Chapter 106: A Phone Call from Mother

Binhai City, Hualong Villa District, Villa Number One.

The night before, Li Yating, Wang Lun, and Liu S素 had stayed up late celebrating Lin Feng’s birthday.

After setting up a Bewildering Maze Formation outside the villa with spirit treasures, Lin Feng had withdrawn into secluded cultivation.

The Bewildering Maze Formation was commonly used by minor sects in the cultivation world as a defensive formation for their mountain gates. Anyone below the third rank, or below the Golden Core Spirit Emperor realm, would inevitably lose their sense of direction within it and become trapped.

Though it possessed no offensive power, it was more than enough to deal with petty intruders attempting to sneak into the villa.

“Ahh, that smells amazing! You’re tempting me out of bed with delicious food first thing in the morning!”

Wang Lun emerged from the bedroom with drool at the corner of his mouth. Following the aroma, he hurried into the dining room.

“Whoa! It’s only breakfast. Is there really any need to make this much?”

He glanced at the table. Shrimp dumplings, wontons, steamed buns, preserved-egg-and-lean-pork congee, rice noodle rolls, steamed chicken feet, spare ribs in black-bean sauce, siu mai—there was practically everything one could ask for. It rivaled an authentic Cantonese morning tea spread.

Without even bothering to wash his face or brush his teeth, Wang Lun hastily picked up a bowl and began devouring the food with astonishing speed.

Before long, Li Yating also emerged from the bedroom. She was still wearing an elegant, understated qipao, but it was obvious that she had carefully touched up her makeup, determined to show her best side before the man she loved.

“Yating, you’re awake. Go wash up and have some breakfast.”

Lin Feng removed his apron and ushered her toward the table.

“Lin Feng, did you make all of this?”

Li Yating stared at the feast in astonishment.

She had already been stunned by the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall that Lin Feng had prepared himself the night before. She had never imagined that he could also produce Cantonese dim sum with such effortless skill.

“Of course. What else could it be—did you think I bought it? Oh, and I saved you a sticky-rice chicken.”

Lin Feng took a freshly steamed sticky-rice chicken from the steamer and peeled away the lotus leaf. A delicate fragrance immediately filled the air, mingling with the sweet aroma of glutinous rice and the savory scent of chicken.

The flavors complemented each other perfectly. Even such a simple dish was enough to make one’s mouth water. There was no denying that Lin Feng’s culinary skills were extraordinary.

“My God! Lin Feng, you’re playing favorites again! Boss, can’t you give it a rest? Su Su spent the entire night arguing with me. She insisted that I learn to cook from you, especially that Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. She says she absolutely has to try it!”

“And now, just you wait. Before long, she’ll probably make me learn Cantonese morning tea too! Please, have mercy and let me off!”

Wang Lun spoke with a shrimp dumpling still stuffed in his mouth, his face utterly defeated and his eyes lifeless.

His miserable appearance only made Li Yating laugh.

She nibbled cautiously at the sticky-rice chicken. Its exquisite flavor spread across her tongue, filling her heart with sweetness.

At that moment, Liu S素 walked out and stared gossipily at the blissful expression on Li Yating’s face. In perfect unison with Wang Lun, she declared:

“There’s something going on between you two!”

“If you want to win a woman’s heart, you have to win her stomach first. Lin Feng, you’re clearly up to no good!”

Even the sumptuous dishes could not seal Wang Lun and Liu Su’s mouths. The two of them continued teasing him at every opportunity.

Lin Feng could not be bothered to respond. Li Yating, however, was so shy that she could hardly compose herself. She lowered her head without a word and concentrated on eating the sticky-rice chicken.

After breakfast, Lin Feng gave each of them a jade token and a key, reminding them:

“These are the villa keys. I’ll be leaving Binhai City for a while. If you want to come here, just use the keys to open the door. And make sure you keep these jade tokens on you at all times. Otherwise, you won’t be able to enter the villa.”

The three of them were skeptical. Lin Feng merely raised his hand, and in an instant, a dense fog enveloped the entire villa.

The feat was like a magician’s trick, leaving all three of them stunned.

They did not ask too many questions, however. They only joked that Lin Feng knew sorcery and might even be a disciple of Lam Ching-ying.

Wang Lun had realized long ago that Lin Feng was no ordinary man. But if Lin Feng did not wish to speak of it, Wang Lun did not ask.

That was what true friendship looked like. Lin Feng would tell him anything he ought to know, while he himself would never recklessly pry into matters he had no business asking about and put Lin Feng in an awkward position.

After seeing Wang Lun and the two girls off, Lin Feng suddenly noticed that his phone was ringing.

He lowered his head and saw the caller’s number.

It was his mother.

Lin Feng froze, his heart suddenly filled with a thousand conflicting emotions.

Since his rebirth, he had restrained his longing for his parents and never once called them, fearing that he might attract Liang Fengnian’s attention.

Now, his mother had called him first. In an instant, his emotions surged like a raging tide.

A hundred thousand years.

An entire hundred thousand years of separation—and in his memory, his mother’s face and voice had never changed.

Like a traveler nearing home who suddenly feels timid, Lin Feng answered the call with a nervous heart.

“Son, how have you been in Binhai City? You haven’t quarreled with Qianqian, have you? You’re a man, so you should be more accommodating toward her. And remember, you married into the Yao family. Whenever you can yield to the Yaos, yield to them. Don’t confront them head-on, understand?”

Hearing that familiar voice once more, Lin Feng’s own voice trembled. He said softly, “Mom, I’ve missed you so much!”

“Son, what’s wrong? Are you having a hard time in Binhai City? Have the Yaos been bullying you? Tell me right now!”

No matter how old a son became, in his mother’s eyes he was still a child.

Hearing the sorrow in her son’s voice, Lin’s mother—already worried—felt her heart leap into her throat.

“Nothing’s wrong, Mom. I just missed you. It’s been so long since I heard your voice—so very, very long.”

Lin Feng let out a sigh.

How could a hundred thousand years be called a long time?

“That’s good, that’s good. Oh, and your grandfather’s eightieth birthday is in two months. Don’t forget it. Even if you can’t return to Jinling, at least call to wish him a happy birthday.”

His grandfather’s eightieth birthday?

Lin Feng suddenly remembered. Hadn’t his grandfather been brutally beaten at his eightieth-birthday celebration, ultimately dying from his injuries?

His fists clenched tightly. A murderous aura suddenly erupted from his entire body, shooting toward the heavens.

To protect him, his grandfather had been willing to kneel and plead with Old Master Yao.

So that Lin Feng would not be mistreated after marrying into the Yao family, his grandfather had spent his entire life’s savings preparing a marital home for him.

Yet in his previous life, his grandfather had still been framed by Liang Fengnian and met a violent death. Lin Feng had not even been able to see him one last time.

In this life, Lin Feng would never allow that tragedy to happen again.

“Mom, don’t worry. I will be there for Grandpa’s eightieth birthday without fail. I’m no longer the man I once was. If anyone in this world dares harm my family, I will search the heavens above and the deepest underworld below, and I will tear him limb from limb!”

“Son, you…”

Lin’s mother had never expected her once-gentle, scholarly son to utter such forceful words. Yet her heart filled with comfort.

Her son had finally grown up. He wanted to protect his loved ones and safeguard the family.

“Yes, son. Mother believes in you. But you must take good care of yourself. It is never too late to avenge oneself—understand?”

“I understand, Mom. Don’t worry. I won’t act recklessly.”

Lin Feng continued speaking with his mother for a long while. They poured out their hearts to each other, easing the ache of homesickness.

After ending the call, Lin Feng raised his head and gazed into the vast, clear sky. In the depths of his heart, he swore:

“Jinling, I, Lin Feng, will return in triumph. Every person who has humiliated the Lin family—I will kill them all.”