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“Your Highness!” Feng Xin’s voice echoed through the halls of the castle and the pitter-patter of feet made it impossible to guess the direction it echoed from.
The halls of the castle were many, with hundreds of rooms -many of which were just used for storage of things in case any occasion were to occur.
Xie Lian was outside in the walkway, he shouldn’t have heard the echoes as he did from the hall adjacent. It was testament to how loud Feng Xin was yelling that Xie Lian was warned early.
Quick as he could, he jumped atop the balustrade.
“Don’t make so much noise! He’s not going to stop just because you yell for him.” Mu Qing reprimanded. His steps were much lighter and less frantic.
“Shut up! Who the fuck asked you?” was the reserved answer for whenever Mu Qing was being pragmatic.
Even crouching at his perch Xie Lian sighed.
It’s a good thing I am leaving for a while, he thought half-heartedly, maybe by the time I get back they’ll be the best of confidantes.
Giving it no more thought, he narrowed his eyes on the battlements surrounding the walls. He took a deep breath and just as the door behind him swung open, Xie Lian had jumped and caught onto one of the parapets, hanging from it by one hand.
“Your Highness!” Both Mu Qing and Feng Xin yelled.
Xie Lian, covered in a white robe and silk scarf that not only wrapped around his body but also the bed roll, and the bag he had prepared with minimum supplies, looked very much like a ghost of vengeance.
Smiling up at them apologetically, Xie Lian let go of the wall and thus fell to the other side of the castle. He caught sight of an unfortunate soldier readying his sword, but Xie Lian was quick. As soon as he neared the soldier, he flipped in the air and kicked at his upper back (Neck would have been a better choice had he wanted to actually harm the soldier). The soldier, too shocked, as he had probably seen the Prince’s face by now, fell easily.
Xie Lian made a run for it.
##
It didn’t take long for him to reach the far and last walls that surrounded the castle and separated them from the general public. Mu Qing and Feng Xin had been on the fourth storey of their castle and though they were fast, Mu Qing especially, they could hardly be faster than him and especially when he was in the lead.
So when he started climbing the wall, far away from the gates, he was hopeful.
The walls were at least three storeys high, climbing up there was difficult enough -Xie Lian had to fit his toes in the littlest of the crevices all the while holding onto his backpacks – it will not do to get caught while doing so. The soldier in the watch-tower would easily spot him despite the rows of tree that should hide him for at least half the distance. So he quickly discarded his white robes.
He had ‘borrowed’ Mu Qing’s clothes that he wore whenever he went to see his mother and tied his hair in a simple pony unlike his usual topknot adorned with his crown.
He thanked the Gods in his mind as soon as his feet touched the ground on the other side. It would be wishful thinking that he hadn’t raised an alarm in the castle during his escape. It was a good thing Guoshi got along well with his father. He’ll surely tell him that travelling would be good for Xie Lian, after all it was his idea.
Just ahead of him was a road. He had learned the map of Xiale and its capital city. Learning was a bit of an understatement. He had scorched the image in his retinas. But it still took a moment of confused thinking for him to remember the way.
He had walked a mile before he saw houses and shops littered about, so similar and close to each other that he would probably forget which was whose should he care to learn.
“Sir, do you want to buy these fresh and juicy tomatoes? I guarantee you won’t find sweeter tomatoes than these little beauties!”
“Don’t listen to that swindler, young master! Come here, not only do we have tomatoes, the onions here will surely make you cry!”
“How is that even something to boast about, aye? Sir you don’t need to be crying about no food! My vegetables are fresher than his!”
Xie Lian, bewildered but amused nonetheless, apologized saying he wasn’t here to buy vegetables and moved along, taking care to not stop at one place for too long.
As he approached the main square, he noticed the crowd gathered and with his curiosity piqued, he headed over.
The crowd was booing and jeering, making Xie Lian wonder just how bad the performer was.
“What’s being performed?” Xie Lian asked the quiet but disgruntled appearing man standing to his left.
“What’d"ya mean, what’s being performed? That rascal is being punished again. He stole a watermelon from that stall.”
Xie Lian didn’t understand why the crowd needed to gather for any sort of punishment especially when it was just for a watermelon. He pushed his way towards the centre, apologizing to whichever person he bumped in the process.
A child was tied to a pole, his leg bleeding, hair covering his face and whole posture drooped. Even many feet away, Xie Lian could see the trembling of the child.
His heart ached. If the child was stealing food, he must be very hungry. There was no need to be throwing garbage at him and jeering as the crowd was. This was not any form of entertainment.
“Ah...” Xie Lian called out, thinking quickly. “MuFeng Xin! There you are! Big brother has been looking for you.” Xie Lian stumbled his way towards the boy who hadn’t reacted at all. It was to be expected. He wasn’t really called MuFeng Xin after all.
“Is that brat yours?” a bearded man pointed a stick which he probably used to beat the animals away with.
“Ah, yes, yes.” Xie Lian agreed enthusiastically, placing a hand on the child’s head, jolting him from whatever trance he had fallen into. “This one is mine.”
Instead of looking at the accusing eyes of the old man or the scoffing crowd, Xie Lian looked at the child he had just claimed.
His eyes widened as they met with a single wide eye of the little boy. His mouth was parted and tears were now pooling in his obsidian eye. Half his face was covered in dirty bandages -if they were dirty because of the garbage throwing contest or had been like that originally, he had no idea -and his shabby black hair framed his face as though protecting it from the rest of the world.
And then Xie Lian didn’t wait for permission or other formalities before he started untying the ropes chafing the child’s wrist.
“What do you think you are doing young man?” the old man from before waved his stick in the air.
“Whatever he stole, I’ll pay for it.” Xie Lian picked the child up in his arms, not minding the extra weight he had to now pick up. He was strong enough.
The child, Hong-er -Xie Lian distinctly remembered even after five months had passed -held onto him tightly in return, hiding his face in the crook of Xie Lian’s neck. He was shaking his head and mumbling something so softly that even at this proximity Xie Lian couldn’t make out the words.
The man snorted but seemed to be appeased nonetheless. “It’s 10 yuan.”
Xie Lian was just about to pull out his purse when Hong-er violently straightened and shook his head, his eye wide and shining still.
“Isn’t that too much for a single watermelon old man?” a young man called out who was sitting nearby on a mat which was laid out on the floor. In front of him was a clutter of different sizes soles and sewing equipment as well as other tools required for cobbling.
“You mind your own business, Lu Cheng!” the man was infuriated.
“-just saying it as I see it; you’ll lose more customers if you bully and steal from young masters.” Lu Cheng raised his hands in a placating manner.
The crowd which was still gathered around broke into hushed murmurs, the glares now turning to the vendor.
“Shut up! Fine, it’s 4 yuan then. It’s not the first time this brat has stolen my watermelon.”
Xie Lian didn’t haggle and handed him 10 yuan. “I would like to buy two of your finest watermelons.” he deadpanned.
The old man, placated and ashamed, now that he realized that this boy really was a young master, hurried to give them their fruits.
“What a rude old fart.”
“Of course the young master will pay him.”
“The child must have just gotten lost.”
“I would hate to see my child being treated this way. What an angry old man.”
Xie Lian smiled. At least now no one would hurry to punish a child so ferociously anymore.
“Does young master wants this one to repair this younger master’s shoes?” Lu Cheng smiled winningly at Xie Lain. Xie Lian smiled back, he was slightly amused.
Lu Cheng had seemed more mature than the rest but he had hardly stopped the crowd from hurting this little boy. It was only when he saw Xie Lian did he try to gain his favor.
“Certainly” But Xie Lian wasn’t one to hold onto anger. “But it would be appreciated if you prevented such things from happening before someone of wealth came along.” he scolded lightly.
Okay, maybe he was one to hold onto anger.
With one hand still holding Hong-er in his arms (however unneeded seeing as how tightly Hong-er was holding onto him, he wouldn’t have fallen even if Xie Lian let go) he pulled off the child’s shoes with the other.
“Tell me, Lu Cheng.” Xie Lian asked conversationally. “Is there any inn nearby?”
“Is Young Master from outside the capital city?” Lu Cheng asked. “There is one nearby called the JiangSu Inn. It is the best in this city.”
“Yeah... I am just travelling by.” Xie Lian mumbled. “Is the JiangSu Inn affordable?”
“Why must this Young Master worry about the costs? It’s the best Inn at a relatively affordable price. I wouldn’t stay there, of course, too costly for the likes of me.”
“Then which Inn would you stay at?” Xie Lian asked.
“Hm, probably the one in Backend alley, I think? It’s called Green Lotus. But it should hardly be suitable for young master”
“Ah... about that... I’m not really a young master...” Xie Lian laughed nervously.
“Sure, as you say, young master.”
Xie Lian sighed.
##
Xie Lian stopped once he was near the outskirts of the main city and sat in front of a tree, hoping no one would ask them to leave. Hong-er was still in his arms and refused to be let down so he had to carefully lower himself on the ground, taking care of his luggage, the fruit, shoes and an arm full of a young boy.
“So, what kind of trouble did Hong-er get into this time?” Xie Lian patted the back of the boy soothingly as he put aside everything else and relaxed against the tree.
Hong-er shook his head. He had started trembling again and this time Xie Lian was sure he was crying. He could almost feel a wet patch forming on his robes.
“Oh, little one, it’s alright. This gege will not scold you. Hush, now.” Xie Lian tightened his arms around the boy and rocked back and forth as he remembers his mother doing to him and Qi Rong when they were very young. Mostly Qi Rong as Xie Lian didn’t get into scrapes he couldn’t get out of.
Once the boy had quieted down, Xie Lian pressed his lips to the boy’s head, not minding the fact that the boy stanched like garbage.
“You know...” Xie Lian said mildly when the boy just continued to hold onto him. “You’ve got some cabbage in your hair. What a waste of a perfectly good food, don’t you think?” Xie Lian tickled the boy’s side but the boy didn’t even twitch. “Not ticklish, are you? That’s good. Gege, here is very ticklish. It’s good no one would dare tickle gege though, right?” Xie Lian coaxed the boy gently.
The boy still refused to speak.
“Where do you live?” Xie Lian asked instead, hoping getting the boy home would help him better but the boy only stiffened in his arms and began shaking his head again. “It’s okay. There’s no need to go home just yet. Maybe we should go look into this Backend alley Inn. At least Gege can provide you a bath...”
##
Xie Lian rented a room. The establishment was very shabby and had cobwebs on about every wall. The flies were more in than outside.
But Xie Lian knew Mu Qing and Feng Xin would be looking for him. They would never expect him to rent a room in the most dilapidated area of the city. He would have skipped town right away had he not stumbled into this child again.
As he prepared the bath for Hong-er, keeping in mind how Mu Qing used to keep one ready for him. He had been observing Mu Qing and Feng Xin lately, what they did and how they did it. After Guoshi had given him permission to leave for travels to learn, Xie Lian had decided that he’d survey the lands and spend his days like the common people did to increase his understanding of his people and increase his cultivation.
After all, which God became a God without any hardship?
Hong-er thankfully wasn’t stuck to him so he could work about setting his things aside and doing a bit of cleaning and dusting, however superficially and without effect.
Hong-er still followed him around the room though. Xie Lian was reminded of the time he had seen the ducks in their pond at the palace. The little ones always seemed to follow their mother reminiscent to what Hong-er was doing with him.
“You ought to take a bath now or else the water will go cold.” He explained as he put on his shoes again. “I’ll go buy a new pair of clothes for you.”
Xie Lian had brought enough money, not knowing what the prices would be exactly and how much supply he would need. He might have to get a job some time, he thought, if he was going to travel the whole country.
He didn’t even know what job he could get. Mu Qing would know and Feng Xin would tell him to sit about or practice his sword as they both insisted they could do the jobs on their own.
Xie Lian shook his head. Hadn’t he left them behind because of just that reason?
Just as Xie Lian was about to open the door, Hong-er ran and wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his little head on the small of his back.
Xie Lian couldn’t help but smile. While this boy was very clingy, it still hurt his heart to see him worry that he’d leave him.
Removing his hands from his waist, Xie Lian turned and crouched to the boy’s eye level. His eye was wide and shiny still.
“I’ll come back, don’t worry.” He pecked his forehead. “See, all my stuff is here, little Hong-er is here. Where else will Gege go? Gege will just go buy some clothes for Hong-er to change into. Okay?” Xie Lian cupped his cheek in one hand and wrapped another around him, bringing him into an embrace.
Hong-er gulped and nodded -his eye still shiny. Xie Lian had to admit, Hong-er had the most beautiful eye he had ever seen. Even though it was obsidian and shouldn’t reflect anything, his eyes were like molten metal used for making swords, if only a shade darker.
Xie Lian ruffled his hair and went out, waving to Hong-er and giving him a reassuring smile as he closed the door behind him.
Hong-er had just stood there looking crestfallen and Xie Lian hated to leave but it was best if he scouted the place and got something for the boy to wear. And clean bandages. He’ll infect whatever wound he’s covering with those dirty bandages.
##
When Xie Lian returned two incense stick later, he was surprised to find Hong-er still inside the tub, arms wrapped around his knees and little sobs wracking his little body.
“Hong-er...?” Xie Lian approached the tub quickly, keeping aside his purchases.
Hong-er looked up, shocked with his lips trembling and forming words Xie Lian couldn’t read.
“You didn’t wash your hair.” Xie Lian tutted, choosing -for the moment -to not address the reason for his sobs. The water was cold now and he’d soon catch a fever if he didn’t dry himself.
Taking a mug of water and shampoo, Xie Lian leaned over and started washing his hair for him. Hong-er continued to look at him in frozen disbelief.
“Hey, now.” Xie Lian lightly scratched his scalp. “This gege is sorry he was late.” he said gently. Hong-er quickly shook his head and even through Xie Lian’s ministrations he didn’t relax.
Well, it was no wonder as Xie Lian had never washed anyone else’s hairs before. He was probably doing something wrong. Only, he didn’t know what else to do and Hong-er was hardly vocal.
Once Hong-er had been properly washed and dressed in a red tunic -your name is Hong-er so I thought I’d get something red, it suits you.
When Xie Lian’s stomach rumbled, he noticed the watermelon lying on the table and silently berated himself. He should have fed Hong-er before anything else.
Cutting up the melon he handed over a big piece to Hong-er and just watched him eat for a while, juice dribbling on to his chin. Wiping at his chin, Xie Lian couldn’t help but remember those wives with children inside the castle who would coo over their children and wipe their mouths even as they fed them.
Of course Xie Lian was no mother and Hong-er was hardly a baby. He looked about 10 or 11, perhaps.
That didn’t stop him from cooing at the child inwardly. Now, washed up and dressed in new clothes that fit him, Hong-er was a very cute child. He’d look cuter if he removed his bandages.
Xie Lian had suggested it to him, to replace the bandages but Hong-er had shook his head vehemently and started trembling again so Xie Lian had just handed him a clean set of bandages and turned around, wrapping his own silk bandage over his eyes in reassurance. Only then had Hong-er changed them.
When the sun had set and swept the room in darkness except for the moonlight, Xie Lian had asked Hong-er to take the bed as he unrolled his bed-roll on the floor. Hong-er had hesitated but climbed on the bed nonetheless.
Not able to curb his sudden motherly instincts, especially when it came to this little boy, Xie Lian had tucked him in –kind of like Feng Xin did with him at times –and kissed his forehead again, which no, Feng Xin never did.
Making sure that the boy had closed his eyes, Xie Lian too laid over his bedroll.
##
It was in the middle of the night, around midnight, when Xie Lian noticed something press against his side. Stiffening, he opened his eyes and paid attention to his sense of smell.
When only the musty scent of the room and the smell of shampoo invaded his senses, not to mention that his own body cast a shadow to his side, making him unable to see but he could make out the small figure of a child beside him.
Sleepily, Xie Lian smiled fondly and wrapped an arm around the boy, tucking his head under his chin and over his other arm. The boy was stiff, but slowly relaxed after Xie Lian kissed his head and mumbled something he couldn’t recall come morning.
##
It was the first time he had slept in such close proximity to anyone except perhaps his mother when he was very young, too young to remember.
For all intents and purposes, it should have been uncomfortable but it hadn’t been.
It was the most comfortable Xie Lian had ever slept despite not having the comfort of the palace bed and pillows.
He suspected it was much the same for Hong-er as he seemed to be much brighter and happier in the morning –his eye wide and fixed on Xie Lian’s face as he had woken even before Xie Lian had.
“Good morning.” Xie Lian had mumbled groggily. “You should sleep more.” he had said even as he unwrapped himself from the boy and stood up.
Hong-er, of course, followed soon much to Xie Lian’s chagrin.
Xie Lian only sighed fondly and patted his head.
##
As he went to survey the well and the line of people quarrelling with each other, Hong-er ever following him like a little duckling, he noticed a man glaring at the well and the people surrounding it, standing alone only a few meters away.
Approaching the man, Xie Lian asked. “Is something the matter?”
“The well’s water is dirty, or don’t you know? Are you new here, lad?” the man snapped.
Hong-er, peeking from behind Xie Lian’s robe glared at the man.
“And what are you glaring at brat? Hiding behind the lapels of your older brother?”
Hong-er immediately let go of Xie Lian’s robes and stepped ahead, his face bereft of sweetness in his anger -only to be stopped by Xie Lian picking him up in his arms instead.
“Don’t mind this little shidi, mister.” Xie Lian said politely, patting Hong-er’s back. “How come the well is dirty? Does no one clean it?” Xie Lian asked.
“Who would clean up the shit for no pay?”
“Won’t the King pay for these things?”
The man scoffed. “Should the King even be aware of such things as cleaning public waters?”
“If he is not aware, why not tell him?”
“You really are new, aren’t you? Do you think the guards would let us have an audience with the King? No one here has even seen the face of the Crown prince except when he saved a brat during the festival. That was decent of him, no doubt but people are making it into a heroic deed when they shouldn’t. It is a common decency, nothing to be commended over.”
“I agree.” Xie Lian smiled serenely even as Hong-er’s glare grew fiercer. “About the well, though, couldn’t you ask the guards to pass on the message to the king?”
“You are really naive, young man.” the old man shook his head, his anger calm now at the earnestness of the kid in front of him. “I don’t think even the guards are allowed to speak to the King, unless there’s an emergency.”
##
And such passed a few days, with Xie Lian inspecting area after area and at night when they returned to their room -since Hong-er refused to leave him and would start crying at the slightest mention of home - he would write down all that he had gathered from talking to the commoners.
“I doubt I’ll be able to do this when I am King.” Xie Lian sighed one night, staring at the canopy with his hands supporting his head. Hong-er was lying next to him on the bed, still staring at Xie Lian.
If Xie Lian wasn’t used to people looking at him all the time already, he might be a little uncomfortable, seeing as Hong-er always stared at him as though he was memorizing every twitch of his muscle and every strand of his hair. But considering the fact that this boy knew who he was, even though he looked much haggard these days and nothing like a Prince of a palace except for his mannerisms, it was no great surprise if he was a little awestruck.
Maybe Xie Lian was giving himself a bit too much credit but he believed anyone, once faced with this little kid’s intense stares, would start thinking similarly.
“I might as well find out as much as I can before I have to return to the Palace again. Maybe I’ll open the court for the common people to bring up their grievances when I am King. What do you say?” Xie Lian shifted and turned on his side to look back at Hong-er.
“Hong-er will sur-vey for your Highness.” Hong-er rarely spoke and so his voice always seemed to sound as though coming from graded sand but even still Xie Lian would grin at him brightly, happy that he had spoken at all. It was progress. It meant Hong-er wasn’t scared to speak anymore.
“Just call me gege.” Xie Lian repeated.
“Gege” Hong-er repeated in all seriousness, his singular eye still fixed on Xie Lian.
The first time Hong-er spoke, Xie Lian was trying to cook something and not having cooked before, he stared at the vegetables in consternation as he used his sword this way or that to chop the vegetable. Xie Lian had almost not heard him.
“Maybe Hong-er could cut the vegetables.” Hong-er had offered.
Instead of answering him, Xie Lian had just picked the boy in his arms and hugged him tightly.
As it turned out, even though Hong-er was only eleven he knew how to cook basic everyday food. It was nothing like the food that was prepared in the Palace (which Xie Lian was very picky about) and neither was it the monstrosity that Xie Lian seemed to create whenever he tried his hand at cooking. Hong-er never said it and diligently ate whatever Xie Lian cooked up even going so far as to praise him but Xie Lian had eaten his own cooking so he knew.
And as it happened, one week easily and quickly passed them by, with Hong-er’s smiles growing with every sunrise.
Of course it couldn’t last.
##
“We have been to every part of the city. How come we never once encountered your home? Where do you live?” Xie Lian asked him on the eight day as he was busy ordering his notes and tying them up neatly.
Hong-er stiffened. Xie Lian hadn’t asked him about his home except the first day and had left it to the child to ask to be sent home, which he hadn’t and so here they stood.
“I won’t ask you to leave just yet. You can at least tell me where you live.”
“H-Hong-er was... thrown away. No home.”
Xie Lian’s movements paused. The child had said there was no one to look after him when Qi Rong had dragged him around the city like a savage villain.
“Ah, but you must live somewhere. Why did you run away back then if you had nowhere to go?” He was referring to the time he brought Hong-er to Taichung Mountain.
Hong-er looked away.
Sensing it was probably not something he wanted to talk about, Xie Lian let it go and instead concentrated on his work. He had to be meticulous. If he was to bring about any change, he needed to have thorough research and ideas to bring about change, all prepared and set if he wanted his father to even hear him out.
“Hong- er is...” Xie Lian turned to face the child who was in return facing away from him. Xie Lian hadn’t expected him to speak up on his own accord. “I... where ever I go... bad things happen.”
Xie Lian didn’t say anything and waited for him to continue but after a few moments, realized he wasn’t going to explain much more.
“Is this about what Guoshi called you? The Star of...” Xie Lian hesitated, not knowing whether talking about this was a good idea seeing as how much Hong-er had cried afterwards.
“Hong-er did not want gege to hate him.” Hong-er said in a quiet voice.
Xie Lian for his turn was speechless. Then slowly he moved towards Hong-er who was looking away from him and knelt at his side.
“Come on, little guy, look at this gege.” he coaxed softly. After a while when Hong-er did as asked, his expression guarded -too much for a child of only 11. “We have been staying together for a week now.”
Hong-er had gone stiffer than before and nodded rigidly, looking as though he was going to cry and yell at the same time.
“Hey now,” Xie Lian cupped his cheeks in his hands. “During this time, nothing bad has happened. And you are hardly a Star of Solitude. I am here, aren’t I? I did bring you to Taicheng Mountain. I would have convinced everyone in the end and kept you by my side. All this luck and stuff? It’s all stupid. If you have bad luck, become capable. Besides, your luck can’t be all that bad. Just how many times have you met me?” Xie Lian grinned cheekily and winked at the boy, despite his cheeks turning red from being so shameless in front of a kid.
The kid didn’t say anything and kept staring at him blankly causing Xie Lian to sweat inwardly and feel even more embarrassed.
How shameless were his words for a kid 7 years younger than him to start judging him?
Xie Lian’s blush extended further and he coughed in his fist in hopes to clear the atmosphere. “You can stay with me from now on. Um... if you want... I was actually planning to travel all over the country... you must have school... so don’t feel obliged. Hey, you do go to school right?”
At a potential serious topic, Xie Lian’s blush receded and a frown appeared between his eyebrows.
Hong-er shook his head.
“Do you know how to read and write?”
Hong-er shook his head again.
“Ah, no matter, we can teach you. If you want I could enroll you into a school before leaving?” Xie Lian asked. He had enough money on hand for that and even if no one let him take up guardianship, the castle was nearby and even though Xie Lian would have to make another escape plan (from Mu Qing and Feng Xin) he could easily enroll the boy to one of the top schools as a Crown Prince. He doubted Guoshi would take him though, considering his reaction last time.
Maybe he could construct a place for all homeless children to live and learn. This way Hong-er might make a few friends too.
While Xie Lian was busy thinking about ways to keep Hong-er in school, Hong-er had pushed his hands away and jumped onto Xie Lian’s lap, wrapping his arms around Xie Lian’s neck in a tight hold.
“Gege, don’t leave.” Hong-er’s voice was too panicked and vehement to be considered a plea. It sounded more like an order making Xie Lian almost smile despite the current atmosphere.
“Ah, but Hong-er the later you enroll the more work you’ll have and this gege’s travels may take months.” Xie Lian patted his back. Hong-er shook his head again.
“Hong-er will go with gege.” Such strong was his resolution that this time Xie Lian did smile. Hong-er was very shy around him and Xie Lian had long since wanted to know this child.
“As you wish, little one.” Xie Lian patted his hair. “We’ll be leaving at the first crack of dawn tomorrow.”
Hearing that, Hong-er pulled away and actually glared at him for the first time, however half-hearted it seemed. “Gege was packing.” Hong-er said accusingly, an unknown fear lightening his eye for a moment.
“Ah, yeah.” Xie Lian said sheepishly. “I didn’t want to ask you to leave and I couldn’t possibly ask you to come with me without proper consent.”
“Gege has Hong-er’s consent. Hong-er will go with gege.” Hong-er replied, ever so serious.
Xie Lian couldn’t help but let out a snicker at such a cute face imitating the most serious of adults.
Hong-er frowned, probably thinking that Xie Lian wasn’t taking him seriously but Xie Lian kissed his frowning forehead and nuzzled his cheek.
“Ah, I’ve always wanted a baby disciple.” Xie Lian said earnestly.
Cheeks puffing, Hong-er retorted, “Hong-er is not a baby! I am eleven years old!”