Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Chapter 65

Su Yin was eighteen days older than Xiao Bao.

It seemed that because of these eighteen days, he was destined to look after Xiao Bao for a lifetime.

From his earliest memories, the chubby little fool who constantly hovered around him was nothing but a nuisance in his childhood memories, incessantly so, because the adults always whispered in his ear, "Ah, Su Yin is eighteen days older than Xiao Bao, Su Yin is the older brother, he should take good care of Xiao Bao, manage him well, and look after him properly."

Although climbing trees to rob nests, fishing in the river, or stealthily stealing cucumbers, potatoes, radishes, and corn was somewhat lonely, having to look after someone who couldn’t climb trees, couldn’t swim, dared not steal vegetables, and who would cry out in pain or hunger at the slightest discomfort, was much more unbearable than loneliness. Thus, the more Xiao Bao wanted to follow him, the more he didn’t let him, often leaving Xiao Bao in tears, and as a result, he was the one who ended up being scolded severely by his father. Then he compromised; he realized that having Xiao Bao as his follower had its perks. Xiao Bao always thought of him, bringing him tasty snacks and fun things to please him, and he was especially obedient, doing whatever he was told, never lying to him, never daring to throw a tantrum. As long as he acted as Xiao Bao’s leader, no one would dare to bully him; he could take him out to show off and make Xiao Bao look formidable by association.

As they gradually grew up, Xiao Bao developed his interests and gained friends, and wasn’t as clingy as before. Su Yin felt a bit uneasy with this change. At this time, Uncle Jin began to say, "Ah, Su Yin is eighteen days older than Xiao Bao, much more sensible and capable than Xiao Bao," so naturally, he began to interfere in Xiao Bao’s life again. At this point, it was Xiao Bao who became impatient. How could this be? It was only right for Xiao Bao to listen to him, after all, who else was eighteen days older than him, who else was as foolish as Xiao Bao? Therefore, no matter how impatient Xiao Bao got, he still could not defy him.

Managing Xiao Bao’s life felt like an innate instinct for him, even if it was a role he had cultivated. It had become his responsibility, just like in their childhood, ensuring Xiao Bao was never hurt, hungry, sad, or wronged; that was Su Yin’s duty.

But how could their always carefree and chubby Xiao Bao have turned out like this?

He had only returned a few days late, and the last time he saw him, Xiao Bao was a proud, spirited young man with naive yet sly eyes and a lively smile. Now, he lay on the bed, utterly lifeless, having lost much weight, his hair disheveled, his clothes dirty, his face exhausted, not to mention the nightmares lurking within him.

Su Yin gently wiped the tears from his face with a cloth. Just now, Xiao Bao had clutched at his clothes, crying until his voice was hoarse, crying until it was almost too painful to bear. When Xiao Bao had cried out of anger before, he had always found it amusing. He had never heard such sad, desperate crying before.

Who dared to make Xiao Bao so sad, so desperate?

After wiping his face, Su Yin’s slender fingers brushed through Xiao Bao’s hair again, revealing a face that was both familiar and strange. The familiar smile from his memories seemed impossible to merge with the current sorrowful expression.

A gentle knock on the door interrupted him. Su Yin paused, stood up, and as he stepped out of the room, he gently closed the door behind him.

"Master."

"What is it, speak."

"The men of Zong Zheng Huai'en are tracking us. If we linger here, it won't be long before they find us."

Su Yin's expression darkened. "Let them come. I just happen to need someone to send a message. Has Que Siming left yet?"

"Master Que is already on his way. He should reach Dali in about five or six days."

"Is our departure route also arranged?"

"Rest assured, Master, everything is arranged. However, Master Jin is still unconscious and cannot travel yet."

"Once Master Jin recovers, we must depart immediately, without error."

"Yes, Master."

Su Yin sighed and turned back to the house.

Upon entering, he saw Xiao Bao already sitting up, looking confusedly out the window.

Su Yin's heart tightened, and he hurried over, tentatively calling out, "Xiao Bao?"

Xiao Bao turned his head to look at him blankly.

Su Yin's heart thumped, he softly said, "Xiao Bao? Are you awake? Can't sleep? Hungry?"

Xiao Bao blinked and suddenly smiled, "Of course I'm hungry. I couldn't sleep because I was so hungry. Why didn't your grandfather come to rescue me earlier?"

Su Yin was startled, "Are you alright?"

Xiao Bao shrugged nonchalantly, then suddenly asked, "Where are my dad and mom?"

"Uncle Jin is still unconscious, but the doctor said he is out of danger. Auntie is too tired; she has been asleep for a day and hasn't woken up yet."

Xiao Bao nodded, lifted the blanket, and swung his legs over the side of the bed, dangling them and looking at his feet for a while before raising his head and seriously saying to Su Yin, "Su Yin, I won't cry anymore. That was my last time crying."

Su Yin watched him silently.

"You see... my family is in such a state... I got cheated... lost all face, and now I'm practically useless... There's less and less I can do, this body... I've told you... won't last many years, I haven't yet honored my parents, I've been with Zhao Jinbao for so many years, I haven't yet found them a daughter-in-law, and there's Xiao Yu, I need to find her back. Just crying doesn't help, after all, I am a man, I used to be naive, but now it's not my turn to be emotional, is it? I won't cry anymore."

Su Yin touched his head, his hand slightly trembling, "I'm here for you."

Xiao Bao smiled again, a bit awkwardly, "You've really stood by me, at least we're not going to be beheaded now. You don't know, I was terrified of being beheaded, when I was in the dungeon, I kept thinking, what if the blade didn't kill me, how painful that would be, I couldn't sleep thinking about it." He chuckled, "Actually, I understood all the scolding you used to give me, I was pretty useless, I just thought I could always be rich, always be a young master, but... I didn't think I was stupid before, just that I didn't want to make an effort, but you were right, I was foolish to the extreme, I won't be anymore, I won't be silly anymore."

Watching Xiao Bao's forced smile, Su Yin felt his whole body swelling from within, the grief and guilt of the past few days turning into an increasingly violent emotion, the prematurely matured Xiao Bao, the Xiao Bao who had to be sensible, the Xiao Bao who could never return to the past, was almost suffocating him, he just wanted to tear Zong Zheng Huai'en, that beast, to pieces!!!

Su Yin sat next to Xiao Bao, draping an arm around his shoulders as brothers normally would, and calmly said, "You don't have to worry about anything, I'm here, I will make sure you live as happily as before, I will heal your body, and I will avenge you."

Xiao Bao's body stiffened, he suddenly subconsciously touched his chest, the small wooden box given to him by Prince Shen was missing, perhaps lost in the dungeon, lost within Suzhou City, lost on the official road, he no longer cared, it was better lost, anything related to that person was just a burden.

Xiao Bao softly said, "From now on, I don't want to know anything about him. Young Master Jin died with the Jin family, and I will no longer have anything to do with him."

Su Yin patted his shoulder, saying solemnly, "You won't have anything to do with him."

Xiao Bao nodded, jumped off the bed, "I'm going to see my dad."

"Not in a rush, Uncle Jin hasn't woken up yet. You go take a shower first, then have some food. We'll wait until Uncle Jin wakes up, then I'll take you to Dali."