Volume One: The Lonely Beta Test Chapter Four: Reunion in Another World?

"Maple, Maple is awake! Hahaha, I knew that boy’s life was never ordinary!" Accompanied by this deep, booming voice, a burly man with a bristling beard rushed into the room, arriving just in time to witness the scene. “Er… uh… this… seems I’ve come at a bad time.” He turned to leave.

But Teng Yan’er pushed Lin Feng aside and darted out even more quickly.

The man remained, moving closer to Lin Feng as he spoke: “Boy, not to scold you, but you need to take it easy! You just snatched your life back from the jaws of death—your body can’t handle too much excitement, you know! Hahaha…” He burst out laughing.

“What on earth is going on?” Lin Feng muttered inwardly, nearly swearing in frustration as he scratched his head. “Uncle? And you are…?”

“What? Now that your uncle’s interrupted your fun, you don’t recognize me? If you weren’t so fragile from just waking up, I’d give you a good thrashing!” He rolled up his sleeves and made a fist in front of Lin Feng’s face. The veins on his arm bulged, the muscles stood out like old pumpkins, and his fist was as large as a clay pot. Lin Feng felt a chill crawl up his spine.

“Uncle, maybe my head’s been hurt a bit—I can’t seem to remember a lot of things,” Lin Feng said aloud, though inside he grumbled, “Uncle? All the men in the Lin family are clean-shaven scholars. Who’s this hairy wild man?”

“Oh! That’s possible! Take a good look at me…” The burly man smoothed his wild beard, gripped Lin Feng’s shoulders like claws, and leaned in close.

A wave of alcohol assaulted Lin Feng’s nose, making him gag and turn his head away. “Uncle, your breath is a bit much.”

“Heh heh, just as well! Maybe the shock will jog your memory!” The man pressed his face closer, his bristles brushing Lin Feng’s cheek, making his skin crawl and his stomach churn. But those claws on his shoulders wouldn’t let him escape.

“What’s with all this? First, a glass-hearted crybaby, now a wild man,” Lin Feng thought, nearly in tears of exasperation. He could only widen his eyes and pretend to study the man’s face. On closer look, this wild man really did resemble Uncle Zhang Meng from the fleet, though Zhang Meng never had such an unruly beard—his was always neatly shaven.

“Well, whatever. I’ll call him Uncle Meng; maybe I’ll get lucky and be right. Anything to escape these claws and that stench,” Lin Feng reasoned.

“Are you Uncle Meng?”

“Haha, I knew you couldn’t possibly forget me! Otherwise, the bite marks you left on my back when I carried you as a child would have been for nothing! See? Your uncle’s breath works wonders, doesn’t it?” As he spoke, spittle sprayed across Lin Feng’s face.

“Are you really Uncle Zhang Meng?” The more Lin Feng looked, the more he was convinced. If this man shaved, he’d be the spitting image. A thought occurred to him, and he threw back his covers, leaping down from the wooden couch in excitement.

“Hey, what are you doing? Not embarrassed to be nearly naked? Get back up there! You’re still weak; don’t catch a chill,” the man admonished.

“I’m fine, Uncle Meng. What about the others who went out to sea with us? Did everyone make it back?” Lin Feng asked eagerly, caring little for his modesty.

“Second Brother and the rest all returned safely! I was stretching my legs in the courtyard when Xin’er told me you’d woken up, so I rushed over. Xin’er’s probably gone to notify the others. They’ll be here to see you soon.” Seeing Lin Feng in good spirits, Zhang Meng relaxed, unfastened his wine skin, sat at the table, and began to drink.

Lin Feng watched Zhang Meng’s every move intently, his mind swirling with thoughts.

If he could come here, then perhaps the others could too. Yet something felt off about this Uncle Meng—the way he spoke, the words he used were not what he remembered. What was really going on?

As he pondered, the sound of many footsteps approached from outside—at least ten people, by the sound of it. Lin Feng hurriedly grabbed a linen shirt from the rack by the couch and fumbled into it, unsure how to put it on properly.

“Maple, Maple…” The leading figure, a middle-aged man, strode in with the others, stopping short when he didn’t see Lin Feng. “Eh? Where is he?”

“Second Brother, he’s behind the screen, getting dressed,” Zhang Meng replied with a hint of annoyance.

“Oh? Just woken and already able to get up and dress himself? It seems my son’s health is no great concern. Our ancestors must be watching over us.” The man called Second Brother clasped his hands in a gesture of thanks, his face sincere. “Maple, come out and let your uncle have a look at you. No need to hide behind the screen—afraid we’ll laugh at you?”

Everyone chuckled warmly, their faces alight with genuine joy at Lin Feng’s recovery.

But Lin Feng was in a real bind. In his haste, his underpants had somehow fallen beside the couch, and though he had managed to tie the shirt around his waist, it left him exposed below. One wrong step and everything would be on display—there was no way he could face everyone like this.

Seeing Lin Feng’s lengthy absence behind the screen, Zhang Meng called out, “Hey, kid, if you don’t come out soon, I’m pulling back the screen!” With a mischievous grin, he began to move closer.

“No, I’ll come out myself!” Lin Feng quickly untied the top half of the shirt and knotted the sleeves around his waist, turning it into a makeshift skirt. With careful steps, he shuffled out to face the others.

Zhang Meng, halfway to lifting the screen, froze in surprise, eyes and mouth wide open. The rest were just as stunned by Lin Feng’s getup. After a moment of silence, someone started laughing, followed by a chorus of uproarious laughter—some doubled over, unable to straighten up.

“Maple, what are you wearing? Is this some new fashion? Hahaha…” The middle-aged man stroked his beard, laughing heartily.

Lin Feng’s cheeks flushed pale, then crimson, as Zhang Meng pointed at the white cloth by the couch. “Look, he left something important behind! Hahaha…” The laughter redoubled.

“This is my new style,” Lin Feng forced himself to say, masking his embarrassment with a proud tilt of his chin, as if daring them to appreciate his fashion sense.

“Oh? So our Young Master Lin is an expert in women’s attire now? Who is your illustrious teacher?”

“Yes, will you introduce us? Perhaps we’ll try it out ourselves. It seems perfect for working on the water.”

“Indeed! Please introduce us, Young Master!”

Their teasing, boisterous and warm, unexpectedly comforted Lin Feng, reminding him of life aboard the ship.

As the banter continued, Lin Feng’s eyes roamed over the group. Most wore square-top knots, a few parted their hair in the middle, and the leader bore a hairpin that seemed odd to Lin Feng. Other than Uncle Meng, not a single face was familiar. Disappointment washed over him, his spirits plunging.

He had hoped for a reunion, for if he could arrive here, perhaps the others could too. Uncle Meng’s presence had only reinforced that hope.

People are often torn—seeking solitude among the familiar, craving company when alone.

Back on the ship, Lin Feng had mostly stayed in his cabin, avoiding the elders’ teasing. But waking in this ancient world, two thousand years in the past, he felt nothing but loss and loneliness. There was none of the excitement those time-travel novels promised.

He sighed deeply and slowly sat down on the couch.

The middle-aged man noticed Lin Feng’s sudden gloom and tried to comfort him. “My son, do not sigh! As the saying goes, ‘Good fortune hides within misfortune, and misfortune lurks within good fortune.’ After great trials come great rewards. We gained much on this journey. Tomorrow, your uncle will take you to see it all—you may have anything you wish. For now, wash up and rest; tonight, we shall all celebrate your recovery!”

“Indeed! Having survived such disaster, greater blessings must be ahead! Hahaha…” The others echoed his cheerfulness.

“My uncles and elders, thank you for your care. It seems I may have suffered some injury to my head, for much is hazy, and I hardly recognize anyone. I hope you won’t take offense if I seem forgetful,” he said, bowing formally to them all.

“Maple, don’t worry; you’ll recover with time. It is a shame we didn’t care for you better—Lin Zhen is truly sorry for failing my elder brother’s trust.” As he spoke, the leading man helped Lin Feng sit straight, his face full of remorse. The others, too, fell silent, each blaming themselves.

Their kindness warmed Lin Feng’s heart. No matter what, fate had been good to him—he had a loving family in both lives. Lin Feng was always open-hearted; with this thought, the shadows in his heart began to lift.

“Uncle, didn’t everyone just say that after surviving disaster, blessings will surely follow? The worst is behind us; the good days are ahead. We should celebrate! But… where are my parents?”

It puzzled him. He’d been awake for quite some time, and so many had come—where were his parents, who should have been the most anxious?

“Your father and mother went to Jixian two months ago on business. By the itinerary, they should be on their way home,” Lin Zhen replied. “Don’t worry; I’ve sent people to meet them. They should return soon.”

“Then, Uncle, can you introduce—”

Sensing Lin Feng was about to launch a barrage of questions, Zhang Meng cut him off impatiently: “Hey, enough already! Go bathe and change! Are you planning to keep us here admiring your naked backside all day?”

Another burst of laughter filled the room.

Though Zhang Meng pretended he was doing everyone a favor, in reality, he was out of wine and looking forward to the evening feast—the wine worm in his belly was already restless.

“Indeed, it’s unseemly. Go on now! Xin’er should have things ready for you in the side room,” Lin Zhen said, draping a large robe over Lin Feng’s shoulders.

Embarrassed by Zhang Meng and the others and unsure what to do, Lin Feng gratefully took the opportunity Lin Zhen provided, quickly slipping out the door.