Chapter Eleven: Ning Cai Chen

  "Oh no!"

  "Boom!"

  Ning Feng's hands pushed open the door, and the two doors opened to a distance of less than three inches. From inside came muffled cries and the sound of heavy objects falling to the ground.

  The next moment, the two doors swung open and Ning Feng stepped in quickly.

  Across from him, a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, with a refined appearance and a few strands of whiskers that he seemed to cherish, stood up straight with his chest out, looking over at him with a stern expression.

  This is Ning Feng's father, with a very unusual name - Ning Cai Chen.

  When Ning Feng first knew his father's name, he wanted to ask if he knew Nie Xiaoqian and Yan Chixia. It would be okay even if he didn't go to the Blue Wave Temple.

  It's obviously impossible.

  Ning Caichen was from a wealthy family when he was young, and he devoted himself to reading books, especially idle books. He was content with self-entertainment and had never been involved in making a living.

  He was born with a big palm on his hand, and after Ning Feng's grandparents passed away, the family business failed at an unprecedented speed.

  Alright, Ning Feng admitted that he was also seeking immortality with all his heart, and his father had indulged him. The mountain of silver and the sea of money were all cheap for the swindler.

  Later, if not a swindler with a guilty conscience, kindly pointed out a bright road, the father and son brought their meager belongings to this Chaoyang Town, and fortunately entered the outer gate of the Sun God Temple. Ning Feng's dream of cultivating immortality had long been dashed.

  "Dad, I'm back."

  Ning Feng nodded slightly and then pointed to Ning Cai Chen's hem with his hand, asking: "That... doesn't it hurt?"

  Ning Caichen looked down and saw that from his knees down, his clothes were covered in dust, with footprints on the ground that were exactly the same.

  Ouch!

  Ning Caichen could no longer pretend, his eyebrows twisted into a knot, his hands rubbing his knees, gritting his teeth and shouting in pain, the stern fatherly expression on his face instantly collapsed.

  "Ah~"

  Ning Feng let out a sigh and went forward to support Ning Cai Chen, sitting down in front of a stone table in the dilapidated courtyard.

  Ning Feng understood as soon as he glanced at the things on the stone table.

  A pot of wine on top, a plate of beans, a bowl with half-eaten rice that's half-cooked, and chopsticks scattered all over.

  Without a doubt, the commotion just heard was Ning Caichen hastily getting up to welcome someone at the door, but he ended up falling flat on his face and quickly scrambling back up to assume a stern fatherly demeanor.

  This is Ning Feng's father - Ning Cai Chen.

  "My son, have you entered the Temple of the Sun God?"

  Ning Caichen's spirit was soaring, and even the bruise on his forehead looked endearing. His middle-aged face, which had already begun to show wrinkles, was radiant with a smile.

  "Dad, did you know?"

  Ning Feng poured wine for his father and asked with a smile.

  "I knew it, I knew it." Ning Caichen's eyebrows danced with excitement, looking at the sparrow-like figure that seemed to be on the verge of jumping up again, hmm, and falling down once more.

  Ning Feng hastily supported him, fearing another unexpected incident would occur.

  "Lin Hu has been back in town for three days, and the whole family looks as if they owe everyone money. Xiao Feng, you haven't come back, can't your father guess why?"

  Ning Caichen was beaming with pride, as if he had written "Come and flatter me" on his face.

  He said, admiring the towel tied around Ning Feng's forehead, "No wonder he's my son, just looking at him is more spirited than Lin Hu's defeated rooster."

  Ning Caichen's Lin Hu has been stuck outside the outer gate of the Sun God Temple for three years, and this outer sun scarf is also available. The same thing, what's the difference between being spirited or not?

  Ning Feng wouldn't spoil his father's mood at this time, so he just smiled and listened.

  "Gurgle... gurgling..."

  Ning Caichen wanted to say more, but his stomach growled loudly.

  In an instant, the eyes of both father and son focused on the old man's Wuzang Temple.

  Ning Caichen's old face turned red and he muttered: "That... the rice is either undercooked or burnt, it can't be swallowed."

  There's no sign of his former swagger now; a middle-aged man with a pitiful expression.

  Ning Feng let out a sigh and didn't feel a headache; he was used to it.

  Since the family business went bankrupt, these three meals and trivial matters, including sweeping and dusting, have always been taken care of by Ning Feng, the son. Ning Cai Chen is not unwilling to help, but after helping a few times and causing trouble, he was firmly rejected by Ning Feng.

  "The father waited for a moment, and the son went out and came back."

  The wind subsided, and after finishing speaking, he put away his silver money and went out the door.

  Ning Caichen was used to it and shouted at Ning Feng's back: "Today is a good day, cut the fish head, again, cook an old hen stew for father, these days his mouth is tasteless..."

  Half an hour later, the sunset shone obliquely in the dilapidated courtyard, and the afterglow flowed like water through the two old houses in the yard, climbed over the large water tank outside the main house, and finally fell on the stone table in the yard.

  A large stone table was filled with fish head tofu soup, various dishes and meat, next to which a stove was set up with simmering chicken soup, emitting a fragrant aroma.

  Ning Caichen was so proud of his son's culinary skills that he would boast to anyone who would listen, claiming that the boy was a natural-born master chef. He would say things like: "Whose kid can cook a table full of dishes that rival those of a professional chef before they're even ten years old? And on top of that, takes care of his old man with such dedication?"

  No matter how much he boasts, others can only listen.

  Ning Caichen couldn't stop praising, his hands moved swiftly without any delay, his mouth swallowed quickly and neatly. In the blink of an eye, the cups and plates were in disarray. Heaven knows how he managed to swallow half-cooked rice with beans for several days.

  "Father, four days later, son will be a formal disciple of the Sun God Temple, you don't have to be so frugal."

  "If the son is not around, the father can just go and buy that delicious food, money will no longer be a problem."

  Ning Feng patiently waited for his father to finish eating, then looked into his eyes and said seriously.

  Ning Caichen was a young man who wore brocade and ate jade, cultivating the habit of being extremely picky. Even though he didn't work hard with his body, he couldn't even cook a decent meal, but he really hadn't suffered any hardships in life.

  For his own son's dream, Ning Caichen spent all the family's wealth, and it was still not enough. If there were some pickled vegetables and beans to go with wine and rice, it would be considered a luxury.

  It's hard for him to think it's a hardship, always smiling and laughing, even if he can't pretend to be a strict father.

  "Alright, alright."

  Ning Caichen responded casually to his son's words, stretching his neck and swallowing saliva, asking: "Is the chicken soup ready?"

  “……”

  Ning Feng shook his head and stood up, walking towards his own room.

  "Father, wait a little, son will dress up and come, at that time the fire will be just right."

  As soon as he entered the room, Ning Feng swept his eyes over it and saw that the bed was in disarray, as if someone had been rolling around on it. He slightly furrowed his brow, then opened the wardrobe and took out a set of scholar's robes.

  They were father and son, both originally from a scholarly family, and their home was always stocked with such clothes.

  Putting on the bookish attire, Ning Feng felt a bit different and couldn't help but smile: "Originally I was used to it since childhood, treating it as ordinary clothing, but after walking through the soul realm, wearing it feels different somehow."

  He shook his head and walked out of the house, outside Ning Caichen had been waiting for so long that his neck was sore.

  The chicken soup is simmering, with a rich aroma that teases the nose, it's indeed tempting.

  Ning Feng gently ladled out a bowl of soup and handed it to Ning Cai Chen after blowing on it lightly.

  Wait for him to finish eating, pat his belly and shout that he's full. Ning Feng smiled slightly and looked into Ning Cai Chen's eyes, saying:

  "Rice is eaten, Father, now you can speak, right?"

  "What did you say?" Ning Caichen looked bewildered.

  "Who did it?"

  Ning Feng's expression was stern as he pointed at Ning Cai Chen's forehead where a bruise had formed.