Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

Returning to Cangshan Town, it was already nearing dusk.

Huo Xingguang had invited Ying Ziyao to her wedding with Huo Wen’an, but Ying Ziyao was not one to join in the festivities, so he didn’t go. Although Sister Linlin knew of Doctor Ying’s existence, she had never seen him.

Knowing that Ying Ziyao would be staying at Huo Xingguang’s house during the New Year, she had cleaned up the room where Xu Qingnian used to live and bought a new bed, laying down fresh sheets and blankets early.

Seeing Ying Ziyao in person, Sister Linlin blushed and whispered to Huo Xingguang, "Doctor Ying is so handsome."

Huo Xingguang teased her, "Why? Have you taken a fancy to him?"

In response, Sister Linlin quickly shook her head, "No, that’s not the case. I will never marry again in this lifetime. However, who doesn’t like to look at handsome men?" Sister Linlin told Huo Xingguang, "Miss Xu, I have to go back to my mother’s house for a reunion dinner during New Year, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to take care of Doctor Ying."

"You don’t need to take care of him, he can cook for himself." Huo Xingguang didn’t treat Ying Ziyao like a distinguished guest, she said, "This is his home after all, and it wouldn’t be inappropriate for him to cook for himself when returning home."

"That’s fine."

Huo Xingguang led Ying Ziyao to the room on the second floor, "This room was occupied before for a while, but the bed and sheets have been replaced. Sir, see if there’s anything that needs changing?"

Ying Ziyao was someone with a keen sense of smell, but the room didn’t have any unpleasant odors, evidently, Sister Linlin had cleaned it well.

"No, it’s fine to stay." Ying Ziyao pointed to the elevator door by the wall, puzzled, "Why is there an elevator installed here?"

"The previous occupant here was my grandfather of the Xu Family. He had a stroke and was partially paralyzed, making movement difficult, so we installed an elevator for him."

Ying Ziyao was somewhat familiar with the affairs of Huo Xingguang and the Xu Family.

"Xu Qingnian." Ying Ziyao still remembered the name of Xu Zeqing’s father, he said, "He was a teacher, morally sound, but a bit old-fashioned." Without needing to ask for more information, Ying Ziyao could think of what the old gentleman had done to make Huo Xingguang send him back to the Xu Family.

"Will you visit the Xu Family for the New Year?" Ying Ziyao placed his luggage on the floor, and while unpacking, he asked Huo Xingguang.

Shaking her head, Huo Xingguang said, "All ties are severed, what’s the point of going?"

"As for the old man." She said, "I’ll ask Sister Linlin to send some money and gifts to him tomorrow, as a New Year’s greeting. But I won’t go to the Xu Family myself."

Nodding, Ying Ziyao said, "Life is short, follow your heart in what you do, there’s no need to compromise yourself for some rules and restrictions."

"Alright, go on with your tasks, don’t worry about me."

"Okay."

Huo Xingguang still had things to do tonight.

With the New Year approaching, the retired soldiers of the medicine field guard are also going home for New Year. But the medicine field can’t be left unattended, so they can only take turns to go home for New Year.

Huo Xingguang grabbed her canvas bag and rode her little electric scooter to the dormitory building at the foot of Cang Mountain.

Two teams were preparing for a shift change, everyone was just there, seeing Huo Xingguang return, the team leader Cheng Shiguang quickly waved and called out, "Boss, when did you return?"

"Just arrived tonight."

Huo Xingguang stopped her electric scooter and said to Cheng Shiguang, "Call everyone over, it’s New Year, and the boss is here to bring warmth to you all."

Cheng Shiguang laughed heartily, and with a whistle, called out all ten-plus members of the guard team.

The guard team comprised 16 members, with 12 males and 4 females. Besides, there was a middle-aged couple helping with cooking, who were a team member’s older brother and sister-in-law, called Brother Qing and Sister-in-law Qing.

people lined up in two rows, Huo Xingguang called out, and each person stepped forward to receive a red envelope.

Though their job was dangerous, dealing with some illegal elements coming to steal herbs occasionally, the risk meant they naturally earned a high salary, with a monthly pay around twenty thousand.

The team leader Cheng Shiguang had an annual salary of a million.

Huo Xingguang gave them all red envelopes, two cooks received eight thousand eight each, other team members received twelve thousand. Families with children got an extra package of one thousand two for each child.

Receiving the red envelopes, everyone’s hearts felt warm.

After distributing the red envelopes, Huo Xingguang crossed her arms and stood on the podium where Cheng Shiguang often spoke.

Seeing her expression slightly stern, unlike her usual gentle closeness, everyone quieted down and didn’t dare to speak.

"Our world is facing a crisis, you should all know."

As soon as Huo Xingguang began to speak, everyone’s faces became somber.

A male team member whispered, "My child is four years old this year, he received a mutated vaccine six months ago."

Another female team member said, "My second child also received a mutated vaccine the year before last."

Others remained silent.

Many children among their relatives had also received mutated vaccines.

This mutation crisis is the crisis of the entire Mortal World.

"After the New Year, I will attend the Hundred Medicines Conference at the Ying Family, striving to gain the opportunity to head to the Divine Martial Realm. I will do everything possible to find the antidote to curb genetic mutation."

"When I leave, the Cangshan Medicine Field and Cangshan Town will be in your care."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Shiguang and the others cupped their fists in unison and promised loudly, "Don’t worry, Boss. Cangshan Town is our second home, and we will surely protect the Cangshan Medicine Field, as well as Cangshan Town."

"Thank you, everyone!"

*

Huo Wen’an arrived in Cangshan Town the next morning. After breakfast, he and Xu Xingguang pasted couplets on the gates of Building 219 and Building 218, then drove to the Yujiang River.

Under the Yujiang Bridge, there’s a riverbank where people come to swim and fish at night during the summer.

Parking the car by the roadside, the two of them carried incense and spirit money down the rugged path to the riverbank. The sun was warm today, and some were camping and barbecuing on the riverbank. Huo Wen’an and Xu Xingguang, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, captured the attention of the young people.

Seeing the two carrying sacrificial money paper, the young people were a bit surprised but didn’t find their actions suspicious.

Many people have drowned in this Yujiang River. During the festivals, those who couldn’t find their family members’ bodies would come to the riverbank to honor their deceased loved ones.

Huo Wen’an and Xu Xingguang lit incense and inserted it into the river sand.

The two knelt on the ground and ignited the spirit money.

The paper burned brightly, with barely any ashes left, and the flames were quickly swept into the void by the breeze, disappearing completely.

After burning the paper, they kowtowed respectfully toward the river surface, and Xu Xingguang held Huo Wen’an’s hand, speaking to herself, "Mom, this is Huo Wen’an. You should remember him; he is the little boy from Aunt Huo’s house next door. He’s Huo Wen’an."

"We are married now."

Huo Wen’an smiled slightly, clasping Xu Xingguang’s fingers, and said, "Aunt Mo, rest assured, I will take good care of Xingguang."

Xu Xingguang continued, "These years have been busy, with no time to visit you. In the future, when we have children, we will bring your grandchildren to pay respects. Mom, if you are watching over us, please bless my wish to come true."

She poured a bowl of wine, spilling it on the ground, and mused, "As for me, daughter, I only wish for world peace and prosperity for the people."

Her wishes were few, but grand.

After paying respects to Mo Yinshu, Huo Wen’an took Xu Xingguang to visit Huo Qinyou’s grave. The townspeople of Cangshan Town could be buried in Cangshan Cemetery after death, but Huo Qinyou was never accepted by the townspeople, even in death.

Her temper was foul, her mouth vicious, and she abused children, so no townspeople were willing to carry her coffin for burial.

Later, it was after Huo Wen’an’s family went to every household to kneel and plead that the townspeople helped with her burial.

She was buried at the foot of the hill behind Cang Mountain, facing a wild swamp lake. Back then, it was here that Song Chi was hiding when Xu Xingguang and the others rescued him.

Huo Qinyou’s tombstone was unassuming, just a small mound with a tombstone in front. On the day Huo Qinyou was buried, there was just a small mound as the tombstone hadn’t been finished.

After the funeral, Huo Wen’an spent money at the local stoneworker’s shop in town to buy a tombstone and asked the stoneworker to carve an inscription.

The stoneworker’s shop was located beneath the town’s middle school, not far from Huo Wen’an’s home.

The stoneworker knew who Huo Qinyou was and refused to carve the characters ’Mother Dearest’ on the tombstone. He said, "Huo Kid, do you know what ’Mother Dearest’ means?"

Of course, Huo Wen’an knew.

’Mother Dearest’ implies a respected mother in her lifetime.

"Of those three characters, your mother deserves just the first one. Does her conduct warrant the ’respected’ character? Or even the title ’mother’?"

"At most, I’ll carve ’Huo Qinyou’s Tomb’ for you. If you disagree, then forget it."

Eventually, Huo Wen’an placed the tombstone engraved with ’Huo Qinyou’s Tomb’ in front of the small mound.

No one had visited Huo Qinyou’s grave for many years; the path had become overgrown with wild grass. Huo Wen’an, holding a machete, cleared a path for Xu Xingguang as they approached.

"We’ve arrived."

Xu Xingguang looked up and saw a tombstone standing tall on a bank above.

The mound behind the tombstone was overgrown with grass and shrubs, and the tombstone was covered in moss and brambles.

The inscription was almost unreadable.

"Should we clear the weeds from the grave?" Xu Xingguang asked Huo Wen’an.

Huo Wen’an shook his head. "No need."

Huo Wen’an cleaned the moss and brambles off the tombstone. He took out an electronic lamp from his bag and placed it in front of the tombstone. Since they were close to the forest, they used electronic lamps to prevent wildfires.

Xu Xingguang instinctively knelt to burn paper, but Huo Wen’an stopped her. "Don’t kneel for her."

Xu Xingguang glanced at Huo Wen’an and changed from kneeling to squatting.

After burning the paper and watching the flames completely extinguish, Huo Wen’an took Xu Xingguang’s hand and left. As they finished traversing the chaotic path, they saw an off-road vehicle parked on the roadside by the lake. You Jiaoyang happened to get out of the car carrying something.

Huo Xin got out from the passenger side, surprised to see Huo Wen’an and Xu Xingguang on the rugged path.

"Little Sin, you went to pay respects to her?"

Huo Xin didn’t expect Huo Wen’an to take Xu Xingguang to pay respects to Huo Qinyou. She thought Huo Wen’an would never visit Huo Qinyou’s grave in his lifetime.

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