Chapter 5167 — Wei Zhao's Origins, Part Two
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Not bad. At least the boy didn't let me down—he's no mud that won't hold up on a wall." Lin Dongfang's tone carried a note of relief, as though he had been bracing for the worst.
"Hey, hey—you're my grandfather, after all. Is there any need to think so little of me?" Wei Zhao was caught between laughing and crying. Then he asked, "By the way, you said just now that my whole family is fighting the Center. What about you, old man? Are you and the Center sworn enemies too?"
"Me? My sworn brother—your master—is locked in a death struggle with the Center. My daughter and my son-in-law are locked in a death struggle with the Center. Anyone who has even a shred of friendship with me is locked in a death struggle with the Center. What do you suppose my relationship with the Center is?" Lin Dongfang pursed his lips.
"So you were dragged onto a pirate ship, were you?" Wei Zhao teased.
"Not exactly. I was already on board—there was no dragging about it." Lin Dongfang laughed heartily.
"Then that settles it. Why don't you tell me more about my parents, old man? I've been waiting all this time!" Wei Zhao urged him once more, unable to contain himself.
"If you really want to know these things, then wait until you meet them and ask them yourself. What's the point of asking me?" Lin Dongfang seized the chance to play coy.
"..." Wei Zhao was speechless for a moment, but then he caught on, and both startled and delighted, he said, "I can still see them? They're not dead?"
"What kind of talk is that? My daughter and son-in-law are perfectly well. Is this how a son behaves—cursing them before you've even laid eyes on them?" Lin Dongfang could not help but shoot him a glare.
"No, no, I was just too excited, that's why I spoke without thinking." Wei Zhao shook his head again and again. In his imagination, since his parents had entrusted him to Lin Dongfang, his grandfather, it must have been because some misfortune had befallen them—otherwise, what parent in the world would casually hand their child over to someone else, even if that someone was the child's grandfather? And now, learning that both his parents were still alive, Wei Zhao's heart was filled with a mixture of astonishment, joy, and complexity.
Seeing the complicated expression on Wei Zhao's face, Lin Dongfang sought to comfort him. "Don't think too much about it. They had their own deep reasons for leaving you with me—after all, this place of mine is one of the few rare patches of pure land left in the world, untouched by the strife outside."
"Mm." Wei Zhao nodded. He was a broad-minded person by nature; a matter like this might have driven an ordinary man to obsess and gnaw at himself, but he would not overthink it. Just as Lin Dongfang said, since his parents had made such arrangements, they must have had reasons they could not help, and when they met again in the future, all would naturally become clear.
"All right, if there's anything else you want to ask, ask it now while you can. I'm telling you up front—no waiting once the time's up." Lin Dongfang hurried him along. He had already caught the smell of Aunt Qing's cooking from afar, and compared to rambling on about these matters with Wei Zhao, eating was plainly more important to him.
"Fine. Let me ask something off-topic. I've asked these questions plenty of times before, and you never would say a word. What made you suddenly tell me so much today?" Wei Zhao could not help but wonder.
"The sun must have risen in the west," Lin Dongfang said offhandedly, without the least sincerity.
"Uh..." Wei Zhao was speechless again, and he said with a bitter smile, "I asked so seriously and sincerely—even if you're just humoring me, could you at least be a little sincere about it? This is downright disrespectful!"