Chapter 33

On the streets of Huacheng, Ling Qing walked slowly with Yan Feili. The city was bustling with people coming and going, but beggars and victims in rags can be seen everywhere on the roadside. The streets had become much more crowded than in the past.

Yan Feili looked at these people with a heavy heart, and the feeling of wanting to come out had disappeared. Tomorrow they will leave for Jianjing. He had been deliberately avoiding Beitang Ao these days. His mood was conflicted and anxious.

After drinking the medicine today, he wanted to come out for a walk, but Beitang Ao was not there so he left with Ling Qing.

Qiu Yeyuan was busy preparing medicinal materials and so on. He didn’t say anything.

Yan Feili had been to Huacheng several times. As the capital of a country, it was very prosperous. He recalled a time when he was the leader of Pan Jun ten years ago, he took several subordinates into Huacheng to replenish their supplies.

At that time, there was a shop in Laodong Street that sold the cute fat doll (or Ah Fu), rattles, shuttlecock, and other children’s favorite things. It was very famous in the city. A subordinate brought by Yan Feili at the time had a wife who was about to give birth. After finishing their work in Huacheng, the subordinate specifically asked for advice and took Yan Feili around there to buy two big Ah Fu. The subordinate explained that it was for the soon-to-be-born child to play, and secondly, he wanted to be safe and auspicious.

During those years ago, Yan Feili was still young, only eighteen or nineteen years old. He accompanied the subordinate in that shop for a long time. He was kind of amused at the seriousness of his subordinate, although it was a bit embarrassing to look at children’s things.

Later, the subordinate finally chose a pair of fat Ah Fu under his suggestion. They were very cute. The subordinate was very happy and kept boasting that the leader had foresight. Yan Feili was also delighted that the subordinate was about to be a father.

At that time, Yan Feili had not yet met Beitang Ao. He just thought that after a few years, he would also marry a wife and have a baby. Then he would also go to this shop to buy some desirable toys for the child.

When Yan Feili thought of this, he curled up his mouth slightly, seeming to smile. But there was an indelible sadness in his expression because he recalled that his subordinate’s wife died in childbirth later. He heard that she had struggled for three days and nights during delivery, but in the end, neither the child nor the mother was saved.

He was not very clear on the details, just remembered that when the troops came back to see that subordinate, the whole person changed.

What happened to him? Yan Feili recalled carefully and couldn’t remember the battlefield in which that subordinate died. He was not much older than Yan Feili at the time. His brothers who were born and died, he didn’t know how many were living well.

But what about yourself? Yan Feili smiled bitterly, remembering the scene two days ago.

“Congratulations to the Sect Master!” Du Sheng heard that it was the wife of the North Gate Sect Master who was happy and immediately congratulated Beitang Ao.

Beitang Ao smiled, “Thank you, Master Du Duo.”

“The wife of the Sect Master is happy. It is a happy event for Tianmen. I wonder if the Sect Master wants to return to the Jianjing?”

“Get ready.” Beitang Ao nodded, leaving the old matter alone by the way.

“Yes.” Du Sheng took Beitang Ao’s order, said a few words of congratulations, and walked back with a smile.

“This subordinate congratulates the Sect Master!” Yan Feili congratulated him with a pale smile.

“Yes!” Beitang Ao replied with a faint joy on the brows. Lin Yanyan was his long-chosen wife. Now that she was pregnant, according to the rules of the Beitang family, boy and girl, the child will be the firstborn. Beitang Ao thought of this and his heart was joyful.

“Feili, you should also prepare, we will set off in three days.”

“Yes.” Yan Feili’s heart froze. It was only when he thought of Li’er that his heart began to beat again.

After a moment of silence, he said, “This subordinate’s body is okay. The Sect Master doesn’t need to worry about it. At this time, it is the wife’s business that matters. If the Sect Master is worried, please rush back to Jianjing first.”

“No, Yanyan will take care of herself.” Beitang Ao smiled and gave him a deep look.

Yan Feili saw his expression and felt a pain in his heart as if it had split a hole and the bright red and the hot liquid was gurgling out. He felt that every moment in front of Beitang was difficult to endure. It was even more unbearable to think of going with Beitang Ao along the way.

Lin Yanyan will take care of herself, will she? Even if Yan Feili was not in good health, he was a general who had led the army for many years. Was he worse than a woman?

Until the dinner was over, Beitang had a slight smile on his proud face, showing that he was really happy in his heart. Yan Feili left the meal without knowing what it tasted. The original joy of returning to Jianjing had long disappeared, but he had calmed himself.

Before Beitang Ao left, he turned around and stared at Yan Feili for a long while. When he was almost unable to hold it, he said, “Feili, you don’t have to push yourself like that.”

Yan Feili was stunned and did not react until the figure of the Sect Master had disappeared outside the door.

Ling Qing had been walking along the street with Yan Feili, seeing him look sad and dazed, he couldn’t bear to see Yan Feili like this.

“Young Master, is the old shop you are talking about that specializes in dolls, isn’t it the one in front?” Ling Qing’s voice recalled Yan Fei’s thoughts in good time.

He had already reached his destination without knowing it. When he went inside the shop, he saw that it was still filled with all kinds of fat Ah Fu and children’s toys. It was just that the blue tiles were shabby and the walls were mottled.

“Unexpectedly, it was still there,” Yan Feili murmured. He found it without much hope, after all, it had been ten years and no one knew whether it was still operating.

There were no customers in the store, only a young steward. Hearing what he said, he walked over and smiled, “Have you ever visited this shop before? My father has been in business for ten years. His old man passed away a few days ago and the business in the store is not very good. When the stock is sold out, the shop will be sold. If you have something in mind, we can give it preferential treatment.”

Yan Feili heard him say and vaguely remembered that ten years it was indeed run by an old man in his mid-fifties.

He looked at the various toys in the shop and didn’t know what to buy for Li’er.

“Are you buying it for the young master or the daughter?”

“Huh?” Yan Feili was taken aback, and answered, “Yes, it’s a boy.”

“Ah! It turned out to be the young master. How old is he?” The little boss who watched the shop asked enthusiastically while picking out the boy’s toys.

“It’s been more than eight months,” Yan Feili lowered his head.

The little boss said enthusiastically, “My boy learned to walk when he was ten months old. It’s just right for you to buy this, son!”

He handed something.

Yan Feili took a look at it. It was a beautiful small rattle with a green face and a gold rim. It was different from other small drums on the market. The workmanship was very well done. The sheepskin surface was also printed with water splashes. On the drumhead, a crisp sound was made.

Seeing him in a trance, the little boss smiled and said, “This is the best gift for children over eight months old. In the future, you can use this to coax him and learn to walk quickly!”

Then he picked out four or five things. Return to Yan Feili and recommend enthusiastically.

Yan Feili listened to him carelessly while playing with the snare drum.

How does a child learn to walk from this? Yan Feili imagined Li’er waving his chubby little hands and swaying towards him, with a smile on his face.