Bai Zhi’er, feeling drowsy, was just about to drift into sleep.
However, she heard a series of soft footsteps.
The little one opened her eyes just a sliver.
She saw her father, Bai Xilie, cautiously stepping out of the palace via the side door.
Bai Zhi’er sat up and rubbed her big eyes.
"Daddy? Where are you going?"
Bai Xilie didn’t notice his daughter was awake.
Watching her father leave, Bai Zhi’er’s sleepiness vanished, replaced by curiosity.
She herself scrambled out of bed, put on her little shoes, hugged her cloth tiger, and sneaked out from the side hall.
The night was deep, and the bright moon hung high.
For some reason, the Imperial Guards usually at the gate were nowhere to be seen.
Bai Xilie followed the palace road straight ahead, and Bai Zhi’er’s small figure trailed behind. Official source is novel fire.net
She didn’t know where her father was heading, but as they walked, the palace road became more deserted.
Bai Zhi’er grew even more curious.
Bai Xilie turned around.
The little one instinctively hurried to hide behind a big tree.
Bai Xilie frowned, his deep eyes scanning the empty palace road behind him.
He thought he heard footsteps just now—was it an illusion?
When Bai Zhi’er peeked her head out, she found that Bai Xilie had already continued forward.
She quickly stepped her small feet to keep up.
A creak sounded as ancient wooden boards were opened, shattering the night’s silence.
Bai Xilie stepped into a desolate, rundown courtyard.
He fetched a few dried logs from a room on the side.
He set them up in the courtyard, lit them with a firestone, and pulled two dark objects from a sack in the corner, throwing them into the fire.
Bai Zhi’er clutched the doorframe with her small hands, exposing only her wide eyes as she observed.
She could see Bai Xilie’s face illuminated by firelight, his thick brows and big eyes appearing particularly solemn.
The little one curiously furrowed her brows.
Why did he come alone at night to make a fire here?
And after she had fallen asleep, too.
Bai Xilie found a stick from somewhere and used it to poke the wood.
It was at this moment.
Bai Zhi’er’s little nose sniffed, catching scent of something fragrant wafting through the air.
Mmm! It smells so good! What tasty thing is it?
Bai Xilie used the stick to pull one of the blackened objects out of the fire.
He picked it up with his hands but had to switch it back and forth because it was hot.
After he peeled off the charred outer layer, Bai Zhi’er, hiding at the door, finally saw what her father was holding.
It turned out to be a roasted sweet potato!
Bai Xilie bent his long legs and sat on the steps, enjoying the sweet potato in his hand.
Bai Zhi’er, unable to resist the aroma, hopped out.
With her little hands on her hips, holding her cloth tiger, she declared fiercely, "Daddy, you’re so bad!"
"You tricked Zhi’er into sleeping, just to come here and eat alone, hmph!"
Bai Xilie almost dropped the sweet potato from the sudden sound.
He was surprised: "Zhi’er! How did you follow me?"
Bai Zhi’er toddled quickly over with her small feet.
She puffed her pink cheeks, visibly angry.
That accusing gaze flicked from Bai Xilie to the sweet potato in his hand.
Then she opened her mouth wide and took a big bite of the roasted flesh, feeling the heat, she kept blowing on it.
Bai Xilie paused, then laughed: "Take your time, there’s another one. Daddy won’t fight you for it."
Bai Zhi’er mumbled unclearly, "Bad Daddy, why would you come here to eat something good by yourself, without me, to get your baby all angry!"