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Chapter 1: Hurry Up and Catch Fish for My Granddaughter

The ancient path blew with the west wind, a thin horse passed by, small bridges crossed flowing streams where people lived.

The crimson golden sunset painted the clouds along the sky in glorious colors, radiant and dreamlike.

In the remote Yinjian Town, Mianzhou, in the southwestern province, Chen Feng stepped off the long-distance bus. He looked at the quiet ancient town, the distant rolling mountains lying dormant like giant beasts, and only felt the same desolation and vastness as before.

He had a well-proportioned figure, stood about 1.7 meters tall, and carried a camouflage canvas bag on his back. Dressed in an old-fashioned training uniform and black combat boots, his face was sharply chiseled and strikingly handsome. His nose bridge was tall, and his eyes were as deep as the starry sky. At this moment, the corners of his mouth curled up with a roguish air.

He looked a bit lazy, a bit weathered by time. After putting on his aviator sunglasses, he walked toward Qingquan Village, where faint trails of cooking smoke rose to the north of town.

After leaving his hometown at seventeen, he entered a special forces unit, roaming life and death missions around the world. He already spent twelve years away from his family.

With a slightly excited heart, he strode ahead confidently.

Qingquan Village was surrounded by mountains, forming an irregular oval. A clear stream wound its way from the mountains, no more than six inches at its deepest, revealing all kinds of colorful stones at the bottom.

On both sides of the village road, bamboo groves rustled. The evening wind followed the stream, bringing a cool breeze that drove away the summer heat. Small brick buildings by the roadside stood behind stone walls, with brilliant flowers swaying in bloom beside them.

From time to time, he saw men and women riding electric scooters or tricycles pass by, as well as old men carrying fish baskets and bamboo fishing rods walking into their courtyards, letting him feel the familiar pulse of everyday life he had missed for so long.

The home in Chen Feng’s memory sat near the creek, a small house with green tiles and mud walls.

But when he saw it, he unconsciously swallowed, took off his sunglasses, and was a bit stunned!

Was this ancient mansion in front of him really his home?

Gray brick and blue tiles, upturned eaves, and a vermillion main gate studded with golden brass nails—it looked just like a prince’s residence.

Although he sent his salary home each month, it still seemed impossible for them to build something so luxurious!

An old man passed by on a scooter, wearing a gray vest, his skin bronzed and face covered in wrinkles. He spotted Chen Feng in training uniform, braked, planted his feet, tilted his head and shouted loudly, “Young man, what are you looking at?”

He took a closer look and clicked his tongue. “You look familiar, are you Chen Dachang’s son?”

“Hey! I’m your Grandpa Fu. Do you still recognize me? You’ve changed so much, kid!”

He then turned to the house and called in a booming voice, “Dachang, Qinghua, your son is back~”

Hearing the old man, a deep male voice replied from inside the courtyard, “Uncle Fu, are you here to mess with us again?”

Grandpa Fu rolled his triangular eyes. “What would I lie to you for? Come out and see for yourself.”

After saying so, he sized up Chen Feng once more. “Feng kid, what have you been doing all these years? You’re never home!”

Chen Feng smiled and replied, “I was in the army. Just finished my service.”

Grandpa Fu gave him a thumbs up. “Good lad, protecting the country. That’s admirable!”

From inside the gate, a middle-aged couple of about fifty or sixty rushed out with hope in their eyes. When they saw Chen Feng beside Grandpa Fu, their faces lit up with joy.

Chen Feng was surprised to notice that his mother, Yi Qinghua, held a baby girl in her arms. The little one looked delicate and cute, her hair tied into small pigtails, wearing a light green outfit. Her big black eyes blinked as she tilted her head, staring at him curiously.

“Dad, Mom, I’m home!” His voice trembled lightly and his nose tingled. It wasn’t that he didn’t miss home all these years, but he’d never had the time or chance to return.

Grandpa Fu chuckled at the scene. “I’ll head home for dinner first.”

He twisted the scooter handle and rode off in style, leaving his figure behind for them.

Chen Feng’s mother, Yi Qinghua, teased the little cutie in her arms before smiling happily. “Sweetheart, your daddy is home. Quick, call him daddy~”

Chen Dachang patted Chen Feng’s shoulder, grinning. “Come on, let’s go inside first.”

Chen Feng’s mind buzzed. Was that little sprite in his mother’s arms really his daughter? Why didn’t he know about it at all?

He almost tripped stepping through the main gate.

And when the little one saw his reaction, she unconsciously grinned, pointed at him and giggled, as if finding him greatly amusing.

Chen Feng felt wronged. How could this be his daughter? He never dated anyone, never got married.

The only connection he could recall was an incident on assignment abroad a few years ago, when he rescued a girl who’d been kidnapped. After spending a few days together, she found an opportunity to get him drunk and they ended up in bed.

When he woke up, the girl was already gone.

Then, taking on another assignment, he put the whole thing out of his mind.

Could it have happened then?

Suddenly, he felt his head swell.

Yet the little one babbled and stretched her chubby arms toward him, wanting to leap into his embrace. His movements were stiff as he carefully took her. She reached out with her tender hands, pinched his cheeks, and cried out, “Ah-pa~”

Chen Feng looked at his mother and asked awkwardly, “Is her mother Lu Caiwei?”

With a smack, his mother’s loving palm landed on the back of his head, making Chen Feng feel like a kid again. “Who else would it be if not Caiwei? What, do you have someone else out there?”

His father could only look on helplessly at his son, giving him a resigned expression.

Chen Feng felt wronged. He hadn’t even really experienced love, nor felt the sweetness of romance, yet was abruptly pushed into a father’s role.

He sighed inwardly—boys really had to take care of themselves out in the world!

Looking at the little one still gleefully pinching his cheeks, Chen Feng suddenly felt a wave of tenderness.

“Ah-pa~ Ah-pa~” The baby’s soft voice was unclear, but so adorable it was almost overwhelming.

Both of his parents beamed with joy. “See how clever she is? She knows you’re her dad.”

“Son, now that you have a daughter and Caiwei is still so young, don’t get any funny ideas, you hear?” His mother warned him sternly.

What else could Chen Feng do? He could only nod obediently.

Holding a small child for the first time, his hands were stiff. He dared not move, afraid he’d hurt her.

But the mischievous little thing squirmed in his arms like a silkworm, especially excited.

His mother, seeing how nervous he was, scooped the little one back and chided, “So grown up and you can’t even hold a baby. Watch how I do it.”

The little girl pouted, unhappy, and struggled to reach out to Chen Feng, trying to break free from her grandmother, calling out, “Ya~ Ah-pa, hold~”

His mother laughed, “This little scamp, now that she has her dad, she doesn’t want her grandma anymore.”

Seeing the little one about to burst into tears, she quickly put her back in Chen Feng’s arms, while Chen Dachang laughed gleefully on the side.

His mother gave his father a glare. “What are you laughing at? Go cook.”

Having been scolded by his wife, Chen Dachang shook his head and went to the kitchen, grabbing a chicken that was pecking at its feed—his son was home, they had to stew some chicken.

Chen Feng looked at the little one in his arms and curiously asked, “Do you know your name?”

The little thing grinned and waved her fists, calling out, “Ah-pa~”

His mother laughed so hard her eyes squinted, then gave Chen Feng a sidelong glance. “You’re her father and you don’t know your daughter’s name? Hmph, my precious granddaughter is called Chen Linglong.”

“She just turned a year old the day before yesterday.”

Chen Feng nodded quickly. “Got it, got it.”

Then, he glanced at the luxurious mansion and asked, “Mom, about this house?”

“Little Wei paid for a designer, and we chipped in over a million as well. All the money you sent us over the years, we saved up. We wouldn’t dare use it recklessly.”

“It’s a courtyard with two sections. The outer area is for the garden and guest rooms, the inner courtyard is where we live.”

“The designer thought of every detail. The decoration is very grand.”

“In Qingquan Village, ours is the most beautiful house,” his mother said with pride.

Chen Feng chuckled. He looked at the huanghuali chairs and golden nanmu doors and windows in the garden. Although a million might barely cover the basics, so long as the elders were happy, that was what mattered. He didn’t want them to feel burdened.

Wisps of smoke curled from the kitchen, and tired birds flew back to their roosts.

The sunset cast a rosy glow over the whole courtyard.

Little Linglong gripped Chen Feng’s index finger and tottered around the front yard. She was still unsteady on her feet and kept glancing back at Chen Feng, babbling, “Ah-pa~”

Chen Feng looked at her tenderly, smiling. “I’m here.”

The little rascal got even more excited, bouncing and laughing gleefully in place.

There was a small garden in the front yard, and a beautiful fishpond. Spring water from the back mountain flowed in. The pond, about twenty square meters, was gourd-shaped, with white pebbles at the bottom and koi fish swimming with crucian carp and small shrimps that Chen Dachang caught.

A few lotus flowers grew in the pond, scattered but exquisite.

The little one squatted by the pond, clinging to the railing, excitedly pointing at the fish inside. “Ah-pa~ Fish, fish~”

Chen Feng smiled and tapped the water with his finger. The fish, sensing something, swam over frantically, making Linglong shriek with excitement. “Fish~ Fish~”

His mother sat under the osmanthus tree on a chair, smiling. “Son, the little one wants you to catch fish for her. She loves fish soup, and all the crucian carp were caught by her grandpa just for her.”

Chen Feng licked his lips, looking at his daughter who seemed to step right out of a fairy tale, and said seriously, “Little one, you must never rely on others for anything, not even your mother, understand?”

“But Dad will teach you how to live on your own, so you can always catch your own fish.”

“How about that?”

Yi Qinghua rolled her eyes. “She’s just a one-year-old baby. She can’t even speak clearly or walk straight yet. How can she be independent?”

“You’re still so lazy? Didn’t the army fix your bad habits?”

“Hurry up and catch fish for my granddaughter!”

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