Chapter 27: A Caring Older Brother
Chapter 27: A Caring Older Brother
Prince Qing had been extremely busy over the past few days, but now that things had finally settled down, he could return to spend time with his two children.
As he stepped through the door, before even seeing them, he heard Feng Xuanrui's robust voice.
Without waiting for Prince Qing to respond, Feng Xuanrui had already rushed over, holding Suisu's hand.
Seeing this, Prince Qing furrowed his brows and extended his arms to protect the two of them. He then reminded them in a low voice, "Be careful of your foot."
Feng Xuanrui's foot had been healing well over the past few days of staying indoors.
However, Doctor Liu had advised that it still needed careful tending to prevent any lingering issues.
Reminded by Prince Qing, Feng Xuanrui slowed down.
Suisu, with her short legs, was especially tired from keeping up, and was now breathing heavily.
Watching this scene, Prince Qing furrowed his brows once more. "Your sister is still small. Don't always pull her along like this."
Feng Xuanrui had been so excited that he had momentarily forgotten about this matter. Turning his head and seeing Suisu breathe heavily, he finally realized.
He smiled guiltily and reached out to pat Suisu's head. "Sorry, sister. I'll pay more attention next time!"
He would pay attention and be a qualified, caring older brother.
Suisu didn't mind such things. Being able to spend time with her older brother made her very happy!
So, hearing Feng Xuanrui's words, she obediently shook her head.
Her sister's obedience and soft cuteness compelled Feng Xuanrui to reach out and ruffle her hair several more times, until Suisu became embarrassed, and he finally withdrew his hand.
However, children were easily distracted, and Feng Xuanrui soon turned his thoughts elsewhere. "Uncle King, can we release the river lanterns today?"
Prince Qing considered the weather and the fact that the city had now been properly organized, and with him accompanying them, there would be no safety concerns. So, he nodded.
Seeing Prince Qing's nod, Feng Xuanrui happily pulled Suisu to start spinning in circles.
Suisu had just caught her breath, and now she was being pulled along again.
She didn't feel tired, but instead, was swept up in Feng Xuanrui's excitement and felt happy as well.
With the family planning to release river lanterns, dinner had to be prepared early.
Feng Xuanrui wasn't in the mood to eat; he just wanted to go out and play.
Doctor Liu had to persuade him: "Releasing river lanterns is best done in the evening, when the ambiance is just right, and they'll look brighter too."
Hearing this, Feng Xuanrui realized it made sense, and reluctantly drank a few more mouthfuls of porridge.
In contrast, Suisu's obedient demeanor was truly heart-wrenching!
For dinner, there was again meat porridge.
Doctor Liu intended to let them adjust to this first, before gradually introducing other foods.
Especially for Suisu, being so young and having such a severe internal cold, if they didn't properly nourish her...
It was estimated that she would suffer quite a bit in the future!
Suisu had never eaten white rice or meat porridge before.
So, she was especially careful with her meal now.
Each mouthful was chewed and swallowed slowly.
Each mouthful was eaten exceptionally cleanly.
She cherished every grain of rice, every morsel of meat, and every drop of soup.
In contrast, Feng Xuanrui only hastily drank a few mouthfuls before refusing to eat any more.
After the meal, the two children returned to retrieve their river lanterns.
Feng Xuanrui's was a small pink rabbit lantern.
Suisu's was a small flower in shades of pink and yellow.
Feng Xuanrui's leg hadn't fully healed yet, and Suisu was still very young.
So, Prince Qing arranged for a horse-drawn carriage to take them to the river.
There was a river that ran through all of Qingzhou City.
And it was because of this river that the city's security hadn't been very good in recent years.
Even though the city gates were closed and guarded, there were still people with good swimming abilities who managed to enter through the river.
In the dead of night, when the guards' vigilance waned, it was indeed a challenge to sneak into the city unnoticed.
Now that the mountain bandits had been thoroughly purged, Prince Qing had taken the time to enhance security within the city walls, working closely with Sun, the prefect.
In the short term, there was no need for excessive worry about the city's safety.
A few days ago, the daughter of a wealthy family in the city had released river lanterns with her younger sisters.
Releasing river lanterns could serve as a means of memorial and remembrance, as well as prayer, disaster prevention, and exorcism, among other purposes.
Feng Xuanrui simply wanted to join in the fun and excitement.
Prince Qing and his companions regarded this activity as a form of prayer for the children.
For Suisu, however, it held a deeper meaning of bidding farewell to a difficult and challenging past.
Although the future held unknown prospects, at the very least, Suisu believed that her days would gradually improve and get better.
Regarding Suisu's living arrangements, Prince Qing had not yet agreed to Doctor Liu's request.
Because Feng Xuanrui had taken a liking to his little sister, Prince Qing intended to bring Suisu back to the capital first and then assess whether Feng Xuanrui's fondness for her persisted.
If the young prince's affection for Suisu remained, Prince Qing could then consider arranging for her to join the Qi King's Manor.
As for himself...
His beloved daughter was one of a kind, and even in her absence, he would not allow anyone to replace her unique place in his heart.
And so, he could only apologize and feel sorry for this little girl.
Gazing at Suisu's bald little head, Prince Qing heaved a sigh.
Their group was quite large, with Zhan leading the way at the front, clearing the path. Once the two children arrived at their destination, they rushed forward like wild horses unleashed from their reins, running straight ahead.
Of course, it was mainly Feng Xuanrui who was rushing ahead, with Suisu being forcibly pulled along in his enthusiasm.
However, Feng Xuanrui would run for a while and then stop intermittently.
Firstly, his foot had not fully healed yet, and he dared not overexert himself.
Secondly, he naturally remembered that Suisu was still young and struggled to keep up with him.
"Sister, over here! The river is wider over here!"
"Coming, brother!"
"Sister, my little rabbit is the cutest!"
Because it was a gift from his sister, he cherished it above all else.
Feng Xuanrui proudly puffed out his little chest.
Before Suisu could praise her brother, she heard an unhappy voice not too far away: "That rabbit is so ugly, what's so good about it? Nonsense!"
Feng Xuanrui had been proudly displaying his little rabbit, but upon hearing this voice, he instantly flew into a rage.
Following the direction of the voice, he saw that the speaker was a chubby boy around his age, and Feng Xuanrui marched right up to him, teeth clenched in anger. "Look, look, where is my lantern ugly? This is a rabbit, a rabbit, it's cute, you just don't understand!"
The chubby boy had only intended to mutter to himself.
However, his naturally loud voice carried further than he intended, and those nearby overheard his words.
Feng Xuanrui directly approached him, which the chubby boy interpreted as a challenge.
Then, the chubby boy also became annoyed and puffed up his chest, his hands resting on his waist as he countered: "I say it's ugly, and it's ugly! Ugly, ugly, ugly!"
For so long, Feng Xuanrui had been a little tyrant in the manor, with his younger brother often crying for their mother and father due to his beatings.
Now, in the face of a stranger's provocation, especially in front of his sister, could he possibly stand down?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Feng Xuanrui immediately flew into a rage, and if it weren't for his precious care for his sister's river lantern, he would have shoved it right into the chubby boy's face.
However, since he cherished his own lantern, the chubby boy's would have to do!
Feng Xuanrui swiftly snatched the chubby boy's river lantern and shoved it right into his face: "Yours is the ugliest! Yours is the ugliest and the most disgusting!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
