The dog Taoist offered such a thing to Yan Chou on their first meeting as juniors, making Yan Chou laugh in anger, nearly kicking him.
Yan Shouyi felt embarrassed, but he knew the situation with his father's "unscrupulous friends" and didn't get angry. Instead, he felt a closer connection to the dog Taoist and the others.
However, the dog Taoist didn't just brush it off.
He then pulled out a red oil-paper umbrella from somewhere.
"This is… uh… an umbrella once used by the Queen Mother of the West. I paid a hefty price to buy it from someone else. I'm not entirely sure of its specific uses, but it's definitely a treasure! Take it, and you don't need to thank me!"
Lin Zitong accepted the oil-paper umbrella and thanked him profusely.
But Yan Shouyi suddenly felt something strange.
Why did this oil-paper umbrella look so familiar?
Wasn't this Bai Shixi's treasure, the Red God Umbrella that Bai Muyu had snatched away before?
Yan Shouyi felt too embarrassed to ask, so Zou Shazi chimed in, "Dog Taoist, you're too wicked. You clearly picked this umbrella up by the roadside when you came in just now. How did it become something you bought at a great price?"
The dog Taoist's expression changed: "You blind fool, stop talking nonsense. How could you, a blind person, see me picking up the umbrella?"
Zou Shazi was also a peculiar person. He usually seemed genuinely blind, seeing nothing, but at crucial moments, he acted as if he could see.
As the two argued, a dark shadow suddenly descended from the sky, landing in front of Yan Shouyi.
The dog Taoist, who was arguing a moment ago, reacted instantly. He pulled out a Taoist talisman from somewhere and captured the dark shadow!
At the last second, Yan Shouyi finally saw clearly that the dark shadow falling from the sky was Bai Muyu!
Immediately after, Zhang Shantong flew over.
He ignored everyone present and only spoke to Yan Shouyi:
"Godson, you're still alive? I assume you're mostly fine now. I've dealt with Bai Muyu for you. I'm a bit tired now, so give me a piece of Yin wood so I can rest. Once I've rested, I'll tell you the details!"
Zhang Shantong had defeated Bai Muyu, but he seemed to have also expended a considerable amount of his own strength and urgently needed to rest.
Yan Shouyi quickly produced the Yin wood, and Zhang Shantong, without a word, burrowed into it.
All of this had happened in just a few seconds.
Even Yan Chou was a bit dumbfounded: "Who was that just now?"
Yan Shouyi cleared his throat twice: "That was Senior Zhang Shantong. He was a good friend of Grandpa's back in the day. I got to know him by chance and recognized him as my adopted grandfather."
"Zhang Shantong?" Yan Chou recalled, seeming to remember the name.
However, since Zhang Shantong had gone to rest, Yan Chou couldn't greet him.
This interlude passed quickly, and Yan Chou called everyone else over, introducing them to Yan Shouyi one by one.
"Son, you've met many of these uncles and aunts before. Some of them even held you when you were a month old," Yan Chou introduced. "It's just that so many years have passed, you probably don't remember what they look like. Come, let me introduce them to you. There are twenty-two uncles and aunts in total, seventeen uncles and five aunts!"
Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong exchanged a glance and bowed to the elders: "Greetings, uncles and aunts!"
They both understood that anyone who was this close to Yan Chou must have an extraordinary identity.
Looking at the surroundings, which were in disarray, none of the people brought by Yan Chou seemed to care.
Clearly, they were all seasoned veterans.
The dog Taoist said cheerfully, "All of us here follow your father as our leader. In the martial world, we are known as the Xuan Shan Thirteen Protectors!"
Long Feicheng, standing nearby, blinked: "How can there be twenty-three people in the Thirteen Protectors?"
"We've expanded!" the dog Taoist chuckled.
"You can do that…" Long Feicheng felt his imagination struggling to keep up with these uncles and aunts.
Yan Chou didn't dwell on such minor matters and continued introducing his comrades to Yan Shouyi.
During the introductions, Yan Chou only mentioned their names, but deliberately omitted any details about their identities.
For people like the dog Taoist and Monk Miaoji, who clearly came from renowned righteous sects, their introductions should have been simple, but Yan Chou didn't mention them.
His way of introducing them and the angle he took were different. He only spoke about when they had met Yan Shouyi or what they had done for him.
For example, a beautiful noblewoman named Zheng Zhaodi, although she hadn't attended Yan Shouyi's full moon banquet, had sent someone to give Yan Shouyi a protective heart lock.
Yan Shouyi had worn that heart lock close to his body since childhood and had deep affection for it.
However, during a crisis, the heart lock had saved Yan Shouyi's life, but it had also shattered, rendering it unusable.
Upon learning that Aunt Zheng had sent the heart lock, Yan Shouyi immediately and respectfully thanked Zheng Zhaodi.
Zheng Zhaodi gently stroked Yan Shouyi's forehead. For a moment, Yan Shouyi even felt as if Zheng Zhaodi were his mother.
There were many others like Zheng Zhaodi who had, to varying degrees, provided Yan Shouyi with some help, or like the dog Taoist, left a trace in Yan Shouyi's childhood memories.
But after Yan Chou was imprisoned, these people had not reappeared. It wasn't that they didn't want to visit Yan Shouyi, but rather that Yan Chou didn't want them to dote on Yan Shouyi too much.
In the past, Yan Shouyi had depended on his grandfather. After his grandfather passed away, he thought he had only Yan Chou as family in this world.
But now, he suddenly realized that he had so many uncles and aunts.
These uncles and aunts had always cared about him and had provided him with much help and protection.
In an instant, Yan Shouyi's heart felt warm. The family he had yearned for seemed within reach.
In front of these uncles and aunts, Lin Zitong also behaved gracefully, considerately, and obediently, calling out to people along with Yan Shouyi, remembering their names and identities.
Yan Chou said, "You must remember these uncles and aunts well, son. They are my trusted comrades through thick and thin. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can always seek their help. There is nothing in this world they cannot accomplish!"
Normally, people would show some humility upon hearing Yan Chou say this, but the "Xuan Shan Thirteen Protectors" simply smiled at Yan Shouyi without any modesty.
They truly possessed extraordinary abilities.
After introducing everyone, Yan Shouyi said,
"Dad, I've also made many good friends…"
Yan Chou smiled: "I know them all. This is Long Feicheng, nicknamed the Little White Dragon of Rongcheng on the waves, am I right?"
Long Feicheng, who had been somewhat reserved, broke into a wide smile upon hearing Yan Chou address him like that:
"Ahem! Those were just jokes from my buddies on the streets, Uncle Yan, please don't take them seriously. I have no other identity than being Brother Yan's good friend!"
The dog Taoist remarked, "This kid's personality is quite similar to mine."
"Why don't you consider taking him as a disciple?" Yan Chou asked.
Long Feicheng's eyes lit up, but the dog Taoist said, "I took an oath back then never to take on disciples."
Hearing this, Long Feicheng felt a bit awkward, but Yan Chou patted his shoulder and whispered,
"The dog Taoist doesn't take disciples. You can try asking the dog he keeps."
Long Feicheng laughed heartily, not taking it too seriously.
Could an old yellow dog really speak human words?
The people who needed dealing with had been dealt with, and the people who needed introducing had been introduced. Yan Shouyi thought for a moment and said to Yan Chou,
"Dad, let's not just stand here. I'll find a place for everyone to rest, and we can arrange a banquet to welcome you back and celebrate our victory over Tong Jingcheng!"
Yan Chou yawned:
"Where could be better than here? Aren't there ready-made banquets right here?"
Yan Shouyi was taken aback: "Here?"
"Yes, and besides, Zitong is already wearing her wedding dress. Why don't you two have the wedding together as well!"
This time, Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong were completely stunned.
They were going to… get married now?
This was too sudden!
Yan Shouyi looked at Lin Zitong: "Isn't this a bit too hasty? What do you think…"
To his surprise, Lin Zitong held Yan Shouyi's hand: "I actually think today is a good day. Your family is all here, and my family is all here. If we don't get married today, who knows when you'll go off to save the world again and disappear, leaving me behind!"
"You really think so?" Yan Shouyi asked in surprise.
Lin Zitong nodded: "Didn't you say that a lifetime is too short, and you seize every moment?"
Hearing this, Yan Shouyi had no more reservations.
Although it was rushed, and he hadn't had time to make any preparations.
But in this world, do things only happen after all preparations are made?
Since it has come, he should grasp it tightly!
So, he unhesitatingly knelt on one knee and looked sincerely into Lin Zitong's eyes:
"You silly girl, will you marry me?"
Seeing the blockhead in front of her finally open his heart, Lin Zitong smiled like a blooming flower.
"You big fool, I will."