Chapter 21: The Sworn Sister

Xiaoya, of course, had not considered so many things. She simply watched the steaming, translucent porridge in Fang Xu’s hand and swallowed a mouthful of saliva, but then she shook her head in refusal.

The maid standing beside Xiaoya couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief at her decision. She had truly been worried that Xiaoya might nod her head; had Xiaoya agreed, it would have been a disaster for this maid.

Yet, for some unknown reason—perhaps because of her proximity—the fragrant aroma of the porridge in Fang Xu’s hand wafted over, making even the elderly maid swallow unconsciously.

As a maid, she rarely had enough to eat, and at such a late hour, there was surely nothing left. Moreover, she needed to watch her figure; if she gained weight, the consequences would be dire. That was why most of the palace maids ate very sparingly.

Otherwise, Xiaoya wouldn’t have been in such a state earlier. She was still growing, after all—it was only natural that she’d be hungry.

At that moment, Xiaoya’s cheeks flushed crimson as her stomach growled audibly. She hastily pressed her hands against her little belly, eyes darting in embarrassment, unsure where to look.

“Are you really not hungry? Then why is your stomach rumbling?” Fang Xu asked, gazing at her with sincerity. For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, he found himself growing fond of Xiaoya.

Of course, it was more the affection of an elder brother for his little sister. In his previous life, Fang Xu had a younger sister, too, though something had happened to her. In his memories, his sister had been very much like Xiaoya.

“If you’re hungry, then why not eat this bowl of porridge? Would you like it?” Fang Xu drew out his words teasingly. Xiaoya stared at him wide-eyed, unable to believe he was offering it to her.

“But…but…” Xiaoya gripped her sleeve, flustered, as if she didn’t know how to refuse.

“Isn’t this porridge prepared for His Majesty by the Lady?” the older maid asked in confusion. Upon hearing this, Xiaoya nodded her little head in agreement.

Watching her nod like a bobbing drum, Fang Xu laughed, reaching out to gently pat her head, making her cheeks flush even deeper.

“Has the imperial physician checked on His Majesty? What did he say?” Fang Xu, still concerned for Qin Suwen’s well-being, couldn’t bear to let Xiaoya go hungry either.

“Your Ladyship, the physician gave His Majesty some medicine and said he would be fine after a night’s rest,” the maid replied, sharing everything she knew.

Relieved to hear that Qin Suwen was all right, Fang Xu let out a sigh. He crouched down in front of Xiaoya again.

“If His Majesty is already resting, then he can’t eat the porridge now. Would you like to have it?” Fang Xu asked, looking into Xiaoya’s bright, watery eyes. At last, Xiaoya nodded shyly.

After all, she was just a child. She didn’t overthink things or worry about what might go wrong. Since Fang Xu was asking, she simply gave an honest answer.

“But I can’t give it to you for nothing. You’ll have to promise me one thing,” Fang Xu said with a smile. Xiaoya grew nervous, clearly unsure what he was going to ask.

“Tell me your name, so I know who I’m giving this to,” Fang Xu said, deciding not to tease her further. The more he interacted with Xiaoya, the more he found her endearing.

“X…Xiaoya…” Her voice was soft. Fang Xu smiled, tousling her hair before handing her the now-lukewarm porridge.

“Thank you…thank you, Lady!” Xiaoya said gratefully, and Fang Xu was surprised by her good manners.

“If you’re going to thank someone, shouldn’t it be your brother?” Fang Xu joked. Xiaoya, embarrassed, lowered her head.

“Hurry and thank the Lady,” the elder maid urged, half-exasperated, half-amused. Of course, she could see how kindly Fang Xu treated Xiaoya.

“Thank you…brother…” Xiaoya whispered. Fang Xu crouched down again, struck by her words.

He had only meant to tease her, but the way she called him brother stirred something deep inside him, leaving him momentarily dazed.

In his past life, his own sister had been a lifelong regret, and at that moment, he couldn’t help but compare Xiaoya to her.

“Since you’ve called me brother, then from now on, I’ll be your brother, all right?” Fang Xu looked at her with gentleness, but Xiaoya’s nose twitched, and in the next instant, she burst into tears.

Now Fang Xu was truly at a loss, completely unprepared for this reaction. Seeing her cry, his heart softened on the spot.

“There, there, don’t cry! If you don’t like it, we’ll forget it, all right? Be good, stop crying now,” Fang Xu said helplessly, trying to comfort her, while the elder maid shook her head.

“My Lady, it’s not that Xiaoya dislikes it—she’s crying because she likes it too much,” the maid explained apologetically, piquing Fang Xu’s curiosity.

The elderly maid then told Fang Xu about Xiaoya’s background: her parents had died when she was very young, and she had grown up within the Qin palace. The palace was her only home. After the Qin kingdom’s unification, she had followed the army to the new capital of Xianyang. Fang Xu’s words had touched her softest heart.

“There, there, since you’re my little sister now, you mustn’t cry so easily, understand?” Fang Xu produced a silk handkerchief from his sleeve and gently wiped Xiaoya’s chubby cheeks.

“My Lady, do you really want to be Xiaoya’s brother?” Xiaoya looked up at Fang Xu with glistening eyes as he softly wiped her face. She knew her actions were bold—even reckless—but she couldn’t help her nervous hope.

“If you want me to be your brother, then why do you keep calling your brother ‘Lady’?” Fang Xu feigned dissatisfaction, which only made Xiaoya more anxious.

“Don’t worry, your brother won’t abandon you,” Fang Xu said, taking the porridge from her little hands and gently drawing her into his embrace.