Ye Chenghong bent over and reached out a hand, steadying the arms of the two, with a deft move, An Zisheng, and Kong Shi couldn’t help but stand up on their own.
"I understand the gratitude both of you feel, but there’s no need for kneeling and thanks," said Ye Chenghong with a gratified smile. "I have a karmic bond with Girl Qing, and we became master and disciple. Over the years, she has been very filial by my side and added much color to my life. I’ve always treated her as my own. As long as she is happy, this old man will be content!"
"Master..." An Yiqing, upon hearing Ye Chenghong’s heartfelt words, looked at him with moved eyes, welling up with tears.
At this moment, Old Master An approached with Old Lady An, smiling kindly at Ye Chenghong.
"Mr. Ye, we are of the same generation, and as your elder brother in age, I’ll take the liberty of calling you ’Younger Brother Ye,’" Old Master An instantly pulled their relationship much closer with a tone of remembrance. "Young Brother, if it weren’t for you having saved my granddaughter back then, she would most likely have been eaten by wild beasts. Alas! A thousand words would be insufficient to express our gratitude. From now on, the An Family is your home! All these youngsters are also your children! Younger Brother Ye, thank you, thank you so much!" Old Master An, gripping Ye Chenghong’s hand tightly, was moved to tears, his voice choking with emotion.
Ye Chenghong, touched by the An Family’s genuine affection, firmly gripped Old Master An’s hand in return and said, "Brother An speaks too modestly! Since we refer to each other as brothers, there’s no need for such formalities! Having little Qing by my side these years has brought me great joy! Come, Brother An, Sister-in-law, please sit down. Let’s not keep thanking each other back and forth!"
After hearing what Ye Chenghong said, Old Master An nodded repeatedly and took a seat.
"Master, why didn’t you tell me before you came back?" An Yiqing sat down next to Ye Chenghong, affectionately wrapping her arm around his.
Ye Chenghong curled his lips, pretending arrogance as he said, "Wasn’t I trying to give you a surprise? But who would have thought that instead of a surprise, there would be a stack of shocks awaiting me!"
An Yiqing twitched the corner of her mouth, glancing at the several injured men of the An Family, guilt stirring within her.
"It’s my fault for not being able to protect everyone."
"What are you talking about, Niuniu?" An Zhihang said lightly, holding his chest and drawing a cold breath, "You are our treasure; it should be all of us protecting you. How could this be your fault? The only fault is that big brother was too weak, letting the enemy take advantage."
An Zisheng very much agreed with his eldest son’s words, looking at An Yiqing with a loving gaze and said softly, "Niuniu, don’t overthink it. These were all unforeseen events; if there’s anyone to blame, it’s the wretches lurking in the shadows, truly despicable!"
Seeing the caring faces of her family, An Yiqing’s heart quivered, and her eyes reddened.
Ye Chenghong had been quietly observing everyone, and in his heart, he nodded silently. The An Family truly cared for his disciple. Girl Qing had finally found her peace after a long hardship!
"Brother An, did those men in black say why they came?" Ye Chenghong recalled the scene and felt there was something odd about it.
A flicker of concern passed through Old Master An’s eyes and he sighed, "Honestly, I’m not entirely clear about what exactly they were after! In my conjecture, it might be related to the legends of the An Family, or perhaps it isn’t for that reason at all."
At Old Master An’s words, a stiffness appeared on the faces of the An Family members. An Yiqing noticed but kept her expression calm.
"Everyone, don’t worry. These people are locked up at the ’Red Thorn’ Base now; after tomorrow’s interrogation, everything will become clear," the young girl said with a delicate smile.
Such a thrilling night gradually wore down the An Family. Especially Old Lady An and Kong Shi, who, lacking martial arts and having been frightened, soon began to yawn repeatedly.