「Two days later.」
Thanks to Shen Ningning's diligent care, Mo Lingwei's wound was finally healing, and his fever had broken.
Thanks to Shen Ningning's acupuncture, Grandma Qin was recovering quickly. Mo Lingwei was able to help her walk a few steps every day.
She was expected to make a full recovery soon.
「That day.」
Grandma Qin, feeling much more energetic, was busy making flatbreads.
She brushed the thin dough with egg wash, giving it a golden hue, and sprinkled a handful of finely chopped scallions on top just before they were done.
A fragrant aroma filled the air in and around the Wolf Cave.
Shen Ningning sat beside her grandma, her watery eyes wide and round with hunger.
Grandma Qin smiled kindly. "They're almost ready. When the young master gets back, you and he can eat together, Ningning."
Mo Lingwei had just gone out for a walk.
Shen Ningning nodded obediently. "You eat too, Grandma!"
Just then, Mo Lingwei returned.
He was wearing the clothes Shen Ningning had spent a "fortune" on for him.
The platinum-colored robes made Mo Lingwei's gaze seem all the more intense, his eyes as dark and profound as ink.
The Black Wolf King, lounging at the entrance to the cave, lifted an eyelid to glance at him before looking away.
"Brother! You're back just in time! Grandma made some delicious scallion pancakes, and we can eat them soon!"
Gazing at Shen Ningning's innocent and adorable smile, Mo Lingwei's deep-set eyes flickered. He paused for a moment before nodding.
Shen Ningning remembered something. "Brother, can you teach me how to write 'Longevity Root'?"
She remembered the pharmacy manager saying that Longevity Root and ginseng were expensive.
The next time she went into the city, she could bring those two with her.
She could recognize ginseng, but she had never learned how to write 'Longevity Root'!
The Immortal Realm was filled with cabinets of different herbs, and her eyes would glaze over trying to look at them all.
Mo Lingwei picked up a stone and wrote 'Longevity Root' on the cave wall.
Shen Ningning was a keen student. She immediately traced the characters on her little palm, practicing until she had committed it to memory.
Mo Lingwei then turned and wrote two more words on the cave wall.
Mo Lingwei
Shen Ningning tilted her head, her limpid eyes filled with confusion. "Is that another way to write 'Longevity Root'?"
'How unusual!'
Mo Lingwei's brow furrowed. "You're so dense. That's my name."
Shen Ningning immediately took a closer look.
"Wow! How do you say it?"
"Mo Lingwei."
Grandma Qin, who was still making the flatbreads, froze for a second.
'Mo?' she thought. 'Isn't that the surname of princes and even the Emperor himself?'
'But she couldn't be certain.'
'She was getting old, and her memory wasn't what it used to be...'
Meanwhile, Shen Ningning had already traced his name in her palm five or six times.
A hint of a satisfied smile touched Mo Lingwei's lips. "Do you know how to write your own name?"
At this, the little girl puffed up her chest proudly, her voice high and childlike. "I do!"
She lifted her shirt, revealing her pale little tummy.
"Hey! Ningning!" Grandma Qin cried, but it was too late to stop her.
Mo Lingwei whipped his head away, hissing through gritted teeth, "What are you doing? Put your shirt down!"
Shen Ningning pointed to her Ruyi. "Look! My name is carved on here!"
Stiffly, Mo Lingwei glanced out of the corner of his eye.
'The little girl had actually tied a Ruyi scepter to her waist.'
She deliberately puffed out her little tummy so he could clearly see the name on the Ruyi.
The tips of Mo Lingwei's ears turned red. Not wanting to disappoint her, he forced himself to take a quick look.
Then he squeezed his eyes shut and yanked her shirt back down.
"I saw it. Don't just lift your shirt for anyone in the future, especially not for men."
The little girl was only four; she didn't understand the difference between boys and girls.
Shen Ningning's bright, intelligent eyes crinkled with a smile. "Grandma said my mommy and daddy left this for me! One day, I'll use my name to find them and we'll be together again!"
Mo Lingwei guessed she had probably been abandoned.
'He mentally ran through the list of powerful families in the Capital City, but none of them had the surname Shen.'
Still, Mo Lingwei said in a low voice, "When I return to the Capital City, I will help you look for your parents."
"Return to the Capital City?" Shen Ningning faltered.
Mo Lingwei looked at the little girl and said seriously, "Shen Ningning, I have to leave."
His men had already come for him.
Shen Ningning froze. At the entrance, the Black Wolf King also sat up, looking into the cave.
Her eyelashes were thick and long. Now, her bright black eyes misted over, pulling at the heartstrings of anyone who saw them.
Seeing this, Grandma Qin walked over and hugged Shen Ningning.
"Ningning, Brother is going home. That's a good thing, otherwise his family will be worried. Let's say goodbye to him, okay?"
Shen Ningning lowered her head, her expression forlorn.
'He was the first friend she had ever made.'
'She really didn't want him to go.'
But the little girl still said obediently, "Goodbye, Brother."
Gazing into her tear-filled eyes, Mo Lingwei felt a pang of reluctance.
He took a Jade Pendant he had prepared from his sleeve.
It was a rectangular piece of Yellow and White Jade, carved with a dragon soaring through the clouds. On the back, the name 'Ling Wei' was engraved.
"If you ever run into trouble, take this Jade Pendant to the General Zhen Nan Mansion in the Capital City. You'll be able to find me there."
Shen Ningning took the Jade Pendant and sniffled. "What if I'm not in trouble, but I just miss you, Brother? Can I come see you then, too?"
Mo Lingwei was stunned for a moment, then a smile bloomed on his face uncontrollably.
"Of course."
'This chance encounter would always be a precious memory for him.'
'The last few days with Shen Ningning deep in the mountains were the most carefree he had felt since his mother, the Empress, passed away.'
'However, he had his own great ambitions and enmities to face. He had to go back.'
Mo Lingwei walked to the mouth of the cave.
Shen Ningning followed close behind him, and even the wolves rose to trail after them.
Grandma Qin wrapped up the freshly made flatbreads and, limping, supported herself against the cave wall as she made her way out.
"Child, take these for the road. Don't travel on an empty stomach."
Mo Lingwei was about to refuse, but when he glanced down and saw that Shen Ningning's eyes were welling up again, he accepted the bundle.
He walked all the way to the foot of the mountain.
There, Shen Ningning saw a large troop of men in black armor, sabers at their waists, standing silently in wait. They looked like a row of grim mountains.
She stopped in her tracks, knowing she couldn't go any farther.
Mo Lingwei continued walking forward.
Suddenly, he turned back. "I'll see you in the Capital City, then."
Shen Ningning nodded softly.
Mo Lingwei walked down the slope. One of the Iron Cavalry held the curtain open for him, and he stepped into the carriage. He didn't look back as it pulled away.
The carriage sped away.
Mo Lingwei couldn't help but unwrap the cloth bundle of scallion pancakes. To his surprise, tucked at the very bottom were twenty taels of silver.
'No wonder it was so heavy.'
'It seemed Shen Ningning had tucked it into the bundle when he wasn't looking.'
Mo Lingwei raised an eyebrow, a small, wry laugh escaping him.
'If he recalled correctly, this was all the silver Shen Ningning had left after her trip to the city.'
'She treasured her silver, yet this time, she had given it all to him.'
Mo Lingwei had forced himself not to look back.
But he couldn't resist. He lifted the curtain and looked back.
On the distant hillside, he saw her tiny figure, still standing there, waving.
'She didn't care whether he could see her.'
'She just wanted to give her only friend a proper goodbye.'