Hu Xiaotian was startled to hear that Yan Kui had returned. He went to the window and looked out, seeing a party of roughly a hundred slowly entering the stockade gates. At their head strode a burly man with red hair and a curling beard. This was clearly Yan Kui, the bandit chief of Heavenly Wolf Mountain.
Although Hu Xiaotian had never met Yan Kui, he had dealt with his younger brother Yan Tianlu on Python Jiao Island. Yan Kui actually looked younger than Yan Tianlu. Yan Tianlu was already over sixty, so his elder brother ought to have been approaching seventy. How did he look like a strapping man in his forties? For a horse bandit chief, he had certainly kept himself in fine shape.
Several children playing beside the creek ran merrily toward Yan Kui. He spread his arms and scooped up one on either side. It seemed the stockade's children were not afraid of him at all. Yan Kui was surprisingly approachable.
Hu Xiaotian happened to glance at Yan Nujiao and discovered that all the color had drained from her pretty face. She was clearly terrified.
Hu Xiaotian reached out to put an arm around her shoulders and comfort her, but Yan Nujiao trembled in fright and hastily stepped away. She whispered, "You must remember this. None of you can reveal who you are."
Hu Xiaotian frowned. "What?" Her words left him thoroughly puzzled.
Yan Nujiao said, "I've never told my father about us. He's deeply suspicious of outsiders. Remember, you absolutely must not reveal your identity. He hates you because of what happened to my second brother."
Hu Xiaotian said, "Doesn't your second brother know me?" Even if he wanted to conceal his identity, he probably could not. Yan Boguang knew him, and there might well