Pacifying Sea King's City.
In the King's City's rear garden, sunlight shone warmly, and floral fragrance drifted through the air.
Situ Yue sat on a stone stool in the pavilion, watching the two children play on the grass.
Xinghui wore a little blue robe, his hair tied in a skyward tuft, and chased a butterfly back and forth.
His legs were not quite steady yet, and he stumbled as he ran.
Several times, he nearly fell, but each time he managed to steady himself at the last moment, then continued the chase with a giggle.
A shallow dimple marked his cheek, and when he smiled, he looked just like Lin Qing.
Mu Han wore a little pink dress and sat quietly on the grass, holding that crooked little rag doll in her arms.
She neither chased butterflies nor ran about, but quietly watched her older brother race around, occasionally reaching out to stroke the doll's ears or lowering her head to kiss its face.
Her eyes were bright, like two black grapes, and held a natural gentleness when she looked at people, something she shared with Situ Yue.
"Mommy, when is Dada coming back?"
Xinghui suddenly stopped, ran up to Situ Yue, and asked with his head tilted up.
His forehead was covered in beads of sweat, his cheeks were flushed, and he was panting.
Situ Yue bent down, wiped her son's sweat with a handkerchief, and said with a smile:
"Daddy went somewhere very far away. When you're a little bigger, he'll come back."
"Daddy went far, far away, and so did my big brothers and sisters. They wouldn't take me along to play." Xinghui pursed his lips, a little unhappy.
"Last time, Brother Beichen said he'd take me to the beach to collect shells, but we still haven't