High Martial Arts: Slay enemies to become stronger, forge invincibility from billions of corpses.

Song Chen took the keys; they felt heavy.

"The Garrison Commander's Office?" Li Xiuying's eyes widened when she heard this.

"The big mansion in the city center? The one with two ginkgo trees in front? Are we staying over there?"

"Yes," Shen Qingshan said with a smile.

"You and Councilor Song's father are staying there now. The furniture, appliances, and kitchenware have all been provided, and you can move in today."

"By the way, I just sent someone over to move your furniture, making sure they didn't forget even the soy sauce bottle from the kitchen."

Shen Qingshan addressed Song Chen with the respectful "you" in a polite manner, which made Song Chen feel a little dazed. He remembered how he had gone to Shen Qingshan to complain about him after the college entrance examination.

Back then, I adopted the same humble attitude as him, but now it's completely reversed.

Song Chen shook his head, no longer thinking about these things, and instead asked, "Commander Shen, if we move into the Commander's Mansion, where will you live? The Great Xia Dynasty hasn't officially abolished the position of Commander yet, has it?"

Shen Qingshan replied with a smile, "Thanks to you, I've been promoted and will soon be taking up a post in Tianhai."

Song Chen nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

He looked around: "Mom and Dad, Qingxue, let's go see our new home."

The Garrison Commander's Office is located in the very center of Anning City.

Fifty years ago, when Anning was established as a city, the first garrison commander personally planted two ginkgo trees at the entrance.

Now those two trees have grown so thick that it takes several people to hug them, and the ginkgo leaves in late autumn have covered the ground in golden yellow.

The main building of the mansion is a traditional Chinese courtyard house with blue bricks and gray tiles, upturned eaves, and stone lions at the entrance that have been worn smooth and warm by the years.

The courtyard has an artificial hill, a pond, and a bamboo grove, with the bamboo leaves rustling in the wind.

Li Xiuying stood at the door, looking up at the two ginkgo trees and the newly hung plaque above the door: Song Mansion.

She felt inexplicably excited.

"Every time I passed by here before, I thought this house was really big, and I never thought that one day I could live here."

Song Zhengye walked over and pushed open the gate. The hinges made a steady sound, and sunlight shone into the courtyard, illuminating the stone path covered with ginkgo leaves.

Song Chen led Lin Qingxue into the courtyard, and Han Duo parked the car at the gate and, together with several council staff members, carried the luggage inside.

The mansion had been prepared in advance, with freshly brewed tea on the table in the living room.

Shen Qingshan arranged for a chef to help, but Li Xiuying insisted on cooking herself.

The banquet was held in the main hall of the garrison commander's residence.

A long table that could seat dozens of people was only occupied by six people today.

Song Zhengye sat in the main seat, Li Xiuying sat next to him, Song Chen and Lin Qingxue sat together, and Han Duo and Shen Qingshan sat opposite him.

The table was laden with dishes: braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed fish, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables—all Li Xiuying's specialties, and flavors that Song Chen had grown up eating.

Li Xiuying kept putting food on Lin Qingxue's plate, saying, "Qingxue, eat more, you're too thin."

Lin Qingxue's bowl was piled high with food. She blushed and ate in small bites, occasionally stealing a glance at Song Chen beside her.

Song Chen ate very slowly. He hadn't eaten at a table like this in a long time. The last time he sat down to eat properly at home was a few months ago when he came back to kill the Earth Dragon King.

Halfway through the meal, Shen Qingshan stood up, holding his wine glass.

He was a man who had fought in wars for half his life and was not good at speaking. He held his cup and hesitated for a while before speaking.

"Let me just say this: Anning City has never produced a councilor, let alone someone who can single-handedly wipe out the global beast king."

"Song Chen, you are the pride of Anning City. On behalf of the million citizens of Anning City, I toast you with this glass."

He downed the wine in one gulp, then put down his glass, looked at Song Chen and Lin Qingxue, and a knowing smile appeared on his lips.

"Also, I'd like to add something, Representative Song, you young people need to catch up too."

"Peace has been restored, but children will have to be born. Humanity has been at war for fifty years, and the population has been reduced by half."

"Now that the Beast Kings are all gone, you guys better not sit idle and hurry up and give humanity a few more able-bodied men."

Lin Qingxue blushed from her face to the roots of her neck.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuying perked up and put down her chopsticks, beginning to ramble, "General Shen is right! Xiao Chen, Qing Xue, about your matter..."

Song Chen waved his hand: "Mom, let's eat first."

"Okay, okay, let's eat." Li Xiuying agreed, and then put another piece of pork rib into Lin Qingxue's bowl with her chopsticks.

"Qingxue, eat more. Whether you're going to school or working in the future, you need to take good care of your health."

Song Zhengye didn't say much, just slowly ate his food.

He looked at his son, then at Lin Qingxue, a hopeful smile appearing on his face.

After dinner, Song Chen went to the courtyard alone.

Ginkgo leaves carpeted the ground in gold under the moonlight, and the bamboo grove rustled in the evening breeze.

The outline of the city wall was faintly visible in the distance. That wall was once the last line of defense for Anning City. When he was a child, he would walk along the base of the wall every day after school to go home.

The wall is still there, but those it once protected no longer need to hide behind it.

Lin Qingxue came out with two cups of tea. She had changed into casual clothes, and her long hair was loose over her shoulders.

She handed one of the cups to Song Chen and then stood next to him.

The two stood side by side, looking at the ginkgo tree and the artificial hill and pond in the yard.

"It's been a year," Lin Qingxue said.

"Um."

"Back in our senior year of high school, you sat behind me. You were always doing practice problems during evening self-study sessions. I secretly turned around to look at you several times, but you never noticed."

"Found it."

Lin Qingxue turned to look at him, her eyes wide open. "You already found out?"

"Hmm." Song Chen took a sip of tea. The tea was brewed by Li Xiuying and was sickeningly sweet. His mother never knew how much sugar she put in.

"Every time you turn around, you put down your pen and fix your bangs three times. I don't need to look up to know you're looking at me."

Lin Qingxue's face flushed, she picked up her teacup and took a big gulp, then her voice became very soft: "Before today, do you know what I was thinking?"

"What?"

"I thought you would leave me. You're getting stronger and stronger, and you're going further and further away. I can't keep up with you anymore."

"No need to chase."

Lin Qingxue raised her head.

Song Chen didn't look at her. He continued to look at the two ginkgo trees in the yard, the moonlight filtering through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face.

"My path is ahead, your path is beside me, there's no need to chase after it."

"When I walk forward, I will take you with me; if I can't walk anymore, I will carry you on my back."

Lin Qingxue's hand holding the teacup was trembling slightly.

Ginkgo leaves fell from the tree, swirling and drifting into the pond.

The rustling of the bamboo forest drowned out her sobs. She didn't speak again, but simply took half a step toward Song Chen and gently rested her shoulder on his arm.

Song Chen didn't move, letting her lean against him.

The moonlight cast long shadows of the two people, overlapping them on the stone path covered with ginkgo leaves.

Behind the living room window, Li Xiuying secretly watched the scene in the yard, covering her mouth and laughing so hard her eyes crinkled.

She tiptoed back into the kitchen and said to Song Zhengye, who was washing dishes, "Old man, I think we're going to have a happy occasion in our family."

Song Zhengye put the washed dishes into the cupboard and wiped his hands with his apron.

"No rush, let them take their time."