Chapter 887: Zhangfei’s Problem

"Luxury? If I lived in luxury, I would have a gold-plated TV and tables. Is the call the only reason you came here today?"

"Why are you in such a hurry? Do you want to kick me out of the house that badly?" Zhangfei questioned.

"Yes, I do. You try to show up at someone’s house when they came back home for a break after working outside for a week."

"Oh right... I completely forgot about that."

"Sure you did."

Xiaoyun looked extremely doubtful as his trip to Zhuhai had been on the news. Not to mention Zhangfei himself had arrived in Guangdong a few days ago.

There was simply no way for him to miss it when all the hotels he was staying in probably had people talking about it.

"So you mind leaving now? Or do you have any other business?" Xiaoyun asked again as he started to get seriously annoyed.

"Wait, I just have one last thing... It’s a personal favor."

"What is it?"

"Um..."

Seeing the hesitation on Zhangfei’s face, Xiaoyun didn’t have the patience for him, as he immediately spoke up again.

"Spit it, or I’m kicking you out."

"Okay, okay... Um, can I ask how old you are?"

"Twenty. Why does that matter?"

"How many kids do you have?"

"Why should I answer that?"

"Please, I’m just curious."

After a short consideration, Xiaoyun gave him the answer in the hope that he was going to leave.

"I have one son and six daughters. Then, you might leave my home now?"

"Seven kids this young? How do you sort out your life this early? Please, please, please, I really need you to help me."

Xiaoyun let out a small sigh as he couldn’t resist his plea. Not when he still needed Zhangfei’s help to fly to the capital.

"Fine. What do you need me to help you with? Sort out your life?"

Zhangfei immediately nodded his head like a kid as he started explaining the problem he was facing.

"I’m a little lost on what to do... My dad had been hurrying me to get married and have grandkids for him already."

"How old are you again?"

"Nineteen."

"You don’t look nineteen. Anyone ever told you sometimes your acting is too obvious?" Xiaoyun suddenly pointed out.

After a few seconds, Zhangfei looked around before leaning closer to whisper an answer into his ear.

"I’m actually only sixteen."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Hundreds of different reasons already came up in Xiaoyun’s head, as he knew what Zhangfei’s father was trying to do.

"So let me get this straight. Your problem is that your dad is trying to make you marry, and you don’t want to yet?"

"Finally, someone who can understand me. What should I do? You’re a married man. You surely have a better idea than me, right?"

Xiaoyun didn’t answer right away. Instead, he carefully examined Zhangfei’s look—a young man with a little beard on his face.

He could easily pass off as someone older than twenty-five. Yet if the beard was shaved, he would instantly look more like a high schooler.

"Has he ever told you why he wanted to be married?"

"Um, because he wants a grandkid?" Zhangfei answered as he repeated the same line from earlier.

Xiaoyun shook his head before speaking up again.

"That’s only one side of the story... Have you ever thought about why your dad forces you to act older than everyone around you?"

"I... I don’t know."

"Think with your head."

Xiaoyun purposely chose to wait, letting him come up with an answer for himself as they both sat there.

"Um... Because he wants me to be his successor?"

"Bingo. He needs someone he can trust and someone tough. You’re the perfect candidate to take over."

"B-But he’s barely over thirty-five himself."

"It never hurts to have a backup plan. Besides, you’ll mature a lot more if you’re married, both as a person and in front of the soldier’s eyes."

"I never thought of that... So I should get married?"

"Mhm. As long as you don’t dislike the person he picks and they don’t look too bad, you should probably just accept it.

"I see... But am I really going to get married this early?" Zhangfei raises his concern as he still doesn’t seem convinced.

"The choice is always up to you. But one thing is for certain: the wife he picks for you is probably his comrade’s daughter."

"How do you know—"

Xiaoyun only looked back at him in the eyes, as if he was looking at an idiot who just revealed the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ahem, so I should accept it for the sake of my dad?"

"As I said, the choice is up to you. No one can decide for you, not me or your dad... Do whatever your heart’s content."

"Thanks," Zhangfei quietly murmured in gratitude as he still looked a little confused, albeit with a hint of hope in his eyes.

"No problem. Next time you come to my house, please at least make a call before showing up, and the door is that way."

Xiaoyun quickly opened the door for him, finally giving Zhangfei the signal to leave as he stepped out of the house.

"Thank you."

No words were exchanged as Xiaoyun closed the door, finally bringing peace back into the house... Until somebody knocked on the door again.

"What do you want?"

"I almost forgot, my dad wants to give you this as a gift. He said you’ll really appreciate this thing."

"Got it. See ya."

As Zhangfei handed a small box from one of his guards to Xiaoyun, he quickly accepted it before closing the door.

Sitting on the sofa all by himself, Xiaoyun was immediately curious about what was inside. Yet, he didn’t open it right away.

"What could be inside it?"

"You done talking with that guy?" Leyan’s voice suddenly appeared from the side as she emerged from the guest hallway.

"Mhm. You can bring the kids back out again."

As his kids ran back to the living room to play with their toys again, Xiaoyun’s attention was still on the box in his hand.

"What’s that thing?" Leyan asked curiously as she noticed the thing he was holding.

"A gift."

Xiaoyun finally didn’t wait any longer and opened the box. Much to his confusion, it was just a piece of paper with some mysterious string of numbers.

"What’s this?"

"I don’t know—"

Before Xiaoyun could finish talking, his phone suddenly rang. But it wasn’t coming out of his pocket.

Instead, it was from his military backpack.

"I’ll answer it."

Walking over, he quickly unzipped it before taking out a replica of the brick phone that Zhangfei had gifted to him in the past.

"Hello?"

"Do you like this gift?" The firm male voice from earlier came from the other side.

"What is this thing?" Xiaoyun questioned in confusion.

"The coordinates to the capital... I know you have Dongfeng missiles. If something goes wrong, you can use it as a mutually assured destruction."

"I don’t need it, but thanks."

"No problem. If you ever change your mind—"

Before the man could finish his sentence, Xiaoyun had already hung up the call as he put the brick phone back into the backpack.

"What’s the code for?" Leyan asked curiously.

"The coordinates to the capital. Just a useless piece of paper that’s never going to be used." Xiaoyun murmured before throwing it onto the coffee table.

"How would you know that?"

"Because if we’re still infighting when zombies exist, that means humanity is doomed from the beginning."

The pessimistic outlook didn’t last too long as the door suddenly got knocked on once again, much to Xiaoyun’s annoyance.

"No fucking way he’s back—Never mind."

To Xiaoyun’s surprise, it was Kate and Anna coming back home from work. Much earlier than their usual work hours.

"Ahem, welcome back."

"How did you come home already?" Kate immediately asked, her face looking a little surprised.

"I finished my mission early, so I came home... Do you two not miss—"

Before Xiaoyun could finish talking, both girls ran straight into his arms, their faces seemingly on the verge of tears.

"I miss you, you idiot..."

"Dummy..."

"Ahem, you guys should close the door. The wind is making the kids cold." Leyan interupted as the kids ran to her for warmth.

"Oops."

Both of them quickly separated, with Anna turning around to close the door behind them before they went over to the sofa to take a seat.

"Why are you two back so early today?" Leyan asked curiously, as the clock wasn’t even close to dinner time yet.

"We both felt a little uncomfortable."

As Anna nodded in agreement with Kate’s answer with an uneasy face, both Xiaoyun and Leyan immediately got concerned.

"Are you feeling better now?" Xiaoyun asked as they both started examining their bellies for any issues.

"W-We’re fine now. I-It just didn’t feel comfortable earlier... W-We need to g-go to the bathroom."

Both girls quickly got up from the sofa, heading upstairs by themselves and leaving the two on the sofa all confused.

"Just me, or are they acting a little weird?" Xiaoyun questioned.

"The baby probably kicked them a little too much. I’m sure it’s fine." Leyan murmured as the concern disappeared from her face.