Hong Xiaoduo and the children were already used to Quan Jinghuai's reaction and continued eating.
"Here, be careful not to burn yourself, let me get it for you." Seeing Kaiyang reach for the roasted dry food, Quan Jinghuai quickly helped him and also updated his form of address.
Hong Xiaoduo chuckled to herself upon hearing this, but the children didn't care. They knew that Hong Xiaoduo had agreed to let this person come along, which meant that this person wasn't a bad person.
Having always been a loner, Quan Jinghuai thought he wouldn't like traveling with so many people for the first time, but to his surprise, he actually adapted quite well.
They ate and drank, chatting and laughing, not at all like they were on a journey, but more like they were on a picnic.
After they finished eating, watching the children tidy up their things in an orderly manner, Hong Xiaoduo brewed a pot of tea. Before she could even call out to Quan Jinghuai, he moved a small stool and sat down next to her.
"If I may ask, why do they call you 'mother'?" Quan Jinghuai felt it was inappropriate to ask such a question so soon after meeting her, but he couldn't resist his curiosity.
Hong Xiaoduo poured him a cup of tea and, without hiding anything, simply told him the truth.
She said it casually, but Quan Jinghuai looked at her with admiration after hearing it. He didn't find the reason why the children called her "mother" childish or funny.
In that situation, she was the children's lifeline, so of course they wanted to hold on tight.
"So what are your plans for the future? Are you going to take them back to your home?" Quan Jinghuai asked again.
Hong Xiaoduo took a sip of tea, shook her head, and smiled: "To be honest, I don't have a home either."
Huh? How could this be? Quan Jinghuai regretted asking the question and was about to apologize when he saw that her expression showed no sadness whatsoever.
"Let's just take them around like this for now. If we find a suitable place, we can consider stopping," Hong Xiaoduo said with a smile when she saw his guilty expression.
While the two were talking, the children had already gotten ready, said goodbye to Hong Xiaoduo, and went into the tent to practice calligraphy.
Outside by the fire, two adults were drinking tea at a table.
Facing the tent, Hong Xiaoduo made sure the children inside couldn't hear her conversation, then asked the person next to her, "You seem to have traveled to many places, right? I'd like to ask you, besides those charitable halls that take in refugees and beggars, are there any other places that can take in children like them?"
Quan Jinghuai thought for a moment and said, "Yes, for example, in the Great Five Passes you are going to, there is a service camp that specifically takes in orphans without parents."
"Really? And then?" Hong Xiaoduo's eyes lit up as soon as she heard that.
"Once they turn fifteen, we'll send them to the army to serve as soldiers," Quan Jinghuai continued.
Upon hearing this, Hong Xiaoduo's heart sank: "Which two characters are you referring to as 'service camp'?"
"The 'yi' in 'corvée' and the 'ying' in 'military camp,' what do you think?" Quan Jinghuai retorted.
"I thought it was the 'yi' in 'loyalty' and the 'ying' in 'military camp'," Hong Xiaoduo said with a self-deprecating laugh.
She really thought she had finally asked the right person and found the right place, but she never expected it to be like this.
“Actually, sending them to the military camp is not bad. At least they can eat and dress warmly. Once they are in the army, the capable ones will have the opportunity to make merits and be promoted so that they are no longer the lowest-ranking soldiers,” Quan Jinghuai said, expressing his opinion.
Hong Xiaoduo shook her head: "Let's forget it, it hasn't come to that point yet."
Quan Jinghuai clearly sensed that this topic was making her feel very bad: "So you were busy last night to help that mother and daughter from the second branch of the Nie family?"
Hearing him ask that question, Hong Xiaoduo stared at him.
“I admit that I followed you all night and even went to the beggars’ den, but I didn’t go in. When I saw you come out, the package on your waist was gone, and I thought you had gone to rob the rich to help the beggars.”
"I only guessed it when I saw that mother and daughter this morning," Quan Jinghuai said.
"You're quite honest." Seeing his frank admission, Hong Xiaoduo didn't say anything unpleasant.
However, I felt a little scared. Fortunately, this person seemed nice. What if he had been a bad guy?
I thought I was being very careful this time, but who knew someone would see everything! I must be more cautious and careful next time I do something similar.
Hong Xiaoduo mentally examined herself, realizing that her vigilance was still too poor!
"I had no ill intentions," Quan Jinghuai explained somewhat embarrassedly.
“Of course I know that, otherwise why would I have agreed to go with them?” Hong Xiaoduo said.
"Would it be inappropriate for me to travel with you?" Quan Jinghuai asked after thinking for a moment.
Hong Xiaoduo smiled and said, "With a chivalrous person like you traveling with us, we are safer. I just don't know how long you can stay with us. If it's for a long time, I have a few children who want to learn kung fu."
"Learn kung fu? You can teach yourself!" Quan Jinghuai smiled and pointed to the sword at her waist.
Hong Xiaoduo smiled and waved her hand: "I'm pretty good at fighting, but I wouldn't call myself a martial artist."
"Oh? You're pretty good at fighting?" Quan Jinghuai understood a bit as soon as he heard that.
“Yes, so I can’t exactly teach them how to fight,” Hong Xiaoduo added.
Quan Jinghuai pondered for a moment and said, "If you don't mind, Madam Hong, I'll teach them kung fu from now on?"
"Huh? Really?" Hong Xiaoduo didn't expect such a good thing to happen and asked in disbelief.
"Really, I'm very serious." Quan Jinghuai's smile faded, and he became very serious.
"Tian Shu? Come out!" Hong Xiaoduo immediately turned around and shouted into the tent.
The children didn't know why she was calling them, but judging from her voice, it didn't seem like anything bad.
“Who said they wanted to learn kung fu before? You’re Tianquan, right? Hurry up and call him Master,” Hong Xiaoduo said to the children, pointing to the people around her.
I was afraid that if I spoke too slowly, they would change their minds.
"Master." Tian Shu paused for a moment, then took the lead in calling out "Master," and knelt down to kowtow.
The other six children immediately followed suit, calling out "Master" and kowtowing.
The children's behavior left Quan Jinghuai somewhat bewildered. He had only taught them kung fu, not taken them on as disciples.
However, since the children have already called him "Master" and knelt down, it seems inappropriate for him to then offer an explanation.
Turning to look at Hong Xiaoduo, he saw her smiling at him.
For a moment, Quan Jinghuai felt like he had been tricked, but then he thought, it's not her fault!
Alright, while my skills may not qualify me as a big shot in the martial arts world, I'm not exactly an unknown nobody either. Taking on a few apprentices will allow me to teach them some real skills.
How many apprentices? Seven? All seven children she brought with her were kneeling before her, not one of them missing!
When others take on apprentices, it's because they've found good prospects, people they like, and people they have a connection with; they take them on one by one.
He himself, on the other hand, casually mentioned having seven apprentices.
“All seven of them are very smart, hardworking, and I can guarantee they are all of good character, so you can rest assured,” Hong Xiaoduo quickly said when Quan Jinghuai didn’t react.
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