Chapter 1319 - 995: He Is Also My Son
"Chomp chomp! Chomp chomp chomp chomp!"
The childish voice grew increasingly urgent, while the gentle voice laughed more and more: "Don’t rush, the meat has just finished cooking and it’s still hot. See, isn’t it still steaming?"
"Chomp chomp..."
The eager voice finally subsided under the gentle reassurance.
Then, a gentle laugh echoed in the tent.
Hearing this voice made Ashina Zhuxie’s ears burn. The touch of his fingertips on the tent door felt like they were pricked by a needle, causing his whole body to shiver and his breath to become heavy.
The person inside the tent immediately sensed something: "Who’s outside?"
"..."
Ashina Zhuxie took a deep breath and pushed open the door to enter.
Although it was a tent set up during a Turkic march, upon entering, the furnishings inside were not what one would expect during a light military campaign. They weren’t even like the furnishing of a Turkic tent, but rather, all were items used by the Han people, exuding a homely air.
A folding screen divided the tent into inner and outer sections, with the interior naturally being a private space where a bed was placed. Outside, there was a beautifully carved red lacquer low table, a carpet and crescent stools sent especially from Luoyang, and a couch, the reason for the army’s slow progress was self-evident.
Of course, the most important reason was the two people—one large, one small—sitting on the couch.
One of the adults was Lei Yu.
She remained tall and beautiful, but the sharp and resolute quality in her demeanor had been replaced by a special mature charm; although originally accustomed to wearing Turkic clothing, over the past year she had begun wearing Han attire again. As they drew closer to Xiazhou, the heat meant she wore a light water-red long gown, enhancing her voluptuous and delicate beauty, like a fully bloomed rose.
As soon as Ashina Zhuxie pushed the door open and entered, the gentle smile in her eyes vanished completely like the receding tide, replaced by a calm indifference.
Ashina Zhuxie’s expression also reverted to calm and stern, and he walked up to her with his hands behind his back: "Hasn’t He Du eaten yet?"
Upon hearing "He Du," the little one on the couch immediately raised his small face and grinned at him, saying crisply: "Da da."
This was a plump, round child, approximately one year old, with fair skin but having two unnatural rosy cheeks from the wind, looking quite adorable. His eyes were round, with particularly large pupils, seemingly able to see into a person’s soul. Each time Ashina Zhuxie met those eyes, besides a certain fondness, he also felt a strange, inexplicable panic.
But at this moment, seeing him made Ashina Zhuxie smile immediately.
This was an expression he wasn’t very adept at, yet in front of this child, it became natural and gentle. He stepped forward, and before Lei Yu could stop him, he picked the child up from the couch and lifted him high above his head. The child loved this action, immediately kicking his legs in delight and laughing joyously: "Haha, hahahaha."
Ashina Zhuxie didn’t think that was enough, so he tossed him upwards, catching him steadily, teasing: "Flying, flying!"
He Du laughed and shrieked with excitement, and the two, large and small, were having great fun.
Until Lei Yu stood up, frowning, saying: "Enough!"
Upon hearing her words, Ashina Zhuxie finally stopped, holding the child in his arms, only to have Lei Yu snatch him back before he could steady his hold. The laughing child worked up a sweat, and she had to take out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead and nose. Ashina Zhuxie walked over to her, smiling yet coolly saying: "What’s wrong? Can’t I even play with my own son for a while?"
Lei Yu’s hand paused while wiping the sweat, then continued to dry the sweat-dampened, soft hair, saying: "He just drank some broth, you could make him throw up like this."
Ashina Zhuxie’s expression softened slightly.
He circled around Lei Yu to sit on the other side of the couch, facing her. Turning his head, he saw a tray on the table by the couch, containing freshly cooked meat, cut into small pieces yet still steaming.
Ashina Zhuxie asked: "Have you eaten?"
Lei Yu replied: "Not yet."
"Go eat then."
"I’ll eat after I feed He Du first."
"Go eat now."
"..."
Seeing her not respond, her actions continued still, Ashina Zhuxie suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. Lei Yu gasped and tried to pull her hand back, but found his grip was like iron, unbreakable. She frowned deeply, but didn’t lift her head to look into those eyes just inches away; only after a moment of silence did she put down the handkerchief in her hand, saying: "Let go, and I’ll go eat."
She agreed, yet Ashina Zhuxie didn’t immediately release her hand, instead gripping it even tighter.
Just before Lei Yu’s wrist could be burnt by his palm’s heat, he finally released her. Lei Yu breathed a sigh of relief, immediately got up and moved to the door, instructing her maid to bring lunch over. Shortly after, the maid brought freshly cooked meat broth and a bowl of steaming soup noodles. Lei Yu sat down to eat slowly.
She ate very slowly, not out of fear of heat, but rather seemed to have no appetite.
Meanwhile, little Ashina Hedu, sitting on the couch, had his eyes fixed hungrily on the fragrant meat, drooling slightly when he saw his mother start eating, whining at the lump of meat on the plate: "Chomp chomp..."
Ashina Zhuxie looked at Lei Yu for a moment, and hearing his son’s voice, finally glanced down, laughing: "Come, Daddy will give you some meat!"
Saying this, he drew a small curved knife from his waist, skewering a piece of meat from the tray and bringing it to the boy’s mouth.
Lei Yu saw it and immediately put her chopsticks down: "Stop!"
Ashina Zhuxie’s hand stopped; she had already run over, picking up Hedu while looking at him warily: "What are you doing with the knife!"
Ashina Zhuxie frowned: "I was giving him meat."
"There are chopsticks for that."
"We Turkic people use knives to eat meat."
"He’s just a child."
"When I was his age, adults gave me meat with a knife too."
𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
"That was you; this is my son and he won’t use it."
Ashina Zhuxie’s thick black brows knitted into a knot as he slowly stood up. His tall frame, like a mountain, cast a shadow over Lei Yu.
He said: "He’s my son too."
"...!"
Like hearing a thunderclap, Lei Yu trembled, while Hedu, tightly cradled in her arms, looked around in confusion, his little face full of bewilderment.