T R C L W (COMPLETE)

10: Complete Suffering

The two children on the streets were especially eye-catching. When the pedestrians walked past, they couldn't help but glance at them. Sometimes, just a glance wasn't enough, and they took two and then three more looks. The two children looked to be around five to six years-old, with the little boy dressed in a brocade robe, his defined eyebrows and large eyes making him seem full of life. His facial features were all delicate, making him look as pretty as a girl. Beside him was a doll-like girl, still in the prime of her youth. Her smile was bright, and her peach-coloured lips were downturned, unconsciously causing others to pity her.

Seeing the two children walking together, others almost mistook them to be the golden children at the feet of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

The little girl followed closely behind the boy, often asking, "Big Brother Xiao Yu, do you know where we're supposed to go?"

He shook his head, saying, "I don't know."

Soon enough, she asked again, "So...Will you be able to find my big brother and Steward Wang?"

Forcing himself to remain patient, the boy answered, "Let's look around first."

The girl couldn't resist and her voice wavered as she whimpered, "I want my big brother..."

Before he could react, she breathed in heavily and continued walking behind him, wiping off a few errant tears with her sleeve. "I didn't cry."

The boy simply hummed in agreement, and walked faster without looking back.

Before they had gone very far, the little lady couldn't contain her curiosity and started speaking again. "What if we aren't able to go back? Will we be lost forever? Will daddy be able to find us?"

"..."

"Big Brother Xiao Yu, hurry up and answer me..." She prodded at his hand, but still he didn't answer, causing her to feel quite uneasy. "I'm tired, can we rest for a while? I want to drink some almond tea and eat some creamy pineapple rolls or lotus pastries... Eh, wait for me!"

Losing his patience, Li Yu snapped angrily, "Shut up."

After he said this, the person behind him finally went silent.

He led her down the street before stopping in front of a pastry shop and turning around. However, it would've been better for him to have continued, as the moment he turned around he felt somewhat helpless.

Xie Zhen's eyes were filled with tears, and he lips were tightly pursed. She looked as though she was forcing herself to not cry, even to the point that her eyes were red. Large, round tears shone in her almond eyes, and it looked like if she blinked, the tears would fall down.

Li Yu hadn't seen a girl cry before, not less comforted a crying girl, so he was slightly panicked. "What, what are you even crying about? I wasn't referring to you just now."

He wasn't referring to her? Just now, they'd been lost, and she'd needed reassurance, okay? But he hadn't just ignored her, but also called her annoying.

Xie Zhen lowered her head to wipe away her tears, feeling like it was quite embarrassing. She normally wasn't so prone to crying; usually the crybaby was Ah Xun. It was all Big Brother Xiao Yu's fault for making her cry! After wiping away her tears, she raised her head. Full of grievances, she pointed at him accusingly, "You were angry at me just now."

Li Yu's face didn't change as he refuted her, "I wasn't."

She persistently replied, "You were."

"No I wasn't."

"You were!"

Li Yu finally compromised, "Oh." He'd learnt to speak like this from her, and it was almost the exact same way she said it.