Chapter 25
Without her mother's or her friends' knowledge, Jia'er had already become completely absorbed in her own world.
A seed of becoming a hero had already been planted in his heart, so he diligently dug in the pit every day, looking forward to the day when he could go down the mountain with his mother.
He didn't find this kind of life tiring; on the contrary, he felt very happy working with everyone.
He has now completely integrated into the Muyun tribe, working with everyone from sunrise to sunset every day, living a simple and peaceful life, as if he has no worries at all.
However, as time goes by, some things change.
One day, Xiaolong was diligently digging when he accidentally shoveled the foot of the person in front of him. Hearing the person cry out "Ouch!", Jia'er suddenly realized what was happening.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to."
"It's okay~" a burly young man in front said very generously.
Jia'er is now one of them, and everyone treats him like a friend. Such a small thing is nothing to worry about.
"Okay, thank you." Jia'er's chubby face was covered in dust, and he looked a little silly.
The burly young man couldn't resist giving it a quick pinch, then turned around and continued working.
Everyone continued digging peacefully until noon. Some ate, some chatted, and most people were resting on the side. Only Jia'er was still swinging his shovel in the riverbed.
Aono and the others watched his back as he bent over and frantically dug, his movements incredibly fast, as if he didn't care about his life. They all thought it was too outrageous, so without his permission, they grabbed him and dragged him to the small hill behind.
"oops!"
Before Jia'er could react, her body had already floated away with everyone else.
Once they reached the small hill, Aono distributed the food that everyone had brought that morning and they ate it. After they finished eating, the five of them were united and no one was allowed to let Koji leave.
"All right."
This time, Jia'er didn't resist. He just obediently listened and sat down on the spot.
Everyone was very satisfied with his reaction. See, even someone made of iron will get tired. Although Jia'er is a dragon, he must get tired too. It's best to let him get plenty of rest.
So the group lay back on the hillside, leisurely gazing at the sky.
"This feels so good." Honghong exclaimed. As the only child in the group whose only wish was to eat and sleep, he felt that this moment of lying here was the most longed-for time.
"Yes, yes!" Jinbao and Xiaomian exclaimed in unison, how comfortable it was.
The most precious rest is after a hard day's work; the comfort you feel then is truly genuine. Most people agreed, and even Big Yellow chimed in.
Such a tranquil environment easily fosters quiet, and gradually everyone stopped talking. After lying down for a while, some people began to take a nap, and the sound of steady breathing slowly began to fill the quiet space.
Considering who was most exhausted during this period, someone naturally asked:
"Is Jia'er asleep?"
Jia'er didn't answer, it seemed he really was asleep, which was nothing unusual for everyone.
He's really worked himself to the bone lately, spending every day swinging a shovel the moment he opens his eyes. If everyone hadn't brought him here to rest today, he'd probably still be panting in the riverbed.
With the thought that even the most hardworking people were now resting, everyone felt more at ease.
The surroundings were quiet for a moment, with only the rustling of leaves overhead, but no one could hear it. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the six people lying in a row, and one by one they fell asleep.
But Jia'er's eyes were wide open; he wasn't actually asleep and was watching the white clouds drifting in the sky.
Against the backdrop of the blue sky, the few white clouds looked particularly white and soft, but they seemed to have no home and just drifted aimlessly in the sky. They were clearly there when they first arrived, but now, after a whole noon, they have arrived here. Jia'er silently measured the route the white clouds had taken.
Where will the clouds eventually go? he wondered.
After lying there for a long time, a burst of laughter suddenly came from the hillside. Jia'er straightened up and looked down. Oh, it was the villagers laughing below.
In the distance, the villagers had all rested and had come to the river to chat and laugh. A large, bustling crowd of them created a lively and lively scene.
Since the water source was restored, the village has been bustling with activity every single day.
Jia'er stared blankly for a moment.
As the eldest brother here, Aono was the first to notice Koji getting up. Seeing Koji's somewhat lonely figure, Aono sat up and quietly asked:
"Jia'er, what's wrong?"
Although Jia'er usually seems cheerful and enthusiastic about digging, he has been noticeably distracted lately. Although he still works quickly, a closer look reveals that his mind isn't on the task. As a result, he sometimes accidentally digs into the feet of the person in front of him, just like this morning.
The change was subtle, and the others, being rather careless, didn't notice it. However, Qingye, being the eldest brother here, was always perceptive, so he quickly noticed it.
Koji turned his head and glanced at Aono, his big eyes filled with confusion.
“I’m fine,” he replied.
After speaking, he turned his head and gazed into the distance. In the distance was a clear sky, so blue that it was without a trace of impurity, as if it had been washed clean; it was an exceptionally clear and fine day.
Aono looked at Koji intently. Although he looked small, he possessed immense energy and always protected everyone in crucial moments, bringing them a lot of joy.
He was unusually quiet today, unlike his usual chattering self.
"Jia'er, is something wrong? Tell us, okay? We'll help you solve it." Qingye looked at Xiaolong sincerely. Over the years, they had become very good friends, and it didn't want to see Xiaolong sad.
"Huh?" Jia'er was slightly surprised. Was there something wrong with him? It didn't seem so.
He didn't know what was wrong with him today. It was as if a cloud of sorrow had suddenly washed over him, but if asked to pinpoint exactly what was making him sad, he couldn't say.
I was having a great time with everyone, and nothing bad happened, but...
But he just couldn't say anything; he only felt an emptiness in his heart.
Just as he was feeling a little guilty in front of Aono, his friends around him woke up one after another.
One by one, everyone got up, yawning and dazed.
I slept so well that I felt like I could fall asleep again.
Jia'er looked at Jinbao beside her and saw that it was still struggling against sleepiness, its drowsy head bobbing back and forth, its hair swaying with it. Under the sunlight, it looked particularly eye-catching.
As Jia'er watched, he suddenly became a little stunned and asked:
"Jinbao, why is your hair blonde?"
It's still a beautiful gold color, sparkling in the sunlight, it looks absolutely gorgeous.
"Huh?" Jinbao hadn't reacted yet.
"Why is your hair blonde?" Jia'er asked again.
His question surprised everyone, and Jinbao also came to his senses.
"Why is my hair blonde?" Jinbao asked in confusion.
“Yes.” Jia’er nodded seriously. The gold color was so beautiful that he was a little distracted.
Everything in the world is exactly as it was when it was created. It was born golden, and it remains golden as it grows up.
What's so strange about that? Not only Jinbao, but everyone else was also puzzled.
“You’re golden too, aren’t you? Dragon horns, hair, and eyes…” Jinbao counted them off on his fingers to Jia’er.
Jia'er was shocked. "Wow, he's golden too?"
He has never paid attention to what he looks like, nor does he really know what he looks like.
Is it golden too? Sparkling in the sunlight?
"You don't know?" Everyone was curious. Could someone not know what they look like?
"I...I don't know..." Jia'er murmured unconsciously, his mind preoccupied with other things.
So everyone continued:
"You're not just golden, there's something else too... Well, when we first saw you, we all thought you weren't a good person. Although you're very cute, your eyes... your eyes are so strange, there are red things growing out of them, it looks very eerie, just like a monster."
"Really?" Jia'er was greatly alarmed.
“Yes, your eyes look quite different. We were scared when we first met you,” Honghong added. After saying that, it was about to lean closer to take a look, but now it thought they were quite beautiful.
Upon hearing this, Jia'er immediately stood up, scurried to the shore, and plopped down on the ground.
On the river, a round-headed creature began to appear.
Eyes, nose, mouth, body...
Everything looked so new. Oh, so this is what I look like? Jia'er exclaimed in amazement.
Not only that, Jia'er's gaze moved upwards, and he saw his own hair.
Her golden hair was soft and smooth, lying flat against her head, with fine strands fluttering in the wind.
It really was golden! Jinbao didn't lie to him!
The translucent gold was reflected on the water's surface, making it appear as if it were flowing, reflecting the entire little dragon's radiance, and even its horns seemed to glow slightly.
The horns on his head are golden too, unlike his mother's. Jia'er shook his head.
It's different from everyone else's.
Whose is it the same as?
Jia'er stared intently at the water's surface; this was the first time he had ever looked at himself so seriously.
The water reflected Xiaolong's earnest face. He saw a pair of beautiful big eyes on his chubby face—with red lines around them.
Oh, he really does have red lines around his eyes.
Another gust of wind rose, and as the water rippled, his face shattered and folded.
Jia'er, however, remained unaffected, staring intently at the water's surface, the red lines around his eyes clearly visible in the water.
Ah, so that's how it is...
A familiar face appeared in Jia'er's mind without her realizing it.
That face was so similar to his, even the red lines at the corners of his eyes were exactly the same, except that the red lines on that face were much more flamboyant, brazenly slanting to the ends of his eyebrows, exuding a dignified and noble air.
What a familiar face!
Jia'er's heart began to pound wildly without him realizing it. He sensed that something was about to happen, but before he could prepare himself, a small voice in his mind told him—this is his father.
Ah, is this my father?
Jia'er continued to stare at the water, looking at the face that resembled seven-tenths of her memory.
Yes, that's my father!
That was his father, who always ate, slept, played, and even coaxed him to sleep.
Childhood memories flooded back like a tide, and Jia'er's heart skipped a beat as everything suddenly became clear.
Oh right, he and his mother have been away for too long, and he hasn't seen his father in a long time. He misses his father.
That's why he was so sad!
Having figured all this out, Xiaolong didn't try to clear his mind for the time being. Instead, he stared anxiously and greedily at the face reflected in the water, watching the ripples appear and disappear.
Jia'er was anxious; he hoped that the blurry face in his mind would not disappear.
Time passed slowly, and Jia'er gripped the grass tightly, oblivious to everything around him.
Seeing that he was lying silently by the river, the crowd thought something had happened to him, so they rushed over with concern.
"Jia'er, what's wrong?"
"Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
Everyone chimed in with concerned inquiries.
They all knew that Jia'er had been working a lot lately and hadn't had a moment to rest. Although he was very capable, he was still a small child and what if he overworked himself?
Thinking of this, everyone touched him anxiously.
"Are you feeling unwell? Do you want to go home and rest?"
"Should we inform your mother?"
Everyone placed their hands on Jia'er's face and forehead, instantly pulling him back to reality.
In an instant, the image in Jia'er's mind disappeared.
It's really gone.
Jia'er leaned back listlessly, then sat up straight. He hadn't recovered from the phantom he had just seen, and his expression was somewhat dazed.
"Jia'er, what's wrong?"
His appearance worried everyone, and for a moment, the surrounding scenery didn't seem so beautiful anymore.
Jia'er took a deep breath and spoke with a touch of melancholy:
"I miss my father."
"Ah, your father?" Everyone was shocked when they heard him say that.
Does this little dragon have a father?
No, who doesn't have a father?
Everyone has a father.
When everyone first met Xiaolong, they saw him with his mother. There was no one else around, so everyone subconsciously assumed that Jia'er only had his mother.
But in fact, Jia'er does have a father, but no one has ever seen his father or heard him mention his father...
Looking back now, Jia'er must have had a happy family of three. It's just that he went on a trip with his mother, while his father didn't come out and was still waiting for them to return at home.
I see!
Once they understood, everyone started to feel sad along with Jia'er. They were all children of similar age, with a particularly strong ability to empathize. They only needed to think about what it felt like to be separated from their parents to know how Jia'er was feeling.
It must be very painful.
"Do you want to see him now?" someone asked in a low voice.
"I do want to." The image in Koji's mind was still faintly appearing.
To make him feel better, everyone grabbed his hands to comfort him, while at the same time everyone was very curious:
What kind of person was your father?
Huh? What kind of person is he?
"A very capable person!" Jia'er thought subconsciously.
Some real yet blurry images began to appear in my mind...
I vaguely remember always being in a warm embrace back then, barely able to speak, but the figure beside me always listened. He would eat with me, sleep with me, play with me, and take me on a tour of the Dragon Palace. I would jump and play on him, never getting tired of it, and that's how I slowly grew up... Then came the moment of separation. I was completely disoriented by the thought of parting from him, only feeling excited, but in his eyes, there was an undisguised reluctance, those eyes that were exactly the same as mine.
Jia'er only now realizes that since leaving the East Sea, he has rarely thought of his father or the East Sea, to the point that he can hardly remember what his father looks like anymore.
He and his mother have been away for far too long.
And right now, he really, really misses his father.
"He must be a very capable person, right? After all, your mother is just as capable," someone in the crowd guessed.
Yes, Jia'er's father, needless to say, is a very powerful person.
"Yes." Xiaolong nodded emphatically.
"So, do you want to go back now?"
Everyone is curious: Jia'er and his mother seem to be going to many places and seeing many sights. Is their next stop home?
"Do you want to go back?" Jia'er pondered, "I should ask my mother about that."
“I have to go back and ask my mother,” he said honestly.
Hearing his answer, everyone felt a faint sadness welling up in their hearts.
Almost instantly, everyone thought that if Jia'er wanted to go home, wouldn't that mean being separated from them?
No, they don't want to be separated from this little dragon. They were so happy together.
Recalling the days they had spent together, and now that they were about to part ways—Jia'er was about to leave them—everyone fell silent for a moment.
Aono was the most composed, though he too felt an uncontrollable weight in his heart, but he still needed to first understand the ins and outs of the matter:
"So you've been so sad these past few days because you miss your father?"
After Aono said that, everyone realized that Koji had indeed been preoccupied with something lately, and was not just being careless.
Jia'er was finally able to be honest at this moment, and it turned out that the reason he was sometimes absent-minded was because he missed his father.
He just missed his father!
“Yes.” Xiaolong nodded emphatically again.
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