On New Year's Eve, the entire nation was ablaze with celebration.
Even the notoriously erratic and unpredictable Miles Ning was affected; for once, his deeply lined old face softened into an expression of warmth as he sat in his chair.
Swish, swish.
He straightened his formal suit twice.
This simple, dark-colored suit was likely the same one Miles Ning wore on his very first 'home visit.' It still looked crisp and proper, though a bit thin for the cold of winter.
"Mr. Ning, would you like a drink?"
William Han first poured himself a bit of baijiu, then asked enthusiastically.
Alcohol?
And baijiu, no less?
Andrew Han, seated nearby, tugged at the corner of his mouth... His master never drank alcohol, only smoked—quite frequently, in fact.
Everyone knows smoking is bad for your health!
Among martial artists, it's rare to find anyone who smokes regularly. Unless someone has reached the Martial Lord Realm, where they can refine their bodies and no longer need to worry about the fundamental harm caused by smoking.
He was still pondering this.
Miles Ning's wrinkled old face broke into a smile, his eyes crinkling with amusement: "I'll have a little, just a little."
???
Andrew's face froze in surprise, utterly stunned.
Was the New Year's atmosphere so good it had made his master lose his mind...? He could only watch with anxious disbelief as Miles Ning downed the glass in one gulp, still grinning, "Pour me a bit more, just a little."
Suddenly—
A childish, piping voice rang out at the dinner table: "Lucy wants to drink too!"
Four-year-old Lucy Han lifted her delicately sculpted little face, gazing pitifully at the glass of baijiu, clearly eager to try it.
'No.' Andrew's face darkened as he quickly scooped Lucy into his arms, admonishing, 'Girls shouldn't drink alcohol.'
'Why?' Lucy asked, aggrieved.
'Because drinking is dangerous. With your brother here, Lucy, you'll never need to drink in your whole life.' Andrew explained gently, his tone carrying a subtle firmness.
Nowadays, drinking is mostly for social occasions.
Especially for girls entering university or the workforce, it's often unavoidable—what starts as 'never drinking' becomes 'just a little,' then 'drinking more.' Andrew would never allow that for Lucy.
Earlier, Andrew hadn't considered these things.
For ordinary people, drinking is almost impossible to avoid. But now, as a Peerless Martial General, Andrew possesses unimaginable strength—enough to shape Lucy's life environment.
Lucy pouted, leaning against her brother's chest.
Miles Ning took a sip of baijiu, then kindly remarked, "Grades, social skills, salary—none of that matters. For a child, the most important thing is physical and mental health."
William Han replied, "Mr. Ning is right."
Actually, he wasn't entirely convinced. Health matters most, but grades shouldn't be ignored—otherwise, how would one find a job or face life later on?
Still—
Considering Miles Ning's mysterious identity, and knowing that his son Andrew could casually lend out ten billion Sinoveran dollars, William Han sighed inwardly, thinking, 'With all this, Lucy really is surrounded by extraordinary protection—maybe she doesn't need to worry so much.'
Leaving Miles Ning aside for the moment—
Andrew's peerless status alone gave Lucy an extraordinary future—especially since Lucy herself possessed an uncanny power.
She could sense emotions!
Even Andrew couldn't match Lucy's ability to distinguish emotions. Not even the Intent Depth he visualized in his mind could escape Lucy's notice.
Unbelievable.
Unbelievable.
Unbelievable.