Originated from mountains and seas, life never ends

"...Honestly, how about you try harder?"

Qin Yun'an looked at the crowd for a moment and whispered, "Look, you're just a kid. They're definitely soft-hearted. If you act a little coquettishly, they might let you in."

Qin Xiao: ...

Qin Xiao closed his eyes: "Why don't you go?"

"No, I'm already 40 or 50 years old! Is this appropriate?" Qin Yun'an looked at him in shock. "You're only 10 years old. Go and try. What if someone gets soft-hearted——"

Qin Xiao turned his face away in pain.

Qin Yun'an chattered for a long time, but seeing that Qin Xiao ignored him, he could only pout and turn his head away, staring blankly with his chin in his hand, looking worried.

……

"Don't you have any brothers or sisters?" Qin Yun'an was not giving up. After a moment of silence, he asked again.

"They should all have gone to the academy." Qin Xiao sighed as he looked at the setting sun.

"Then...how about we climb over the wall?" Qin Yun'an's eyes lit up.

Qin Xiao caught a glimpse of the guard's eyes, which suddenly became sharp and stared at them intently.

Qin Yun'an obviously noticed that he was speaking too loudly and couldn't help scratching his head in frustration.

"…Who are you?"

The guard couldn't help it anymore and stepped forward to ask.

"I'm Qin Xiuyun's brother, and he's his son... Do you believe it?" Qin Yun'an was halfway through his words when he saw the guard's complicated expression, so he asked tentatively.

The guard looked at him, then at Qin Xiao, his eyes sweeping over their clothes, with the word "disbelief" almost written on his face.

"You can't judge a person by his appearance..." Qin Yun'an muttered, pouting his lips in dissatisfaction.

"...Qin Xiuyun is the clan leader, right?" Qin Yun'an thought of something and asked Qin Xiao.

"Before I left, yes." Qin Xiao said faintly.

"Where is your clan leader?" Qin Yun'an asked the guard again.

The guard repeated what he had said to Qin Xiao.

"When will you come back?" Qin Yun'an asked the same question as Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao knew what the guard was going to do without even listening.

As expected, the guard shut up.

"...Who is in charge of the Qin family now?"

"..."

The guard remained silent.

But think about it, how could a guard like him know about such a thing.

Qin Yun'an scratched his head, looking worried: "What should we do... We can't just wait here, right? I'm almost starving to death."

Qin Xiao paused, then realized that they hadn't eaten for nearly a day. As soon as he realized this, he felt hungry in his stomach.

Seeing that the guard had no intention of moving aside, Qin Xiao had no intention of forcing his way in. He leaned against the pillar beside the stone steps, closed his eyes and pretended to take a nap.

Qin Yun'an sighed, held his chin, and closed his eyes like Qin Xiao.

Since the guard didn't chase them away anyway, the two of them just sat there.

"what happened?"

I don't know how long it took. A charming voice came out and Qin Xiao opened his eyes.

What caught my eye were two girls. The little girl was holding the hand of the older girl and looking at them curiously.

The two girls were dressed up gorgeously. The little girl had two buns on her head, and a pink headband that hung down to her snow-white neck. A golden bell hung around her neck, and she was wearing a pink dress that looked like a lotus flower, with the hem of the dress hanging down to her ankles.

The girl still had an unfinished candied haws in her hand. Her big, bright eyes twinkled as she looked at Qin Xiao with her mischievous eyes, full of confusion.

Another girl who was a little older had her hair down, with only a few strands tied up on one side of her head. She pinned a fake flower hairpin, looking gentle and elegant. She was wearing a dark green dress with smooth lines on the sides that fit closely to her body. The hem of the dress was embroidered with a few indigo flowers.

It was already late at night, but the lights on the roadside were on, so it wasn't very dark.

Qin Xiao stared straight at the girl who was half hiding and holding a candied haws.

The guard frowned, stepped forward to block his gaze, and saluted the two men: "They said they were Qin's family, but there is no evidence, so wait here."

The girl suddenly let go of her hand, ran to Qin Xiao, and stared at him with her shining eyes: "Have you been waiting for a long time? Are you hungry? Please have this."

As he said that, he handed the candied haws to Qin Xiao.

The guards were unable to stop her. They saw her running to Qin Xiao. When they saw that Qin Xiao and the others had no intention of doing anything, they breathed a sigh of relief.

"Miss, such a person of unknown origin may——"

The guard wanted to persuade him.

"Running up to a stranger, so close to you. If we are human traffickers, we can knock you out and carry you away in an instant. Do you believe it?" Qin Xiao suddenly said, staring at the girl with an obscure look in his eyes.

Not to mention the guards, even Qin Yun'an was stunned and looked at him in disbelief.

"I mean well, ahh ...

Before the guard could speak, Qin Yun'an shouted first, drawing out his long voice and looking at Qin Xiao with resentment.

"What a nice girl she is..."

"If you don't have the ability to protect yourself, don't have so-called kindness." Qin Xiao did not change his opinion. He stretched out his hand and pulled the girl into his arms, easily strangling the girl's fragile neck with his tiger's mouth.

"What are you doing?!" the girl in the green skirt suddenly shouted, and a long whip made of flowers suddenly appeared in her hand.

Qin Xiao had no expression. The skin on his hands was delicate and smooth. It was obvious that he had been spoiled since childhood and had never suffered any wind or rain. The slender neck was pressed against his palm, and his four fingers were pinching the girl's neck. With just a little force, he could take the girl's life.

Qin Yun'an was stunned.

Dude, what on earth are you going to do?

The girl he held hostage was just stunned for a moment, as if she didn't feel anything at all. She turned around and handed him the candied haws with a smile.

"Don't be angry. Are you in a bad mood because you're too hungry?"

"Do you know who I am?"

Qin Xiao ignored the two guards who were acting as if they were facing a great enemy. He looked at the soft, white girl in his arms and suddenly asked.

"I know." Who would have thought that the girl suddenly smiled even more brightly, turned around and easily untied Qin Xiao's shackles, not only did she not retreat, but took a step forward and hugged him.

"You've come back from your adventure? Third brother."

As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell silent.

Qin Yun'an was doubting his ears.

A questioning look wandered back and forth between Qin Xiao and the girl, and finally revealed an expression of incomprehension.

Qin Yun'an's expression turned ferocious.

Why does he?

Why does he have such a soft and cute sister?

Qin Yun'an wanted to droop his mouth to the ground.

Ignoring Qin Yun'an who was struck by lightning, Qin Xiao's dark eyes were tinged with a smile: "How did you recognize him?"

"How could I not recognize you?" Qin Jiuyuan rubbed Qin Xiao's face with a smile, hugged his neck and acted coquettishly, "You told me that you would come back."

Qin Xiao smiled and touched her head.

"You are Qin Xiao?" The girl holding the whip exclaimed, looking at him, "Where have you been these years?"

Qin Xiao shifted his gaze to her, his eyes turned cold: "You are——?"

"It's me, Qin Yingying." The girl covered her chest with her hands, her hair shaking, "Do you still remember me?"

Qin Xiao narrowed his eyes.

He seemed to have some impression...

"Eh? Kitten?" Qin Jiuyuan noticed the Qiongqi in Qin Xiao's arms, her eyes lit up, and she reached out to hug it.

Qin Xiao raised his hand to block it: "Don't touch him."

Qin Jiuyuan's little face drooped and she looked at Qin Xiao pitifully.

Qin Xiao remained unmoved.

Upon seeing this, Qiongqi twitched the corners of his mouth in amusement and his beard twitched a few times.

Qin Jiuyuan looked at Qiongqi reluctantly: "Did you pick this up on the road? It's so cute, can you give it to me?"

Facing Qin Jiuyuan's bright eyes, Qin Xiao remained calm and cruelly refused: "No."

Qin Jiuyuan pouted and stopped talking.

Qiongqi stared at Qin Jiuyuan with a hint of smile in his eyes. He looked at Qin Jiuyuan's fair and tender face, as if he was thinking of something happy, and stared at her straight.

Qin Xiao covered his eyes with his hands to prevent him from looking at Qin Jiuyuan.

"You promised me." Qin Xiao lowered his head, frowned, and said softly to Qiongqi.

Qiongqi turned his head regretfully and said nothing.

The guard at the side was stunned. He knew Qin Jiuyuan, the daughter of the clan leader. If the clan leader's daughter called this boy "third brother"...

Then isn’t he the patriarch’s son?

The guard remembered what Qin Yun'an had said to him and hesitated for a moment.

Is what they said true?

Qin Yingying saw Qin Xiao's expression and knew that this guy probably didn't remember her, but she didn't get angry and continued to smile: "Then who is this——?"

Qin Yun'an blinked: "I... I am——"

Qin Yun'an was about to tell his identity when he thought of something and hesitated, looking at Qin Xiao.

For the first time, Qin Xiao saw helplessness in his eyes.

Are you homesick?

Qin Yun'an felt a little uneasy in his heart, and he didn't know why. Even though the home he had been thinking about for decades was right in front of him, he felt a little timid.

Decades ago...

Although he had been acting carefree, his heart couldn't stop beating wildly. It was like a drum beating like thunder, as if it would jump out of his chest in the next second.

"He... is a friend I met on the road." Qin Xiao glanced at Qin Yun'an, "I want to stay here for a while."

Qin Yun'an smiled stiffly and nodded repeatedly: "Yes."

The guard frowned and looked at him suspiciously.

"Then let's go back first. Third brother, you also need to change your clothes, right?" Qin Jiuyuan accepted it well and quickly clapped her hands and grabbed Qin Xiao's hand, trying to pull him up.

"But we need proof—" the guard wanted to say something.

"Can't I testify for him?" Qin Jiuyuan asked.

"I can do it too." Qin Yingying smiled and looked at Qin Xiao again.

"This..." The guard scratched his head in embarrassment, "Miss, are you sure? What if——"

"Of course I know my brother." Qin Jiuyuan said with a smile, "He is my brother."

"Then...please come in."

As soon as Qin Yingying entered the door, she said goodbye to Qin Jiuyuan with a smile. Before leaving, she glanced at Qin Yunan with an inexplicable expression, as if she was taboo about something.

"Dad has always kept your room for you." Qin Yingying said, taking Qin Xiao to his room.

As soon as you enter, it's surprisingly clean.

Qin Xiao looked around and found that there was no difference from before he left. No matter whether it was decoration or something else, they were all staying in the same place obediently.

Not only that. Qin Xiao touched the tabletop and flicked the bed, and found that there was not a speck of dust on it.

Qin Xiao rubbed his fingers that were testing the ash, his eyes dimming slightly.

"Dad didn't let us in, saying that if we messed these up, you might be angry when you see it when you come back." Qin Jiuyuan said, opening the wardrobe in the corner and said to Qin Xiao happily.

"Look, this is the birthday present that Dad and we give you every year."

Qin Xiao looked and saw brand new robes stacked on top of the cabinet and a small pile of toys scattered underneath.

There are daggers, tumblers, jade pendants, necklaces, etc. There is also a moldy candied haws in the corner.

Qin Xiao shifted his gaze to the candied haws that had rotted and turned bluish-gray, and took it out.

Qin Jiuyuan took one look and quickly grabbed it and put it behind her back, looking guilty: "I... I was imitating my father and brother before, but I didn't know it would get moldy..."

Qin Xiao didn't say anything. He looked at the things in the cabinet and was silent for a long time.

Qiongqi emerged in silence, glanced at him, landed lightly, and walked out of the room.

"By the way, Dad said that you must have grown taller in the past few years, so he bought me clothes that are one size larger than the ones before you left." Qin Jiuyuan thought of something and pointed at the clothes above.

Qin Xiao then turned his gaze to the various types of clothes above.

Qin Xiao rubbed his eyes, feeling a little dry.

"You're touched, right... hehe." Qin Jiuyuan laughed.

Qin Xiao shook his head and said nothing.

"By the way, you must have been gone for a long time. Go take a shower first. Big brother and second brother are back and are waiting for dinner."

"Qin Jichen and the others are back?" Qin Xiao was a little surprised.

"Yeah, don't you know? There will be the Fishing Festival in two days, and there will be a competition in more than a month, so their college is on holiday."

"Competition?" Qin Xiao was puzzled.

"Okay, okay, let's not talk about this for now. Go take a shower and change your clothes. I'll tell them the good news that you're back." Qin Jiuyuan said, turned around and ran out.

Qin Xiao wanted to stop her from saying something, but stopped halfway, watched her run out, looked in the closet again, picked out a few clothes, and chose to listen to Qin Jiuyuan's words and go take a shower first.

After closing the door of the wardrobe, Qin Xiao realized belatedly that Qin Yun'an was missing. He frowned and stepped over the threshold. Just as he was about to look for him, he caught a glimpse of a suspicious black shadow out of the corner of his eye.

Qin Xiao turned around and saw Qin Yun huddled at the door of his room, secretly wiping away tears.

Qin Xiao: ...

Seeing Qin Xiao's disdainful look, Qin Yun'an still did not repent.

"It's so sad... Your father and brother still remembered to save clothes and gifts for you, but what about me?" Qin Yun'an became more and more sad as he spoke.

"It's been decades... Xiuyun must have thought I was dead a long time ago. I don't have any other brothers." Qin Yun'an sobbed, and looked at the tattered clothes on his body, feeling even sadder. "Things have changed, people have changed..."

Looking at Qin Yun'an who was crying with his face covered, Qin Xiao didn't know what to say. He went back to the house and rummaged around until he found a piece of clothing that Qin Yun'an could barely wear. He ran outside and threw it on his head.

"Let's talk about it later. Aren't you hungry? Go take a shower and eat first." Qin Xiao said dryly, taking the lead.

Qin Yun'an took off the clothes on his head and became even sadder: "I don't even know where to take a shower..."

Qin Xiao: ...

Qin Xiao's expression was complicated: "Then follow me, I know roughly."

There is a natural hot spring behind his house, which is quite large. When I went there, it was dark and quiet, and the only sound I could hear was the chirping of insects around.

The hot spring is filled with steam, and you can feel the heat wave just by getting close to it.

Qin Yun'an ran here and cried even harder: "When I was a child, I liked to take Xiuyun to play in this place. I didn't expect this place to still exist--"

Qin Xiao had just gotten into the water and had finally managed to relax, but his head was buzzing again from his crying.

Qin Xiao: ...

Qin Xiao held up his forehead with a headache.