My Gentle and Pure Sect Leader Husband - Chapter 32

Little Master Hua was carried by Madam Hua to the main courtyard, while the head of the Hua family, who had always been deeply affectionate with Madam Hua, was banished to the study. Today marked the third day he had been staring longingly at the main courtyard, watching his wife and youngest son.

The young masters of the Hua family, except for the Fifth Young Master and Sixth Young Master who had not yet reached twenty years of age, were scattered throughout various parts of the Great Ming. However, they would all return to gather during festivals and family birthdays.

Fifth Master Hua and Sixth Master Hua were equally dissatisfied with their father “lending out” their little brother. When angry, they not only made mischief for Hua Ruling but also strictly prevented their suffering father from approaching the main courtyard, cutting off the Hua family head’s opportunity to speak softly to his wife.

In her youth, Madam Hua had been a red-robed female warrior who traveled the jianghu with a sword and horse. She possessed excellent martial arts talent and came from a good family background. Though her lively and willful temperament had somewhat mellowed after marriage, once she became angry, she was truly someone no one in the Hua household dared to offend.

Hua Ruling was unable to defend himself, neither able to refuse the Commander nor give his wife a reasonable explanation. He was pitifully caught in the middle, without even the comfort of his soft, adorable, and thoughtful youngest son.

However, on the day when Yan Hongyin and Yu Luocha left the Hua Family Fortress to move into their own residence, the tiny Little Master Hua was waiting at the door with his small bundle.

Yu Luocha, who had been going out as a sect leader in the middle of the night for the past two days, was yawning and listlessly following alongside Yan Hongyin. Upon seeing the cute, fair-skinned Little Master Hua waiting by the door, he was stunned for a moment before exclaiming in surprise and turning to look at Yan Hongyin with sparkling eyes.

Yan Hongyin ignored him and instead walked toward the Hua family members who were watching sorrowfully from under a nearby corridor, wringing their handkerchiefs.

After Yan Hongyin reassured Madam Hua, promising to send Little Master Hua home during festivals and not to leave Jinling City anytime soon, Madam Hua’s emotions visibly calmed.

But when Yan Hongyin mentioned not wanting outsiders to know that the young master by her side was Hua Manlou, Madam Hua raised her hand to stop Hua Ruling, who was about to speak, and solemnly said, “Doctor Yan, please rest assured. From today, as Seventh Son follows Doctor Yan away from Hua Family Fortress, until his return, he will simply be a child of the Yan family. The Hua family’s Little Seven will soon travel to Lin’an Prefecture, where there is a small pavilion that will allow our Little Seven to stay away from the place where misfortune occurred and find peace.”

Yan Hongyin paused, then respectfully bowed to Madam Hua, whose eyes still showed signs of redness.

Madam Hua returned the bow, and the Fifth and Sixth Young Masters standing behind her followed suit.

Hua Ruling stood silently beside his wife, no longer attempting to speak.

The servants who usually bustled about the courtyard were nowhere to be seen today, and the vast Hua Family Fortress suddenly grew quiet.

Madam Hua gazed longingly at her young son in the distance, now being lifted and held in the arms of a tall man who was making him laugh. As she watched, tears fell from her eyes. “Actually, I know that Little Seven hasn’t been happy these past six months. Although he’s always smiling, trying to tell us he’s fine, that he’s not… But I’m his mother, how could I not see whether he’s truly happy or not?”

“It was Little Seven who was caught up in the grudges of the previous generation, yet it’s Little Seven who comforts us adults…..My heart aches!” Madam Hua tightly squeezed the handkerchief in her hand, trying hard to lower her voice so her young son wouldn’t hear. “Little Seven began staying awake all night. At first, he would curl up in the corner of the bed, counting the hours by tapping his knees with his fingers, then verifying whether daylight had come by the time servants entered… During meals, Little Seven would first find excuses to talk with us, his chopsticks only taking food from his own bowl, fearing to disturb the arrangement of dishes on the plates… Little Seven would walk through every part of Peach Blossom Fortress bit by bit, touching every courtyard wall, counting his steps one by one…”

Hua Ruling’s eyes reddened as he extended his arm to support his trembling wife beside him.

“I know that protecting him so completely actually makes him uncomfortable… makes him want to pretend that nothing happened… I should let him grow up—”

“But I can’t… I just can’t!”

Madam Hua grabbed Hua Ruling’s arm, her grip so tight that Yan Hongyin could almost hear the cracking sound of bones shifting, but Hua Ruling showed no discomfort. He simply let his wife lean on him, turning his head to gently kiss her forehead.

“I even wanted to keep Little Seven by my side at all times, every moment, never letting him leave, never letting him suffer any more harm…”

Madam Hua buried her face in Hua Ruling’s neck, her tears soaking his collar.

“But I can’t, I mustn’t do that. It would ruin him… ruin my most obedient, my best Little Seven.”

“I’ve watched helplessly as Little Seven grew thinner and unhappier. When he smiles at me, he occasionally becomes distracted…”

Madam Hua’s gaze remained fixed on her young son, each look filled with affection.

On the other side, the Little Master Hua, who had been laughing while talking with the tall man, seemed to sense something and “looked” directly toward where Madam Hua stood. His face showed urgency as he began to struggle in the man’s arms.

“…I always thought there was still time,” Madam Hua said, watching her son who hesitantly took two steps toward them before running over without restraint. She gritted her teeth and lowered her voice one last time, “Little Seven could grow up slowly, being spoiled a little more wouldn’t matter.”

“But Little Seven has already grown from that tiny baby in my arms to how tall he is now.”

How much time could be wasted?

Little Master Hua, who had been carried halfway by his Fifth Brother, found his mother’s hand and raised his small face with concern. “Mother, were you crying?”

These words caused tears to once again flow from Madam Hua’s eyes.

She held her youngest son in her arms one last time, their cheeks touching, and softly said, “Yes, I was crying. Mother is somewhat reluctant to part with Little Seven.”

“Then Seventh Son won’t leave. I’ll stay with Mother and Father,” Little Master Hua said in a small voice, holding his mother’s face and leaning in to kiss her.

“That won’t do. Our family’s Seventh Son also needs to grow up.”

Madam Hua bent down to set Little Master Hua on his feet, adjusting his clothes and smoothing out the rolled-up corners. She seemed to forget her son’s sightless eyes as she gave her beloved child a tearful but warm smile. “Little Seven will become a healthy, handsome, and dashing young man who will protect Father and Mother, and protect his brothers who are always running about causing worry. When that day comes… Mother will surely make your favorite peach blossom cakes again.”

Little Master Hua held Madam Hua’s hand and nodded firmly, his small face full of determination and longing. “Mm!”

“…Doctor Yan.” Madam Hua stood up and placed the small hand she held into Yan Hongyin’s hand. Biting her lip, she lowered her voice one last time. “Thank you.”

“And… please take care of him.”

****

Although the residence that Yan Hongyin and Yu Luocha purchased was in Jinling, it was far from the Hua family. Because of their special identities, to protect both Hua Manlou and the Hua family, Little Master Hua would not be able to freely return to Hua Family Fortress to visit his parents and brothers.

Just as fledglings must eventually leave the nest to strengthen their wings, this little bird, whose gift of sight had been prematurely taken back by heaven, was finally setting off on his journey.

Yu Luocha held the little Master Hua’s hand, with Yan Hongyin walking on the young master’s other side. The three of them slowly merged into the crowd, their figures disappearing from the view of the Hua family members who watched from a high pavilion.

The daytime streets were bustling with people. Little Master Hua, having been treasured and carefully raised by his family, had never had much opportunity to be among crowds.

At first, he only found it novel, curious about the noisy, clamorous mortal world around him, turning his head this way and that.

But soon, the wave-like sounds flooding in without visual cues to provide a sense of safe distance made him begin to feel afraid. He unconsciously tightened his grip on Yu Luocha’s hand.

Yu Luocha’s hand was large and warm. As they walked, Little Master Hua gradually pressed himself against Yu Luocha’s leg.

Yu Luocha, now walking with a child clinging to his leg, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He ruffled the little one’s head, took the bundle from Little Master Hua’s hand to carry it himself, and asked softly, “Scared?”

Little Master Hua pursed his lips, feeling awkward for quite a while before finally answering in a small voice. “…Just… a little bit.”

Yan Hongyin discreetly blocked the crowd surging toward the young master and looked down at the little master clinging tightly to Yu Luocha’s leg.

Perhaps the predestined connections in this world are difficult to explain.

Young children should possess instincts to seek benefit and avoid harm. Little Master Hua was sensitive by nature, even more so than most.

But since their first meeting, as if knowing it was Yu Luocha who saved him, when interacting with the two of them, he was actually closer to the notorious villain Yu Luocha than to Yan Hongyin of the Jinyiwei.

Yan Hongyin followed behind the large and small figures clinging together, watching as Yu Luocha scooped up the little ball from his leg and sat him on his arm, expertly listing the flavors available at the flatbread stall.

The flatbread sellers were a kind-looking elderly couple. Though the old woman’s face was somewhat pale as if recovering from a serious illness, her eyes and brows were filled with a benevolent, gentle smile.

The elderly couple’s stall looked newer than the neighboring small stalls, seemingly having been fixed up with new cloth, but the fillings in their flatbreads remained as generously stuffed as before.

It was already deep autumn, but Jinling’s sunshine still carried a warm feeling.

Yan Hongyin suddenly felt disoriented, sensing that between the three previously unconnected people who were about to live in the same residence, there seemed to be a predestined fate.

Yu Luocha bought flatbreads and carried them in his hand, while Little Master Hua was set back down on the ground.

He looked at the bundle in his left hand and the flatbread in his right, then gazed expectantly at Yan Hongyin.

Without a word, Yan Hongyin took the small bundle from Yu Luocha’s hand.

Little Master Hua raised his hand to hold Yu Luocha’s but touched the still-hot flatbread instead. He blinked, extended his other hand to feel around, and indeed found Yan Hongyin’s sleeve close by. He gently pinched it, his eyes no longer showing fear but full of reassurance.

Yan Hongyin’s hand moved inside her sleeve, and her cool hand took hold of Little Master Hua’s.

Little Master Hua’s mouth curved into a small arc, his eyes narrowing into crescent moons as he smiled. He asked softly, “Doctor?”

Yan Hongyin paused, then said quietly, “Call me Aunt Yan.”

“Aunt Yan!” Little Master Hua raised his head toward the direction of Yan Hongyin’s voice, revealing a gentle, subtle smile. His face was gilded with a fuzzy layer of gold in the sunlight.

“What about me? What about me!” Yu Luocha bent down close to Little Master Hua.

“Uncle Yu~”

Yu Luocha was greatly pleased. He broke off a small piece of flatbread, waved it in the cold wind to cool it down, and stuffed it into the little one’s mouth. “The flatbread from this place tastes good, best eaten while hot~ How is it?”

“Delicious!” Little Master Hua worked hard to chew the flatbread in his mouth, tasting the sweetness of the red bean paste.

“Has Aunt Yan tried it?”

Yu Luocha’s eyes shifted as he tore off a piece of flatbread and held it to Yan Hongyin’s mouth. “Wife, have a taste too, ah~”

Yan Hongyin gave Yu Luocha a sidelong glance, her eyes shooting invisible cold daggers.

Yu Luocha showed no fear at all, his hand showing no sign of withdrawing.

Yan Hongyin’s excellent sense of smell had already caught the dominating aroma of the flatbread.

Yan Hongyin lowered her head as the little one she held by the hand also “looked” up expectantly.

After hesitating for quite a while, Yan Hongyin finally opened her mouth and took the flatbread from Yu Luocha’s hand with her teeth, without touching his fingers at all.

Yu Luocha gave a light laugh, tore off another piece and put it in his own mouth, smiling like a cat that had stolen a fish.

And so, with Yan Hongyin holding the little one’s hand, the little one followed by Yu Luocha who strolled along, eating and feeding the little one, the three of them walked into that newly renovated residence on the outskirts of Jinling city.

Following the flow of people, bathed in sunlight.