Chapter 49: Wanting to Become Sworn Siblings

Chapter 49 A Proposal for Sworn Kinship

"Wha—what's wrong?"

Li Chengxiu stared, bewildered, at the charging Wan Jieer. Though unsure of her intent, he obediently lifted the wild chicken by its claws.

Close call!

Wan Jieer snatched the little wild chicken, which had narrowly escaped a tragic end, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Thank goodness, they had food to fill their bellies.

"Wan Jieer, what are you doing? This chicken isn’t cooked yet—you can’t eat it raw! Just wait for me to—"

"Get out of the way!"

Annoyed, she waved off the master of self-sabotage, grabbed the wild chicken that had finally closed its eyes in peace, and hurried back to the stream. She squatted down, rolled up her sleeves, and began plucking feathers.

Hunger can unlock hidden potential, transforming one from fastidious to flexible. Yet, no matter how adaptable she became, she knew she couldn't stomach a roasted chicken that had died still clad in its fancy feathered "down jacket"!

She must have been truly famished earlier—she’d actually detected a hint of meaty aroma amidst the burnt, foul smell of scorched feathers. She was genuinely hungry!

While mentally chiding herself, she frantically plucked the still-hot feathers with swift, decisive motions.

Li Chengxiu, who had followed her, watched Wan Jieer’s busy efforts and guiltily rubbed his hands together.

"...I'm sorry, my fault!

I—I thought the feathers would burn off directly in the fire. I didn’t know they had to be plucked first. I’ll remember for next time.

Wan Jieer, let me handle it..."

"You just sit there quietly for now!"

Wan Jieer spared him a quick glance. The kid clearly looked guilty and ashamed, prompting her to soften her tone.

"I know you didn’t mean any harm—no need to feel embarrassed. Everyone has their own strengths. You can catch wild chickens—I can’t, right?

You’re a young master raised delicately in the Prince of Huai's household since childhood. It’s not surprising you wouldn’t know these things. If you want to avoid making a fool of yourself in the future, you can take some time to ask your family’s cooks.

Of course, I don’t mean the one who left after eating mushrooms."

This unique brand of comfort quickly dispelled the simpleton’s gloom. Li Laosi’s little white teeth were on full display, grinning with the ridiculous charm of a landlord’s foolish son.

He chuckled and shuffled closer, plopping down without a care. Watching Wan Jieer work, he sincerely offered a suggestion.

"How about after we finish eating, we slowly amble our way back? I just remembered a saying: 'An old horse knows the way.' Neither of us knows the way home, but maybe your Ru Hua does?"

This suggestion made a lot of sense. Wan Jieer glanced at Ru Hua resting in the distance and immediately nodded.

"You’ve got a point! Ru Hua has always been smarter than most horses. We really weren’t running for that long earlier—maybe it really does know the way!"

The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Wan Jieer sped up her work, roughly plucking most of the feathers, then used her hands to tear the chicken apart on the spot.

Feeling a bit better, she was in the mood for some idle chatter. As she cleaned out the wild chicken’s guts in the stream, she teased Li Laosi.

"Who in the world eats chicken without plucking the feathers or cleaning out the insides? If you’d actually managed to roast it, I can’t even imagine what it would’ve tasted like!

Speaking of roasting, how did you start the fire? When I asked you earlier, didn’t you say you didn’t bring a fire starter?"

Li Chengxiu looked utterly confused by her question.

"When did I say I didn’t bring a fire starter? It’s been in my pocket the whole time."

"You had one and didn’t say anything?"

Wan Jieer shot him an exasperated glare.

"Earlier, when I said I didn’t bring fire-starting tools and asked if you had any, didn’t you say those are prepared by servants and not your responsibility?"

"Right! That thing you called 'fire-starting tools'—I didn’t even know what it was, so of course I didn’t bring it! How about next time we go out, I ask the steward and bring some for you? Will that work?"

"...Ugh."

Wan Jieer sighed helplessly.

"Never mind, it’s my fault for not explaining clearly. It’s not on you."

Li Chengxiu immediately broke into a grin and, whether he understood or not, began buttering her up. After all, there were many words Wan Jieer used that he didn’t get.

"Thanks for being so understanding. I knew you were the most loyal, best pal! Wan Jieer, how about we officially become sworn siblings?

From now on, I’ll be your brother from another mother, and you’ll be my sister from another mother! If anyone ever gives you trouble, just name-drop me—I’ll definitely have your back. How about it?"

"Not interested."

The Li family was clearly headed for family drama. Why would she willingly jump into that mess and take turns in the spotlight?

"I’m used to being the older sister—I don’t like being someone’s little sister."

"Is that so?"

Li Chengxiu pouted, his eyebrows furrowed in disappointment. He thought for a split second, then reluctantly nodded in acceptance.

"Sis~"

That sweet, sing-song voice brought out goosebumps she didn’t know she had. Wan Jieer’s feather-plucking came to an abrupt halt. She looked down at her arms, then at the chicken skin under her hands, and suddenly felt grossed out!

"Go bother someone else!"

"See, you’re mad again."

Li Chengxiu, who felt he’d already been very accommodating, wore a displeased expression.

"You said you didn’t want to be siblings, so let’s be older sister and younger brother instead. Haven’t I been accommodating enough? I’m even willing to be the younger one—why are you still not satisfied?"

"How could I possibly be satisfied? I don’t want to be your sibling, whether as older sister and younger brother or anything else. Understand?"

"Then let’s be sisters!"

Li Chengxiu was really going all out this time—no matter what, he had to establish a proper relationship with Wan Jieer. This determination came from his father’s earnest teachings.

His father had told him many times that the reason he became sworn brothers with Wan Jieer’s father was because the latter had repeatedly saved him from piles of corpses.

Someone willing to risk their life for you in desperate times is the most worthy person to befriend!

Even though Wan Jieer was a girl, it didn’t dampen his sincere desire to become sworn siblings with her.

Li Chengxiu felt he would never forget the emotion he’d experienced when Wan Jieer was willing to ride back to save him.

"I will never forget you risking your life to save me!

Don't worry, Wan Jieer, from now on, if your sis gets something to eat, I’ll definitely share half with you.

I keep my word!"

Moved by his genuine offer, the poor girl blinked wearily, completely exhausted. Suddenly, it seemed as if surviving in the wilderness had worn her out—maybe they should just give up?

"Shut up, seriously!

I don’t want to become sworn siblings with you—not as siblings, not as brother and sister, not even as sisters!

You are you, and I am me. Do you understand?"

Yeah, got it.

After a long silence, Li Chengxiu gave a silent nod with his big head.

He didn’t really feel like talking.