the brief exchange, Shi Anzhi fell silent for a long time. The only sound in the small wooden room was the rushing of water. Li Jiu turned around, pulling Shi Anzhi into his arms and kissing his face. Suddenly, he tasted something unusual and immediately grabbed Shi Anzhi’s face, inspecting it closely. “What’s wrong with you?”

Shi Anzhi’s eyes were slightly red before a smile broke through. “The repayment for that one meal has been far too generous. My life has been so overflowing with happiness because of it.”

Li Jiu tousled Shi Anzhi’s damp hair, pulling him into a tighter embrace. He kissed his forehead and cheeks tenderly, his voice a soft murmur.

“You are worth my entire universe.”

Shi Anzhi was quite surprised by Li Jiu’s sudden use of refined vocabulary. That evening, at the bedside, he discovered that Master Jiu had recently been reading an astronomy popular science magazine. He casually flipped through a page, and the crease was deep, as if someone had read it many times.

The illustration on that page depicted a galaxy in the universe, with the vast starry sky shown as a digital simulation, countless stars scattered across the deep cosmos. The solar system was nowhere to be seen, let alone Earth. As he gazed at the endless past and future, and the expansive space on the page, Shi Anzhi couldn’t help but drift into a daze.

Li Jiu’s voice broke the silence, his words deliberate and heartfelt as they lingered in Shi Anzhi’s ears:

“If every person were a small planet, the lives that intersect with yours would be the dark matter surrounding you. I wish I could always see you, I wish we would never be separated. Your gravity always pulls me in, and I am grateful that our light cones once overlapped, and that you forever changed the trajectory of my star. No matter where I am, you are the reason why the galaxy I belong to has never fallen apart; you are the eternal element in the web of my universe.”

Li Jiu’s voice slowly echoed in Shi Anzhi’s ear, speaking neither too fast nor too slow, with a mixture of seriousness and deep affection that left Shi Anzhi almost stunned as he listened to every word. When Li Jiu finished, he suddenly pecked Shi Anzhi on the ear, his warm breath brushing against it. With a playful grin, Li Jiu revealed his true self: “How’s my memory? I didn’t miss a word, huh?”

Shi Anzhi, both moved and amused, turned his face to gently hold Li Jiu’s cheek, their foreheads resting together, his eyelashes trembling slightly. He kissed Li Jiu on the lips and then said, “Well, you’re my Xiao Jiu, right? Unparalleled in the world.”

The unparalleled Master Jiu gradually transitioned into a semi-retired life over the years, his sharp edges softening as he took on the seemingly stable position of honorary president at the Jiu’an Group. Yet, only Bian Yiqiu truly understood how many people wanted to see Li Jiu dethroned. Among them was a man named Qian Yunchang.

Old Qian was actually a little older than Li Jiu. He was ranked third in the Qian family and, after rising to fame, everyone called him “Third Master.” At first, he was reluctant to accept the title because Li Jiu was called “Master Jiu,” and he feared it would be misunderstood that he ranked above Li Jiu. However, Li Jiu wasn’t bothered by such things, and with a laugh, he also called him “Third Master.” Over time, Old Qian gradually accepted the title. He was one of the earliest followers of Li Jiu, with both age and seniority on his side

He had always handled smuggling for Li Jiu, with firearms being the most lucrative business. He even dabbled in a little white powder on the side. While Li Jiu avoided drugs, he had a keen interest in the latest weapons, which became one of the primary sources of profit for his operation. However, after the founding of Jiu’an Group, Li Jiu had to reluctantly give up this part of the business.

Li Jiu was willing to let go, but Old Qian was not.

Whether for profit or power, to Li Jiu, it was just cutting off a limb. But for Old Qian, it was like a knife to the throat.

After a drawn-out tug-of-war and heated negotiations, where losses were suffered on both sides, Qian Yunchang stormed into Xuyuan demanding to see Li Jiu. He was stopped by Bian Yiqiu.

“Godfather’s busy. Tell me what you want,” Bian Yiqiu said coolly.

Qian Yunchang sneered, raising his hand to shove Bian Yiqiu aside. “You little brat, barely grown…”

The two words that lingered at the end of his sentence were choked by the gun pressed against his forehead. At over fifty, Old Qian had survived countless gunfights, but now, in his old age, this younger man half his age had a gun aimed at his head. He had brought a group of armed men with him, and the sound of safety catches being disengaged filled the air as they all aimed their weapons at Bian Yiqiu.

Bian Yiqiu smirked, casually clicking off the safety of his own gun. He leaned in, using the barrel to prod Qian Yunchang’s forehead with deliberate force. “A gun doesn’t care about rank. Want to reason with it?”

Qian Yunchang was forced back with each press of the gun against his forehead, step by step.

Just as he was about to retreat through the door, one of his subordinates couldn’t hold back any longer and took a step forward. Without even looking, Bian Yiqiu’s other hand, which had been hanging loosely by his side, suddenly raised. He fired a shot, the loud bang echoing as it struck the foot of the man who had just stepped forward. The injured man fell to the ground, howling in pain. In the ensuing chaos, the others tried to rush forward, but they were immediately stopped by Qian Yunchang’s trembling voice.

“Stand down! All of you, stand down!” Qian Yunchang barked, his trembling voice cutting through the disorder.

The gun pressed firmly against Qian Yunchang’s forehead, steady and unmoving.

Sweat ran down his temple in streams, and he shouted again, “Back off! Everyone, back off!”

With the sound of hurried footsteps, Qian Yunchang narrowed his eyes, locking his gaze onto Bian Yiqiu. He said, “Young Master Qiu, treating an old man like this… there will be consequences.”

Bian Yiqiu curled his lips into a faint smile and replied, “If heaven truly has eyes, it’ll punish the disloyal and unjust black-hearted seeds first.”