Chu Huaixu chuckled. Who would name their daughter Chen Xiaobao? It must be a nickname; it's just that people call her that so often that the child thinks that's Xiaobao's name.
Just like his mother always called him "little boy" back then, she rarely called him by his real name.
The most earnest time she ever called his name was five years ago, at the moment the fire broke out. This usually gentle and frail woman held a long sword to her neck, her eyes filled with sorrow, and said to him:
"Huaixu, my son, you must live on. Promise your mother you will live on!"
"Live on, for the sake of the Prince Duan's mansion, for the sake of your father and brothers, and for the sake of your mother!"
...
Chen Xiaobao was sitting in the same direction as him. Perhaps sensing his mood, she tilted her head back and asked him, "Pretty brother, what's wrong?"
Chu Huaixu closed his eyes and smiled at Chen Xiaobao, "Brother is fine. I was just thinking about my mother."
Song Tingyuan was leaning against the big tree behind Chu Huaixu, pursing her lips and staring at the two people in front of her, feeling rather unhappy.
His possessiveness toward Huai Xu was even greater than before; he would even feel jealous when he saw Huai Xu holding a five- or six-year-old girl.
But he couldn't keep Huaixu in check, so he could only suppress his unhappiness. Then, when he suddenly heard that sound, his heart clenched. All his jealousy and unhappiness vanished, leaving only heartache.
"It's alright, you'll see Mommy when your brother comes home," the little girl innocently comforted him, unaware of the reason behind his actions.
Chu Huaixu's voice betrayed no emotion: "Brother has no home, no mother, no father, no brothers."
Chen Xiaobao was too young to understand life and death, so he asked, "Where did they go? Don't they want their handsome older brother anymore?"
“They’re dead,” Chu Huaixu said. “They’re all dead.”
After saying that, he chuckled self-deprecatingly, gently stroking the little girl's nose a few times with his finger, and then changed his tone:
"You're still young, why should I tell you these things? You wouldn't understand anyway."
"I'm not little anymore, I'm five years old now." The little girl hugged Huaixu's fingers and said in a precocious manner, "I know what death is. Dahuang died, and I was very sad."
As she spoke, her mood truly plummeted.
"Who is Dahuang?" Chu Huaixu asked her.
"Dahuang was my dog. It was very well-behaved, but it got too old and died. Li Dazui from the village entrance said that if it died, I would never see it again."
"But Mother said that Big Yellow went back to the sky and became a star. When I look up at the sky at night, the brightest star is Big Yellow."
“As long as that star is twinkling, even Big Yellow can see me. I think Li Dazui is wrong, Mother is right.”
“Pretty brother,” the little girl gently shook Huaixu’s hand, “your family must have turned into stars and are watching over you. So don’t be sad.”
Chu Huaixu clenched his fists tightly, and after a long while, he met Chen Xiaobao's expectant gaze and said, "Okay, I'm not sad."
Through the silver mask, Song Ting couldn't see the expression on his face, but the deep sorrow revealed in those dark eyes made Song Ting almost unable to bear looking at him any longer.
I couldn't help but watch it.
He lifted Chen Xiaobao off Huai Xu's lap and said with a gloomy expression, "Your parents are calling you."
"Hmm?" Chen Xiaobao glanced in the direction of the tea shop. "No, it's not there."
She looked up and met Song Ting's gaze. The girl was so frightened by that terrifying look that she shuddered and ran away in a flash.
"The commander of the Imperial Guard, a man of great stature, bullies even children. No wonder the Imperial Guard is infamous; even dogs would piss on you if they heard about you."
"..." Where did this mouth learn all this from?
He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but Huai Xu saw through his intention first—
"Don't look at me like that, and don't speak. I don't know if my father, brothers, and mother have become stars, but you, my lord, have indeed risen to power and enjoyed all the honors by stepping on their corpses."
"Therefore, it is best if you do not feign compassion in front of me, sir. I am afraid that I will not be able to control myself and will kill you right now in a moment of impulse."
Song Ting: "..."
He clenched his fist tightly, but ultimately obeyed Chu Huaixu's wishes and remained silent.
...
This year, more people came to ask for porridge than in previous years. The last person was not seen off until midday, and the porridge buckets were almost empty.
"Luckily, we cooked a lot, otherwise it wouldn't be enough," said the monk in charge.
He took a few clean bowls, poured out the remaining porridge, and distributed it to everyone:
"Amitabha Buddha, thank you all for your hard work today. It will take some time to climb the mountain, so please have some drinks to tide you over."
When it was put into the container, it was hot porridge. Several hours later, it was still lukewarm and had become very sticky, resulting in a poor taste.
Chu Huaixu could only take one sip before he couldn't swallow anymore, but he still held the bowl of porridge and drank it slowly and reluctantly.
Song Ting sat down next to him, finished her porridge in a few gulps, and then reached out to take the bowl from his hand.
Huai Xu glanced at him warily: "What are you doing?"
"If you don't like it, then don't drink it. Give it to me." He turned around and called over Xiao Wu, who was talking to the young monk. "There's a wonton shop up ahead. Go buy a bowl and add some scallions and minced ginger."
Chu Huaixu looked him over curiously: "Are you very familiar with this area, sir?"
"I guess so," Song replied ambiguously. Chu Huaixu didn't press for details and leaned against the tree trunk, pretending to doze off.
The wonton shop was very close to the intersection, and Xiao Wu returned in no time, bringing steaming hot wontons with scallions and minced ginger.
"The wontons are here, let me open them for you." Xiao Wu displayed his sycophantic manner to the fullest.
Chu Huaixu was unbearably hot, and the sight of the steam rising from the wontons made him not want to touch them. He said with a half-smile, "Your master specifically asked for these, what are you giving them to me for?"
Xiao Wu, being a clever fellow, immediately replied, "Sir, you can even swallow coarse food, why would you eat wontons? It must have been bought for you, right, sir?"
Song Ting held the bowl of porridge, took a sip, and softly uttered, "Mmm."
He drank his own bowl quickly, but when it came to Chu Huaixu's bowl, he drank it slowly, sip by sip, and after a while, there was still more than half a bowl left.
The latter couldn't help but mock him: "If you don't like it, don't force yourself."
Song Ting looked blank for a moment before realizing what he meant, and lowered her eyes to reply, "I don't mind."
Seeing that his master was being bullied again, Xiao Wu quickly brought the bowl of porridge to Chu Huaixu and said solicitously, "Alright, young master, eat it while it's hot."
Chu Huaixu pushed the bowl away: "I'm not eating, take it away. I'm dying of heat, why would I eat wontons? Are you trying to kill me with heat?"
"My lord, this..." Xiao Wu looked troubled and subconsciously looked at his master.
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