The Sorrowmender

Chapter 71 – Please take me in, Mister

Xu Qingzhou watched this scene, his cheeks twitching unconsciously a few times. At least until now, he had never seen this child read a book.

However—

He gently tugged the reins, caught up with her, and asked, "Can you understand it?"

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The white-haired girl was originally illiterate, and she had only been at the school for a few days. Could she really understand the words in the book?

This was Xu Qingzhou's confusion.

The white-haired girl's gaze never left the book, but the corners of her small face couldn't help but lift into a smile.

"Of course."

"You really recognize all these characters?"

"Wuyou taught me, so I remembered them. Of course, there are some that Wuyou doesn't know, so I asked others. Anyway, I recognize all the words in the book."

"Hiss—" Xu Qingzhou took a deep breath of the summer evening breeze. In just a few days, she had recognized all the words in the book. What kind of memory was this?

Even Wuyou, who was exceptionally intelligent, took several months to recognize ten thousand characters.

One couldn't even say she recognized all the words in the book, but she had done it.

"There truly are geniuses in this world, worthy of being the reincarnation of the Golden Crow."

He marveled in his heart. A day's work could be worth ten years for an ordinary person. If this wasn't genius, what was?

He no longer dwelled on the matter, glancing at the book in the white-haired girl's hands, a thought forming in his mind.

He took another book from his storage bag and handed it over.

"For you."

"Hmm?" The white-haired girl frowned, staring at the book he handed over, and asked, "What is this—"

"The book in your hand is too ordinary. Read this one; it's better."

Hearing Xu Qingzhou say this, she didn't think much of it. After all, Xu Qingzhou was a mister, and he spoke in a refined manner.

The reason she wanted to read was largely influenced by Xu Qingzhou, especially after last night's events, which she had overheard.

She felt that reasoning with people was much more interesting than using fists.

So, the book Xu Qingzhou wanted her to read should be a good one, and she naturally wouldn't refuse.

She put away her book and took the one Xu Qingzhou offered.

Holding it in her hands, she gazed at the seven large characters on the cover and read softly.

"The Art of War by Sun Tzu."

Then she furrowed her brows, "Whose grandson wrote this military book? Is it reliable?"

Xu Qingzhou smiled faintly, "Read it, and you'll know if it's good."

"Oh—"

"War is a matter of vital importance to the state, the province of life or death—" The white-haired girl frowned. She recognized the characters, but couldn't understand them when strung together.

Yet she stubbornly said, "It is indeed a good book."

Xu Qingzhou chuckled and said something out of nowhere.

"Let's call you Xu Xiaobai."

"What?" The white-haired girl was puzzled.

"Don't call yourself Xu Dajiang anymore. My boat needs no one to carry it; it can roam the world freely. You should be called Xu Xiaobai."

She refused, "Uh—I don't want to."

Xu Qingzhou said seriously, "Alright, since you like it, let's settle on that."

"When did I say I liked it? Are you crazy?"

"You're welcome."

The white-haired girl was exasperated, "Ah, Xu Qingzhou, are you deaf!"

Xu Qingzhou's lips curled into a mischievous smile.

"I know I'm handsome."

With that, he tugged the reins and sped up his horse.

White-haired girl: "…………"

............

Two days later.

Four hundred miles outside Frostsky City, under a mulberry tree, a little girl in black and a man in black stood under the tree, raising their hands and shouting.

"Master, Sister, I'm here, over here."

Hearing this, the white-haired girl put down the Art of War by Sun Tzu that she was engrossed in, looked into the distance, recognized them, and her face lit up with joy.

"It's Wuyou, Wuyou is here."

With that, she galloped away.

Xu Qingzhou, however, continued at his leisurely pace.

Ever since leaving the City Lord's mansion that day, he had been contemplating leaving. The bustling city life was not for him; he wanted a different way of living.

After all, the world was vast, and there were countless young ladies; he could find his way anywhere.

Staying here, as his reputation grew, troubles like Mo Shengge's would surely be inevitable.

These people with power and influence had their own worries, and even if it wasn't his intention, he might get caught up in their disputes.

He believed that in this world, there were many people like Mo Shengge and Lin Shuo.

And their worries were not about seeking small favors.

What they worried about was a single word: desire, an insatiable greed.

Knowing he couldn't untangle it, why linger?

So he decided to leave Tianshuang, to leave this place.

A few days ago, he had already sent Li San ahead to bring Wuyou out of the city to meet him.

As for Frostsky City, he wouldn't return, and the Pavilion of Forgetting Worries could be left to its own devices—

"Master, Wuyou missed you so much. Why were you gone so long? I thought you didn't want Wuyou anymore."

Xu Qingzhou reached out and patted the little one's head.

"Silly disciple, how could that be? It's only been a few days, and Master is back now, isn't he?"

"Mm-hmm, hehe."

His eyes were full of affection, and the little girl's eyes were bright with joy.

Li San watched this scene, and even his face, usually full of murderous intent, showed a hint of longing.

"Mister, I have fulfilled my mission."

Xu Qingzhou glanced at him and nodded in acknowledgment.

'Thank you, Brother Li.'

Li San replied fearfully, "It's not hard. To serve Mister is Li San's fortune; how could it be considered hard?"

Xu Qingzhou said no more. Some things were hard to explain, and some people were hard to understand.

"Does Mister have any plans for the future?"

Li San naturally saw that Xu Qingzhou intended to leave, to leave this place, so he asked.

Xu Qingzhou looked into the distance, where the greenery was dim, and he smiled mysteriously, answering boldly:

"The sky is high, the earth is vast. I wish to see it all, to travel and observe, to accumulate virtue and do good."

Hearing this, Li San knelt on one knee, cupping his hands in salute.

"Li San wishes to accompany Mister, and hopes Mister will take him in."

This scene caught Xu Qingzhou off guard, and even Wuyou and the others cast surprised glances.

"Li San, what are you doing? Get up quickly."

Li San raised his head, looking directly at Xu Qingzhou, and said solemnly, "That day when Mister spoke with Lin Shuo, I was on the eaves listening. I heard all of Mister's words and remembered them."

"Mister said, 'A family that accumulates goodness will have abundant happiness, while a family that accumulates evil will have abundant calamity.'"

"Li San has no family left, no home. But all my life, I've done nothing but kill. My hands are stained with the blood of men and women, I've killed eighty-year-old elders and newborn infants."

"I know my sins are heavy, so I want to atone, to do good deeds like Mister, to save others."

"Mister is Mister Forgetting Worries, able to relieve the world's worries. So I want to follow Mister, to do good and accumulate virtue, to repay Mister's kindness and erase my evil."

He spoke earnestly, his eyes full of sincerity.

Xu Qingzhou looked at him with a serious expression, not agreeing, only saying:

"Stand up and speak first."

"If Mister doesn't agree, Li San will remain kneeling."

Xu Qingzhou's face darkened with displeasure, "Are you threatening me?"

Li San, startled and fearful, said, "Mister, I didn't mean it that way."

"If not, then stand up."

Seeing Xu Qingzhou's displeasure, Li San no longer insisted and stood up.

But he still bent at the waist.

"Please, Mister, take me with you. I'll do whatever Mister asks."

Xu Qingzhou couldn't help but shake his head. He understood what Li San was thinking and why he wanted to follow him.

The so-called retribution for good and evil was just a saying.

It was merely something he said to scare Lin Shuo, where was the retribution?

And Li San wanting to follow him wasn't because of that.

"Li San, have you ever heard a saying?"

"Please enlighten me, Mister."