Chapter 916: Anyway, it could never be a three‑life blessing

It wasn't long before the two little ones ran back from the garden.

Tuan Tuan ran ahead, her little face flushed, and the stray hairs on her forehead were stuck together by sweat.

Song Zhu Lin followed behind her, also drenched in sweat, with a wet ring around his collar.

She plopped onto the stone bench and said, "Sister! I'm dying of thirst!"

Hua Ping hurriedly handed the two large cups of honey water that had been prepared to Tuan Tuan and Song Zhu Lin.

Xiao Tuanzi picked it up and gulped it down with a glug‑glug sound.

Song Zhu Lin also tipped his head back and drank it clean, wiped his mouth, and was about to speak when he saw his sister holding a handkerchief, gently pressing it to the corner of her eye.

Song Zhu Lin walked to his sister's side, lifted his face and asked, "Sister, why are you crying?"

Tuan Tuan, hearing that, also raised her head and only then noticed Song Shujun's eyes were slightly reddened, with tiny glints of tears on her eyelashes.

She immediately jumped down from the stone bench, ran to Song Shujun, clenched her little fist and swung it, "Sister, who bullied you? I'll avenge you!"

Song Shujun hurriedly put down the handkerchief, turning tears into a smile, "No one is bullying me."

"I was just listening to General Xiao talk about the battlefield, and it made my heart ache for a moment."

Xiao Er stood beside them, his two big hands not knowing where to go, his dark face full of embarrassment.

He had just recounted the border war with Da Xia, describing how the soldiers fought the Da Xia people in a bloody battle, and as he spoke, this Miss Song began to cry.

He truly couldn't understand—these are just fights and killings, why would they make someone shed tears?

Tuan Tuan cheerfully walked to Xiao Er's side, tugged his big hand and said, "Sister, those battles that Dad fought have all been won! Don't cry!"

Song Shujun whispered, "Indeed, Prince Ning truly is heroic, worthy of the war‑god title."

Tuan Tuan proudly shook her little head, turned and saw the bamboo ball on the ground, bent down and picked it up, "My Dad is obviously amazing!"

She placed the bamboo ball back on the ground, stepped back two paces, lifted a little foot and said, "Me too!"

The bamboo ball was kicked away, tracing a high, floating arc that leapt over the stone table and flew straight toward the outside of the Moon Gate.

"Ow!"

A painful shout came from outside the gate.

The several of them froze at the same time.

Tuan Tuan blinked twice, then bolted toward the Moon Gate, shouting as she ran, "Who did I hit? I didn't see, sorry, sorry…"

She had just burst out of the Moon Gate when she collided head‑first with a person.

Xiao Tuanzi looked up and saw Song Jingxian holding his forehead with one hand and the bamboo ball with the other, looking down at her.

Tuan Tuan let out an "ah", covering her mouth with both little hands, exposing only a pair of wide, round eyes.

Song Jingxian looked down at his ill‑literated student, expressionless, and asked, "That ball… did you kick it?"

Tuan Tuan's eyes rolled, her little hands slapped her forehead, and her brows twisted into a knot, "I forgot! It's too hot! The heat makes my head hurt!"

Song Jingxian squinted at her, "Headache?"

"Um um um!" Tuan Tuan bobbed her head like a chick pecking grain, swaying her body a couple of times, "Teacher, the sun is too bright! It's making me confused."

"It couldn't have been me who kicked the ball earlier!"

Song Jingxian asked irritably, "If not you, then who?"

"It… it…" Xiao Tuanzi thought, then said, "Ah, right! The ball flew out by itself!"

She looked up at Song Jingxian with a serious face, "Yes, the ball flew out on its own! It won't listen! Let me beat it for you, okay?"

Song Shujun pursed her lips, looked down and gave a light laugh.

Song Zhu Lin watched Tuan Tuan's earnest nonsense, his face wide with shocked amazement.

Song Jingxian rolled his eyes, sighed inwardly, decided not to argue, and gave a light cough, "Why did you come today?"

Tuan Tuan saw his expression soften, her courage instantly swelled, and her voice became a bit sharper, "I came to find the teacher for class! Who knew the teacher wasn't here!"

She spread both hands, face full of regret, "What a pity, the class can't happen, so I'll go home first!"

After speaking, she turned to slip away, but before her foot could step, the back of her collar was grabbed by a hand.

"Don't go," Song Jingxian tugged her back, "Since you're here, I, as your teacher, must teach you something; I can't let you make a wasted trip."

Tuan Tuan's little head shook like a rattle, "Not a wasted trip! Not a wasted trip! I've been playing for half a day already!"

She wore a beaming smile, sweet and obedient, "Teacher, you just returned, you must be hungry, right? Go eat quickly!"

"I'm hungry too, my stomach's growling! If I don't go home to eat, Mother will start worrying."

"Teacher, you eat yours, I'll eat mine; another day I'll come to class again!"

After speaking, she wriggled free of Song Jingxian's hand, stretched out her two short legs and dashed outward.

Xiao Er had already stood up, threw a fist at Song Jingxian and said, "Lord Song, I take my leave."

Having said that, he took big strides and chased after.

Song Zhu Lin chased to the Moon Gate entrance, tiptoed and shouted outward, "Tuan Tuan! When will you come again?"

From afar, Tuan Tuan's voice floated back, "In a few days! I'll be back in a few days!"

The people had already vanished like a wisp of smoke.

Song Jingxian touched his temple, let out a soft "hiss", "This child, such strength indeed."

Back at Prince's Mansion, Tuan Tuan said nothing, happily ate her fill, played a while longer, then fell asleep.

Xiao Er entered the study and reported today's Tuan Tuan incident at Song Residence to Prince Ning and his three brothers.

Xiao Ningchen laughed heartily, "A single kick sent it straight to Lord Song's head? Our Tuan Tuan's kicking skill, it's a shame not to join the cuju team."

Xiao Ningyuan laughed, slapping his thigh, "Headache?"

"She just ate two bowls of rice, gnawed half a roast chicken, and chased Xiao Feifei around half the Prince's Mansion; how could she possibly have any headache?"

"Who could handle Tuan Tuan?" Xiao Ningxun's lips curled slightly, shaking his head, "Lord Song's kick was just taken in vain."

Xiao Yuanhang looked up at Xiao Er, "Lord Song, is he injured?"

Xiao Er shook his head: "It doesn't look heavy, just a red patch on the forehead, and yet you still want to teach the miss."

Xiao Yuanhang helplessly shook his head: "Lord Song taking Tuan Tuan as a student, truly is …"

He choked, truly not knowing how to describe it.

"Regret not starting earlier?" Xiao Ningyuan interjected.

"Helpless?" Xiao Ningchen also joined in for fun.

Xiao Ningxun shook his head: "In any case, it can't be a three‑life blessing."

Everyone in the house laughed.

Xiao Yuanhang said: "Next time we go, we'll fetch some fine herbs from the storehouse and bring them to Lord Song."

"Yes."

The next day, the Song Residence sent people again to request Tuan Tuan to go.

Tuan Tuan called out to her mother and entered the Song Residence with Xiao Er.

She hugged Xiao Er's neck, peeking into the Moon Gate: "The teacher isn't here, right?"