Chapter 47: Mister, Have You Found Someone You Fancy?
Chen An bent down to pick up the book from the ground.
A faint voice could be heard, “Mister, have you found someone you fancy?”
Chen An returned the book to Luo Cong’an’s hands and smiled. “Don’t overthink it, I’ve already refused.”
Getting the answer she wanted, the girl visibly perked up. She cupped Chen An’s hands in hers and rubbed them against her face. “Mister, if anything like this happens again, can you discuss it with Cong’an first?”
Chen An was taken aback, then nodded. “Of course. I have no family in this world, and Cong’an is my only family. If I don’t discuss it with you, who else would I discuss it with?”
Hearing this, Luo Cong’an’s eyes curved into crescents, and her heart felt sweeter than the sweetest candied fruit in the world. She had a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Then it’s settled, you’re not allowed to keep anything from me. Your future wife must pass my inspection!”
Chen An responded perfunctorily, as he had no intention of getting married. If nothing unexpected happened, he wouldn’t be alive in this world for much longer, so there was no need to delay anyone.
…
…
Spring turned to autumn, and three years flashed by.
This year, Luo Cong’an was eleven years old. Her hair grew longer, almost reaching her waist, making it very difficult for her to manage it herself.
“So, this is your reason for asking me to help you comb your hair every day?” Chen An sat in the girl’s room, holding a wooden comb and gently attending to her messy hair. In front of them was a dark red vanity table with a bronze mirror on it, reflecting the girl’s increasingly charming and lovely appearance. Her skin was delicate and smooth, so fair it seemed it could be broken by a puff of air, with not a single blemish visible.
Luo Cong’an’s lips curved upwards slightly as she hummed and swung her slender legs in the air. “I don’t care, you offered voluntarily.” In the three years she had spent with Chen An, Luo Cong’an had completely let loose. Her personality had become much more lively and cute, and acting spoiled came as naturally to her as eating and drinking. Compared to the smelly little beggar she was back then, hiding in a dark corner, she was now worlds apart.
Chen An smiled, not bothering to argue with her. After tidying her long hair, he couldn’t help but pick up a lock with his fingertips and rub it. “I must say, your hair quality is truly the best I’ve ever seen.” Chen An didn’t spare his praise.
Luo Cong’an’s eyes curved joyfully. She leaned back, her entire body sinking into Chen An’s embrace. This was her favorite posture when she was with him. The scent that filled her nostrils was overwhelmingly Chen An’s aroma. It was clean, clear, and refreshing, emanating a pleasant scent from within, like the rain on an autumn night, making one want to draw closer and inhale deeply.
After a moment of affectionate closeness, Luo Cong’an seemed to think of something. She sat up and rummaged through a cabinet, pulling out a stack of yellowed Xuan paper. She spread the paper flat on the vanity table, then pointed to the words written on it, tilting her head to ask, “Mister, is this a poem you wrote?”
Chen An, who had been staring out the window, turned his head upon hearing her question. He saw the Xuan paper on the table, his expression stiffened slightly, and then he said, “I wrote it, but I didn’t compose it.” Poetry was a wonderful thing. In quiet moments, Chen An would often pick up a brush and write something. He gently pinched the girl’s cheek and chuckled, “Goodness, I spent ages looking for this in the study before, thinking it had been blown away by the wind. I didn’t expect to find it here with you.”
Luo Cong’an chuckled. She picked up the Xuan paper and leaned back into Chen An’s embrace as before. “Mister, tell me about it then…” Over the years, under Chen An’s patient tutelage, Luo Cong’an had largely shed her illiteracy and could appreciate the unique charm of written words. Therefore, she was particularly interested in the poems Chen An wrote. Or rather, she was interested in anything related to Chen An.
Chen An readily agreed to her request. “I also had this idea, but I kept forgetting lately. As people get older, they tend to forget things easily.” Luo Cong’an pouted unhappily. “Mister isn’t old.” Chen An smiled and didn’t contradict her. He extended his finger and began to read with Luo Cong’an. “The first poem…” “‘Who sighs as the autumn wind blows cold and lonely? Scattered yellow leaves obscure the sparse window, lost in thought, standing in the setting sun…'”
Chen An’s recitation was quickly interrupted by Luo Cong’an. She hurriedly rearranged the Xuan paper, pulling out the one from the bottom layer. “Alright, alright, Mister, I want to hear this one. Can we read this one?” She pointed to the text on the paper with a smile. Compared to the first poem, she preferred the simple and straightforward meaning of this one. Even though she was interrupted, Chen An’s expression remained calm. He had always been very patient. He followed the girl’s finger and softly recited, “Chariots rumble, horses throng. You travel east of the Eastern Mountain, and further east. When can I spread my wings and chase the west wind?”
Upon hearing this, Luo Cong’an, who had been waiting, quickly chimed in, “May I be like the star and you like the moon, our light flowing together each night, shining bright.”
…
…
The morning passed quickly. After lunch, Chen An pondered and asked, “Do you want to go to school?” This idea wasn’t a sudden whim but something he had considered many times. Primarily, Luo Cong’an spent all her time with him, and he was concerned about her mental and physical well-being if she didn’t interact with peers for too long. After much thought, he posed this question. The school was initiated by the City Lord’s Mansion, and most of its students were from the prominent families in the city. Security was strict, so there wouldn’t be any accidents. Of course, the most important thing was that Chen An worked at the school, so he could rush to her side immediately if anything happened.
“Can I, really?” Luo Cong’an’s eyes lit up. She wasn’t particularly eager to attend school, but she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Chen An. However, Chen An misinterpreted her meaning, thinking she was genuinely bored and longed to make new friends. So, Chen An nodded, “Of course, you can. Actually, I should have told you sooner…” He felt a pang of guilt, thinking he hadn’t fulfilled his responsibilities as a guardian.
That afternoon, Chen An went to the City Lord’s Mansion. The City Lord was a middle-aged man named Ma, who was slightly overweight and portly. When Chen An found him, City Lord Ma was playing chess with someone in his study. To Chen An’s surprise, the person playing chess with City Lord Ma was none other than his former classmate, Li Ye, who had troubled him before. The chessboard was a crisscross of black and white pieces, with two large dragons intertwined. Chen An took a casual glance and saw that the white pieces were in a difficult position to survive, likely to be captured. City Lord Ma was playing white. He suddenly looked up and saw Chen An entering, his expression a little surprised. “Mister Chen, what brings you here?” With his plump belly, he ‘accidentally’ knocked over the entire chessboard.
(End of this chapter)
