As soon as they got off the plane, Yan Yu was already waiting at the airport entrance.

Ming Weiting hadn’t quite come to his senses yet. Carrying the hiking bag and holding Huo Miao’s hand to help get the luggage, he had just walked out of the arrival gate when he was suddenly stopped by a smiling figure.

Noticing Ming Weiting’s steps falter, Luo Chi also stopped.

He looked at Ming Weiting, then at the lady in front of them, then turned back to look at his mom, who was carrying the suitcase.

The auntie who stopped them waved a greeting, bent down, and smilingly patted Luo Chi’s head: “Whose little kid is this?”

Ren Shuangmei raised an eyebrow slightly, also walked over quickly, and took the backpack from Ming Weiting’s shoulder.

The young master of the Ming family stood rooted to the spot, and was gently pushed forward by Ren Shuangmei: “Whose little kid is this?”

“Mine!” Yan Yu suddenly burst out laughing, hugged her son tightly, and unceremoniously ruffled Ming Weiting’s hair. “What do you think, handsome or not?”

Luo Chi realized she was asking him and immediately nodded firmly without hesitation.

Yan Yu laughed so hard she couldn’t stand up straight. She had heard Ren Shuangmei talk about her little boy countless times. She walked over to Luo Chi and squatted down: “Xiao Huo Miao?”

Of course, it wasn’t Luo Chi’s first time meeting his mom’s friends, but it was the first time meeting his best friend’s mom. For some reason, he was a little nervous and subconsciously stood at attention: “Auntie.”

The little boy’s voice was obedient and soft, and he stood ramrod straight. Yan Yu’s heart immediately melted. She clutched her chest and let out an “Ah.”

Ren Shuangmei walked over and was grabbed by Yan Yu: “Help me, how can he be so cute?”

“Born with it,” Ren Shuangmei was always very proud when talking about this. “Our little boy is the cutest in the world.”

Yan Yu’s competitive spirit was instantly ignited. She copied her: “Our little boy is the most handsome in the world.”

Luo Chi actually resonated with this. He bravely nodded in agreement, then secretly poked Ming Weiting and tugged his sleeve twice.

Ming Weiting spoke in a low voice: “Mom.”

Yan Yu suddenly froze, looking at her son who had already grown so much taller. Her gaze softened, and she gently stroked his hair.

“What did your father tell you about me?” Yan Yu pinched his cheek. “That I ran away on my own? That I didn’t want my son anymore?”

Ming Weiting shook his head: “Father said he was the one who ran away.”

Yan Yu’s movements paused. She was stunned for a moment before she lowered her head and smiled, taking one child in each hand and giving Ren Shuangmei a little wink.

She didn’t press for more, but first led them out of the airport and to her SUV.

On the way, Yan Yu drove while telling the children a story.

The story began on a ship.

When the story began, Mr. Ming was not yet Mr. Ming. His name was Ming Bozhou, and he was the young master of the Ming family at that time.

The young master at that time was determined to win over a girl, so he wracked his brains with the Ming family’s steward, who had grown up with him, thinking of countless methods.

…

Some were particularly impressive and stylish, while others seemed a bit less intelligent, making it hard to tell if they were pleasant surprises or frights.

The previous young master got off the ship and stayed on shore for three months.

They had been to the grasslands. Mr. Ming could perform dozens of tricks on a motorboat at sea, but as soon as he got on a horse, he was so nervous he didn’t dare move, and ended up having a heart-to-heart talk with his horse for a whole afternoon.

They had also been to snow-capped mountains, where everything was covered in white snow. The mountain wind was biting, the sky was high, and the clouds were distant. Just standing on the summit made one want to embrace the person standing beside them.

During those three months, they happened to catch the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival. They went together, bought candied haws and roasted chestnuts, solved lantern riddles, and bought wishing lanterns to float on the river.

Ming Bozhou won effortlessly at games like shooting targets and ring toss. They won two masks, one of a fox and one of a rabbit, both exquisitely made.

…

So they put on the masks and openly held hands, walking together among the dazzling array of lanterns, going to a small, unknown temple to pray, and going to see the marriage tree.

“The girl’s family strongly disapproved.”

Yan Yu said: “So he went to plead, every single day.”

The two of them, one pleading outside, coming no matter the wind or rain, and the other inside, refusing to eat, just sitting by the window and waiting.

In the end, the father’s heart softened. He reluctantly nodded, giving them half a chance.

Yan Yu, who rushed out of the house, had only taken ten minutes to pack her suitcase.

She herself didn’t even know what she had packed, or perhaps it didn’t matter what she brought—even if she brought nothing, it was fine.

But she had to leave with a suitcase.

This would let Ming Bozhou know that she was determined to go with him.

She was determined to go with that ship, no matter what might happen, no matter what changes the future held, it didn’t matter.

Wearing her favorite dress, Yan Yu ran all the way to the pier, constantly checking the time as she rushed.

The suitcase clattered and banged in her hand, getting dented here and there, and even lost a wheel, but she paid it no mind.

Yan Yu arrived at the pier in the last minute of their agreed time.

The ship was still there, and the person was still there.

The man she was determined to marry was standing on the bow of the ship. He had stood there all night, his clothes frosted by the autumn dew, smiling as he looked at her.

…

And just like that, the little girl who lifted her skirt and jumped onto the ship became Mrs. Ming overnight.

In the years after the old master passed away, the situation on the high seas was particularly unstable.

Gunfights would break out every few months, and conflicts large and small were constant, like trying to push down one gourd only to have another pop up.

Ming Bozhou became the new Mr. Ming. The matters he had to deal with became increasingly complex, the dangers he faced grew, and there were many more hidden forces lurking and coveting in the dark.

Ming Weiting had also heard Uncle Lu talk about this period.

He hadn’t been born yet at that time. In a sudden outbreak of conflict, his mother took a bullet for his father and was severely injured.

Uncle Lu told him that his mother was seriously injured and in a coma for over half a month, and his father shut himself away, personally taking care of her for over half a month.

During that time, that Mr. Ming who was always calm in a crisis, who could play poker with a gun to his head, seemed to have lost his soul. He was in a daze, sitting by his mother’s bedside every day, talking to her.

It wasn’t until after that half a month had passed, when Mrs. Ming woke up and her injuries gradually improved, that Mr. Ming came back to life. He freed up his hands and made all the forces that had interfered pay an unprecedentedly heavy price.

In Ming Lu’s view, the influence of this incident was actually deeper, leading to the Master’s final decision to leave his wife on shore.

Ming Bozhou never told him what those persistent nightmares were about, or perhaps those nightmares were of nothingness—no Ming Lu, no Ming Weiting, and especially no his wife.

When he first brought Yan Yu back, the old master had actually told him that you can’t keep someone you truly love on the ship.

As the master of the Ming family, it was always difficult to keep people by your side. People you value too much would be targeted by malicious forces in the dark, and the long periods of drifting made it difficult to give any stable promises.

Over time, the people of the Ming family got used to coming and going alone, not getting involved with others.

Ming Bozhou originally didn’t believe this.

He didn’t believe that being a Ming meant you had to be alone for life, that you couldn’t be with the person you loved, couldn’t grow old together.

He didn’t believe that he couldn’t, on his own strength, take away the little girl who jumped into his arms wearing a dress.

So he put great effort into consolidating the forces on the high seas, cooperated with the official authorities in nearby waters, and set new rules. The situation gradually stabilized, many things became orderly, and there had been significant results in recent years.

But he never expected that even after doing all this, there were even more helpless and powerless things waiting for him.

…

At that time, Ming Weiting was still young and was sulking with his father over this matter, determined to get his mother’s contact information.

When Ming Lu was telling Ming Weiting this part of the story, he tried to explain a bit on behalf of the Master. As it happened, Mr. Ming was passing by and leaned against the doorway to listen.

“That’s not right,” Mr. Ming said. “A’Lu, you’ve told it wrong.”

Ming Lu stopped talking and looked towards the doorway.

“There aren’t so many reasons. I’m just a coward.”

Mr. Ming walked in, came to his young son, and met his gaze: “I couldn’t bear the possibility of losing your mother, so I ran.”

“It was the worst thing to do,” Mr. Ming said. “The day your mother went to the pier, I was nearby, watching her the whole time.”

He watched the little girl who had once recklessly jumped onto the ship with her suitcase, now so sick she couldn’t even walk, rushing over in an electric wheelchair, and his heart was a mixture of amusement and pain.

…

He actually almost couldn’t hold back.

Ming Bozhou himself didn’t know later how he managed to endure it back then, just standing there and watching.

Watching his little girl all alone, sitting on the last piece of land at the pier closest to the sea, staring blankly at the empty ocean surface.

How could there be such a terrible person like him?

“You have a person you dream of being with forever.”

Ming Bozhou said: “But if you dare to try and keep this person by your side, fate will take her away, and you will never see her again.”

Ming Bozhou squatted down and asked his then five-year-old son: “What would you do?”

His five-year-old son answered Ming Bozhou: “Reject superstition, believe in science.”

Ming Bozhou: “…”

And so, five-year-old Ming Weiting was thrown off the ship to learn how to swim.

Ming Weiting later tried several more times to find his mother’s contact information and address, but was always stopped by his father. He couldn’t understand what his father was so afraid of, and finally, one time, he couldn’t help but ask.

Mr. Ming was standing alone by the ship’s rail, smoking. He fell silent at the question and stood facing the sea for a long time.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back,” Mr. Ming told him. “I can’t see your mother.”

“I can’t hold back.”

Mr. Ming said: “The moment I see your mother, I’ll want to take her hand, to hug her, to bring her onto the ship and leave with her.”

Mr. Ming said in a low voice: “Your mother’s health is poor. She can’t take it.”

…

Ming Weiting came back to his senses and looked at his mother who was driving.

They were queuing at the highway entrance. Yan Yu was staring at his side profile, lost in thought. When she met Ming Weiting’s gaze, she couldn’t help but laugh.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead: “It’s a good thing.”

Ming Weiting paused: “What?”

“It’s a good thing you came first, not your father.”

Yan Yu said: “I still have time to calm down… I can’t see your father right now.”

After a brief hesitation, Ming Weiting told his mother truthfully: “Father is in very good health.”

Yan Yu nodded: “I know.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back,” Yan Yu said, looking out the window. “I’m afraid the moment I see him, I’ll want to put him in a sack, tie him up, throw him on a horse’s back and kidnap him home.”

Yan Yu flexed her wrists: “No matter how good your father’s health is, he wouldn’t be able to take that.”