Sister, Don't Cry

The night passed without incident.

The next day, Bibi Dong rose and felt her Dantian.

After a night of cultivation, the Soul Power Liquid had thickened once more.

At the same time, the God Spider Eight Kills had successfully reached the minor completion stage of the Three Kills, allowing her to instantly triple her combat power upon activation.

This improvement left her very satisfied.

She then looked at her precious son, and seeing he had yet to wake, she walked to the door, pulled it open gently, and instructed a maid to bring in hot water, followed by some light porridge and side dishes.

Before long, the maid brought in the Copper Basin and a food box.

Bibi Dong rolled up her sleeves and washed up.

The water splashed against her face, completely dispelling the fatigue from her night of cultivation.

She picked up a wooden comb to pull her long hair into a loose bun, secured it casually with a jade hairpin, then sat at the table and ate a few bites of the side dishes with her porridge.

She was not a picky eater, nor was she gluttonous; she set down her chopsticks after only a few mouthfuls.

Just as she finished tidying up, movement came from the bed.

Luo Dong burrowed out from his Small Blanket, his hair sticking up in little tufts. He sat up in a daze, rubbing his eyes as he called out, "Mama—hungry."

Bibi Dong rose and walked to the bedside, scooping him out of the Small Blanket and onto her lap.

Luo Dong nuzzled into her arms, found a comfortable position, opened his Little Mouth, and naturally leaned in.

He latched on and began to suckle with smacking sounds.

Sweet, clear milk mixed with the warm energy of the Soul Power Liquid slid down his throat, and his Flawless Body automatically went to work, breaking down and absorbing every trace of nutrition.

Just then, outside the room, a small figure tiptoed quietly toward the entrance.

Qian Renxue.

She had heard that her mother returned yesterday and hadn't slept well all night.

She had tossed and turned in bed, wondering whether she should come to see them.

The last time she had spoken to her brother was several days ago.

With her mother away these past few days, the entire Side Hall had felt empty.

This morning, she simply couldn't help herself; taking advantage of the maids' distraction, she snuck over.

She had intended to knock, but found the door wasn't shut tight, leaving a narrow gap.

Qian Renxue held her breath and peered through the crack.

She saw her mother sitting on the bed, holding her brother.

Her brother lay in her mother's arms, his Little Mouth latched onto her breast, suckling away.

Her mother looked down at him, one hand supporting the back of his head while the other gently patted his back.

Her gaze was so tender, and a faint smile hung at the corners of her lips.

Qian Renxue stood behind the door gap, her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes instantly turning red.

Her brother was already a year old and still drinking her mother's milk.

Yet she was four, and had never tasted it once.

She didn't even know what it felt like to be held by her mother.

Her mother's embrace belonged only to that brother who had come later.

She had secretly watched many times as her mother fed her brother, bathed him, sang to him, and lulled him to sleep.

Every single time, her mother was so gentle.

That kind of gentleness was something she had never received.

Her heart felt so sour.

It was as sour as if countless unripe hawthorns were being crushed in her chest all at once, so sour that she curled in on herself.

Bibi Dong naturally sensed the small figure at the door.

Her spiritual power had long since covered the entire room, and she had noticed Qian Renxue the moment she pushed the door ajar.

But she did not look up, nor did she speak.

Her mind was entirely on Luo Dong right now, and she did not want to be distracted by anything else.

As for Qian Renxue, if she wanted to watch, let her watch. It wasn't the first time, anyway.

Luo Dong finished his fill, released his Little Mouth, and let out a loud, milky burp.

He patted his round little belly with satisfaction, tilted his face up, and smiled at Bibi Dong: "Mama, full."

Bibi Dong smoothed her collar, wiped the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief, and pinched his soft cheek.

At that moment, a light sound of footsteps came from outside the door, and the maid's voice rang out: "Saintess, someone from the Elder Hall has come with a message, requesting your presence to discuss matters."

Bibi Dong gave a response, placed Luo Dong back on the bed, and ruffled his hair: "Mama is going to a meeting; you stay here and be good, don't run around."

"Mm! I'll be good!" Luo Dong nodded vigorously, sitting cross-legged on the bed with his small hands neatly placed on his knees, wearing an expression that screamed, "I'm the best behaved."

Bibi Dong smiled slightly, stood up, and pushed the door open to leave.

The moment the maid arrived, Qian Renxue had already darted behind a pillar in the Corridor.

Watching her mother's back disappear at the end of the long hallway, she waited a few more breaths to confirm that her mother had truly gone far away.

Only then did she emerge from behind the pillar and slip back into the partially opened door.

Luo Dong sat on the bed, his short legs dangling over the edge, a piece of Osmanthus Preserved Fruit in his mouth.

Seeing Qian Renxue enter, he wasn't surprised at all, lifting the small jar to shake it at her: "Sister is here! Do you want some preserved fruit?"

Qian Renxue stood by the bed, not taking the fruit.

Her eyes were still red, and after biting her lip several times, she finally asked the question she had been bottling up inside.

"What does... Mother's milk taste like?"

Luo Dong kept the fruit in his mouth, his cheeks bulging.

He tilted his head, thought about it seriously, and replied in a tone that took it for granted: "Very sweet. Very delicious."

"Re... really?" Qian Renxue's voice trembled slightly.

Luo Dong nodded hard, swallowed the fruit in his mouth, and added: "Of course it's true! I never lie. Mother's milk is the best thing in the world, sweeter than Osmanthus Preserved Fruit and tastier than Candied Hawthorn."

Qian Renxue's eyes turned red again.

She blinked hard, trying to hold back the tears, but she couldn't stop them.

Luo Dong saw it.

He put down the jar, slid off the bed, and walked over to Qian Renxue on his short legs.

At one year old, he only reached her waist, so he tilted his head up, reached out his small hand, and wiped the rolling tears from her face with his soft fingertips: "Sister, don't cry. You won't look pretty if you cry too much. Mother says that children who cry easily turn into little kittens."

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything; once he did, Qian Renxue couldn't hold it back anymore.

Large tears rolled down, endless no matter how she wiped them.

She crouched down, buried her face in her knees, and her shoulders began to heave with sobs. Her crying was muffled; she didn't dare let it out, afraid of being heard.

But she was in too much pain, and those words had been bottled up for too long—too long for a four-year-old Little Girl to keep inside any longer.

"Why doesn't Mother like me at all... why..." she sobbed intermittently, her voice so choked that it was almost impossible to hear, "What did I do wrong... am I not good enough... am I not well-behaved... is that why Mother doesn't love me..."

Luo Dong stood before her, his small hand still held in the position of wiping tears, but the expression on his face was complex.

Of course, he knew why.

He knew how Qian Renxue had come into this world.

He knew why Bibi Dong was reminded of that unbearable past whenever she saw her.

But how could he tell these things to a four-year-old Little Girl?