After midnight

On a windy weekend, Ah Jiu was welcomed out of the hospital. Lin Xuanfeng held a luggage bag with a few books and some spare clothes in one hand, and patted Ah Jiu on the head with the other hand.

"You're not happy about being discharged from the hospital."

"Because no one except Master came to pick me up, so his words don't count." Jiu pouted, looking very unhappy.

"Who else said they would pick you up?"

"There are so many people, Brother An Yan, Sister Lin Nuan, Brother Yin and others!"

"Really? Not having any of them come is a bit too much."

"It's extremely excessive." Jiu stretched out his voice in dissatisfaction.

"Okay, let's go home."

Coming out of the hospital, as the hanging window descended, within two steps, Jiu and Lin Xuanfeng arrived home. Lin Xuanfeng stood at the door and pushed Jiu forward, "Go open the door."

"Oh." Jiu took out the key and opened the door.

"Dangdang! Welcome home, Ajiu!" Lin Nuan and Xiao Su stood on both sides of the door, waving their hands and saying happily. Behind them, An Yan, Su Ziling and Lu Li were all looking at him with smiles.

"Thank me……"

"Stinky boy, come in quickly." Lin Xuanfeng pushed him from behind and pushed him into the door. He didn't want to hear words that would give him goosebumps. As Ah Jiu walked in, Lin Xuanfeng's face changed instantly. "Lin Nuan, why did you make my room so fancy?"

Lin Nuan had stuck many strange-shaped balloons on the white walls of the house and tied several colorful ribbons.

"This is simple enough, isn't it, Jiu?"

"Yes, thank you Sister Lin Nuan, I like it very much."

"I like it too." Xiao Su said with a smile.

"Ajiu, Xiao Su, come here quickly, stand in the front, I'll take a picture of you." Su Ziling was extremely excited holding his cell phone.

"It's true that only children like this." Lin Xuanfeng looked at the colorful wall, then at them, and came to a conclusion. He asked Lin Nuan, "How are you going to eat lunch?"

"Isn't the chef here?" Lin Nuan patted An Yan's shoulder.

"What about the ingredients? I didn't buy anything."

"Look, someone has delivered it." The doorbell rang and Lin Nuan said towards the door.

"I'll go open the door." Ajiu volunteered, and Xiao Su followed him.

"Brother Yin! Sister Wuying! I knew it was you!"

"How clever! Here, someone gave you a gift," Wuying said.

"Gift?" Jiu took it with both hands.

"This is a gift from Wu. Su Ziling, come and help your brother carry things!" Yin Chong shouted into the house.

"I know." Su Ziling came over, and An Yan followed. He and Su Ziling carried things into the kitchen.

"Nice to meet you, Wuying. Thank you very much for taking care of Jiu."

"It's my duty." Wuying greeted Lin Xuanfeng with a smile generously.

"You guys take your seats, I'll go get some water." Lin Xuanfeng saw Ah Jiu taking the gift back to the house after thanking him, and he was obviously very happy, so he felt relieved. Sometimes, it's not wrong to listen to a woman's advice.

Lin Nuan had suggested that they get together to celebrate Jiu's discharge from the hospital, but Lin Xuanfeng didn't want to do it in the hospital because it would be too much trouble. As a result, Lin Nuan brought them directly to his home and made three rules: they were not allowed to mention official business. Now, no one in this room represented anyone else, they were all a group of people who cared about Jiu.

Lin Xuanfeng brought the water to the table and smiled at the lively living room. Perhaps Lin Nuan was very thoughtful. Before the unknown tomorrow, it would be a happy thing to have a warm gathering.

Lin Nuan and Wu Ying were already chatting on the sofa. Ah Jiu's leg hadn't recovered yet, but even that was enough to make him fight with Xiao Su, who was chasing a falling balloon all over the room. Lu Li and Yin had nothing to say, so they also went into the kitchen, and then Lin Xuanfeng saw Su Zi Ling being chased out.

"Lin Xuanfeng, today is a rare opportunity, let's take a photo. Today, I am the photographer for all of you." Su Ziling saw him and moved closer to him.

Lin Xuanfeng tried to dodge but failed. Finally, he strode to the kitchen and chased Yin and Lu Li out again.

"It's really lively." Lin Xuanfeng said to An Yan.

"Yes."

"Do you need any help?"

"No, they've almost finished cooking, and all that's left is to stir-fry it."

"Is the meal ready?"

"not yet."

"Then I'll get some rice." Lin Xuanfeng rolled up his sleeves. There were bursts of noise coming from outside.

The food was served quickly. For some reason, Lin Xuanfeng felt that time passed very quickly. In the midst of the chattering and laughter, time passed in a flash. Just as An Yan and the others got up to leave, there was another knock on the door.

Who is it? Lin Xuanfeng opened the door and saw a man standing outside who he didn't know. He was wearing black jeans and a green gown. He had a well-proportioned figure and was full of strength. He exuded a positive and mature charm. Lin Xuanfeng looked at him and was sure he had never seen this face before, but he also felt familiar with it.

"Lin Xuanfeng, you don't recognize me." The man pretended to be sad, but this could not hide his pride and happiness.

"Song Xinjun! You're back? You look so different!"

"Yes, I'm back from the new world. Who's behind you..." When Song Xinjun noticed that there was someone standing behind Lin Xuanfeng, he immediately restrained himself. But he still looked at the person behind Lin Xuanfeng, and his eyes couldn't leave him. Half of it was curiosity, and the other half was completely because of the temperament of that person.

"Ah, it's An Yan. Just come in, there are no slippers."

So it was the Son of God. Did God endow the Son of God with a special brilliance? Song Xinjun walked in and saw a scene that was far beyond his expectations. "I asked Uncle Fang for your address, but it seems that I shouldn't come directly."

There were a group of people standing in front of Song Xinjun whom he did not know, but he knew that those who appeared here and stood with Lin Xuanfeng and the "Son of God" were not ordinary people.

"Well, let me introduce you. Song Xinjun, he was my playmate when I first joined the revolutionary army, and he just came back recently."

"Hello everyone, I am Song Xinjun."

Song Xinjun watched them nod to him as a sign of politeness, and even the Son of God nodded symbolically. But there was a man in a black windbreaker who was a head taller than the others, staring straight at him with an expression of sudden enlightenment, as if he had seen through everything about him.

"Xin Jun, let me introduce you. This is An Yan, whom you just met. Standing next to him is Su Ziling, followed by Lu Li and Lin Nuan, and then..."

"Hello, I'm Su Ziling's brother." The man in the black windbreaker spoke.

"So you are Yin from Dark Night. I have heard of your name for a long time."

"Mr. Song Xin, I have also heard of your great name for a long time."

Song Xinjun was stunned. Did this person really know something?

"Xin Jun." Lin Xuanfeng patted his shoulder, "This is my apprentice, Ajiu."

"Really? You already have an apprentice? Hello, Jiu~"

"Hello." Jiu said politely.

"Lin Xuanfeng, it's getting late, let's go back first. Jiu, let's come over to play next time." Lin Nuan said.

Song Xinjun looked at her and knew that this woman was not easy to mess with. Although she had married into the Lu family, she was still the only heir to the Lin family. This was a woman he absolutely could not ignore.

"Okay, thank you for today."

As soon as Lin Xuanfeng agreed, they left one after another, and Ajiu took this opportunity to return to the house.

"Long time no see, Xinjun." When there was no one in the living room, Lin Xuanfeng opened his arms to welcome Song Xinjun back. Song Xinjun hugged him without hesitation, then patted his shoulder and let go. The two sat down on the sofa, and Lin Xuanfeng brought him a cup of tea.

"I didn't expect that," Song Xinjun said, glancing at the festive wall, "I'm very happy that you can make so many friends now."

"I didn't expect that." Lin Xuanfeng glanced awkwardly at the balloons and ribbons that he disliked, but did not tear them off. "These were all brought to me by An Yan, and Ah Jiu as well."

"I heard he is your junior fellow apprentice?"

"Yeah, you know?"

"Although I've only been back for a few days, I already know the general situation, but it's still a bit unexpected."

"Haha, who told you to leave without saying goodbye back then?"

When Song Xinjun heard this, he knew that Lin Xuanfeng didn't take what happened that year to heart, and he also laughed.

"Back then, not long after you left, my master passed away. I was young and hot-tempered, and I wanted to carry out his wishes, so I went to fight An Yan. Later, we became familiar with each other after a few encounters."

"Oh, that's right. Sorry."

"It's okay, it's all in the past. Uncle Fang will definitely be very happy that you're back, but you have to tell me why you had to leave back then, and why even Uncle Fang couldn't do anything about it." Lin Xuanfeng changed the subject, and the atmosphere suddenly became solemn.

"When did you guess that I didn't leave voluntarily?" Song Xinjun chuckled.

"I forgot, maybe it's been two years. I've been wondering when you'll come back. You've been gone for five years."

"Yes, it's been five years. Lin Xuanfeng, you know my last name is Song."

"My last name is Song." Song Xinjun repeated.

"What's wrong with your last name Song? I was wondering why you hated your last name so much since you were a child?"

Lin Xuanfeng looked at him in confusion. Under Song Xinjun's cold eyes, Lin Xuanfeng suddenly remembered something and grabbed him. "What is your relationship with Song Hongtian, no, what is your relationship with Song Yu?"

"That's the bad thing about my father. He wanted to erase everything about himself but not his last name. I am Song Yu's cousin, a biological cousin. My father's name is Song Hongyi, Song Hongtian's biological brother."

"What? That's impossible. You grew up in Xindu. Besides, how could Song Hongtian have a younger brother?"

"It's true, calm down. My father was expelled from the family because he volunteered to join the revolutionary army and betrayed the Song family. He met my mother in Xindu, so I was naturally born and raised in Xindu. When I was two or three years old, my father died on a mission, and then a few years later my mother also died in an accident. I was adopted by my father's good friend Uncle Fang, and then I joined the revolutionary army when I was fourteen and met you. You know what happened after that."

"I joined the revolutionary army, and soon after I made a name for myself, Song Hongtian discovered my true identity. He would not harm his own brother, but he would certainly not harm the life of his nephew, whom he had never met and whose stance was completely opposite to his. Later, after much negotiation among various forces, Jiu Xiang finally decided to send me to that world, which is what you call the new world."

"No wonder you were attacked so often for a while. I thought you were just a big shot. So you're back now because Song Hongtian is dead?"

"You can say that, but things are different now. I was ready to come back. But I didn't expect Song Hongtian to die suddenly."

"Do you know that Uncle Fang wants you to go with him to Jiudu to attend the Jiuxin Conference?"

"I know. Don't worry, now that Song Hongtian is dead, no one with the last name Song should know my identity."

"I see. Then you must live well."

"Haha, don't worry. I will definitely die later than you."

"Hmph, when you die, I will bring my apprentice to your grave to cry over you."

Song Xinjun and Lin Xuanfeng smiled at each other and laughed heartily. They were once the best friends and the most worthy rivals. In the future, they will fight side by side.

After they came out of Lin Xuanfeng's house, they separated, but this time Yin was not in a hurry to leave. He walked with An Yan and Su Ziling, while Wuying followed behind with Xiao Su.

"Brother, who is this Song Xinjun?"

"Didn't Lin Xuanfeng say that just now? He is a good friend of his who is also a member of the revolutionary army."

"But it's strange. He's not a technical guy like Xu Xing and A Ming, nor is he an ability guy like An Yan. What is he doing in the New World?"

"He did have a reason to go to the New World, because he has another identity. Five years ago, he was in the limelight and was a rising star in the revolutionary army. Then one day he suddenly disappeared. When I investigated, I found out that he was the son of Song Hongyi, and the cousin of Song Yu."

An Yan stopped to look at him, and Su Ziling also stopped to look at him in even greater shock. Yin nodded to both of them in affirmation, and An Yan frowned immediately.

"An Yan, listen to me first. He was raised by Fang Hao since he was a child, and basically has nothing to do with the Song family. Moreover, it was Song Hongtian who wanted to kill him, and Fang Hao tried to protect him, so he went to the new world. His return now may be the icing on the cake, but it is hard to say what changes there will be, but he is not an enemy after all."

"I hope so."

"Well, then let's go our separate ways. Wuying and I will go back from somewhere else. I will inform you in time if there is any movement." Yin said.

"Okay." An Yan held Xiao Su's hand, and he and Su Ziling climbed up to the hanging window first.

Not long after, Song Xinjun came out of Lin Xuanfeng's house and returned to Xindu Building. He went to Fang Hao's office.

"How does it feel to meet your good friend after such a long time?" Fang Hao asked him.

"Very good, Uncle Fang. Lin Xuanfeng is very different now than when he was a child. He is very imposing and has met many people unexpectedly."

"many people?"

"Well, his disciple Ajiu was discharged from the hospital today, and the 'Son of God' and the others have gone there."

"Oh, yes." Fang Hao suddenly realized, "He mentioned to me that Lin Xuanfeng cherishes his little disciple very much."

"It's understandable. After all, he became an orphan at a very young age, just like me."

"Xin Jun, in two days, before the Jiuxin Conference is held, I will arrange for Xuanfeng to go to Sand City. At that time, you will cooperate with his mission as a partner. When the Jiuxin Conference is held, you will go directly from Sand City to Jiudu."

"I understand, Uncle Fang."

"It's getting late today, and you just got back, so go home early."

Song Xinjun nodded and left Fang Hao's office. He walked out of the Xindu Building, looked at the water maze he had been thinking about day and night, and then looked at the sky of Xindu.