"Why do you want to see what the world is like?" Wu Zhu seemed to be pondering a question. "Isn't the place where you're standing right now a part of this world?"

Fan Xian didn't know how to answer. Since he was from another world, he was naturally interested in many aspects of this one. And the question that had haunted him the longest was: how did he come to this world?

Six years ago, when Teacher Fei Jie was still teaching in Danzhou, he had mentioned the Temple. At the time, Fan Xian had thought, what else could explain how he, a dying patient on Earth, had become a boy like this except for a miracle? So he was very curious about the Temple and wanted to see what was there.

As for Kyoto, it was also a place he longed to go. He wondered if the little girl Fan Ruoruo was living a happy life under the tyranny of her stepmother. And having been separated from Fei Jie for several years, he also had the idea of visiting that lovable and eccentric old man.

Most importantly, having been bedridden for a long time in his previous life and confined to a child's body in Danzhou for so long in this one, contrary to his life, a flame began to burn in Fan Xian's heart. This flame was enough to scorch his spirit and stimulate his desires to do something, to get something.

Peace and ambition, power and happiness, love and beauty... These seemingly incompatible and even contradictory terms flashed through his mind. After a long period of reflection, he cautiously replied, "If a person only has one life, then they always need to see different scenery and meet different people so that they can enjoy this unrepeatable game to the fullest."

This was Fan Xian's sincere thought. In his previous life, on his deathbed, he had thought about how he would spend his life if he had another chance.

Wu Zhu said, "What are your plans?"

"First, I need to make sure I can survive." Fan Xian squatted down and threw another stone, but this time he didn't use much force, so the stone hit the gray reef below and shattered. "So I must have the ability to protect myself."

"And then?"

"Then I have set three goals for myself."

Wu Zhu listened quietly.

"First, I want to have many, many children. Second, I want to write many, many books. Third, I want to live a very, very good life."

Fan Xian said these absurd things very calmly, without the slightest embarrassment.

Deep down, since this world wasn't Earth, he considered himself the sole representative of humanity in this world. According to biological principles, as the representative of humanity's fleshy legacy, he had a duty to have many children in this world.

At the same time, he believed himself to be the representative of Earth's cultural heritage. He wondered how many beautiful artistic achievements humanity had created throughout history, yet they couldn't be found in this world. If he didn't write (or copy?) many, many books to let Cao Xueqin and Kill Bill shine in this ignorant world, he would feel sorry for those lonely sages in parallel universes... Of course, most importantly, he would feel sorry for himself.

Naturally, he also saw himself as the sole representative of humanity observing this world, so he wanted to ensure that he lived comfortably. Only in this way could he prolong his life and observe for as many years as possible.

Many years later, Fan Xian would somewhat shamefully admit to himself that he was simply seeking a grand facade for the deep-seated lechery, shamelessness, and greed hidden within his heart.

On the cliff by the sea, Wu Zhu seemed to need some time to understand what Fan Xian's three goals meant. He analyzed very calmly, "Then you need to marry many wives, find many sojourners (sao ke), and hire many servants."

"Sojourners (sao ke)?" Fan Xian knew that literary figures often gathered to compose sentences, but he still didn't quite understand.

"Down-on-their-luck scholars who specialize in writing manuscripts for others, without the right to be named."

Fan Xian smiled, thinking that he was planning to have big shots like Old Cao and Old Sha be his gunners, so naturally he wouldn't need those sojourners (sao ke). Just as he was thinking this, he heard Wu Zhu continue his calm analysis with overly simple logic.

"If you want to marry many wives, hire many servants, and find many sojourners (sao ke), you need to earn a lot of money. If you want to earn a lot of money, you need a lot of power. If you need a lot of power, you need to be closer to the power center of this country."

Wu Zhu turned around and left cleanly, "When you turn sixteen, we will return to Kyoto."

Behind him, Fan Xian was still standing on the cliff, stunned. He thought to himself that he had only revealed some of his not-so-excessive thoughts, so how could this peerless expert with some mental issues infer it to the power of the country? And he so crisply made the decision to return to Kyoto—Fan Xian naturally remembered that on the day he was born into this world, he was carried out of Kyoto by Wu Zhu.

He slapped his cheeks hard to break free from this feeling of both laughter and tears. He ran up to him, smiling, and said, "Uncle, I've poured out my heart to you, shouldn't you give me something in return?"

"What do you want to know?"

"About my mother, why were we being hunted down in Kyoto?"

"I will tell you everything about Miss's affairs when you turn sixteen, that is Miss's last wish. As for the people who hunted us down, you no longer need to know, because they all died ten years ago."

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When they returned to Danzhou Port, it was already noon. Fan Xian parted ways with Wu Zhu far outside the city and entered the city alone. The residents of the city were long accustomed to seeing this young master of the Fan residence often wandering around outside the city. Although there were no large wild animals or dangerous places near Danzhou City, some people still felt that the Earl's Residence was not concerned enough about the safety of this illegitimate son.

After all, in people's eyes, Fan Xian was still an eleven- or twelve-year-old boy.

The residents of Danzhou, who were idle all day long and didn't have to pay taxes to the court, were always so idle that they could infer some strange ideas from many things. For example, some people in the Earl's Residence might hope that the illegitimate son would be eaten by wild animals in the wilderness or fall off a cliff and die.

Thinking that the little boy with a cute smile was actually living in such a dangerous mansion, everyone always felt a thrill mixed with trepidation.

Fan Xian didn't know what these passersby were thinking. He still maintained a slightly shy smile on his face, lowered his head slightly, and returned to the Earl's Residence.

Knowing that he was coming back for lunch today, all the servants were waiting for him. The Old Madam sat on the grand master's chair, her eyelids seemingly closed but not quite, as if she were dozing off.