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When it was time to pay the bill, I took out the purse from my bosom with a pained look. After counting several silver coins, I handed it over to Boss Shawn. He refused the sum at first, but after a moment, he received it with a smile. Frankly, he didn’t make money for the meal since the meal basically cost the price of the raw ingredients. I knew in my heart, though, that he probably didn’t make a loss. He’s a respectable businessman, so I had no desire to take advantage of him.

Moon glanced over at my purse with a smile:

“Not bad, Li De, your speed of saving up a secret stash has exceeded my expectations. How about you share your experiences of getting rich with me?”

I answered:

“If you walk on the streets and see some relatively wealthy person, pick up a stick, drag them into a corner, and his money will be yours.”

After I said my piece, I saw Moon with a stick in her hand walking over to me. I retreated two steps and shouted:

“What are you doing, what are you thinking of doing in broad daylight?”

Moon extended a hand and in response, I helplessly took out a single gold coin from the purse before putting the entire purse in his hands. The one who was the cause of making her short of money, wasn’t it me? Once my purse entered her hands, it thoroughly solved the matter gnawing at her mind, so she stretched and said with considerable ease:

“This Rare Taste Building’s food is pretty good. I’ll treat you next time.”

The appearance of an upstart came to light.

I returned to my City Lord’s mansion thinking that I had given an explanation to Moon, so I should take a look over at Fang Thirteen’s side next.

By the time I made it to Fang Thirteen’s room, she appeared to have already eaten and was now sitting before a table drawing out an army formation. Because she couldn’t see from either of her eyes, there were still many places on the picture that were all over the place. It’s something that could be understood upon seeing it and not really described. I walked over to her very softly and quietly, sat next to her, looked at it for a good while, then said:

“How sure are you in capturing Li Neng’s territory?”

The sudden sound frightened Fang Thirteen and caused her wheelchair to shake.

After realizing that it was me, Fang Thirteen gently patted her chest and said:

“Don’t scare me so suddenly.”

Her hand peered over the outline on the drawing and she quietly answered my question:

“Even if I’m not sure, I still need to give it a try. I don’t want to make things difficult for you.”

I seated myself on the bed and said in response:

“Make things difficult my ***……I’m mainly here to ask you, aren’t you going to go see Fang Lita since Fang Yuan has sent him over?”

Fang Thirteen answered my question with one of her own:

“Will you make things difficult for him?”

I replied:

“I won’t.”

A soft smile appeared on Fang Thirteen’s face. Her eyes were still closed as she said mildly:

“All that I can help him fight for, I already helped him strive for. At the time, I was already reduced to being a prisoner yet I was still able to exchange myself for three cities to give to him, so I don’t owe him anything. I’ve paid back my gratitude in full, all that’s left is just some familial affection. On that rainy day, you helped keep the rain off me with an umbrella in hand and offered shelter to me. On the contrary, if we calculate it now, I actually owe you a favor.”

Oh ****.

I really didn’t expect Fang Thirteen to say these words. If I had known this earlier, I would’ve given that ****** fatty a hint on how he should handle things, to not send Fang Lita back. But after giving it another thought, Fang Thirteen said that even if the gratitude paid off, familial affection still remains. This indicates that she still recognizes this little brother of hers, so I should keep him if I can.

Even a weirdo relative is better than having no relative. When you’re left on your own, there will always be a sense of loneliness. As for that sense of loneliness, before truly experiencing it for yourself, it’s hard to imagine and also can’t be explained.

The hand Fang Thirteen was using to lightly grip her pen tensed up and she said:

“I heard it from Tila. That day you kneeled in the mourning hall and knelt to soothe the family members of the fallen soldiers.”

I frowned and asked:

“How does she know?”

Fang Thirteen shook her head:

“I made her ask around. Because I feared there would be unrest amongst the people and army due to the return of the three cities, I was thinking of first soothing the family members of those deceased soldiers. But I didn’t expect that you already did so.”

The corners of her mouth lifted up gently as she told me:

“Thank you.”

All of the sudden, I finally discovered why today’s Fang Thirteen gave me an out-of-element feeling. It was her ears. She would normally wear those earrings that Fang Lita supposedly gave her as a present in their childhood. Her dainty ears were clean of it and there weren’t any other ornaments.

Even though I had noticed it, I didn’t say anything; I didn’t say anything and she also didn’t mention it.

But I did feel much more comfortable at heart.

Fang Thirteen murmured:

“I will be going to the military tomorrow. Tila will be by my side taking care of me. I’m just telling you so that you don’t need to be worried. There are many of Sky Star City’s soldiers within West-Resisting City’s army right now and they have a high degree of understanding with me. I will find a way to slowly gain the trust of those who are originally loyal to West-Resisting City. I’ve studied Li Neng’s army before; if no mishaps occur, there should be no problem in eating it up.”

I really wanted to ask why she didn’t want to stay in West-Resisting City and rest for a bit longer, but I realized Moon’s words made sense after giving it some thought. Compared to Felita and Moon, who both weren’t affiliated with any other forces, it was much harder for the once-enemy Fang Thirteen to fit into West-Resisting City. Even Bai Huang was only slowly accepted by citizens in West-Resisting City after she became the patrol chief.

I sighed, stood up, and walked over to rub Fang Thirteen’s hair with these words coming out of my mouth:

“Don’t give yourself too much pressure. I’m going to put it very bluntly; you’re someone I’m covering for, even if you do nothing to earn your keep, I will still raise you for a lifetime.”

A rare joke left Fang Thirteen’s lips:

“But I heard that you’re West-Resisting City’s most parasitic person. If I don’t work hard, then how will I be able to make money and raise you?”

So it was me who was being raised??

A smile was still hovering on her face as she leaned back on the chair and remarked:

“It’s already very good, Li De. Do you know the thing I thought of the most whenever I brought my troops to battle?”

“Become Sky Scheming Mansion’s top general?”

I asked.

Fang Thirteen shook head head and clarified:

“While that thought did occasionally appear in my mind, it’s still a goal very far away. The thing I would think the most at the time was how great it would be if I had someone helping me share a part of the pressure from military affairs. Now that I think about it, this is sort of like living as a parasite, right? All I need to do is focus on the frontline while rearline supply replenishment is for someone else to worry about. This was something I didn’t even dare think about in the past, but now it’s already a reality.”

Fang Thirteen bit her lip, hushed words escaping her lips:

“I’m already feeling very blessed. All that’s left remaining is to earn money to raise our family……no, to raise West-Resisting City.”

A combative appearance appeared on her face as she spoke and she tightened her hands into small fists.

I shifted over a chair and sat next to her. Fang Thirteen was now drawing as she was before when she suddenly asked me:

“Li De, last time Tila was picking medicine and saw you with that girl together. At the time, you told her that the girl was your wife, is that person miss Aleya?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and added:

“But I was swindling her. Aleya and I haven’t married and I also don’t have a wife.”

“Is that so.”

While Fang Thirteen spoke, she slowly leaned her head over. The pen hadn’t left the paper, but her head was now resting on my shoulder. The brownish hair ends tickled my neck and made me feel itchy, but I didn’t move away.

“Are you busy?”

“No. You, shouldn’t you rest for a bit?”

“No need.”

After hearing her simple reply, I found myself a book and read it by her side. She slowly drew an illegible picture on the paper calmly, filling the room with the rustle of pen being put to paper.

During this month, I feel as if I’ve gotten used to this kind of feeling.