Doctor Gu laughed heartily from the side and gave Xiao Youran a thumbs up, "What a great name! I'd like to call her that too."
Wen Yuanbai gave him a cold look.
Doctor Gu touched his nose, shrugged, and walked away.
Xiao Youran tilted her head. "Xiaobai? Didn't you say you're older than me and I can't call you Xiaobai?"
Deep down, she's an old ghost, and she sees everyone as a child.
Wen Yuanbai:......
He clearly said he was older than her, when did he say he was older than her?!
He took a deep breath and decided to let her call him a name that sounded comfortable to him as well. "Yuan Bai, you can call me Brother Yuan Bai."
No girl has ever called him by his given name before, so let's consider this the reward for the medicine she gave him yesterday that saved his life.
Xiao Youran chuckled, "Yuanbai...brother? But my mother said..."
She looked conflicted. "Besides my blood brother, who I can call 'brother,' only... my future husband can call me that."
I think so? She remembered hearing those young girls in later generations call their...boyfriend? Like, brother?
What about "Oppa," which also means older brother?
Wen Yuanbai's face suddenly turned red. This little brat dared to tease him?!
He recalled what happened yesterday and asked coldly, "Don't try to fool me. I clearly heard you call Nan Zhuo 'brother' yesterday."
Xiao Youran chuckled, "Yes, my mother only told me this morning. I didn't know yesterday. I won't call you that anymore."
Wen Yuanbai:......
However, Xiao Youran smiled and asked with clear eyes, "Are you sure... you really want me to call you Brother Yuan Bai?"
“Yuan Bai!” He decisively omitted the two “brother” characters.
However, Yuanbai is his courtesy name... It seems a bit too intimate for a little girl to call him that.
He thought for a moment and added, "...Brother! Call him Brother Yuanbai!"
Is that alright? In the future... she will know that this is a blessing for her.
No one in this world can call him that.
Little Youran blinked again, her innocent eyes sparkling, and asked, "Brother Yuanbai, is this... your way of thanking me?"
Wen Yuanbai:! ! !
How could she possibly know?!
Don't you know that you should see through things but not say them? Do you even have any sense of martial ethics?
He felt embarrassed that he had been seen through, especially since the person opposite him was a four-year-old toddler.
Doctor Gu coughed twice, covering his mouth, and his eyes clearly said: You little brat, you said you were going to prepare a thank-you gift, right?
What kind of title should be used to bestow this favor? Does a little girl like that even care? No, she doesn't!
Xiao Youran glanced at Doctor Gu, suspecting he was secretly laughing.
Wen Yuanbai then walked past Xiao Youran and headed towards the door, coldly tossing out a sentence, "This afternoon, I'll have someone send a thank-you gift over."
Xiao Youran turned around and watched the two leave with a smile, not forgetting to add a sharp remark, "Big White! We're short of meat at home."
Nan Zhuo, who was waiting outside to catch up with his master, stumbled and almost fell.
Yun Tiankuang remained silent in the back: ...
So, all the food we eat at home really comes from my little cousin You Ran's earnings?
Turning around, Xiao Youran looked at Yun Tiankuang's handsome face, which had been forced to grow up quickly, and said with a smile, "What are you worried about, Third Cousin?! The money and food we got from selling the tiger yesterday can last us a month."
Yun Tiankuang's face turned even redder, "Little cousin, what we owe you now, your cousin will repay double in the future!"
Zhou never said these words to his cousin Su, but he kept them in mind.
Xiao Youran blinked and said with feigned disgust, "Who cares about this so-called grain and meat you're giving me? I eat so much better at the Su family's house!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Tiankuang became angry again, "If you despise Sanyang Village so much, you might as well go back to Dingzhou!"
Little Youran raised her little face and snorted, "I do want to go back, but you guys are so miserable! Mother said I'm a lucky baby, so I have to let you guys share in my good fortune!"
Yun Tiankuang was so angry he almost fell over. "Who's the one who's suffering? Who wants to ride on your coattails?"
Although she was absolutely right...
Little Youran pointed to the tip of her nose and said with a grin, "This baby is loved by everyone, admired by flowers, and blessed with good fortune. It would be your loss if you didn't take advantage of her."
Yun Tiankuang was furious and blurted out, "No wonder Grandmother refused to accept the Su family's money and provisions! Is this the kind of charity you're after?!"
Xiao Youran's smile faded, her dark eyes widened, and she asked innocently, "What is charity?"
The vast sky seemed to choke on its own; how could a four-year-old toddler know what charity was?
Little Youran pouted again, looking like she was about to cry, "I'm clearly a lucky baby, don't you all say I'm full of good fortune? Why is it that when I just want you to share in my good fortune, you call it charity?"
Yun Tiankuang's heart clenched. For some reason, seeing her on the verge of tears, he felt a pang of sympathy and quickly said, "Alright, alright, I misspoke. Little cousin, don't cry."
That's true. They're already rich and fortunate, and they're coming to help out. How can you complain? Saying it's charity is just a sign of your extreme sensitivity.
Thinking back to the days before the mother and her two children arrived, they were practically starving. Since they had already received such kindness, they should accept it calmly. They would try to repay the favor if they had the chance.
Xiao You nodded and smiled again.
Yun Tiankuang breathed a sigh of relief and walked around her to head into the inner room.
Xiao Youran followed behind him and asked quietly, "Cousin Tiankuang, have you thought about what path you want to take in the future?"
It seems that this cousin Tiankuang is a thoughtful person, so she'll give him a heads-up.
Yun Tiankuang stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.
Xiao Youran asked with a grin, "Did Mom mention it to me? I wonder what Cousin Tiankuang plans to do in the future?"
Facing the four-year-old's face, Yun Tiankuang relaxed his guard and sense of shame upon hearing that his aunt had mentioned it. After thinking for a moment, he clenched his fist and whispered, "Cousin naturally wants to take the imperial examination. Only through this path can the Yun family return to the capital."
Xiao Youran shook her head, "But I remember, Cousin Tiankuang doesn't like to study."
Yun Tiankuang's face fell instantly. "I know I don't like studying, but... Grandmother made us register as farmers so that we, her grandchildren, could take the imperial examinations and become officials... so that we could escape the poverty of commoners?"
Xiao Youran asked with a grin, "If Cousin Tiankuang doesn't like reading, what do you like?"
Yun Tiankuang immediately assumed a starting stance, "My Yun family is a family of martial generals. Although my father and elder brother don't come back often, I have loved practicing martial arts since I was a child!"
Xiao Youran blinked. "My mother said... the Great Zhou Dynasty had a military examination."
Yun Tiankuang was taken aback, then his eyes lit up. "Yes! I can participate in the martial arts examination!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com