Chapter 122: Be My Dad

Chapter 122: Be My Dad

After opening the letter, it was indeed the same handwriting and brief message as last time.

'Meet at Tongfu Inn tonight at the start of the Hai hour (9 PM).'

Tongfu Inn.

Gu Chaoning's gaze fell upon it. Could the Sixth Prince actually be the power behind Tongfu Inn?

Gu Chaoning hadn't expected this. If so, was the young master who always corresponded with him also from the capital?

He couldn't narrow down the possibilities for now, so he just dropped the matter.

Meanwhile, back in Xiaohe Village.

Chen Youyan and the others had slipped back into the village quietly, but they still drew attention from the villagers.

Many figured things in Dukou Town must have gotten really bad, which was why they'd returned.

Folks who lived close by braved the wind and snow to come pry for news, the village head's family being the first to show up.

Xiaohe Village was pretty close to Dukou Town. If things in Dukou Town had gone south, they needed to prep early too, setting up daily patrols.

Chen Youyan gave the village head the straight story about what was happening in town. The village head thought it over for a moment, and that very night rounded up the able-bodied young men to patrol the village every day.

Ten men to a team, four teams total, rotating patrols.

The whole village stayed on edge for three days. When no refugees showed up, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

From the third day on, the snow let up a lot and stopped falling nonstop all day. The villagers, who'd been on edge for three days, finally relaxed and couldn't help wanting to get out and about.

Some folks came by the Gu house to visit. Yin Hongxue and Gu Muan together boiled hot water and brought it out to everyone, and happened to overhear folks talking about Xu Xiaoshui and Xu Chunmiao.

"Xu Fu and Xu Dasheng, those two godforsaken men! Before the new year, the village head and Chaoning told them over and over not to sell their grain, but they wouldn't listen. Look at them now."

"That's right. With the snow coming down so hard and not looking like it'll ever stop, Xu Fu and Xu Dasheng are afraid they won't have enough grain later, so now they've started cutting back on Shui Geer's and Miao Geer's food."

"Just two days ago, I saw Xu Fu and Chen Dong'er send Shui Geer out to scrounge for firewood. Oh my, in just a little over two months, that kid's gotten so skinny. Even bundled up in layers, he was still shivering from the cold."

"I just saw Shui Geer get sent out to gather firewood again. The snow's so deep, a person could fall in and not even feel it. How's he supposed to find firewood in this mess?"

"Gathering firewood, my foot! It's just Xu Fu and Chen Dong'er kicking the kid out so he misses lunch!"

Yin Hongxue froze and asked a few more questions. When he heard Xu Xiaoshui had headed toward the foot of the mountain, he immediately made to leave.

Chen Youyan saw him heading out and knew exactly what was up. He called out, "Put on your cloak, and grab your little brother's too."

Yin Hongxue said "okay" and went back inside to grab the cloaks.

When he found Xu Xiaoshui, the kid was all curled up, squatting in a hollow in the snow.

Yin Hongxue walked over and found that the hollow was sheltered from the wind, and with the rare sun shining down, it wasn't as cold as he'd expected.

He reached out and grabbed Xu Xiaoshui's arm. The boy, who'd been staring blankly at the ground, looked up in a daze and saw Yin Hongxue.

Yin Hongxue's eyes were welling up.

Xu Xiaoshui had really gotten thin. His face was sallow and his lips were pale.

Yin Hongxue pulled a steamed bun from inside his coat and handed it to Xu Xiaoshui without a word. He draped Gu Muan's cloak over Xu Xiaoshui's shoulders and squatted down next to him.

Gu Muan's cloak was a bit big, the edges dragging in the snow. Xu Xiaoshui pulled the cloak tighter, clutching the still-warm bun, and let out a dry laugh. "Xue Geer, you're so good to me. Why'd you all come back from town?"

"Do you come out at this time every day?" Yin Hongxue asked. He wanted to mention the porridge station outside town, but then thought about how dangerous it'd be for a little kid like Xu Xiaoshui to go alone. "You... tomorrow, come wait for me here. I'll split my lunch with you."

Xu Xiaoshui couldn't help but laugh. But as he laughed, tears started to well up.

But he was too cold—crying would only make him colder—so he held them back.

He smiled and said, "Xue Geer, why don't you be my dad from now on? Haha, you're just like my dad."

Yin Hongxue poked him. Xu Xiaoshui stopped laughing but kept smiling at him. "Xue Geer, I heard my dad say that if the snow doesn't stop, he'll find a chance to sell me. He said Uncle Dasheng's got someone lined up, and that Chunmiao and I can get a good price."

Yin Hongxue stared at Xu Xiaoshui in shock. Xu Xiaoshui was still smiling. "Actually, my family's got a ton of grain stored up. I've seen it. My dad's just afraid there won't be enough later. But I really don't eat that much, do I? Xue Geer..."

Xu Xiaoshui reached up and touched the corner of Yin Hongxue's eye. "Don't cry. It's too cold out here."

He spoke again, "Chunmiao's mother is dying. Xue Geer, could you lend Chunmiao and me five taels of silver? We want to buy medicine for Chunmiao's mother."

"Wait for me! I'll go get it for you."

Yin Hongxue immediately stood up and started running back. The snow in the village was thicker and not cleared as diligently as in town. In his hurry, he tripped and tumbled, rolling once in the snow.

Seeing him fall, Xu Xiaoshui quickly stood up. "Xue Geer, slow down!"

Yin Hongxue scrambled back up and continued hurrying back, all while rapidly recalling every word Xu Xiaoshui had said to him.

The Xu family was going to sell him and Xu Chunmiao.

No, it was—if the situation continued to worsen—they would sell him and Xu Chunmiao.

And from the capital came news that the disaster relief grain had been embezzled.

The more he thought, the tighter his brow furrowed. But by the time he returned with the silver, he had smoothed away all his expressions.

Xu Xiaoshui was still in the same spot, wearing Gu Muan's cloak, with a layer of snow dusted over him.

Yin Hongxue had brought ten taels, placed in a pouch, and handed the whole thing to Xu Xiaoshui.

Xu Xiaoshui's eyes visibly brightened. He clutched the pouch tightly with both hands. Having never held five taels of silver before, he didn't realize the weight was off—that it actually contained ten.

"Xue Geer, I need to go back. Chunmiao and I will discuss going to town to find a doctor."

"When will you leave?"

"Tomorrow. The sooner, the better."

Yin Hongxue nodded, planning to come see him off.

Xu Xiaoshui took off the cloak from his shoulders. The sudden cold wind made him shiver involuntarily, and then he quickly walked away.

Yin Hongxue stood in place, watching until Xu Xiaoshui's figure disappeared before turning to leave.

Tomorrow he would come to see off Shui Geer and Xu Chunmiao. He would lend them his cloak and An Geer's cloak, and ask Grandfather whether Jian Shan could accompany them.

...

Xu Xiaoshui hurried all the way to the firewood shed outside Xu Chunmiao's courtyard. Xu Chunmiao was squatting inside the shed. When he saw Xu Xiaoshui, he grinned at him. "Did you borrow it?"

Xu Xiaoshui nodded, "I got it."

"How is Auntie Chun doing?"

Xu Chunmiao shrugged, "Same as ever."

He stood up, and Xu Xiaoshui took a step forward, but Xu Chunmiao's gaze, fixed on the distance, stopped him.

Xu Chunmiao said calmly, "Remember to patch up your clothes tonight. We set out at the Chen hour tomorrow morning."

Xu Xiaoshui nodded in agreement.

...

Ferry Crossing Town.

At the start of the Hai hour, Gu Chaoning showed up at Tongfu Inn right on time. As soon as he entered, Wang Song came up with his head down and walked him to a room upstairs.

"Master Gu, right this way."

Zhimo stepped forward and slowly pushed open the door. There were just two people inside. Qi Aliu sat there sipping tea, and the guy next to him, A Zheng, had his hand on the knife at his waist, giving Gu Chaoning and Zhimo a cold stare from the door.

Zhimo flinched and froze.

Gu Chaoning nudged him, stepped inside, and turned to shut the door.

This time, Qi Aliu wasn't the naive, simple guy he'd seemed back in the prefectural city. He just sat there smiling, watching them, radiating an air of privilege and calculated control.

Gu Chaoning stepped back, raised both hands to his forehead, and slowly knelt in a bow. "Scholar Gu Chaoning pays his respects to Prince Xiao."

"You're pretty sharp," Qi Jianwei said, a little surprised. "Did you figure out on your own that I'm Qi Jianwei?"

Gu Chaoning nodded, though not entirely—he still had the advantage of past-life memories.

But since they were going to scheme together, there was no point in keeping up the act.

...

The next day, it snowed again, just like always.

But the weather gods were kind. Just after breakfast, the snow stopped, and the sun peeked out from behind the thick clouds, giving off a faint warmth.

Yin Hongxue and Jian Shan stood at the village entrance, ready to see off Xu Xiaoshui and Xu Chunmiao, who were headed to town to buy medicine.

"You sure you don't want Jian Shan to go with you?"

"Yin Hongxue," Xu Chunmiao laughed, "my mom's sick. Why are you running around for her? I'll thank you twice over for the money. Mind your own business for everything else."

Jian Shan frowned, annoyed by what Xu Chunmiao said.

Yin Hongxue looked at him, but something felt off.

Xu Chunmiao hadn't talked to him like that in three years.

Xu Xiaoshui showed no reaction to Xu Chunmiao's words either. He smiled at Yin Hongxue. "Xue Geer, thank you for lending us the silver. You can be my dad from now on."

Yin Hongxue was speechless.

Nothing more was said after that. Xu Chunmiao wore Yin Hongxue's cloak, and Xu Xiaoshui wore Gu Muan's. The two trudged along, step by step.

As they walked, Xu Xiaoshui and Xu Chunmiao suddenly turned around.

Yin Hongxue was puzzled, but the two said nothing—they just smiled at him. Yin Hongxue smiled back. Then their lips moved, but Yin Hongxue couldn't hear what they said. He was about to ask when they turned and walked away again, so he let it go.

After seeing them off, Yin Hongxue hurried home. Before he even reached the door, he caught the smell of bone broth.

Yin Hongxue's hunched shoulders relaxed—just the smell alone made him feel warm all over.

He quickened his pace and entered. Chen Youyan and Wang Xiuxiu poked their heads out from the kitchen. "Done seeing them off? Come inside and warm up with your brother. We're having hotpot for lunch."

Gu Muan's loud voice came through the door. "Xue Age, come in quick! I washed the persimmons!"

"Coming," Yin Hongxue replied.

After lunch, snowflakes began to fall again, and this time they didn't stop until nightfall.

Yin Hongxue kept thinking about Xu Xiaoshui's matter, sleeping fitfully through the night. The next day, before he was even fully awake, he heard the sound of gongs outside.

There were two pieces of news.

The first was that Xu Dasheng's wife, Xiao Chun, was dead.

The other was that Xu Xiaoshui and Xu Chunmiao had gone missing!