"Throughout history, it has been said that one cannot fully embody both loyalty and filial piety, which is probably what this means. But Dayu is different from the others. The flood had been rampant for so many years—couldn’t he spare even a quarter of an hour when he passed by his own home? Don’t forget, the first time he passed by his home, his wife was giving birth, teetering at the edge of life and death as if she was at the Ghost Gate. A mishap, and she would likely have died, yet he didn’t even go to see her once. This just shows that his heart was cruel..." Yang Ruxin waved her hand, "So, you can follow his example of being observant and dedicated, but don’t emulate the selfish and indifferent part of him..."
"But..." Zhou Xiao swallowed hard, "but if the Imperial Court orders us to go to war and we can’t return home, then..."
"In such cases, there’s no helping it, as you might be thousands of miles away from home. But if there comes a day when you do pass by your home, anyone with a sense of family would do everything in their power to see their parents, wife, and kids. Even leaders wouldn’t disapprove of that, because it’s only human..." Suddenly, Yang Ruxin laughed at herself. Why was she saying this to a bunch of little kids? She waved her hands hurriedly, "These are just my personal opinions; just listen and let it be... Go play, and tomorrow, Brother Gu will tell you a story..."
Zhou Xiao, however, stared blankly at Yang Ruxin for a long time, not responding.
"What’s wrong?" Yang Ruxin smiled.
"Nothing." Zhou Xiao suddenly revealed a brilliant smile, as if he had come to an understanding about something. Maybe Sister Ruxin was right; his father had once ridden back home in the middle of the night to see him and his sister, and before the dawn, he had left again to catch up with the troops. So, he agreed with Sister Ruxin’s words.
"Your thoughts are quite novel." Gu Qingheng turned to Yang Ruxin after the children had dispersed.
"I was just stating a fact," Yang Ruxin shrugged, "Don’t you think what I said makes sense?"
"But it is quite shocking and unconventional," he replied.
"I know," Yang Ruxin nodded, "But what of it? I just don’t want my younger brothers and sisters to grow up to be people who parrot what others say. I want them to think critically about everything they encounter."
"And I’ve discovered that you seem to know a lot more than I had imagined..." Gu Qingheng couldn’t help feeling startled, "You...?"
"Yes." Yang Ruxin immediately nodded, "I indeed know a lot, even more than you can imagine. So..." She leaned in closer to Gu Qingheng and lowered her voice, "are you frightened by it?"
"Why would I be scared?" Gu Qingheng raised his eyebrows slightly, "I would be pleased to know that you are knowledgeable..."
"Really?" A sly glint crossed Yang Ruxin’s eyes, "Because the Yang Dani you knew before didn’t know nearly as much."
Gu Qingheng nodded slightly, "So, are you still the same Yang Dani as before?"
"I’m Yang Ruxin."
"Well, there you go," Gu Qingheng also spread his hands, "It’s Yang Ruxin who I like."
Yang Ruxin’s heart fluttered without warning. This boy was always trying to flirt with her. She chuckled mischievously, stretching out her hand to ruffle his hair: "I like Gu Qingheng, too." She wasn’t just going to flirt back—she wanted to take advantage as well.
Gu Qingheng’s face flushed red in an instant, and he quickly reached out to pull her hand down, but Yang Ruxin swiftly withdrew her hand, leaving him to sigh in resignation: "I’m not Xiaofeng..."