Keztranslations

Chapter 31

When Bai Huo woke up, it was almost dusk.

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

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

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

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

The little boy raised his eyes, revealing a pair of deep eyes.

They hadn’t met for five years, the little dragon 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 surprisingly remained unchanged, still quiet as water. Obviously, he was less than nine years old, but a vague handsomeness shone through his childlike facial features. Bai Huo could almost predict how much devastation this child would leave in his wake when he grew up.

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

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

“Why aren’t you speaking? You don’t recognize your 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, moving to raise his hand to scratch his head. But before he could move, Li Lin Xi grabbed his wrist and ordered: “Don’t move.”

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

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

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

Originally, when Bai Huo didn’t immediately recognize 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 very pitiful, 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 his hand. As soon as he started speaking, his eyes reddened: “You … how did this happen to you…”

These tears came without warning, at first, Bai Huo was stunned, then, he felt helpless. This child was a crying sack when he was younger, and once he cried, he couldn’t be coaxed to stop. Now, he was older, but unexpectedly, this aspect hadn’t changed a bit, he could still cry at the drop of a hat. For a short while, Bai Huo didn’t know if he should give him a hug. After all, the child was older, and he had his big-boy pride. Plus, they hadn’t seen each other for five years, Bai Huo didn’t know if he would still accept this type of low-level coaxing. But later, when he saw the little cub raise his 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, patting Li Lin Xi’s back as he cajoled: “Don’t cry, be good.”

Bai Huo had a face of someone in their early twenties, and his hair was chaotic. Hugging and coaxing this eight or nine-year-old son in his arms, it looked very strange. However, neither of them cared. In the end, Little Lin Xi still held back, after venting his initial grievances, he carefully stored his remaining tears. He hugged Bai Huo’s shoulders, just blinking slowly, not speaking.

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

Li Lin Xi stayed silent.

“Did you miss me?” Bai Huo asked again.

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

Bai Huo’s heart warmed up, just like before their 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 these past few years, his weight was already no longer insignificant, and Bai Huo’s hands were still injured. But when picking him up, he didn’t show the slightest bit of strain, as if he was born to bear all of this child’s weight.

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

Bai Huo clearly felt it, when he was changing his form, although Little Lin Xi remained silent, his eyes were actually expectant and pleased. Sure enough, when the child fully displayed his dragon body, Bai Huo was completely taken aback.

Little Lin Xi had already completely broken away from the cub stage, his body was no longer covered in sparse fur, but in plump blue-black long feathers, which perfectly covered his whole body, especially the 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 years ago. Several branches had emerged, and it looked quite spectacular; In addition, Li Lin Xi ’s dragon child tail was longer than others, now, not only was the shape thick and long, it could be discerned from the state when he shook it, his tail was also very strong. It naturally formed a smooth line with his spine when it hung down, which was far more beautiful than ordinary dragons.

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

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

“So skillful?” Bai Huo exclaimed in surprise.

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

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

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

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

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

“By the way, this is for you.” Bai Huo stretched his hand under the bed and groped around, pulling out an exquisitely crafted wooden box, pressing it into his precious son’s hands without explanation.

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

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

“Open it.” Bai Huo smiled.

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

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

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

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

Bai Huo had really missed him, he hadn’t lied.

“It’s nothing special, just play with it. You must’ve seen many treasures in the Water Dragon Palace, I …” Bai Huo saw 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 while later, Li Lin Xi ran back in, and stood upright in front of him, his horns full of cuteness as he bowed: “Thank you.”

After speaking these solemn words, he really escaped.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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 he looked back.

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

Little Lin Xi didn’t reply, raising his large 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 bowl exceeded the standard, picking out the best dishes to fill his bowl.

“Thank you, Auntie.” Little Lin Xi called out in a crisp voice, turning around, he hugged the bowl and ran away.

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

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

Today, Li Lin Xi’s pace was very stable, the bowl was full of soup, but after running so far, not a drop was spilled. After running over, he dodged Bai Huo’s helpfully outstretched hand and steadily placed 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 …” Bai Huo muttered, “Was it that dull in the Water Dragon Palace?”

There were very few children in Yao Mountain, especially such a beautiful child. As soon as Li Lin Xi appeared in the dining room, he caught everyone’s attention almost immediately. Now, he was sitting and eating with Bai Huo, and Bai Huo’s associates quickly connected this child to Bai Huo’s “son”. One after another, they stretched their necks out to look.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two bites later, Li Lin Xi looked at Bai Huo, 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 Huo with eyes full of grievance: “Shishu said to treat girls with courtesy, maintain a 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 Xi looked towards Bai Huo.

Bai Huo looked at his pure son and swallowed 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’t want to use crybaby

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

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