Chapter 184: Ordinary Person, Discharged (5k)

Jia Jinfeng was holding the baby in the hall, waiting, while Pei Tugou was still busy at the window.

Just then, Wen Yan suddenly realized the little brat didn’t even have a stroller and was almost entirely carried by people. He thought for a moment and then approached.

"Sister-in-law, let me hold him for a while. You rest," Wen Yan said.

"No, it’s okay. I’m not tired."

"Please, let me. You’ve had a hard time these past few days, Sister-in-law."

Wen Yan took the little brat, who was still sleeping soundly. The noisy hall didn’t seem to affect him at all. In just a few days, the little guy’s complexion had clearly improved considerably, and his face even seemed a bit chubby.

Wen Yan stretched out a finger and gently blessed the little one with some Yang Energy, chuckling.

"This little rascal is really adorable."

Wen Yan, holding the baby, called a cab and went with them to Pei Tugou’s place.

Inside, there was a girl who looked to be in her teens. She seemed well-behaved and was quite reserved upon seeing a stranger. An elderly lady with white hair sat in a chair on the balcony, eyes closed, basking in the sun.

After the introductions, the elderly lady looked at Wen Yan, scrutinizing him carefully before finally nodding.

"We’ll be troubling Xiao Wen with this move," she said.

"Madam, you’re being too polite. Would you like to see if there’s anything you want to take with you?"

"There’s not much to take. It’s a rental, and the furniture belongs to the landlord. Just this chair of mine will be enough."

"Alright, you don’t have to worry about a thing."

When the movers arrived to take their things, Wen Yan, still holding the sleeping little brat, chatted with the elderly lady. He felt some things had to be discussed with the old lady in advance to avoid startling her after they moved.

However, Wen Yan hadn’t expected this old lady to be far more formidable than the honest Pei Tugou. She had an extraordinary past: she had participated in the war and, as an underground operative, had infiltrated deep into enemy territory to gather intelligence. On her last mission, her identity was exposed after she obtained vital intelligence. After sending out the information, she embraced the mindset that killing one enemy was breaking even and killing two was pure profit. Instead of fleeing, she secretly infiltrated the enemy’s intelligence headquarters. The enemy, never expecting such a move, had dispatched a large number of personnel to capture her, leaving their headquarters sparsely guarded. The old lady managed to sneak in and slit the throat of the intelligence chief.

"It was just like slaughtering a chicken," she said. "Slit its neck, it flutters for a bit, you hold down its wings, and in no time, it’s still."

Those were her exact words.

The old lady, clearly enjoying her conversation and boasting to Wen Yan, casually pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it.

When Pei Tugou saw this, he hurried over. "Mom, the doctor told you to stop smoking! Why are you..."

"I’ve already given up my tobacco pipe. Can’t I even smoke something milder?"

"But the baby’s here! He just got out of the hospital..."

"You’re always so fussy."

The old lady glared at Pei Tugou but snuffed out her cigarette anyway.

The old lady was thoroughly enjoying herself, boasting and recounting her tales to Wen Yan. Ordinarily, she rarely spoke of these things. Her family had probably heard them too many times and weren’t keen to listen anymore. And she wouldn’t share such stories with strangers either. But Wen Yan was the biological father of her grandson, and someone who had not heard these stories before. As they chatted animatedly, the old lady couldn’t help but open up.

Wen Yan glanced at Pei Tugou, who was cowering before his mother.Now I see why he’s so timid and honest,Wen Yan thought. With such a fierce mother, one who had taken several lives with her own hands, Pei Tugou likely found it difficult to stray onto any wrong paths while growing up.Any kids who might have led him astray during his childhood were probably dragged away by their own parents before they could even get close to him.

Pei Tugou dutifully retreated, and Wen Yan continued chatting with the old lady, deciding to voice a doubt he had.

"Madam, I’ve heard that the Divine Land provides good benefits for veterans like yourself."

"Back then, his father’s family background wasn’t good. After I married him, my youthful stubbornness, combined with certain events, led to me losing my job. So, I went back home to farm. But things are quite good now, aren’t they?"

The old lady didn’t elaborate, and Wen Yan didn’t press further. From their brief conversation, Wen Yan could tell she must have been quite a character in her youth. He had spoken with elderly people before and understood that what she had nonchalantly mentioned might have been considered grievously rebellious by her family back in those days.

Once the moving was finished, the group got into a car and headed straight for Virtue City.

When they reached the gate of the small courtyard, Wen Yan got out of the car, still holding the baby. The little brat, who had been asleep the entire time, had opened his eyes at some point. His large, pure eyes stared intently at Wen Yan, without a cry or a fuss.

"What are you looking at? Huh? First time seeing your dad?"

The little brat waved his tiny hands, grabbed Wen Yan’s clothes, and wouldn’t let go. His body, still bundled in swaddling clothes, squirmed as if trying to break free.

"Behave yourself. You’ll get fed in a bit."

It was unclear if he understood, but the little brat calmed down, continuing to stare intently at Wen Yan with wide eyes.

Wen Yan led Pei Tugou and his family into the house.

"Madam, please pick first. Choose whichever room you’d like. There’s a front yard and a backyard. The yard isn’t huge, but you can still plant some things."

"Can I plant vegetables? I’ve heard some places don’t allow gardening."

"Please, go right ahead. If you feel there isn’t enough space, my courtyard is right next door. You’re welcome to plant in my yard as well."

"That’s great, then. Otherwise, it always feels restless being idle."

The old lady chose a room on the first floor for herself, as she didn’t want to climb stairs.

Just then, Pei Tugou came over.

"Wen Yan, this... isn’t this too much? Renting a place like this must cost a fortune, right?"

"It’s fine. You all just live here. It’s not a rental, so there’s no rent."