Raising Orphans, Not Assassins

Chen Ye furrowed his brow.

"Great misfortune, the clash of the Hai and Zi signs, and she will die by committing suicide?" Chen Ye muttered as he interpreted Xiao Lian's fortune. "Does this mean that tonight, during the time between Hai and Zi, Xiao Lian will commit suicide?"

Having deciphered the meaning of the fortune, Chen Ye took a deep breath, and his gaze turned more profound.

He looked out at the dimming sky through the window, sighing, "This is truly worrying."

Chen Ye calmly finished dressing, opened the door, and picked up the broom in the yard, beginning to sweep the courtyard.

Since he now knew the exact time when Xiao Lian was in danger, there was no need to hurry.

He could sweep the courtyard, cook, and do other tasks first.

Once the afternoon chores were done, he could set off without rushing.

The clash of the Hai and Zi signs corresponded to around 11 PM (Hai time is between 9 and 10 PM, and Zi time is between 11 PM and 1 AM).

Using the Ground Shrinking Step, he would be able to find Xiao Lian in no time.

Chen Ye continued sweeping the yard calmly.

Perhaps it was due to practicing the Innate Qi Skill, but he found himself becoming more patient.

Just as Daoist texts described, the heart should be still and calm.

Chen Ye had only swept a few times when Sun Sheng rushed out of the house, still wearing his clothes and yawning as he ran.

"Foster Father, I got up a bit late..."

Sun Sheng was still half-asleep, his eyes half-closed, reaching out to take the broom from Chen Ye.

Chen Ye smiled faintly. "No worries, you can go back to sleep."

"How late did you stay up last night reading the Water Margin comics?"

Sun Sheng scratched his head awkwardly and mumbled, "I think it was until the third watch."

The third watch refers to midnight.

It was now 5 AM, meaning Sun Sheng had only slept for six hours, which explained why he had just woken up.

Since joining the Orphanage eight days ago, Sun Sheng had worked hard, his mind sharp and his hands quick.

Every time the roosters crowed, he would get up to sweep the yard and tend to the stove, easing Chen Ye’s workload.

A few days ago, Sun Sheng had entered the study, found some comic books like Water Margin and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and this opened up a new world for him.

Chen Ye allowed him to read, but he insisted that Sun Sheng must learn every word on each page.

Sun Sheng, eager to learn, had picked up many characters over the past few days.

However, this habit also led to late nights occasionally.

"Don’t stay up too late. The books won’t run away," Chen Ye advised, but said no more.

He understood Sun Sheng's feelings—when he was younger, he had been addicted to the internet and stayed up all night.

It wasn’t easy to stop once it became an addiction.

The morning breeze gently blew, bringing a coolness to the air.

Sun Sheng took a few deep breaths to wake up and said, "Foster Father, I’ll go light the stove."

Seeing that Sun Sheng didn’t plan to sleep any longer, Chen Ye didn’t insist.

He had originally not accepted the title of "Foster Father", but after hearing Sun Sheng’s story, he relented.

Sun Sheng’s father had passed away early, and two years ago, his mother had also died from illness, leaving him with no relatives. For the next two years, he had wandered the streets, hungry and bullied, enduring hardships.

When he arrived at the Orphanage, he had found a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Calling Chen Ye "Foster Father" was a gesture from the heart, and he was willing to do so.

After hearing this, Chen Ye sighed and accepted the title.

This world was not easy for anyone.

By the time Chen Ye finished sweeping the yard, Da Ming returned, drenched in sweat and steaming as he ran back from outside.

Da Ming had developed a habit of morning runs following the Schwarzenegger Exercise Manual, getting up with the rooster’s crow and running through the forest outside the town.

Chen Ye didn’t mind. Morning exercise was a good habit, and since Da Ming had the All-round Development Skill, his physical training would also enhance other qualities, which was ultimately a good thing.

Chen Ye had no high expectations for Da Ming; he simply hoped he could live a peaceful life as a woodcutter.

When Da Ming returned, Chen Ye entered the kitchen to prepare breakfast, and Sun Sheng helped him out.

…

The sound of horse hooves gradually slowed.

A little girl peeked out through the window of the carriage, looking outside.

The carriage had stopped in a small village, surrounded by several other carriages parked side by side.

The little girl withdrew her gaze. She didn’t know what awaited her, but all she could do was wait.

On the large carriage, there were many children besides her, all about the same age, around six or seven years old. They were all pale and thin, clearly in a state of long-term malnutrition.

They, like the little girl, remained silent, their eyes dull.

They quietly waited for whatever fate awaited them.

"Your Highness, these are orphans left by the chaos of war."

A deep voice sounded not far away.

The little girl looked through the window, following the sound, and saw a person dressed in dark armor, his hands clasped in a respectful salute, speaking to a middle-aged man who wore a mask.

The mask on the middle-aged man was engraved with a pattern of wind and rain, giving it an eerie look.

"From now on, there is no 'Your Highness', only the master of Fengyu Tower."

"Take them to eat a full meal, and get them some new clothes."

"Once that’s done, bring them back here."

The middle-aged man's voice was calm, but his tone carried the authority of someone in a superior position.

"Yes! Your– Master!"

"Mm, go ahead."

The person in the dark armor bowed respectfully and left.

The masked middle-aged man seemed to sense something and looked towards the little girl.

She met his gaze, and a tremor ran through her young heart.

His eyes were filled with bloodlust and hatred, like an injured wild beast.

The scene in the dream shifted.

In a tranquil and elegant bamboo house.

The middle-aged man wearing the wind-and-rain mask slowly picked up a purple clay teapot from the small table, pouring clear, fragrant tea into a cup.

He poured the tea, then pushed the cup across the table.

"Drink this tea, and from now on, you will be my personal disciple."

On the opposite side of the table, a girl in a black dress, with fair skin and delicate features, though still young, knelt.

She took the tea and drank it all at once, setting the cup down, and said in a flat voice, "Yes."

The middle-aged man smiled and shook his head. 

"This is not how tea should be drunk."

The girl said nothing but slightly raised her head to meet his gaze.

In his eyes, the bloodlust and hatred from before had disappeared.

Instead, there was only an endless depth and tranquility.

The girl looked into his eyes for a moment before lowering her head again.

At that moment, a thought suddenly emerged in her mind: The bloodlust and hatred he once had were now buried deep within him.

The man before her, elegant and composed, was now a beast hiding its thirst for vengeance.

The scene shattered.

The past dream faded into darkness.

Qin Yi, dressed in white undergarments, slowly opened her eyes, her heart pounding violently.

After several deep breaths, her heartbeat gradually calmed.

She sat up, her body drenched, sweat dripping from her forehead.

Qin Yi's gaze was calm as her right hand reached from under the blanket to casually wipe away the sweat from her forehead.

She sat there, staring into the dim room, unmoving for a long time.

Under the blanket, her left hand tightly gripped her sword.

Tightly.

Very tightly.

Yuyu: I wonder why QY keeps dreaming about her childhood. This kind of foreshadowing is very nice. I hope the author keeps up the suspense.