Chapter 20
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“Ah Wu, I miss Niang Niang.”
Ling Rui buried his little face in his fur, not talking to him about killing or not, but about the noble consort who was still in the palace.
He wanted to see Niang Niang, as well as Auntie and Grandmother.
Especially Niang Niang. After seeing the premonition of little Uncle, Ling Rui’s heart was pounding.
“Niang Niang is the best.”
Ling Rui’s small voice sounded muffled as he spoke to Ah Wu about Niang Niang’s virtues.
Ah Wu had heard these words from him before.
But he didn’t interrupt the cub’s words, letting him continue.
After talking for a while, Ling Rui lifted his little face, looking at Ah Wu, and said, “Ah Wu, let’s live with Niang Niang!”
He was inviting Ah Wu to live in Fenghua Palace with him.
This time when Ah Wu came over, in the cub’s mind, he hadn’t considered that Ah Wu would leave again.
“We can have meals together and play together!”
Ling Rui thought for a moment, tilting his head slightly, his little face showing a slight worry, “But I still have to go to school.”
If he had to go to school, he might not be able to bring Ah Wu with him.
He was still earnestly planning their life in the palace with Ah Wu, but the other party involved in his plans, after nudging his head against him, whispered, “Zaizai, come with me.”
Ling Rui: “…”
Ling Rui was taken aback.
He seemed to have not heard clearly and asked, “You, what did you say?”
As he asked, Ah Wu hesitated in silence for a moment.
This time, Ah Wu had the thought of taking his child away.
But taking the child away, he might not be able to provide a good life for him.
This was the human world, different from the world of mountains and seas. Survival here was not possible solely through hunting.
“Zaizai, do you want to come with me? I’ll take you somewhere else.”
After asking the question, Ah Wu couldn’t help but lower his head and lick him. Although this kind of check was useless, breaking the habit he had nurtured for so long would take time.
“Ah Wu.”
Ling Rui’s small hand gripped his sturdy fur, but his little head drooped down, “Can you not go?”
“We live here, with Niang Niang.”
Ling Rui had no mother or family, only Ah Wu. Now that he was here, he finally had so many family members, and he didn’t want to leave.
Ah Wu knew that cub naturally sought dependence from their elders; it was instinctual.
He didn’t stop him.
“You can stay here.”
After pondering for a while, Ah Wu said to him, “Once I’ve finished my business, I’ll come and get you.”
He wasn’t sure how long he and the child would stay in this world, but since they were here now, he wanted to create the best living environment for the cub.
Just like when they lived in the world of mountains and seas, after his fierce reputation spread far and wide, no one dared to covet the nest he built for the cub.
“No.”
Hearing his words, Ling Rui shook his head like a rattle, “I don’t want you to go.”
He wanted Niang Niang, and he wanted Ah Wu too!
“Ah Wu, stay.” Ling Rui rubbed against him with his soft face, pleading for him to stay.
But Ah Wu pressed his head against the cub’s, showing no intention of changing his mind, “Zaizai, this place isn’t suitable for me to stay.”
From start to finish, he had never thought of staying in Qichao.
Zaizai was still young and understood little; he didn’t know that Qichao was the weakest country among the nations.
“I need to go back—”
Ah Wu tried to say the words “Great Qing,” but couldn’t. His brows furrowed slightly, but soon relaxed.
Even if they encountered some restrictions, it didn’t matter.
Just like this time, he had successfully found his cub, and the restrictions they faced would one day be overcome.
“Zaizai, I’ll come to see you often.”
Ah Wu comforted his emotions, saying to him, “When we’re not together, I’ll write you letters every day.”
Upon hearing this, Ling Rui covered his ears, not wanting to listen to him speak at all.
When they were together before, Ah Wu didn’t speak much; he was mostly silent. He would bring back a lot of food for his cub, but wouldn’t say much.
Now, he had spoken so many words, which was actually quite rare.
But Ling Rui didn’t buy it.
In his little mind, he only remembered one thing: Ah Wu was going to leave.
Time passed by.
Ling Rui pressed his face against Ah Wu’s neck, and in no time, Ah Wu’s neck became damp.
“Zaizai, if I don’t go back, I won’t be able to have a human form like you.” Feeling the dampness on his neck, Ah Wu spoke again.
As soon as he finished speaking, in less than three seconds, Ling Rui raised his little face, his eyes red as he looked at him, “Do you have to go back to make that happen?”
“Mmm.”
Ah Wu lowered his gaze, and the golden pupils reflected the appearance of the cub. He said, “I have some family members in another place, and I want to go back and see them.”
Ling Rui: “!”
Ling Rui’s eyes widened instantly, “Ah Wu also has family members!”
Ah Wu nodded and introduced them to him, “I have a Father and mother, and some siblings… there are many people, very lively.”
Listening to his introduction, Ling Rui’s mouth opened wide, “Wow, Ah Wu is just like me.”
Ling Rui had Niang Niang and the family members in the General’s Mansion, as well as several siblings. In his little mind, he subconsciously felt that having family members was a happy thing.
If Ah Wu had family members, he would surely want to be with them too.
“Ah Wu, can’t we all be together?” Ling Rui thought beautifully, imagining all the adults living together so that he and Ah Wu wouldn’t be separated.
“Such a day will come.”
Ah Wu promised, “It’s just that Zaizai needs to be patient.”
With Ah Wu painting such a rosy picture, Ling Rui’s emotions finally calmed down a bit from the strong rejection earlier, and he stuck to him, still reluctant to part.
“Ah Wu, let’s meet once a day.”
“The journey is long, and one day isn’t enough.”
“Two days?”
“Not acceptable.”
“What about three days?”
After bargaining back and forth, Ling Rui pouted with a sullen face and agreed with Ah Wu to meet once every two months. Of course, this was only temporary.
Ah Wu promised in the future to bring Ling Rui over and be with him every day.
“Zaizai, do you still remember the inn with your portrait?” Just as Ling Rui was sulking, Ah Wu suddenly asked him.
“I remember.”
Although he wasn’t very happy, the little child still wouldn’t ignore people.
Ah Wu’s big paw rested on him, and he earnestly instructed him, “In the future, if you see someone with the symbol you drew, you can go in and find the boss. I am their patron. Whatever conditions you ask for, they will agree.”
The inn owner, originally not entirely Ah Wu’s, became so after he exerted some effort to become the sole patron of the inn.
“Take this with you. When you ask the boss for help, show him this.” Ah Wu gently bit off a round jade piece that was supposed to be worn on the arm from his claw and gave it to Ling Rui.
Ling Rui took it and put it on his wrist.
The two of them stayed in the guest room for a long time.
Until Madam Murong came back, Ling Rui covered Ah Wu’s body with a blanket, leaving only his head exposed, and then patted his head, coaxing him softly, “Ah Wu, go to sleep well. I heard grandmother calling me.”
“Okay.”
Ah Wu responded, and after he left with his three steps and turned his head, he closed his eyes.
He had been injured many times before, so getting hurt wasn’t something rare for him. The most serious injury he had sustained was when he was bitten by several fierce beasts while hunting in the world of mountains and seas.
At that time, he felt like he was going to die.
So instead of returning to the nest, he went in the opposite direction of the nest and dug a hole under a big tree, lying down quietly to await death.
He had stored a lot of food for Zaizai in the nest, enough for Zaizai to eat for a while.
After finishing the food, if Zaizai went hunting alone, it might be a little harder, but at least it would fill the belly of one beast, which was easier than raising both of them.
His injury prevented him from hunting anymore.
The feeling of lying in the pit was indescribable. Ah Wu closed his eyes and didn’t know how long he had been lying there. Rain fell from the sky, and he opened his eyes when he was drenched.
Then, he saw his Zaizai lying on top of the pit, calling out to him.
Zaizai smelled the blood on him, twitching his little nose, his wet eyes filled with confusion and fear.
He drove Zaizai away in the pit, his tone very cold, “Go away, don’t bother me.”
But Zaizai didn’t leave.
He jumped down and bit him with his small teeth, trying hard to drag him out of the pit.
The sky and the earth merged into a curtain of rain.
In the curtain of rain, a small white ball-like cub, with all its strength, struggled to drag a beast several times its size, little by little.
In the end, the child succeeded.
He dragged the dying beast back to the nest and fed it with the food stored in the nest.
When the food in the nest was gone, he took small steps outside to learn to hunt. The food he had hunted so hard for, he was reluctant to eat and fed it to the fierce beast that couldn’t move yet.
That was their most difficult time.
Fortunately, they finally got through it.
Thinking of the past, Ah Wu, with his eyes closed, became more determined about the path he had planned.
Zaizai could stay here temporarily, being cared for by adults who loved him, and could be well raised, but he didn’t need to be raised by humans. He didn’t believe that anyone in this world could always protect him.
Especially waiting for someone’s protection, it was better to get rid of all the obstacles in one’s way and become the strongest person.
It had to be said that the three views and thoughts of a fierce beast were not much different from those of the villains in the books.
Outside the room.
This time, Ling Rui wasn’t hugged by Third Miss. He sat on Old Madam Murong’s lap, tilting his little head and looking at the newly arrived Lord Murong Feng.
Murong Feng was a general who had retired from the battlefield. Even though he had calmed down a lot in the past two years, the solemn aura he carried with him still couldn’t be dispelled.
Ling Rui leaned against Old Madam Murong, looking at Murong Feng with a somewhat timid gaze.
He tightly held Old Madam Murong’s hand and, facing Murong Feng, softly spoke, “Grand… Grandfather. I am Little Seven.”
Murong Feng stared at him silently, saying nothing.
After looking at his slightly dark face, Ling Rui turned his little face away from Murong Feng and buried it in Old Madam Murong’s chest, refusing to look at him.
Old Madam Murong held the little child on her lap, smiling and comforting, “Little Seven, don’t be afraid. Grandfather just looks a bit serious, but he loves our Little Seven in his heart.”
Ling Rui buried his face and shook his head.
Old Madam Murong smiled even more happily. She freed up one hand and beckoned to her son, “Ah Feng, come and hug Little Seven. Today you almost missed hugging him.”
Although Murong Feng had a serious personality, he was filial.
He listened to Old Madam Murong’s instructions and reached out to pick up the little child sitting on Old Madam Murong’s lap.
After being picked up, Ling Rui inevitably made eye contact with Murong Feng.
Summoning his courage, this time he bravely stared at his serious grandfather for quite a while. At the end of their gaze, he even leaned his soft and squishy little bun face toward him.
“For you to pinch.”
This was Ling Rui’s ace card. He presented his little bun face, promoting it, “Niang Niang likes to pinch.”
Murong Feng raised an eyebrow.
He reached out and pinched the little bun face, feeling the texture was indeed good.
Under the activity of pinching small faces, Ling Rui conquered the last master of the Murong Mansion.
By dinnertime, he occupied the best position at the main table. Old Madam Murong wanted to feed him because he was young, but Ling Rui refused.
“I can do it myself,” Ling Rui said, holding a spoon and scooping food from his small bowl.
Before eating, he checked on Ah Wu again. Originally intending to bring food to Ah Wu, he saw Ah Wu sleeping and quietly backed out.
“Wow, Little Seven, you’re great at eating all by yourself.”
“Look at that appetite, finishing a whole small bowl of rice on your own.”
“Even this bowl of egg custard is cleaned out.”
Amid the praises and flattery from everyone in the Murong household, Ling Rui felt light and buoyant as he hopped off the chair after finishing his meal—feeling quite proud and inflated!
That night.
From the old madam to the third and fourth young ladies, everyone wanted Ling Rui to sleep with them.
But Ling Rui didn’t go with anyone; he firmly chose to sleep with his Ah Wu!
Murong Xu, thinking about how his little darling would return to the palace the next day, shamelessly squeezed himself at the door, saying, “Include me, okay? I’m here to join you, not to spoil your time together.”
“You both are still little; let your little uncle warm the bed for you!”
Murong Xu didn’t leave until Ah Wu lost patience and let out a low growl at the door, which startled Murong Xu enough to leave and even close the door behind him.
After Murong Xu left, Ling Rui, sitting on the bed, patted the spot beside him and cheerfully called out, “Ah Wu, come to bed!”
Ah Wu stepped onto the bed.
Having cleaned his fur earlier, his soft, clean fur became Ling Rui’s mattress.
Soon, Ling Rui, who had been lying on the bed, found himself curled up in Ah Wu’s embrace, his small body nestled against Ah Wu’s belly.
This sleeping position was Ling Rui’s favorite.
Surrounded by the familiar scent, Ling Rui slept soundly and peacefully throughout the night.
The next morning.
When the palace sent someone to fetch him, Ling Rui, clinging to Ah Wu’s head with teary eyes, refused to let go. “I miss Ah Wu.”
Though he wanted to return to the palace to see Niang Niang, he equally wanted to stay with Ah Wu.
Ah Wu gently nudged his cheek, comforting him, “I will be here recovering. After you return to the palace, I can still visit you.”
“How will you come?”
“Your little uncle said he has a way.”
Ling Rui rubbed his eyes, wanting to catch one last glimpse of Ah Wu, before following the palace attendants who had come to fetch him.
The entourage that came to pick him up was quite grand.
After being carried into the palace and arriving at Fenghua Palace, Ling Rui barely had time to open his small arms to hug Noble Consort Yi before wave after wave of visitors arrived.
There was Emperor Ling, the Empress, Consort De, and even Consort Mei, who usually didn’t go out much.
They all came with the same purpose: to see the little patient.
Consort De, whose younger sister from her mother’s side was a side consort of Yong wang, had prepared many gifts specifically to reassure the seventh prince.
Ling Rui looked at the people coming in, then at the gifts they brought, and felt a bit overwhelmed.
He wasn’t familiar with anyone other than his father, but all the consorts had come to give him gifts.
Even the reclusive Consort Mei brought a gift. Today, she wore a bit of makeup, adding a touch of allure to her usual elegance. Emperor Ling’s gaze lingered on her face several times after she entered.
After taking her seat, Consort Mei quietly listened to the others, not speaking up.
“Little Seven, are you tired?” After a while, Noble Consort Yi, tired of letting her child deal with these intruding visitors, leaned down and asked, planning to have Ji Yan take him away.
But before Ling Rui could be taken away, Consort Mei unexpectedly spoke to him, “Little Seven, we had an agreement that you would do something for me, remember?”
Ling Rui: “….”
Ling Rui hesitated, then replied honestly, “I remember.”
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