Chapter 82: A Happy Occasion

Liu Guanju pondered for a while before smiling and saying, “Didn’t my mother want to make you her adopted daughter? I’ll go and speak to her, and tell her that Little Cat is your long-lost younger brother, your own flesh and blood, so that she can also recognize him as her adopted son. In this way, you two can be siblings in name for the time being. In the future, when the time is right, you can be reunited openly.”

Liu Chuyan was reluctant to trouble others, even though Liu Songxian was soon to become her adoptive mother. Still, Liu Guanju’s suggestion was indeed a good solution, and she found herself in a dilemma.

Xue Ao, seeing her frown and knowing what was on her mind, clapped his hands. “Chuchu, this idea is brilliant. You’re too shy, you probably won’t be able to bring it up. Let me do it for you—I’m sure it will work.”

“Chuyan, you have me too! As long as I speak, my mother never says no to me,” Liu Guanju added, her small stature made even more apparent as she stood next to Xue Ao, so she jumped on her toes as she spoke.

“Alright, I’ll go with you both and ask the General to agree,” Zhou Fuyun chimed in.

Liu Chuyan glanced at Liu Hanmo, whose face was full of anxiety. She pursed her lips and nodded. “Very well, thank you.” For her brother to have a slightly better life, she could only trouble Liu Songxian, hoping that neither she nor her brother would be disdained.

After asking the servants, they learned that Liu Songxian and her husband were still with Old General Liu, likely still discussing Lin Jinghuan’s marriage. Not wishing to interrupt, they entered the old general’s courtyard to wait.

Just then, when Mei Zhi, who attended Old General Liu, came out to change the hot tea, she saw them standing in the yard. She scolded the maids for not announcing the visitors, handed the kettle to someone else, and went inside to report to the old general.

By coincidence, the marriage discussion for Lin Jinghuan had just concluded. When Old General Liu heard they had something to discuss, he ordered the doors and windows opened and summoned them in.

“Grandmother.” After Liu Chuyan paid her respects, Old General Liu bade her rise, but she knelt on the ground, refusing to get up, her eyes misty with tears, her eyelids tinged red. At the same time, Liu Hanmo knelt beside her, his demeanor anxious, fists clenched so tightly he was almost trembling.

“Chuyan, what’s the meaning of this?” Old General Liu immediately stood up from her seat and went over to help her up, her tone full of concern. “What has happened?”

Liu Chuyan turned her head and glanced at Liu Hanmo, then quietly said, “Grandmother, I have a younger brother who is four years my junior. But when I was seven, he perished in a fire and died tragically.”

“I know about this,” Old General Liu nodded. “Your great-aunt has told me many times. She said that if your brother were still here, you wouldn’t have had such a hard time—at least you’d have someone in this world to care for and rely on. Unlike now, when you can only worry over your great-aunt, whose health is poor, always fearing she might pass away at any moment. That’s why she’s urged me to take you in as soon as possible, so you could move into the General’s manor. With Guanju as your companion, your days would be easier. And perhaps, you could help me teach this wayward girl a thing or two.”

Liu Chuyan knew her great-aunt cared deeply for her, but hearing it from Old General Liu herself moved her beyond words. In this world, aside from her own parents, her great-aunt treated her best. Now that she had found her brother, her great-aunt would surely be overjoyed as well.

“Why are you crying even harder now?” Old General Liu sighed, reaching out to wipe her tears.

Old General Liu had wielded a long spear in her youth as a soldier, her fingers worn thick with calluses. Though she no longer bore arms in old age and her hands had grown softer, when they passed over Liu Chuyan’s delicate face, they still felt rough, scraping her skin and making it ache.

Liu Songxian had little tolerance for weeping scenes and was visibly impatient. But as Liu Chuyan was her adopted daughter, she merely fixed her gaze on Liu Hanmo, who knelt with head bowed. She barked, “Little Cat, you left the house without permission just now—where did you go? And where did you get this set of clothes?”

“General... I...” Liu Xiaomao stammered, blushing fiercely, unable to speak.

“Little Cat, I allowed you to stay because I saw you were skilled and well-behaved. But now, your true nature is revealed, and you’ve brought disgrace upon Guanju. My household can no longer tolerate you. Go to the accounting office and collect ten taels of silver as your reward for being Guanju’s sparring partner—then leave,” Liu Songxian said coldly. She hadn’t objected to him before, but just moments ago Li Dushi had warned her that Liu Xiaomao, though skilled, had an unknown background and might pose a threat to Liu Guanju, so she decided to dismiss him.

“General,” Liu Chuyan exclaimed anxiously, letting go of Old General Liu’s hand and seizing Liu Songxian’s sleeve. “General, Little Cat didn’t mean any harm, he’s my—”

But Liu Songxian cut her off firmly. “Chuyan, I know you are kindhearted, but you needn’t plead for him.” Yet as she finished speaking, she noticed Liu Guanju standing quietly to the side, her eyes gleaming mischievously as if plotting something. It was odd indeed—her daughter, who usually raised a fuss for Liu Xiaomao, now watched the scene unfold, while the normally composed Liu Chuyan was flustered.

Lin Jinghuan, seeing Liu Chuyan trembling and unable to speak, grew anxious herself. She went over to support her and comforted, “Chuyan, what’s wrong? Why are you acting like you’ve lost your soul and can’t even speak?”

Xue Ao understood Liu Chuyan’s temperament: the more anxious she was, the less she could articulate. Especially after being refused by Liu Songxian, he strode forward, cupped his hands, and said, “General, Miss Liu isn’t pleading for mercy, but rather making a formal statement.”

“A formal statement?” Liu Songxian shot him a sideways glance, unimpressed by his blatant falsehood.

Old General Liu observed everyone’s expressions carefully, recalling Liu Chuyan’s earlier words. Suddenly, she understood and settled herself calmly on the couch, beckoning Liu Chuyan over. “Chuyan, come here, don’t be frightened by your adoptive mother. Come, speak to grandmother slowly.”

Hearing this, Liu Chuyan slowly went over, knelt at her feet, steadied her breathing, and said, “Grandmother, I thought my brother had perished in the fire, but in truth, he did not die. He was pushed into the lake by someone with ill intent. By great fortune, he survived, only to fall into the hands of human traffickers. Since then, he suffered as a slave and a beggar, enduring every hardship. Fortunately, Second Master Xue was sharp-eyed and resourceful, and helped me find him. He is the Liu Xiaomao that Guanju brought back, whose real name is Liu Hanmo, childhood name Mao’er. He was born on the twenty-seventh day of the first lunar month in the year of Xin Si, and is now eleven years old.”

“Little Cat?” Old General Liu glanced at Liu Hanmo and nodded, motioning for him to rise and come forward. “Little Cat, was your strange behavior before—secretly inquiring about her—for this reason?”

“Yes,” Liu Hanmo replied awkwardly, lowering his head.

“He...” Liu Songxian eyed him suspiciously, but out of the corner of her eye caught Liu Guanju grinning like a cat who got the cream. Clearly, she had known all along and was just waiting to see her embarrassed. This daughter—really. Ignoring Liu Xiaomao, she went over and tapped Liu Guanju on the head, giving herself a way out. “You rascal, why didn’t you say so earlier if you knew?”

“Well, now you know, don’t you? Heh heh...” Liu Guanju grinned slyly, glancing at Li Dushi. It must have been his idea for Liu Songxian to drive him away. Now, she must feel awkward—serves her right for bullying her, hmph.

Li Dushi was momentarily taken aback and did feel a pang of guilt, but seeing Liu Guanju’s expression, he couldn’t help but smile and turned to Liu Chuyan. “Chuyan, are you sure he’s your brother?”

Liu Chuyan explained Liu Hanmo’s background in detail, then her thoughts became clearer. She bowed to Li Dushi. “Yes, he has a butterfly-shaped birthmark, exactly like the one he had as a child. I have the same mark, though it’s not in a place for others to see, so we couldn’t compare. ” She blushed slightly at the end.

Li Dushi nodded. “I once thought it might be a totem from some southern tribe or a special mark from a martial sect, and I worried he might threaten Guanju. Who would have thought such a delicate pattern was a natural birthmark? And you have it as well. So you two really are—”

“Dushi, let’s leave that for now,” Old General Liu interrupted, disliking lengthy explanations. She raised her hand. “Chuyan, it’s a good thing you’ve found your brother. But why do you still look so troubled, as if carrying great resentment?”

“Grandmother, because the person who harmed my brother still lives, right here in Jinling. But now I am powerless to oppose him, and I dare not let him know that the legitimate heir of the Liu family is still alive, for fear he’ll try to kill Hanmo again. I cannot openly acknowledge my brother, yet I cannot bear to let him suffer outside. So I come to beg you and the General for help.”

Liu Guanju never treated Liu Xiaomao as a servant, and thought that if Liu Songxian would recognize him as her adopted son, then he would be her adopted brother, and in the future, she’d have another brother to dote on her. Excited, she tugged at the jade pendant on Liu Songxian’s sash and exclaimed, “Mother, since you want to adopt Sister Jinghuan and Sister Chuyan, and Little Cat is Chuyan’s real brother, he should naturally be your adopted son as well. But since he can’t be openly acknowledged by Chuyan yet, why not adopt him first yourself? That way, Sister Chuyan can have peace of mind. What do you think of my idea?”

Liu Songxian had agreed to take in Liu Chuyan for Liu Guanju’s sake, and it was also the old general’s wish. Later, she accepted Liu Chuyan, and with Lin Jinghuan as well, she thought having two more daughters was a good thing—much better than Guanju alone and less trouble. She hadn’t expected Liu Chuyan to have a younger brother, who had already been in her household for over a month as Liu Xiaomao. This was no bad thing. She nodded and said to Old General Liu, “Mother, in that case, I’ll recognize Liu Xiaomao as my adopted son.”

“That’s good,” Old General Liu nodded. “Dushi, you arrange it.”

“Yes.” Li Dushi accepted respectfully. He thought it ironic that moments ago he’d harbored the worst suspicions of Liu Xiaomao, and now he was to become his adopted son. Still, the boy was promising, more obedient and sensible than Guanju. Now that he was his adopted son, he would teach him well. If the boy achieved success, it would reflect well on him.

After Liu Chuyan recounted the matter of Li Xiaoren, she wondered whether Liu Hanmo should be sent to school, and if so, which teacher he should study under. Li Dushi spoke up: “Chuyan, since Hanmo is my adopted son, let him study under me. He’s already eleven and can’t mix with little children; he’s ahead of his peers. I’ll teach him personally—it’s better than having him lost in some classroom.”

At this, Liu Chuyan felt completely reassured. “Hanmo, kneel and offer your respects to your new teacher. Once the ceremony is held on the tenth, you can start calling him adoptive father.”

“Yes.” The Liu couple’s attitude toward Liu Hanmo had changed drastically; he was still a bit unaccustomed. Reminded by Liu Chuyan, he knelt and bowed deeply. “Disciple pays respects to teacher.”

Delighted to have such a clever student, Li Dushi quickly helped him up. “Enough, get up. I’ll have a small study set up beside my own, where you can read and write with me. As for your lodgings, move into the empty courtyard behind my study. Give it a name, and we’ll change the old plaque.”

Liu Hanmo was overwhelmed by the favor and repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

Seeing all this, Liu Chuyan suddenly recalled what the master Yihang had said: that the noble person in her and her brother’s fate would have the element of wood in their surname or a grass radical in the first character—wasn’t that Li Dushi? It now seemed he truly was the benefactor in her and her brother’s destiny. If so, what about Xue Tan and Xue Ao? She was a little puzzled. Or perhaps, there was more than one benefactor—maybe many?

As she thought about this, she turned to look at Xue Ao. He was gazing at Liu Hanmo, who was kneeling to become a disciple, a smile on his lips, his eyes deep, filled with unconcealed delight. Zhou Fuyun was smiling too, but in a more simpleminded way. The contrast between the two was striking. She chuckled to herself, thinking that the person she had taken a liking to was truly a fine choice.

Xue Ao sensed her gaze—warm and genuine—and turned to meet her eyes.

Liu Chuyan did not look away; they exchanged smiles. With family, a beloved, and friends—such days, more than the peace and warmth of the past few days, were intoxicating and enchanting.