Little Qiu'er's life or death is now uncertain.
Even if Zhao Shuning truly resented Feng Xiaobai,
it wouldn't help the situation.
This blow
was also a heavy one for Feng Xiaobai.
He was just a three - year - old child. The guilt in his heart was probably like a mountain, weighing him down so much that he could hardly breathe. If Zhao Shuning blamed him,
this child
might have a mental breakdown.
"My child of Zhao Shuning is no crybaby."
"Mother, I was wrong, so wrong—I'll never do it again—"
"Sister."
"Little Qiu'er—"
"Is sister not back yet?"
Feng Xiaobai's nose twitched due to his intense sobbing. The tip of his nose was red,
and his eyes were a bit swollen.
Zhao Shuning wiped the tears from the corners of Feng Xiaobai's eyes.
She said in a subdued tone, "I haven't found sister yet."
She said "haven't found", without mentioning the things she had encountered.
The darkness in Feng Xiaobai's eyes deepened.
It was all his fault for being useless.
It was all his fault for not making enough progress in his cultivation.
It was all his fault for not protecting his sister well.
From then on,
he would surely work hard.
If he ever met that Wei She again,
he would surely skin him alive, crush his bones and scatter his ashes.
Zhao Shuning asked, "Are you hungry?"
Feng Xiaobai didn't answer.
He stopped sobbing.
He said, "Mother, I'm a bit tired. I want to rest some more."
"Then you sleep a bit longer?"
"I want to eat the pancakes you made, Mother."
"Okay, I'll go make them for you."
Feng Xiaobai nodded.
Zhao Shuning watched Feng Xiaobai lie on the bed. He gave her a smile and closed his eyes.
When he heard the sound of the door closing,
Feng Xiaobai opened his eyes.
His hand
grasped the wooden post on the bed tightly. Because of the force, the pear - wood was indented several inches deep.
He saw
the desolation in his mother's eyes.
He saw
the wound on his mother's hand.
He knew
it was all because of his own arrogance.
Little Qiu'er must have—must have had an accident.
Mother didn't want him to worry.
The more so,
the more Feng Xiaobai felt it was his own problem.
After this incident,
he also understood
there was always someone better out there.
His ability was not strong enough to protect the people he cared about.
"Mother, don't worry. I won't let anyone hurt you again."
Feng Xiaobai was still the same Feng Xiaobai as before.
But
everything
seemed different.
The incident of Wei She had planted a seed in Feng Xiaobai's heart that could never be erased.
On the other side,
in the Secret Sea Realm.
It was still that bamboo grove.
It was still the familiar small bamboo hut.
On the bed woven of bamboo, there lay a porcelain - doll - like little girl.
Although she was still a child,
her face
was fair and tender, and her facial features were so delicate that there was not a single flaw.
The clothes she had worn before had long been soaked with blood and sweat. Now they had been taken off by Yan Ruyu, and she had been changed into a clean and fresh set of clothes.
The little girl on the bed had clearly experienced such a terrifying thing before.
But now when looking at her,
on her face
there was not a trace of fear.
She was sleeping quietly, with a faint smile on her lips.
The wind blew.
The wind made the bells outside the bamboo hut jingle.
Only then did Yan Ruyu wake up.
He had actually been lost in thought looking at this little girl.
Who was she?
Why was she involved with an evil beast like Wei She?
For a child,
Wei She had actually taken such a risky move and even dared to ask him for her?
Also,
why did he feel so close to this child as soon as he saw her?
That sense of familiarity seemed to be inborn.
The gentle breeze blew the little girl's hair a bit messy. A strand of hair touched the tip of her nose, which should have been a bit itchy.
So
the girl on the bed
moved slightly.
Seeing this,
Yan Ruyu quickly shifted his gaze.
Feng Qiu'er felt very comfortable, as if bathed in the spring breeze.
She moved slightly.
She opened her eyes.
What came into view was a simple and clean small bamboo hut.
The furnishings inside were simple.
Under the eaves
hung two small bells.
Feng Qiu'er moved a bit more, and her whole body ached as if being torn.
This pain told her
that what had happened before was not a dream.
The pain also made her take a sharp breath.
"How are you?"
"The wound must still hurt a lot, right?"
A clear and mellow voice came.
This voice
was so nice.
It was the most magnetic and gentle voice Feng Qiu'er had ever heard from a man since she was born.
She turned her gaze towards the source of the sound.
She was stunned.
Before Feng Qiu'er fainted, her mind was full of those pair of deep blue eyes.
Now that she woke up,
it was broad daylight.
The sun was shining brightly.
The gentle breeze was blowing.
The man in front of her
stood against the light.
His perfect outline and delicate facial features were perfectly presented in front of her.
It turned out
that there really was such a person in the world.
In a green robe with fair hair,
his face was as white as snow.
His delicate facial features were flawless.
Seeing the little girl staring at him in a daze,
Yan Ruyu couldn't help but take a step forward.
He gently placed his hand on her forehead.
The wound had been treated, and the fever had subsided. There should be no major problem.
"You—"
Yan Ruyu spoke softly.
As if he was afraid of scaring Feng Qiu'er.
After all, she was just a little girl. It was impossible for her not to be afraid after seeing such a huge and evil beast like Wei She.
"You don't have a fever anymore."
Just as Yan Ruyu was about to take his hand back,
the little hands of the girl on the bed suddenly grabbed him.
They were soft and waxy, very comfortable.
The moment Feng Qiu'er grabbed Yan Ruyu's hand, her first feeling was coldness. It was really cold.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Father, you are my father, right?"
The little girl sat up straight.
She raised her head.
Her beautiful big eyes were full of expectation.
She just stared at Yan Ruyu like this.
Yan Ruyu was a bit stunned.
Then he pulled his hand back.
Feng Qiu'er was disappointed.
Tears seemed to well up in her big eyes.
This scene
actually made Yan Ruyu's heart skip a beat.
Under the little girl's pleading gaze,
he reached his hand out again.
Seeing this,
Feng Qiu'er quickly hugged Yan Ruyu's whole arm tightly with both hands. She was so overjoyed that she didn't know how to describe it.
"I knew Mother wouldn't lie."
"Father is really as amazing as Mother said. No, Father is even better than what Mother said."
Feng Qiu'er rested her little head on Yan Ruyu's arm.
The state was very intimate.
Yan Ruyu said, "The wounds on your body should heal soon. But the wound on your leg is a bit more serious. Rest for a few more days, and then I'll send you back to your mother."
Feng Qiu'er looked up.
With teary eyes, she said, "Why do you want to send me back, Father?"
Yan Ruyu frowned slightly.
Feng Qiu'er added, "Mother and I came here to find you. Why do you want to send me back? Do you not want me, my brother, and Mother anymore?"
Brother?
Mother?
Yan Ruyu looked at the little pink - ball - like girl in front of him.
A strange feeling welled up in his heart.