Chapter 5: Reincarnated

Xue Dafu: "When did your eldest uncle become so nice? Wasn't he still planning to sell you—" "Father," Xue Yan finally withdrew his gaze and calmly interrupted his father's words, "we should head back now. Mother just called us for lunch." Hearing this, Jiang Yuexin understood. He didn't want his father to notice anything amiss with her. The two exchanged a glance, each reading the unspoken understanding in the other's eyes. "Right, right, right," Xue Dafu's attention was successfully diverted, "it's time for lunch, time for lunch. Yue Bao, you must be hungry too, right? Quick, quick, quick, let's head back. This disowning contract... Xue Yan, keep it for me. Father has always been bad at keeping things safe. You're already like a little adult, always so reliable and sharp. You'll definitely keep it safe for your little sister." Xue Dafu stuffed the disowning contract into Xue Yan's hands. However, Xue Yan, taking advantage of his father's momentary lack of attention and while picking up that heavy burden of firewood again, handed the disowning contract to Jiang Yue and whispered in a low voice, "Keep it safe." Jiang Yue felt a sense of solidarity with him and nodded, "Mhm." Xue Yan reached out a hand. Though the hand of a seven-year-old child was not large, it was bigger than Jiang Yue's. He wanted to help Jiang Yue carry her bundle. Jiang Yue: "This isn't heavy." Xue Yan then retracted his hand. Xue Yan let Jiang Yue walk ahead. Jiang Yue said, "You go ahead. I'll help you with the firewood from behind." She noticed that he was struggling under the load but refused to put it down. She wanted to help him. Hearing this, Xue Yan glanced at her hands, clearly thinking her hands were even smaller than his and that, being younger, she wouldn't be of much help. Jiang Yue didn't say anything. She simply placed her free hand on the bundle of firewood on Xue Yan's back and then gave it a push upward. Xue Yan just felt his burden lighten. The weight of that small bundle of firewood seemed to have halved. Xue Yan was instantly silent. Since they were in this together, how come her strength was so great... Xue Dafu, carrying the load at the very front, turned around and saw not only that Xue Yan hadn't been holding onto Jiang Yue, but that the two kids were still in the same place. His booming voice immediately kicked in: "Xue Yan, what are you doing? Quickly take Yue Bao home for lunch. How many times do I have to say it? Forget about the firewood." Xue Yan was helpless. "It's better if I take your hand," Xue Yan still hadn't put down the firewood but pulled her hand from it and held onto hers. "I can walk just fine," Jiang Yue reminded him. She didn't believe he couldn't see that. "I know," Xue Yan was even more helpless. "Just to ease my father's mind," he gestured towards Xue Dafu. Sure enough, Xue Dafu looked back worriedly again... Jiang Yue also felt helpless and then her head drooped, she said tiredly, "Let's go." This field path leading up the mountain was not easy to traverse, but it was slightly wider than other field paths. The two children walking side by side weren't cramped. But since Xue Yan was using one hand to hold hers, carrying the firewood became even more difficult. "Do you really not want me to help support it?" Jiang Yue couldn't help but speak. She could tell that one reason he was holding her hand was to prevent her from actually supporting him from behind. Xue Yan shook his head. Jiang Yue just let it be. She respected his wishes. Xue Yan didn't look at Jiang Yue again. Holding Jiang Yue's small, soft hand, he struggled with the firewood, which was too heavy for someone his age, and looked ahead at his father – neither old nor young but already somewhat hunched from carrying the load. Then, a surreal feeling surged inside him, causing him to zone out for a moment. When his vision cleared once more, he silently sighed. He really had been reborn.