Chapter 248

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

Black Swan was already sweating profusely.

A candy-colored dress, her face obscured by a mosaic — her identity went without saying.

She knew who Polka was, and like Xuan Ge, she played with causality.

"Don't be afraid of her. Polka can only sense, but cannot see or hear." Xuan Ge's voice came from beside her, carrying a soothing tone.

"Haa—" She let out a long breath; she had truly been frightened by Huang Quan.

Her emotions calmed slightly, and her gaze followed the texture of memory forward.

On the shore of Lin Yuan Jing, a small figure sat there, clutching a tree branch in hand, waving it randomly at the air.

The corners of Black Swan's mouth curved up uncontrollably: "Unexpected — His Majesty was actually quite cute as a child."

"Hehe." Xuan Ge chuckled, not saying more.

His figure flashed, and the purple short sleeves on his body were replaced by a general's uniform of black clouds and white patterns.

It was the attire from when he was still a general in the Shenwu Dang.

But his hair was still white, not changed back.

Black Swan glanced at him, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes.

But it was only for an instant.

With this causality business, she could only scratch the surface; she didn't understand the deeper things, nor did she intend to guess blindly.

Just watch quietly.

On the shore, Little Xuan Ge frowned, staring at the branch in his hand, mumbling: "Those Pathstriders... how did they do it?"

The future Xuan Ge walked over.

He crouched before Little Xuan Ge, raised his hand and rubbed his black hair, "What are you puzzled about?"

Little Xuan Ge almost reflexively shook off his hand, his whole person stepping back half a pace, "Who are you?"

The future Xuan Ge didn't stand up, simply sitting cross-legged on the shore, his tone very casual.

"Me? Just an ordinary passerby. Seeing you gesturing here for half a day like an idiot, I came specially to mock you."

"Dumbass."

Black Swan raised her hand, elegantly covering her mouth, but her trembling shoulders betrayed her.

She truly hadn't expected that His Majesty as a child was this wild.

In Polka's perspective, Little Xuan Ge suddenly cursed at the empty air.

Her brows raised slightly, her expression not changing much.

Although this profanity wasn't directed at her, she knew the future Xuan Ge had come in person.

As long as he didn't do anything that changed the rules, she wouldn't stop him.

The future Xuan Ge's mouth twitched, and he swallowed those words back down.

When it came down to it, he was just cursing himself.

"Do you want power that badly?"

Little Xuan Ge turned his head back, looking at him with a "are you okay" expression: "Why are you asking this?"

The words had just fallen when he seemed to suddenly think of something, vigilantly stepping back another half pace:

"You're not a child abductor, are you? Let me tell you, if I shout once, the Cloud Knights will all come over."

The future Xuan Ge sensed Luo Fu.

A moment later, he spoke slowly: "General Teng Xiao is on campaign abroad; the Cloud Knights have no troops stationed here."

Little Xuan Ge was seen through.

He blinked, not panicking, instead crossing his arms at his waist: "So you're pretty well-informed, huh?"

Being able to analyze that General Teng Xiao took away a large number of Cloud Knights — this white-haired man still had some substance.

"Know a little." The future Xuan Ge smiled mysteriously.

"Tch." Little Xuan Ge looked at his self-aggrandizing appearance, disdain written all over his face.

The future Xuan Ge stood up and proposed: "Alright, it's not early. You should go home. Don't let Mother worry."

"... Mm." Little Xuan Ge put down the branch.

So Little Xuan Ge walked in front, the future Xuan Ge following behind, steps neither fast nor slow, maintaining just an arm's length of distance.

When passing through the market, Little Xuan Ge finally couldn't hold back.

He turned his head, just about to demand "Why are you following me," when a Qiongshi Bird Skewer was directly stuffed into his hand.

"Hehe." The future Xuan Ge's movements flowed like clouds and water.

After stuffing it, he turned, walked to the front with hands behind his back to lead the way — the whole process seamless, not leaving a single gap for Little Xuan Ge to react.

He knew how much he cared about face as a child.

The more he dallied, the more Little Xuan Ge would resist.

Better to just stuff it directly, giving him no room to refuse.

Little Xuan Ge looked down at the bird skewer in his hand, then looked up at the white-haired back ahead, his lips pressing together, and finally bit down.

Black Swan quietly watched one large and one small figure walking twistily through the market.

Buying a bit here, buying a bit there.

The little one complained with his mouth, yet his hands carried more and more.

The big one didn't look back, yet every time he managed to pay first, precisely before the little one stopped his steps.

Black Swan smiled lightly; she had already understood Xuan Huang's meaning.

Xuan Huang wanted to go home, wanted to see his own parents.

Small courtyard entrance.

Little Xuan Ge stopped his steps, turned to look at the white-haired man, pursed his lips, then spoke: "Hey, I'm home."

He lowered his head to glance at the large and small packages in his hands, his ear tips quietly turning red.

He paused, then twisted and pinched out another sentence: "What's your name?"

Future Xuan Ge shook his head slightly. He didn't answer this question, only said a sentence that sounded disconnected:

"You must become strong. Stronger than everyone."

Little Xuan Ge froze for a moment, lips parting, just about to say something——

The courtyard door was pushed open from inside.

A black-haired beauty walked out, followed by a golden-eyed man.

The beauty squatted down the moment she saw Little Xuan Ge, pinched his face stained with candy residue, her tone three parts spoiled complaint, seven parts gentle: "Xuan Er, where did all these things come from?"

"It was him...." Little Xuan Ge raised his hand to point behind him, but the words stuck halfway——that white-haired man had already walked far away.

The beauty looked along the direction her son pointed.

A white-haired back figure was slowly walking out of sight.

She looked at that back figure, a strange fluctuation suddenly flashing in her eyes, like a circle of ripples rising on a lake surface for no reason.

She used her index finger to lightly tap Little Xuan Ge's forehead, her voice very soft: "Hurry back to eat~"

The golden-eyed man silently gazed in that direction the whole time.

Only when the back figure disappeared around the street corner did he withdraw his gaze, exchanging a look with his wife.

Little Xuan Ge seemed to have forgotten something, reached out to hold his father's finger, tilted his face up and asked: "Father, what dishes today~?"

The golden-eyed man recovered, lowered his head to look at his son, his brows relaxing, countering: "Made what you love to eat today."

"But you ate so many snacks, can you still eat?"

"Father, you know me——" Little Xuan Ge grinned, "These are all just appetizers."

"Father, you know me—" Little Xuan Ge grinned, "these are all just appetizers."

Xuan Ge walked alone, his steps lighter than when he came. Wish fulfilled, he thought.

A burst of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded behind him. A woman's voice chased up.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps rang out behind him. A woman's voice chased up from behind.

Xuan Ge's steps paused, his whole person nailed in place.

The beauty jogged to catch up; the closer she got, the thicker that indescribable sense of familiarity in her heart became.

Not recognizing the face——but something in the bones, in the blood, something born recognizing her was calling out.

"I'm just an idle wanderer." Xuan Ge didn't turn back, voice pressed very flat.

"That child was playing by the sea, I feared he'd encounter danger, so I sent him home."

Mouth speaking polite words, yet even when leaving he didn't forget to give his childhood self a complete childhood.

Hoping Dad and Mom can beat him up properly.

He hoped Dad and Mom could beat him up ruthlessly.

The beauty's first reaction upon hearing these words wasn't "danger," but this voice.

Too familiar. Familiar to the point she fundamentally didn't need to think.

"It's not me." Xuan Ge denied.

He just wanted to step forward, when his sleeve was lightly pulled.

"As a mother, how could I forget my own child's voice?"

The beauty's voice was very light, light as if afraid of breaking something fragile.

She raised her other hand, fingers sliding into his white hair, slowly stroking down along the strands.

"Xuan Er~ you must have experienced much... also suffered much, right."

Xuan Ge bit his lip, jaw tightening once. Something swelling in his eye sockets, he didn't dare blink.

Xuan Ge bit his lip, his jaw tightening. Something was swelling in his eye sockets; he dared not blink.

He couldn't turn back. Couldn't.

The beauty didn't ask further, she lowered her head, carefully smoothing out the sleeve wrinkles she had just pinched.

Finally patted his back lightly, not heavy, like the strength when coaxing him to sleep as a child.

Finally, she patted his back lightly, not heavy, with the same strength as when she coaxed him to sleep as a child.

Xuan Ge's figure vanished at the alley entrance in an instant. If he stayed even one more second, he wouldn't be able to help turning back.

The street fell quiet again.

The beauty stood alone on the road, raised her hand to wipe the corner of her eye, took a deep breath, turned and walked home.

Polka watched this scene from afar, sighed helplessly: "Messy situation, still need me to clean it up."

Polka watched the scene from afar and sighed helplessly: "A mess, and I still have to clean it up for you."