Sadness welled up in Xie Jinning’s heart as he lifted his legs and curled up, hugging his knees. He buried his face in them, and his slender back began to tremble.
Wang Zhihe thought he had hit a nerve, feeling smug until he heard the sobbing and realized he had made the person cry. The smile on his face froze, and he quickly said, “Hey, hey, hey, don’t cry. It makes me look like I’m bullying you.”
“You, you are bullying me!” Xie Jinning sniffled softly, not even lifting his head. “I didn’t even remember, but you knew, and you just had to say it. You think you’re so great, huh, boo…”
Wang Zhihe had never dealt with someone like this before. Unlike the rough and tough kids in the village who would behave after a slap, this delicate and frail young master couldn’t be hit or scolded. He was so anxious that he scratched his head.
To be honest, when he first spoke, he did feel a bit of schadenfreude seeing a rich person down on their luck. But now, seeing the person cry so pitifully, he feared they were truly heartbroken.
Regretting his words a bit too late, he found himself at a loss for words to comfort the young master made of tofu. He could only admit his fault. “Yes, yes, yes, it’s all my fault for speaking harshly. You’re a bigger person, don’t stoop to the level of a rough guy like me, okay?”
Xie Jinning ignored him and continued to cry. His sobs were soft, occasionally interrupted by a sniffle or a cough, making anyone who heard it feel heartbroken.
Wang Zhihe was at a loss, trying every trick he knew, cursing his own clumsy mouth, apologizing until his mouth was dry. Finally, Xie Jinning lifted his head, glanced at him quickly, and asked, “Where are you taking me?”
Naturally, it’s where the real young master used to suffer, Wang Zhihe thought. But when the words reached his mouth, he changed them, saying vaguely, “To where you should go.”
His words were ambiguous, but Xie Jinning understood. He was probably going to be sent back to where Xie Zhu used to live.
He remembered secretly sending someone to investigate where Xie Zhu came from. Although he didn’t know the exact location, he had heard that the place was very poor, without even a private school. Xie Zhu had to sneak into the town’s private school to learn, and he even passed the provincial exam.
He really was his parents’ child, so smart…
Xie Jinning’s mood sank again. He was different. He couldn’t sit still in the academy, always thinking about what to eat or play with each day.
Now that his parents had a more outstanding child, and his big brother had a brother to discuss poetry and books with, it was only natural they didn’t want him anymore.
A few more tears fell from his long lashes. He had cried all night last night, exhausted until he fell asleep. When he woke up in the morning, he found himself in a carriage. Wang Zhihe’s words triggered his memories, leading to another bout of crying.
The emotional rollercoaster left him dizzy, with throbbing temples and sore eyes. He couldn’t cry anymore.
Xie Jinning bit his lower lip hard, the redness and swelling from the bite bringing a moment of clarity to his mind.
That place was poor and broken. Once he went there, he feared he would become like Xie Zhu when he first came to the family—yellow, thin, and ugly… not good-looking at all. He didn’t want that.
After thinking for a while, Xie Jinning wiped the tears from his face and asked, unwilling to give up, “Do I really have to go?”
“Of course,” Wang Zhihe sighed in relief. “Don’t worry, I’m reliable. I’ll make sure to deliver you safe and sound.”
It seemed that asking him to drop him off somewhere random wouldn’t work.
Disappointed, Xie Jinning lowered his eyes and rested his chin on his knees. From Wang Zhihe’s angle, the boy’s long, dark lashes were clumped together with tears, like a butterfly with wet wings. The redness at the corners of his eyes looked like a layer of rouge, very pretty.
His still youthful cheeks were round and full, the soft flesh of his delicate chin slightly bulging, and his mouth turned down in grievance. Even in his unhappy state, he looked a bit childish and obedient.
Wang Zhihe heard his own voice, as if it was floating in the wind, softer than ever before. “Hey, do you want some naan?”
As soon as he said it, he almost bit his tongue. What was he thinking? The young master probably ate only the best things in the mansion. How could he want to chew on something so dry?
Sure enough, he got a glare.
“No.” Xie Jinning coughed twice, covering his mouth, and reached out to him. “I want water.”
Wang Zhihe immediately untied the water pouch from his waist and handed it over.
Xie Jinning took it, saw that it had been used, and threw it back without caring if it hit him. He turned his face away, still with a nasal tone, “I don’t want something you’ve drunk from.”
Clearly, he found it unclean.
When Wang Zhihe handed him a new water pouch, Xie Jinning gulped down more than half of it, then tightened the cap and stuffed the pouch into his own bag, blatantly keeping it.
Wang Zhihe didn’t say anything. As long as he delivered the person, the money from the trip would be enough to buy a thousand water pouches. He placed the dry food he had prepared in front of Xie Jinning and said, “Take whatever you want to eat. I need to get going.”
Xie Jinning quickly stopped him, “Wait.”
“What now?”
“I want to get off and walk.”
Xie Jinning had been cramped in the carriage all night, feeling uncomfortable all over, especially his waist. After getting off, he rubbed it repeatedly, stretching his limbs as he walked, while his eyes darted around, observing the surroundings.
He had to run.
Xie Jinning thought, he had so many playmates and friends. Even if he wasn’t the real young master of the Xie family, friendship couldn’t be faked! They would surely help him out of years of friendship.
Even if it wasn’t exactly like before, he could at least live without worrying about food and drink, right?
Unknowingly, his steps took him further from the carriage. Suddenly feeling a tingling on his back, Xie Jinning turned to see Wang Zhihe, who had already connected the horse and carriage, staring at him.
Their eyes met, and Wang Zhihe raised his whip, “Hey, don’t go too far.”
Turning his steps, Xie Jinning walked back.
“Had enough exercise? Then get back in the carriage.”
“Wait a bit longer.”
“What now, young master?” Wang Zhihe scratched his head in frustration. The journey that should have taken three days, at this rate, who knew how long it would take. He wanted to get back early to settle his family and join the recruitment in a few days.
“I’m hungry. Can you find me something to eat? I don’t want to eat those dry things.”
Xie Jinning looked up at him, the sunlight filtering through the leaves casting shadows on his face. His amber eyes, washed by tears, were round and clear, instantly extinguishing the small fire in Wang Zhihe’s heart.
“Huh? Oh, okay…”
As if bewitched, Wang Zhihe nodded in a daze. By the time he came to his senses, Xie Jinning had already stepped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and smiled at him, “Coachman brother, you go ahead. I’ll wait here, not going anywhere.”
The curtain just covered his red ears. After speaking, he looked at Wang Zhihe expectantly, his eyes bright like a fledgling waiting to be fed.
Under his silent urging, Wang Zhihe moved.
There were no villages or shops nearby, so buying food was impossible. But he remembered seeing a fruit tree not far away when he drove over.
After repeatedly telling Xie Jinning not to wander off, Wang Zhihe quickened his pace.
What’s going on? His heart was beating so fast. Was he sick?
But when he returned with a bundle of wild fruits, he was faced with an empty carriage.
The wild fruits rolled all over the ground, and he laughed coldly in anger.
“Damn it, dared to trick me!”