TSWPF -Chapter 105 Agreement

Dahe tilted his head slightly, the red handprint on his cheek clearly visible — it showed just how much strength Li Qingling had used.

“If you want your sister to leave this world worrying about you every moment, then go ahead and keep acting like this!” Li Qingling said coldly, casting him one last glance before hardening her heart and walking away.

The old man sighed silently. He patted Li Qingling’s shoulder with a faint smile, then went over to Dahe.

Squatting down, he reached out to pat Dahe’s head and said gently, “Dahe, don’t blame your Sister Xiaoling. She’s only worried about you, you know?” After a pause, he continued, “We’re all worried about you. If you keep going on like this, you’ll not only let Xiaoxi down but also all of us who care about you.”

Dahe slowly straightened his head and lowered his gaze to the sister lying in his arms, her eyes forever closed. He couldn’t hold back anymore — a heart-wrenching cry burst out from his throat.

He had been refusing to face the truth — that his sister was already gone. But no matter how hard he tried to escape it, reality couldn’t be avoided.

His sister was truly gone. She would no longer fuss over him, no longer stay by his side.

From now on, it would be just him — alone.

It was all because he was too cowardly. If only he hadn’t been so scared… if only he had helped her… his sister wouldn’t have been killed by the wolves.

It was all his fault!

Seeing Dahe crying so painfully, the old man shut his eyes tightly, suppressing the sting in his nose. He reached out and pulled the boy into his arms, patting his back silently to comfort him.

It was good that he was finally crying. If he kept bottling it up any longer, he’d fall seriously ill from grief.

Hearing Dahe’s sobs, the other children couldn’t hold back their own tears either.

Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou both felt their hearts loosen a little, though their eyes also turned red. They owed Xiaoxi too much.

After crying for a long while, Dahe finally quieted down. Seeing the chance, the old man spoke again, gently persuading him.

Dahe hesitated for a moment before finally nodding lightly.

Seeing that, the old man smiled in relief and turned to Li Qingling, signaling with his eyes. She understood immediately and nodded back.

Li Qingling tugged Liu Zhimou’s hand, and together they led the children to find a suitable place to bury Xiaoxi.

When they finally returned from digging a deep pit, Dahe looked at them, guilt flickering across his face. “Sister Xiaoling… I’m sorry, I just—”

Before he could finish, Li Qingling gently patted his shoulder and smiled softly. “It’s fine. I’m just glad you’ve come around.”

If he hadn’t, the boy might have lost his mind completely.

Dahe gave a muffled hum and hugged Xiaoxi tightly. “I’ve made my sister worry for too long. It’s time to let her rest in peace.”

He was grown up now — he couldn’t make her worry anymore.

“Mm. We’ve already prepared everything for her.”

Dahe whispered a thank you and prepared to carry Xiaoxi out, but Li Qingling stopped him. Glancing at the bloodstained clothes on Xiaoxi’s body, she said softly, “Even when sending her off, we should let her leave looking beautiful.”

After saying that, she turned and fetched one of her own newer sets of clothes.

When she came back, she reached out a hand. “You all go out for now. I’ll help Xiaoxi change.”

Her current clothes were soaked in blood — they couldn’t possibly bury her like that.

Dahe gave his sister one long, lingering look before biting his lip and handing her over to Li Qingling. Then he turned and walked out.

Once everyone was gone, Li Qingling gently laid Xiaoxi down on a straw mat and carefully helped her change clothes.

“Xiaoxi, thank you for saving Xiaofeng and the others,” she whispered. “From now on, I’ll treat Dahe as my own younger brother. You don’t have to worry about him.”

When she was done, she picked Xiaoxi up and strode out of the cave.

The moment she stepped out, Dahe took Xiaoxi from her arms and, step by step, carried her toward the grave they had dug.

To prevent beasts from smelling the scent and digging her up, the pit was dug deep. With their help, Dahe jumped down into it, still holding his sister.

He gently brushed her hair aside, smiled faintly, and said, “Sister, I’ll come visit you every day. When we can go home again, I’ll take you back with me.”

After a long moment, he finally stood up. Liu Zhimou reached out and pulled him up.

One handful of dirt after another fell into the pit, slowly covering Xiaoxi’s body.

The old man placed the wooden gravestone he had made earlier on top. The group stood there silently for a long while before preparing to leave.

Looking at the three carved words — Li Xiaoxi — Dahe forced himself to speak through his sorrow. “You all go ahead. I’ll stay here with my sister a bit longer.” She must be lonely here. He wanted to keep her company.

Li Qingling and the others exchanged glances, then nodded softly and left at a slow pace.

Dahe sat down on the ground, reaching out to gently trace the carved name on the gravestone. He didn’t speak — just sat there quietly.

After their father remarried, if not for his sister’s protection, he probably wouldn’t have survived.

She had been both father and mother to him, raising him with all her strength. He had always planned to repay her once he grew up.

But before he ever had the chance, she was gone.

No one in this world would ever love him like his sister did — never again.

At that thought, tears once more rolled down his cheeks.

“Sister… have you seen Mother yet?” he choked out. “If you see her, please tell her I said hello — and that I miss her so much.”

If their mother had been alive, he and his sister wouldn’t have suffered so much.

Dahe wrapped his arms around his knees, resting his head on them, gazing sideways at the gravestone while murmuring softly to his sister.

Life’s hardships had made him a quiet boy, one who rarely spoke. Only now did he realize — some things, if left unsaid, would remain unsaid forever.

He only truly understood this after losing his sister.

“Is Dahe going to be okay?” Li Qingfeng turned to look at the boy curled up beside the grave, worry in his eyes. “Should we go keep him company?” he asked Liu Zhiyan.

Liu Zhiyan was torn. He wanted to, but he also didn’t want to interrupt Dahe’s private time with his sister.

Unsure what to do, he turned to Liu Zhimou for guidance.

Liu Zhimou patted their heads and sighed. “Let Dahe be alone with Xiaoxi for a bit. When he comes back, spend more time with him — help him move past her death.” 

He still couldn’t believe it — quiet, gentle Xiaoxi, of all people, had been the one to stand up and sacrifice herself to save the others.

He would never forget her kindness.

He and Xiaoling would take good care of Dahe, let him grow up happy and safe.

Hearing this, Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan nodded obediently.

When Dahe finally returned to the cave, they surrounded him, chatting and trying to make him smile.

Their efforts moved him deeply.

For their sake, he tried hard to cheer up, no longer drowning himself in grief.

But still, every day, he went to sit by his sister’s grave and talk to her. If he ever skipped a day, his heart would feel uneasy.

Li Qingling and the others never stopped him — they simply let him be.

As long as he could heal in his own time, they wouldn’t interfere.

One day, while the old man was sorting herbs, he glanced at Dahe, who was quietly helping him, and said, “Dahe, would you like to learn medicine? I think you’ve got a talent for it. If you’re interested, I can teach you.”

Among all the children, Dahe was the most suited to become a doctor. If he studied seriously, his achievements might one day surpass even the old man’s.

He asked not only out of gratitude for Xiaoxi’s sacrifice but also because he genuinely admired Dahe’s potential — and he wanted someone to inherit his medical skills before they died with him.

Dahe looked up in surprise. “Grandpa, you… you really want to teach me medicine?”

He had seen the old man’s medical skills firsthand — they were extraordinary. He truly wanted to learn. “But Grandpa, you don’t have to force yourself just because of my sister.”

“Do I look like that kind of person?” the old man snapped, glaring at him. “If I didn’t think you had the talent, I wouldn’t even bring it up!”

Though he said that confidently, deep down he knew part of it was out of gratitude toward Xiaoxi.

But he’d never say that aloud — if he did, the boy would refuse out of pride.

“I’ll only ask you one thing,” the old man said seriously. “Do you want to learn medicine? If you do, I’ll teach you everything I know.”

Dahe clenched his fists and nodded heavily. Yes — he wanted to learn.

If he learned medicine, he could save countless lives.

Hearing his firm answer, the old man clapped his hands in delight and turned to Li Qingling. “Bring me a bowl of water.”

There was no tea or wine here — water would have to do.

Li Qingling smiled and hurried off, soon returning with a bowl of water, which she handed to Dahe. “Come, offer this to your master.”

Teaching someone a skill was better than giving them anything else — she wholeheartedly supported this.

Learning medicine would be good for Dahe’s future.

Dahe took the bowl with both hands, knelt down, and raised it high above his head. “Master, please accept this water.”

With this kneel, he officially became the old man’s apprentice.

The old man’s grin stretched wide. He took the bowl and drained it in one gulp, then wiped his mouth and said sternly, “Once you start learning medicine, there’s no quitting halfway, understand? I don’t want a disciple who gives up easily.”

Dahe nodded firmly. “I understand, Master. I won’t give up. I’ll study hard.”

The old man smiled, finally satisfied, and helped him up. Then he spent a long while talking to him, giving him his first lessons.

Afterward, he told Dahe to sort the herbs by type, dry them, and store them properly.

He didn’t waste a single moment — the teaching began right away.

And Dahe, obedient and eager, crouched down without complaint, carefully sorting the herbs.

As he worked, he asked questions now and then, and each one made the old man’s smile grow wider. His heart swelled with pride — Dahe was truly a bright and diligent student.