Chapter 19: The Outsider
Blackness had completely soaked the sky, as thick as if a bowl of ink had been poured over it. There wasn’t a single star, and even the moon was so faint it was just a barely visible shadow.
Inside the house.
Nuonuo was drinking from his bottle with gurgling sounds. As he drank, he held onto the corner of Fei Jing’s clothes with his little hand, afraid his brother would leave while he was drinking his milk. His second brother had been gone for a long time just now. Nuonuo had been lying on the bed alone and was about to wrap himself in his little blanket and go look for him.
Fei Jing lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long while. Blood pooled at his fingertips and finally, with a plop, dripped onto the bed. The red quickly spread on the bedsheet, blooming into a vibrant flower.
Nuonuo, holding his bottle, forgot to even move his little mouth. His chubby hand unconsciously let go of his brother’s clothes, and he curiously started to poke at the bloodstain on the bedsheet.
“Ya?”
A confused Nuonuo tilted his head to look at his second brother, and only then did he notice the blood continuously seeping from Fei Jing’s other arm.
Nuonuo was so scared that his little bottle fell with a clatter. His little hand wanted to touch his second brother’s arm, but he was afraid of hurting the wound. He sat there stunned for a long while before his little lips puckered. “Hurt, hurt!”
Only then did Fei Jing pull himself out of his thoughts. He looked at Nuonuo, who was sitting on the bed on the verge of tears, and his lips curled. “What’s hurting you?”
Like a little white dumpling. Could it be that he also got a hole poked in him, revealing the filling inside?
Nuonuo crawled forward a couple of times, his little face close to Fei Jing’s arm. Looking at the continuously seeping blood, he finally couldn’t resist touching it with his little hand. “Brother hurt, ya.”
Fei Jing only felt something soft and gentle brush against his arm, like a feather, a light touch that was gone in an instant. His eyelashes trembled a couple of times before he looked up and pushed Nuonuo’s little hand away from his arm.
It’s a bit too ticklish, Fei Jing thought. He couldn’t stand the feeling.
“I’m not in pain. It’ll stop bleeding in a little while. You go ahead and drink your milk.”
Fei Jing picked up the bottle from the bed and stuck it in Nuonuo’s mouth.
Nuonuo, forced to latch onto the nipple, unconsciously took a sip of milk.
Seeing Nuonuo’s silly look, Fei Jing laughed. “You’re so big, and you’re still drinking from a bottle. Aren’t you ashamed?”
Nuonuo blinked his big, bright black eyes, not quite understanding, and let out a little “ya.” “Nuonuo small, ya, dwink mi’k!”
Nuonuo had never been properly taught, and Fei Zhiyan, as a father, didn’t know how to raise a child either, so he had just been giving Nuonuo a bottle, not thinking anything was wrong with it.
Fei Jing looked at Nuonuo’s puffed-up cheeks from sucking and couldn’t resist poking the soft flesh of his cheek. It was smooth and tender, and the texture was quite nice.
Fei Jing got more and more addicted to poking. Nuonuo, busy drinking his milk, didn’t bother to argue with his second brother. In the end, his little face was poked until it was all red, leaving a faint fingerprint.
Only then did Fei Jing, somewhat reluctantly, retract his hand and stand up, preparing to go back to his own bedroom.
Nuonuo finished his milk, turned his head, and saw that his second brother was about to leave. He quickly threw his little bottle aside and lunged at Fei Jing’s waist. “Brother no go.”
Nuonuo tugged at Fei Jing’s clothes, looking up at him with pleading eyes.
Fei Jing felt an itch in his heart, as if he had been bitten. He had no choice but to avoid Nuonuo’s expectant little gaze and use his finger to poke Nuonuo’s little forehead, pushing him away. “I’m going back to sleep. You should be sleeping too, you know?”
Nuonuo shook his head, his little hand now grabbing Fei Jing’s sleeve and shaking it gently. “Brother hurt, ya. Find doc-tor uncle, wub medicine, &￥ okay, ya!”
Fei Jing understood that the little one was telling him to go see a doctor and let out a soft “tsk.” Just now in the bathroom, Fei Jing had been teasing Nuonuo, putting him in the water to “boil” him. In a flash, Nuonuo had forgotten how he had stood in the bathtub, crying in fear, and was now trying to find a doctor for Fei Jing.
He looks much sillier than that block of wood, Fei Luo.
Although he was a little disdainful of this silly little brother, the ice in Fei Jing’s heart had, without him realizing it, melted a great deal.
Fei Jing lifted his uninjured hand and moved Nuonuo to the side. “I’m not going. It’s a small wound. It’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
Nuonuo crawled back over on all fours and continued to grab Fei Jing’s clothes. “No, ya, must find!”
Before, when Nuonuo had bumped his forehead, it was the doctor uncle who had fixed it. Nuonuo didn’t understand why his brother, who was bleeding, wouldn’t go see the doctor uncle.
Of course, it was because Fei Jing didn’t want anyone to know. He had gotten into a fight with Fei Luo and had even gotten injured. It was embarrassing enough to say it out loud, so with his strong pride, he was determined not to see a doctor.
“You go to sleep quickly. Otherwise, if Father comes back and sees you’re still not asleep, he’ll spank your little bottom!”
Frightened, Nuonuo quickly covered his bottom, his hand letting go of Fei Jing’s clothes in the process. Fei Jing took this opportunity to leave.
“Brother, no, ya!”
Nuonuo crawled forward a few steps, but Fei Jing walked too fast and was gone in a few seconds.
Dejected, Nuonuo sat down with a plop, picking at the bedsheet and pouting in anger.
Seeing that Fei Jing was gone, 006 dared to speak up. “It’s okay, Nuonuo. Fei Jing is ungrateful and even mean. We don’t care about him!”
Nuonuo also pouted, but in the end, he still said, “But Second Brother’s hand hurts.”
006 was still a little angry about Fei Jing poking Nuonuo’s face until it was red. Hearing this, it slandered Fei Jing. “He brought it on himself. If he didn’t provoke others, who would hurt him?”
Among the villains in the Fei family, Fei Jing was the most mischievous. You could tell from how he had teased Nuonuo several times that this person was not a serious character. It was only because Fei Jing was still young. In a few years, he would truly grow into a lawless demon who specialized in giving people hope and then cruelly crushing it, watching them struggle in the darkness.
At this thought, 006 couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat for Nuonuo. Don’t be fooled by how nice Fei Jing was to Nuonuo now. That was probably just for Fei Zhiyan’s sake. Otherwise, he would have long since impatiently kicked Nuonuo away.
“Fei Jing is very, very bad. Nuonuo, let’s go to sleep and ignore him!” 006 continued to tirelessly speak ill of Fei Jing.
But Nuonuo didn’t listen. He stuck his bottom out, about to climb down from the bed and go downstairs to find the doctor uncle. “That’s not twue. Brother gave Nuonuo a bath and gave Nuonuo wound ones to eat!”
Nuonuo, unable to remember the full name of the sticky rice balls, earnestly defended his second brother.
Hearing this, 006 almost shut down. It was now seriously doubting whether Fei Zhiyan’s genes had mutated in Nuonuo. How could he be so silly and sweet?! Or had Nuonuo inherited that 0.001% of Fei Zhiyan’s kindness gene?
At the thought of such a little white flower appearing in a family of villains in the future, 006 couldn’t help but feel dazed.
And so, 006 watched helplessly as Nuonuo, wrapped in his little blanket, toddled out and went downstairs to find a doctor for Fei Jing. Its main processor was so angry it froze for a moment. It decided that out of sight was out of mind and temporarily went into hibernation to save some energy.
Nuonuo hadn’t put on his pajamas after his bath, so as he went downstairs, he wrapped the blanket tightly around himself. But the blanket was very long, and he didn’t notice, so he ended up dragging it all the way.
Just as Nuonuo reached the top of the stairs and was about to get on his stomach and slowly make his way down, his little body was suddenly lifted into the air.
“Where do you think you’re going? Running out without even putting on clothes.”
Fei Zhiyan picked up the little one and, at the same time, ruffled Nuonuo’s fine, soft hair. He hadn’t seen him all day, and Fei Zhiyan found that he actually missed this little one a little.
Nuonuo turned his little head. Seeing that it was his papa, his little eyes instantly lit up. “Papa!”
He hadn’t seen his papa in a long time. Nuonuo quickly wrapped his arms around his papa’s neck and pressed his little face tightly against Fei Zhiyan’s chin, as sticky as a little rice cake that was about to melt.
Fei Zhiyan was also rendered helpless by Nuonuo. It took him a long while to peel Nuonuo off him. “Why are you still not asleep so late?”
Nuonuo lifted his little head to look at his papa, feeling like he had forgotten something. He opened his little mouth and thought for a long while before letting out a little “ah.” “Second Brother, ya. Brother’s hand… no see doc &￥… Nuonuo go find, ya.”
After listening, Fei Zhiyan couldn’t help but close his eyes. He hadn’t understood a single complete sentence. But seeing Nuonuo trying so hard and so earnestly to express himself, Fei Zhiyan didn’t interrupt, just carried him straight to Fei Jing’s room.
The wound on Fei Jing’s arm stopped bleeding after a while. He didn’t waste it, feeding all the blood to the pot of thorny flowers on his windowsill. The thorny flowers stretched out their branches, as if they had eaten and drunk their fill, and comfortably tilted their flower buds at the top.
“Go find that woman from the mall today after you’ve eaten.”
Fei Jing held a grudge. He was very disgusted by that girl named Dan Ran’s behavior of trying to frame him today, so he simply had this thorny flower, which only knew how to eat, go and get some revenge.
Hearing its master’s words, the little thorny vine burrowed into the ground and disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye.
Knock, knock.
Fei Zhiyan, holding Nuonuo, knocked on Fei Jing’s ajar bedroom door.
Seeing his father, Fei Jing’s heart panicked, and he quickly hid his injured arm behind his back.
Fei Zhiyan stood outside the door, his eyes filled with a cold chill. “Fei Jing, you fought with Fei Luo.”
Fei Zhiyan wasn’t asking a question, but stating a fact. His sharp, cold gaze made Fei Jing couldn’t help but stiffen.
When it came to his father, Fei Jing’s respect and fear were no less than Fei Luo’s. In front of Fei Zhiyan, Fei Jing, this spoiled little young master, had to smooth down all his thorns before he dared to speak to his father.
“I’m sorry, Father.” Fei Jing lowered his head and apologized, his eyelids slightly drooping, not daring to look up.
Fei Zhiyan hated it the most when his sons fought amongst themselves. It wasn’t that he wanted to cultivate a loving brotherly relationship between them, but he didn’t want their fights to get too big and for others to see something.
Fei Zhiyan’s position was getting higher and higher, and the number of spies around him was also increasing. If Fei Jing caused any trouble and was discovered by outsiders, even if they were Fei Zhiyan’s sons, Fei Zhiyan would absolutely show them no mercy.
It was precisely because he knew how ruthless Fei Zhiyan was that Fei Jing didn’t dare to be presumptuous in front of him.
“Papa, Second Brother bwood, ya. Wub medicine!”
Just as the atmosphere was getting cold and tense, a little milky voice rang out.
Nuonuo was still tugging at Fei Zhiyan’s clothes, pointing his little finger at his brother’s arm, telling his papa to look at his brother’s hand. “Second Brother hurt, hurt.”
Fei Jing thought to himself that he wasn’t in pain, but he didn’t dare to say anything more in front of Fei Zhiyan and could only purse his lips in silence.
Nuonuo toddled over, stood on his tiptoes, and touched his second brother’s arm, which was no longer bleeding. His movements were gentle, and he even unconsciously held his breath. “Brother’s bwood gone, ya? No hurt, hurt, ya?”
Fei Jing shook his head. “I’m not in pain. Nuonuo, you go back to your room and sleep. Father and I still have things to talk about.”
Fei Jing was a very smart person. He knew that Fei Zhiyan hadn’t come to find him just because he had fought with Fei Luo. Thinking of the girl at the mall, his mind turned, and he understood his father’s intentions.
Nuonuo wouldn’t listen. He toddled back to Fei Zhiyan’s leg. “Papa find doc-tor, for Second Brother, ya!”
Fei Zhiyan looked down at the little one’s expectant gaze and tapped Nuonuo’s nose with a cold smile. “What are you getting involved in? Your second brother didn’t even say he was in pain, and you’re busy running around.”
For some reason, Fei Jing, who was quite sensitive to emotions, felt that there was… a hint of sourness in his father’s words. It couldn’t be… right? Fei Jing looked at Nuonuo and thought uncertainly.
“Find, ya, Second Brother bweeding!”
Nuonuo hugged Fei Zhiyan’s leg and swung back and forth, looking at him with sparkling eyes, which made most of Fei Zhiyan’s anger dissipate.
“Alright, you go to sleep obediently, and I’ll get a doctor for your second brother.”
Fei Zhiyan sighed and had no choice but to compromise again.
The moment Fei Zhiyan finished speaking, Nuonuo immediately closed his eyes. “I sweep now!”
Nuonuo hugged Fei Zhiyan’s leg, and afraid that his acting wasn’t convincing enough, he even started to snore like the little pig in the cartoon. But his snoring wasn’t very convincing and really just sounded like a little pig oinking.
Fei Zhiyan: “…”
Fei Jing was still a teenager and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Seeing that his father wasn’t annoyed, Fei Jing, who was extremely good at reading people, even spoke up softly. “Little brother is quite cute.”
Silly and cute.
Fei Zhiyan sometimes had to wonder if he had been cursed when he decided to keep this little silly thing, Nuonuo.
Rubbing his temples, Fei Zhiyan lifted the little one up.
Nuonuo swung his little legs in mid-air and secretly opened one of his eyes, only to meet Fei Zhiyan’s gaze.
“Giggle, Papa hwug—”
Seeing that he couldn’t fool him, Nuonuo grinned and reached out to stick to his papa.
Fei Zhiyan was worn down and had no temper left. He didn’t have the heart to scold him, so he could only put on a cold face and hold Nuonuo in his arms again. “Still laughing? Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”
Flicking Nuonuo’s forehead, Fei Zhiyan’s tone finally softened.
Nuonuo quickly closed his little eyes, then opened them again, wiggled his little body, and pointed at his second brother. “Find doc-tor, ya!”
“I know.” Fei Zhiyan closed his eyes and sighed helplessly. After giving in for Nuonuo once, he should have known that there would be a second and a third time in the future.
Fei Jing also felt that this little brother of his was a bit simple-minded, but in his desolate heart, a trembling little flower still couldn’t help but bloom, gently swaying in the wind. Being cared for so foolishly for the first time, Fei Jing felt that it was actually quite nice.
This feeling is very strange, but for some reason, it’s not unpleasant, Fei Jing thought, closing his eyes.
Nuonuo lay on his father’s shoulder, originally pretending to be asleep, but after closing his eyes for a few seconds, he really fell asleep.
After putting him back in the bedroom, Fei Zhiyan called the private doctor over.
It took some time for the doctor to come from the other building. Taking advantage of this gap, Fei Zhiyan sat on the sofa in the living room, his long legs crossed, his tone much colder. “Fei Jing, remember, there won’t be a next time.”
Fei Zhiyan had been bothered by a bunch of things today, and with Nuonuo causing trouble, he decided to let the matter of the fight go for now.
Fei Jing’s tense heart immediately relaxed. “Thank you, Father.”
Pausing for a moment, Fei Jing continued, “I met a girl at the mall today. She’s very strange. She should know something. And her aura is very wrong, like…”
“Like she’s not from this world,” Fei Zhiyan finished Fei Jing’s sentence.
Fei Zhiyan was extremely sharp. With just this limited information, he had deduced the reason for the girl’s strangeness. He even had a hunch that there was definitely more than one “outsider” in this world.
Fei Jing didn’t expect his father to have already suspected it. His heart tightened, and he quickly nodded. “Is there something wrong with that girl? Is she connected to Baizhou?”
Fei Zhiyan’s fingers tapped lightly on the table, his eyes under his glasses unreadable, his thin lips slightly pursed, forming a cold arc. “She shouldn’t have anything to do with Baizhou.”
Fei Zhiyan had originally planned to go to the mall today, but he had been held up by people from Baizhou, which was why he had returned so late.
“The Baizhou Council President is in Yuncheng, and he brought his granddaughter,” Fei Zhiyan said slowly, wiping his glasses.
The first time Fei Zhiyan saw the Baizhou President, he knew this man was not a man of courage. He only wanted to maintain the status quo and didn’t dare to be adventurous. Just like the entire Baizhou, conservative and corrupt. If it weren’t for its hundreds of years of foundation, Baizhou would have probably been carved up long ago.
Fei Zhiyan even suspected that Nuonuo, the little merman, was probably not sent by Baizhou either. After all, from the news from Fei Han, Baizhou’s research level was still stuck a dozen years ago. They simply didn’t have the ability to create a merman, let alone send him to Fei Zhiyan without a trace.
Perhaps Nuonuo has some connection to those “outsiders”? Fei Zhiyan thought uncertainly.
As the father and son were silently pondering, the doctor came in with his medical kit. “What’s wrong? Did Nuonuo bump his head again?”
The doctor uncle really liked this well-behaved child, Nuonuo. Afraid something had happened to him, he had rushed over.
“No, it’s Little Jing’s arm that’s injured.”
Hearing this, the doctor let out a huge sigh of relief. “As long as it’s not Nuonuo. Last time I put medicine on him, he was crying with tears in his eyes!”
It had really made the doctor’s heart ache.
Fei Jing felt a little stung, but he couldn’t get angry at his silly, soft little brother, so he could only press his temple and pretend he hadn’t heard.
“Sorry, sorry, I’ll put some medicine on Little Jing.”
The doctor also felt he was being a bit too biased and quickly came over with his medical kit to treat Fei Jing.
Fei Zhiyan tilted his chin. “Fei Jing, after you’re treated, go and call Fei Luo down too.”
He knew this second son of his. If he was injured, then Fei Luo was definitely not much better off.
Sure enough, when Fei Luo came down, the left side of his little face was red and swollen, looking as if it had been slapped hard by something. No wonder he had been hiding in his room all this time.
Seeing the two brothers, one more miserable than the other, the doctor couldn’t help but let out a “whoa.” “Do you have domestic violence in your family?”
The veins on Fei Zhiyan’s forehead couldn’t help but throb. He was almost angry enough to laugh and let out a cold scoff. “I don’t usually hit people.”
