PS: I'm back. This is today's second update; there will be a third later. Seeking monthly ticket support.

As Yu Fang-kai was vehemently trying to distance himself, the infant in Mother Yu's arms suddenly began to wail loudly, as if disturbed by the noise.

"What's going on?"

"Oh dear, why is the little treasure crying?"

At this moment, no one paid attention to Yu Fang-kai anymore. Mother Yu and the fair-skinned young woman immediately focused on the baby. After a careful inspection, they finally reached a conclusion: the little one was hungry and needed feeding, meaning the gentlemen present should excuse themselves.

"Bang!"

In an instant, Wang Guan and the others were unceremoniously shown the door, Yu Fang-kai included.

Staring at the closed door, Yu Fang-kai gave a wry smile. "Indeed, people often say that once you have children, a father's standing in the family plummets. It’s truly not an empty saying."

"My condolences, this is just the beginning..." Yu Fei-bai and Murong Guang chimed in with mock sympathy.

Of course, this was just joking. At this very moment, Yu Fang-kai was radiating an emotion called happiness. To say such a thing was clearly just showing off.

The few men chatted outside. Not long after, the door opened. The infant had eaten its fill and was naturally no longer crying, but instead dozing off contentedly in its mother's embrace.

Upon re-entering the room, Wang Guan quickly presented his gifts: his peace talisman, Elder Qian’s gourd (Fu Lu) charm, Pi Qiu-shi’s Five Blessings coin, and other small, exquisite, yet meaningful trinkets. Since the baby had just been born, it couldn't wear these items yet, so their mothers kept them safe on the infant's behalf.

Yu Fang-kai and his wife expressed their sincere gratitude, delighted as they carefully put the items away, planning to hang them on the child once he was older to ensure his peaceful growth.

"And what about yours?"

At the same time, Mother Yu frowned. "As the uncle, didn't you prepare a gift for your nephew?"

"I am preparing it," Yu Fei-bai said confidently. "The gift for my eldest nephew cannot be rushed. I plan to find a piece of supreme quality jade and commission an artisan to carve a longevity lock to present on the full moon."

"As long as you remember..." Mother Yu nodded in satisfaction.

They stayed for a long while after that. Mainly, Yu Fei-bai recounted his experiences at sea. Mother Yu and the fair-skinned young woman weren't overly interested in such matters, merely interjecting with occasional agreeable sounds, their attention mostly fixed on the infant. Yu Fang-kai and Murong Guang, however, were quite keen, though their areas of interest differed slightly.

Yu Fang-kai focused on the status of the maritime frontier, while Murong Guang was more concerned with the scenic views of the ocean.

They chatted until dusk. Murong Guang finally spoke with a smile, "It's getting late. I'll take them out for dinner to welcome them properly. I'll visit you again in a couple of days."

"Good. Thank you for the trouble, Big Brother-in-Law," Yu Fang-kai replied with a smile.

"We're family; don't mention trouble."

Murong Guang waved his hand, bade farewell to Mother Yu, and led Wang Guan and Yu Fei-bai outside.

There were cars near the hospital; he had driven one. After ushering the two men in, they smoothly exited the military zone. About half an hour later, they stopped at a manor.

By this time, the sky had darkened, and the sun had set, though a faint afterglow lingered in the west. It was by this meager light that Wang Guan took a careful look around. The estate was vast, with connected buildings nestled within a valley, entirely isolated from any other homes. It looked quite desolate, truly resembling a secluded paradise retreat.

Yet, faintly, Wang Guan thought he heard the shriek of some animal. Just as he was pondering what kind of creature it might be, Murong Guang cheerfully called out, "You two must be tired today. Go inside, have dinner first, and then rest. If you need anything, or want to go sightseeing, we can discuss it tomorrow."

Both men were indeed weary and had no objections to Murong Guang's arrangements. Upon entering the estate, they discovered a lavish dinner already prepared for them. It was pure Northwestern cuisine. For an omnivore like Wang Guan, there were no dietary restrictions, and he ate with great enjoyment, even having a bit too much wine, leaving him feeling slightly dizzy.

Thus, after dinner, they allowed the food to settle before washing up and going to sleep.

The night passed without incident. The next day, around ten o'clock, Wang Guan finally awoke leisurely. After washing up in his room, the moment he stepped out, he felt certain his mood for the day would be excellent.

The changes in human emotion have always been a persistent subject of study for scientists around the world. While happiness, anger, sorrow, and grief are common, even a 'good mood' carries different nuances. Sometimes a person feels good because of a positive event, sometimes because of a kind word from another, and sometimes simply because the surrounding environment is pleasant, making one feel particularly relaxed. Wang Guan was in this state now; as soon as he left his room, he was astonished to see the sky, washed a brilliant blue, dotted with patches of pure, snow-white clouds floating serenely—truly magnificent.

At first glance, he thought it was a hallucination. But he quickly realized he was currently in the vast, sparsely populated Northwest. With minimal human activity and little industrial pollution here, seeing such a sight wasn't entirely unexpected. He recalled that the last time he had seen such a sky was over the grasslands of Songyuan in the Northeast, where the sky had mostly been a dull gray. Regardless, the excellent surroundings naturally put Wang Guan in high spirits.

"Good morning..."

At the same time, Yu Fei-bai emerged from a nearby room, stretching his limbs while gazing up at the sky, a broad smile breaking across his face. "Speaking of which, every time I see such a blue sky and white clouds, I get an urge to settle down here."

"You are most welcome!"

Murong Guang walked over, smiling. "If you give the word, I’ll immediately have someone build you a manor nearby, and we’ll be neighbors."

"Never mind," Yu Fei-bai shook his head with a sigh. "Staying here for a month or two is fine, but if I lived here long-term, I fear I’d succumb to the loneliness."

"You get used to it..." Murong Guang didn't press the issue. After all, where one chooses to reside is a personal decision, and others shouldn't force the matter.

"Let's go eat breakfast. Or maybe lunch."

As he spoke, Murong Guang chuckled, "After that, I'll take you both out for a ride."

"A ride?"

Wang Guan was slightly surprised, but he soon understood what was meant. After eating lunch and stepping out of the manor, he realized this place was actually a vast grassland, and the manor was a huge ranch.

Because it was night yesterday, things weren't clear, but in the bright daylight, everything was obvious. A continuous stretch of buildings blocked off a large valley, creating a natural pasture within it.

Standing on a high slope overlooking the area, Wang Guan saw countless sheep scattered across the pasture, along with a sizeable herd of horses, which Murong Guang introduced as Mongolian horses.

"Mongolian horses have sturdy bodies, strong limbs, and a rough, resilient constitution. They are hardworking, unafraid of the cold, can adapt to extremely sparse management, have incredible vitality, and can survive in harsh, adverse conditions," Murong Guang lectured volubly. "Tamed Mongolian horses are fearless and incredibly brave on the battlefield. The Mongol cavalry's long expeditions into Western Europe relied heavily on these horses..."

"Impressive," Wang Guan exclaimed.

"No matter how impressive, it's ancient history now," Murong Guang sighed at the appropriate moment. "Even the best horses can't be used on the battlefield anymore; they are only for recreation."

"Big Brother-in-Law, don't get sentimental," Yu Fei-bai laughed. "Times change. If you can't keep up, you get phased out."

"I know, but it's a pity for these fine horses..." Murong Guang looked genuinely helpless and somewhat pained, clearly a man who truly loved horses—perhaps a Bole [master horse-judge] in ancient times.

"Don't feel sorry; quickly fetch two good horses."

At this point, Yu Fei-bai turned and asked, "By the way, Wang Guan, do you know how to ride?"

"I know a little," Wang Guan replied with a smile. "I rode for two days back in Songyuan."

"Then that's settled," Yu Fei-bai suddenly grinned, with a hint of mischief. "Want to have a race?"

"Get lost!" Wang Guan retorted good-naturedly. "If you dare ride backward, I dare race you."

"Tsk." Yu Fei-bai waved a hand dismissively. "Boring."

"Fei-bai, if you want to race, you can challenge me," Murong Guang said at that moment, leading over three stout, strong-legged horses. They looked somewhat wild but were actually quite docile.

"I want to win, not get beaten up," Yu Fei-bai immediately refused Murong Guang's proposal. He then took a rein from Murong Guang's hand, expertly swung his leg over, mounted the horse, and said with a dashing smile, "I'll go first."

As he spoke, Yu Fei-bai pushed off with his feet, the horse immediately whinnied, reared up, and galloped away.

Seeing this, Wang Guan wasn't rushed. He calmly mounted the tall horse with Murong Guang’s assistance, then urged his mount into a gallop. The speed wasn't excessive, but it wasn't slow either. It couldn't compete with a motorcycle, but it was certainly faster than a bicycle.

The sky was blue with white clouds, the ground was the boundless green grassland beneath their feet. As they galloped, the wind whistled past their ears, and their hearts surged with hot blood. They felt overwhelmingly spirited, wishing they could burst into a passionate song.

"Blue, blue sky above, white clouds drifting slow, below the white clouds, the horses run..."

It should be noted that this singing was not coming from Wang Guan, nor Yu Fei-bai or Murong Guang. The three were galloping so fast that they unknowingly approached the vicinity of a herdsman's dwelling.

A herdsman was tending his sheep, lazily waving his whip and singing loudly. Murong Guang seemed to know the man, immediately pulling on the reins to slow down, then calling out loudly, "Uncle Batu!"

"Boss Mu!" Uncle Batu looked up, a smile spreading across his face. "Out for a ride?"

"Yes, just playing around with friends," Murong Guang called back, then smiled. "Then I won't disturb your herding. If you have time, come over for a drink..."

"Wait a moment."

Uncle Batu nodded with a smile, but then seemed to recall something. He quickly called out, "Boss Mu, that ox-horn bow you inquired about a while back—are you still interested?"

(To be continued.)