TSWPF -Chapter 95 Awake

Early the next morning, when Li Qingling woke up, she had no memory of having had another nightmare.

She only felt a little puzzled—why were all the children at home gathered around her?

Looking at Li Qingning, who was cuddling and acting cute beside her, she twitched the corner of her mouth. “Ningning, why aren’t you playing with Sister RouRou? Usually, you’d be running off to play with Liu Zhirou, not sticking to me.”

Li Qingning blinked and, without hesitation, betrayed Liu Zhimou: “Big Brother asked me to play with Sister.” She said that if she cheered her sister up, he would make her something delicious.

At the thought of tasty food, Li Qingling couldn’t help swallowing.

Seeing her little glutton like that, Li Qingling smiled and poked her little nose. “Why did Big Brother make you play with me? What delicious thing is he using to tempt you?” This little foodie… she really worried that in the future some boy would win her over with just food.

Pouting, Li Qingning shook her head, saying she didn’t know.

Li Qingling felt sorry for her and told her to go play with Sister RouRou—she didn’t need to stay with her.

Tilting her head, Li Qingning looked at her several times, fiddling with her tiny fingers. After weighing her options, she shook her head decisively. “No, I want to stay.” If she didn’t stay, she wouldn’t get any delicious food.

“You little glutton,” Li Qingling said, seeing right through what the little girl was thinking. “Go play, okay? Sister will make Big Brother give you something delicious.”

Her sister wasn’t as important to her as food… Should she feel hurt?

Hearing Li Qingling, Li Qingning cheered, hugged her neck, planted a smacking kiss on her cheek, and then waddled off to play with Liu Zhirou.

Wiping the drool off her face, Li Qingling smiled helplessly and got up to find Liu Zhimou.

She stood beside him, looking down at him, smiling. “Why did you have Ningning stay with me?”

Liu Zhimou paused mid-hand with the crushed herb, then nonchalantly said, “So you wouldn’t overthink things.”

Li Qingling raised an eyebrow, squatted down, and looked at his profile. “Overthink what? What’s worth overthinking?” She reached for the wooden stick in his hand. “I’ll do it. You rest a bit.”

Liu Zhimou didn’t argue, letting her take the stick. He sat beside her, watching her work.

“You had a nightmare last night. Do you remember?”

“A nightmare?” Li Qingling tilted her head toward him, frowning in confusion. “What nightmare? I don’t remember.” She truly had no memory of it at all.

He gave her a wry smile and tapped her on the head, not hiding the truth. “Probably about yesterday. You kept saying ‘sorry’ and things like that.” He gently ruffled her hair, earnestly advising, “Xiao Ling, this really isn’t your fault. Don’t dwell on it. If you hadn’t acted faster than me, the rock would’ve hit that person’s head. If I knew you’d end up developing an inner demon over this, I’d have stopped you from acting, no matter what.”

Who would have thought that someone as fierce at hunting as she was would get an inner demon over this?

She truly was just a paper tiger.

Hearing this, Li Qingling lowered her eyelids, stayed silent for a moment, then said, “I just couldn’t accept it at first. Give it time, it’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry.” Time would make her forget.

“I hope so.”

Li Qingling pursed her lips and looked up at him. She told him to roll up his pant leg—she was going to help apply medicine.

Her pride at making him show weakness… she was a little irritated!

If there were any lasting consequences, she would scold him thoroughly!

Liu Zhimou looked a little embarrassed. “I can do it myself.” Last night, he hadn’t been able to stop the old man from lifting his pant leg, so now he felt too awkward to do it openly in front of her.

Seeing his flushed face, Li Qingling gave him an exasperated glare. “You’re my fiancé! Let me see what’s wrong with your leg.” Ancient kids were so innocent—these days, someone in a bikini could walk around anywhere. Exposing a leg was nothing! “Besides, where haven’t I seen you before?” She recalled when he had a fever… well… ahem… she had seen it all.

Thinking about it, she felt a little embarrassed, like an old aunt taking advantage of a young man.

The thought alone made Liu Zhimou even more resistant.

He glared at her and said roughly, “Really, I can do it myself.” That time had been unavoidable. This time he was fully conscious. “Go play!” He snatched the wooden stick from her hand, shooing her away.

Li Qingling: “…”

It seemed she had annoyed this innocent boy.

Wanting to make amends, she cleared her throat and smirked. “Well… this is a bit embarrassing, isn’t it? At worst, I’ll just look—seeing a leg won’t take off any meat, what’s there to worry about?”

The moment she said that, his face turned even darker. “Li Qingling…” He bit out her full name through gritted teeth.

It was the first time he had ever called her by her full name!

“Hehe… come on, come on…” Li Qingling saw his face darkening like ink and quickly laughed foolishly, then turned and hurriedly ran off.

He was really about to be infuriated to death. Liu Zhimou exhaled slowly, reached out, and unwrapped the bandage. Seeing the wound no longer bleeding, he still applied some of the herb—he didn’t want her trying to help him again.

Just as he finished, he heard a soft moan.

Looking up, Liu Zhimou saw the general, unconscious for days, slowly opening his eyes.

Even just opening them, his gaze was sharp and full of killing intent.

If he could move, Liu Zhimou had no doubt that he would have been killed already.

“Who are you?” Liu Zhihao’s voice was hoarse. He stared at Liu Zhimou for a moment, and only after confirming he wouldn’t be harmed did he shift his gaze to look around.

A cave?

Was he rescued by someone?

Liu Zhimou didn’t answer, only stood and walked out.

Seeing this, Liu Zhihao tensed. As he tried to sit up, he saw Liu Zhimou bringing an old man inside.

When he saw the old man clearly, he was shocked. “You… Xue…” His words were interrupted by the old man.

“Ah, ah, ah… General, don’t move. Your wound isn’t healed yet!” The old man hurried over, pressing Liu Zhihao’s shoulders back down. “It took a lot of effort to stop the bleeding. If it reopened, it’d be bad.”

Conditions here weren’t ideal. Even the best medical skills couldn’t help otherwise.

Liu Zhihao lay back down, looking at the old man more gently. “You… saved me?” He knew that without their help, he wouldn’t have survived.

The old man nodded. “Seeing how badly you were hurt, I brought you back.” To make sure Liu Zhihao remembered Liu Zhimou and their gratitude, he added: “Luckily, a few children agreed to take care of you, otherwise, there would’ve been no way.”

Hearing this, Liu Zhihao turned his eyes to Liu Zhimou, tugging the corner of his mouth. “Thank you… may I ask your name?”

“Liu Zhimou,” he replied calmly.

Liu Zhimou?

Hearing the name, Liu Zhihao’s eyes narrowed, studying him closely. He then discreetly nodded in thanks.

Liu Zhimou acknowledged with a hum, knowing there would be time to talk later, and found an excuse to leave the cave.

Once he left, the old man said, “I didn’t tell them your name, Wei. Please keep it secret too.” Pausing, he explained, “While you were unconscious, men in black came looking for you. Clearly, they meant harm. To protect them, I didn’t tell them anything, only that you’re a general.”

He had already brought the troublesome Liu Zhihao back safely—there was no way he’d let them be in danger.

“Old Xue, I understand. We’ll do as you say,” Liu Zhihao replied. He looked at the old man. “Old Xue, do you know Liu Zhimou’s parents?” Liu Zhimou resembled his fourth uncle, almost like a carbon copy.

Liu Wenjing of the Liu family was a rare genius, his grandfather’s pride, but he disliked politics and refused to take exams or serve as an official.

He had once been engaged to Miss Lu Siyu. The Lu family offended the Tian family and was demoted. To avoid being implicated, the grandfather forced the fourth uncle to break off the engagement.

The fourth uncle refused. When the grandfather tried to coerce him, he disappeared.

He had been missing for over ten years. The grandfather sent people to search but found nothing—alive or dead, unknown.

He had seen the fourth uncle’s portrait in his grandfather’s study. His grandfather had told him about this uncle.

He never expected to meet someone here who looked so much like his fourth uncle, with the same name: Liu Zhimou.

In this generation, a name like this indicated a familial relationship.

He didn’t believe it was coincidence—it was very possible Liu Zhimou was his cousin.

The old man noticed Liu Zhihao thinking this. He had met the young man before. Liu Zhimou looked just like him.

“I don’t know. Zhimou’s parents are gone,” the old man said seriously. “Whether he’s related or not, I hope General Liu will keep it secret. I believe this was also Zhimou’s father’s wish.” Liu Wenjing had stayed away from the Liu family all these years for a reason.

Liu Zhihao frowned tightly. He hadn’t expected this answer. If his grandfather knew the fourth uncle was gone… how heartbroken would he be?

“Returning to the Liu family would benefit him.”

“No. The Liu family is dangerous. Without their parents, the three siblings would be devoured in no time.” The old man shook his head firmly. He didn’t want to disrupt the peaceful lives of Liu Zhimou and the children because of him. “You yourself almost lost your life—let alone the children.”

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou’s gaze sharpened. He cast a piercing glance at the old man, thinking he had seen through him.