The older boy, pinned beneath his foot, wept, his nose running, "Let me go, please let me go! Don't step on me, it hurts!"
He cried, gasping for breath.
Yun Xiaojing was annoyed by the crying, "How old are you to be crying like this?"
If he cried like this, Uncle Jing Heng would surely mock him.
That's why he wouldn't cry easily!
It was too embarrassing!
He lifted his foot.
Seeing the older boys about to run, he immediately said, "Give me all the silver you have."
"What?"
The older boys were stunned.
Yun Xiaojing held up his small palm.
The last few boys, with great reluctance, handed over the meager copper coins they had.
"This is all I have..."
"This is all of it..." his little voice was incredibly aggrieved.
"This is mine too..."
After placing the copper coins in Yun Xiaojing's palm, the older boys truly had tears in their eyes.
Yun Xiaojing looked at the paltry few copper coins in his hand, utterly speechless, "So little!"
"No... it's not little..."
Yun Xiaojing huffed, "If you dare bully younger children again, I'll snatch all your money!"
"No!"
"We won't dare!"
"We won't do it again, alright?"
Yun Xiaojing thought that as older brothers, these older boys were truly too wicked, and also too timid, not as brave as his own brother at all!
His brother wouldn't submit to the scum father and dared to leave the city alone! He didn't even cry when he saw wolves!
"Hmph! Hurry up and scram!" Yun Xiaojing said indignantly.
He wanted to see his mother, and they had wasted his time!
The older boys immediately ran off.
They ran with all their might.
Seeing this, Yun Changfeng, who had descended from the carriage, was completely astonished.
He looked at Yun Xiaojing in disbelief.
At such a young age, he could actually intimidate several older children.
He walked over and asked Yun Xiaojing gently and kindly, "Little friend, tell Grandpa, who are your parents? Grandpa wishes to meet them."
The child's father must be an extraordinary figure; it would be wonderful if he could be brought into his service.
Yun Xiaojing was startled when he saw Yun Changfeng.
He blinked his large, starry eyes.
He looked at Yun Changfeng with joy.
Grandfather!
He was seeing his grandfather up close like this!
Yun Changfeng's tough heart melted completely when he saw Yun Xiaojing smiling at him. If only he had a grandson like this.
"Take Grandpa to meet your father and mother, okay?" Yun Changfeng asked softly.
This time, Yun Xiaojing heard him.
He blinked his big eyes.
His father and mother had already met Grandpa!
If he weren't afraid of startling Grandpa, he would have loved to leap into his arms right now.
But he couldn't.
Suddenly appearing as a living grandson would surely shock Grandpa.
His eyes darted around, "Father and Mother aren't here."
"Not here?" Yun Changfeng was taken aback.
"Mm!"
Yun Changfeng looked at Yun Xiaojing's obedient face, realizing that the child was still quite guarded. He was being wary of him. But there was no rush; the child probably lived nearby, not far from the General's mansion. He would send someone to investigate later.
"Who taught you your martial arts?" Yun Changfeng asked.
To make a good impression, Yun Xiaojing acted particularly well-behaved, "My mother taught me! She's extremely, extremely, extremely formidable."
Taught by his mother?
Yun Changfeng smiled and asked again, "Is your father formidable?"
Scum father? Yun Xiaojing pouted, "My father never taught me anything. He's been very busy lately, busy marrying other aunties."
Yun Changfeng was shocked.
News obtained unintentionally.
The child was so wonderful, but the father was a bad person?
Poor child.
Just then, a vendor selling candied hawthorns passed by.
Yun Changfeng, having heard Yun Xiaojing's words, felt pity for the little fellow. A stone seemed to lodge in his heart, making it difficult to breathe smoothly.
He stopped the vendor, "Buy two candied hawthorns."
The vendor happened to have two left.
Yun Xiaojing's eyes lit up when he saw the candied hawthorns, "Wow! I haven't had candied hawthorns in so long!"
Mother worried about his teeth developing cavities and wouldn't let him eat candied hawthorns.
Mother said that cavities were terrible and would gnaw away his teeth, leaving him unable to eat anything but water and porridge, which scared him greatly.
But, occasionally, when he craved them intensely, he would secretly eat one!
Indeed, he was his own biological grandfather!
Seeing Yun Xiaojing's excited little face flush slightly, Yun Changfeng's earlier thoughts became even stronger.
If only this were his grandson.
"Take both, eat them slowly," Yun Changfeng said gently.
Yun Xiaojing took the other one and offered it, "Grandfather, have one. I only need one! Eating too many will make my teeth ache."
"What did you call me?" Yun Changfeng thought he misheard.
Yun Xiaojing inwardly cursed his mistake. He had blurted it out. He immediately said with a grin, "I'm leaving now! Thank you, Grandpa!"
With that, holding the two candied hawthorns, he turned and ran.
He quickly disappeared.
Yun Changfeng watched Yun Xiaojing run away. That small figure, and his appearance, were etched into his mind.
Truly a lovable little fellow.
Suddenly, Yun Changfeng made a decision.
He would find a good husband for Shu'er.
This way, he would soon become a grandfather.
The child born to Shu'er would surely be as intelligent, lively, and mischievous as the child he had just met.
Putting his thoughts aside.
Yun Changfeng instructed the person behind him, "Investigate this child, find out who his parents are. If the father is truly not a good person, then there's no need to investigate further or to disturb them."
"Yes."
...
Prince Zhan's Mansion.
After Zhan Tianye returned from the palace, he was informed by the household staff that Yun Xiaojing had secretly run away.
But Zhan Xiaoli had not left.
Zhan Xiaoli much preferred staying in his room.
When Zhan Tianye came to see him, he merely looked up.
"Do you know where Xiaojing went?" Zhan Tianye asked.
Zhan Xiaoli's little face was cold and his expression puzzled, but he replied indifferently, "I don't know."
Yun Xiaojing left?
Would he come back?
Did he find the mansion too boring and leave without a word?
Zhan Xiaoli speculated.
Zhan Tianye, seeing that Zhan Xiaoli was still angry with him and didn't even want to speak to him, frowned, "Zhan Xiaoli, how long are you going to sulk?"
"Let me go find Mother!" Zhan Xiaoli was stubborn.
Once he set his mind on something, ten horses couldn't drag him away.
He wanted to see his mother!
"Presumptuous!" Zhan Tianye roared.
Zhan Xiaoli's small body trembled violently from the shock.
His face turned pale.
At that moment.
A familiar voice sounded from the doorway, "Are you two arguing?"
Both the adult and the child looked towards the door.
Yun Xiaojing, holding a candied hawthorn in each hand, looked at them with a grin.
"Brother, I bought you a candied hawthorn! Sweet and sour, incredibly delicious!"