Chapter 138: Father Chen

Chen Hanpeng tapped on his car door with a flashy, boastful air. "This is my new car, a BMW! Cost me hundreds of thousands!"

Chen Yuyi offered a faint smile. Pretending not to hear him, he continued walking forward.

Seeing that he had been ignored, Chen Hanpeng raised an eyebrow. He had disliked Chen Yuyi since childhood; as members of the same Chen family, Chen Yuyi always seemed superior in every way, consistently outshining him. This made him deeply uncomfortable, and he felt the same resentment now. He believed that if he didn't regain some face in front of Chen Yuyi, he would never be able to hold his head high in this town again.

At that moment, the elaborately dressed woman in the passenger seat, wearing a pair of sunglasses, chimed in with a shrill, affected voice, "Who is this person?"

Chen Hanpeng frowned. "Just a poor relative. He spent a few days in college and now thinks he's something special!"

Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, he slammed on the gas.

Chen Yuyi had only taken a few steps before the BMW caught up to him, deliberately kicking up a cloud of dust. It pulled over right in front of him again.

Chen Hanpeng gripped the steering wheel, a mocking smirk on his face. "Chen Yuyi, since we're relatives and former high school classmates, we're having a high school reunion in the county town tomorrow. Since you're back, you'd better show up. If you don't have a ride, I don't mind giving you a lift!"

The corners of Chen Yuyi’s mouth curled into a slight smile. "Sure. Since I'm back, it wouldn't be bad to see some old classmates."

Chen Hanpeng laughed triumphantly, then stepped on the gas again, speeding off in a flurry of dust.

Chen Yuyi shook his head slightly. It seemed that back home, some people were always looking for trouble. But it didn't matter; he had time to kill anyway.

Because his father’s health had declined significantly over the past few years, his family had been running a small supermarket in their residential area for some time. It was less of a supermarket and more of a corner shop, selling daily necessities and low-end cigarettes and alcohol. They mostly served the neighbors, barely scraping by, with no real profit to speak of.

Before Chen Yuyi had obtained the Flood Dragon Scroll, he had worked tirelessly at odd jobs to lighten the burden on his family. But now, everything was about to change.

"Dad!" Chen Yuyi called out before he had even stepped inside.

His father, Chen Yusong, was hunched over, tidying up some merchandise. Hearing the voice, he looked up abruptly, a warm, kind smile spreading across his face.

"What brings you back so suddenly? Didn't you say you were in the middle of your internship and wouldn't have time to come home?"

Chen Yuyi chuckled. He had spoken to his father on the phone a few times, claiming to be interning, mostly to put his father’s mind at ease; he hadn't found it convenient to explain his true situation.

"It’s not very busy right now, so I came back to check on you. By the way, where is Aunt Liu?"

Chen Yusong gave an awkward smile. "She had something to do and went out."

Seeing his father’s expression, Chen Yuyi guessed that the woman had gone off to play mahjong again. Many people in this town were obsessed with that pastime, and Chen Yuyi was used to it. In such a small place, unlike the big cities, most people’s entertainment was spent at the card table. However, his father’s attempt to cover for her made him realize how much his father cared for the woman. He felt a sense of relief—as long as she didn't do anything excessive, he wouldn't mind her trivial habits.

"You should have called to tell me you were coming so I could have prepared some food. Watch the shop for a moment; I'll run to the market while they still have some produce." Chen Yusong started to head out.

Chen Yuyi quickly stopped him. "Dad, it really doesn't matter what we eat. Don't go to the trouble. I just wanted to see you, and I brought you something."

Chen Yuyi no longer needed to eat, so he didn't care about food. Besides, back at home, everything tasted good to him. To hide the fact that he could materialize items out of thin air, he pretended to reach into his pocket and pulled out a string of prayer beads.

It was an artifact he had crafted from the blood crystal of a Blood Wolf, serving both to protect the wearer and improve their health. Once worn by an ordinary person, it would not only ward off all evil but also provide immense physical benefits and protect against any malicious attacks. He had specifically crafted it after learning how to forge artifacts, all to keep his father safe.

Although he could have immediately produced miraculous elixirs to transform his father’s health beyond that of an ordinary man, he feared it might shock his father. He certainly couldn't display supernatural abilities right in front of him. He decided to improve his father’s constitution gradually, without him even realizing it.

Of course, if his father were willing later on, he would certainly let him cultivate, though his father was long past the prime age for it. While a Rejuvenation Pill could make a person twenty years younger, its effect could only be used once; the benefits didn't stack, and his actual biological age remained hard to change. Unless he could forge the kind of true "Youth-Restoring Pill" the Flood Dragon King had spoken of, he would wait. For now, improving his constitution and extending his lifespan was the best path. He even considered bringing his father to Jiangcheng later; the Villa Number One on the mountaintop was empty and would be a perfect place for him to rest and recover.

Everything had to be done slowly; rushing would only frighten his father.

Looking at the beads, Chen Yusong’s eyes showed a hint of reproach. "You're back, that's enough, why buy me things? You're just an intern, where would you get the extra money? You need to be frugal."

His father’s scolding warmed Chen Yuyi’s heart. His father always put him first. He smiled and said, "Dad, even though I'm an intern, I’m not short on money. Don't worry about me."

As he spoke, he personally placed the blood crystal beads on his father’s wrist.

Once the beads were on, Chen Yusong felt something truly marvelous—a warm sensation spreading from his wrist throughout his entire body. He asked in surprise, "Yuyi, what is this made of? It feels so comfortable to wear."

Chen Yuyi smiled faintly. "It’s not made of anything expensive. As long as it feels comfortable, that’s all that matters. Keep it on all the time; don't take it off. It’s very good for your health."

In his eyes, such blood crystals were as plentiful as the hairs on a cow, so they certainly weren't valuable to him. But if they appeared on the market, they would be priceless treasures. Naturally, he couldn't tell his father that.

"Alright, I'll accept it this once. But remember, don't spend money recklessly in the future. You need to save up—what will you do when it's time to get married?"

Chen Yusong felt very comfortable wearing the beads and was actually reluctant to take them off. He also felt that this was his son's heartfelt gesture and began to cherish them.

Chen Yuyi’s expression flickered. He had been hiding his marriage; perhaps it was time to tell his father. Even though the marriage was just a transaction, it was still a marriage. Keeping it from his father didn't feel right, and besides, the upper circles in Jiangcheng already knew about it, so there was no need to hide it anymore.

Just as he was about to speak, a middle-aged woman walked in, looking dejected. It was his stepmother, whom Chen Yuyi called Aunt Liu.

"Oh, Yuyi, why are you back today? Did you run out of living expenses and come back to ask your dad for money?" She saw Chen Yuyi as soon as she entered, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"What are you saying? Yuyi just came back to rest, and he even brought me a gift." Chen Yusong glared at Liu Ping and shook his wrist to show off the beads.

Liu Ping took a look and scoffed. In her eyes, the item looked no different from the cheap trinkets sold on street stalls for a few dollars.

Chen Yuyi didn't mind. Although this woman liked to gamble, she was decent to his father. Since she had a biological son of her own, it was normal for her to be a bit calculating in this household. Chen Yuyi was beyond such worldly pettiness now. As long as she treated his father well, she would naturally be rewarded in time.

"Aunt Liu, why are you so downcast? Did you lose at cards?" Chen Yuyi asked with a playful smile.