OFTLHFRO C62

Chapter 62: The Truth of the Letter

Huo Yan scooped the cooked wontons out of the sieve and into a bowl before walking over.

Luo Mingchen gently patted little Huo Xinyue, who was clinging tightly to him, and said to Huo Yan, “Find a clean set of clothes for this brother of yours to change into. Let him wash first, then eat.”

“Alright.”

Huo Yan glanced at his two sons standing beside Luo Mingchen, then at Xiao Lin, who stood there feeling wronged and helpless.

When Luo Mingchen had taken the children into the kitchen, Huo Yan said, “You do have a knack for bullying children.”

“…It was a misunderstanding.”

“Enough. Go tidy yourself up.”

Huo Yan led him to the guest room and, in passing, picked out one of his own sets of clothes for him.

Truthfully, if Xiao Lin’s body size hadn’t been too different from Luo Mingchen’s, Huo Yan would have already given him clothes earlier instead of waiting until now.

Back in the kitchen, Luo Mingchen was stunned at the sight of the so-called bowl of wontons.

All he could say was, Huo Yan truly lived up to the nickname of “Kitchen Killer.” To think such a simple task—boil, scoop out, and serve—had become a thick, mushy soup of doughy paste.

Huo Xiang looked from the pile of uncooked wontons waiting beside the stove to the bowl of glutinous “pasta soup” his father had made, and suddenly he understood. “This was cooked by Daddy, right?”

That tone of sudden realization made Luo Mingchen laugh. “You two take care of your sister. I’ll make the wontons. How many do you want?”

Swallowing, Huo Xiang said, “I’m really hungry today. I want more than usual.”

Luo Mingchen turned to Huo Yuhui. The boy replied, “Just a little more than normal is fine.”

“Alright.”

He passed little Huo Xinyue, now soothed, into Huo Yuhui’s arms.

After hesitating a moment, Huo Yuhui asked, “Little Daddy, was that man Daddy’s friend?”

“Mm. A friend he used to do escort work* with. He came last night, wounded.”

(*Escort: refers to the work of guarding caravans or merchants as part of a security escort agency.)

At this, Huo Yuhui frowned. “Little Daddy, was that uncle wounded by enemies? If he showed up here, how many people know about it? If he has enemies, shouldn’t we be cautious?”

Luo Mingchen was reminded by his words. “We’ll ask after the meal. Don’t worry. He came in the middle of the night; no one saw.”

If anyone had seen, pursuers would already have come. Especially since Xiao Lin had been wounded.

“Alright.”

Still, Huo Yuhui felt uneasy.

He had thought Luo Mingchen would wait until after breakfast to probe Xiao Lin, but even before that, they heard Luo Mingchen ask directly: “Brother, how did you get injured?”

Xiao Lin was eating the same kind of wontons as before, mushy like noodle soup—Huo Yan had purposely made the same for him. He finished both dumplings and broth in one go, then paused at the question. “This injury was from rebel troops.”

Luo Mingchen didn’t really understand. “What rebel troops?”

“You haven’t heard?”

Xiao Lin frowned slightly. “After General Huo was injured in early spring, two months ago the border was attacked. Several groups of rebel forces organized there, along with many bandits. I slaughtered one of the rebel leaders and claimed the bounty.”

At this, Huo Yan finally understood what he had meant the night before by saying it was his “last job.”

So—the great general’s surname was Huo…

Luo Mingchen looked at Huo Yan, recalling how he had once mentioned wanting to enlist but being forbidden by his father.

If it was a great general, then indeed he would have such authority.

Huo Xiang, completely lost, scratched his head. When he saw his older brother’s grave expression, he decided not to interrupt. Whatever he didn’t understand, he would ask his brother in secret later.

Luo Mingchen asked, “Will those rebels or bandits come after us?”

Judging by how quickly Xiao Lin had arrived, they couldn’t have been far. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to escape back to town.

“The rebel leader that was going to come this way, I already cut him down. Afterwards, the government troops cleaned up the rest, so for now, no one should come.”

That reassurance settled Huo Yuhui.

As long as it wasn’t enemies after revenge, it was alright…

Seeing it was getting late, he stood up. “Daddies, Uncle, Xiao Xiang and I need to go to school.”

“Go ahead.”

They themselves needed to deliver tofu to the tavern.

Leaving Xiao Lin at home to heal, Luo Mingchen and Huo Yan set out.

At the tavern, after dropping off the tofu, they overheard a table of outsiders discussing the rebels and bandits. Some even lamented about General Huo: such a capable man, yet his two sons were disappointing failures.

On the ox-cart home, Luo Mingchen looked at Huo Yan.

Seeing him hesitate to speak, Huo Yan smiled faintly. “I’m fine. He brought it on himself. To the country, he may be a great general, but to me, he was never a good father. To my mother, he was a faithless man. Whatever state he’s in now, I feel no surprise.”

“Actually…”

Luo Mingchen had always had a doubt. “After he was crippled, why would he want to bring you back? You hadn’t seen him in so many years—how did he know you could take his place on the battlefield?”

If it wasn’t to send him to war, how could a father who had severed ties suddenly remember the son he had abandoned?

“No. He didn’t know.”

Huo Yan’s tone was mocking. “He only wanted a son of the Huo family to die for him at the front. That way, the world wouldn’t hold him or our family in such contempt. Something like—‘I’ve already sacrificed a son. If you continue to pursue this, are you even human?’”

Hearing this, Luo Mingchen felt his scalp tingle. “But you’re still his son, a child he raised for years. Doesn’t he feel any guilt?”

“No. To him, it’s perfectly justified. ‘I raised you all these years—so what if you die for the family? That’s only right.’”

Luo Mingchen was at a loss for words, silently reaching over to take Huo Yan’s hand.

Huo Yan knew all too well what his father was like. “I stopped expecting anything from him long ago. His life or death has nothing to do with me. If I refuse, there’s nothing he can do. Unless, of course, he wants to bear the infamy of sending his estranged son—the child of his cast-off wife—to his death.”

“Then let’s ignore him. Let him choose between his two other sons. We’ll focus on making money for ourselves. Whether they end in ruin or prosperity, it won’t concern us.”

Huo Yan glanced at his ever-optimistic spouse. That smile of Luo Mingchen’s always carried such a contagion. “Alright.”

Xiao Lin stayed resting at the house for a full day, but at noon Luo Mingchen gave him a bowl of water brewed with mutated herbs. Soon, Xiao Lin was bursting with energy.

That very evening, without even staying for supper, he left happily, saying he was off to find his Hua Niang in the county town.

As for Luo Mingchen, he was caught up worrying about how he would explain matters to Third Young Master the next day, so much so that he couldn’t even concentrate on counting money.

Seeing his spouse wasn’t intent on sleeping, Huo Yan drew him into his arms. “Why don’t we do something else?”

Their eyes met. Luo Mingchen perked up and declared, “But you’re not allowed to move. I want to do it this time.”

So Huo Yan lay back at once. “Alright.”

Truth be told, when he saw Huo Yan prone before him, letting himself be “plucked at pleasure,” Luo Mingchen shamelessly wavered. He happily pounced—only to later end up weak at the waist and limbs, sprawled on the bed.

Turning to look at him with wounded eyes, Luo Mingchen muttered, “You cheated. Nngh…”

Next time, he thought faintly, he should knock Huo Yan out first, then tie him up…