Shangshen of Penglai, Shu Yun, accepts an old friend's request to protect their son through his tribulation and picks up a pitiful little apprentice along the way.
Unexpectedly, after she...
Shu Yun pulled the man inside and had him dry himself off with a towel before changing into the new clothes she had bought.
After the boy changed his clothes, he came out. Her assessment was correct; the clothes were a little too big for the boy, who was too thin. Even for a boy of this age from an ordinary family, the clothes would be too small.
She asked the boy to roll up his trouser leg and said to the doctor, "Doctor, please take a look and see if his leg can be reattached."
The boy watched as the doctor, carrying a medicine box, carefully examined his leg. He reached out and pinched Shu Dajia's sleeve, discovering that Shu Dajia hadn't changed his clothes yet.
He shrank his legs and said to Ms. Shu, "No need, Ms. Shu, you don't need to spend so much money on me."
Shu Yun ignored him and only asked the doctor, "This leg?"
The doctor shook his head. "It's been broken for too long and hasn't been treated in time. It's beyond cure. This young master will probably be left with a limp."
The doctor did some simple treatment on the boy's leg injury, at least it was no longer twisted like before. He used two wooden boards to clamp the boy's thin and weak calves on both sides as a fixation, which was conducive to the recovery of the boy's leg injury.
"The other injuries," the doctor said, looking at the child's other wounds, "are just some external injuries. Apply some medicine and let him rest for a while."
Shu Yun sighed and paid the consultation fee. "Thank you for your trouble."
In fact, this leg injury could be fully restored using magic, but she is currently in the mortal realm and faces many restrictions, so she can only abide by the rules of the mortal world. It's a pity that this child has lost a leg.
The doctor waved his hand.
After the doctor left, the boy knelt down with a thud, clutching Shu Yun's clothes tightly. "Please don't look down on me. I have a limp, but I can do what others can do. I can do everything: washing clothes, cooking, cleaning the yard."
Shu Yun was taken aback upon hearing this, "No need..."
The boy's eyes suddenly reddened, and he lowered his head abruptly. This was the first time he had ever knelt down, and the first time he had ever felt so grateful to someone, but unfortunately, he had a broken leg.
Shu Yun pulled the man up, bent down to look him in the eye, and said, "Kneeling is the most useless thing to do in this world. You can't belittle yourself, or others will look down on you. If you respect and love yourself, others will look up to you."
She gently stroked the other person's soft black hair. "It's not that I'm disgusted by your leg injury, it's just that there's nothing in my courtyard that needs help."
The boy was shaken by her first sentence, but plunged into despair by her second. His long eyelashes drooped weakly. "I really can do anything. I'm not afraid of dirty or hard work. I want to stay. Just treat me like a cat or a dog. I don't eat much and I'm easy to take care of..."
Shu Yun withdrew her hand, tucking both hands into her sleeves, looking somewhat helpless.
She could save him temporarily, but not forever. So she put him back. How could a child like him compete with other adults in physical labor? He would have a hard time surviving in this chaotic world.
Oh well, I'll just consider it raising a child as an excuse.
"Then you..." Shu Yun looked around the courtyard, "Then you can live in the side room from now on, and do cooking and such on weekdays."
A dazzling light suddenly flashed in the boy's beautiful dark eyes. "Will you let me stay?"
Shu Yun nodded.
The boy laughed, and two dimples appeared on his pale but buddingly handsome face.
After Shu Yun changed her clothes, she helped him tidy up the side room so that he could rest.
"You don't need to get involved in anything at home until your injury heals. Come help me out once you're fully recovered."
The boy was carried to the bed, and upon hearing her words, he grabbed the corner of her sleeve, "My injury is nothing serious, I can work..."
Useless servants will be discarded.
The boy's upbringing taught him that he must make others see his value and demonstrate his usefulness, or he would be kicked out.
Shu Yun glanced at the boy's swollen and red calves. It would be absurd for her, Shu Yun, to make the boy do her laundry and cook for her with legs like that.
She frowned, her tone turning serious. "Be good."
She's experienced in educating children; she's managed the younger generation of the Penglai sect before. Controlling her expression and speaking in a serious tone, her authority shines through.
As expected, the boy immediately fell silent, pursed his lips, and sat quietly on the edge of the bed.
Her wet hair clung to her slightly bruised forehead, and her soft eyelashes trembled slightly as Shu Yun's tone suddenly became more forceful, making her look innocent and pitiful.
Shu Yun suddenly realized that he might have spoken too harshly. The boy in front of him was at most a teenager, while those ungrateful fellows from Penglai Sect were at least several hundred years old.
Thinking about it this way, this boy's age is that of a toddler in Penglai.
Shu Yun quickly softened her voice, ruffled the boy's black hair, and comforted him, "Take good care of your injuries and try to be able to help me as soon as possible."
The boy looked over with his beautiful eyes and nodded emphatically, as if making a very important promise.
Shu Yun was very satisfied with the well-behaved and obedient boy she had adopted.
"Dry your hair and get some rest."
Shu Yun glanced at the side room. After some tidying up, it was barely habitable. She would clean it up more thoroughly another day.
Seeing that Ms. Shu was about to leave, the boy asked somewhat uneasily, "Where are you going?"
"study."
Shu Yun turned around, and the boy's obsidian-like eyes were filled with panic and unease.
She thought for a moment, walked to the edge of the house, opened the window, and pointed to a house not far away. "I still have some things to take care of. You'll see the lights on there later."
She looked intently into the boy's eyes. As the sun set, the orange hues painted the sky, and the warm light shone on her face, adding a touch of earthly warmth to her otherwise austere Taoist robe. "Don't be afraid. Since I promised to let you stay, I won't go back on my word."
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