go home

Tang Feng watched Liu Yiwan, who was so busy he was practically flying, leaning on the table, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips. He calmly instructed, "Liu Yiwan, do a good job, don't leave anything behind." Liu Yiwan had two bundles slung over his arm, another on his shoulder, and a wooden box in his hand. Seeing Tang Feng watching him with amusement, he couldn't help but complain, "Young Master, why don't you do something too! All talk and no action... You make me do everything." For once, Tang Feng didn't scold him. Instead, he soothed him, "There are only a few bags of stuff. Your job is to put them on the camels. It's the camels carrying them back, not you. What are you complaining about? Don't be upset. Here's your tip." Tang Feng then took out some silver from his pocket and tossed it to Liu Yiwan. Liu Yiwan didn't have his hands to catch it, so he kicked the money bag upwards with his foot and caught it with the box in his hand. Hearing the sound of the money pouch hitting the box, Liu Yiwan couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. "Oh! Young Master is so generous today! Giving so much!" Tang Feng had almost finished his arrangements in Shanghan and planned to return to Yanyun the next day. He'd been in Shanghan for over a year, and while he couldn't say he'd gained nothing, he hadn't gained anything either. He'd wasted so much time without any results. Tang Feng looked at Liu Yiwan bustling around the door and sighed. Oh well, it didn't matter. He was going back anyway. He hadn't experienced that symptom since arriving in Shanghan over a year ago. Perhaps he'd been overthinking things back then. Xiling... Tang Feng slumped onto the table and slowly closed his eyes. It had only been a little over a year, but it felt like a lifetime... Was it because the people who had always been with him weren't around? He'd been traveling all these years and hadn't spent much time at home. He shouldn't go out so often in the future; it made people worry. When Tang Feng opened his eyes again, it was already noon. He rubbed his sore neck, not knowing why, but lately he had become increasingly sleepy, always feeling drowsy after sitting in one place for a while. However, it didn't bother him much; perhaps it was because he was idle in Shanghan. Maybe once he returned to Xiling, surrounded by people, he wouldn't have this problem anymore. Tang Feng stretched and went into the kitchen, where he saw Liu Yiwan cooking. Originally, Liu Yiwan didn't cook at the Tang residence, but after coming to Shanghan and eating the local dishes for a few days, Tang Feng got tired of them and hired a cook outside. However, since he was leaving in a few days, he dismissed the cook to make it easier to calculate wages. Tang Feng wanted to eat something light, but Qin Liuliu was still growing and needed meat at every meal. Since everyone's tastes were different, Liu Yiwan decided to take over the kitchen. "Ah! Cold tomato salad?" Tang Feng picked up a slice of tomato from the plate and put it in his mouth. The taste wasn't amazing, but it was edible. Tang Feng put the dish on the table and then called upstairs, "Liuliu, wash your hands and eat!" Before he finished speaking, Qin Liuliu rushed down from the second floor. "Brother... I don't want to sleep in the same room as that old man..." Qin Liuliu complained, plopping down on a stool. Behind her followed Fu Chenchen, puffing on his pipe. "You little ingrate, this is cold candy..." "I've given you all the snacks, why can't you sleep with this old man for one night?" Fu Chenchen's caravan had been organizing Tang Feng's shop these past few days and planned to return to Yanyun with Tang Feng tomorrow, so they stayed at Tang Feng's place. However, assigning rooms became a problem. There were only three rooms in the house. Sleeping with Liu Yi would be beneath Fu Chenchen's dignity, and sleeping with Tang Feng was neither appropriate nor reasonable. Sleeping with Qin Liuliu, although there was no problem, Qin Liuliu absolutely refused. "Brother... let's sleep together, you can let him have a room by himself, Brother Ziliang won't blame you." Tang Feng was speechless for a long time after hearing this. "I... what does it have to do with him!" Tang Feng sat down and picked up a piece of meat. He placed the cigarette in Qin Liuliu's bowl, then said apologetically to Fu Chenchen, "My child is immature, please bear with him. If you don't mind, you can stay in my room tonight!" Fu Chenchen put down his pipe, his face nonchalant. "I can sleep anywhere, but I really didn't expect you to spoil your child so much." Fu Chenchen pointed at Qin Liuliu and teased, "Boys, they'll have to go out and make their way in the world when they grow up. If you spoil him like this now, you'll miss him when he really leaves home. What will you do then?" This question stumped Tang Feng. He hadn't really considered letting Qin Liuliu leave home to gain experience in the future. Tang Feng said somewhat embarrassedly, "Um... I only have one younger brother, because..." For these reasons, he's been with me since he was little, practically grown up with me. I never intended for him to go out and gain experience. My family doesn't need another worker, and it's good for him to be with me. Besides, we have a long life ahead of us, we'll take it slow." Fu Chenchen stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. "Oh dear, then this child has grown up in a honey pot! How about this? When we get back to Xiling, you should think it over carefully, whether you want to send this child to me to learn business." Tang Feng thought about it and decided it wasn't a bad idea. So he turned around and casually asked, "Liuliu, would you like to learn business from Uncle Fu?" As long as Tang Feng asked, Qin Liuliu would naturally agree. She picked at the rice in her bowl, not even looking up, and muttered, "Anything is fine."

Tang Feng, chin in hand, watched Qin Liuliu's behavior with a touch of helplessness. Years ago, when he first took him in, Qin Liuliu's eating habits were already poor, but back then he was just a little dumpling, and his greasy mouth was adorable. But now... how come after all these years, his eating habits are still the same, showing no improvement whatsoever? Perhaps he had really protected him too well all these years. It's good for him to go out and see the world; what if he gets married and stays with him all this time? Just as he was thinking this, Liu Yiwan brought a braised pork knuckle to the table. "Young Master, everything is packed. Should you tell the young Marquis when you get back?" "Hmm..." Indeed... Should he tell Zhou Ziliang? "Never mind, never mind. We'll be passing through the border anyway, so there's no point in telling him. He'll just worry unnecessarily." Ever since Tang Feng came to Shanghan, Zhou Ziliang has been sending him a letter every month like clockwork. Even Qin Liuliu realized that Zhou Ziliang had run out of things to write about and was forcing himself to write a few pages of letters home. If he told him he was going back, he'd definitely receive a ton of letters, either reminding him to be careful on the road or asking if he was resting well and eating well. He didn't know if he'd found a boyfriend or a father figure. "Sigh..." Tang Feng sighed, "Oh well, finding a father figure boyfriend these days isn't easy."

The next morning, Tang Feng was still asleep when he felt as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe. He forced open one eye, enduring the glaring sunlight, and saw Qin Liuliu clinging to him like an octopus. Tang Feng pinched Qin Liuliu's face and said, "Qin Liuliu! It's one thing to have bad table manners, but your sleeping posture is terrible too. Are you destined to be single forever?" Qin Liuliu didn't react at all, and there was even drool at the corner of her mouth. Tang Feng tried hard to suppress his morning grumpiness and attempted to push Qin Liuliu off the bed. However, Qin Liuliu was no longer the little dumpling he had been when he first entered the manor. A teenager still growing, he weighed at least several dozen pounds, if not a hundred. Tang Feng couldn't possibly move him. "Qin Liuliu, get off here right now! Do you want to see me die young?" Tang Feng slapped Qin Liuliu on the back, startling him so much that Qin Liuliu instinctively braced himself and pressed his hands heavily against Tang Feng's stomach. Tang Feng, in pain, pushed Qin Liuliu away and sat up. "Ouch... Little darling, that's your own brother down there! Are you trying to start the feast with one slap?" Qin Liuliu scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and chuckled, "Brother... don't be angry. Who knew you'd suddenly slap me like that?"

Tang Feng, whose anger had subsided somewhat, flared up again upon hearing this. "Slap you? I'd rather kick you! Who sleeps on top of each other like that? Who sleeps with their back to you like that! You made me lose sleep this morning, and you think you're right?" Tang Feng sat cross-legged on the bed, watching Qin Liuliu get dressed. "After dinner, go help me tidy up. Don't dawdle." Sitting on the bed, Tang Feng pondered what Fu Chenchen had said yesterday. Had he really been too controlling with Qin Liuliu? After all, Qin Liuliu was a boy, and was having him around all the time hindering his development? "Six," Qin Liuliu heard Tang Feng call her, and her hand, which was fastening her belt, slowly stopped. She looked up at Tang Feng with a puzzled expression. "Have you thought about what Uncle Fu said yesterday?" Tang Feng knew that Qin Liuliu hadn't listened at all during dinner last night and was just trying to fool him. Taking advantage of the fact that it was just the two of them this morning, he quickly asked again, "Brother... I don't want to leave you." Qin Liuliu stood to the side, staring at Tang Feng with a slightly aggrieved look on her face, which gave Tang Feng a headache. Maybe he really didn't know how to raise children; after all these years, he had raised her into a spoiled brat...

Qin Liuliu didn't want to go, so Tang Feng couldn't force him. He sighed, "Really, none of the men in my family are good." He then took his clothes from the hanger and started putting them on. "Once you're dressed, go downstairs and help out. Why are you following me around?"

Watching Qin Liuliu reluctantly leave, Tang Feng secretly resolved that once they returned to Xiling, he would send him out to gain experience; following him around all the time was just ridiculous. After Tang Feng finished washing up and went downstairs, he found everything packed. Liu Yiwan, leading a camel at the door, said, "Young Master, everything is ready. Let's go!" Tang Feng nodded, then looked at Fu Chenchen standing at the door and said, "Uncle Fu, aren't you coming?" Fu Chenchen waved his hand. "No, no, I need to check the goods a bit more. Besides, I heard from your servants that you're passing through the border to see your husband. It's not appropriate for me to be here." Fu Chenchen was usually carefree, but sometimes his emotional intelligence was quite high. He had sensed something from Liu Yiwan's words that morning, and now that Tang Feng was out, he quickly refused to travel with him. Tang Feng blushed. "Then... I... then you go ahead with your work. We'll be going now. When you arrive in Xiling, you must come visit us!"

"Of course, of course," Fu Chen swallowed hard, helping Tang Feng grasp the camel's reins. Watching Tang Feng mount the horse, he then said, "Don't worry! With me, Bu Gu, in Shanghan, business will naturally be good."