After Li Fuyou left, Li Fugui returned to the room, listless and dispirited. He had no heart for copying books anymore and just sat there, wanting to search for Xiaotian but clueless about where to start. All he could do was wait.
Having waited for a long while without seeing Xiaotian’s return, his fear intensified. Xiaotian had gone off with some young master, but where? Could she still return?
He felt utterly useless and was filled with regret. Why had he chosen to stay in the first place? He regretted not accepting Yang Ming’s help.
If only he knew which young master it was, he would risk his life to tear him limb from limb.
He tried to calm himself down; he couldn’t let Xiaotian see his distress. So, just like usual, he went to the kitchen to cook, waiting for Xiaotian to come back.
With a heart heavy with sorrow, Xiaotian walked home. She had agreed with Guo Feng to leave the next day, and she wanted to take one last look at the young master before departing. As soon as she arrived home, she saw the young master busily working in the kitchen, "Fugui."
Upon hearing her, Li Fugui turned with a look of joy, "Xiaotian, you’re back."
He looked at Xiaotian, saw her swollen, tear-stained eyes, and knew something must have happened to her, but he couldn’t ask, he didn’t dare.
"Xiaotian, take a seat, the meal will be ready in a moment."
Li Fugui feigned composure, turned back to continue cooking, his eyes already reddening. He could no longer tell if it was the smoke stinging them.
Xiaotian just sat there, watching the young master busily at work. In just a few days, the young master had learned to cook on his own. She thought, he should have no issues living by himself now, right? She should be relieved, right?
It wasn’t long before the meal was ready. "Xiaotian, take a taste. See if I’ve made any progress?"
Xiaotian took a bite, her head bowed, tears swirling in her eyes. She held them in, not wanting the young master to notice, "Mmm, delicious!"
"If it’s delicious, have some more." Li Fugui kept adding more dishes to Xiaotian’s bowl.
The two of them ate in silence, their emotions overshadowing any taste the food could have had.
After finishing the meal, Li Fugui felt Xiaotian surely couldn’t bring herself to speak of her plight; he had to break the ice.
"Xiaotian, I think... perhaps you shouldn’t go to do helper’s work anymore. Just stay at home. You can write, so you could copy books at home. I’ll go out and look for other work in the next few days. Perhaps I can even find work teaching children to read."
"..." Why would the young master say such a thing? Did he know about her being fired?
"Yes, I’ll listen to you."
Seeing Xiaotian , Li Fugui didn’t know how to comfort her. If he spoke up, it would mean he knew everything. He had to feign calmness and carry on copying books as usual, saying no more.
The night was eerily quiet, Xiaotian’s movements in the kitchen crystal clear to his ears.
She was bathing in the kitchen, washing over and over again, the sound of water splashing against her body, accompanied by sporadic sobs.
She was crying. Just what had that young master done to his Xiaotian? He dared not imagine, he dared not ask.
He punched the bed hard, feeling an unprecedented sense of powerlessness.
Xiaotian stopped crying, got herself sorted, and then entered the room.
She began to spread out the bedding, placing Fugui’s beside hers, then she lay down.
"Let’s sleep together tonight."
"..." Li Fugui’s eyes widened in disbelief. What was she saying? Sleep together? As in that together?