Lu Shu looked at Xiaoyu, his heart pained. After all, she was still a little girl not even 11-years old, yet she had already went with him for a tour of a remains.
Only that in such a turbulent time, no one would pity the weak.
“Once home, I’ll make tomato eggs for you every day,” Lu Shu knew she could not hear him, but still he made his promise.
Lu Shu did not see Xiaoyu’s smile, hidden under her thick short hair across her face. She continued her sleep talk, “Lu Shu, piggy-back me.”
“Heh heh,” She may be sleep talking just now, but Lu Shu realized something. He poked Lu Xiaoyu lightly on her head, “Come up yourself!”
“What’s wrong with giving me a piggy back,” Lu Xiaoyu sat up. Little Fury also woke up.
“Let’s go, back to the hotel,” Lu Shu said.
Once again, Lu Xiaoyu propped Little Fury up and jumped out through the window, whereas Lu Shu was responsible for providing a cover against the numerous surveillance cameras along the way.
He was not too worried about the people of Dark Kingdom tracking them here using any clues they find. Even if they were to find out, they would only find Li Dian’s fake identification card.
The flight was in the next evening at 7, which meant that after waking up, Lu Shu and Xiaoyu still had a full day to stuff themselves full in Xijing City. Lu Xiaoyu had previously tasted the Quan’ertou Mutton Intestines Soup in Xijing City and was still thinking fondly about it. Lu Shu could bring her to try it again tomorrow.
This time, he would buy her the $30 per bowl soup whereby she could have free helpings of meat. Wasn’t his money earned for the purpose of giving her a good life?
Back in the hotel, Lu Shu supervised Lu Xiaoyu to make sure she brushed her teeth and wash her face before sleeping, as he was worried she would skip this practice due to fatigue. He then tucked her into bed.
Lu Xiaoyu’s gripped the corner of her blanket tightly with her small hands, “Lu Shu, the website of the Dark Kingdom…is it really so tumultuous outside?”
Lu Shu could not answer this question, “I’m not too sure too. It should be so. Doesn’t everyone say that the people of other nations were living in extreme misery…”
“Will we be always fighting in the future?”
“If nobody comes to provoke us, we won’t fight.”
“But you’ll provoke others…”
“What do little kids like you know, time to sleep,” Lu Shu did not want to go into this topic…
There were a wide array of traditional cuisines in Xijing City, such as succulent hand-torn mutton, refreshing yoghurt, spicy and sour braised noodles, springy beef, crispy tsampa and sweet spirits. Not only were they economical but also unique.
Just the yoghurt alone, Lu Xiaoyu had drank three full bowls. Lu Shu was worried she may get indigestion…
At night, the Xijing City Airport was ablazed in lights. From afar, one could already see the brilliant white lights shining in all directions. Lu Xiaoyu heard the roar of jet engines and looked up to see a low-flying airplane flying over their heads.
“When can we learn to fly?”
“Very soon,” Lu Shu smiled.
This was their first time taking a plane. Just exchanging for boarding pass took them a long time. At the security check, the officer on duty in the line Lu Shu was queuing in was a woman. Lu Xiaoyu pulled him over to change to another line upon seeing the female officer using a device to scan the passengers, at times even touching their pockets. Lu Shu was very much confused and could not understand why did Xiaoyu do that.
Lu Shu’s seat was beside the window and he exchanged it with Lu Xiaoyu’s, “Probably can’t see much at night? But after reaching the stratosphere, would we be able to see the stars?”
Lu Xiaoyu had her face against the window as she looked out, utterly curious. Lu Shu was sure she would play for days in the sky if she learnt how to fly.
The plane travelled very fast. As Lu Shu pulled Lu Xiaoyu along out of the airport, he noticed many peple still waiting around at the arrival hall.
They were all here to receive the passengers, awaiting travellers from abroad returning home, meeting their good friends again, waiting for families to gather.
Nobody was there to fetch Lu Shu and Lu Xiaoyu. They were living a happy and carefree life, but as they went past the eager gaze of others waiting for their families and friends, Lu Xiaoyu started to feel down.
The truth was, Lu Shu had gradually forgotten their parents after all these years, but he knew that Lu Xiaoyu would still think of them sometimes. She would even ask him why did their parents abandon them.
Lu Shu could not answer, and only teased laughingly that if not for the welfare home, how could they have met? He would always use this to change the subject and make her forget the question. It always worked.
“I’ll go back and make you tomato eggs okay?” Lu Shu laughed.
“Better keep your words!”
“Don’t worry!”
The two siblings took a cab back. Just as they reached the alleyway, they saw Li Xianyi already standing at the gate, arms crossed. He waved at the two of them, “Knew you guys would reach about now. Auntie Liu had already made you both tomato egg soup noodles. The noodles are almost done, come in and wait.”
Lu Shu and Xiaoyu exchanged glances. Lu Xiaoyu brightened up instantly and, with Little Fury on her head, rushed into the house, “Auntie Liu, put more eggs in!”
Auntie Liu’s hearty laugh emanated from the house, “Don’t worry, I know you love eggs.”
Lu Shu stood outside the gate and gazed at the warm yellow light from home. This was his first time going out, and also his first time returning from overseas. It seemed like a really good feeling, a returning traveller getting to eat a hot bowl of egg soup noodles.
As for how did the old man know that they got off the plane now…it seemed too easy for the foundation to get such information.
Only Li Xianyi and Lu Shu remained outside the house. The old man smiled, “How was the Salt Lake remains? I heard that you performed exceptionally meritorious deeds?”
“It was nothing,” Lu Shu replied humbly. “Found a type of fruit and helped Heavenly King Chen Baili restore his foundation. He was promoted straight to Class A and can now fly in the sky…”
“From Li Xianyi’s distress, +399!”
Li Xianyi felt a bit sore, “So you helped promote him to Class A…”
He of course knew about Chen Baili’s promotion to Class A, the whole world knew that. It was because Chen Baili had not make it a secret, his flying capability. That was exactly the old priest’s intention, to intimidate all. Indeed, he had achieve that purpose, but everyone was suspicious, how did this guy get promoted?!
This was of course treated as top secret but the Heavenly Network. However, Lu Shu felt that there was no need to keep it from Li Xianyi.
“There were three fruits at that time, I gave Little Fury one…”
Lu Shu had not finished his sentence when Li Xianyi interjected hurriedly, “Why give to Little Fury!?”
“From Li Xianyi’s distress, +777!”
Little Fury heard the voice from the house and was confused, who did it offend?
Lu Shu explained, “I was with Chen Baili at that time. He was hurt and was about to wake up. I thought that benefits should be shared exclusively with only my own people, if not I would have given all to Chen Baili.”
It was only half wrong. He could let Li Xianyi know how did Chen Baili get promoted, but he still could not let him know the true origin of the Refresher Fruits.
