Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

Sister Linlin knew that Xu Xingguang and the others were coming back, so she prepared lunch early and even tidied up the house next door belonging to Huo Wen’an.

As the group returned to Cangshan Town right around lunch, stepping into the courtyard of Building 219, Xu Xingguang saw the flower seeds she had scattered in the soil before leaving, now all grown and blooming in vivid colors. She suddenly felt the comforting sense of a wanderer finally returning home.

A golden nest, a silver nest, nothing beats your own little nest.

While Cheng Yue and the others were busy moving things, Huo Wen’an held Xu Xingguang’s hand, standing on the gravel path behind the courtyard gate, and surveyed the small Chinese-style courtyard that Xu Xingguang had renovated. He praised, "In the summer, we can enjoy the cool while eating sweet melons, and in winter, we can gather by the stove, sipping tea and listening to the snow. This courtyard is truly elegant."

"We definitely have to settle down in Cangshan Town in the future."

"Okay."

Pointing at the unsightly iron fence, Huo Wen’an added, "When the time comes, let’s connect our courtyards, tear down our houses, and rebuild them according to your liking."

"That sounds good."

Sister Linlin, who was wearing an apron, heard the commotion and called Cheng Yue and the others to move things into the house. "Miss Xu, Mr. Huo, lunch is already served on the table. Let’s eat first."

"Mm, okay."

In Xu Xingguang’s home, there was no hierarchy of master and servant; everyone sat around the solid wooden table in the dining room to eat.

There were a few pairs of communal chopsticks on the table. Apart from Huo Wen’an and Ye Mingluo, who were refined individuals, the others were all hearty eaters.

Xu Xingguang, Song Chi, Zheng Lie, and Cheng Yue, who all exercised a lot and had good appetites, would eat two or three bowls at every meal.

Huo Wen’an watched them devour the food with envy, while Ye Mingluo lowered his head in embarrassment.

He felt like he was holding them back.

After lunch, and a one-hour nap, Ye Mingluo, Zheng Lie, and Cheng Yue, led by Song Chi and Sister Linlin, went to work in the Cangshan Medicine Field.

Xu Xingguang rode an electric scooter, with Huo Wen’an on the back, carrying specialty pastries from Chuancheng, to visit the neighbors who still lived in Cangshan Town.

Back then, Cangshan Town had a total of 219 households, but now only a little over thirty remain.

Unfortunately, most of the elderly who knew the history of the Cangshan Mental Hospital have passed away.

And their children only know that the nursing home was formerly a mental hospital, and none knew that the mental hospital had been a Neurological Research Institute before that.

When Huo Wen’an asked them if they were aware of the murder by the mental hospital’s director more than ten years ago, the elders looked even more puzzled.

"Really? I didn’t know about that. I was wondering why the well-running mental hospital suddenly turned into a nursing home. So it was because the director committed murder."

"Hey, that Dean Wang looked like such a nice person, how did he become a murderer?" The speaker, a woman with the surname Du, was born and raised in Cangshan Town.

Aunt Du thought for a moment and said, "Why don’t you go and ask your Uncle Xie? Your Uncle Xie’s father worked as a contract worker at the mental hospital years ago, handling pruning branches, repairing equipment, and cleaning."

"In our town, he’s the one who knows the mental hospital best."

"Uncle Xie?" Huo Wen’an said, "Is that the Uncle Xie who owns a car shop?"

"Yes, but Uncle Xie had a fall a while ago and showed some signs of a stroke. I’m not sure if his brain was affected."

"Thank you, Auntie." After thanking Aunt Du, Xu Xingguang and Huo Wen’an decided to visit Uncle Xie’s home.

Uncle Xie usually stayed at the shop during the day. When Xu Xingguang and the others arrived, Uncle Xie was busy changing tires for a private car.

When he saw them, he was overjoyed, but since the customer was in a hurry to use the car, he said to Huo Wen’an, "I’ve got a customer waiting for their car. A Zui, why don’t you pour Miss Xu a cup of tea? I’ll take you back to see your Grandpa Xie as soon as I’m done here."

"Sure."

Huo Wen’an poured half a cup of hot tea for Xu Xingguang and added a bit of cold water.

Xu Xingguang took the cup, laughing and crying, and said, "We’ve visited as many households and drank as many cups of tea. My stomach is about to burst."

Huo Wen’an said, "They like you."

He told Xu Xingguang, "In Cangshan Town, whenever neighbors bring friends to visit households, the first thing the hosts do is offer tea."

"They like you, which is why they so warmly invite you to drink tea."

Xu Xingguang understood this, so no matter whose home they visited, she would take the cup and sip a small amount.

As she held the teacup, sitting in the messy car shop, she looked like a fairy accidentally falling into the marshes while descending to the mortal world.