Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Chapter 75

The peaceful Su residence was on the verge of chaos due to the arrival of Zong Zheng Shaoyu.

This troublesome star was someone you couldn't afford to mess with, and there was no avoiding him either. He was so shamelessly arrogant, thinking he was unrivaled under the heavens. No matter how coldly Su Yin treated him or ignored him, Shaoyu clung to him like glue, though he was dismissive and indifferent to everyone else, especially towards Xiao Bao, whom he treated with visible disdain and deep-seated hatred.

Fortunately, Shaoyu spent most of his time stuck to Su Yin, which gave him little chance to bother Xiao Bao. Moreover, Zhao Cai was always there to protect Xiao Bao. Que Siming, for his part, held Shaoyu in contempt, practically ignoring him and wouldn't even let Jin Bao defend his young master, simply dragging Shaoyu away.

Shaoyu couldn't touch Xiao Bao, but he wouldn't let him off easily when they met, always ready with his biting sarcasm. Yet, in a verbal duel, Xiao Bao was not likely to lose. However, Xiao Bao wasn't foolish; with the "wolf" now inside, angering him could lead to a nighttime attack. The months of repression were stirred up by Shaoyu's presence, awakening some of Xiao Bao's own nature. After enduring it a few times, he couldn't hold back anymore; his masterful temperament flared up. On the surface, he pretended to be calm, but with a look, Zhao Cai, who had been his servant for many years and understood him completely, took on the responsibility of the argument.

Zhao Cai, unlike Jin Bao, was sharp and clever, and his eloquence was even superior to Xiao Bao's. With a clean mouth, he managed to verbally thrash Shaoyu, who was left fuming, ready to explode like a volcano and lashing out physically, but he dared not act out with Su Yin present.

Xiao Bao came out of this confrontation entirely victorious, completely satisfied, with a smile finally appearing on his face, while Su Yin watched him, smiling silently.

Due to his idle days, Xiao Bao kept up his training, making some progress within just two months. Although the bouts of pain were excruciating, they became less frequent and shorter with the combination of internal and external forces.

Shaoyu also questioned Su Yin about Xiao Bao's condition, to which Su Yin casually mentioned that Xiao Bao was just cold-sensitive. Shaoyu could tell this was an obvious brush-off and wasn't genuinely interested in Xiao Bao, guessing he was just a fragile sickly person, which made him scorn Xiao Bao even more.

Despite observing for several days that there was nothing inappropriate between Su Yin and this 'commoner', Shaoyu remained wary. He couldn't forget the humiliating way he had behaved towards another person in a cave; with someone as perfect as Su Yin, he couldn't rest easy.

Overall, the half month since Shaoyu's arrival at the Su residence had been relatively peaceful.

With the New Year approaching in half a month, Xiao Bao and Su Yin planned to bring the elders home in a few days. After all, the family should be together for the New Year. They prepared an excuse for Xiao Bao, claiming he had caught a chill, which wouldn't be too hard to conceal with Que Siming, the miraculous doctor, on their side.

As the season of reunion approached, Xiao Bao inevitably compared it to previous years, and the contrast was like heaven and earth. Even if he left aside those abstract matters, their family was still missing one person.

They all knew that Xiaoyu was at the sect headquarters, but how could they bring the little girl back? Xiao Bao worried about this often, but he didn't dare to press Su Yin, as he was entirely dependent on him for his living needs and couldn't bring himself to speak up.

If life could always be this calm, Xiao Bao felt he could continue on peacefully, growing old just like most people in the world. Occasionally, one might not pay attention and take a fall, and although the pain might be unforgettable for a short time, it would eventually fade with the passage of time, and then one would get up and carry on living.

It was already the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and the New Year was fast approaching.

Su Yin, along with Zhao Cai, had taken people to Jingxia Temple to bring Jin Bao's elderly parents home for the New Year.

However, from morning to evening, they hadn't returned. Xiao Bao was growing anxious when he saw Su Yin's servant return alone, reporting that a heavy snow had sealed off Jingxia Mountain. While people could still walk, the carriages couldn't pass, and it was temporarily impossible to bring the elderly couple back. They would wait a couple of days for the snow to melt before returning.

Xiao Bao, isolated in his room with every crack sealed tight, didn't even know it was snowing outside. With nature blocking the path, there was nothing he could do but quietly wait for their return.

After waiting anxiously for two days, Xiao Bao grew increasingly restless. He had no one reliable by his side now, except for the maid who delivered his meals and cleaned his room. Strangely, every time he asked the maid to summon Jin Bao, she reported that Jin Bao couldn't be found.

Xiao Bao felt almost entirely cut off from the outside world, which made him even more uneasy.

On the third day, the person who returned was the last person Xiao Bao wanted to see—Zong Zheng Shaoyu.

Shaoyu entered without any courtesy, pushing open Xiao Bao's room door directly.

Xiao Bao, feeling the cold air leaking in from the outer room, shrank towards the bed in fear, asking as he retreated, "Aren't you supposed to be with Su Yin? Where is Su Yin? Isn't he coming back?"

Shaoyu didn't answer his question but instead bluntly stated, "I've prepared an estate for you in Qianzhong, with thirty servants and ten thousand taels of gold. That should be enough for you. After the New Year, you need to move there immediately and stop hovering around my cousin."

Xiao Bao was startled, thinking to himself how relentless this brat was. Although he thought this, he dared not show his dissatisfaction. He was alone and vulnerable, stuck with someone who could turn violent at any disagreement. Where could he find the courage to stand up to him?

Mimicking Shaoyu's avoidance of the topic, Xiao Bao continued to ask, "What about Su Yin? And my parents?"

Shaoyu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he crossed his arms—a stark contrast to the coy demeanor he showed in front of Su Yin. It was truly frightening.

He suddenly smiled, his expression looking somewhat cruel, and with a teasing tone, he said to Xiao Bao, "Oh, that's right, you don't know yet. Your parents, they've been kidnapped."