n

n

nChapter 3169 Stay Safe and Healthy

nThe sky was blue, and the land was green.

nMo Fan saw flowers blooming all over the mountains.

nSeal City was a mountain city with beautiful rivers, peaceful forests, and lovely scenery.

nMo Fan never expected this small city to ever be rebuilt.

nHe was surprised that the city looked just like it did before. More surprisingly, many tourists were visiting this city because of him.

n“I never thought I could change my hometown’s future.” Mo Fan felt a bit emotional.

nThe world was big, and the country was wide, yet he changed both. He felt extremely proud and truly touched since his hometown had been rebuilt thanks to him.

nMo Fan knew that towns, countries, and the world were all connected. Most people who make a big difference in the world start by wanting to protect their loved ones and their hometown.

n…

nAs agreed, Mo Fan attended the opening ceremony of Tianlan Memorial Magic High School.

nThe ceremony went well. Mo Fan took part in the whole thing and watched hopeful high school students experience their first awakening.

nThis time, the introduction of the Black Magic Guiding Stone changed things.

nMany students awakened Black Magic and became rare mages with it as their first element. This could be the start of a new era.

n“Mo Fan, where are you going?” Mu Nujiao asked curiously. She saw him heading toward the mountain behind the school alone.

n“Just wandering around,” Mo Fan replied.

n“Want me to come with you?” Mu Nujiao offered.

n“No. I’ll be fine by myself.”

nMo Fan walked to the mountain, and everything there still felt familiar.

nFollowing the small path, he reached the quiet forest he knew well.

nThe shade under the trees was still perfect for an afternoon nap.

nSunlight filtered through the leaves and made everything look dreamlike.

nCrunch, crunch.

nSuddenly, he heard soft footsteps.

nMo Fan turned and saw an old man.

nAt that moment, the pendant on Mo Fan’s chest reacted strongly.

nHe looked cautiously at the approaching man.

nIt was the old man from the mountain behind the school, the one who changed his life!

n“It’s you!” Mo Fan said in surprise.

nAt some point, he had started to doubt if the old man was real.

nHe even worried that one day he would wake up on the mountain behind the school and realize that everything he experienced was just a dream. But everything felt so real and epic. How could it be a dream?

n“How was it?” the old man asked cheerfully.

n“There have been ups and downs… Are you some kind of being who breaks all the rules, like a god who controls everything? Will you eventually send me back to my own world?” Mo Fan asked. He knew it was pointless to resist.

n“Haha. You must be joking. I’m not that powerful,” the old man replied.

n“Where do I really belong, then?” Mo Fan asked.

n“Right here. The world you talked about is just a dream you had one afternoon. It sounds strange to me whenever you mention it. How could there be a world without magic?” The old man chuckled.

n“So… what did you mean by asking ‘how was it?’” Mo Fan asked.

n“This.” The old man pointed at the pendant hanging before Mo Fan’s chest.

n“Little Loach Pendant?” Mo Fan looked at the pendant that meant so much to him.

n“I’ve seen many ambitious young people. They all want to be famous, but in the end, they settle for ordinary lives. They don’t realize that when successful people reach the top, they can’t forget about ordinary lives and often envy those who live them the most. Young lad, young lad…” the old man hummed a tune and walked deeper into the forest.

nMo Fan stayed where he was. The world around him remained unchanged, with no dramatic changes.

n…

nRing, ring, ring.

nSchool ended at Tianlan Memorial Magic High School.

nMo Fan left and returned to the old street.

nHe saw a familiar figure.

nThe man was watering the small courtyard and the path in front of the gate to keep them clean.

nInside the house, the smell of cooking rice filled the air, along with the sound of pots and pans.

nThe middle-aged man then bent over to do some cleaning. Although it was hard work, he kept a smile on his face. It was a warm scene in the bright afternoon sunlight.

nHe heard footsteps and looked up to see Mo Fan walking toward the house from the road.

nThis used to be a daily sight, but Mo Fan had forgotten the feeling over time.

nHis father stood at the doorway and greeted him as he came home from school, just like any other ordinary afternoon.

n“You’re back.” Mo Jiaxin smiled. His face had a lot of wrinkles.

n“Yeah, Dad. I’m back.” Mo Fan nodded.

nSuddenly, Mo Fan felt like he had never left.

nIt was as if he had just spent an afternoon reading a very long book.

nIn that short time, he had explored an amazing and captivating world. But after he closed the book, he was still the same young boy who would walk home under the setting sun with his backpack.

n“It’s the Dragon Boat Festival today,” Mo Jiaxin said.

n“I forgot! You’re always the one who remembers everything, Dad.”

n“I used to be carefree, just like you,” Mo Jiaxin replied.

nMo Fan was a little confused at first, but he quickly understood what Mo Jiaxin meant.

nAs he grew older, he would also pay attention to these things.

nThey both knew what was truly important in life. Most people already had it. Oftentimes, they just did not realize it while they went about their lives.

n“Sticky rice dumplings or regular dumplings?” Mo Jiaxin asked.

n“I want both,” Mo Fan replied.

n“Okay. I’ll ask her to prepare them for you,” Mo Jiaxin said.

n“Who?” Mo Fan looked confused.

nMo Fan walked closer to the house and saw a slender figure. For a moment, he thought it was Ye Xinxia. They looked so similar, especially when it came to their eyes.

nHowever, when he looked more closely, he realized that the woman looked older. She seemed weak and pale as if she had been ill for years.

nEven so, her eyes were clear and bright, just like Xinxia’s. They sparkled with contentment.

n“H-Hello. I’ve heard Jiaxin talk about you a lot. I-I’ve been seriously ill, and I don’t remember some things.” Ye Chang seemed like any other rural woman. As an outsider, she seemed a bit nervous around Mo Fan.

nFor a moment, Mo Fan felt a strong wave of hostility toward her.

nNevertheless, he understood how pitiful she was, so he nodded and suppressed his emotions.

n“You want sticky rice dumplings and regular dumplings, right? I’ll prepare them now. Just give me a moment.” Ye Chang wiped the sweat off her cheek with a reserved smile.

nOnce she entered the kitchen, Mo Fan looked at Mo Jiaxin beside him.

n“Dad,” Mo Fan said.

n“Yeah?”

n“She might not have much time left. Do you know that?” Mo Fan asked seriously.

n“I know her condition. Let me stay with her,” Mo Jiaxin replied.

nMo Fan nodded and did not say anything else.

nYe Chang soon brought sticky rice dumplings and regular dumplings to the table.

nMo Fan tried a dumpling first. Then, he looked up and said, “Oh, Ms. Ye, there’s something I forgot to tell you.”

n“Oh, what is it?” Ye Chang remained reserved and nervous. Seeing Mo Fan filled her with deep guilt. It was as if she or another version of herself had done something to hurt him in the past.

nShe was also worried that Mo Fan might not truly accept her.

n“Happy Dragon Boat Festival,” he said.

nYe Chang looked at Mo Fan in surprise. She did not expect him to say that.

n“H-Happy Dragon Boat Festival.” Ye Chang finally relaxed and sincerely replied after a moment.

n“Haha! Let’s all stay safe and healthy from now on!” Mo Jiaxin laughed as he raised his glass.

n