flamboyant

Chapter 63

"You don't even understand your own situation, yet you want to run away with a child. Bao'er is so young, unable to take care of his own eating, drinking, and toileting needs. You've never taken care of a child before. What is this behavior if not willful and impulsive?"

Feng Ning bit her lip, knowing in her heart that Long San was right, but she was still unconvinced: "But they want to send my child away, to give my child to someone else. Bao'er's mother is not dead yet, how can we let people bully her like this? As long as I live, I will never let Bao'er live such a life."

“Wife…” Long San stroked her hair tenderly: “You still need someone to take care of you. You’re raising Bao’er alone, a widow and an orphan. It must be so hard. You don’t know how sad I was when I saw the two of you performing on the street.”

Feng Ning said in a hard voice, "I'd rather go hungry myself than let my Bao'er go hungry. But it's different for others. They don't care about children that aren't their own. What's the point of them giving Bao'er away and paying them?" Feng Ning didn't know why she was so agitated. She spoke louder and louder, "I absolutely cannot let my child become an orphan. Being an orphan is so hard. Not only are you hungry and cold, but the worst part is having to be subservient to everyone. Everyone looks down on you, everyone can bully you. I know what that's like..."

She suddenly stopped. Countless fragmented and chaotic images churned in her mind, but she couldn't see any of them clearly. She felt extremely dizzy, her face turned pale, and she covered her head in fright.

Long San was startled and pulled her into his arms: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Feng Ning couldn't speak, burying her head in Long San's arms and closing her eyes for a while to calm down. Long San was extremely anxious and asked again, "What's wrong?"

Feng Ning simply slumped down, resting her head on his lap, and said weakly, "My mind was suddenly a mess just now. I felt like I was trying to remember something, but too many things came flooding in at once, and I couldn't see any of them clearly."

Long San stiffened, and Feng Ning snuggled closer to him, saying, "I'm fine now, just a little dizzy. I'll lie down for a while and I'll be fine."

Long San's face turned pale. Feng Ning turned over and saw his expression. She quickly took his hand and said, "I'm really fine. I was just a little dizzy, but I'm fine now. Don't worry."

"Mm." Long San replied, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright."

His large hand rested on Feng Ning's face. Feng Ning looked at his worried expression and felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She rubbed her face against his large hand and said, "Long San, don't worry. I've already figured it out. Whether you remember the past or not, everyone worries about the future. Instead of being afraid and anxious about the unknown future, it's better to work hard and turn it into something to look forward to. There's a saying that goes, 'Treat others with sincerity, and you will surely be rewarded.' Look, I was good to you before, and now I've received my reward."

She felt a little smug, patted Long San's hand, and her smug smile was indescribably cute. Long San lowered his head and kissed her cheek, whispering, "Feng'er, you must remember that I am truly sincere towards you now. No matter what happens in the future, you must never blame me or abandon me."

Feng Ning felt a tickle in her ear, and she wrinkled her nose and said coquettishly, "That won't do. No matter what happens, that's too broad a scope. I can't guarantee anything. You have to treat me very, very well, otherwise I'll dislike you, and Bao'er won't like you either."

"So strict? I'm so scared." Long San complained softly, his joking words making Feng Ning laugh.

This journey took longer than when Feng Ning came. After three days, the two finally returned to their small courtyard in Fuyang City. Upon hearing Feng Ning's voice, Bao'er ran out with her short legs, calling out, "Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Feng Ning hugged the little darling tightly: "Baby, did you miss Mommy?"

Bao'er pouted, almost crying, and could only keep calling out, "Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Feng Ning mimicked her expression, pouting, and said, "Okay, I understand." Long San, standing to the side, smiled silently. Feng Ning boasted to him, "She means she misses me. Right, Bao'er?"

Bao'er nodded her little head obediently, still loudly chanting, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

"Oh dear, this is bad." Feng Ning feigned surprise: "I've only been gone a few days, how come my little silly child can't talk anymore?" She tickled Bao'er's skin, and Bao'er covered her head and giggled shyly: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." After a while, she finally said a complete sentence: "Bao'er misses you."

Feng Ning happily gave Bao'er a loud kiss on the cheek, and Bao'er hugged her neck tightly, refusing to let go and acting cute. Long San said from the side, "I remember when I left, a child was holding onto me, reluctant to part. Now that I'm back, no one pays any attention to me."

Bao'er called out sweetly, "Uncle."

Long San snatched her from Feng Ning's arms and let her sit on his lap, saying, "Bao'er, be good." Bao'er nodded earnestly and said, "Bao'er, be good too."

Long San was amused by her. Bao'er then said, "Uncle, Bao'er is better behaved than other children." Long San understood what she meant. This little girl just wanted to get more love. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "I know, I know Bao'er is the best behaved." He touched her little face, met her expectant eyes, and said softly, "Bao'er, will you be my daddy? Daddy will love you very much, just like your mother."

Bao'er opened her eyes wide, gasped in surprise, and turned to look at Feng Ning. Seeing her like this, Feng Ning couldn't bring herself to object. Long San then said, "Bao'er is like any other child, with a father and mother, and lots of people who love her."

Bao'er glanced at Feng Ning, then turned to look at Long San, and called out, "Your Majesty..." Turning to Feng Ning, she added, "Father..."

Long San frowned: "Feng'er, remind me in the future not to leave Bao'er for too long. This child is really being silly." Bao'er opened her eyes wide and looked back and forth between the two adults, and finally spoke clearly: "Empress, Father said I can call him Father. I have a Father now."

The two adults exchanged a glance and burst into laughter. Feng Ning patted Bao'er's little head: "This silly child always speaks in half-finished sentences when she gets excited."

Bao'er said innocently, "Bao'er wants to say something, but she can't say it quickly." Her childish explanation made the two of them laugh again.

That evening, Long San took the mother and daughter to a restaurant for a delicious meal, which made them very happy. Bao'er kept spinning around him, calling "Daddy, Daddy!" repeatedly. During the meal, Long San and Feng Ning also told Bao'er that they would go home together for the New Year.

Bao'er didn't have much of an impression of the New Year, so Long San hugged her and explained, "It's about wearing new clothes, tying new hair ties, buying lots of little trinkets that Bao'er likes, and lots of delicious food that we can't usually eat."

Before Bao'er could even be happy, Feng Ning quickly pulled her aside for a good talking-to, emphasizing the key point: "The most important thing during the New Year is to ask your second uncle for lucky money."

Long San nearly choked on his tea, but Bao'er heard the very important word "money." She pulled out the copper coin hanging around her neck from her clothes and asked, "Is this the money?"

Feng Ning wanted to answer "yes," but then she thought it was wrong. Her silly child only recognized this worthless "money," which was too cheap for Long Er. She said, "It's not this kind of money, it's those small silver lumps."

Bao'er didn't have many opportunities to see silver coins, so she didn't really understand what they were. She frowned and tried hard to imagine what a small silver lump looked like. Feng Ning slapped Long San's arm and ordered him, "Quickly take out a piece of silver coin so Bao'er can see it."

Long San chuckled: "Feng'er, don't be naughty."

Feng Ning glared at her: "My child doesn't know how to make money, this will ruin his life. Hurry up, we finally have a chance to celebrate the New Year, Bao'er needs to learn how to make money."

Bao'er knew about making money; she had always heard adults talk about it and had also seen how hard Feng Ning worked as a street performer. So she quickly chimed in, "Daddy, Bao'er wants to make money."

Long San reluctantly took out his money bag, took out a piece of silver, placed it on the table and said to Bao'er, "Bao'er, my good girl, you are too young to earn money. But it's not a bad thing to know about silver. It's good that you know it. You don't need to think about making money."

Feng Ning ignored him and placed the broken silver in Bao'er's hand: "Bao'er, look, this is what silver looks like, a little silver lump. When you ask your second uncle for lucky money during the New Year, just ask him for this."

Bao'er looked at it intently, and Feng Ning thought for a moment and added, "The bigger the better, it doesn't have to be this small." Bao'er nodded, seemingly understanding.

Feng Ning was still a little worried and asked Long San, "Do you have any silver ingots?"

Long San suppressed a laugh and asked, "Feng'er, do you think your second brother would use gold ingots as New Year's money?"

"No, but since we've already taught her this much, it's good for Bao'er to get acquainted with him." Feng Ning was determined to squeeze some money out of the stingy Second Master Long. If ingots weren't an option, then silver coins would do; if silver coins weren't an option, then copper coins would do. However, if the dignified Second Master Long only offered copper coins, she would despise him along with Bao'er.

Long San teased her, "Then why don't you teach Bao'er to recognize gold ingots?"

Feng Ning's eyes lit up: "You have it on you?"

"Of course not." Long San really couldn't do anything with this troublesome kid. He rummaged around and actually pulled out a silver ingot. Feng Ning happily took it and said to Bao'er, "Bao'er, look, this is a silver ingot."

Bao'er asked seriously, "Is this better or are the coins better?"

“Of course this is good.” Feng Ning kissed Bao’er and said, “Bao’er, do you remember? When we go back for the New Year, Bao’er wants to ask for a silver ingot to celebrate the New Year.”