The two little boys’ grand wish was not approved by Mom.

Mom came over with a tree branch and very gently explained that you can only make vows in a church after you’ve grown up, and now was absolutely, completely, not the time.

The little boys were very understanding, but they still quickly fell into a state of disappointment over their thwarted plan. They were packed up by their mom, along with their street-stall-like snacks, and stuffed into the car back to the hotel.

Ren Shuangmei was driving a rental car, and the back seat wasn’t very spacious, but it was perfectly fine if they squeezed in.

Young Master Ming, having learned a new piece of knowledge, held Huo Miao, who in turn held the snacks and gifts. They meticulously discussed when one is considered “grown up.”

…

This was a rather serious question.

So serious that they discussed it all the way, looking up many references and case studies, but still couldn’t come to a completely accurate answer.

There were actually many other things that weren’t fully understood.

For example, why they saw sky lanterns with the secret code “return quickly” on the way.

For example, after returning to the hotel, why Huo Miao’s mother called Young Master Ming’s parents overnight.

For example, why both sets of parents had a rather serious and mysterious video conference for a long time, and didn’t let them know the content of the meeting.

But these confusions, for the little boys, didn’t seem to be a necessary part of the solution.

At least when Ren Shuangmei finished the video conference and quietly left the room to check, Young Master Ming, who had walked five kilometers alone with a hiking bag, had already taken a hot shower and was now sitting Huo Miao in the bathroom, skillfully blow-drying his semi-dry hair.

The two little guys had finally met, chatted late into the night, and had a super good night’s sleep.

The next day, they went to the music festival hand in hand again.

Ren Shuangmei had specially finished her work early and, along with the heroic Yan and Mr. Ming who had rushed over, secretly infiltrated the music festival to observe for a whole day.

This was the first time Young Master Ming had attended a land-based gathering.

Huo Miao had already been playing for two days and, patting his chest, acted as his tour guide, leading Ming Weiting through the crowds like an expert, showing him all sorts of interesting small markets and stages.

He wasn’t this brave when he was alone, but bringing his good friend who was attending the music festival for the first time made him completely different. He was calm and decisive throughout, and whenever they encountered an overly lively crowd, he could always accurately pull Ming Weiting out. He would also always be the first to greet strangers.

If Luo Chi’s psychologist were to see him now, they would definitely not recognize the boy who was single-handedly shielding Ming Weiting behind him and calmly negotiating with a tourist who had caused some friction. This was the same little boy who used to have stress reactions to even slight contact with the outside world and needed guidance to avoid excessive tension.

Mr. Ming also never expected his son to adapt to land to this extent.

Just a month or so ago, when there was still some direct contact between father and son, Young Master Ming would rather die than get off the ship, completely unable to understand what was so attractive about the outside world.

But just after making a new friend, the little rascal not only abandoned his ship at the dock, but also went on a plane trip with his new friend and his friend’s mother, dared to go to a music festival, and was even trying to flirt using his old man’s guide.

…

Although the technique was quite amateurish, from the perspective of the parents who had held an emergency video conference all night and had a vague sense of where things were heading, once the nature of the behavior was determined, the situation became quite clear.

The two of them went to watch Huo Miao’s favorite folk guitar performance together, played a game of guessing pitches to win prizes, and won two headbands with bunny ears.

Young Master Ming was exceptionally gifted and had consciously rejected such cute props since he was a year old, which had always been a deep regret for his parents and Manager Ming.

But facing Huo Miao’s sparkling eyes, Ming Weiting still lowered his head and accepted the black bunny ears.

Luo Chi helped him adjust the very cool red and black bunny ears, put on the white ones himself, and seeing that the crowd had mostly dispersed, he pulled him to his own little stage.

These small stages were open to anyone who wanted to perform. Those with instruments could play, and those without could just shout their lungs out.

When Luo Chi came alone, his heart would itch every time he saw an empty stage, but he was too shy to go up alone. Now, with his own dedicated audience, he jumped on stage with his guitar and played several fast, lively songs in one go.

The quality of the headbands was very good. The little guitarist hopped around on the small stage with only one audience member, and the fluffy ears swayed with him, making the two mothers unable to resist taking a crazy amount of pictures, almost getting caught by the vigilant little boys.

Young Master Ming was always Huo Miao’s most loyal audience.

He stood below the stage, watching Huo Miao strum his guitar with great concentration. When he encountered a few songs he had just learned, he would sing along word for word very seriously.

Every time Luo Chi looked up, he could meet Ming Weiting’s gaze with great precision. The acoustic guitar wasn’t plugged into a pickup, so the volume wasn’t loud, but it still quickly attracted nearby tourists.

This was, after all, different from a purely playful beach party. As the audience gradually grew, Luo Chi, being surrounded, felt a little instinctively uneasy. He subconsciously looked up, and before he could get nervous, he saw Ming Weiting pull out a pair of dazzling, colorful nunchucks from his large hiking bag.

Standing on his debut stage, the immensely talented and promising little guitarist couldn’t hold it together and almost burst out laughing.

…

With nunchucks as support, the impromptu performance was of course a great success.

Huo Miao had a super fun time, jumped off the stage with his guitar, and ran straight to Young Master Ming who was wielding the nunchucks. He was lifted up and spun around steadily.

This time, people started to recognize him and actively waved and greeted him. Luo Chi was startled a few times, but then he also summoned the courage to wave back, greeting every stranger he didn’t know, and then pulled Ming Weiting to hide in the crowd.

He pulled Ming Weiting to run on the grass.

Just the things accumulated over two days, there was so much to share.

Luo Chi took Ming Weiting to try his favorite food stalls, to eat freshly made fried ice cream and cotton candy, to wait for hot, freshly made popcorn, and to drink freshly squeezed sea buckthorn juice that was so sour it made you jump.

He took Ming Weiting to see his favorite little grove, to turn over the yellowing ginkgo leaves, to watch the sun slowly move to the treetops, while the moon on the other side was already hanging in the branches.

As the sky gradually darkened, Ming Weiting found a less crowded place and led Huo Miao to set off the fireworks he had brought.

The handheld fireworks were colorful and exceptionally beautiful, with sparkling sparks outlining their figures, shining along with the fluorescent bracelets they had just bought and the colorful nunchucks they carried.

Then, the closing fireworks of the music festival also went up, and those more intense and splendid fireworks all bloomed in the night sky.

The spot they found had a very good view. After they had had enough fun, they relaxed and lay on the grass with their arms spread out, watching the fireworks in the sky together.

Ming Weiting turned his gaze and saw Huo Miao looking up, his guitar beside him, and all the brilliant fireworks reflected in his eyes.

Luo Chi watched the fireworks blooming in the night sky, still holding his hand firmly, and seemed to be in a daze, resting his head on his arm.

Sensing Ming Weiting’s gaze, he also turned his face, his eyes curving with a smile. “What’s wrong?”

Ming Weiting said, “It’s very interesting on land.”

“It must be fun at sea too. It’s just that we’re on shore for now and haven’t gone out to sea with you yet.”

Luo Chi laughed. “When we get to the sea, you’ll be my tour guide.”

Ming Weiting nodded vigorously. He was silent for a long time before finally asking the worry that had been on his mind these past few days, “What if you can’t adapt to life at sea either?”

Luo Chi thought for a moment. “Like Aunt Yan?”

Ming Weiting nodded, then turned on his side and carefully adjusted his collar for him.

He had reached an agreement with his father. In the coming year, his father would consolidate all the forces on the high seas, and after that, he would take over the corresponding work with Uncle Lu’s assistance.

By then, his father would leave the ocean and stay on shore with his mother.

His father would stay on shore for a long time, until he could ride horses freely with his mother, until he had brewed the best wine, until the last sagebrush flower on the grassland had bloomed.

Ming Weiting had already made a travel plan for the next year. After this year, he would have to do what he had to do, but he was also completely reluctant to part with Huo Miao.

Luo Chi strongly agreed with this plan, nodded, and turned to answer seriously, “I probably won’t.”

“I think the plan is completely feasible. I can do whatever you do, and I can help you.”

Luo Chi said, “I guess I’ll adapt well to being on a boat.”

He paused here before continuing, “I had a dream… In the dream, I adapted very well to being on a boat.”

He didn’t say much, and Ming Weiting didn’t ask, just gently stroking his hair.

Huo Miao’s short hair was very soft. When he gently brushed it aside, the still obvious scar was revealed, grotesquely coiled behind his ear.

Everything related to this scar had been resolved.

Without the help of outsiders, the evidence provided by Luo Chi was enough to make those despicable desperadoes pay the price they deserved.

The relentlessly entangled Luo family, in order to oppose Ren Shuangmei, had used some over-the-line methods. Once involved in such things, it was impossible to get out, and soon they fell into their own trap, falling heavily into a small snare set by Ren Shuangmei.

As for Mr. Ming hearing about Huo Miao’s situation and having a chat with some families that cooperated with that family… these were all less important details.

“I always think,” Ming Weiting said, “if it were possible, I would have liked to meet you earlier.”

Huo Miao’s eyes widened as he looked at him, and he suddenly laughed. “It’s not late at all.”

The memory of that dream was neither clear nor blurry, and he had no intention of avoiding it. Luo Chi often thought that in that world, he must have also met his own Ming Weiting.

If there were really a thousand worlds, they would probably meet a thousand times—if they met a little later, he would jump onto Ming Weiting’s ship with his guitar. If they met a little earlier, he would probably learn some very powerful self-defense techniques from Young Master Ming, and maybe he could have escaped with his sister earlier.

No matter when they met, they would immediately become the best of friends and would want to be together forever and never part.

This would never change.

Ming Weiting lay on his arm, listening to him with great concentration, and solemnly promised, “Together forever and never part.”

Luo Chi nodded. “Let’s make a small plan.”

He took out his small notebook and opened a page. “First step, we have to grow up quickly.”

The next step was to make a vow in a church.

Young Master Ming studied this plan with him and thought it was quite feasible. He sat up with Huo Miao. “When Auntie said ‘grow up,’ she probably meant becoming mature in both mind and body, and being able to stand on your own.”

“Then we have to see and learn a lot first, and learn everything we should.” Luo Chi also sat cross-legged and took it one step at a time. “I’ll teach you how to ride a horse first.”

Ming Weiting nodded and looked up at a spot in the woods behind him. “Father.”

Mr. Ming, who hadn’t yet discussed his plan to settle on shore with his lover and was being silently questioned by Xiao Yu with her lips, froze. The parents’ tracking team instantly fell silent and hid themselves without a sound.

But Young Master Ming was battle-hardened and, having been tempered by the sack, was no longer affected by such tricks.

“After the trip, I’m planning to invite Huo Miao out to sea.”

He pulled Huo Miao up and sought his parents’ opinion. “We want to grow up quickly. Can I take him to ride dolphins, make canoes, and conquer uninhabited islands?”

I’ve heard that discussing the plot of this book with a friend of the opposite sex can easily lead to a romantic relationship.