Chapter 2

Oi! If I cook for you, you have to finish it!”

“But why.. would you cook for me?”

“Because I want to! Now eat up, if you don’t finish it, I’ll throw it away.”

The child choked on the meat, and the teen gave him some tea. Unfortunately, the tea was still really hot. The long haired boy then panicked, and pulled back his hand, but then his hand made contact with the teapot.

“Ow!”

He wondered why the tea was still hot. It had been out for a long time, but it was still scalding hot. He looked at the child who turned away in shame.

“You know… if you go have a bath, when you come back, it will be all better.”

Although the teen couldn’t stand the painful feeling on his hand, the boy being dirty to the point of being mistaken as a garbage can, really wounded him. How could he let someone be that dirty even in his care?

Pain was something everyone experiences. He wasn’t an exception. He thinks that he was being used as a model, where the living embodiment of pain will point out how much someone should experience in a lifetime. Maybe pain couldn’t find someone who had lived a whole life, because they were all dead, so he pinned it on a 12 year old child… he hopes that is how much pain someone should go through in a lifetime, maybe even less.

Pain is a learning experience, he should get used to it too. But, he really doesn’t want to.

“Why should he get used to pain, if he was such a prodigy on the battlefield? He wasn’t even going to be touched by the enemy”

He used to think, when he just started becoming a swordsman. He was so good that he commanded his own troop of men at the age of 11. In the present day, he will be 12 now. The thing is, no matter how many victories you lead your troops in, they still have their pride. Being led by a boy 2-3 decades younger really hurt their ego. And because they were involved in so many wars and battles without dying, they thought they could lead themselves.

They forgot to mention the fact that the teen was the one who planned out the strategies, rescued them in their time of need, and the one who provided them all with good quality armor and weapons, and edible food.

Being prideful and ignorant was really a deadly duo. They staged a rebellion against him, and when the teen came back, his second in lead stashed in his stomach, and dumped him into a lake nearby. They should’ve thought about their water supply before they threw an injured body into the only place with water in their area.

After they thought the prodigy was gone for good, they celebrated, eating all their rations for a feast. They drank all their rice wine, and couldn’t get up in the morning. During their feast, the teen got out of the lake, clenching his stomach in agony. Despite his hard life before, he was never hurt. They never had a reason to hurt him before.

Thankfully, they were camped near a forest, his stupid troops relied on him for everything, how they would survive, he really didn’t care anymore. He stumbled and collapsed near a bamboo tree, the leaves drooping, almost wanting to be used for his needs. He took apart some leaves, and made a bandage. He washed it before he placed it over and wrapped it over his torso. If leaves could be used as toilet paper, who’s stopping him from using it as bandages?

He took from the forest, eating berries, and hunting slow animals. His wounds slowly started getting better, and not before long, it closed completely. Was he also a prodigy in healing without medicine? He really was amazing.. those troops didn’t deserve him anyway.

Although he was mocking his soldiers in his head, he felt sad. He got abandoned again. First by his family, they died and left him behind in this cruel world. Then by his soldiers, who thought they were too good for him. Was it his fate to be abandoned over and over again? He wishes that it’s not true, but who really knows?

He stared at his wound and went into a depressive state. Will this boy also leave him? will he use, then betray him? The mob of boys also betrayed his words and started to hurt people. His wound started to heal, the red faded back into his pale skin colour. As he started to touch his hand, for conformation, the boy called out.

“Excuse me… are there any clothes I can use?”

“Yes, I’ll bring them to you, stay there.”

The teen went through his closet, bringing out a set of clothes that was supposed to be donated to the orphans below the mountain. Would he even want to give them away again, they all used him for evil. They seem to forget how they gained their power.

When he walked into the bathroom, he was disgusted. The water turned a murky brown, and some of the dirt still remained on the little boy.

“Get out of the tub, I’ll toss out the water and wash you myself.”

The boy nodded and did as he was told, the boy really liked the teen, he was like a big brother.. he was more of a big brother than his biological ones…

His now big brother used superhuman strength to lift the tub, and dump the water out of the window, and into the grass below.

He then placed the tub down, and filled it with water. Making a bath was second nature to him. He used to spoil and was the only one who could convince his younger brother to bathe. Sadly he was gone. Died because he couldn’t get food before.

But now was different, he had another person who relied on him. He will make sure that the little boy will never regret it.

“Umm.. excuse me.. but what is your name?”

“... Wei Liu Wei.”

“Ok. But can I call you big brother?”

“Fine.. I don't really care anyway!”

Liu Wei couldn’t help but turn away and pout, he didn’t know why. Maybe he thinks he is undeserving of a younger sibling, but he knows he will treat them well. Maybe it’s because he still feels guilt.

The young boy looked at his face and giggled a bit, before covering his mouth. Could he laugh here? He didn’t know, but hopefully he can.

“Oi! S-stop laughing at me!”

The young boy can’t help but giggle more. Liu Wei huffed, and turned around.

“Laugh all you want, I’m not going to laugh with you though.”

The young boy smiled.

“Also, my name is Zhang Li, and I’m now going to be known as Wei Zhang Li!”

The young boy leaned on the tub, a smile on his face. Even his mother refused to call him her son, but a stranger helps and allows him to be their little brother. The commoner world really was different from that cold place.

Liu Wei blushed, and scrubbed his head harder. His little brother was too cute!

Was he developing a brother complex?

“No one will take him away from me.. he will never abandon me!”

Liu Wei grinned at his new found determination. Zhang Li smiled at the sight, and closed his eyes, relaxing in the tub, as Liu Wei bathed him. He will never go back.. he had found a new home.

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