A New Home

Huo Yuhao thought for a moment, then listed the dimensions of the grill, along with the accompanying iron racks, one by one. The middle-aged man was left rather stunned as he listened.

"That should be about it. The quality needs to be good."

After explaining his requirements, Huo Yuhao pulled out a Gold Soul Coin from his pocket. "Is this enough?"

"More than enough. Actually, just a deposit would do. The grill you want isn't difficult to make—you can come pick it up tomorrow."

Delighted, the middle-aged man hurriedly took out some paper and swiftly wrote up a receipt. Only after handing it to Huo Yuhao did he accept the Gold Soul Coin.

Huo Yun'er had originally wanted to haggle, but seeing Huo Yuhao's lavish manner, she ultimately swallowed her words.

With the grill taken care of, the two began looking for a suitable place to live. After viewing several houses, whenever Huo Yun'er heard the agent quote an exorbitant price, she would subtly tug Huo Yuhao's hand backward, making him unable to help but laugh.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Huo Yun'er rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Of course I'm telling you not to waste money. Those houses don't look all that special, yet the rent is so expensive. And you're still seriously looking them over."

"Hm."

Huo Yuhao considered her words with a solemn expression for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Mom's right. Let's go look at villas now!"

Huo Yun'er, who had just been inwardly praising her son for listening to reason, immediately darkened. Without hesitation, she flicked him on the forehead.

"You brat, are you trying to anger me to death?"

"Ahem, Mom, don't worry. Your son has money now."

Huo Yuhao had not told Huo Yun'er much about the bracelet Zhu Lu had given him. He had merely said that after his Martial Soul awakened, someone had secretly slipped it to him and told him to leave the Duke's Mansion as soon as possible.

Although Huo Yun'er was puzzled, she did not dwell on it. She simply assumed that some kindhearted person who knew Dai Hao was about to make a move could not bear to watch any longer and had secretly helped the mother and son. She even told Huo Yuhao that he had to repay that person someday.

"That still doesn't mean you can spend recklessly! There will be plenty of places where we need money in the future. A decent place to live is enough—"

"Mom, have you forgotten about my Roasted Fish? Once we have that grill from earlier, we won't have to worry about money. Food, clothing, housing, and transportation are all major matters—we can't be careless. Besides, areas with cheap rent usually have poor security. We have to think about safety, don't we?"

The moment she heard the word safety, Huo Yun'er immediately recalled how Huo Yuhao had nearly been abducted at the Duke's Mansion. She stopped arguing and nodded helplessly.

Seeing that his mother had finally relented, Huo Yuhao brightened and promptly pulled her along to continue looking.

Of course, living in a villa had only been a joke. Huo Yuhao truly could not afford to rent one right now, and with only him and his mother, a house that large would be difficult to maintain.

"This is a duplex with two floors, as well as a small attic above them that can be used for storage. The first floor has a living room, kitchen, dining room, and so on, along with two vacant rooms that can be used as workrooms. There are also plenty of rooms on the second floor—four in total—so it'll be convenient for entertaining relatives and friends when they visit."

"To be honest, this place is excellent in both location and layout, and the view from the windows is quite nice too. The previous tenants only moved out recently, which is why it's vacant. The rent is fifteen Gold Soul Coins per year, with a two-year security deposit required. If you rent for five years or more in one payment, the deposit can be waived."

After listening to the landlord's introduction, Huo Yuhao first glanced at Huo Yun'er. Seeing her eyes brighten as she looked over the room's furnishings, he nodded and took out a bag of Gold Soul Coins.

"We'll take this one. We'll rent it for six years."

The landlord's eyes lit up. Landlords often preferred tenants who signed long-term leases, since it saved them the trouble of repeatedly searching for new renters.

"If you're renting long-term, I can give you a discount. Twelve Gold Soul Coins a year will do."

From the moment Huo Yun'er signed her name on the contract and received the keys, they finally had a new home in Heaven Dou City.

Though she still felt some heartache over the money, the joy of moving into a new home greatly eased it. She had never expected that after escaping the Duke's Mansion, their lives would not become as difficult as she had imagined. On the contrary, everything was moving in a better direction.

She subconsciously looked at Huo Yuhao, who was tidying up their new home. Thinking of everything her son had done over the past month, she fell silent.

After arranging the bedding, pots, bowls, and other daily necessities they had bought along the way, Huo Yuhao stood and let out a long breath. He felt utterly refreshed. Though he had spent the entire day rushing around the city, he did not feel tired in the slightest.

He was not only changing his own fate, but also the fates of his mother and others he knew, leading them toward a different future.

Perhaps this was the meaning of his rebirth.

"Yuhao."

The gentle call made Huo Yuhao turn his head instinctively. Huo Yun'er was sitting by the bed, her gentle eyes carrying complicated emotions as she quietly watched him. His heart tightened.

"What is it, Mom?"

Huo Yun'er patted the spot beside her, gesturing for him to sit. "I just feel like it's been a long time since the two of us had a proper talk. Chat with Mom."

Once Huo Yuhao sat beside her, Huo Yun'er carefully studied his young, still-boyish face.

"Yuhao."

"Mm."

Huo Yuhao responded instinctively. Huo Yun'er slowly raised her hand and gently stroked across his brows and eyes again and again. Gradually, Huo Yuhao relaxed in the tranquil atmosphere, but her next words made his body tense up instinctively.

"You must have suffered a lot in the future, right?"

Thunder rumbled as a sudden downpour fell with the night.

Moonlight was shattered by dark clouds, slanting onto the floor through the window. Outside, the neon lights along the streets became the dominant melody of the night, while the clamorous voices of the crowd were softened by the rain, bringing a sense of peace.

Yet Huo Yuhao's heart leaped into his throat in an instant, pounding violently.

After all they had been through, even the most oblivious mother should have noticed the changes in her son.

A gentle smile appeared on Huo Yun'er's face, and his reflection shone in her bright eyes.

"Although I don't know what you went through, I can tell that you're still my little Yuhao."

Huo Yuhao lowered his head, no longer able to hold back his tears.

Memories of his past life surfaced in his mind—memories of being able to do nothing but watch his mother grow thinner and weaker by the day until she became bedridden. Now that he had regained what he had once lost, he reached out with trembling hands, embraced Huo Yun'er, and burst into tears.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Just as she had when he was little, Huo Yun'er gently rubbed Huo Yuhao's hair. Her voice was soft, as though she were telling a story.

"No matter how much grievance Mom suffered, none of it compares to having you come into my life, Yuhao—"

Huo Yun'er paused, then laughed softly.

"—Thank you for becoming my child."