Far away in his home in Huainan City, Huolin Feng, who was engrossed in a show called ‘The Dragon King’s Prison’ while hugging a mimetic pillow, suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.
He murmured softly, “Why do I feel such an ominous premonition!”
The last time this unsettling feeling had gripped him was when his elder sister, Fire Finch, discovered his online antics and traveled a great distance just to give him a good beating.
Could it be Fire Finch again, this time!?
Huolin Feng hastily racked his brain, a mind already overflowing with thoughts of lolis, and rummaged through his recent memories, trying to recall if he had done anything to provoke Fire Finch.
He was genuinely terrified of the beatings from this cousin, who had bullied him relentlessly since childhood.
His fear had only intensified after Fire Finch awakened her Vermilion Bird, leaving him utterly helpless.
He couldn’t win against her in a fight, and if he dared to scold her…
His own father, without a word from Fire Finch, would immediately pull out the ‘Seven Wolves’ belt, ensuring he received an unforgettable lesson.
It seemed he would have to keep a low profile during the upcoming clan meeting.
Huolin Feng secretly scoffed, ‘If I can’t provoke her, can’t I at least hide from her?’
Yet, it was clear he truly couldn’t escape her.
****
A month later.
Que Shen Village.
Also the ancestral land of the Huo clan.
Nestled within Que Shen Mountain, where Yan’an City meets Huainan City.
While transportation here remained underdeveloped, the mountain roads were a labyrinth of twists and turns.
However, as society progressed, these mountain paths had been improved, making the journey relatively straightforward: one simply followed the main road to its conclusion.
In earlier times, without a knowledgeable villager to guide the way, one could wander for an entire day and still fail to locate the Huo clan’s ancestral grounds.
And now?
In a small town outside Que Shen Mountain.
“Young man, are you planning to visit Que Shen Village in the mountains with your child? Do you need a ride? Ten yuan for adults, five yuan for children.”
As Aya Tone stepped out of the vehicle, he immediately heard a driver nearby persistently waving him over.
It brought back a familiar sensation, akin to the eager taxi drivers who would flock to passengers moments after they disembarked from the subway, back when he used to commute to school.
“No, thank you,” Aya Tone politely refused.
He was merely awaiting a message from Fire Finch, using the opportunity to let Aya Jiu stretch her legs after their journey.
With Fire Finch, a native of the area, there was absolutely no need to cram into a shared vehicle with strangers and this eager driver.
Noticing Aya Tone’s lack of interest in immediate travel, the driver didn’t press the issue, turning instead to solicit the next arriving tourist.
In recent years, as the younger generation matured and the Vermilion Bird Guild actively promoted development, tourism in the surrounding towns surged, quickly setting a new standard.
Even Que Shen Village, once revered as a veritable fairyland, could not escape the inevitable tide of development.
Naturally, only uninhabited village houses and certain safe zones within the mountains were opened to the public.
The elders, like Seventh Uncle and Sixth Auntie, were adamantly against further development.
Consequently, most areas were designated as strictly off-limits.
Their aim was merely to attract visitors, not to generate wealth.
Of course!
Yet, inevitably, some individuals, deaf to warnings and heedless of boundaries, would always attempt to flout the rules.
The more a place was forbidden, the more they felt compelled to trespass.
Without fail, these trespassers would later be found lying unconscious before the elders’ homes, often with suspicious marks on their heads, as if struck by a blunt object.
Even upon being rushed to the hospital, they would awaken in a dazed stupor, muttering incoherently.
Phrases like, ‘There are ghosts in the house.’
Since no fatalities occurred, the authorities found themselves in a difficult position; the tourists had violated the rules first, and the locals had merely delivered a knock to the head, without any truly excessive actions.
Opting for the philosophy that less trouble was better than more, they simply let the matter slide.
They had initially hoped this would serve as a sufficient warning to tourists, encouraging them to exercise restraint.
However, far from deterring visitors, these incidents only piqued their curiosity, drawing even more people to the village.
Yet, without exception, all those who ventured too far eventually found themselves hospitalized for observation.
“Daddy~ Where are we going to play this time?”
After nearly a month of leisurely travel, Aya Jiu’s delicate little face had visibly taken on a caramel hue.
It was an unavoidable consequence of a dad raising a child who had no concept of sunscreen.
Aya Tone himself had never developed the habit of using skincare products, and consequently, neither had Aya Jiu.
Their approach was entirely natural.
Their sole defense against the sun throughout the entire trip had been the parasol Fire Finch had left in the car.
Nothing else.
“We’re going to Fire Finch’s house to play, aren’t you happy?”
“Happy~”
“But Daddy, doesn’t Fire Finch live across from us?”
Aya Jiu was puzzled, believing Fire Finch’s home was supposed to be near their own.
“We’re going to Fire Finch’s old home,” Aya Tone explained, gently patting his daughter’s head, “her very first home, understand?”
“Old home? Then where is Aya Jiu’s old home?”
“Uh…”
Aya Tone froze, genuinely caught off guard by the unexpected question.
He didn’t belong to this world, yet Aya Jiu’s bloodline resonated with his own.
If only he possessed the memories of this body, he might unravel the mystery of Aya Jiu’s true origins.
However, Aya Tone had long dismissed this notion.
Within this body, he had found no trace whatsoever of its previous occupant, as if an unseen hand had meticulously wiped away all remnants.
“Our home is Aya Jiu’s old home, isn’t it?”
“Ah~ Daddy, don’t mess up my hair~”
“Hahahaha—”
A woman passing by cast a glance at the playful father and daughter, a flicker of envy passing through her eyes.
A handsome young father with such an adorable daughter—she truly envied the child’s mother.
Most tourists visiting this place had come specifically for the Que Shen Village’s annual grand ceremony, which was just a few days away.
Such a magnificent event would not only attract many prominent figures rarely seen in everyday life, but even the tourists themselves would receive a special gift from Que Shen Village.
As for the nature of these gifts, not even those tasked with their distribution were entirely certain.
The contents varied wildly, from precious jade to a mere stone found by the roadside.
Anything was possible.
This unique lottery served as an additional draw for visitors.
“Daddy~ Why are we waiting here?”
Having tired herself out, Aya Jiu settled onto her father’s lap, her gaze curiously sweeping over the surrounding tourists.
“Because your sister Fire Finch told us to wait for her here,” Aya Tone replied, taking a small sip of the milk tea from the table.
Hmm?
Aya Tone’s brow furrowed slightly.
This milk tea was rather disappointing, not nearly as palatable as Aya Jiu’s milk powder.
Still, having bought it, he couldn’t let it go to waste…
“Daddy~ I want some too~”
“This doesn’t taste good,” Aya Tone said, holding back the eager Aya Jiu with one hand.
“Daddy is mean~”
Pouting, Aya Jiu, held firmly on his lap, twisted her little face away, refusing to look at her ‘mean’ daddy who had teased her.
She was angry, the kind of angry that wouldn’t be appeased without a tasty treat.
Aya Tone, however, was well-prepared for his daughter’s little tricks, pulling Aya Jiu’s milk bottle from the backpack he carried.
“Does Aya Jiu want some milk?”
“No~!” Aya Jiu glanced at the bottle, her little tongue darting out to lick her lips, but remembering her anger, she immediately refused in a childish voice.
‘Don’t think giving me milk will appease me!’ she seemed to convey.
“Then~ if Aya Jiu doesn’t drink it, Daddy will.”
“No, no~”
Hearing her daddy threaten to drink it, Aya Jiu instantly forgot her anger, grabbing the bottle by its handles and eagerly sucking from it, clutching it to her chest.
Her possessive little expression thoroughly amused Aya Tone.
‘It’s just me stealing a bit of her milk powder at home, is it really that serious?’ he mused.
“Hello, are you Fire Finch’s friend?”
Aya Tone: “?”
They are a cute family.