Volume One: The Wild Child Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Peace of Brahma City

The city of Fan, unlike the panicked capital of the Zhou clan, remained composed and unruffled, its prosperity undiminished. It was as if the war had left not the slightest scar upon it; on the contrary, with the ongoing expansion, its development seemed to advance at an ever-quickening pace.

The city’s defenses were lax to the extreme. After all, it stood at a crossroads, and since the Zhou clan’s retreat, it could truly boast, “With natural barriers to the east and west, and no formidable foes to the north or south.” Lin Changtian slipped in with ease, searching everywhere for something to eat. Soon, however, hope and disappointment arrived hand in hand. The food in Fan was famed—varieties so abundant that the city’s very air was redolent with tempting aromas, making it impossible to resist. Yet Lin Changtian, with not a single coin to his name, could only crouch there wretchedly, his mouth watering as he gazed at the delicacies, helpless.

“Here, eat this.” Lin Changtian, dizzy with hunger, looked up warily at the boy who approached and offered him food. The boy scratched his head shyly. “Big brother, you must be from out of town? Go on, eat. We folks in Fan are all very hospitable.”

Lin Changtian accepted the food and, watching the boy, spoke as he ate, “Kid, aren’t you the one watching the stall over there? Giving me food—aren’t you afraid your boss will punish you?” The boy tapped his forehead. “The stall owner is my dad, and he told me to bring this to you.” Lin Changtian nodded, wolfed down the food in no time, patted his stomach, and took the boy’s hand, heading toward the stall.

The stall owner, a burly man with a thick beard, ruffled the boy’s hair and grinned broadly at Lin Changtian. “So, how was it? How do you rate my cooking?” Lin Changtian nodded eagerly, then looked a little embarrassed. “The pancakes were excellent, but I truly have no money to pay you.” The bearded man waved it off. “That’s all? You looked so timid, I thought it was something serious. A pancake’s worth next to nothing.” “Dad!” the boy tugged at his father. “Mom said you can’t swear anymore, or you’ll set a bad example for me.” “Ah, right, you have a point. But didn’t I use an idiom just now? Good and bad cancel each other out.” The man laughed heartily, glanced at the evening sky, and said to Lin Changtian, “Looks like you’ve nowhere to go. If you don’t mind, come home with us and make do. At least you won’t have to worry about food and shelter.” Lin Changtian took a deep breath, accepted the cart from the man, and nodded vigorously.

So the three set off for home, cloaked in the glow of dusk.

On the way, Lin Changtian and the man chatted about daily life, while the boy skipped and played beside them. “So, you fled here because of the war?” The man sighed. “These days, we get plenty of outsiders in Fan—either prisoners of war or refugees, and heaven knows what will happen to them. Brother, you need to be careful not to get caught. By the way, what’s your name?” Lin Changtian pondered the man’s words, then replied earnestly, “Lin Changtian—‘Chang’ as in longevity, ‘Tian’ as in the heavens. You can just call me Little Lin.” The man chuckled. “Before the war, you must have been a scholar—your name sounds refined. Me, I’m just a rough fellow, never had much schooling. My name’s Hu Yong. This rascal here is my son, Hu Hu. Don’t let his fair looks fool you—he’s my flesh and blood, born and raised by me. I work hard in this city, all so this boy can see more of the world, not end up like me, selling pancakes all his life.”

“Dad! We’re home. Please behave yourself, or Mom will scold you,” the boy pouted.

Behind the bustling city lay a maze of narrow, shadowy alleys, gloomy and squalid, utterly at odds with the capital’s splendor. Here dwelled countless craftsmen from the countryside, struggling to make a life in the city.

Hu Yong pushed open the rusty gate and called out, “Wife, we’re back! Come see what I’ve brought you!” A woman emerged from the main room; compared to Hu Yong’s ruggedness, she possessed a gentle charm typical of the riverlands. Time had left its mark on her face, yet her grace remained, hinting at the beauty she had once been.

Yet when she spoke, there was no sign of riverland softness—her scolding made Hu Yong shrink back. “Well, I haven’t missed a day at the stall and already you’re bringing strangers home? Quite the talent you’re turning out to be, Hu Yong.” He grinned sheepishly and sidled up to her, but she brushed him aside, annoyed by his stubble. “You don’t understand, wife—this young man is a poor soul, a refugee from the war, with no kin or home, nearly starved on the street. I picked him up. Business is growing and we need an extra pair of hands anyway. Why not let him help out, eh, Little Lin?”

Lin Changtian nodded quickly and looked at her with innocent eyes. Seeing her expression soften, Hu Yong’s eyes twinkled as he said, “Why so stiff, Little Lin? This is your sister-in-law, Zhao Xinxin. Nice name, isn’t it? Go on, say hello!”

Lin Changtian greeted her politely. Zhao Xinxin massaged her temples. “Alright, you must all be hungry. Let’s eat first.”

The house was freshly decorated, and under the warm light, it felt cozy. At the table, Zhao Xinxin kept serving food to everyone, treating Lin Changtian no differently from her own family. Hu Yong regaled them with tales of his day at the stall, making his wife and son giggle. Zhao Xinxin shared neighborhood gossip—complaining about which aunt had stolen her unwashed vegetables from the doorstep, and sharing the latest quarrel between the couple next door.

Having grown up dependent only on his companion Fatty, Lin Changtian had never experienced such warmth. The sight of this happy family, the simple joy of their togetherness, left him dazed, lost in thought.

“Little Lin, Little Lin!” Hu Yong called several times, finally giving him a nudge to bring him back to his senses. “What are you daydreaming about? Your sister-in-law asked you a question.” As he spoke, he placed more food in Lin Changtian’s bowl. Lin Changtian, apologetic, turned to Zhao Xinxin. “Sorry, sister-in-law. I was distracted. What did you ask?”

Zhao Xinxin smiled. “Missing home, aren’t you? It’s understandable—the world’s changed so much in just a year or two. If it weren’t for the Lin clan’s strong hand, Fan wouldn’t be standing unbowed.” Lin Changtian shook his head. “No home—just missing someone.” Zhao Xinxin, seeing his gloom, sighed. “Missing your parents? Don’t worry, fortune favors the good. Your parents would want you safe above all else. You must keep your spirits up.”

Lin Changtian scratched his head, saying nothing about being an orphan, and instead asked shyly, “Thank you, sister-in-law. I’m new here—are there any rules I should know? I’d hate to cause any trouble for you.”

Hu Yong slapped his forehead. “Ah, I nearly forgot to tell you. Listen up, Little Lin. Fan is divided into seven districts: one administrative, two wealthy, three common, and one, like ours, the slums. Everywhere but the wealthy districts is pretty free, but you need to be careful. You’re a refugee without a city ID chip, but that’s no big deal. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the administrative district to get one. The checks aren’t strict—you just say you’re my cousin from the countryside. But there’s one rule you must never break.”

“What’s that?”

“Be vigilant!” Hu Yong’s face grew serious. “You can talk back to the rich, even hit them if you’re in the right—nothing will happen. But never cross the Lin clan’s enforcers, officers, or those soldiers just back from the front lines. The first are used to being in charge, and the latter two are riding high—every one of them is ruthless. Best to steer clear.”

Lin Changtian frowned in silence. Hu Yong grinned. “But don’t worry too much. Even if things are a bit chaotic now, we still live in a civilized society. Relax. Get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to get your ID, and then you’ll have nothing to fear.”

Lin Changtian nodded to show he understood.