The Hua family were wealthy merchants in the Jiangnan region, with connections in both the martial arts world and official circles. From the moment the invitations were sent out, the area around the Hua residence became increasingly lively. On the day of the birthday banquet, the place was bustling with people, a truly extraordinary spectacle.

Hua Ming stood at the door, leading the guests by bowing and smiling. It was Master Hua's sixtieth birthday, and what he needed most was celebration. Not to mention that the Hua family treated their servants extremely well. Hua Ming's smile was genuine and heartfelt.

With people coming and going, there are bound to be things that can't be attended to. Jiang Ming had just given directions to a guest when he turned around and saw two people getting off a carriage that was about to stop. The one in the lead was a young man with a sickly face, but whose eyes were shining brightly. Hua Ming secretly admired the young man's handsome appearance and strode forward, but unexpectedly, he twisted his ankle and almost fell to the ground.

Hua Ming subconsciously closed his eyes, thinking he was going to embarrass himself in front of the guests, but he didn't feel the pain of falling to the ground. Instead, he smelled a bitter medicinal fragrance and was then helped up by someone.

"Be careful." A hoarse voice with a hint of a smile sounded above him. Jiang Ming looked up in a daze, his gaze sweeping over the wrist of the man who was holding him. What he saw was a hideous scar like a centipede. The owner of the hand was the sickly-looking young man.

Yan Liang helped the child in front of him to his feet and couldn't help but pat his head. The child looked at him in surprise, opened his mouth, and said somewhat shyly, "This humble one is Hua Ming. I was rude just now. Please forgive me."

"It's alright." Yan Liang tucked his aching hands into his sleeves. The injury on his wrists hadn't fully healed. He had exerted a lot of force when he helped Hua Ming who had fallen, and he was in a lot of pain, but his expression remained gentle.

Mu Rufeng glanced at Yan Liang, stepped forward to hand over the invitation, smiled at Hua Ming, and said, "I am Mu Rufeng of the Mu family, and this is my elder brother, Mu Jiangchuan."

Hua Ming's eyes lit up, and he said happily, "So it's Patriarch Mu. My Seventh Young Master specifically instructed me to do this." He was extremely happy to meet the person his young master had specifically mentioned. After meeting Yan Liang's smiling eyes, he subconsciously turned his face away, and then carefully turned his head back to look straight ahead and obediently lead the way.

Hua Ming felt that the eldest young master of the Mu family was as approachable as his own seventh young master, not to mention the gentle pat on his head, making him feel close like an older brother. But the head of the Mu family was different. Although both were smiling warmly, the head of the Mu family gave off a sense of aloofness. He secretly glanced back at his two brothers, only to see the head of the Mu family staring at him coldly, his smile gone.

He involuntarily shivered.

Yan Liang was originally admiring the wealth of the Hua family when he noticed Hua Ming's actions. After thinking for a moment, he moved closer to Hua Ming's side.

How terrifying is Mu Rufeng that he could frighten such a small child?

Lu Xiaofeng said, "You've finally arrived."

Yan Liang said, "I've arrived."

Lu Xiaofeng sighed, "It's too late."

Yan Liang sighed, "Your ability to lie through your teeth is getting better and better."

Lu Xiaofeng: "..."

Lu Xiaofeng was somewhat depressed.

It's simply because Yan Liang always manages to leave him speechless.

Hua Manlou asked from the side, "How have you been feeling lately?"

Yan Liang: "I eat well, drink well, and sleep well, but I'm a little mentally exhausted."

Lu Xiaofeng's heart stirred: "Why do I feel so weary?"

Yan Liang sighed, "My younger brother is too mature, and I have amnesia. We have no emotional connection at all, and it's too boring at home."

Mu Rufeng, as the head of the family, was socializing with the representatives of the prestigious families in the main hall, while Yan Liang and the other two were hiding in the Flower-Filled Building, taking a break.

Lu Xiaofeng tentatively asked, "Is your younger brother good to you?"

Yan Liang's eyelids twitched, and he looked at Lu Xiaofeng with a strange expression: "Why do you ask that? He's my brother."

He deliberately emphasized the words "my younger brother".

Lu Xiaofeng remained silent.

He opened the sword case containing the sword he had acquired earlier.

The sword box had been on the table ever since Yan Liang entered Hua Manlou's room. Yan Liang was initially quite puzzled, but now that Lu Xiaofeng had opened the sword box, Yan Liang's eyelids twitched violently.

It was a sword that was three feet and two inches long and half a finger wide, with golden patterns on its dark blade.

Yan Liang's attention was drawn to the engraving below the hilt of the sword, which depicted a blooming plum blossom.

Mu Jiangchuan has this plum blossom in his memory.

Yan Liang and Lu Xiaofeng exchanged glances, while Hua Manlou remained silent to the side.

The three seemed to have their voices taken away in an instant, and the air was filled with a suffocating silence.

Yan Liang laughed: "I have something to tell you."

"I remember now."

Hua Manlou and Lu Xiaofeng's expressions shifted slightly, but knowing that Yan Liang hadn't finished speaking, they remained silent.

“Do you know?” Yan Liang sighed, “The person who made me meet Hua Manlou in that state was my younger brother.”

This is Mu Jiangchuan's heartfelt sentiment.

These were supposed to be sorrowful words, but Yan Liang uttered them with a hint of irony.

Mu Jiangchuan was indeed dead, but his obsession remained. He died without ever knowing why his brother had treated him that way, his pain and confusion culminating in utter despair. Jiang Qing's appearance was the last ray of light in his life.

Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou suddenly changed color and were speechless for a moment.

Yan Liang concealed the details of the bugging device and told his two friends in this world everything he knew and could say, completely betraying Mu Rufeng.

Hua Manlou and Lu Xiaofeng looked solemn. Yan Liang rubbed the centipede scar on his right wrist with his left thumb, unsure of how to proceed.

Mu Rufeng's reasons for tormenting Mu Jiangchuan were nothing more than jealousy and resentment, perhaps also compounded by his mental illness. Yan Liang didn't want to delve into Mu Rufeng's thoughts; he was a lunatic whose thought process was completely different from ordinary people.

Mu Rufeng's jealousy was the cause, and Mu Jiangchuan's death was the effect. Once the cause and effect were clear, only revenge remained. Yan Liang kept pondering what revenge truly meant. The real culprit was Mu Rufeng, and the accomplice was Tang Yang. Did he have to kill both of them?

Yan Liang hadn't even considered asking Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou for help, but Lu Xiaofeng was probably a walking accident magnet, like Conan from the martial arts world. Yan Liang didn't want to fool him, so he could only tell the two of them everything in front of his eager eyes.

Lu Xiaofeng was surprised that his doubts were resolved so easily, but the final result was shocking.

Hua Manlou asked worriedly, "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

Yan Liang felt a warmth in his heart: "No, he doesn't know that I have regained my memories."

Lu Xiaofeng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Yan Liang was his friend, so of course he would worry about him.

"What are you going to do?" Lu Xiaofeng asked him.

"To avenge myself." Yan Liang answered without hesitation. Hua Manlou frowned slightly. Yan Liang continued, "I'm not in a hurry. After all, there's still a long way to go. I need to heal my injuries at least."

Yan Liang's throat was injured, and although his voice was much better than before, it still sounded very hoarse. Hua Manlou listened to his voice, and although he couldn't see the expression on the other's face, he knew the other's determination.

He sighed softly and said, "Since you know, then take good care of your injuries. If you don't want to go back, you can stay at my house."

Yan Liang had never intended to involve Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou, so he just smiled slightly after hearing his words and did not agree to his suggestion.

"I really didn't know you, Lu Xiaofeng, would have such good luck." Yan Liang changed the subject and teased Lu Xiaofeng, "I suspect that everyone in the martial arts world is your friend now."

“Having friends all over the world isn’t just a saying,” Lu Xiaofeng replied, a hint of pride even on her face.

Hua Manlou said, "That's why you have so much trouble."

Lu Xiaofeng stroked his beard and laughed, "I'm more than happy that my friends are willing to trouble me."

Yan Liang said quietly, "Would you be happy if your friend asked you to support him someday?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Naturally...???"

"Then I'll have to trouble you from now on." He opened his palm to Lu Xiaofeng and smiled slightly: "Here, pay up."

Lu Xiaofeng quickly replied, "Good boy, call me father."

Yan Liang quickly withdrew his hand and rolled his eyes at him: "Can I call you 'Grandpa'?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "If you're willing, I wouldn't mind having another grandson."

Yan Liang: "Get lost."

During a brief pause in their banter, Hua Manlou carefully put the sword case away and returned it to under his bed, displaying the demeanor of a mature and composed adult. Yan Liang suddenly realized that he and Lu Xiaofeng were acting like mischievous children.

Yan Liang couldn't help but wipe his face, startled by his own association.

He and Lu Xiaofeng are mischievous kids, so what is Hua Manlou?

Dad?

No, no, no, it could also be Mom.

Author's Note: Just my usual request for comments and favorites.

I'm actually a newbie here, haha. I've posted here before, but those posts... well, let's just say they were... indescribable.

My writing isn't great, but my imagination runs wild like a runaway horse 2333

This chapter feels really weird, but I don't know how to fix it. Please bear with me. [rolls away]

I also wanted to drag my brother down with his acting spirit [facepalm]

This guy is so annoying, let him kick the bucket! [Dangerous comment]

Thank you to everyone who left comments and bookmarked this post!

Love you all!!!

muamuamua——