Stepmother?

"Damn it, my leg..."

The next morning, just as sunlight crept over the church spire, Lin Qi limped home, dragging his sore, swollen right leg.

The stone-paved road hurt the soles of his feet, and his knee creaked with every step.

To put on a show of devotion to the God of the Flame Hell, he had spent three hours prostrating himself in worship alongside Xiaoduo the previous night, until his knees had gone numb.

Before dawn this morning, he had been sent to clean the statue of the God of the Flame Hell.

The statue was so tall, yet Xiaoduo had assigned him to clean it alone, calling it "an honor reserved for the chosen messenger, who alone may serve the god."

Still, Lin Qi hadn't come away empty-handed. While cleaning the statue, he had "luckily" obtained a piece of Fire Crystal Ore, which was a small consolation.

"Xiao Qi, you're finally back."

Just as he turned into the alley by his shop, Ruilian came running out from behind the counter.

Seeing him pacing around in a panic, Lin Qi instantly tensed. "What is it, Uncle Ruilian? Did Lei De come looking for trouble?"

"It's not Lei De."

Ruilian waved a hand, looking as though the words were on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't get them out. He kept glancing toward the backyard, a trace of envy mixed with hidden concern in his eyes.

"Go take a look in the backyard yourself. I'm no good with words; I can't explain it."

His strange behavior actually put Lin Qi at ease. If there were real danger, Ruilian certainly wouldn't keep him in suspense. Judging by how awkward he was acting, it probably wasn't anything urgent.

He rubbed his stiff knee and sat down in front of the counter. "Uncle Ruilian, never mind the backyard for now. Close the shop today; we're not doing business."

"We're not opening?"

Ruilian was taken aback, but he didn't say anything else.

A single card sale brought in as much as the shop made in half a year, so those scattered bits of business really didn't matter.

"All right, I'll close the shop."

By the time he had hung up the "closed" sign, Lin Qi had placed the Fire Crystal Ore and several cards on the counter.

Flame Lizard leather, three pieces of exceptionally high-quality refined iron, and the Fire Crystal Ore.

The moment Ruilian's gaze fell on the materials, his breath caught. He had a faint idea of what this meant, and his voice grew softer. "Xiao Qi, what are you..."

"Uncle, these are for you." Lin Qi pushed the materials toward him.

"I studied your Arc Iron Bow. It can absolutely follow the same advancement path as my dad's. With the Fire Crystal Ore's attribute boost, your arrows will also deal fire damage from now on. Their power will at least double."

Ruilian looked at Lin Qi, then at the materials on the counter. His Adam's apple bobbed. "Xiao Qi, these are too valuable. I can't accept them."

Lin Qi frowned slightly. "Uncle, you and my dad raised me from the time I was little. What's the big deal about me preparing a few advancement materials for you?"

His tone then softened. "Besides, my dad's almost ready to make a push for Grand Card Master. If you can't keep up, who knows how he'll make fun of you?"

At that, Ruilian's eyes reddened slightly.

He had never married or had children, and he had always cared for Lin Qi as though he were his own nephew. He hadn't expected Lin Qi to remember his kindness all this time, and now he truly felt as though the child had grown up.

Ruilian raised a hand and wiped his face, his voice trembling slightly. "All right! I'll take them! I won't hold you or Brother Feng back!"

Only when he accepted them was Lin Qi satisfied. "That's more like it."

Back then, Lin Feng, Ruilian, and Lei De had all been brothers in the same mercenary corps, but Ruilian's talent was far inferior to Lin Feng's. At best, he was about on par with Lei De.

The only reason Lei De had become a Five-Star Card Master was his obsession. People with conviction could often accomplish something, and clearly, he had done so.

As for Ruilian, without a fortuitous encounter, he would most likely have remained at four stars for the rest of his life. Now that he had these materials, his path could finally be a little broader.

After handing the materials to Ruilian, Lin Qi remembered the matter of the backyard, and his curiosity was piqued. "What's with all the mystery? Could Dad be slacking off again, hiding in the backyard instead of cultivating?"

Lin Qi had been striding into the backyard, but the moment he crossed the threshold, he jerked back as if he'd been burned. He quickly pressed himself against the wall, exposing only half an eye to peer into the yard.

"Whoa, what's she doing here?"

In the open space at the center of the yard, Lin Feng sat cross-legged in cultivation, faint ripples of Source Power lingering around him. He looked entirely absorbed in his cultivation.

But before him was a voluptuous figure. It was none other than Fiona, the person in charge of the Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion in Stone Iron City!

Fiona wore a close-fitting purple dress that showed off every curve of her figure.

She sat gracefully with her legs together on a cushion in front of Lin Feng, a small incense burner beside her. Holding a gilded round fan, she gently fanned Lin Feng, keeping the mosquitoes and other insects away.

Lin Feng, meanwhile, had his eyes closed and wore a solemn, concentrated expression, but Lin Qi knew from his years of matching wits with him that things definitely weren't that simple.

After watching a little longer, he saw Lin Feng steal glances at Fiona from the corners of his eyes. Even the tips of his ears had quietly turned bright red.

Damn it, this woman is definitely trying to use herself as bait to seduce Dad.

Lin Qi cursed inwardly, then felt a surge of regret.

If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have gone and interfered when Dad and Widow Wang next door were making eyes at each other. Widow Wang might be fierce, but she's simple-minded. She's nothing like Fiona, who's so calculating. One look and you can tell she's here with a purpose.

He had just quietly stepped forward, intending to go in and send this ill-intentioned woman away, but on second thought, he calmed down.

No, I can't do that. Fiona is acknowledged as the number one beauty in Stone Iron City. Dad used to go to the Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion to sneak peeks at her from time to time. If I drive her away, wouldn't that deal a devastating blow to his fragile little heart?

Lin Qi peered through a crack by the wall and observed them carefully for a little longer, weighing the danger of the situation in his mind.

I'm no longer the pitiful wretch who hadn't awakened his Natal Card, and Dad isn't that down-and-out mercenary anymore. There's no need to be too wary of a woman who isn't even a Card Master. Besides, Bishop Xiaoduo is keeping an eye on Stone Iron City. With him around, the person in charge of one Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion branch can't make much trouble.

The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.

Dad's only thirty-five, right in the prime of his youth. All these years, he's stayed out of relationships to spare my feelings. Why not let him have a twilight romance? Besides, I'm the one who can make cards, and the family's Source Crystal Card is in my hands too. Fiona can't get anything out of Dad. On the contrary, Dad's always wanted to lie flat, so Fiona might even end up spending money on him.

Once Fiona discovers Dad isn't a card maker, she'll leave him anyway. Even if I'm no longer in Stone Iron City by then, and Fiona wants revenge, Bishop Xiaoduo will be there to keep Dad safe...

Lin Qi naturally knew that driving Fiona away would spare them a lot of trouble, but Lin Feng had sacrificed too much all these years. Since he had this chance, he might as well let him enjoy something good.

Without disturbing the two adults, each with their own thoughts, he quietly turned around and tiptoed upstairs.