Lin Feng remained calm. He was confident that his martial arts breakthrough would come faster than his enemy's recovery. Yet, he knew he couldn't delay any longer. Once he perfected his Hunting Beast Fist, he would seize the opportunity to eliminate that lecherous thief.
Meanwhile, after Wang Shanxiong returned home, anger surged within him. The more he brooded, the angrier he became. In a fit of rage, he grabbed a broken porcelain bowl and smashed it onto the ground. With a sharp crack, the bowl shattered—and the impact worsened his injury, leaving him gasping in pain.
Wang Shanxiong's fury was not directed at Lin Feng but at those three small gangsters. Not only had they demanded more money, they'd also failed to do their job. As a well-known figure in the martial world, he never expected to be deceived by such petty crooks. Sinking onto his bed, he resigned himself to recovering from his injuries.
"Alas, it seems I won't be able to get my hands on the little beauty next door for a while," he muttered bitterly. "If a woman can conceive five babies in one pregnancy, her primordial yin must be extremely abundant. Tapping into that resource would surely speed up my recovery."
On Lin Feng's side, even before the medicinal brew had finished simmering, his mother had prepared dinner—sticky rice porridge, boiled cured meat, and homemade pickles—which, in their humble home, was considered a sumptuous meal. After ladling a bowl of porridge with meat, she went into the room to feed Lin Feng's wife, Zhou Chunlan, leaving Lin Feng and the five little ones to eat together.
The children, delighted by the rare treat of thick porridge and cured meat (so different from the watery gruel they usually endured), placed their remaining sugar figurines next to their rice bowls. They ate hungrily like little piglets, their small bellies quickly filling up.
As Lin Feng watched, he noticed the children continually glancing at him. Recalling the original owner's past—when drinking and beating the children were the norm—Lin Feng understood why they were so frightened. The body's reputation had been tainted by cruelty.
After finishing her meal, the eldest, Lin Yuxiang, teased, "Stinky drunkard, are you really not drinking anymore?"
Before he could correct her, Da Bao, clutching his sugar figurine, piped up with a smile, "Um, Dad, are you really not drinking anymore?"
Lin Feng, shoveling the last spoonful of rice into his mouth, replied, "Yes, I won't drink anymore." In his previous life, he had despised drinking—whether as a leader or a client, he never toasted with anyone.
Among the four boys, the fourth—Xiaosibao—was the thinnest and possessed an honest, simple charm. With thick eyebrows and big eyes, he resembled a little tiger, endearingly cute. Overcome with affection, Lin Feng reached out and patted Xiaosibao's head. The little boy trembled and froze, and the other kids, fearing Lin Feng might hit him, watched anxiously. After a moment, seeing that the touch was gentle, Xiaosibao broke into a smile and cooperatively turned his head. Lin Feng then lifted him onto his shoulders.
"Let's go—Daddy will take you for a walk to digest," Xiaosibao exclaimed, grabbing Lin Feng's hair tightly.
Lin Feng added a few pieces of firewood to the medicinal soup before taking Xiaosibao outside. Although a little scared at first, the boy soon giggled as he ran around the yard. The other kids, drawn by the playful scene, gathered to watch and eventually joined in. Before long, Lin Feng had one child on each shoulder, entertaining them until the moon hung low over the willow trees.
By that time, the medicine was ready. Lin Feng's mother asked him to administer it to his wife himself. Carrying a bowl of the brew, he entered the bedroom where Zhou Chunlan lay—her face pale and delicate like a rain-wet petal, tinged with sorrow.
"Put the medicine down; I can drink it myself," she said coolly. "Mother mentioned that you were enlightened by an immortal—is that true?"
In this world, a woman's status was akin to ancient times—hoping for a good man, unless she was a formidable female knight with explosive combat power. Lin Feng quickly reassured her, "Of course it's true. Soon, I'll lead our family to a life of prosperity."
Though Zhou Chunlan had long given up on the original owner, she was still wary of the change in her husband. "I just hope you won't fall back into heavy drinking," she cautioned.
"Don't worry," Lin Feng replied confidently. "Our future is bright. I promise to make sure you all live well—healthy and radiant."
After a brief exchange, Zhou Chunlan drank the medicine herself. As Lin Feng was about to leave, he discreetly placed a silver hairpin in her hand. Dazed, she remembered the early days of their marriage—when he'd gifted her such tokens—before he became a stinky drunkard who cared little about the family. Now, with a flicker of hope, she tucked the hairpin under her pillow, smiling as she drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Though the countryside was modest, the Lin family's home had three rooms—the main room plus neatly arranged east and west wings. Despite their dilapidated state, these spacious rooms had been purchased by Lin Feng's father. Concerned for her daughter-in-law's rest, Lin's mother had arranged for the children to sleep with her. Limited space, however, meant that two of them were moved into Lin Feng's room.
Normally, the children would have crowded together, with no one daring to take an extra spot. But that night, Da Bao, Lin Yuxiang, and Sibao (Lin Yuze) volunteered to sleep in Lin Feng's room. Uncomfortable at first with the sight of the little ones clinging to him like dolls—reminding him of his past habit of sleeping alone for fear of accidentally crushing them—Lin Feng gently asked, "Why aren't you sleeping?"
Xiaosibao, with his tiger-like demeanor, replied, "I'm afraid that when I wake up, Dad will become a stinky drunkard again." Lin Feng scooped him up and patted him on the chest, a gesture as comforting as petting a cat. "Sleep well. Since Daddy has changed, there's nothing to fear."
Still awake, the children listened as Lin Feng asked Xiaosibao, "What is your wish? Tell Daddy, and I promise to make it come true." Without hesitation, Xiaosibao declared, "I want to learn martial arts and become a master so that no one will ever bully us again."
Recalling how the malnourished kids were often tormented by other children in the village, Lin Feng softly kissed Xiaosibao's forehead and promised, "Tomorrow, Daddy will teach you martial arts. Soon, you'll eat meat every day, grow strong, and no one will dare bully you."
Turning to Da Bao, Lin Feng inquired, "And what about you, Da Bao?" After a thoughtful pause, Da Bao picked up a chicken feather-duster and draped it over his shoulder, announcing, "I want to be a fruit vendor—selling fruits for one copper coin each." He added, "I want to earn lots of money to buy medicine for Mom and provide clothes and food for my siblings." Impressed by the local peddlers, Lin Feng smiled and said, "You're very sensible. I'll give you some money to save, and when you have enough, you can start your own business." He then produced five copper coins, which Da Bao eagerly counted, his joy evident in his wide smile.
Hearing the laughter from the room, the three younger children peeked in, envious of Da Bao and Xiaosibao. "Grandma, I want to sleep with Daddy tomorrow too," they pleaded. "Alright," Grandma replied, "you'll take turns."
Once the children had finally drifted off, Lin Feng's thoughts turned back to his own training. He needed to consume a great deal of food during his breakthrough—especially high-protein fare. With home supplies insufficient for even two breakthroughs, an idea suddenly sparked in his mind: in the river near Xiaoche Village, abundant river shrimp and crabs—referred to by locals as "river worms" and largely ignored as food—could serve as a convenient and plentiful source of nourishment.