Chapter 67: The Silkworm Road [1]

t.i.ttle explanation: The silkworm road refers to the Road(s) to Shu (an ancient state) which is a system of mountain roads linking the Chinese province of Shaanxi (Qin) with Sichuan (Shu), built and maintained since the 4th century BC. Shu Roads formed a network of major and minor roads with different roads being used at different historical time. More info search Shudao.

When they came out of Moon Bay, the sky wasclear, and the bodyguards in the formation were all safe and sound. Once theysaw Xiao Ling at the back, one by one widened their eyes, especially the twowhich went down to dig the tunnel. Their faces turned white instantly andalmost fainted again.

“Mr. Qi, it is good that you’re allright, really worried us to death. Just, why is Xiao Ling also here?”

Qi ZhiRong looked back at the rear, thenfaced in front with indifference as before, he said, “Fill in the hole.”

When the bodyguards saw Qi ZhiRong in a lowmood, they thought there was nothing worthwhile underneath and so he returnedwith disappointment. It went without saying that such a ghostly eerie place wasfilled with dirty things, where would a treasure come from?

Filling up the hole and cleaning up camps;with each performed their own duty properly, they were ready to leave soon.

The bodyguards were still wondering,“Why is that strange man missing? Is it underneath——?”

“It’s all right. Stop talking.” AhGui spoke to interrupt and seamlessly looked a glance at the boss. In the pit,Qi Xi had looked at the boss with a bad expression. He was afraid that Qi Xiwould start raising hands, but fortunately, Qi Xi suddenly left.

Zhang Qiu walked ahead, took Xiao Jiang’sfleshy hand and asked Li Shu worriedly, “Why do you think Qi Xi ran? Ithought he was going to kill Qi ZhiRong.”

“That expression didn’t seem like hewanted to kill Qi ZhiRong.” Li Shu said dully. Seeing that Zhang Qiu wantedto continue asking, he said, “What’s interesting in Xi’an?”

Zhang Qiu, who was worried about Qi Xi,stopped short and said with surprise, “A lot. Do you want to go?” His.e.xpression said "go, go".

“Depending on circ.u.mstances.” LiShu was very satisfied that Zhang Qiu’s eyes were all on him.

Zhang Qiu’s eyebrows rose like they wereflying, walking along with Li Shu while talking about various delicacies andinteresting places in Xi’an.

Climbing down the hill, they went back tothe car with less Qi Xi and more Xiao Ling. Xiao Ling couldn’t stay on Qi ZhiRong’sside. Even Ah Gui was afraid of him. Moreover, he still had obsession.[Obsession is lingering feeling]

Back to the county hotel, Zhang Qiu went toQi Xi’s room first. He happened to meet Qi ZhiRong, who lingered at Qi Xi’sdoor without knocking. Zhang Qiu didn’t know what to say for a moment.

“His key is with me. He is forgetful,so made me hold it for him.” Zhang Qiu said as he opened the door, whichwas littered with luxury clothes. He looked back and saw Qi ZhiRong standing atthe door with undiscernible expression. Upon seeing he was looking, Qi ZhiRongnodded and turned to go.

At this moment, Qi ZhiRong’s back figure hada kind of pitiful taste. Zhang Qiu felt that he was very Holy Motherly andcould not help saying, “With his character, it should be okay, resta.s.sured.”

“Thank you.” Qi ZhiRong’s backstopped as he replied without turning his head.

After Qi ZhiRong left, Zhang Qiu, like anamah packed Qi Xi’s luggage. In here, a wool sweater could cover his tuitionand living expenses for a year but Qi Xi like a prodigal son squandering thefamily fortune, had thrown the clothes on the ground at random. He reallywanted to kill Qi Xi.

Qi ZhiRong left the hotel with hisbodyguards at about 9 a.m. and settled all the expenses before leaving.

Zhang YuShui stared at the money in his hand and smiled. “The money for our Dandan’s milk powder is enough.” [Dan = egg but dandan could also meant t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es lol]

“Erge, is your family’s Dandan going togrow up with gold powder?!” Zhang Qiu glanced at the number on Erge’s mobilephone and tsk-ed. Qi ZhiRong was really rich.

“Don’t envy me. Li Shu of your familyhas two zeros more than me on this trip.”

Zhang Qiu: !!!!

Zhang Qiu really didn’t want to appear a.s.someone who had wealth spoke louder than others, but he couldn’t control hisfacial expression at the thought of two more zeros, and his mouth was raised,as if Li Shu’s money was his all the same.

Next to him, Li Shu smiled in his eyes as hethought Zhang Qiu’s shining eyes were lovely.

“Your Excellency, can we go to Chengdufirst?” At the side, red-eyed Ling Dang whispered.

Zhang Qiu saw Ling Dang’s pitiful appearanceand thought Pei Qing was "bullying". If Ling Dang wanted to leave home, he wouldraise his hands to support him. But then he heard little Ling Dang softly said,“Xiao Ling is pitiful ah! Shall we help him fulfill his wish first?”

Xiao Ling stood aside like a transparent person.Upon seeing everyone was looking at him, he felt very embarra.s.sed, but hisobsession made him thickened his face and begged, “Great Master Zhang, I’dlike to go to Chengdu very much. I, I, I can give all the money that boss paidme.”

“No, I didn’t need it. That time Ipromised you I will help free of charge.” Zhang YuShui was in a good mood.When he said the money was for Dandan’s milk powder, Ah Yan did not object,just like he tacitly agreed to give birth to a baby Phoenix egg.

If Pixian Hui w.a.n.g knew, he would not botherto argue needlessly by this misinterpretation, but he would probably be angry.He could give birth, but why not a little jiangshi? He felt that Xiao Jiang wasvery cute.

They drove to Yulin, and then took the plane went directly to Chengdu.

At the airport, Zhang Qiu first sent Qi Xi’sluggage back to Beijing. At first, he wanted to bother Senior Brother to pickit up, but when he dialed Qi Xi, he did not expect it to work.

“What’s the matter, Xiao Qiuqiu ya?”

Qi Xi’s tone was still the familiar tone in the phone. Zhang Qiu blurted out, “You did not take your luggage, so I packed and shipped it for you to Beijing. You can find a way to get it.”

“Muah Xiao Qiuqiu, you are so kind to me. I really doubt whether you have any idea of my beauty——”

“Scram-scram-scram.” Zhang Qiurolled his eyes. “If you are all right, that’s good.”

Qi Xi laughed on the phone and chatted up afew sentences randomly. Before hanging up the phone, he earnestly said thankyou.

The familiar tone just now made Zhang Qiufelt that Qi Xi was still the same, but how was it possible? But if the personwas alright, then it was good. Turning his head back, he happened to meet LiShu’s eyes. Zhang Qiu thought Li Shu was worried about Qi Xi too, so he smiledand said, “It shouldn’t be a big deal. We can go have fun rest a.s.suredly.”

“En.”

Zhang Qiu stared at Li Shu’s back andwondered why he was so angry all of a sudden.

At the side, Xiao Jiang propped up his bigface and sighed worriedly. Zhang Qiu heard the sigh and looked at Xiao Jianginexplicably. “Why did my dear son sigh? Are you hungry? Daddy takes youto eat ice cream.”

Ice cream seemed good. Zhang XiaoJiang licked his little tiger’s teeth and happily forgot what he had just worried about. Big Daddy wouldn’t have been angry at Daddy for too long anyway. Ice cream was more important.

After eating the dessert, the father and sonwere perfectly satisfied and resumed their sweet and naive state.

At the side, Little Ling Dang cupped theice-cream cone and rolled his pink tongue to lick at it while Pei Qing’s eyeswere staring at it. Not awhile later, he took Ling Dang to the toilet. ZhangQiu spread out on the chair at the departure lounge, and because he ate too muchfood, his belly bulged. He rubbed his belly comfortably and tsk-ed. “PeiQing is a real beast!” Looking at the time again, he said smilingly,“There are still 20 minutes left before boarding the plane. Hahaha PeiQing may have to put up with it.”

Li Shu’s eyes moved to Zhang Qiu’s slightlyrounded stomach, and he couldn’t resist reaching for it.

Zhang Qiu felt the strange and familiartouch on his belly and all over his back felt like it was being electrocuted.His entire being felt numb and he was shocked in place. For nearly threemonths, he had no X life. Li Shu just touched his belly and his limbs felt itwas like being electrocuted, and there was a slight rising trend underneath.

“Not comfortable?” Li Shu sawZhang Qiu was shocked and thought his touch was incorrect and stopped.

Zhang Qiu face was a little red;embarra.s.sed. He was walking a fresh and pure person set up, and had alsoridiculed Pei Qing to put up with it, and now it was simply hitting him on theface. He changed his sitting position seamlessly, blocking his awkward underneathpart and shook his head, “no, just ate myself into stupor.”

“Don’t eat too much later.” Li Shuput his hand on Zhang Qiu’s belly and slowly and gently rubbing it one at atime. “How about this?”

“Ah ha?” Zhang Qiu absentmindedlymoaned and his face became more and more red, feeling comfortable. It wasmerely Li Shu’s hand moving yet it seemed like giving poisoned water to a thirstybird. The more he drank, the more he wanted it. If Li Shu touched lower, hewould have to play with fire in public venue.

Zhang Qiu suddenly stood up. Seeing Li Shuwas looking at him, he dropped a sentence about toilet and ran away in a panic.

When he reached the door of the toilet, heheard a familiar, enduring moan.

“… Shh, don’t be too loud, or I’ll bejealous if someone else heard you. Little Ling Dang’s beautiful voice is only formy ears.”

“Why hasn’t here grown yet? It seemsthat little Ling Dang is lazy and does not study with the toys Gege bought foryou…”

Ling Dang softly and stickily said ingrievance, “It’s too difficult, Gege. I really study hard, but I justcan’t learn. What should I do? Is Ling Dang really stupid ah? Ah! Gege, don’tgo there——”

“Shhh, don’t cry, it’s not Ling Dang’sproblem. It’s because Gege didn’t teach more deeply. Now Ling Dang, carefullystroking…”

Zhang Qiu stood there feeling his ears weregoing to be sc.r.a.pped. These two people could not move quietly!

However, he had not thought that the twowere already very quiet, and it was only because he had a good hearing that thesuppressed m.u.f.fled moan of Ling Dang came into his ears. It was likeeverywhere. The fire that had just been made by Li Shu became more vigorous onZhang Qiu. At last, he could not help it. He washed his face against the voiceof "teaching" in his ears and cooled down before going out.

After returning, Zhang Qiu did not dare tomeet Li Shu’s line of sight, he rubbed his son’s big face in a guilty way.There was nothing to talk about and he asked Xiao Ling next to him.

“Are you from Chengdu?”

“No.” Xiao Ling sat in a veryclever (child) posture. He was obviously a one meter eight something muscularman, but he sat more proper than Xiao Jiang.

Zhang Qiu oh-ed in gossiping manner,“Could it be there are someone you like in Chengdu?”

Unexpectedly, Xiao Ling lowered his head andslowly nodded. His face was still white, but Zhang Qiu could see that he wa.s.shy.

Zhang Qiu did not realize that he had reallyguessed right. He asked with a smile, “What kind of person is it, to havemade Xiao Ling keep thinking about?” For the other person, he would rathermiss the time of rebirth because of the obsession in his dying heart. It couldbe said that Xiao Ling had become what he was now because of the obsession forthe other person.

He didn’t know whether it was good or bad.

“He’s a kindhearted person. He wasparticularly good to me. When I enlisted in the army, it was because of him,who said that a real man should guard his home and defend his country. Heespecially likes soldiers…” Talking at this point, Xiao Ling wa.s.somewhat downcast. “I just didn’t do it well and failed to live up to his.e.xpectations.”

Zhang Qiu used to think Xiao Ling wasretired from the army, but now it seemed not.

He wanted to ask more questions but thebroadcast notified pa.s.sengers to board. He could not help looking at the gateand saw Pei Qing walking with a satisfied face.

“Ling Dang?”

“Rest in the spirit bead,” saidPei Qing, smiling.

Zhang Qiu recalled the voice in the toilet.He really didn’t know what to say to Pei Qing’s honest face. Pei Qing was alsoa soldier but looked like a foreign loyal man with a black belly while XiaoLing looked smart, but in fact he was very cute and honest.

They boarded the plane and arrived inChengdu in the evening.

They had rushed around all day and everyone wantedto go back to the hotel early for rest, especially Pei Qing, who was unwillingto go out, and did not intend to eat any food. He urgently indicated that hewanted to go back to his room for rest. Zhang Qiu did not need to think aboutwhat Pei Qing was going to do.

Followed up with Ling Dang’s on-the-spotteaching!

“Great Master Zhang, I want——”Xiao Ling’s eyes were excited.

Zhang YuShui laughed. “Hold the congealsoul talisman close. If anything happened, burns this paper crane.” Hehanded Xiao Ling a paper crane made by yellow talisman.

Xiao Ling was so grateful that he grabbedtalisman paper and hurried out.

Zhang Yushui made a fortune and went to thefront desk to book the rooms. Zhang Qiu waited on the lobby sofa with XiaoJiang in his arms. Before long, Zhang Yushui waved him over. He was carryingluggage and Xiao Jiang was skipping ahead.

“Room 904, go back early to rest.”Zhang YuShui smiled and patted his little brother on the shoulder. “By theway, we spent too much this time. In order to save your little nephew’s milkpowder money, Li Shui was very kind to share his room with you.”

Zhang Qiu looked puzzled. “What do youmean?”

“It means that Li Shu paid for thissuite. Little brother, Erge did everything I could. You, jiā yóu^[1].”

[1: to add oil; to top up with gas; to refuel;to accelerate; to step on the gas; fig. to make an extra effort; fig. to cheersb on]

So he and Li Shu had to stay together? Thiswas also a test of his determination. What if he couldn’t hold back the midnightattack?! Zhang Qiu thought to himself. He was still calm and reserved inexpressing his grat.i.tude to Li Shu.

When they got to the room, there were a big and a small room with a living room.

Zhang Qiu smiled particularly genuine andsaid, “It is fine for me and Xiao Jiang to sleep in the small room.” Keep me! Roll in the big bed roomtogether!!!

“Alright.” Li Shu turned aroundand went into the master bedroom.

Zhang Qiu:…

Xiao Jiang raised his head and yawned withhis little hand over his mouth. “Daddy?”

“Well, sleep.” Zhang Qiu plannedto coax his son to sleep and make a night raid plan. He didn’t believe thatsleeping under the same roof, could maintain a pure man-to-man relationship.LaoZi didn’t believe that evil!

As a result, when Zhang Qiu was bathing XiaoJiang, he almost fell asleep in the bathroom. With eyes squinting, he carriedXiao Jiang and plopped on the bed, wrapped in a quilt and after a while, he breathedsoftly.

Xiao Jiang, sitting cross-legged on the bedwith a curly head, suddenly fell back and lay in Zhang Qiu’s arms with a stuckout b.u.t.t. He moved his bare lower body into the quilt. Before he had finishedmoving, the door opened, and without moving, he pretended to be asleep.

Li Shu’s eyes moved to Xiao Jiang, whose eyelasheswere still shaking, a slight smile on his lips.

Xiao Jiang, who pretended to be sleeping,heard the footsteps, hesitated and slowly opened his eyes. When he saw BigDaddy in front of him, he cried out in fright as his eyes were full ofsurprise.

Li Shu, who had just taken a bath, was stillsteaming all over, glancing faintly at Xiao Jiang, “Sleep inside a bit.”

Xiao Jiang, who was ordered to move,immediately went into Zhang Qiu’s arms with joy. His face was full ofexcitement, showing sharp tiger teeth and happily calling out Big Daddy. Whenhe finished, he remembered that Big Daddy was unwilling to be called like that.He immediately looked at Li Shu with nervousness and expectation.

Li Shu stroked Xiao Jiang’s fully curly hair.It was soft and felt the same as Zhang Qiu’s.

“Sleep.”

Xiao Jiang couldn’t help but be happy. Heclosed his eyes obediently and his head was full of "Big Daddy is after all hisbig Daddy".

The next day outcome, Xiao Jiang was veryunhappy in the morning with hands on his hips, and small short legs stoodbeside bed. He obviously slept in Daddy’s arms last night, so why Daddy was nowin Big Daddy’s arms and he was under the bed?!

Not happy.

Zhang Qiu had slept soundly and stretchedout, thinking about how well the air-conditioning temperature was adjusted inthis hotel. He hadn’t slept like this for a long time.

He went out and saw Xiao Jiang sitting on thesofa in the small living room. The TV was not on as he sat cross-legged playingwith the bell in his hands, but there was no sound. He was keeping a straightface as if someone owed him a lot of money.

Zhang Qiu pinched his son’s big face and askedwith a grin, “Why is Xiao Jiang unhappy in the morning?”

Xiao Jiang looked up at Big Daddy not faraway, and then at Daddy’s grinning face, there was a kind of sadness that he didnot know how to say it.

“Well, Daddy had woken up. After washingup, Daddy takes Xiao Jiang to eat delicious food.” Zhang Qiu coaxed hisson, turned to Li Shu, who had changed his clothes, and smiled innocently.“In order to express my grat.i.tude, today’s lunch and dinner, handsomegives me a chance, I invite you ya!”

Despite the failure of the night raid plan,it was still a good idea to have a date during the day.

Hearing that, Li Shu lip’s corner bent a few points, “Okay.”

> Chapter 68