Chapter 39: Suisui, Be Happy
Chapter 39: Suisui, Be Happy
Seeing that Suisui was ready to sleep, the system gently asked, "Do you want to hear a story now?"
"Yes," came Suisui's reply.
Upon receiving Suisui's response, the system began to rock.
And then, surprisingly, it landed on Zhuangzi!
The new environment prompted Zhuangzi to pause and reflect, feeling that today's experience had given him some fresh insights to write about.
Coming to his senses, Zhuangzi greeted Suisui with a cheerful smile.
"Good evening, Suisui. I'm your Uncle Zhuang Zhou," he introduced himself.
Suisui politely addressed him and then cautiously asked, "Uncle Zhuang Zhou, can you help me solve the nine linked rings?"
Zhuang Zhou: ?
After asking, Suisui couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. "My brother has never been able to solve the nine linked rings. I want to help him, but I don't know how to do it myself."
Zhuang Zhou: ??
Before Zhuangzi could even begin his bedtime story, he found himself facing a challenge.
The nine linked rings were quite similar to the jade linked rings Zhuangzi had encountered before, and the principles behind them were also fairly comparable.
Zhuangzi found this challenge intriguing, so he happily accepted.
However, solving the nine linked rings didn't interfere with his storytelling.
Soon, Suisui's ears were filled with his gentle yet powerful voice as he began, "Calmly adapt to the changing times, and let sorrow and joy not sway you."
......
Suisui tried her best to stay awake at first.
But she was too tired.
Uncle Zhuangzi's voice was deeply soothing, carrying a hint of hypnosis.
Suisui soon fell into a deep sleep.
Zhuangzi spent the entire night working on the nine linked rings.
Unraveling, restoring, then unraveling again, and again restoring.
In the past, Zhuangzi hadn't found this little trinket particularly fascinating.
But today, it seemed to have sparked some realizations within him.
It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, just before dawn, that he reluctantly decided to leave, still feeling captivated.
Looking at Suisui's adorable sleeping posture, Zhuangzi gently put down the nine linked rings and lightly stroked the little girl's head.
"Shouldering the blue sky, unfettered, and then, now, aspiring to soar like the bird of the south," he whispered.
"Suisui, be happy~"
The next day was overcast and gloomy.
Due to the challenging road conditions, they decided to rest for another day in the small town.
In the morning, the air was heavy with moisture, and Doctor Liu advised them against going out to play.
As the afternoon arrived, Feng Xuanrui began to fuss, insisting on going out to play.
As for the nine linked rings?
Feng Xuanrui had long forgotten about them, and Suisui, feeling guilty for not having learned how to solve them yet, didn't dare to bring up the subject.
The siblings tacitly avoided mentioning this matter.
With the two children insisting on going out to play, Doctor Liu had no choice but to consult with King Qing, leading to some arrangements being made.
Doctor Liu sent Di Jiao out to inquire and gather information, and it was then that they learned about the events taking place in the small town that evening.
There would be river lanterns released on the water, and someone would also be setting off fireworks.
It was said to be in celebration of a rich merchant's son's birthday, with festivities having taken place during the day and continuing into the night.
The small town wasn't usually bustling, so this event drew quite a crowd.
Before leaving, Doctor Liu carefully instructed those who would be accompanying the children: "Keep a close eye on them, don't let your eyes wander, and don't get carried away with the crowd."
"When it's crowded, hold onto the children's hands!"
......
Qing Shan Qing Shui was specifically named.
The two, who had previously made a mistake that almost resulted in the prince being lost, nodded solemnly.
It was only as evening approached that they finally ventured out.
Walking and stopping along the way, taking in the lively atmosphere, the sky gradually darkened.
Perhaps because of the evening's festivities, the small town seemed exceptionally vibrant.
The shops didn't rush to close, instead hanging up beautiful red lanterns.
Many people stepped out to join in the excitement, drawn by the sounds and sights.
Seeing river lanterns being released in the distance, Feng Xuanrui pouted: "What's so great about releasing those? It's not like anyone hasn't done it before."
The young boy's previous river lanterns had been smashed to pieces, and with today's news coming unexpectedly, he hadn't had time to prepare new ones.
At this time, there were no river lanterns to be seen.
While they did sell ready-made ones in the city, Feng Xuanrui refused to buy any.
If they weren't handmade by him, how could they be worthy of his sister?
However, as he saw more and more people releasing river lanterns, Feng Xuanrui couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. "Actually, the ready-made ones are pretty good, too."
Shuishu nodded obediently and said, "Brother's right!"
With his sister's agreement and support, Feng Xuanrui became even more enthusiastic. "Actually, I'm not that picky of a person."
"The ones you make yourself aren't too different from the ones others sell."
"Sometimes, you just have to make do."
...
As the young boy spoke, he glanced suggestively at King Qing.
Receiving the hint, King Qing felt both exasperated and amused. Shaking his head, he sighed and walked over to take a look at the river lanterns with Zhan Gao.
They hadn't brought many people with them today, and those who were injured remained at the inn to rest.
With Doctor Liu by their side, King Qing felt somewhat relieved.
Not long after King Qing left, a large crowd of young men and women with children in tow surged forward, their lively voices filling the air.
However, they quickly packed the already narrow street to the brim.
Doctor Liu and his two apprentices were directly pushed to the side by the throng.
When they finally managed to squeeze out some space for themselves amid the crowd, Di Jiao cried out in alarm, "Where are the Sixth Young Master and Miss?"
Hearing this, Doctor Liu subconsciously began to search for the two children.
There were quite a few young men and women around, as well as a handful of kids.
But Feng Xuanrui and Shuishu were nowhere to be seen.
The Qing Shan and Qing Shui brothers were also missing.
Could they have been squeezed away in just that short moment?
At the thought of losing the children, Doctor Liu's face drained of color, and his legs went weak. Di Jiao quickly supported him.
On the other side of the crowd, the four children encountered a troublesome situation.
They had found a lost child.
A little girl who was crying miserably.
Feng Xuanrui's obsession with his sister had lessened considerably since Shuishu's arrival.
However, seeing such a young and pitiful girl, he couldn't help but feel concerned. "We shouldn't meddle in other people's business. It has nothing to do with us," he said, even as his eyes kept glancing in her direction.
Qing Shan, the oldest of the four, saw the conflicted look on Feng Xuanrui's face and quickly smiled. "That child must have been separated from her family like us. She looks so pitiful. Let's go ask if she needs help."
Qing Shan even offered a ladder, which Feng Xuanrui casually took, pretending not to be too interested. "Alright, she does look pitiful. I guess I'll be a good Samaritan this time."
The little girl looked to be about the same age as Shuishu.
When Feng Xuanrui approached, he didn't speak immediately but instead gestured for Qing Shui to do the talking.
Qing Shui was the youngest, with a baby face, and he was very skilled at coaxing people.
The little girl took one look at the four of them and tried to back away, fear evident in her eyes.
But when she realized she had nowhere to retreat, surrounded by strangers, she became even more frightened. Her small face paled, and she plopped down on the ground.
In the end, it was Qing Shui's cheerful coaxing that finally got the little girl to speak. "I-I got separated from my sister, and I can't find her now. Waaah!"
Seeing the little girl crying, Qing Shui quickly tried to comfort her.
After finally calming her down, Qing Shui asked gently, "Do you want my brothers and me to take you back? We'll help you find your sister."
Fearing that the little girl wouldn't believe him, Qing Shui pointed to Shuushu. "Look, we also have a little sister who's about your age. We're not bad people."
(End of Chapter)
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