TSWRLM -Chapter 365 Brother, Are You Hungry?

“A-Yin was born without a mother. Can’t my cousin be my mother?”

As she said this, Xie A-Yin gripped Xiao Qinghe’s hand tighter, her little face full of hope and anxiety.

She was only three years old. Even though some of what she said had been subtly guided by Xie Zhang, most of it stemmed from her instinctive longing for maternal love.

Xiao Qinghe’s heart ached, but she shook her head firmly: “No.”

“Why not?”

Xie A-Yin pouted, her voice breaking with a sob, on the verge of tears.

Xiao Qinghe gently rubbed her head and said seriously: “Because your father loves you and your mother very much, and I also need to be loved.”

A-Yin understood the refusal and immediately burst into tears. She hugged Xiao Qinghe’s legs tightly and cried out loudly: “Cousin, you be my mother! I will love you so much, really, really love you. Please?”

Outside, Xie Zhang was already waiting behind the folding door between the outer and inner courtyards.

Today he wore a sky-blue embroidered brocade robe with pine leaf patterns. The cuffs had accidentally been stained with ink during teaching, and now he stood holding a lantern in the night, blending into the darkness, creating a poetic, almost cinematic scene.

Even from several steps away, he could hear A-Yin’s small sobs.

He clutched the lantern tightly. As soon as the two of them came closer, he hurriedly asked: “A-Yin, what happened? Why are you crying?”

Hearing his voice, A-Yin instantly released Xiao Qinghe and rushed into her father’s arms, crying loudly while saying, “Daddy, let’s go home. I want to go home!”

A-Yin, usually obedient and sensible, had never cried like this demanding to go home.

Xie Zhang felt a pang of heartache and couldn’t help but ask Xiao Qinghe: “He’er, cousin, what exactly happened? Why is A-Yin suddenly so insistent on going home?”

His tone was serious, tinged with mild reproach.

Xiao Qinghe explained honestly: “A-Yin wanted to sleep with me tonight, but I refused. I like A-Yin very much, but I am not her mother.”

Even in front of Xie Zhang, Xiao Qinghe said the same thing, and A-Yin cried even harder.

Xie Zhang disapproved of her approach: “A-Yin is just a child. He’er, cousin, you could have told me yourself. She shouldn’t have to face this.”

Out of concern for his daughter, his voice unintentionally carried a hint of reproach.

Xiao Qinghe did not feel guilty. Looking Xie Zhang in the eyes, she said: “Precisely because A-Yin is a child, pure and innocent, I don’t want to lull her into misplaced trust, only for her to be disappointed and hurt later.”

Before Xie Zhang could explain, she continued: “A-Yin is very adorable, but she shouldn’t be used as a tool for Cousin Xie to achieve his aims.”

Xiao Qinghe pierced straight to the point, and the words Xie Zhang had on his lips were choked back.

She finished speaking, stepped back two paces, and nodded: “It’s late. Cousin Xie, take A-Yin to rest.”

With that, she turned and left without hesitation.

In the darkness, Xie Zhang’s eyes darkened.

He realized that He’er, his cousin, was far sharper and more decisive than he had imagined. If such a woman became A-Yin’s mother, she would surely raise A-Yin to be a model noble girl.

Unfortunately, in his heart, there was only Yin’er. There was no room for anyone else.

On the other side, Xiao Qinghe was about to return to the courtyard when Quezhi suddenly reminded her: “Miss, General Xiao said today he had something very important to tell you in person. Miss, you haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Xiao Qinghe paused.

She had truly forgotten.

Upon hearing that An’an had fallen, she had been completely preoccupied, and then A-Yin had absorbed all her attention, making her forget that Xiao Yechen wanted to see her.

Xiao Qinghe immediately turned toward the garden.

Quezhi couldn’t help but advise: “It’s already a bit late. General Xiao may have already left. Miss, you could send someone to explain and set another meeting time.”

Xiao Qinghe insisted: “It’s still within the residence. It won’t hurt to go see him.”

Although wealthy, the Xiao residence wasn’t extravagant. After dark, the garden had no lights, leaving it pitch black.

At the garden entrance, Quezhi continued to caution: “Miss, General Xiao has probably returned home. We should go back.”

Xiao Qinghe took the lantern from her and said firmly: “I’ll go check. You wait here for me.”

Before Quezhi could speak, Xiao Qinghe stepped into the garden with the lantern.

The garden was quiet. The carefully pruned flowers and trees, pleasing by day, now cast strange, monstrous shadows in the dark. Only the soft glow from her lantern brought a sense of warmth.

Raising the lantern high, she carefully scanned her surroundings.

After looking around, she saw no sign of Xiao Yechen.

Had he really left?

Xiao Qinghe exhaled in relief and turned to leave. But after just two steps, she stopped, testing the situation: “Brother, if you keep hiding, I won’t come see you anymore.”

As soon as the words fell, a tall figure suddenly appeared.

Xiao Yechen spoke hastily: “He’er, I’m not avoiding you on purpose. I just… didn’t expect you to come so late.”

He had waited nearly all day for the Young Mistress, who hadn’t appeared, not even sending a message. His courage had finally evaporated, and he had even planned how to request a post at the frontier in a few days.

Lost in thought, he hadn’t noticed how dark it had become. Just as he intended to leave, a lantern appeared at the garden entrance. Xiao Qinghe stepped through the night, each step heavy on his heart.

His mind went blank. He had no idea why she had come or what he should say, so he hid.

Confident in his martial arts, he still didn’t know how she had found him.

After he said that, it felt as if someone had grabbed his neck and tied his tongue in knots—he couldn’t speak another word.

Xiao Qinghe raised her lantern, looked him over carefully for a moment, and asked softly: “Brother, you haven’t had dinner yet, have you? Are you hungry?”

“I’m… okay.”

The moment he said it, his stomach betrayed him with a loud growl.

Xiao Qinghe smiled and led him to the kitchen.

The kitchen had staff on duty at night, and the food was soon heated.

After a sip of hot soup, Xiao Yechen felt warmth flood his body, and his mind began to function again. He hadn’t yet thought of how to explain his foolish behavior of waiting all night in the garden when Xiao Qinghe spoke: “I originally intended to come to see you as soon as I got the message, but An’an fell and bled. I got worried and completely forgot, and I didn’t send anyone to inform you. I’m sorry.”

So the Young Mistress hadn’t refused to see him—she had simply been delayed.

Xiao Yechen felt a weight lift from his chest and blurted out: “It’s nothing. I actually didn’t have anything important.”

“Really, Brother?” Xiao Qinghe raised an eyebrow. “If it’s nothing important, why have you waited here from daylight until now?”

Xiao Yechen: “…”