Chapter 37 The Cave
On the edge of the steep slope stood a huge rock, but it was so close to the edge that it was impossible for anyone to hide behind it.
The guards looked around and then went back to report.
As their footsteps faded away, the Seventh Prince peeked out from behind the rock, watching their departing figures.
The space behind the rocks is narrow and difficult to hide an adult, but it's just right for a young child.
"Come out, they're gone." The Seventh Prince stepped out first, then carefully took Xie Mianmian's hand, worried that she might lose her balance and tumble down the steep slope.
Wolf: With it around, the cubs won't fall off.
"Boom!" A muffled clap of thunder sounded, followed by rain falling from the sky, one or two drops landing on them.
Xie Mianmian felt drops of moisture falling on her face. "Oh, it's raining."
The seventh prince quickly raised his sleeve to shield the child's head and said to the wolf, "Quickly take us to a place to shelter from the rain. If our clothes get wet, we might catch a cold."
The wolf howled and ran ahead to lead the way.
Forget about shielding the child from the rain, the Seventh Prince grabbed Xie Mianmian and ran after the wild wolves.
As the boy ran, the Seventh Prince noticed that the child was running slower and slower, and he felt that the child was about to fall behind him.
His heart skipped a beat. Had Xie Mianmian accidentally sprained her ankle?
The seventh prince looked back and was speechless.
Xie Mianmian, who was being pulled along by the wrist, was not looking where she was going. She just tilted her head back and opened her mouth wide. You could almost hear the sound of "ah" coming from the child's throat.
Xie Mianmian was catching the falling rain with her mouth wide open.
Realizing this, the Seventh Prince pressed the child's head down, laughing in exasperation, "What are you doing?"
Xie Mianmian, not understanding, replied while running, "The Grand Tutor said that spring rain is as precious as oil. Mianmian wants to try it. Is spring rain better or oil?"
As they were talking, they followed the wolf to a cave.
The cave wasn't very big, but it was more than enough to accommodate two children and a wolf.
The cave was relatively clean, warm, and dry. The Seventh Prince walked around and found no insects or ants.
The wolf was crouched at the entrance of the cave, its ears perked up, occasionally gazing into the distance, keeping watch for its two cubs.
The seventh prince took out a clean handkerchief from his bosom, pulled the child over, and wiped her face and then her hair without saying a word.
"So, can you tell which one tastes better?"
Xie Mianmian felt the strong force of the Seventh Prince rubbing against her, and she swayed with each rub.
She smacked her lips, as if savoring the memory, "I didn't drink enough, Mianmian couldn't taste it." Her tone was tinged with regret.
The seventh prince vigorously patted the water droplets off the child, saying, "Rainwater is dirty; drinking it will make you sick. Don't be naughty anymore, understand?"
He casually pinched Xie Mianmian's chubby cheeks.
"Achoo!" The child suddenly sneezed loudly.
The seventh prince looked around, raised his sleeve to cover his head, and rushed out into the rain.
The wolf stood up, looked at the cubs outside, and paced back and forth restlessly.
Fortunately, the seventh prince returned soon after, carrying some tree branches in his arms.
The branches were picked up from under the tree and were still dry. The Seventh Prince placed them on the ground, piled them up, and then, like a treasure bag, pulled a tinderbox from his sleeve.
The seventh prince gently unscrewed the bamboo lid, blew inside, and an orange-yellow flame ignited. The child squatted to the side, watching curiously.
"Wow, Seventh Prince is amazing!" Xie Mianmian exclaimed excitedly, and a big snot bubble popped out of her nose.
The seventh prince disdainfully shoved the handkerchief into the child's hand, gesturing for her to wipe herself quickly.
He lit the dry leaves under the branches with a tinderbox, and soon a small fire was ready. The bright yellow flames jumped and crackled, emitting a warm heat.
The seventh prince thought for a moment, then took off his brocade outer robe and spread it on the ground. "Sit down and warm yourself by the fire."
Seeing that Xie Mianmian didn't move, he pulled the child over and made him sit down.
And so, Xie Mianmian sat between the wolf and the seventh prince, with a small fire burning in front of her.
The child cupped his hands around the fire, feeling the intense warmth. "Has the Third Prince caught the thief?"
She lowered her head slightly, her tone somewhat disappointed.
"If nothing unexpected happens, yes." The Seventh Prince casually poked at the fire. His Third Brother's men shouldn't be that useless.
"Sigh, the Grand Tutor is right, this is called 'the wolf catching the cicada, while the fat sparrow is behind'." Xie Mianmian pouted unhappily.
They did the most work and almost caught the thief, but the Third Prince had to step in. What an annoying scoundrel!
The Seventh Prince chuckled and patted the child's head. Feeling that the hair under his hand was no longer so wet, he relaxed, put his hands behind his head, and leaned back against the stone wall.
"If only you had read more books, you wouldn't be such a stupid wolf."
"Roar." The wolf understood and warned in a deep voice.
The rain was still falling outside the cave, pattering on the lush green leaves.
A refreshing scent wafted in on the breeze. Xie Mianmian took a deep breath; it was the unique earthy smell of spring rain mixed with soil. She loved it.
Although it was raining, the area outside the cave was brightly lit, as the stubborn sunlight pushed through the dark clouds and shone brightly on the forest floor.
The child looked out of the cave. The forest was filled with the bright and beautiful spring scenery. Listening to the patter of raindrops falling continuously and feeling the warmth from the fire at her feet, Xie Mianmian felt her eyes growing heavier and heavier.
The child watched the rabbits after lunch today and didn't take a nap. Later, the child ran around in the forest for a long time and got tired.
Xie Mianmian's little head bobbed up and down like a chick pecking at rice, while her hands held the child's shoulders and gently pulled her back so she could sleep on her outer robe.
The child leaned against the warm, fluffy thing on the left, his consciousness hazy, and fell into a deep sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, the faint sounds of people could be heard coming from the distance in the woods.
Because the cubs were leaning against him, the wolf did not get up, but just looked outside warily, letting out a low growl.
The Seventh Prince opened his eyes instantly. He shook Xie Mianmian, who was sleeping soundly, and said, "Wake up, someone is here."
"Hmm?" The child sat up groggily, stretched out a big yawn, and felt that he had slept very comfortably.
The seventh prince also sat up and rubbed his stiff left arm.
The voices were getting closer.
The Seventh Prince stomped out the last embers, pulled Xie Mianmian behind him, and then listened carefully.
"Your Highness, there's a wolf standing at the entrance of the cave ahead."
The third prince sat on his horse, covering his nose with a handkerchief, and said in a muffled voice, "Go and hunt some for me."
As he spoke, he winced in pain again. He hadn't caught the thief, but he still had to take the prey back. After the recent rain, many prey had hidden themselves away, and he hadn't even seen a pheasant.
"Whoosh!" An arrow shot out from near the wolf's feet.
Recalling its previous encounter, the wolf was enraged. It glared fiercely at the two-legged creature not far away, wanting to settle both old and new scores.
It roared and was about to charge.
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