Junior Brother Pays Respect to You: Chapter 47 - Looking after Xiao Hua
Chapter 47: Looking after Xiao Hua
Qin Zheng didn’t expect that he would be so easily allowed to return to the sect.
Was this the reward for his past efforts?
But why did he have to bring along the child behind him?
Oh well, judging by Xiao Hua’s appearance, he could probably survive just fine even without being looked after.
Qin Zheng cheerfully followed behind Qin Su and walked out of the house.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he turned back into the room, dug around in the bedding, and quietly stuffed the time scroll he retrieved into his clothes.
When Qin Zheng came out again, Xiao Hua seemed to know he was leaving and quickly jumped off the bed to follow him out.
Afraid he’d disappear.
It wasn’t until he stepped outside the house that Qin Zheng remembered Xiao Hua and hurriedly turned around to call him out.
However, when he turned, he saw the naked child standing barefoot in the snow.
Even though Qin Zheng knew Xiao Hua wasn’t cold, he still felt a strange sense of guilt.
He thought: Once we get back to Tianque Sect, I’ll have to get him some clothes.
Xiao Hua seemed to sense Qin Zheng looking at him, and when he looked up, he gave a big smile before squatting down again to happily roll a snowball in the snow.
That clumsy pose reminded Qin Zheng of Xiao Bai — no matter how many times he was taught, the snowmen he made still looked ugly.
When Qin Su summoned his flying sword, Qin Zheng quickly stepped on it.
Without Qin Su’s lead, he’d never be able to get to Tianque Sect on his own.
After getting on the sword, Qin Zheng instinctively turned to look at Xiao Hua, who was still playing in the snow.
“Xiao Hua, get on the sword!” Qin Zheng waved him over.
“Xiao Hua?” Qin Su repeated the name quietly, then looked at Qin Zheng with confusion.
Qin Zheng pouted and said, “You never told me his name, so I just gave him one.”
“What, does he already have a name?”
Qin Su neither nodded nor shook his head. He only said slowly, “That name... is nice.”
Tsk tsk. So even his junior has this kind of weird sense of humor?
Qin Zheng turned back to Xiao Hua and saw he had stopped playing in the snow. He stood there in the snow looking at him.
“Come on up!” Qin Zheng waved again.
Xiao Hua looked at Qin Zheng, then fiercely glared at Qin Su. He didn’t move, but his displeasure was obvious.
Qin Zheng smugly glanced at Qin Su and said, “Looks like he really hates you.”
Hearing that, Qin Su gave Little Hua a glance and turned his head back, saying calmly, “He can choose to come on his own.”
Thinking of how Xiao Hua had floated onto the bed earlier that morning, Qin Zheng figured that might actually be possible.
Still, Qin Zheng couldn’t help but ask, “Are you coming up? If not, you’ll have to walk yourself.”
Xiao Hua hesitated, looking between Qin Su and Qin Zheng’s outstretched hand. In the end, he gave in.
Right in front of Qin Zheng, Xiao Hua floated up to the flying sword and grabbed Qin Zheng’s hand, even trying to climb onto him.
Qin Zheng stiffened and instinctively scolded, “Either hold hands or walk by yourself!”
Xiao Hua stopped and gave a pitiful look to Qin Zheng, who’d suddenly snapped at him, but in the end obediently held onto one of Qin Zheng’s fingers.
In just a short time, the three of them arrived at the gates of Tianque Sect.
It looked exactly the same as before.
After getting off the sword, Xiao Hua refused to let go of Qin Zheng’s hand. Qin Zheng tried to shake him off but failed, and since Qin Su was still there, he decided to just let it go.
After all, he was the one told to take care of the kid. If they were somehow related, it wouldn’t be good if he acted too cold.
Qin Zheng held Xiao Hua’s hand as they followed Qin Su into the sect.
The only thing that had changed here was the people.
He didn’t recognize a single one of the disciples’ faces.
When people from the sect saw the sect leader bringing back strangers, they couldn’t help but sneak a few curious glances.
Qin Zheng followed Qin Su along and soon noticed they weren’t heading toward his old residence.
Thinking back, he realized he used to live in the disciples’ quarters, which probably had someone else in it by now.
Soon, Qin Zheng was brought to a wooden cabin in a small grove — Qin Su’s old place.
“You’ll stay here for now. It’ll be easier to take care of him,” Qin Su said, glancing at Xiao Hua.
Qin Zheng nodded.
Not bad. Special treatment.
More importantly, it was secluded. Qin Zheng hadn’t forgotten that some of the people from before had already become elders.
“One more thing — don’t let him come into contact with anyone except you.”
“I have some things to take care of. I’ll come back later.”
After speaking, Qin Su turned and prepared to leave.
Qin Zheng quickly called out, “Aren’t you going to get him some clothes? Running around naked looks really bad.”
“Someone will bring them shortly.”
Only after Qin Su had disappeared from sight did Qin Zheng lower his head and glance curiously at Little Hua, still not understanding why Qin Su wouldn’t allow him to touch anyone else.
But since that was the instruction, there had to be a reason.
Qin Zheng pointed at Xiao Hua and warned, “You’re not allowed to touch anyone else, got it?”
Xiao Hua nodded with a cheeky smile.
Qin Zheng looked at the child in surprise — was Xiao Hua highly intelligent or just developmentally slow?
But strangely enough, he still couldn’t speak.
Since he couldn’t figure it out, Qin Zheng decided not to dwell on it. He reached out and pushed open the wooden door. The interior was exactly the same as when he had seen it during his time travel — nothing had changed.
It was as if time had stopped in this house.
Qin Zheng walked over to the table and ran his hand across the surface. When he looked at his palm, it was clean — not a speck of dust.
Looks like someone had cleaned it recently.
Qin Zheng suddenly noticed that no matter where he went, Xiao Hua would follow him like a shadow.
Fortunately, Xiao Hua seemed to know that Qin Zheng didn’t like being touched and rarely tried to get too close.
“Is senior uncle here?”
Suddenly, a stranger's voice came from outside the house.
Qin Zheng walked to the door and peeked out, seeing a young disciple standing there with a stack of clothes in his arms.
“I’m here. What is it?”
“I’m Qing Xi, disciple of the sect, bringing clothes on the Sect Leader’s order.”
Qin Zheng stepped outside and took the clothes from the disciple’s hands.
At a glance, it was clear they were meant for Xiao Hua.
Qin Zheng hadn’t expected Qin Su to act so quickly.
Suddenly, Qing Xi looked to Qin Zheng’s left with surprise, eyes lighting up as he excitedly asked, “Senior uncle, is this our little junior brother?”
Qin Zheng followed Qing Xi’s pointing finger in confusion and saw that Xiao Hua had followed him out,
Now standing right beside him.
After thinking for a moment, Qin Zheng shook his head. “No.”
Qing Xi looked a bit disappointed, but still stepped forward slightly and raised a hand in greeting.
Sensing a stranger approaching, Xiao Hua averted his eyes from clinging to Qin Zheng and gave Qing Xi a fierce glare.
Qing Xi, intimidated by the look, awkwardly withdrew his hand. Still, he exclaimed in surprise, “His eyes are red!”
Qin Zheng froze. He had completely forgotten about that. He quickly made up an excuse on the spot.
“He’s been sick lately — his eyes turned red for no reason.”
“And he doesn’t like strangers anymore. Don’t take it personally.”
Qing Xi, somewhat disappointed, said, “Then I’ll take my leave.”
Qin Zheng glanced at the retreating Qing Xi, then looked at Xiao Hua again.
He had originally wanted Qing Xi to help Xiao Hua get dressed — but who would’ve thought Xiao Hua would be so uncooperative!
Looks like he’d have to do it himself after all?
Qin Zheng looked at the clothes, then at Xiao Hua. “Put them on yourself!”
Logically, a child as sensible as Xiao Hua should be able to dress himself, right?
Qin Zheng placed the clothes on the bed. Xiao Hua, thinking it was a gift from Qin Zheng, joyfully pounced on it.
After struggling for quite some time, Xiao Hua ended up standing on the bed in a messy outfit, looking innocently at Qin Zheng.
If it weren’t for the fact that this was a gift from Qin Zheng, he would’ve torn it to shreds long ago.
Qin Zheng sighed. In the end, he had no choice but to dress the child himself.
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