The old house, long neglected, had a pillar collapse in the middle of the night, heading straight for Chu Zhaoyou’s head. At that moment, Chu Zhaoyou was trying to coax Xiao Heng to move aside, and he didn’t notice. Suddenly, Xiao Heng lunged over, placing his hands above Chu Zhaoyou, and silently bore the impact. Even after being hit, Xiao Heng’s arms remained straight, supporting Chu Zhaoyou, with his palms covering Chu Zhaoyou’s ears.

In the ensuing silence, dust filled the air.

Chu Zhaoyou regretted waking up without checking if Xiao Heng had been hit, and Xiao Heng still hadn’t returned.

Had Xiao Heng been deceived as soon as he left?

Or was his request for a “drink” too demanding for Xiao Heng to fulfill?

He had been too willful just now. Upon reflection, he realized that his request was indeed quite difficult for Xiao Heng. What if something else happened as a result? No, he had to find Xiao Heng.

Struggling to move down from the low platform bed, Chu Zhaoyou had already imagined several tragic scenarios of Xiao Heng being deceived while fetching water.

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became, and he regretted it deeply.

Just as his slender, fair fingers reached the door frame, a gust of wind swept into the room. Chu Zhaoyou blinked and saw Xiao Heng place something on the bed before helping him up.

Feeling relieved, Chu Zhaoyou silently adjusted his expectations for Xiao Heng. He reached out to touch the back of Xiao Heng’s head and his back. After a few hours, Xiao Heng had lost sensation, living up to his reputation of being tough as nails.

“What’s this?”

On the bed was a broken bowl, the size of a large basin, still capable of holding a considerable amount of water despite being chipped. It contained a milky white liquid, quite appealing to Chu Zhaoyou, who hadn’t eaten for a long time.

Milk?

He had been easily deceived by his sister-in-law, but now this? The old man hadn’t lied to him! Xiao Heng had indeed become smarter.

A faint smile formed on Chu Zhaoyou’s lips, and he looked at Xiao Heng with a gentle gaze.

Xiao Heng was momentarily stunned, then remembered to answer, “A drink.”

He said the word awkwardly but with utmost sincerity.

“I know it’s a drink. I’m asking what it is,” Chu Zhaoyou said, holding the bowl in his hands and taking a sip with a smile on his face.

“…”

He calmly set down the broken bowl. “Where did you go just now? What did you say to whom you met? Tell me everything from start to finish.”

Xiao Heng explained that when he arrived yesterday, he remembered a village to the west and went there to fetch water.

“My wife was thirsty and wanted a drink.” His tone was very stiff as he described the sour, sweet, and colorful details.

The homeowner didn’t want to deal with this unexpected guest, but Xiao Heng said he could work.

He chopped wood, and with his strength, the axe was as easy to handle as a kitchen knife. Before long, the entire village knew that a big fool had arrived at the Wang family’s house, working efficiently and refusing payment.

The more wood he chopped, the more it piled up, and they took advantage of Xiao Heng’s ignorance, bringing over all the firewood from the entire village. After chopping the wood, he reluctantly carried several loads of water, filling three large water jars.

Finally, Old Wang gave Xiao Heng a broken bowl filled with rice-washing water.

Xiao Heng frowned. “It’s not sweet.”

When Xiao Heng furrowed his brow, his natural authority was evident. Just standing there made Old Wang feel a sense of impending doom, as if the entire village was about to be slaughtered.

Realizing the strength Xiao Heng had exerted while chopping wood, Old Wang grumbled and went back to fetch half a spoonful of sugar, which he added to the rice-washing water and stirred. “Is it sweet now?”

Xiao Heng then carried it back home as if it were a treasure.

Chu Zhaoyou clenched his fists, knowing without asking how much wood Xiao Heng had chopped. He took Xiao Heng’s hand and saw the rough, red marks. His breathing became heavy, and his eyes reddened. “When I’m better, I’ll take you to find a place.”

How dare they bully Xiao Heng without asking him first!

It was too dangerous to let Xiao Heng go out alone. He had been deceived as soon as he acted independently. Before losing his memory, Xiao Heng must have been a good-natured person who endured silently.

This won’t do. I have to teach him properly.

Xiao Heng didn’t feel that he had been wronged and only asked, “Is it good?”

Chu Zhaoyou was extremely thirsty and his throat was dry. He couldn’t care less at the moment. Ignoring the fact that the rice-washing water was unclean, he gulped it down, finding it sweet and slightly astringent, but tolerable.

He left half a bowl and mixed in the second packet of medicine powder given by the old man. “Xiao Heng, drink this.”

Xiao Heng didn’t move. This was the water he had fetched for Chu Zhaoyou. Just like the chicken last time, his heart and eyes were filled with Chu Zhaoyou. He was good to him, sang for him, and drove away his pain. But he was too foolish. Only when Chu Zhaoyou spoke did he know what he wanted, and Chu Zhaoyou had to teach him how to get it. He wouldn’t compete with Chu Zhaoyou for the only food he could give him, even if it meant starving.

“Looks like I have to feed you, don’t I?” Chu Zhaoyou pinched Xiao Heng’s chin, teasing him, and then handed him the bowl. He glanced at Xiao Heng obediently drinking the water and discreetly hid the third packet of medicine powder.

“Don’t spill it,” Chu Zhaoyou reminded, propping up his chin.

He looked around the empty room, feeling the scarcity of everything.

“Poor and humble, a hundred sorrows,” Chu Zhaoyou sighed.

Xiao Heng looked directly at Chu Zhaoyou.

Despite the fact that Xiao Heng had always been attentive to Chu Zhaoyou, noticing even the slightest change in his breathing, Chu Zhaoyou felt a bit guilty after last night. He felt that Xiao Heng could understand him now, so he didn’t dare to speak without restraint.

“That ‘don’t remember’ just now, let me reteach you. It’s called brotherly simplicity, understand?”

…

After taking the medicine powder, Xiao Heng began to feel drowsy. Chu Zhaoyou nervously watched him. The old man had said that after a good night’s sleep, the aftereffects would be eradicated—of course, he would have to take the medicine again in a month to ensure that there were no lingering issues.

Before losing consciousness, Xiao Heng gazed deeply at Chu Zhaoyou, carefully observing every feature of his face, as if trying to etch his image into his mind.

“Will you… always be here?”

Xiao Heng’s eyelids grew heavy, and he couldn’t hold them open any longer.

It’s ridiculous to have to be accompanied by a parent at this age, Chu Zhaoyou complained inwardly, but skillfully coaxed, “I’ll be right here. Just take a nap, and when you wake up, you’ll be all better. I’ll take you to the town to buy osmanthus cake. We’ll each have two pieces. The osmanthus is so fragrant and fresh now, and the cakes are a tender yellow color…”

Get well soon.

Chu Zhaoyou’s hand was held, so he simply held Xiao Heng’s hand in return. They really had no money left.

Just get up and catch some chickens.

Chu Zhaoyou tried to coax Xiao Heng with the promise of osmanthus cake, but he himself had to swallow his saliva several times. He pulled his hand back, but his wrist was held with a strong grip, as if he were shackled to the bed.

“Be good, let go of my hand,” Chu Zhaoyou urged in a gentle tone. In just two days, Chu Zhaoyou’s patience in coaxing Xiao Heng had reached its limit.

“I’m the kind of person that wealthy families fight to have me help them look after their children,” Chu Zhaoyou boasted.

He tried to persuade Xiao Heng to release his grip, but Xiao Heng couldn’t hear him anymore.

Chu Zhaoyou was suddenly furious. It was the same last night, with his hand being held down on the bed, leaving his wrist bruised and scratched!

Chu Zhaoyou gritted his teeth and pried open Xiao Heng’s fingers, but facing Xiao Heng was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. He was so angry that he bit Xiao Heng’s hand back with all his might.

Last night, he had been soft-hearted, afraid of affecting Xiao Heng’s recovery, so he hadn’t dared to bite.

As he relaxed his bite, Chu Zhaoyou freed his wrist, rubbing it and wincing. He pretended to casually glance at Xiao Heng and saw a large bite mark on the back of his hand, which made him feel guilty once again.

Chu Zhaoyou quickly patted Xiao Heng’s hand. “The bite on my shoulder is much deeper than this.”