"Cousin? She's not my cousin."
“Ali, don’t be like this. I know you don’t like your mother’s family, but your mother is really a good woman. And Xiao’er, she is also a person with a bad fate. At least we have our own father and mother, but she lost both her parents when she was born.”
"She...she's an orphan?"
"That's not quite right. She's the eldest daughter of the Yin family, showered with love and affection. Her wet nurse, Aunt Nan, her mother, and I all do everything we can to pamper her. Even her father, despite his usually cold and ruthless demeanor, softens his expression when he sees Xiao'er."
"Hmph, then why did you say she had a hard life?"
"Sigh, no matter what, Xiao'er is just a little girl, but she has to shoulder the burden of the entire Yin family. From the time she can remember, she has to practice music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and learn how to do business. Her life couldn't be harder, but I have never heard her utter a single complaint."
"If I could, I would like to live like her, at least I wouldn't be ignored..." Mu Li murmured to herself.
"What?"
"It's nothing." Mu Li snapped out of her wandering thoughts and changed the subject, "What do you think would happen if she saw us both appear at the same time?"
"Ah Li, don't get any funny ideas, it'll scare her."
"Didn't you say she was exceptionally intelligent? I'd like to see if she's so easily intimidated."
"Ali! You've frightened her. What if she tells your mother about it..."
"If you call that woman 'mother' again, I'll disown you as my brother!" Mu Li angrily grabbed his twin brother by the collar, staring straight at him: "We have a real mother in the Northern Desert!"
“But…” Qiao Fenglang stammered, “But I’ve never seen her, and besides, she was the one who rejected me…”
"She didn't abandon you! That man stole you away from her."
"But...that man is my biological father, and also your biological father..."
"Shut up!" Mu Li shoved him impatiently. "How could I have a brother like you, a sissy?"
Qiao Fenglang remained silent. After a long while, he suddenly spoke: "Ali, what kind of person is Mother?"
Mu Li asked knowingly, "How would I know which mother you're referring to?"
"It's...it's that mother from the northern desert, our own mother. Father always forbade me to mention her, but when I found out my own mother was still alive, you have no idea how happy I was, how incredibly happy..."
"...I was happy when I found out I had a father. But I never expected that I also had a younger brother, a younger brother who looks exactly like me." Mu Li's expression softened, and even he himself was not used to the strong emotions in his tone.
"Is Mother...beautiful?"
"Of course, Mother is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. In the northern desert, Mother is the universally acknowledged thorn flower."
What is a thorn flower?
"It's a flower from the northern desert. No matter if it's trampled by horses' hooves or run over by wheels, it will still bloom brightly the following year."
"Oh, Mother is so beautiful."
"Tch, you've never even seen your mother."
"I... will see her someday. When I see my mother, I will tell her in person that she is the most beautiful woman in the world."
Just as the two were lost in their own thoughts, a small, pink figure suddenly darted out and landed in front of them.
"Haha, I caught you, didn't I? I told you no one could escape my discerning eyes, Yin Wuxiao... Huh?" The little girl shouted smugly at first, but then she was frightened by what she saw.
"Two Feng Lang brothers?" The usually clever and witty little face turned a little blank for once.
The two boys froze instantly, staring at each other as if a mirror had been placed between them.
"Two?" The little girl stretched out her short, chubby fingers in confusion and counted carefully: "One, two... That's right, there are two."
The two boys' mouths began to twitch. Until they could figure out a way to fool the little girl, they had no choice but to continue posing in the same way.
The little girl couldn't help but reach out and pinch their cheeks without any gentleness, harder and harder, until they were red! Why aren't they making a sound? Could it be... that they're both dummies?
This girl's grip is way too strong! The two of them were twisted until they were grimacing, but they dared not utter a sound, but... but it really hurt!
Qiao Fenglang gave Mu Li a wink, and the latter immediately understood and jumped up, casually picking a fragrant wildflower from the side.
"Xiao'er!"
"Wow!" The little girl was startled and screamed. After screaming, she slammed her little fists and legs at the other person.
"Monster, fight the monster!"
"Wait..." Mu Li was a little overwhelmed. "Brother Feng... Brother Feng Lang has something to give you."
"Thing? What is it?" The little girl stopped what she was doing upon hearing the sound, showing no wariness towards the creature that appeared to be a monster.
"Hehe..." Mu Li chuckled wickedly and poked the little wildflower in his hand directly under the little girl's nose.
"Flowers!" The little girl's eyes lit up, but then the strong fragrance of wildflowers immediately caused a strong itching sensation in her nostrils.
"Ah...ah...achoo!" The little girl opened her mouth wide and sneezed loudly, completely lacking any ladylike manners.
When she opened her eyes again, all she could see was a vast expanse of grass.
"Huh?" She rubbed her eyes. Where did he go?
No, she smiled slyly. It must be hiding behind her, that must be it.
She suddenly turned around and jumped: "Ha!"
Huh? There's nothing behind her either. No one is hiding there, and no one has been frightened by her.
Could she have really seen wrong? She rubbed her eyes again.
"Xiao'er." A young man walked over from afar.
"Brother Fenglang!" The little girl excitedly rushed over. "I'm telling you, I just saw two of you!"
"How could that be?" Qiao Fenglang replied with a similarly surprised look. "You must have seen wrong, right?"
"No way..." That's strange... She pouted in annoyance.
Qiao Fenglang exchanged a relieved glance with Mu Li, who was hiding in the bushes. Thank goodness they ran fast; that little girl was truly unpredictable…
Chapter Twenty-Four: Half of the Trees in the Garden (Part Two)
Fifteen years later.
A thatched hut stands in a secluded valley, shrouded in the morning mist. Two young men of similar age stand facing each other in front of the hut.
"Let me see her."
"She won't see you, give up on that idea."
“She will meet with me. I am her son, her biological son.”
"None of that matters to her anymore. She just wants to live out her days in peace in this valley, without seeing or speaking to anyone."
Even me?
Even if it's you.
"I don't believe it. I must see her today."
The two began to fight. The man guarding the front of the house only defended and did not attack. After a few moves, his opponent gained the upper hand and stepped to the door of the hut first. Seeing this, he simply stood in front of the door to block the way.
"If you want to get over here, you must first step over my dead body."
Do you think I wouldn't dare?
A sharp, clear female voice suddenly rang out from inside the room.
"No fault! You can't stop him, let him in."
"But...Master..."
"Let him in." This time, the woman's tone was firm and left no room for argument.
"Yes." Wu Guo bowed his head, opened the door, and respectfully gestured to the other man, his attitude completely different from before.
Qiao Fenglang gathered his clothes and stepped into the room.
The windows and doors were tightly shut, and there was no light inside. It took Qiao Fenglang a long time to make out the figure of the woman sitting behind the table with her back to him. She was dressed simply and roughly, and her long hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall. However, her once jet-black and shiny hair had now faded to gray as if overnight, making her look much older.
Qiao Fenglang suddenly felt uneasy. After hesitating for a long time, he finally called out, "Mother."
With his back to him, Mu Wanfeng let out a deep sigh: "Is it Lang'er?"
"Yes, Mother."
"Since you're here, where's Ali? Why didn't Ali come?"
"..." Qiao Fenglang was silent. After a long while, he replied, "Mother, you've forgotten, Ali is dead. He died in the explosion at Seven Absolute Cliff a month ago."
Mu Wanfeng trembled slightly.
"Yes, Ali is dead."
"Yes, Ali is dead."
"Ali is dead, why are you here?"
"Mother, I've come to see you."
"You two are twins. Ali is dead, and I only care about you. What use are you to me?"
"mother……"
"Go away, I won't see you unless you give Ali back to me. Give my Ali back to me, otherwise I won't see you."
“Mother…” Qiao Fenglang stepped forward, his breathing rapid.
Mu Wanfeng gently waved her sleeve, and the door opened.
Qiao Fenglang sighed, turned around and walked out the door.
"Lang'er," Mu Wanfeng suddenly called out to him.
"What?" Suddenly a glimmer of hope appeared, and Qiao Fenglang turned around in surprise.
"I...I'll ask you one more time, Ali...did you really kill him with your own hands?"
Qiao Fenglang was stunned.
"Lang'er?"
The sound of the explosion that day still seemed to echo in his mind, and he could almost hear Mu Li's intermittent voice: "You can live for my sake too."