Chapter 188: How is that not flying?

Well, that was unexpected. Originally just someone here for a free meal, he ended up becoming a great benefactor of the Wen family.

When Manager Qiu and Dr. Jin returned with the children, Li Fu had already been treated as a distinguished guest of the Wen family, served with fine tea and delicate pastries. Wen Yao, that clever girl, had even pulled out all the stops in the kitchen, eager to cook every single delicious dish she knew in her lifetime.

Had it not been for the limitation of ingredients, Wen Yao felt she could have whipped up an entire Manchu-Han Imperial Feast.

By the time the three of them returned, Big Head had already choked on water and couldn't clearly see the person who saved him at all. Aside from Wen Ying, Wen Fa was the only one who had laid eyes on Xun Feng.

Seeing Xun Feng again now, Wen Fa's eyes shone with brilliant excitement. He would never forget the magnificent and peerless martial arts Xun Feng displayed when saving Big Head.

When Li Fu saw Manager Qiu and Dr. Jin, he looked exceptionally smug.

Seeing him like this, Manager Qiu helplessly cracked a joke, "Ah, people really can't be compared; it's enough to infuriate one to death. Look at Old Jin and me, we've never received treatment like this."

This remark happened to be overheard by Mrs. Luo, who was passing by with some dishes. She smiled and said, "You and Dr. Jin are family, whereas Master Li is our family's great benefactor, so naturally, it's different."

Manager Qiu thoroughly enjoyed the phrase "family." He smiled slightly and looked at Li Fu, the smugness in his eyes beyond description.

"You really... after all these years, you haven't changed at all," Li Fu said with a helpless smile.

Dr. Jin stroked his beard and sighed with emotion, "Come to think of it, it really is a coincidence. If not for the Heir Apparent before the New Year..."

"Ahem—" Li Fu hastily coughed. Even though there were no other members of the Wen family in the room, it was still best to be cautious.

Dr. Jin immediately corrected himself, "If not for Li Yi coming to visit Qiu Zhi before the New Year, he probably wouldn't have encountered the incident of Big Head falling into the water. All of this is simply destined by fate."

Manager Qiu also looked at Li Yi and smiled, "It must have been hard on you, coming every single year."

Taking advantage of the opening, Li Fu smoothly chimed in, "Since you feel so bad about my son running such a tiring distance every year, why don't you just return to the capital with me this time?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Manager Qiu waved his hand, "No, no. I'm doing quite well here. Keeping Old Jin company and gaining a whole bunch of family members—I am by no means going back to that freezing cold place."

"Alas, you..." Li Fu really had no way with him.

Originally, he had planned to bring his son to taste the roast duck rumored to be miraculous all the way in the capital and then head right back, but now he suddenly changed his mind.

"Do you know the headmaster of Qingfeng Academy?" Li Fu asked Manager Qiu.

"I do. We shared student days together," Manager Qiu nodded.

Li Fu pointed at Li Yi, "Then it won't be a problem for you to get Yi'er enrolled there, right?"

Manager Qiu frowned slightly, "You're not going back?"

Li Fu spread his hands, "Nothing much awaits me back there anyway, so we might as well stay here for a while longer. Yi'er's studies cannot be neglected; since you are right here, you can tutor him. Splendid, simply splendid."

The people of this Wen family were far more interesting than those folks in the capital.

Manager Qiu felt his head throbbing. Was this guy planning to sponge off him and refuse to leave?

When he saw Wen Yao having prepared a table full of dishes—so lavish that Li Fu's saliva was practically dripping to the floor—Manager Qiu finally had a sudden epiphany. The man wasn't planning to sponge off his house; he was afraid the fellow wanted to sponge off the Wen family instead.

Indeed, that was precisely what Li Fu had been thinking. Originally, after eating and drinking to his heart's content, he intended to feign drunkenness and mingle his way into staying at the Wen family overnight. However, Qiu Zhi and Dr. Jin completely deprived him of this opportunity, grabbing him by the arms, tossing him into the carriage, and dragging him away.

As for Li Yi, it was said that he hit it off wonderfully with Wen Fa and wanted to stay behind at the Wen family to exchange pointers on their studies with the young masters of the Wen family, while Xun Feng was left behind to look after him.

Once the elders of the Wen family departed, only the few young people and Wen Xiuyi, who was half-drunk and semi-conscious, remained in the small courtyard.

Wen Yao held a handheld fan, rocking back and forth on a lounge chair. Little Hua sat right beside her, hugging a bowl filled with crispy little potato balls Wen Yao had just made for her today—bite-sized little morsels she popped into her mouth one by one.

"Brother Xun Feng, can you fly for us again? Just like the day you saved Big Head!" Wen Fa looked at Xun Feng with stars in his eyes, his gaze practically glued to him.

Xun Feng glanced at Li Yi. Seeing Li Yi give a slight nod, Xun Feng finally said, "Alright then."

Big Head was equally thrilled, "Hold me, hold me! Brother Xun Feng, hold me. I passed out that day and didn't get to properly experience it at all."

Resigned, Xun Feng had no choice but to grab Big Head. With a light touch of his toes, he leapt straight up onto the rooftop, eliciting excited shrieks of joy from the group of youths.

Wen Yao stopped swinging her fan, staring in absolute astonishment.

Good grief, legendary *qinggong* (lightness skill)—she finally got to witness the real thing.

Wen Fa remained overwhelmingly excited, shouting for them to come down so Xun Feng could take him for a flight as well to try it out.

Xun Feng had no alternative but to bring Big Head down and take Wen Fa for a spin around the roof.

In the end, out of all the youths—barring the older ones like Wen Nong and Wen Jun—not a single one was left out. Had it not been for the strict social taboo of men and women keeping a polite distance, even Wen Yao would have loved to take a flight. It looked like tremendous fun.

Ah, what a pity. If only she knew martial arts too.

As for Li Yi—sitting in a corner where it was easy to observe the others, Wen Yao finally began to quietly size up this inexplicably appearing young lad.

Around twelve or thirteen years of age, he was quite handsome. Had she not seen far too many handsome men and beauties in her past life, Wen Yao would undoubtedly have been like the village girls, unable to tear her eyes away upon seeing him.

Although they claimed their family in the capital was merely ordinary, the poise and bearing Wen Yao observed in this person were by no means those of an ordinary background. Such an air of elegance could not be cultivated overnight; furthermore, what ordinary family could travel with personal guards—and guards with such terrifying martial arts skills at that?

This father and son duo were most likely playing pigs to eat tigers; their origins were probably formidable.

"Sister, what are you looking at? Are you looking at that older brother?" Little Hua was young and didn't understand those complex things. Following Wen Yao's gaze, she simply saw the young master standing under the moonlight, looking quite dashing.

Little Hua's voice wasn't quiet. Startled, Wen Yao almost jumped up to cover her mouth, but alas, it was already too late. Li Yi had heard her as well. He looked over in her direction and grinned, flashing a row of white teeth.

Wen Yao smiled awkwardly, pulled Little Hua onto her lap, and feigned nonchalance as she picked up a tiny potato ball and popped it into her mouth.

"No, no. I was just watching them fly up high."

Little Hua had an innocent mind, and ever since coming to the Wen family, she had been well cared for, causing her temperament to gradually grow cheerful. Looking at them flying back and forth with eyes full of envy, she pleaded, "Hua'er wants to fly high too."

Wen Yao gently patted the little buns of hair on top of her head, "Don't worry. When you're older, Sister will take you to fly high."

Little Hua's face lit up with excitement, "Can Sister fly high too? Is flying high a lot of fun?"

Thinking to herself, she was someone who had traveled ten thousand meters up in the sky—how could she not know how to fly?

Flying in an airplane counts as flying, after all.