Chapter 2 A Five-Petaled Flower "Indeed spoiled."
I usually eat breakfast with my cousin.
Ji Changyue smiled, finding the two children adorable together, especially Banban imitating Zheng'er, picking up whatever he ate.
Zheng'er ate quickly and steadily, so Banban asked Congyun to frequently add more rice and dishes to his plate.
Ying Zheng had already eaten three bowls and couldn't eat anymore.
But she was frighteningly attentive, immediately demanding more rice before he could even refuse.
"Cousin, are you full? You need to rest after eating, not practice martial arts immediately, otherwise your stomach won't be able to handle it, and it will harm your health." Banban watched over him, making sure he finished his last bite, then smiled and said, "Would you like to accompany me to admire the flowers?"
Ying Zheng was somewhat speechless.
Ji Changyue couldn't help but chuckle. "It's just admiring the flowers, it won't bother you for now. Zheng'er, go ahead and play with your sister for a while." She had the servants tidy up the table, and she was in a very good mood. "Your uncle has hired a very learned teacher for you. He just returned to Handan from his travels around the world three days ago and will be visiting tonight."
Ying Zheng was taken aback, but was immediately overjoyed.
He pondered what kind of person his teacher was, then grabbed his cousin's hand and led her toward the garden. "What flowers are you looking at? Lately, it seems only the plum blossoms are blooming beautifully; I'm afraid you won't appreciate them."
Banban: ?
What nonsense! What nonsense!
"My cousin's belly is bulging, and so is his voice!"
"What?"
She snorted and poked his stomach with her finger. "You don't know, do you?" she said, giving him a smug look. "You just need a good whack."
Ying Zheng brushed her small hand away, "...I don't understand you."
Banban didn't mind and took his hand, saying, "Since there are no other flowers blooming, let's go out of the manor to play."
"That was your plan from the beginning, wasn't it?"
No.
Banban held him tightly, afraid that he would run away.
With attendants following them, the two children were quite bold.
Arriving at Handan's largest jewelry building, Banban felt like he was back home, incredibly happy. He looked at this and that, his eyes glued to the various jewels, his pupils reflecting their beauty.
Ying Zheng was not interested in these things. He leaned against the door, thinking about the knowledge he had read in the bamboo slips the night before, savoring it carefully.
His cousin was just too lively and kept bothering him.
Like a butterfly, she would change her jewelry every now and then and put it on her head, chattering away.
"Cousin, does this look good?"
"How about this one, cousin?"
"Cousin, does it suit me?"
He was indifferent and answered "yes" to everything.
Banban's face fell. "What are you thinking, cousin? That's so perfunctory."
Just as Ying Zheng was about to speak, a cheerful voice burst in from outside the door:
"Zhao Zheng, I didn't expect to run into you here."
Banban looked curiously in the direction of the voice. The newcomer was older and had a gentle and refined demeanor. He was smiling at the two of them and seemed easy to talk to. However, the few people with slanted eyebrows and narrow eyes who were with him were not good people.
The one who just called his cousin by his name was the ugliest one, with a square face, thick lips, and his hair tied up high.
"How awful!" she thought, before quickly looking at her cousin's handsome face to regain her composure.
He clenched his fists, pursed his lips, and stared intently at the square face without saying a word.
Banban recalled yesterday's events, which had left his handsome face bruised. "Who are you? You're the ones who bullied my cousin!"
Ying Zheng glanced at her and said, "Cousin, you've misunderstood."
The noisy crowd around them suddenly fell silent, and many people curiously observed the commotion.
The little girl protecting the person was about four or five years old. She was fair-skinned and delicate. She was pointing her finger at the person next to her and shouting arrogantly. At first glance, she seemed very imposing, but even her outstretched fingers were slightly rounded.
Those who knew her whispered that she was the only daughter of a wealthy man in Handan, and that she especially loved going out to play. She was incredibly spoiled and arrogant for such a young age; everyone knew her.
But the group of young men were not simple either; the leader had an innate air of sophistication.
The square-faced man sneered, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, "Whose daughter are you? You're not tall, but you have a big mouth."
Banban bristled, "Who are you calling a jerk! Congyun, have them arrested!"
"Huh?" Cong Yun hesitated for a moment, glancing at the leading youth several times. Ying Zheng shook his head at her, and she lowered her head, not daring to make any rash moves.
"Can't I order you around?" she exclaimed angrily, her heavy cloak and hat making her look like an angry potato.
"Haha, come on, grab me!" The square-faced man laughed, opening his arms wide.
Ying Zheng patiently explained, "The ones who fought me yesterday were not them."
His face was illuminated by the winter morning light, flickering in and out of focus. "Have you finished looking at the jewelry? If you're not going to buy anything, let's leave."
How could Banban agree? "You're lying to me, this person looks down on you!" Did she not understand his tone?
She only regretted that she couldn't stand with him against the enemy. Since he lived in her house, he was one of her family, and she would definitely protect him. It would be a disgrace to her if he were bullied.
Ying Zheng rarely received such protection, even though he knew her initial intentions weren't entirely for him. "It's really not, don't worry about it." He was not the type to suffer a loss; he always retaliated tenfold if he was bullied.
Ji Changyue always complained that he was a troublemaker and not a well-behaved child. However...
After glancing at the square-faced man, Ying Zheng sighed, harboring a deep resentment towards him.
The square-faced man rolled his eyes, then explained magnanimously, "We didn't bully Zhao Zheng."
“It was someone else. Our Crown Prince was the one who came to his rescue. He helped your cousin a lot. You should give him a good talking-to. How can he be so ungrateful?”
The other attendants covered their mouths and burst into laughter.
'Zhao Zheng…'
Ying Zheng's expression calmed down, and his drooping fist slowly clenched.
Banban froze upon hearing the words "Crown Prince," her imposing manner immediately faltering: "You're the Crown Prince?" she asked, looking at the gentle young man with confusion.
"Yes," the boy finally spoke, his smile somewhat mocking.
The square-faced man smiled, carefully examining Banban's face, and said with a grin, "Look at you, you're quite handsome. Our Crown Prince is over twelve years old, with the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix. Many young ladies have already secretly fallen for you. When you grow up, it will be more than enough to take you as a concubine."
The boy, referred to as the Crown Prince, frowned instinctively, about to stop him.
A dark shadow darted past, and Guo Zilian was suddenly knocked to the ground.
His screams were followed by a commotion and constant screams from the surrounding area.
The entourage rushed forward to try and pull them apart.
Ying Zheng pinched the square-faced man with deadly force, sitting on his stomach and gripping his thick neck tightly with both hands, refusing to let go, his murderous aura palpable. "What did you say? You're courting death?!"
Startled, several people rushed forward to pull them apart, but they couldn't manage it.
No one expected that a six-year-old boy would be born with superhuman strength.
The Crown Prince was shocked and rushed over to grab him, saying, "A-Zheng, let go! You're going to strangle him!"
His square face was flushed, his eyes were rolling back, and his lips moved slightly as he managed to utter two words with difficulty, "You... bastard, illegitimate child."
Ying Zheng's spine stiffened, anger surged, and he suddenly increased the force, biting the man's ear. Blood gushed out instantly, and the sweet, metallic taste rushed straight to the top of his head.
All the humiliations he had suffered in the State of Zhao surged into his mind at this moment.
The disheveled state of being carried and dodged by his mother, the sharp spear raised high at his head, all the contempt and ridicule...
The surroundings were chaotic, and it seemed that everyone was urging him to let go. People kept pulling and tugging at him, just as they always had, as if being too fussy was his fault.
Ying Zheng tightened his fingers, gripping him tightly, a surge of heat rising within him.
"Cousin! Go for it! Beat him into a big pig's head! Hmph!"
His arm froze instantly.
One second, two seconds, three seconds,
As if all his anger had found an outlet, he suddenly let go of his hand and was instantly pushed away and thrown to the ground. His eyes gradually cleared, and what appeared in his field of vision was a slightly round face.
"Cousin, you're so strong!"
"Ah, so much blood!" She quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, probably worried that the dirty blood would get on her new dress.
Ying Zheng spat out a mouthful of blood, ignored the surrounding obstacles, grabbed her hand, and pulled her away, running all the way outside.
As he was being led to the carriage, his blank mind finally came to its senses, and he turned to look at her.
Panting heavily from running, Banban plopped down and started rubbing her ankle. "That person really is the Crown Prince? I don't believe it."
She muttered dismissively, "Prince Zhao doesn't look like this at all. I saw him on the street last time."
The Crown Prince and his younger brother were inseparable, arrogant and domineering, and had no trace of the gentle and refined temperament they possessed.
Ying Zheng stared at her movements and slowly explained, "It's Prince Dan of Yan. You don't recognize him." The sweet, metallic taste in his mouth dissipated, leaving only a faint, sour aftertaste.
He simply lifted her calf and placed it on his knee to massage it. Outside the window, the streets were bustling with traffic. "Yan is the most proud and arrogant, and her study companion is even more despicable."
Prince Dan?
Banban paused slightly, wondering why the name sounded familiar.
"You won't be dealing with them anymore, so don't worry about it."
The disgust in those words caught her attention, and she asked with slight displeasure, "Was it really him who came to your rescue yesterday? Did he do nothing else?"
Ying Zheng turned his head to look at her, "He is the crown prince, don't you believe what he said?"
"Who cares if he's a prince or a young master? My cousin and I have always been close, so of course I'll only listen to him," she said, not recognizing anyone else. "Then who bullied you yesterday?"
Upon hearing this, his expression slightly hardened, his dark eyelashes drooping slightly as he gently massaged her ankle. "You weren't bullied, you were just not as skilled as others."
Banban tilted his head and thought for a moment, "My parents have hired a tutor for my cousin. My cousin will surpass him and beat them to a pulp."
Ying Zheng helped her put on her shoes without looking up, "Isn't this the time when you don't want me to study hard?"
He was so frustrated. She was encouraging him, how could he be so ungrateful?
This person doesn't talk much, but when they suddenly say something, it can be incredibly witty and hurtful.
However, he is much better off now than when he first arrived at the Ji family. Back then, he hardly spoke, but his demeanor was exceptionally good. It was hard to imagine that someone who was penniless and fleeing for his life could stand tall and maintain perfect posture.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked.
Banban twisted her ankle, "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Ying Zheng looked away and said in a low voice, "It's my fault."
She was initially upset and about to lash out, but the other person's prompt apology made her feel embarrassed to hold a grudge. "I've twisted my ankle several times while practicing dance with my aunt, this is nothing."
"You don't want to practice dancing?"
"It's tiring," Banban said sullenly, her little face scrunched up like a bitter gourd. "Besides, I don't like dancing. What's so good about dancing?"
"Then let's not practice."
Banban shook his head, "What you say doesn't count." He himself was going to be punished by his sister-in-law by kneeling.
“I have a way,” Ying Zheng raised an eyebrow slightly. “Didn’t you just say you would only listen to your cousin?”
The little girl frowned and stared at him suspiciously.
It started snowing heavily outside the carriage again, and the snow piled up to half a palm's width thick on the roadside.
She pointed outside the carriage, "Then go pick a flower for me, and I'll believe you."
It was the dead of winter; what flowers could possibly grow in the snow? They'd all frozen to death. She was childish and never took responsibility for her words.
Ying Zheng frowned subconsciously: "I work for you, and I have to please you? What kind of nonsense is this?"
She turned her head away and shouted, "I don't care!"
Her lips are so pouty you could hang an oil can on them.
He muttered to himself that she was indeed spoiled and willful, shouted "Stop!" and actually jumped out of the car.
"Oh dear," Banban exclaimed, widening her eyes in surprise, "Cousin!"
The little boy buried his head in the towering snow, the icy snowflakes covering everything. He quickly dug through the layers of accumulated snow, and soon his fingers were frozen red.
After several attempts to persuade him failed, Banban was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, quite frightened.
He simply jumped off the bus, staggering and wobbling.
"What are you doing down here?" Ying Zheng asked, displeased. He was tough, having even eaten snow to stave off hunger before, so this snow was nothing to him. But Banban was different. "Go back up!"
"I don't want it." She nestled close to her cousin, tears streaming down her face, her nose reddening. "Cousin, I was just joking with you. I don't want the flowers, and you shouldn't get cold!"
Ying Zheng flicked his wrist and grabbed something. "Don't cry, look quickly."
"What is it?" Banban sobbed, wiping her cheek as she peered closer to look.
He slowly released his tightly held red hand, and a small pinkish-white flower, wilted from the cold, lay half-reclined in his palm.
The petals are five in number, white with a rose-pink center, and the stamens are surrounded by a pale yellow ring.
Perhaps it was the harsh winter, and it was about to freeze to death, but its roots still had a glimmer of hope.
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