Jujube Paste Pastry

"Yesterday, I walked around the mansion and saw a little courtyard in the northwest corner."

"Who lives there? It looked awfully deserted," Ye Tianming asked.

The smile on Aunt Zhang's face faltered. She glanced left and right, then lowered her voice.

"Young Master Ye, you mustn't go there. The person living there is..."

"One of the duke's concubines. Her surname is Huo. She was originally a maid in the mansion, and later gave birth to a daughter."

At this, Ye Tianming pretended not to know and raised an eyebrow.

"A daughter?"

"How could the duke's daughter live in a place like that?"

Aunt Zhang sighed and slowly explained.

"Well, the concubine has low status, and she was a maid before. The duchess doesn't like her, so that girl has never been looked upon kindly since the day she was born."

"And the servants in the mansion... you understand."

"That girl's name is Dai Yutong. She's already five this year, thin as a kitten. It's a pitiful sight."

Huo Yun'er. Dai Yutong.

Ye Tianming's fingers slowly clenched inside his sleeve. That confirmed it: this world's Huo Yuhao really was Dai Yutong.

With that in mind, Ye Tianming asked another question.

"Is Concubine Huo in poor health?"

Aunt Zhang slowly shook her head and let out a long sigh.

"Isn't she just? She's been ill for years and can't go without medicine."

"The mansion's physician came twice, but then the duchess said it cost too much and wouldn't allow it anymore. Now she has only that little bit of money for medicine. Who knows how long she can hold on?"

Ye Tianming asked no more. After thanking Aunt Zhang, he turned and headed back to his courtyard.

In the original story, Huo Yun'er died of illness. Once she was gone, Yutong lost her last support in the mansion and eventually ran away from home.

He couldn't let that happen.

At the very least... he couldn't let it happen the way it had in the original story.

After returning to his courtyard, Ye Tianming shut the door and sat at the table, thinking for a long time.

He was six years old, with Innate Full Soul Power and the Azure Dragon Martial Soul, but he had no Soul Ring yet. Strictly speaking, he was just a child with more Soul Power than others.

There was very little he could do right now. He couldn't confront the duchess directly.

And Dai Hao was often away from the Duke's Mansion, so Ye Tianming couldn't afford to make a mortal enemy of her either.

But that didn't mean he could do nothing.

Ye Tianming took a deep breath, stood up, and rummaged through his cupboard for some of the Gold Soul Coins Dai Hao had given him. He tucked them into his clothes.

He needed to visit an apothecary in the city.

The White Tiger Duke's Mansion stood on the eastern side of Star Luo City, in the Star Luo Empire. Just two streets from its gates was a Herbal Hall.

It was a well-regarded apothecary in the city. Ye Tianming changed into less conspicuous clothes, slipped out through the mansion's side gate, and walked all the way there.

The physician on duty was a little old man with a white beard. He froze for a moment when he saw a six- or seven-year-old child come in, then spoke.

"Little one, are you here to get medicine?"

Ye Tianming placed the Gold Soul Coins on the counter and spoke calmly.

"Mm. An elder in my family has had a cough for years. She's weak and can't sleep well at night."

"So I'd like you to prescribe something gentle and nourishing, using the best medicinal ingredients."

The physician looked Ye Tianming up and down. Seeing that the boy spoke clearly and had brought Gold Soul Coins, he asked no more questions.

He stroked his beard, wrote a prescription, and sent an assistant to prepare the medicine.

On his way back with the medicine bundle in his arms, Ye Tianming happened to pass a pastry shop. He went in and bought a package of Osmanthus Cake and another of Jujube Paste Pastry.

When he returned to the mansion, Ye Tianming didn't go back to his courtyard. Instead, he went straight around to the secluded courtyard in the northwest corner.

The courtyard gate was still closed. Ye Tianming knocked, and a rustling sound came from inside. Only after a long while did the gate open a crack.

Half of Dai Yutong's face appeared in the gap. The moment she saw Ye Tianming, her eyes lit up, and she hurried to pull the gate open.

"Brother Tianming!"

She was still wearing the same old clothes today, but her hair was neatly combed and her face had been washed, revealing what she really looked like.

Her features were delicate, but she was far too thin. Her cheeks were sunken, making her eyes look even bigger.

Once inside, Ye Tianming raised the medicine bundle and pastries in his hands, then asked,

"I brought you a few things. By the way, where's your mother?"

Dai Yutong's eyes dimmed. When she spoke, her voice was subdued.

"My mother's still inside, but she isn't doing very well..."

The courtyard looked even bleaker than it had yesterday. Weeds filled the corner by the wall, and two garments washed almost white hung on the clothesline.

The door to the main room was ajar, and a stifled cough came from within.

Ye Tianming walked over and pushed the door open.

The room was dim and sparsely furnished, with just a wooden bed, a table, and two chairs.

A woman lay on the bed, her face sallow. Hearing the noise, she turned toward them with difficulty.

"Tongtong, who's here?"

Dai Yutong hurried over, leaned against the bedside, and explained.

"Mother, it's Brother Tianming from yesterday. He brought us medicine and pastries too!"

Huo Yun'er looked at Ye Tianming, wariness and doubt still in her eyes. She asked slowly,

"And this young master is...?"

Ye Tianming set the medicine bundle on the table and handed the pastries to Dai Yutong before speaking.

"Concubine Huo, my name is Ye Tianming. The duke recently took me in as his adopted son."

"Yesterday, I came across Yutong being bullied in the mansion and helped her out. I happened to pass an apothecary today, so I picked up some gentle, nourishing medicine. Please try taking it."

Huo Yun'er froze, then her eyes reddened. In all the years she had endured life in the mansion, no one besides her daughter had ever treated the two of them so kindly.

Yet an adopted son who had only just arrived had bought them medicine and brought them pastries.

"Young Master Ye... I can't possibly accept this." Huo Yun'er's voice trembled as she spoke.

"We... we have nothing to repay you with."

Ye Tianming merely smiled and slowly shook his head.

"There's no need to repay me. Yutong and I get along well. Just focus on getting better. That matters more than anything."

Yutong stood beside the bed holding the package of pastries. She looked at her mother, then at Ye Tianming, and suddenly held the package out to him.

"Brother Tianming, have some."

Ye Tianming looked down at the little girl, who was a head shorter than him. She tilted her face up, her eyes shining, and held the pastries as though they were a treasure.

Ye Tianming simply rubbed Dai Yutong's hair and said softly,

"You have them. I've already eaten. I brought these for you and your mother."

Dai Yutong pressed her lips together. Instead of withdrawing her hand, she took a piece of Jujube Paste Pastry from the paper package and held it to Ye Tianming's mouth.

"Then have one piece. Just one!"