Leng Qingning looked up unintentionally and was suddenly startled.
A dark figure was perched on the doorframe, its exposed blue eye staring intently in her direction.
"Who is it?" Leng Qingning asked from afar.
The figure hiding behind the door flinched and slowly walked in from the doorway.
He's a very handsome boy!
She had fair skin and delicate features, quite different from the wheat-colored people she had seen along the way.
Especially those eyes; the left eye had a normal light brown pupil, while the right eye had a dark blue pupil.
Heterochromia?
"Who are you?" Leng Qingning asked defensively.
"Sister, my name is Xiaoyu. Can I eat with you?"
The boy's voice was clear and sincere, and his innocent eyes looked at Leng Qingning expectantly.
Leng Qingning nodded. "Sit down."
The boy grinned and said, "Thank you, sister."
Xiao Yu walked to the table and sat down; he hadn't eaten meat for six months.
Looking at the thin and innocent boy in front of her, Leng Qingning felt pity and picked up some meat from the table and gave it to him.
Xiaoyu seemed to have been craving it for a long time, and began to eat it in big mouthfuls.
"Eat slowly, don't choke," she said softly.
Xiaoyu looked up and gave her a grateful smile. "Sister, you're so kind."
Then he slowed down his eating pace and didn't forget to put some meat into Leng Qingning's bowl.
This small gesture made Leng Qingning feel a sense of goodwill towards the child.
"How old are you?"
"Sister, I'm 12 years old, and I'll be 13 in two months."
"Oh? What a coincidence! My sister will be 16 in two months, which is exactly three years older than you." Leng Qingning smiled sweetly and pushed the meat in front of Xiaoyu.
"It's all yours, eat it."
"Um."
After finishing his meal, Xiaoyu took the initiative to clear the dishes, appearing very well-behaved and sensible. Leng Qingning watched his retreating figure, lost in thought...
Is he Sang Ci's younger brother? Could the hidden ailment they're talking about be his heterochromia?
In Leng Qingning's opinion, this could hardly be considered an illness.
If he is Sang Ci's younger brother, then perhaps he knows the way out?
Xiaoyu finished cleaning up the dishes and was about to leave.
"Sang Yu?" Leng Qingning called out urgently, trying to get some information out of him.
Xiaoyu turned around. "What's wrong, sister?"
Leng Qingning beckoned, "Come here, I have something to ask you."
Xiaoyu turned back, put down her chopsticks and bowl, and asked, "Sister, is something the matter?"
Leng Qingning smiled and looked at Xiaoyu kindly, saying, "Xiaoyu, wouldn't you like to come here to eat meat every day?"
"Of course I want to," Xiaoyu said without hesitation.
Although his older brother and grandmother used to always give him the best food, Xiaoyu never ate much; he would save it for his brother and grandmother to eat together.
For the past six months, the best food at home has been grains, so Xiaoyu was naturally happy to hear that she could eat meat every meal.
However, there must be conditions, right?
"Then tell your sister something, and I'll let you eat meat with me every day, okay?" Leng Qingning coaxed.
Xiaoyu tilted her head. "Is it really that simple?"
"Sister, what do you want to know? I'll tell you everything."
Leng Qingning smiled. Sure enough, such a cute and beautiful boy is the kindest and most honest.
"Do you know if there are any other exits from the tribe besides the entrance to the depression?"
Xiaoyu thought for a moment, then slowly nodded, "Yes."
"Where is it?" Leng Qingning asked excitedly.
"The back mountain," Xiaoyu said directly.
"..." Leng Qingning felt a throbbing sensation in her forehead.
"No, Xiaoyu, what I mean is, besides the back mountain and the village entrance, are there any other exits?"
Xiaoyu lowered her head in thought. After a long while, she raised her head and said, "Sister, are you trying to escape? You're not a guest of our house. You were brought back by my brother, right?"
Leng Qingning's face stiffened. This child was not so easy to fool!
"How could that be, Xiaoyu? Of course I'm here as a guest."
"Sister, don't lie to me. You've been poisoned by our tribe's bone-softening powder," Xiaoyu said with certainty.
"How did you know?" Leng Qingning asked, somewhat surprised.
Xiaoyu said calmly, "Sister, I've been learning about poisons since I was little, of course I know."
Xiaoyu's expression remained unchanged; she was still as sincere and innocent as ever.
Leng Qingning's expression cracked for a moment; this child was no ordinary person.
Since that's the case, I'll stop beating around the bush.
"You guessed right, I was kidnapped by your brother. Are you going to tell on me?"
Leng Qingning had given up hope of getting information out of him.
But Xiaoyu shook her head, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
Her tone was firm: "Sister, I know why brother kidnapped you and brought you back. I won't let him do that."
Leng Qingning thought Xiao Yu was referring to asking her to help them carry on their family line; Sang Ci must have said that to everyone.
He said helplessly, "This is not something a child like you can control."
"I can do it, sister. If I don't want to, brother can't do anything about it."
"Oh," Leng Qingning nodded casually, giving a perfunctory reply.
Um?
"What? What did you say?" Leng Qingning's mind was a little confused...
Xiaoyu probably doesn't think it's about her and Xiaoyu...
This is ridiculous.
Leng Qingning was convinced that Sang Ci had kidnapped her to blackmail Da Yue.
But it seems the child has misunderstood...
I hesitated, wondering whether I should explain, since it was just too outrageous...
Xiaoyu suddenly said, "Sister, I can cure the poison in your body."
"Really? Then would you be willing to help me?" Leng Qingning asked in surprise.
Xiaoyu nodded. "Of course you can. I can't tell you about the other exit because it's a secret of our tribe, and my brother will be angry. But I can secretly detoxify you and make you feel better."
Honestly, I was really touched!
Leng Qingning looked at Xiaoyu kindly; he was such a good child.
Although he didn't tell her about the exit, helping her detoxify was already a great help.
"But Xiaoyu, you can tell I'm under the influence of the drug. If the drug is removed, won't your brother be able to tell?"
Xiaoyu patted her chest and assured her, "Don't worry, sister. My brother is no match for me when it comes to poisons. I can concoct an antidote for you that tastes exactly like the 'soft bone powder,' and even make your symptoms look like the 'soft bone powder,' but you won't feel any discomfort, and my brother won't recognize you."
Leng Qingning looked at Xiaoyu with admiration, her impression of Xiaoyu improving, but she was also puzzled: "Xiaoyu, why did you help me?"
Speaking of this, Xiaoyu lowered her eyelashes, casting curled shadows under her eyes.
He blinked and said in a very soft voice, "Because I don't want my brother to take risks for me, and I don't want innocent people to get hurt."
Leng Qingning listened to his words, somewhat bewildered.
Her intuition told her that things weren't so simple.
Moreover, judging from his expression, I always felt that he had something he couldn't say.
Just as Leng Qingning was about to ask him why he said that, Sang Ci strode in from outside the door.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
