Chapter 31

Chapter 31

When Bai Huo woke up, it was almost dusk.

The palm of his hand was cool, with a slightitch. In a daze, Bai Huo moved to scratch it, but was promptly grabbed by asmall hand. Startled, Bai Huo finally awoke from his chaotic post-drinking state.

A young boy in a clean white shirt wassitting beside the bed, holding Bai Huo’s palm in one hand and a pot of greenherbal paste in the other, rubbing it on Bai Huo’s palm.

In the messy bedroom, the two people satopposite each other, silent for a long time.

After a long while, Bai Huo finally moved, hislips opened and closed: “Lin Xi.”

The little boy raised his eyes, revealing apair of deep eyes.

They hadn’t met for five years, the littledragon cub had obviously grown up. The baby fat on his cheeks had almost disappeared,and his facial features were clearer and more solid than before. His eyes had surprisinglyremained unchanged, still quiet as water. Obviously, he was less than nineyears old, but a vague handsomeness shone through his childlike facial features.Bai Huo could almost predict how much devastation this child would leave in hiswake when he grew up.

Li Lin Xi lowered his head again, his fineeyelashes hanging down obediently. He dipped his finger into the ointment and pickedup a clump, wiping it on the whip marks on Bai Huo’s palm.

This was very different from their separationlast time. The current little dragon cub, in both movement and temperament, hadcompletely shed the atmosphere of a cub. It seemed that Jing Lan had taught himvery well, his bearing and etiquette were much better than his dad’s, Bai Huothought sourly.

“Why aren’t you speaking? You don’t recognizeyour dad?” Bai Huo summoned up a smile to ask the child.

Li Lin Xi had smeared the medicine halfway,when he heard this question, he raised his eyes, his expression complicated:“Who doesn’t recognize who?”

“What?” Bai Huo was puzzled, movingto raise his hand to scratch his head. But before he could move, Li Lin Xi grabbedhis wrist and ordered: “Don’t move.”

Touching Bai Huo’s wrist, Li Lin Xi froze. Didhis hand get bigger? Or did Bai Huo get thinner? When he was younger, he definitelycouldn’t encircle his wrist.

Bai Huo sighed softly, looking at hisawkward baby boy, he got up and sat straight: “Lin Xi, Dad missed you alot.”

Hearing this sentence, Li Lin Xi finallymet Bai Huo’s eyes.

Originally, when Bai Huo didn’t immediatelyrecognize him, he wanted to get angry, but now, seeing Bai Huo’s pale cheeks,thin shoulders, and injuries of unknown origin on his body, he found him verypitiful, his angry drying up.

Bai Huo saw him silently bowing his head,and nervously shifted closer, “What’s wrong?”

Li Lin Xi shoved the ointment into hishand. As soon as he started speaking, his eyes reddened: “You … how did thishappen to you…”

These tears came without warning, at first,Bai Huo was stunned, then, he felt helpless. This child was a crying sackwhen he was younger, and once he cried, he couldn’t be coaxed to stop. Now, he wasolder, but unexpectedly, this aspect hadn’t changed a bit, he could still cry atthe drop of a hat. For a short while, Bai Huo didn’t know if he should give hima hug. After all, the child was older, and he had his big-boy pride. Plus, theyhadn’t seen each other for five years, Bai Huo didn’t know if he would stillaccept this type of low-level coaxing. But later, when he saw the little cub raisehis hand to wipe away his own tears, Bai Huo’s heart grew determined, and he thought,to hell with it, this is my precious son. So, he raised his hand to coax, pattingLi Lin Xi’s back as he cajoled: “Don’t cry, be good.”

Bai Huo had a face of someone in theirearly twenties, and his hair was chaotic. Hugging and coaxing this eight ornine-year-old son in his arms, it looked very strange. However, neither of themcared. In the end, Little Lin Xi still held back, after venting his initialgrievances, he carefully stored his remaining tears. He hugged Bai Huo’sshoulders, just blinking slowly, not speaking.

“How have you been? Is Jing Shishutreating you well? Has anyone in the Water Dragon Palace bullied you?” BaiHuo stroked the back of his head, asking quietly.

Li Lin Xi stayed silent.

“Did you miss me?” Bai Huo askedagain.

Li Lin Xi pressed his forehead against BaiHuo’s shoulder: “I missed you.”

Bai Huo’s heart warmed up, just like beforetheir separation, he hugged his son up and brought him to the edge of the bed:“Are you still sick? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

Little Lin Xi had grown very quickly in thesepast few years, his weight was already no longer insignificant, and Bai Huo’shands were still injured. But when picking him up, he didn’t show the slightestbit of strain, as if he was born to bear all of this child’s weight.

Knowing what Bai Huo wanted to see, Li LinXi covered his ears and turned around, turning into his dragon form: “All good.”

Bai Huo clearly felt it, when he waschanging his form, although Little Lin Xi remained silent, his eyes were actuallyexpectant and pleased. Sure enough, when the child fully displayed his dragonbody, Bai Huo was completely taken aback.

Little Lin Xi had already completely brokenaway from the cub stage, his body was no longer covered in sparse fur, but in plumpblue-black long feathers, which perfectly covered his whole body, especiallythe white feathers coating the tip of his tail, which were incredibly beautiful;His horns were at least twice as big as they were when they parted five yearsago. Several branches had emerged, and it looked quite spectacular; Inaddition, Li Lin Xi ’s dragon child tail was longer than others, now, not onlywas the shape thick and long, it could be discerned from the state when he shookit, his tail was also very strong. It naturally formed a smooth line with his spinewhen it hung down, which was far more beautiful than ordinary dragons.

Bai Huo couldn’t help but touch the tip ofhis tail, sighing emotionally: “What huge changes, you’re indeed my son, sohandsome.”

Li Lin Xi wrapped his tail around Bai Huo’swrist, his eyes shining subtlety as he spoke: “Tail, I can controlit.”

“So skillful?” Bai Huo exclaimedin surprise.

Li Lin Xi loosened his tail and hid it behindhis back, shaking it almost imperceptibly.

“You’re just lacking wings. When youget even bigger, and you can control your wings, Dad will take you out to learnhow to fly.” Bai Huo looked pleased.

When Li Lin Xi heard this, he turned his headand asked seriously: “Really?”

“Of course, really.” Bai Huo smiledand said, “It’s not difficult to learn how to fly, you just have to bebrave, and not be afraid of heights or falling. Oh right, humans rarely visit YaoMountain, if you’re not scared, why don’t I take you out for a flight tonight?”

Li Lin Xi’s eyes brightened; his starryeyes simply a carbon copy of when he was a toddler.

“By the way, this is for you.” BaiHuo stretched his hand under the bed and groped around, pulling out an exquisitelycrafted wooden box, pressing it into his precious son’s hands withoutexplanation.

Li Lin Xi took it reflexively, rubbing hisfinger across the lid.

Bai Huo had a bad habit; he didn’t like topick up after himself. With no one to clean up for him in Yao Mountain, theroom was so disorderly, even a thief would avoid it. The dust on the wall cupboardsweighed at least two pounds. But even in such a messy environment, the box in LiLin Xi’s hands was spotless, even the place to attach a lock was carefully coatedwith graphite powder.

“Open it.” Bai Huo smiled.

Li Lin Xi balanced the wooden box on hisknee and bowed his head to open the lid.

“How is it? Do you like it?” BaiHuo leaned forward, his face expectant.

Li Lin Xi didn’t speak, silently staring atthe contents of the box, a few moments later, he asked, “Is this all forme?”

The box wasn’t big, but the content wasvery rich: a few chunks of rare ambers, zoolites, a block of gold ore, sparklingdiamonds, pretty feathers … It could be called a box of oddities, none ofwhich were truly rare, but without exception –All were things a child wouldlike. Li Lin Xi could almost imagine, during these past five years, what kindof mood Bai Huo had as he collected so many trinkets, then meticulously packed andset them aside for him.

Bai Huo had really missed him, he hadn’tlied.

“It’s nothing special, just play with it.You must’ve seen many treasures in the Water Dragon Palace, I …” Bai Huosaw that he was slow to speak, and tried to ease the awkward atmosphere.

“I like it.” Li Lin Xi suddenly said.Shooting a quick glance at Bai Huo, he ran away, carrying the box.

Bai Huo was startled, but a short whilelater, Li Lin Xi ran back in, and stood upright in front of him, his horns fullof cuteness as he bowed: “Thank you.”

After speaking these solemn words, hereally escaped.

“Little imp …” Bai Huo teased, lookingat his tail shaking from side to side as he ran away.

After his son left, Bai Huo lazed around inthe room for a while, until it was almost dark, then he finally found aconscience and quickly tidied up the room, freeing up a clean space. Then he fishedsome thick cotton bedding out of the warehouse and made a small, soft bed.

After finishing his work, Bai Huo stepped outof the bedroom and found a wooden barrel by the door. It was filled with hotwater, and a set of clean clothes was placed next to it.

“Who’s so thoughtful?” Bai Huo hadalways been brazen, not thinking much about it, he cheerfully moved the hotwater inside, and contentedly took his first hot bath since coming out to the mountains.

It really didn’t need to be said, there wasa huge difference between being clean and being dirty. Bai Huo looked clean, he’dwashed his face and cut his hair, and wore clean clothes. He looked as if hewas putting on airs, and another human scourge.

As it turns out, it was dinner time. BaiHuo brought his food bowl to the dining room to get some food, on his way, he passedby the VIP room in the inner hall to find his son. He looked left and right, butdidn’t see him, just as he was about to use the contract to locate him, he hearda commotion outside. He ran over to take a look. There was a small cub standingin front of the food line, holding a large bowl. If it wasn’t Li Lin Xi, thenwho?

“Whose child is this? He’s really cute.”

“Don’t know, I’ve never seen him.”

“Lin Xi.” Bai Huo called out to him.

The little dragon cub’s ears twitched, and helooked back.

“What are you doing?” Bai Huo smiled,“Why aren’t you eating with Shishu?”

Little Lin Xi didn’t reply, raising hislarge bowl to the serving window.

An old aunt was serving food at the window.When she saw how cute he looked, she didn’t care that the size of his bowlexceeded the standard, picking out the best dishes to fill his bowl.

“Thank you, Auntie.” Little LinXi called out in a crisp voice, turning around, he hugged the bowl and ranaway.

When Bai Huo saw the little dragon cub runningover to him, he didn’t move forward. Smiling, he found a place for them to sitand waited for him.

Dragon children grew up quickly. Theirappearance was a little more mature than human children of the same age. BaiHuo looked at him, for some reason, he recalled the time when he’d picked up thechild a few years ago. At that moment, he was only a little baby dragon, withfluffy fur on his short little legs. As he walked, his small fluffy legs waddledand clomped, stupidly cute.

Today, Li Lin Xi’s pace was very stable, thebowl was full of soup, but after running so far, not a drop was spilled. Afterrunning over, he dodged Bai Huo’s helpfully outstretched hand and steadilyplaced the bowl in front of Bai Huo, ordering: “Eat.”

Bai Huo was amused by his solemn tone:“Cub, who taught you to be such a perfectionist?”

Li Lin Xi glanced at him silently.

“Ay, still so untalkative …” BaiHuo muttered, “Was it that dull in the Water Dragon Palace?”

There were very few children in YaoMountain, especially such a beautiful child. As soon as Li Lin Xi appeared inthe dining room, he caught everyone’s attention almost immediately. Now, he wassitting and eating with Bai Huo, and Bai Huo’s associates quickly connectedthis child to Bai Huo’s “son”. One after another, they stretched theirnecks out to look.

Noticing this, Bai Huo was happy. He affectionatelyembraced Little Lin Xi, fearing that others wouldn’t get the point, he saidloudly: “This is my son. My son came to see me, whoever has a greeting gift tohand over, please line up neatly. “

“…” Everyone silently turned back,bowing their heads to eat.

“What a bunch of rude people.” BaiHuo shook his head.

Li Lin Xi couldn’t help but glance at BaiHuo, his eyes quite helpless.

“Cub, tell Dad, what have you learnedat the Water Dragon Palace over the years?” Bai Huo crossed one leg overthe other, smiling as he sat askew on the stool and drank his soup, “Didyour Jing Shishu teach you how to chase girls?”

Li Lin Xi sighed softly, handing over apair of chopsticks, as if he finally couldn’t bear it: “Eat, don’t talk.”

Bai Huo choked out an: “Oh.” Thenhe silently took the chopsticks.

Two bites later, Li Lin Xi looked at BaiHuo, pinched his palm, and lowered his head: “Shishu taught me to heal sicknesses,find and recognize medicinal herbs, the classics, plus self and spiritual cultivation.”

After saying this, he glanced at Bai Huowith eyes full of grievance: “Shishu said to treat girls with courtesy, maintaina respectful distance, and absolutely don’t speak or act frivolously.”

When Bai Huo heard this, his head spun:“Your Shishu is really …”

“Was Shishu wrong?” Li Lin Xilooked towards Bai Huo.

Bai Huo looked at his pure son andswallowed the food in his mouth: “… He’s right.”

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T/N:

crying sack–lit. translation, crying bag, might change it if I find a better word. Didn’twant to use crybaby

human scourge- lit. translation ‘disaster/scourge to the human world’, guess itmeans handsome

perfectionist- follow a prescribed pattern to the letter / scrupulous attention todetail/ meticulous