The soft, fair-skinned little child sleeps with his face slightly flushed. He doesn’t notice that someone else is now holding him. His chubby little hand grabs onto the man’s shirt, and once he’s got a good hold, he settles back into sleep.

“So small” 

Bai Yu mutters, his large hand softy cupped the little one’s round and chubby bottom, not daring to move. After shaking off his stiffness, Bai Yu looks at the little child in his hands. He mumbles, “So small. How did he manage to come all this way?”

The flyers they put out don’t have any age restrictions, but this child is just too small. The cold-faced boy earlier isn’t that much older, either.

The magic formation glows faintly.

Bai Yu, sitting on a rock, knows that the boy inside has already started his trial. Three hours — there’s still a long way to go. He glances at the sky, noticing the clouds gathering low. It’s going to get colder soon. The cold won’t bother adults, but he’s not sure how it will affect the child in his arms.

Bai Yu really doesn’t know how to take care of a child. Carefully, he touches the little child’s soft face, then checks the small hands and feet. They’re warm— for now, the child hasn’t gotten cold.

“Feels nice, actually.” Bai Yu pulls his hand back, somewhat reluctant. Then, he sends a message to the sect, asking for help.

“First senior brother, third senior brother, do either of you know how to take care of a child?”

“A child? Did you have an illegitimate kid or something?” 

Hearing two replies echo back, Bai Yu’s lips twitch. “I’ve never even held a girl’s hand, where would I get an illegitimate child?”

“It’s our future junior’s little brother. He brought a child with him to become a disciple.” Bai Yu knows exactly what’s happening inside the magic formation. Though the three hours aren’t up yet, he’s thinking of the boy in the magic formation as their future junior brother.

“Little junior brother brings his illegitimate child to become a disciple?”

“No, why do you keep thinking about illegitimate children? I’m pretty sure that’s his little brother.”

Bai Yu loses patience as he explains, “I’m telling you, do you even know how to take care of a kid? I’m bringing him back later, so you better get things ready.”

“He’s really small. First senior brother, make something good for him to eat.” 

First senior brother: “…” 

After a brief pause, he replies, “I’ll check the library to see if there are any recipe books.”

Bai Yu agrees, “Alright, go check.”

As soon as Bai Yu finishes, third senior brother chimes in, “I’ll get a room ready for the junior brother and a cotton quilt for the child.”

Bai Yu, satisfied, responds, “Good, thank you, third brother.”

Bai Yu has assigned tasks to his first and third senior brothers. Now, he focuses on the little child in his arms. He carefully examines the child, noting how pretty the child is. In all his years, he has never seen a face so cute and perfect.

“Mmm.” As Bai Yu listens to the child’s breathing. He examines his face again, and slowly realizes that something is off. This child doesn’t seem very healthy.

Before he can think further, the child starts coughing, confirming Bai Yu’s suspicion. The coughing grows harsher, turning the child’s face bright red. Bai Yu instinctively rubs the child’s back. After a while, the coughing subsides.

But before Bai Yu can relax, the child suddenly spits out a small mouthful of blood. It’s not a lot of blood, but it’s enough to scare him. Bai Yu’s hands tremble.

“W-What’s wrong with you?!” he stutters, seeing the child open his eyes. His voice shakes as much as his hands. When the boy handed the child over to him, he didn’t mention that the kid might spit blood!

Bai Yu’s question goes unanswered. Little Ming Qiao, after spitting blood, doesn’t even bother to wipe his mouth. His eyes widened in confusion, staring back at Bai Yu just as dumbfounded.

“Who… who are you?” Ming Qiao’s childish voice trembles as he looks around, not seeing You Qing. His panic grows, and the little child begins to fret.

“Where’s my big brother?”

Ever since Ming Qiao mistakenly ended up in this strange world from a hundred years ago, he hasn’t left You Qing’s side. Now, suddenly unable to find his brother, he sniffs, feeling the urge to cry.

“Don’t cry,” Bai Yu says, panicking as he sees the little child’s red nose and teary eyes. He hurriedly tries to comfort him. “I’m not a bad person. Your brother asked me to take care of you.”

“Are you hungry? Do you want to go home with me and eat?”

“No need!” Ming Qiao immediately becomes upset at the mention of being taken away. He kicks his chubby legs and starts struggling. “Put me down! Qiao Qiao wants to find big brother!”

“Hey, don’t move so much! If you keep squirming, I might drop you!” Bai Yu is not very skilled at holding children. Now, he’s trying to keep the little child from slipping out of his arms.

“Be good! I’m really not a bad person, don’t be scared of me!” Bai Yu tries to calm him, but the more he reassures him, the more Ming Qiao struggles.

“Your brother is in the magic formation right now. He’ll be out in a few hours!” Bai Yu explains anxiously. “I’m not lying to you!”

The two of them—one desperately clinging to the other, and the other kicking and flailing—refuse to stop. But Ming Qiao is too small, and he doesn’t have the strength to overpower Bai Yu. When he realizes he can’t escape, he leans back and begins to cry, his voice filled with heartbreak.

“I want my big brother… Qiao Qiao wants big brother…” Ming Qiao’s chubby face is soon covered in tears, his little body trembling with sobs.

Bai Yu, completely at a loss, worries that if he lets this go on, the child might cry himself sick. Desperate, he decides to take the boy back to the sect. Holding the sobbing child, he leaps into the air and heads back.

“First senior brother! Third senior brother! Help!” Bai Yu shouts, moving swiftly. 

As he flies off, he yells to the magic formation: “Little junior brother, when you’re done, come up the mountain. I’m taking your brother back!”

The magic formation was already in motion, and even Bai Yu couldn’t interfere with it now. His voice fades into the distance as he disappears toward the sect, the child still in his arms.

In no time, Bai Yu arrives at the sect’s mountain residence. The sect’s nameplate hangs at the base of the mountain, but all of them live higher up. As soon as he lands, he urgently calls for help.

First senior brother Huang Qiao, despite his delicate-sounding name, is a burly man with a full beard. He steps out holding an old recipe book on medicinal cuisine. Third senior brother Mo Fan, who is just seventeen and has a gender-neutral face, is vain and rather talkative.

Both of them approach as they see Bai Yu holding the tear-streaked child.

Huang Qiao tosses the recipe book aside and reaches out to take the child. Mo Fan frowns, asking, “Second senior brother, what did you do to him?”

Bai Yu bristles at the accusation. “Which eye of yours saw me bully him? He’s just shy and looking for his brother. No one can hold him—” 

Before he can finish, the little child in his arms stretches out his chubby hands and reaches for Huang Qiao.

Bai Yu: “…”

Bai Yu is speechless.

Huang Qiao, equally surprised, carefully takes the crying child, trying his best to soothe him. “There, there, don’t cry. Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat. How about some medicinal food?”

Ming Qiao hiccups through his sobs. But when he hears “medicine,” he touches his chest with his chubby hand. With teary eyes, he whispers, “Medicine… Qiao Qiao needs medicine.” 

He not only wants to find his brother but also needs his medicine.

Huang Qiao hears him and asks gently, “What kind of medicine do you need? Tell me, and I’ll make it for you.”

“Extreme-Yin Lotus” Ming Qiao answers with teary eyes, explaining the preparation. 

“Boil the Extreme-Yin Lotus, and Qiao Qiao will drink it.”

Huang Qiao: “…”

Huang Qiao looks at Mo Fan and then at Bai Yu. The three brothers exchange looks. They originally had three Extreme-Yin Lotus, but two were lost by accidents. Only one remained.

Ming Qiao’s face grows anxious at their silence. His little bun-like face is wet with tears. “Is there no medicine? Are you lying to Qiao Qiao?”

“No, we’re not lying,” Huang Qiao finally says. They had originally planned to save the last medicinal herb. They had prepared other offerings for their future junior disciple. But now, with their little sickly guest here, it was clear that the Extreme-Yin Lotus was needed.

“I’ll cook it for you.”

Huang Qiao notices the blood on the little child’s lips and clothes, and so does Mo Fan, who is in charge of the herb. Without a word, Mo Fan fetches the Extreme-Yin Lotus and starts the kitchen fire.

While the lotus is being prepared, Ming Qiao obediently sits on a small stool in the kitchen. He watches the small pot simmering over the fire. He listens to Huang Qiao and Bai Yu discussing the magic formation down the mountain. In a few hours, it will transport You Qing back.

Ming Qiao places his small hands neatly on his lap, finally believing Bai Yu’s words. He realizes that kicking and struggling earlier was wrong. So, he turns his small face toward Bai Yu, who is crouching next to him, and softly apologizes. After apologizing, he even rubs his face affectionately against Bai Yu.

Bai Yu: “!”

Bai Yu’s heart melts as the soft little bun-like face brushes against him.

“It’s okay, I’m not mad.” Bai Yu replies with a smile, his heart swelling as if Ming Qiao were his own child.

After apologizing, Ming Qiao patiently waits for his medicine. But before it is ready, he has another severe coughing fit.

“First senior brother, how much longer?” 

Bai Yu’s smile fades as he listens to the coughs, urging, “Hurry up! He’s going to cough up blood. He already scared me half to death earlier down the mountain.”

Under Bai Yu’s hurried prompting, the medicine is finally ready. The last Extreme-Yin Lotus of the sect is consumed by the three-year-old child.

The Extreme-Yin Lotus grows in cold, dark places but has a warming effect. After finishing the lotus and the broth, Ming Qiao feels warm. He happily wiggles his little, chubby feet.

“Thank you!” Ming Qiao says cheerfully.

Seeing his rosy complexion return, Huang Qiao lets out a relieved sigh. “No need to thank me. As long as the medicine can heal your illness, that’s all that matters.”

One Extreme-Yin Lotus for the safety of the child seems a fair trade—even their master would have agreed.

But just as Huang Qiao relaxes, the little child’s next words make his heart leap back into his throat.

Holding the bowl, Ming Qiao softly says, “It can’t be cured.”

The little child continues, “Qiao Qiao’s illness needs a lot of medicine.”

“Extreme-Yin Lotus, twelve pieces.”

“Ice Heart Pill, three.”

“Motherwort, every day.”

“Xuan Yang Wood boils in water for Qiao Qiao to bathe.”

One after another, the names of herbs, pills, and rare plants spill from the little boy’s mouth. The senior brothers stand there in stunned silence.

After a long moment, Mo Fan, trembling, pinches Bai Yu hard on the leg. When Bai Yu winces in pain, Mo Fan shudders and finally snaps back to reality.

“First senior brother, do you remember the motto of our sect?”

Huang Qiao: “…”

Huang Qiao’s expression is just as confused, but he nods, “Yes, I remember.”

Their sect, Suiyi Sect, has a name that hints at its laid-back nature. Their late master had told them not to worry about forming alliances with other sects or revitalizing the school. In this world, the key is to live a relaxed and carefree life, following their hearts!

And now, their laid-back sect has to care for a child who needs endless rare medicines just to survive…

“S-Senior brother, c-can we…” Mo Fan stutters, clearly shaken as he looks at Huang Qiao.

Before he can finish, a figure dressed in black, surrounded by a chill, approaches from a distance.

“Suiyi Sect, You Qing greets the seniors”, the child says.

Though unsteady, You Qing walks forward with determination, having just emerged from the magical formation.

He doesn’t know how to address these people, so he just calls them “seniors”.

Huang Qiao, hearing him call himself part of the Suiyi Sect, resignedly says, “Mo Fan, stop struggling.”

After passing through the magical formation and climbing the mountain gate, You Qing is already their junior disciple of the Suiyi Sect.

One junior disciple comes, and they get one free.

The little child on the bench, whether they want to raise him or not, they have to.

“Junior brother.”

Bai Yu doesn’t greet You Qing. He pats Mo Fan on the shoulder and continues to quietly reassure him, “Aren’t they just some herbs? The Jingxiu Sect has plenty of those, we’ll just borrow a little.”

Mo Fan: “…”

Mo Fan wipes his face and says, “Second senior brother, have you forgotten? Ten years ago, the Jingxiu Sect put up a sign at their entrance. It says, ‘Disciples of the Suiyi Sect and dogs are not allowed inside.”

——————————————————

Author’s note:

Qiao Qiao obediently sits on the bench: Give Qiao Qiao some medicine.