Chapter 4: Brother Takes You Down the Mountain

A little fragrant?

Hearing Feng Xuanrui's words, Sui Sui, who was blowing on him, blinked her eyes, looking bewildered.

After a while, she only then realized she had lain in the chicken coop all morning, and the smell on her was not pleasant.

She had grown used to the smell, but her brother seemed not to adapt well.

Sui Sui, feeling a little embarrassed and uneasy, knelt there; she cautiously withdrew her head that had been reaching toward Feng Xuanrui's foot.

Watching the little girl's actions, Feng Xuanrui felt somewhat annoyed.

No, his mouth……

He really deserves to die!

Feng Xuanrui thought he could still salvage the situation: 'Sui Sui, actually you're not that smelly.'

After saying that, the big one, the small one, and the system all fell silent.

After a long silence, Feng Xuanrui was the first to speak: 'Sui Sui, is your full name just Sui Sui? What is your surname?'

Realizing what he had asked, Feng Xuanrui wanted to give himself a slap.

Sui Sui had said she had no parents; why was he still asking her surname?

Feng Xuanrui wanted to make amends, but Sui Sui spoke first, nodding doubtfully: 'It's called Sui Sui; Auntie said it's good if it's broken, so they call me Sui Sui, and sometimes they call me Sui Ya.'

Not Sui Sui?

Is it Sui Sui?

What decent person would give a child such a name?

Feng Xuanrui had heard the saying that a humble name makes a child easy to raise.

But those characters are mostly related to strong wild beasts; in Jing Cheng, many families are particular about names, even avoiding words like 'bottle' or 'mirror' because they consider them fragile, fearing the child won't survive.

Feng Xuanrui grew angry again, his fair, tender face puffed up, as if someone had blown air into it.

Sui Sui didn't understand, tilting her head to look at him.

Looking at the little girl's clear eyes, Feng Xuanrui thought, better not let his sister know these things.

When he returns to Jing Cheng, let those people play at breaking themselves!

After a moment's thought, Feng Xuanrui cleared his throat and spoke pompously: 'Sui Sui, don't listen to your aunt's nonsense; she's uncultured and just spouts nonsense. You are the Sui that has existed for forty-eight thousand years, the Sui that does not communicate with the frontier, the Sui that is the first to respond to the beautiful wind, the Sui whose days grow longer as the sun returns, the Sui of year after year, joyful and free of worry—remember that?'

Everything Feng Xuanrui said was incomprehensible to Sui Sui; her little head turned as fast as it could, yet she still couldn't understand.

But Sui Sui nodded obediently, though her confidence was clearly lacking: '... I didn't catch it all, brother; don't think Sui Sui is stupid, I'll try to remember.'

Feng Xuanrui lost himself in the repeated 'brother'; hearing his sister's soft, obedient voice, he raised his hand, both disdainful and unable to resist, and touched Sui Sui's dry, withered hair: 'It's fine; there's still plenty of time ahead, brother will teach you slowly.'

After saying that, he glanced at the weather and sighed: 'But Sui Sui, we need to figure out how to leave this place.'

Upon hearing that, Sui Sui also reacted, her little face instantly turning serious: 'Right, there are wolves on the back mountain; we're both too small, maybe not even enough for a meal.'

Hearing that, Feng Xuanrui gave a light snort: 'What's scary about wolves? I, the young master, killed one last autumn hunt; it's no big deal...'

Before he finished speaking, a rustling sound came from the grass not far away, and his following words were swallowed back.

Sui Sui also turned pale with fright; her face was already stained with blood marks, and many spots were smeared with black ash, making her look dirty and pitiful.

At this moment, her face turned even paler, making her look even more pitiful.

Feng Xuanrui was about to say something when he saw Sui Sui rush to his front, opening her frail arms, her voice low: 'Brother, Sui Sui will protect you; you go first!'

Sui Sui's voice trembled, her legs weak, she could barely stand.

Feng Xuanrui, originally also frightened and looking ill, now seeing that small figure blocking his path, felt both moved and helpless.

Although he was only ten, he also knew that a man, a true gentleman, how could he let a little girl protect him?

When danger comes, let this man step up!

Feng Xuanrui quietly cheered himself up: 'I killed a wolf last year; what's there to fear?'

It's just this useless foot—it hurts at the slightest move, making Feng Xuanrui's expression grow worse.

Hearing no movement behind her, Sui Sui anxiously called out: 'Brother?'

As her soft, tender voice sounded, Feng Xuanrui's inner agitation eased somewhat; he took a deep breath and replied: 'I'm here.'

Whether he was comforting Sui Sui or encouraging himself, Feng Xuanrui soon spoke again: 'Sui Sui, I'm here.'

That voice gave Sui Sui a sense of security, but her true intention was to stand in front and let her brother go first.

Besides Le Le singing her a lullaby and gently calling her 'baby,' Sui Sui had never encountered someone who treated her so kindly.

Someone who would gently stroke her head and carefully tell her the meaning of her name.

Such a gentle person……

She must protect him well!

Thinking of this, Sui Sui's actions became a bit more resolute, her voice less trembling: 'Brother, hurry and go; I'll block the way—I often work, I have plenty of strength!'

Feng Xuanrui heard that and instinctively rolled his eyes: 'Come on, with that little frame of yours, you're not even enough for a wolf to take a bite.'

That remark made the system indignant, but Sui Sui had no spite; after thinking, she found it reasonable and nodded: 'So, brother, you need to run fast!'

Feng Xuanrui behind her also did not sit idle; he gathered nearby usable stones and branches.

Can't we just give up resisting because his foot won't move?

Sui Sui is still blocking the front!

Hearing Sui Sui's words, Feng Xuanrui thought, what a wonderful sister.

So, is her maternal uncle's family some reincarnated evil beings?

With such a good child, they don't even want her?

Feng Xuanrui muttered discontentedly: 'Just wait until I, the young master, return to Jing; I'll grind them to dust along with the stones!'

His words were mumbled as he bit them, and Sui Sui didn't catch them.

The grass not far away stirred for a while, then……

A wild chicken walked out.

The wild chicken gave the two people a proud glance, then leisurely turned and walked elsewhere.

The two siblings: ……

It was a false alarm, which didn't make the two feel relieved; instead, it made them realize even more clearly the danger in the mountains.

You never know whether, after the swaying grass, what's hiding is a wild chicken or a wild wolf.

Feng Xuanrui found the branch in his hand too small to be useful; he looked toward the not‑far‑away scattered branches and had Sui Sui go pick them up.

Sui Sui had just broken out in a cold sweat from the fright; her clothes were already thin, and now her back was completely soaked.

The little girl had no shoes on her feet; her tender soles were covered with weathered scars.

Feng Xuanrui watched from behind, his eyes involuntarily feeling sore.

He took off his outer coat, threw it over Sui Sui, and said: "Put it on, grab the branches, brother will take you down the mountain."