The young man was momentarily speechless, looking at the two porcelain-like children and two slender women before him, his face flushing red.
"My words were unpleasant, I apologize. That man in black stole a sword from my Hidden Sword Manor. I'm in a hurry to pursue him. Have you seen him?"
They had clearly seen someone approaching this way. Near the imperial city, there was no other path. If someone had passed, these people should have seen them.
"Impossible! The great hero Black Dragon has plenty of famous swords. Who would bother stealing yours!"
"It wasn't exactly stealing, it was an exchange. He threw down a famous sword and took the one our Manor Lord loved most without his consent. So... hey? What's your relationship with Black Dragon?" The young man narrowed his eyes.
"He's someone I admire. I want to learn martial arts from him in the future!"
The young man suddenly realized. Black Dragon had become famous after a battle at the Martial Arts Convention. The news had spread so quickly that even children knew about it?
"He was chased by two pretty older sisters and went that way. You should have a good talk with the great hero Black Dragon, don't start a fight. You're no match for him."
Little Bei Yue kindly pointed the way, and also kindly reminded him.
The young man, with an unhappy expression, chased after them.
Yu Liu also sighed. From the moment her third brother appeared, he had caused such a stir. The martial world would be lively for a long time.
The few of them walked home slowly, and it was a month later when they returned to Bozi Village.
However, they had brought back one more person.
A child who looked even younger than Bei Yue and Bei Shang, thin and sallow-faced, with sparse hair, shrinking back timidly like a refugee.
After Xue Niang finished affectionately greeting the two children, she looked at the child with a cold, expressionless face beside them and looked at Yu Liu questioningly.
"He's a thief! I wanted to send him to the authorities, but Aunt Liu wouldn't let me."
Little Bei Yue said, pouting his lips and looking at the small child with disdain. A thief was a thief, but this little brat even bit him. He didn't know how to repent, so he should be sent to the authorities and locked up.
Unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, his mother sent them to the corner to kneel as punishment.
Hadn't this matter passed? Didn't their mother just feel sorry for them? Why were they being punished?
The two children kept looking at their father, and then slowly went to the corner. As expected, they saw their father come out a moment later.
"Dad, you instigated us to run away from home. If you don't plead for us, we'll tell Mom."
"If you dare to say that, I'll send you to Jingtao Mountain to study tomorrow."
Dad is so shameless!
Little Bei Yue was so angry he couldn't speak. Suddenly, he thought of something and took out a piece of paper from his embrace: "Dad, do you recognize this? Will you plead for us if I give it to you?"
What is this?
Xiao Shan snatched the paper and opened it to look.
Heh heh!
Feng Shijin is really something, daring to let this brat take this thing out.
"Didn't he tell you that this thing is only useless against your father?"
Xiao Shan tore the paper with his large hand, and in Little Bei Yue's stunned gaze, the thousand-gold worth paper turned into a snowflake.
Then Xiao Shan picked up Little Bei Shang: "Bei Shang must have been tricked by your brother into running away, right? Dad knows you're still a good girl."
"Yes, yes, yes, Dad, I missed you so much, and I brought you pretty beads back."
"It's still my daughter who's good. Raising sons is just troublesome."
...
So, he was the only one who was unlucky?
"I shouldn't have come back!"
Inside the house, as Xue Niang approached, the child's body tensed up more and more. His sharp eyes were like those of a wolf cub, a sign of high alert. In the past, when she was humiliated, she was also like this.
"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."
Xue Niang patted his head. Feeling his body stiffen, she patted his thin little shoulder again.
If he were that child, he should be five years old.
But the one before her looked no older than Bei Yue and Bei Shang.
Xue Niang was also very nervous. Her hand finally reached for his right ear.
A mole like a red bean, slightly oval. She remembered it too clearly!
This was the missing child, the child the palace had searched for a long time but couldn't find. Her brother!
Yu Liu had interacted with this child before. Seeing Xue Niang's expression, she knew she hadn't misidentified him.
The child was suddenly hugged by Xue Niang, and his eyes, cold beyond his years, became bewildered.
Why was this good-looking, gentle-speaking woman hugging him? Wasn't she the mother of those two children? Shouldn't she punish him?
"From now on, this will be your home."
Home?
Was she mistaken?
He was led by the woman to bathe, changed into new clothes he had never worn before, soft and fragrant, and then sat at the dining table with them.
He didn't believe it was real, but after several days of this, he even had a name: Zi An.
It sounded so nice.
He didn't dare to ask why, for fear that if he asked, this beautiful dream would disappear.
At first, Bei Yue and Bei Shang were unwilling to interact with him, which suited him just fine. He also didn't want to get along with them, and he might be driven away at any time, so why bother trying to please them!
However, after a few days, they started talking to him, giving him food and toys.
Perhaps it was because they saw the injuries on his body.
This family was truly good. They were affectionate. The male owner was tall and strong, looking fierce, but not at all scary. The female owner had the final say.
He increasingly didn't want to leave.
Finally, he couldn't help but call out: "Auntie."
But the woman shook her head. Just as he was filled with anxiety, she said, "Call me Sister."
He didn't understand.
But he didn't ask. As long as he wasn't driven away, he didn't care what he called her.
The twins were unhappy because they would have to call him uncle.
"I won't call you uncle, I'll just call you Zi An."
He was happy to be called Zi An, as long as he could stay in this home. He was even willing to be a servant.
But Sister and Brother-in-law wouldn't let him work. If they didn't let him work, why did they take him in?
He felt very uneasy.
"Zi An, tell me about the martial world!"
Little Bei Yue started asking again.
What was so good about the martial world? He was either beaten or bullied. For a bite to eat, he had traveled from one city to another, his feet breaking countless times.
He had also been captured and forced to beg daily. All the things he begged for were handed over, and he couldn't even eat a single steamed bun himself.
The martial world was hell.
"The martial world you speak of is not quite the same as my third uncle's martial world," the small person frowned exquisitely, lost in thought.
Finally, he understood.
His uncle's martial world was a world of experts. Only by becoming strong could one enter it.
"I want to become strong!"
With an imposing aura, he made a solemn vow.
Then, the next day, while still blowing snot bubbles in his dream, he was picked up by Xiao Shan and began practicing martial arts.
"Dad, Mom isn't feeling well, aren't you going to take care of her? You're up so early."
"I brought you in. From now on, you'll get up and practice yourself. Of course, I still have to take care of your mother."
Huh? Could he take back his word?
Xiao Shan was racking his brains trying to figure out how to get Master Jingtao to accept him as a disciple, because his son had too many questions, which was a real headache.
But he never expected that Master Jingtao would personally come to their door.