Actually, Xie Miao’er’s words weren’t entirely meant to be nonsensical or to divert the topic.
She truly felt that way.
As long as he stood by her side, even if he said nothing, just by looking at his back, she would feel a sense of peace.
The naïve young girl didn’t know what kind of storm her casual words could stir up.
Lu Huaihai’s hand, which had been raised, froze midair.
It was as if a croquet ball was rolling toward him, tap-tap-tap. His instinct was to pick up the mallet and hit it away, but before he could react, the little ball had already fallen into the hole.
Lu Huaihai’s expression stiffened, and the curiosity that had flashed in his eyes vanished in an instant.
Even though nothing had actually happened, Lu Huaihai felt that he must look extremely embarrassed right now.
The only thing he was grateful for was that Xie Miao’er was looking out the window and hadn’t noticed his expression.
He awkwardly shifted the topic, “You haven’t eaten breakfast?”
Xie Miao’er had originally intended to change the subject anyway. Hearing this, she finally turned her face back and replied, “I told Yue Chuang to fetch something from the small kitchen.”
Right on cue, her stomach growled audibly.
Lu Huaihai suddenly picked up a food box.
It turned out his right hand, which had been behind his back all this time, was holding it.
Xie Miao’er’s eyes lit up. She took the food box and happily opened the lid.
“Ah! This doesn’t look like something the small kitchen would make?” Xie Miao’er exclaimed in mild surprise.
Inside the box were a few neatly arranged plates of street snacks, including the food rolls they’d eaten last time, two steamed prawns, two bowls of wontons, and a few small dishes of pickles.
Lu Huaihai could guess even with his eyes closed what his small kitchen would prepare in the morning—either plain congee or fine noodles. The flavors were so bland that he had long gotten used to skipping breakfast.
But he’d woken up early today and remembered that Xie Miao’er hadn’t eaten yet, so he sent someone to buy food from the street.
When the lid of the food box was opened, her almond-like face, dewy and radiant, was enveloped in the warm steam. Lu Huaihai’s Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed up and down.
His throat tightened, and he said, “What taste could the small kitchen’s congee possibly have?”
As he spoke, Yue Chuang returned with another food box. She walked in, saying, “It’s getting late, and the cook said there’s only plain congee left…”
She glanced up and saw Xie Miao’er and the young master standing by the window. With quick wits, she set the food box down and slipped away without a word.
Xie Miao’er was baffled. “Why is she running off?”
The maid was rather perceptive. Lu Huaihai said calmly, “If you don’t eat soon, it’ll get cold.”
Finally, Xie Miao’er’s attention returned to the food before her. She rubbed her hands together and, after helping Lu Huaihai tidy up the ink, paper, and brushes scattered on the table, pulled him along to wash their hands. Only then did she finally pick up her chopsticks.
The table by the window wasn’t very big—in fact, it was more like a tall, narrow desk. With the two of them squeezed together to eat, they accidentally bumped their foreheads while lowering their heads, leaving matching red marks.
Xie Miao’er winced and leaned back, only to knock the back of her head against the cabinet.
Lu Huaihai’s lips curved ever so slightly, but the amusement had already reached deep into his eyes.
Xie Miao’er noticed. Out of spite, she grabbed her chopsticks and picked up one of the steamed prawns meant for Lu Huaihai, dropping it into her own bowl.
Lu Huaihai could barely suppress his muffled laughter. Fortunately, he had basic manners and managed to stifle it by taking a sip of tea.
Xie Miao’er wasn’t very skilled at throwing a tantrum. Her act of snatching food didn’t anger Lu Huaihai; instead, it left her in an awkward position. Bracing herself, she forced down the second steamed prawn, which was nearly the size of her palm, only to end up with a stomachache from overeating.
Holding her waist, Xie Miao’er stood up, deciding to walk around the courtyard to digest. Looking over, she noticed that Lu Huaihai, who was usually busy during the day and often disappeared by climbing over the wall, was still there.
Curious, she asked, “Shaoye, are you very free today?”
Lu Huaihai replied, “Tomorrow, I will enlist in the army.”
This morning’s legal dispute had gone exactly as he had expected. The only uncertainty was when Madam Zhang and her lot would make their move.
There’s a saying: a thousand days can be spent preparing for a thief, but one can’t guard against a thief for a thousand days. If this issue wasn’t resolved, he worried that Xie Miao’er would suffer while he was away.
However, being a man of few words, Lu Huaihai didn’t see the need to elaborate on things that had already passed.
Xie Miao’er was shocked. “So soon?”
She mentally calculated the days and was even more astonished. If she remembered correctly, the records indicated that Lu Huaihai’s first enlistment was supposed to be at least ten days later than now.
Suddenly, a trace of fear crept into her heart. She was afraid that she had disrupted the flow of history. Startled, she looked up and blurted out without thinking.
“Can’t you leave today?”
One moment she was lamenting how rushed his departure was, and the next moment she was urging him to leave immediately. Lu Huaihai almost thought he was hallucinating.
The moment the words left her mouth, Xie Miao’er realized they were inappropriate. She hastily tried to explain, “I just… I’m just afraid of delays. I heard that the coastal raids by the Wokou are particularly severe. Yue Chuang mentioned in a letter from home that she’s trying to find a way to bring her family to the provincial capital.”
In truth, leaving today wasn’t impossible. Lu Huaihai knew this very well. He simply wanted to linger in this small courtyard for one more day before his departure.
But he was naturally reserved, like a closed gourd. Threads of emotion were difficult for him to put into words.
Lu Huaihai had no intention of saying it either. He cast a fleeting glance at Xie Miao’er.
He wanted to spend more time with her, but she was instead questioning why he didn’t leave today?
Xie Miao’er remained oblivious that she had already been added to his mental blacklist. She kept trying to explain herself, unaware that in Lu Huaihai’s eyes, she was only making things worse.
He let out a low hum, turned away, and went to retrieve his sword, clearly uninterested in engaging further with her.
Xie Miao’er noticed his sulky mood but dared not provoke him further. He had already begun swinging his sword, its cold gleam menacing. Frightened, she shrank back and scurried away.
After a while, Xie Miao’er crept back to his side, twisting her fingers in a way that made it obvious she had something to say.
Seeing her demeanor, Lu Huaihai immediately guessed she had a favor to ask. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping toward her eyes.
Xie Miao’er explained her plan to ask Lady Cheng, the wife of Cheng Yuandao, for help in taking care of her younger brother and sister. Lu Huaihai didn’t ask for details and merely said, “Go in the afternoon.”
After lunch, the two of them headed out.
This time, Xie Miao’er finally remembered that the courtyard had a proper gate. With her small arms and legs, she refrained from insisting on climbing over the wall.
Lu Huaihai’s gaze involuntarily drifted to her slender waist. Seeing that she didn’t intend to climb the wall, he inexplicably felt a tinge of disappointment.
As they passed through the front courtyard, they ran into Madam Su. She glanced at the two of them but said nothing in the end, merely instructing a servant to fetch a carriage for them.
Xie Miao’er and Lu Huaihai sat facing each other in the carriage.
Thinking about how Lu Huaihai was about to leave—and for several months at that—Xie Miao’er couldn’t help but quietly scoot closer to him while he rested with his eyes closed.
The carriage wasn’t very large, and Lu Huaihai, with his sharp senses, had already noticed her seemingly subtle movements.
He didn’t open his eyes and allowed her to inch closer, but his hand under his robe sleeve was far from calm—it was already clenched into a tight fist, completely at odds with his outward composure.
Xie Miao’er, unaware of his tension, saw that he was resting with his eyes closed and unabashedly began to study him.
At his age, a young gentleman’s facial stubble grew quickly. Although he had shaved in the morning, by this time of day, a faint shadow of blue-green had already emerged on his chin.
She touched her own smooth chin, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Just then, Lu Huaihai, who had remained silent, suddenly opened his eyes.
Caught off guard, Xie Miao’er hastily averted her gaze.
Lu Huaihai asked, “Have you seen enough?”
Xie Miao’er, ever honest, replied, “No.”
Anyone who had admired someone for so many years would never get tired of looking when that person was right beside them.
Lu Huaihai had intended to tease her, but he hadn’t expected her to respond so straightforwardly, her face calm and her breath steady. Instead, he found himself at a loss.
Her sincerity was like that of a child—she never hid her thoughts. Lu Huaihai understood that her words carried no deeper meaning.
He wouldn’t overthink it, but… people are inherently greedy, and he couldn’t help but let his thoughts wander.
In the end, Lu Huaihai merely sighed and said, “If you have such thoughts, don’t share them with others.”
Xie Miao’er gave a vague “oh” in response, not quite understanding.
Soon, they arrived at the western part of the provincial city, where the Xie family’s cloth workshop was located. Cheng Yuandao, upon seeing them, initially thought they were there to handle accounts. After hearing Xie Miao’er’s explanation, he readily agreed to help.
Cheng Yuandao said, “It’s a small matter. If my wife and I didn’t already have several children to care for, we wouldn’t mind bringing Brother Xie’s children into our household to raise.”
After saying this, he lamented the ruthlessness of Lady Du and added, “There’s no better time than today. Since I’m free this afternoon, why don’t I accompany the young shopkeeper to Dujia Village to bring the two children back?”
Years ago, when Xie Jinfu remarried Lady Du, it had been Cheng Yuandao who accompanied him to fetch the bride. The people of Dujia Village recognized him, and with his presence, things would likely go smoother.
Xie Miao’er hadn’t fully thought through meeting her younger siblings so suddenly. Nervous, she instinctively looked at Lu Huaihai.
His clear and refined figure remained at her side, and seeing him nod at her, she felt a surge of reassurance. She said, “Alright, then I’ll trouble you, Uncle Cheng.”
The two little children were successfully brought back. As for matters concerning Lady Du, the adults tacitly avoided discussing them in front of the children. However, when Dujia Village’s eldest son, Du Dalang, overheard the news, his face turned ashen.
Lu Huaihai immediately guessed that Lady Du’s false testimony likely had something to do with him. Madam Zhang had probably promised him benefits in return. However, with Madam Zhang herself now in dire straits, dragging others down with her, the Du family wouldn’t escape unscathed either.
Xie Miao’er, on the other hand, wasn’t thinking that far. She was still adjusting to her role as an elder sister and kept her distance from the two little ones. Fortunately, there had been a ten-year age gap between her original self and her younger siblings, so they hadn’t been particularly close. Xie Teng and Xie Ying’er were much closer to each other, snuggling together as they sat.
Cheng Yuandao introduced Xie Miao’er to a trustworthy broker, who helped her purchase two older women skilled in caring for young children. She arranged for them to settle in the Xie family’s residence first, allowing them time to familiarize themselves with the environment and tidy things up.
Knowing that Xie Miao’er’s current status made it inconvenient for her to go out often, Cheng Yuandao gently patted Xie Teng’s head and said decisively, “Let them stay at my home for a few days.”
Xie Miao’er’s eyes filled with gratitude. Sincerely, she said, “Thank you, Uncle Cheng.”
Cheng Yuandao waved it off and instructed his servants to take the children back to his home.
Three-year-old Xie Ying’er, still too young to understand, followed the servant woman in a daze, completely unaware of what was happening. The older Xie Teng, however, glanced back at his elder sister as he walked, sneaking looks at her as if reluctant to part.
Xie Miao’er waved at him.
After taking care of everything, dusk had quietly climbed up the hillside, and the setting sun hung hesitantly, painting the horizon in shades of orange-red.
Letting out a long sigh, Xie Miao’er felt a weight lifted from her shoulders.
Lu Huaihai was about to leave soon, and he had accompanied her all day today. Feeling a little guilty, Xie Miao’er said, “Shaoye, I’ve troubled you a lot today.”
Lu Huaihai didn’t feel troubled at all. Seeing her handle everything in an organized and efficient manner gave him a rare sense of relief.
The young man didn’t yet understand that this feeling was called “care.” His thin lips pressed into a slight line as he said, “Walk with me.”
The carriage was left in the care of a servant at the entrance of the cloth workshop, while the two wandered aimlessly through the bustling streets and alleys.
The lively street scene receded slowly in Lu Huaihai’s peripheral vision, but her small figure remained firmly in his sight.
Suddenly, Xie Miao’er darted off, running ahead to stop a street vendor who was calling out—
“Fragrant cakes, baked pastries, Victory Cakes! Young lady, what would you like to buy?”
“How much for the Victory Cakes?”
“Five coins each, six for a bundle. Stuffed with red bean paste. Want to try?”
…
A few meters away, Lu Huaihai paused in his steps.
The young girl, now holding a paper-wrapped bundle of cakes, came running back to him. Her simple silver hairpin glinted under the orange-red clouds, outshining any gold or jade ornament.
She was radiant, her bright eyes reflecting only him.
“Victory Cakes!” Xie Miao’er held up the paper bundle like a treasure, presenting it to him. “The meaning is so auspicious!”
In Lu Huaihai’s deep, dark eyes, there was nothing left but her. He couldn’t even spare a thought for the Victory Cakes.
Xie Miao’er imitated a solemn tone and said to him, “You’ll definitely achieve victory.”
General Lu.
The chapter that belongs to you is just beginning.
Everything in the world lost its color in Lu Huaihai’s eyes. His fingers trembled slightly as he lifted his hand toward her, but it froze midair.
He asked, “Besides that, is there… anything else you’d like to say?”