Chapter 11

"Chapter 11: Ningning, Time to Say Goodbye to Brother"

Two days later, thanks to Shen Ningning's diligent care.

Mo Lingwei's wounds were finally healing, and he no longer had a fever.

With Shen Ningning's acupuncture, Grandma Qin's health improved rapidly, and she could walk a few steps each day with Mo Lingwei's support.

She was believed to recover fully before long.

On this day.

Grandma Qin, feeling energetic, was baking flatbreads.

The thin bread was brushed with egg wash, turning golden, and just before being taken off the heat, sprinkled with finely chopped green onions.

The scent of cooking wafted throughout the wolf den!

Shen Ningning sat next to her grandma, her eyes wide and longing as she watched the food.

Grandma Qin said with a kind smile, "It's almost ready. When the young master comes back, you and he can eat together."

Mo Lingwei had just gone out for a walk.

Shen Ningning obediently nodded, "Grandma, you should eat too!"

At that moment, Mo Lingwei returned.

He was wearing the clothes that Shen Ningning had bought for him with a significant amount of money.

The white and gold robe made Mo Lingwei's eyes appear even more dazzling and profound.

The Black Wolf King at the cave's entrance lifted its eyelids, glanced at him, and then looked away.

"Brother! You're back just in time. Grandma made delicious scallion pancakes, and they're almost ready to eat!"

Looking at Shen Ningning's innocent and adorable smile, Mo Lingwei's eyes deepened. He paused before nodding.

Shen Ningning remembered something, "Brother, can you teach me how to write the characters for 'He Shou Wu'?"

She recalled the shopkeeper mentioning that He Shou Wu and ginseng were expensive.

Next time she went to the city, she could bring these two items.

She recognized ginseng, but she hadn't learned how to write the characters for He Shou Wu yet.

The mystical realm was filled with cabinets storing various herbs, almost overwhelming her with its variety.

Mo Lingwei picked up a stone and wrote the characters "何首乌" (He Shou Wu) on the cave wall.

Shen Ningning, eager to learn, immediately practiced writing the characters in her own palm.

Until she memorized them.

Suddenly, Mo Lingwei changed his brush strokes and wrote another three characters next to "He Shou Wu."

[Mo Lingwei]

Shen Ningning tilted her head, her moist eyes slightly puzzled, "Is this another way to write 'He Shou Wu'?"

How unique!

Mo Lingwei frowned slightly, "Silly, that's my name."

Shen Ningning then looked closely.

"Wow, how is it pronounced?"

"Mo Lingwei."

Grandma Qin, who was making pancakes, paused her hands.

Mo? That seemed like the surname of nobility or royalty.

But she wasn't sure.

With age, her memory wasn't what it used to be...

Meanwhile, Shen Ningning had already written his name five or six times on her palm.

Mo Lingwei's thin lips curved into a satisfied smile, "Do you know how to write your own name?"

Upon hearing this, the little girl proudly and in a childish tone said, "I know!"

She lifted her clothes, revealing her pale little belly.

"Ah! Ningning!" Grandma Qin couldn't stop her in time.

Mo Lingwei turned his head away abruptly, gritting his teeth, "What are you doing? Put your clothes down now!"

Shen Ningning pointed to her amulet, "Look, my name is carved here!"

Mo Lingwei stiffly glanced at it with his peripheral vision.

This little girl had an amulet tied around her waist.

She proudly puffed out her belly to show him the name on the amulet more clearly.

Mo Lingwei's ears reddened, unable to ignore her enthusiasm, he reluctantly took a brief look.

Then he decisively closed his eyes and yanked her clothes back down with his hand.

"Now that you've seen, don’t lift your clothes up to others, especially not to men."

The little girl was only four years old; she didn't understand the difference between men and women.

Shen Ningning’s eyes sparkled with vivacity as she smiled, "Grandma said this was left by my parents! I will use this name to find them someday!"

Mo Lingwei guessed that she was probably abandoned.

He quickly reviewed in his mind the families of status in the capital, and none had the surname Shen.

Nevertheless, Mo Lingwei spoke in a grave tone, "When I return to the capital, I will help you find your parents."

"Return to the capital?" Shen Ningning was taken aback.

Mo Lingwei then looked at the little girl and said seriously, "Shen Ningning, I have to leave."

His people had already come to find him.

Shen Ningning froze, and the Black Wolf King at the entrance straightened up, looking into the cave.

Her eyelashes were thick and long, and her sparkling black eyes now filled with layers of mist, evoking sympathy.

Seeing this, Grandma Qin came over and hugged Shen Ningning.

"Ningning, brother is going back to his home. It's a good thing, or his family will worry. Let's say goodbye to brother, okay?"

Shen Ningning lowered her head, looking forlorn.

Brother was her first friend.

She really didn't want him to leave.

But the little girl obediently said, "Brother, goodbye."

Mo Lingwei, looking into her tearful eyes, felt an unwillingness to leave.

He took out a jade pendant he had prepared from his sleeve.

It was a rectangular piece of yellow and white jade, carved with a dragon soaring through the clouds, and on the back, it was engraved with "Lingwei."

"If you ever find yourself in trouble, take this jade pendant to the Town South General's Mansion in the capital to find me."

Shen Ningning took the jade pendant and sniffled, "If I don't have any trouble but just miss you, can I come to see you?"

Mo Lingwei was momentarily stunned, then, unable to help himself, a smile appeared on his face.

"Of course, you can."

This brief encounter would always be a precious memory for him.

The days he spent with Shen Ningning in the deep mountains were the most relaxed and comfortable since his mother's death.

However, he had his own duties and vendettas to face and had to return.

Mo Lingwei walked to the entrance of the cave.

Shen Ningning followed him step by step, with the pack of wolves rising to accompany them.

Grandma Qin wrapped up the freshly baked pancakes and, limping, leaned on the cave wall to walk outside.

"Child, take these for the road, don't go hungry."

Mo Lingwei was about to refuse, but seeing Shen Ningning on the verge of tears again, he accepted them.

He walked all the way to the foot of the mountain.

Shen Ningning saw a large group of soldiers in black armor, silently standing there like formidable mountains.

She involuntarily stopped, knowing she couldn't follow any further.

Mo Lingwei continued to walk forward.

Suddenly, he turned back, "Then, see you in the capital."

Shen Ningning nodded softly.

Mo Lingwei then walked down the hillside. The iron-clad cavalry opened the carriage curtain for him, and he boarded the carriage. He did not look back again until he was out of sight.

The carriage quickly drove away.

Mo Lingwei couldn't resist unwrapping the cloth around the scallion pancakes and, to his surprise, found twenty taels of silver hidden at the bottom.

No wonder it felt so heavy.

It seemed that Shen Ningning had secretly slipped the money into the bundle when he wasn't looking.

Mo Lingwei raised an eyebrow, a faint smile of amusement escaping him.

If he remembered correctly, that was all the money Shen Ningning had left from her trip to the city.

She valued money, yet she had given it all to him this time.

Mo Lingwei initially forced himself not to look back.

But he couldn't help himself and lifted the curtain to look behind.

On the distant hillside, he saw the small figure standing there, waving her hand.

She didn't care whether he could see her or not.

She just wanted to properly say goodbye to her only friend.

"Ningning is currently in her growing stage. A four-year-old child might not think everything through, so if you feel she's being inconsiderate, just remember she's a little child! I will ensure Ningning gradually grows into the person she wants to be (^▽^)"

"Today is still a day for asking for votes, favorites, and good reviews! When will I be able to nurture Ningning into being plump and fair?"