OFTLHFRO C165

Chapter 165 – On Exchanging Gifts

When everyone turned to look at him, Lan Fei glanced once at Huo Xinyue’s wide, blinking eyes, then quickly looked away. “I’m bad with directions,” he said quietly.

Luo Mingchen couldn’t make sense of that. “Wolf King Fort is very far from here. How bad could your sense of direction possibly be to end up all the way in Han Town?”

“I didn’t walk here. The wind brought me.”

Seeing their confusion, Lan Fei continued, “In Wolf King Fort, there’s a coming-of-age tradition. After passing through the Stone Formation, we must go to Ten Thousand Bones Mountain for training—to retrieve our own wolf fang. I got mine, descended the mountain using a wind glider, but the gusts were too strong and blew me this way. Later, I got lost, inhaled some poisonous mist, and fell into a pit.”

After some thought, Huo Yuhui asked, “Then why were you carrying so much gold and silver?”

“…That was my outer robe and belt.”

A silence fell over the group.

Who on earth goes adventuring with an outer robe covered in jewelry?

And a belt made of gold bars?

Nearby, Dabai(cat they use da now Big White) gave a lazy grunt, stretched, then went back to sleep.

Leaning against the doorway, Huo Yan asked, “Aren’t you all going to sleep?”

Luo Mingchen turned around, startled to see him there—only then remembering he had come to remind the children to sleep, not to stand around watching them for half the night.

“Right, right. Time for bed, everyone. Little Lan has to head home early tomorrow.”

At that, Huo Xiang hugged Lan Fei with a pout. “Can’t you stay a few more days?”

Huo Xinyue quickly joined in, echoing, “Stay a few more days, please?”

Lan Fei gently patted her on the back. “My parents said I must return soon. Beiyue is gathering troops, and within the next month or two, they’ll make a move. Xiaguang’s forces are also advancing.”

Everything after the first sentence was clearly meant for Huo Yan and Luo Mingchen.

Ziyan and Baixue exchanged grave looks.

Huo Yan asked, “Does the young lord know who commands the Xiaguang troops?”

At the title young lord, Lan Fei’s expression flickered briefly before he answered, “Miao Yifan, Marshal Miao.”

After a moment’s thought, he added, “He’s ranked third among the generals of all nations and is skilled with the sword.”

“Thank you for the warning, Young Lord,” Huo Yan said solemnly.

Two nations joining forces—this was certainly no good news.

Still, knowing in advance who led their army was at least an advantage.

Back in their room, Luo Mingchen asked, “So, how does this Marshal Miao compare to you?”

“I’ve never fought him.”

“Right, makes sense—you’re far apart.”

Luo Mingchen didn’t fear duels, but war between armies was a different matter—casualties were inevitable.

This fragile peace they had now had not come easily. If only it could last forever…

As he was lost in thought, Huo Yan said quietly, “Miao Yifan should be ranked first now.”

“Huh?” Luo Mingchen turned to him, puzzled.

“The ones who held first and second place fought each other at Huangsha Point,” Huo Yan explained. “They both died.”

Luo Mingchen stared in shock. “How do you know that?”

“I was there,” Huo Yan replied evenly. “Before dying, they each declared they would pass on their strength—and transferred all their internal energy to me.”

For a moment, Luo Mingchen was speechless.

Then, after staring at him for a while, he finally said dryly, “Has anyone ever told you your luck sounds exactly like the plotline of a martial arts protagonist?”

Huo Yan answered blandly, “Didn’t you once say this was a ‘farming story’?”

Luo Mingchen blinked, then burst out laughing. “Hahaha—so you remembered that?”

Huo Yan only smiled faintly in return.

Later, lying in bed, Luo Mingchen thought of another question. “Wait—don’t we have a marshal in our country?”

He was sure such a rank existed. Why, then, was it a Grand General stationed at the border? Shouldn’t there be a marshal above him?

“Our system differs from Xiaguang’s,” Huo Yan explained. “Marshal is just an honorary title here—no real authority. Essentially… a mascot, perhaps?”

He wasn’t entirely sure if that was the right term.

Ever since meeting Luo Mingchen, he often thought he understood certain words, only to realize later they had hidden meanings.

Like “farming story,” which he had once thought meant literal essays about crop cultivation.

“I see,” Luo Mingchen said, yawning. “Tomorrow we should prepare more medicine. If war breaks out and people aren’t treated quickly, a lot of lives will be lost.”

He could never quite stomach the idea of people killing each other—no matter the reason.

Even in the apocalypse, he had mostly killed zombies, which were no longer human.

When people fought over supplies, it was a few dozen—or at worst, a few hundred—on each side.

But this… this would be thousands. Tens of thousands.

Once war began, the rivers would run red.

The next afternoon, Lan Fei departed with his people.

The wagons that had arrived laden with gold and silver now left filled with vegetables of every kind.

Just a few days after Lan Fei’s warning, Luo Mingchen finished sorting herbs and bandages, then set to planting the taro.

They said the war would start soon, but given the pace of communication and mobilization, it would likely take at least half a month before any real movement.

Late one night, after finishing his work, Luo Mingchen stood up to stretch and said to Huo Yan, who was buried in maps, “This is even more exhausting than farming a few dozen acres.”

“With a war approaching, every detail must be checked,” Huo Yan replied, rolling up one map and pressing his temples before pulling out another. “Even a small mistake could mean total destruction.”

Luo Mingchen sighed. “Then you keep working—I’ll go check on the kids.”

“Alright.”

Following his usual route, Luo Mingchen first stopped by Huo Xinyue’s room.

Hong Xing, who was on night duty, stood and saluted.

Luo Mingchen nodded and sat by Huo Xinyue’s bedside, tucking the blanket carefully around her.

How quickly children grow.

Just last year, she could barely speak—a tiny bundle who barely left his arms. Now she ran around chattering nonstop, taller and brighter with every passing day.

He sat quietly for a while, watching her sleep, then was about to leave when he noticed a red string around her neck. Curious, he gently lifted it to look—and found a wolf fang.

Recalling what Lan Fei had said about retrieving a wolf fang from Ten Thousand Bones Mountain, Luo Mingchen frowned slightly. He checked again—her old necklace was missing. Only then did he understand.

The two little ones must have exchanged gifts.

Which, for children, was perfectly innocent.

So, he quietly set the fang back and left.

Hong Xing, seeing that he hadn’t asked any questions, hesitated, then followed him out.

“Master Luo.”

He stopped and turned. “What is it?”

“Two days ago, the young miss and Young Master Lan exchanged keepsakes.”

“I see.” Luo Mingchen sensed she had more to say. “And?”

After a brief pause, Hong Xing continued, “In Wolf King Fort, the wolf fang is only given to one’s beloved. So this…”

Luo Mingchen froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. “Those two little turnips? They don’t know what that means. They’re probably just good friends exchanging gifts.”

Hong Xing sighed softly. “The young miss may not understand—but Young Master Lan surely does.”

Remembering Lan Fei’s precocious maturity, Luo Mingchen’s smile faded a little. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Did Yueyue trade because he talked her into it?”

“No…” Hong Xing looked frustrated. “The young miss insisted on it first.”

Luo Mingchen: “…”

He stood in silence for a long while before finally saying, “If Yueyue likes it, then let it be. We’ll deal with it later.”

After all, they were still just children—especially Huo Xinyue. By the time they grew up, she’d likely forget all about it. Worrying now was far too early.