Deep Affection

"Wow! What a lavish house! This is simply... incredible!" Roger clicked his tongue in admiration at Zichuan Ning's manor-like villa, complete with a garden and swimming pool. "On my salary, I couldn't afford this even if I went thirty thousand years without eating or drinking."

Changchuan said to Zichuan Xiu, "My lord, does your sister have a boyfriend? Could you introduce me to her? This subordinate has followed you through life and death for many years... Ow! Roger, why did you hit me?"

Roger said, "My lord, introduce me instead—my lord, don't believe him, he's always badmouthing you behind your back—only I have always been utterly loyal to you!"

"Nonsense! You're the one always badmouthing my lord! Back in the Far East, weren't you the one who said my lord 'only thinks with his knees'? I criticized you sternly on the spot!"

"You did no such thing! You said, 'That's because Zichuan Xiu's brain is located in his knees,' and then burst out laughing—my lord, don't believe him!"

"Oh, my lord, if Miss Ning got acquainted with a rogue and lecher like Roger, she'd have nightmares..."

"Changchuan is a womanizer—my lord, let me tell you: those few nights in Shaga, he vanished as soon as it got dark and didn't return until the next morning. His legs could barely move, and he looked as exhausted as if he'd fought several Hengchuan Battles in a row. His clothes were covered in lipstick marks—Changchuan, tell us honestly, what were you doing?"

"I was offering care and concern to fallen young women, letting them know there was still true affection in this world and filling the world with love—my lord, since things have come to this, I'll tell you: Roger is a pervert. He often sneaks around the female soldiers' barracks to peep on them—aren't undergarments always going missing there? Search Roger's luggage and you'll find them all, every single piece! Tell me, if you handed Miss Ning over to someone like that—could she be happy?"

"That's a perfectly normal hobby—I don't see how it's any different from collecting stamps—Miss Ning and I would definitely be happy! My lord, let me tell you, I know Changchuan's unspeakable secrets... My lord, don't leave."

"My lord, where are you going? I still have Roger's shameful scandals to expose to you, he..."

The house was still almost unchanged from six years ago. Looking over the familiar yet unfamiliar estate, Zichuan Xiu walked up to the old oak tree. The marks carved into it with a knife remained clear. Everything was exactly as it had been when he left six years ago; only the people had changed... At that moment, Zichuan Xiu deeply realized that aging was not caused by the passing years, but by one's experiences. It seemed he had skipped youth entirely, leaping straight from adolescence into middle age, then old age.

He stepped into the house, and the servants respectfully greeted him. "Young Master, you've returned!"

Zichuan Xiu nodded kindly in response, but thought mockingly, Look, exactly the same. Even the form of address hasn't changed.

The moment he entered the room where he had lived as a child, he froze. It was truly exactly as it had been when he left six years ago! The belongings, the books, the bed, even the pillowcase on the pillow. He sat down at the desk and instinctively reached out with his right hand. A flat inkstone was right there—even its position had not changed!

Had no one entered this room? Zichuan Xiu touched it, but found no trace of dust. It seemed the room had been cleaned regularly. He was deeply puzzled...

"Exactly the same, isn't it?" Zichuan Ning had appeared in the doorway at some point.

"And there isn't even any dust," Zichuan Xiu said mildly. "How did Miss Ning manage that?"

"I never let anyone else enter this room. Every week, I cleaned it myself, then put everything back exactly as it was." Zichuan Ning wrinkled her nose, looking indescribably lovely. "I'm sick of arranging those smelly sneakers of yours. Every time I touch them, I wash my hands seven or eight times and still can't get the smell off!"

Zichuan Ning spoke lightly, but Zichuan Xiu felt a sharp pain in his heart. How could he ever repay such deep affection...

Instinctively, he wanted to avoid this conversation and was searching for an excuse...

"Miss, I..."

"Your stomach hurts and you need to go to the bathroom, right? Your stomach always comes to your rescue at critical moments—I can tell just by looking at your eyes—six years have passed, and your excuses haven't improved at all. They're still as old-fashioned as ever!"

Zichuan Xiu sorrowfully discovered that Zichuan Yuanxing's extraordinary ability to see into people's hearts had been fully inherited by his daughter, Zichuan Ning—and had even been carried forward to greater heights...

"Miss Ning has misunderstood. My stomach doesn't hurt at all—but my head hurts terribly. Ow, ow—this must be a cold! I need to lie down right away..."

"Hmph!" Zichuan Ning walked toward the door. "I knew you'd pull this trick! Useless man... Oh, right, I've confiscated all those yellow books under your bed! Go buy new ones yourself—there's a bookstore across the street. The owner usually keeps them hidden away; just tell him I sent you—I'm a regular customer—and he'll give you the latest PLAYBOY."

Zichuan Xiu truly felt that his head hurt... It hurt so badly that one head felt like two.