Chapter 340: The Genius’s View on Love
Almost at the same time.
In the palace, Huo Ming was drowsily rubbing his eyes as he got up in the middle of the night.
After using the bathroom, he unexpectedly noticed a figure in the back garden outside the inner chamber.
With a mix of curiosity and caution, he quietly approached and discovered that the one sitting in the pavilion was none other than his sister, Huo Ningxue.
“Sister? Why are you awake at this hour, sitting here?”
Huo Ningxue paused, turning to look at Huo Ming.
“Nothing, Mingming… I’m just a bit unable to sleep.”
Huo Ming thought for a moment, then ran back to his chamber to bring a candle and placed it in the pavilion.
Then he jumped up and plopped down next to his sister.
“Do you have something on your mind, Sister?”
Huo Ningxue fell silent, and after a long moment, she suddenly spoke:
“Mingming, do you think you can become a qualified ruler now?”
Huo Ming: “…What are you talking about, Sister? I’m five years old this year.”
“…Oh, right.”
Huo Ningxue sighed lightly, resting her forehead in her hand: “You’re still just five, huh?”
At least.
I still have to raise you until you come of age.
But.
“Ten more years, huh?” Huo Ningxue’s beautiful eyes glinted as she stared dreamily at the moon in the sky.
Huo Ming scratched his little head.
“Are you looking down on me for being too slow to learn, Sister?”
“Of course not.”
Huo Ningxue tenderly ruffled his little head: “Our Mingming is the smartest. Not at all slow.”
“But…” She suddenly looked down.
“…Sister is the one who’s slow.”
Sometimes Huo Ningxue wished she could be as smart as her little brother.
She wouldn’t have to feel so lost and constantly seek help from the national master.
And now.
She wouldn’t have to feel so confused when she heard that Young Master Sang was leaving.
“Sister is just suddenly having some doubts about herself,” she said, putting her feet up on the bench, hugging her knees as she quietly gazed at the sky. “Until you come of age, can Sister really protect you well?”
“Sister isn’t clever, and when faced with problems, I always don’t know what to do, I habitually seek help from the national master.”
“When Lord Li was around, I didn’t really have to worry. He handled all state affairs so well that even if I didn’t attend court, it didn’t impact the country’s operations.”
“Then when Mr. Sang was here, he was always by my side. No matter the issue, it felt like as long as he was around, everything could be easily solved.”
“But now…” Huo Ningxue slowly buried her head in her knees, her tone inexplicably bittersweet, “…it’s only Sister now.”
Huo Ming also said in a dejected tone: “Is Mr. Sang… really leaving?”
“Yeah.”
Huo Ningxue rubbed his head: “He said he wants to go home.”
“There must be family waiting for him back home, right? That’s great.”
Huo Ming looked up at her: “Do you also not want Mr. Sang to leave, Sister?”
Huo Ningxue didn’t know how to answer that.
It was a feeling she had never experienced before.
Even when Lord Li suddenly went missing, Huo Ningxue had only felt a fleeting panic but quickly forced herself to calm down and continued to deal with state affairs as if nothing happened.
But this time, with Young Master Sang leaving.
Huo Ningxue felt a huge sense of loss.
It was as if she was resting against a towering tree, and suddenly that tree vanished.
And she fell backward into an ever-deepening abyss.
That emptiness and sense of loss made Huo Ningxue toss and turn on her bed, unable to sleep. Even when she closed her eyes, the image of Young Master Sang’s slightly apologetic and silent expression from that day would float before her.
…Minister, it’s time to leave.
“Sister really is so foolish.”
Huo Ningxue said with a bitter smile: “I don’t even know how to describe how I feel right now.”
“It feels really strange, like something is blocking my chest, and I can’t breathe.”
“I guess it’s because I’m too worried about whether I can truly protect you in the future.”
Huo Ming looked up, staring into his sister’s eyes.
After a long while, he suddenly said: “I think I understand that feeling you mentioned, Sister.”
“Really?”
“It was when I was at odds with Sister Ru,” Huo Ming said, swinging his legs, “I really liked Sister Ru back then. I couldn’t help but glance at her during class every day, and after class, I’d find various excuses to get close to her.”
“When she held my hand, I was super happy, but when I saw her chatting intimately with Brother Zimo, it made me feel really unhappy.”
“And then, on the day Sister Ru ignored me, I felt really sad and wanted to cry.”
At this point, Huo Ming couldn’t help but exclaim: “That feeling was as painful as dying.”
“But thankfully, later Sister Ru and I made up. During that toughest time, I distracted myself by reading the books Mr. Sang gave me and playing ‘Original Immortal’ with my friends, which helped me gradually feel better.”
“How about you try playing ‘Original Immortal,’ Sister?” Huo Ming tentatively suggested.
Huo Ningxue: “…Forget it. I won’t understand it.”
“Then let’s find another way to divert your feelings.” Huo Ming shook his head and said, “Big Brother Cao told me that what I was feeling is called heartbreak.”
“When it comes to heartbreak, nobody can help you. You either start a new relationship or just wait for time to heal the wound slowly…”
Huo Ming continued to rattle on about Big Brother Cao’s “heartbreak manual.”
But Huo Ningxue’s thoughts got tangled up when she heard the word “heartbreak.”
…Heartbreak?
Am I heartbroken?
But when did I…
Huo Ningxue couldn’t remember.
In her mind, every single memory of Young Master Sang was crystal clear.
But once she tried to recall if there was any moment when he had dazzled her and made her feel something.
Huo Ningxue couldn’t remember.
“Mother…” she murmured, “Did I fall in love?”
Am I like Mother when she met Father?
Did I encounter the person who could amaze me for a lifetime?
But I’m really so foolish.
I can’t understand… I really don’t understand.
“Mingming.” Huo Ningxue suddenly interjected, interrupting Huo Ming’s ramble.
“You said you experienced heartbreak… Does that mean you liked Sister Ru before?”
“Yes.”
“Then, did you… kiss her?”
Huo Ming paused for a moment, then his little face turned bright red, stumbling over his words:
“K-k-k-kiss?!”
“N-no… that’s only something two people who really like each other can do!”
“It can… can lead to pregnancy!” Huo Ming panicked, “Sister Ru and I are still young, we can’t…”
Huo Ningxue froze too.
She suddenly recalled that sunny afternoon.
When she kissed him on the cheek, the shock and fear in his eyes.
And when he reciprocated and kissed her cheek.
That light and moist touch was like a butterfly landing on water.
“…So that’s what it was.” Huo Ningxue suddenly smiled softly.
So it turns out, I and the national master.
Have already fallen for each other.
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