The small courtyard was livelier than it had ever been for several days.

The two families lived in the same courtyard, working together to repair the grape trellis and making the small courtyard neat, beautiful, and full of life.

When the adults had nothing to do, they would chat on the balcony, watching the two boys in the yard, hugging each other as they practiced the wrestling they had just learned.

…

Perhaps “hugging each other” was a more accurate description.

For boys of this age, a one- or two-year age difference brought a very noticeable disparity in height and strength.

Luo Chi had suffered too much during the three years he was missing, falling far behind his peers. It had taken a long time to make up for the nutritional deficiencies, and he had only just started his growth spurt in the last two months.

When he was first brought back, Huo Miao was silent and would react defensively at the slightest touch. He was quite conspicuous in their social circle and had gotten into quite a few fights with those little groups that specialized in picking on the weak.

Although he had no formal technique, when pushed, the boy’s ferocity was like that of a small, wounded wolf. Compared to those pampered and delicate young masters, he didn’t lose out at all.

Later, Ren Shuangmei hired a teacher for him, and he formally studied combat techniques for a period. That group of good-for-nothing second-generation heirs were no longer his match. There were also quite a few who were particularly pathetic, crying and running back to their parents after being beaten. The Ren residence was quite lively during that time.

Ren Shuangmei often had parents bringing their children over to demand an explanation. Later, she removed all of these families’ companies from her list of partners, and her reasons were quite sufficient—the children bullied the weak and feared the strong, the adults used their power to bully others, and they wouldn’t even take responsibility for their own actions. Companies run by such people probably had no future or value for cooperation.

Huo Miao couldn’t hold a grudge, but Ren Shuangmei was actually quite vengeful. She later took the time to follow the development of these families’ companies.

As it turned out, this screening method was even quite fast and effective. Most of the companies that were crossed off ended up failing spectacularly, and a few had even disappeared completely. Many people even came to Ren Shuangmei specifically to ask how she had developed such foresight.

…

Anyway.

Although Huo Miao had plenty of experience in combat and fighting, in the activity of wrestling, height and strength still held an absolute advantage.

What’s more, the Young Master Ming who was sparring with him was by no means inferior in skill.

After all, although it was something that must never be told to Mrs. Ming, when Ming Weiting was Huo Miao’s age, he had actually been put in a sack by his father and thrown into the center of a jungle on an island, left with only a bundle of rope and a small knife to find his own way out.

Mr. Ming, having just paid a hefty price to silence his son, sat on the balcony shelling walnuts for his lover, frowning as he watched. “Why is he so flimsy? Has Weiting been slacking off too much?”

Yan Yu and Ren Shuangmei had gone to buy clothes for the boys. Ming Lu, having settled matters on the ship, had also found his way to the small courtyard and was standing behind his master, watching with him.

Steward Ming observed for a few minutes. “It seems alright.”

“Alright? It’s full of holes.” Mr. Ming’s frown deepened. “Look how serious the boy on the other side is. What is he doing, dancing?”

Steward Ming rubbed his chin for a moment and asked cautiously, “Isn’t he?”

Ming Bozhou was incredulous, turning his head to look at A’Lu. “Huh?”

Ming Lu, who had stayed up all night with the master to formulate the strategy, thought for a moment. “The young master is chasing a star. I gave him the strategy from back then.”

“When you were pursuing the madam, you also practiced wrestling with her like this,” Ming Lu recalled. “In principle, you only use thirty percent of your strength. If you don’t know how to find the knack, just treat it as dancing.”

Ming Lu had roughly understood what had happened before. He knew that the master would now not only be thrown to the ground by the madam single-handedly but also be put in a sack, and had even been knocked out by the madam several times due to severe lack of sleep.

But back then, when they were racking their brains for ways for the master to win over the madam, the madam’s health and skills were far from being this good, and the master needed to make some appropriate modifications in many aspects.

Ming Bozhou tapped his head and finally remembered why the scene from that night felt so familiar.

He was more or less convinced by A’Lu’s words. He nodded and was about to sit back down when he suddenly realized again. “Huh???”

“In order to master the technique of fake falls, we also conducted a lot of private practice,” Ming Lu proactively reminded him. “First, you must seize the opportunity. Second, you must know how to use momentum. Third, you must fall solidly, sitting on the ground without fear of pain.”

As soon as his words fell, Young Master Ming was grabbed by the belt by Huo Miao, his feet were swept out from under him, and he sat solidly on the ground.

He also managed to reach out without being taught and firmly caught the off-balance Huo Miao, who had been pulled down with him.

Huo Miao could tell at a glance that he was letting him win. Before he could protest, he was tickled in the ribs by the Young Master.

In a flash, the two boys were laughing and wrestling, each mercilessly trying to find the other’s ticklish spots, throwing the rules of wrestling aside and rolling into a ball in the specially dug sandpit.

“See,” Steward Ming was very pleased with his teaching results. Meeting his master’s wide-eyed stare, he was a little puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

Mr. Ming took a moment to ask his lover for the definitions of “idol” and “chasing a star.”

An idol was not an animal, but a person one respected, loved, and admired.

During these few days in the small courtyard, Ming Bozhou had heard about the child named Huo Miao, and he was indeed fully worthy of being his son’s idol.

“Young Master Ming” sounded grand, but the Ming family’s prestige on the high seas was already well-established. Wherever they went, people would show them three parts respect and awe. Even if some malicious forces had their eyes on them, their methods were all underhanded and couldn’t see the light of day.

By Ming Bozhou’s generation, the young master of the Ming family had actually not suffered much. He had always been a little worried that Ming Weiting’s upbringing was too smooth, which might lead to a future Mr. Ming with poor stress resistance and a lack of composure and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Ming Bozhou had heard about Huo Miao from Yan Yu, knew how the child had desperately struggled out of one den of demons after another on his own, how he and his mother had bravely protected their family, and he also had the honor of hearing the child play the guitar one night.

A child like this would shine wherever he was, and would be liked and admired everywhere. His own son should indeed learn from him.

“Chasing a star is wanting someone to get better and better, wanting to support and protect them, and trying hard to get close to them.”

Ming Bozhou recited it once, then looked at A’Lu. “Can that be the same as the strategy for pursuing a wife?”

Steward Ming pondered for a long time. “Is it different?”

Ming Bozhou was stumped by his question. He stopped and thought carefully for a long time, and found that when he was pursuing Xiao Yu back then, he indeed also wanted Xiao Yu to get better and better, wanted to support and protect her, and tried hard to get close to her.

…At least up to this point, it seemed there really wasn’t much difference.

Mr. Ming, pinching a walnut, stood on the balcony, watching.

Mr. Ming was half-convinced.

Mr. Ming sat back down and, while he was at it, pulled A’Lu over to help shell walnuts.

…

For the next few days, out of caution, Mr. Ming dragged his steward along to discreetly observe his son.

After the mid-session break, Ren Shuangmei returned to the cutthroat, sword-flashing world of business, and this time she took Luo Chi with her.

It wasn’t for any other reason, but because of what happened before they left—the bonfire party by the sea had been filmed and had unexpectedly gone viral. Not only were entertainment companies that had discovered his talent and wanted to package him for an immediate debut looking for Luo Chi, but also professional musicians and guitarists.

This time, the person who had managed to find Ren Shuangmei through connections was a music producer from the grassland who specialized in ethnic styles. He wanted to chat with Huo Miao and, if possible, invite him to a nearby music festival to play together.

The boy was very much looking forward to it, so Young Master Ming was also very supportive and even helped him practice the guitar for several nights.

Young Master Ming helped carry the guitar and personally saw the boy off into Auntie Ren’s car.

The Young Master Ming who had lost his little friend quickly reverted to his usual sullen and boring self.

Not only did he bury himself in work during the day, endlessly practicing horse riding and making handicrafts of unknown shapes, but when he was training alone in the practice room, his moves were also very neat and decisive. The number of wooden stakes he broke completely dispelled Mr. Ming’s worries about the “young master slacking off.”

“See,” Steward Ming felt he hadn’t done anything wrong. “It’s the same.”

Ming Lu and the master peeked through the door crack together, discussing in hushed tones. “Back then, when the route came to an end and you saw the madam off the ship, and couldn’t see her for a while, you also broke the wooden stakes like this.”

Mr. Ming was convinced and nodded thoughtfully.

Mr. Ming still felt something was off. “Then when he can’t see the little one, will he also be unable to sleep from thinking about him, and dream of playing with him?”

Ming Lu wasn’t entirely sure either. He pulled the master to retreat for the time being, and at a different time and place, they peeked into the room from outside the bedroom door crack.

Young Master Ming was sitting alone on the bed in a daze. After sitting for a while, he went to fiddle with the paintbrushes and unfinished painting the little one had left behind.

Young Master Ming had no talent for painting. After sitting at the easel for a while, he returned to the bed and lay there, staring into space with his arms pillowed behind his head.

Young Master Ming couldn’t sleep. He put on his clothes, got up, and went to the hot spring to look at the stars.

Mr. Ming and Steward Ming, who had timely hidden behind the door, were not discovered. They completely confirmed the current situation, exchanged glances and nodded, and discreetly returned to their respective rooms.

Yan Yu had already taken a nap. She sensed Mr. Ming entering the room quietly and rubbed her eyes, half-asleep. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Ming Bozhou stroked his lover’s hair and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “I went to see our son. Sleep well.”

He had been secretly going to see his son for the past few days. Yan Yu was a little worried and opened her eyes. “What’s wrong with Weiting?”

“He’s about the same as I was when I was young,” Ming Bozhou smiled. “He’s chasing a star.”

Yan Yu laughed. “How can those two be the same?”

“They’re similar,” Ming Bozhou had just reached this conclusion. “A’Lu and I have been watching him for days.”

He sat down by the bed and told his lover about his observations and deductions.

The more Yan Yu listened, the less sleepy she became. She sat up, hugging the quilt, and leaned against the large cushion Mr. Ming had placed for her, listening to the whole story.

“…So you’re saying.”

Yan Yu summarized, “You two saw Weiting flirting with the little one, saw Weiting with the little one all day, saw Weiting unable to sleep from thinking about him when he couldn’t see him.”

Yan Yu looked at him. “And the conclusion you two came to is that chasing a star and pursuing a person are similar.”

Ming Bozhou nodded optimistically and also reported to his lover, “According to A’Lu, Weiting has already invited him to become a member of the Ming family, and he has agreed.”

As he spoke, he thought for a moment. “But that child seems to know how to do everything and has a good personality. He’ll be successful no matter what he does in the future… I wonder if our son will still be able to catch up to him when they grow up.”

Yan Yu’s eyes widened. She looked at the Mr. Ming before her, momentarily at a loss for words, and rubbed her forehead forcefully.

“But this kid is still not good enough, not as bold as I was back then.”

Mr. Ming was still pondering. “Just like this, it might not be enough to move him.”

Back then, after he saw Xiao Yu off the ship, in less than half a month, he had secretly gone ashore behind his father’s back, bringing gifts to ask Xiao Yu out.

He met his lover’s gaze and paused. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Yan Yu’s feelings were complicated. She didn’t have time to explain for now. “I don’t know how to explain this to Shuangmei…”

Before she could finish, there was a gentle knock on the bedroom door.

Yan Yu stopped talking and exchanged a look with her husband. Both their expressions instantly grew solemn.

Ming Lu had the authority to handle almost all of the Ming family’s affairs. If it wasn’t a very important incident, he would never disturb the master and madam during their rest time.

Ming Bozhou had been on shore for a long time. Although he had made thorough preparations, it was inevitable that there would be one or two unexpected situations.

To knock on the door at such a late hour, if it wasn’t for some special reason, then something must have happened on the high seas.

Ming Bozhou’s expression turned serious. He gently patted his lover’s hand and went to open the door. “A’Lu?”

“It’s not about matters at sea.”

Ming Lu seemed to know what he was going to ask and clarified beforehand. “…Master.”

He hesitated for a moment, then glanced to the side.

“From now on, there are no secrets from the madam,” Ming Bozhou shook his head. “Just say it.”

Ming Lu was still a bit hesitant. “It’s about the young master…”

“The young master’s affairs are the same. The madam can know everything.”

Ming Bozhou asked, “What’s wrong with the young master?”

“It’s a long story. Do you remember item 374 on your list, preparing to set off fireworks to make the madam happy?”

Ming Lu had no choice but to be direct, looking down to check the notebook that contained Mr. Ming’s painstaking effort, the “Strategy for Re-pursuing Madam.” “The young master took the fireworks, left a letter, and ran away from home alone to chase his star.”