Chapter 1726 - 888: Spring Light Not Yet Gone, Winter Wind Near

So, he walked into the cheering crowd.

.

.

"I'm leaving."

Under the evening sunset, after strolling around the An Family's house an entire day without seeing the figure he was looking for, Ji Jue returned to the main hall.

After sitting alone on a chair for a long time, he finally chose to give up.

He put the prepared items on the table.

Arranged densely, like a small mountain.

"The gifts are here."

Ji Jue said to himself: "Even if you're angry, at least take a look, don't just throw them away.

I brought you some snacks, these are some pretty tasty treats from Seven Cities, and a few blind boxes from the Federation and the Empire. Ah Ran said you like these, and I specifically used X-ray vision to check, there are hidden versions.

And..."

As he was muttering to himself, he suddenly paused, seeing a shadow cast from outside the door.

Someone was behind him.

As he instinctively wanted to turn around, he felt a blade pressing against his back, accompanied by a cold voice warning him:

"Don't turn around."

Ji Jue remained silent, stiff in place, with a sigh: "What about your stealth training?"

"As long as you can't see the person, it doesn't matter."

"Really?"

Ji Jue frowned, showing doubt.

In the brief silence, a muffled response was heard:

"...It's none of your business."

"My mistake."

Ji Jue sighed, "I should have told you before coming. Originally, I thought, you always like to scare me, maybe I could surprise you for once, but it turns out it was the wrong time."

In the silence, there was no sound from behind.

Not wanting to talk to him.

But Ji Jue continued speaking to himself incessantly.

"Some time ago, I suddenly noticed that Xiao An had grown quite a bit in the past two years, you must have changed a lot too, right?" he asked, "Have you noticed I've changed a bit too?"

Saying this, he rolled up his sleeves to show his hands: "Not in terms of rank, but there were some things before, had a big fight with You Sui, almost got ripped apart, went through a few upgrades here and there... Sometimes I even wonder if I still have any original parts."

He paused for a moment, then suddenly said: "But, those marks you made, I still have them."

"Utter nonsense."

A snort sounded: "Why are you telling me this?"

"It's nothing."

Ji Jue couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny!"

The knife's tip poked Ji Jue's back, coldly warning: "Find it funny? Don't laugh! If you laugh, I'll erase them all!"

"...No, I just suddenly realized, that this time bringing Xiao An back, was actually to see you."

Ji Jue sighed: "Not seeing you, it feels like something's missing, there's an unwillingness and reluctance... but now, even if I can't see you, I feel much better."

He turned his head slightly, staring at the slender shadow extending from behind, and softly asked: "Next time you're near me, can I ask you to come see me?"

"..."

In the silence, no one spoke, no breathing could be heard.

It seemed as if still unwilling to acknowledge him.

But under Ji Jue's gaze, the shadow reluctantly turned away.

After a long time, a faint whisper was heard.

"Already have..."

Ji Jue was taken aback, unable to restrain a smile.

"Thank you."

No response.

"Next time you come to see me, let me know, I'll take you to Central Earth to catch wolves."

"As you wish."

The voice from behind remained indifferent, ignoring him.

"Then I'm leaving."

Ji Jue asked softly, hearing no response, and asked again: "An Ning?"

There was still no answer.

The shadow had disappeared.

He turned around, and behind him was nothing, as if nothing had ever existed.

Only the dim sunset light poured down, as dust danced in the air.

Ji Jue fell silent for a long time, and softly sighed:

"Not seeing you, such a pity."

"Hmph!"

From afar, there seemed to be a final response, or perhaps not.

But when he turned back, the gifts on the table were already gone.

.

.

"Ah Ning, dinner is on the table, remember to eat." Mother's voice came from outside the door: "Ah Ran and that Mr. Ji are leaving, aren't you going to see them off?"

"No!"

An Ning lay on the bed, covering her ears: "It's none of my business, I'm not going!"

"Ah Ning, girls shouldn't speak rudely."

"I don't care, I'll say it, I'll say it!"

With a rebellious son and a rebellious daughter, the old mother sighed, seeing her hair turn white, then mercilessly delivered a blow:

"Anyway, I'm already married, and my husband likes me so much, he even brought me gifts. I'm leaving now to celebrate our anniversary. The handkerchief is on the table, if you cry until it's wet, remember to wash it yourself."

And with that, she left, humming a tune proudly.

Leaving An Ning on the bed, stunned.

So angry!!!

Getting angrier and angrier.

The girl on the bed, shattered by her mother, thrashed around angrily, smashing a pillow adorned with photos, pulled out a dagger to tear it to shreds, and kicked it into the trash bin.

After finally calming down a bit, she then with a sullen face, started unboxing the gifts on the table.

Blind boxes, mediocre! Desserts, mediocre! Prototype projection tools, mediocre! All sorts of junk, mediocre! Textbooks, mediocre! Everything's mediocre...

Wait, textbooks?!

An Ning looked down at the thick stack of the "Calculus for Illiterates" series collection underneath the packaging, instantly fuming.

I will kill you!

In a fit of rage, raging several times, she picked up the textbooks and threw them into the trash bin, but as the pages flipped, a slip of paper fluttered out.

It was densely packed with information on eleven suspected wolf targets and activity rules within the White Country and its surrounding areas… Anyway, with Ji Jue's web of connections getting increasingly tight, it occasionally did catch some big fish.

Since the harvest wasn't of much use to herself, she simply decided to give them away.

"Hmph!"

An Ning frowned, tossing the textbooks on the ground.

You think sending a few wolves will make me forgive you?

In your dreams!

Then, she bent down to pick them up again...

Thinking it wasn't enough to vent her anger, she threw them once more.

"Hmph!"

After kicking the mess of textbooks aside, she held onto that sheet of paper, lay back on the bed, and looked at the wrinkled marks.

She started laughing softly.

Outside the door, the couple tiptoed, exchanged a glance, and shook their heads helplessly.

Turning away and leaving.

.

.

And so, next to the martial arts arena on the grass, beside An Ding, there was now another person.

Sitting down heavily, lighting a cigarette in melancholy.

"Dad."

"Hmm?"

Safety couldn't understand at all: "They say raising children guards against loneliness in old age, but why do I feel like both the son and daughter are about to be taken away?"

"You ask me, who should I ask?"

An Ding glanced at him sideways, "Ask about the karma of your past life."

Safety was left speechless.

In the silence, a cold wind blew from the distant night.

Making Safety shiver, wrapping up, deciding to go home and have his wife bring out the winter clothes for a few more days.

This little cotton-padded jacket, if not worn soon, might not be wearable in the future!