On the other side, when Ian and the others disembarked, waves of cheers also rose from the dock.
Everyone who knew Ian gathered over, excitedly surrounding Ian and the group.
"Ian, you're back?"
"This child must be Aria, right? Back when you left, she could barely walk, and now she's already so big."
"Did Robin come too? You had a second child? What, this child isn't yours? It's Miss Ain's?"
"I knew it back then, Miss Ain and Ian definitely had something going on. You all kept saying Ian was a family man and would absolutely never do something like that. Look now, the child is already here."
"Shut up, what are you saying in front of the kids?"
"Sorry, sorry, I was just too excited. What's this child's name? Aikes? He's really a handsome young fellow!"
"Divine doctor Kuma, help me take a look!"
You say one thing, I say another. It made Ian, who had just landed on the island, feel somewhat helpless.
Just as he was about to speak and tell everyone to calm down and talk later…
"Make way, all of you, make way!"
A familiar voice came over, a scolding mixed with excitement, instantly making the people surrounding Ian calm down a bit and open up a path.
Ian also saw the person walking over and couldn't help but smile. "Chief Martin!"
After so many years, Chief Martin had aged quite a bit, his body slightly more hunched, but he still looked very energetic.
"You kid still remember to come back, huh!"
Seeing Ian and the others, Chief Martin snorted twice, then couldn't help but smile.
Looking at Robin and the others beside him, the smile on his face grew even wider.
"Robin is back, too? And Miss Ain has come as well. Oh, this child must be Aria, right? And Bonney is here too? She's almost grown into a young lady. This child is also yours? You've been out for so long and already had a second child, nice, nice... What? No? He's Ain's child with you?"
Hearing this, Chief Martin, who had been greeting everyone, fell silent for a moment. He looked at Ian with a strange expression, but soon returned to that cheerful smile. "Not bad, not bad, they're all good kids. Aikes, right? You can tell at a glance he's a smart child."
As he spoke, he swept his gaze around again. "Divine doctor Kuma is here too! Where's Ace? What about the others? Didn't they come back?"
"The others still have things to take care of."
Ian smiled and shook his head. "They haven't come back for now."
"Is that so? Being busy is good! They can come back next time as well, hahaha!"
Hearing Ian's answer, Chief Martin didn't mind. Then, looking at the people he hadn't seen in many years, his heart couldn't help but fill with emotion. "I thought you would never come back again. Good, good, good!"
As he said this, before Ian could say anything, Chief Martin adjusted himself and said with a cheerful smile, "Let's talk about whatever it is after we get back. I've already had people prepare a banquet. It's a pity Zephyr isn't here; otherwise, I could drink a few cups with him as well."
After saying that, he turned his head directly and glared at the people behind him. "What are you all still gathering here for? Go do what you should be doing. If there's anything, talk about it later. Let Ian and the others go in first!"
Everyone also understood that this was not the time to keep crowding around. After hearing Chief Martin's words, amid bursts of laughter, they all dispersed.
"Such an unruly bunch."
Chief Martin laughed and scolded them a couple of times, then turned back to look at Ian and said with a smile, "Let's go. Your house is still there."
Ian: "...?!"
Hearing Chief Martin's words, Ian and Robin were both stunned. Then they glanced at each other, as if recalling something, and smiles appeared on their faces.
Who would have thought that their house was still there?
"Come on, go home and sit for a bit first, then attend the banquet later. You, kid, can't be like the last few times before, sneaking away after just a few drinks!"
Before the two of them could say anything, under Chief Martin's lead, everyone headed inward.
As they walked, he pointed around happily and said, "That's the Sibia Grand Tavern. Do you remember it?"
"I remember. Back then, Vice-Admiral Garp suggested building it. At the beginning, it was just a tin-sheet tavern!"
"That's right. After Garp came here, he was always looking for people to drink with. In order to keep him from disturbing others, we specifically built a tavern!"
Hearing Ian mention what happened back then, Chief Martin seemed especially happy.
His wrinkled face lit up as he spoke animatedly. "Hahaha, now the Sibia Grand Tavern is the most popular tavern in this sea area! As long as people pass through our Sibia River Archipelago, those guys will stop here for a while. Do you remember that? Look, that treacherous merchant fleet came back as well. At that time, you and Robin had just gotten married not long ago..."
Just like that, everyone strolled inward at an unhurried pace, chatting about the past as they walked.
Returning here again, stepping on those familiar roads and looking at the familiar scenery, Ian's heart was filled with emotion.
Without realizing it, he took the hand of Robin beside him and couldn't help but turn his head to look at her.
At this moment, Robin was also looking at him, wearing that familiar playful smile. She blinked at Ian and softly said: "Dear…"
…
Walking all the way along, the Sibia River Archipelago had not changed much aside from having a few more people.
Instead, the brewery that had been shut down when they left had, for some reason, reopened.
Previously, he had known that the Sibia River Archipelago had been selling fake wine, but later, after Umbrella Corporation restarted the wine business, he had hardly heard about it again and had thought it was already closed.
Who would have thought that it had actually been operating all along?
Moreover, the brewery looked quite lively, which made Ian feel rather surprised.