tallest building

Chapter 14 Siblings

"This kite is so finely made," Gong Baoan said, taking it with obvious delight. "It's even better than the ones you can buy!"

Song was extremely strict with him, especially in his studies, fearing that he would fall behind. Therefore, he didn't have much time to play each day.

Especially after hearing that some children had been cut by kite strings, Song became even more worried and forbade him from playing with them at all.

But what child doesn't love flying kites, especially in the beautiful spring weather?

"Actually, this isn't the gift I wanted to give you. Wait a minute," Gong Chang'an said, turning around and running back. A moment later, he returned with a small wooden box about a foot square. "I put a lot of effort into making this. I ruined several of them before."

Upon hearing this, Gong Baoan eagerly opened it, but was taken aback: "Fourth Brother, what is this?"

“Like this…” Gong Chang’an squatted down to demonstrate, flipping the lid of the box over to provide support, so that the box could stand upright at an angle.

"Put this here." Gong Chang'an handed Gong Bao'an a glass bead. "Then you don't need to worry about it."

Gong Baoan placed the glass bead on the horizontal bar with the little figure with upturned legs stuck to the upper right of the box. The horizontal bar tilted slightly, and the glass bead slid down.

But it looks like it was kicked down by a little person.

The bead was stopped by a net held up by another small wooden figure below, slightly changed its direction, rolled down to the lower right, and landed in the hand of a dancing little figure.

The little figure, bearing the weight, slowly tilted its body, sending the glass bead out.

What happened next was even more interesting. A small figure resembling a clerk was holding a board, about to bring it down, and a small figure was lying diagonally below him.

The glass ball landed on the board, and the board fell down.

The blow hit the little figure's buttocks, causing the upper body of the hit figure to stick up, its open mouth seemingly screaming in pain.

Gong Baoan was amused and laughed heartily. He had never seen such a novel thing before, and it was even more interesting than shadow puppetry.

The glass ball continued to roll down, hitting the two wrestling figures. The two figures were separated, and because they were connected by a rubber band, they bounced far away.

At the same time, a horse was startled, and the horse raised its front legs, throwing the person on its back off.

The glass ball slid down the horse's back, passed through a ropeway, and landed in the mouth of a large, upturned toad.

The giant golden toad plummeted downwards, while the beautiful wooden figure attached to the other end soared upwards, its white gauze dress fluttering, giving it the appearance of an immortal.

"Fourth Brother, you have such skillful hands!" Gong Baoan praised repeatedly. "How interesting!"

But then she became somewhat disheartened: "Fourth Brother prepared such a rare gift for me, but I didn't prepare anything for you at all."

"Why should we, brothers, bother with such things?" Gong Chang'an said without a care. "Just write me a nice piece of calligraphy someday, and that will be enough."

Gong Xu, watching this scene of brotherly affection and respect, couldn't help but be moved.

You have to understand that although he hated Wen Mingqian to the core, Gong Chang'an was, after all, his son.

Everyone has feelings, and Gong Xu especially loved his children, so when his eldest son died, he wished he could tear Wen Mingqian to pieces.

Therefore, he doted on Gong Bao'an even more, and for many years he tried his best to avoid Gong Chang'an, his legitimate son, without asking about him or thinking about him.

But once you meet and talk to each other, it's a completely different experience.

Not to mention that Gong Chang'an is handsome and has a pleasing personality, and now he gets along well with Gong Bao'an.

Therefore, Gong Xu found it difficult to truly harden his heart towards him, and his face remained indifferent. When Wen Mingqian returned from outside, he saw Gong Xu and his two sons together, and Aunt Tian behind him couldn't help but feel a stirring in her heart.

Everyone says the master doesn't like his wife, but he still has his own son!
Sure enough, it's only been a few days and it's already come to this courtyard twice.

“Mother,” Gong Chang’an looked up and saw Wen Mingqian, then ran up to him with a smile, “You’re back.”

"Did you eat a lot for lunch?" Wen Mingqian took his hand and walked into the yard. "Did you rest for a while?"

The mother and son approached Gong Xu with a question-and-answer exchange, and Wen Mingqian greeted him with a smile, calling him "Master."

Gong Xu responded in his throat. With both children in front of him, he naturally had to maintain a facade of harmony.

"Zhang Ma, cut up this ham and stew it with dried bamboo shoots over low heat to make soup." Wen Mingqian bought a lot of ham and cured meat at the general store, as Gong Chang'an loved to eat these.

However, Shuangxi is located in the far north, making it inconvenient to eat southern delicacies, so he only eats them once or twice a month.

"You...you are Madam?" Gong Baoan scrutinized Wen Mingqian for a long time before mustering up the courage to ask.

If Gong Xu wouldn't introduce him, then he would have to ask himself.

"You must be Bao'an?" Wen Mingqian lowered his head slightly. "I am Madam."

"Bao'an greets you. I haven't been able to come over these past few days, please forgive me." Gong Bao'an was very well-mannered because Madam Song had high expectations for him, knowing that being pampered would not lead to great things, and besides, she had long planned to seize the throne.

Wen Mingqian smiled at him, but not overly warmly, which would have made it seem as if he had ulterior motives.

When Gong Xu saw Wen Mingqian return from outside, he didn't ask her what she had been doing. He simply said to Gong Bao'an, "Let's go back!"

Gong Baoan looked at Gong Chang'an with great reluctance. This fourth brother was just what he wanted. The two hit it off so well on their first meeting. He was even thinking of having dinner together and sleeping together!

But then he looked at Gong Xu, swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, obediently took his father's hand, and smiled at Wen Mingqian and Gong Chang'an, mother and son: "Madam, Fourth Brother, I'll go back first and come back another day."

After Gong Xu and his son left, Wen Mingqian asked his son, "Did you bring them here?"

"My son was just trying it out, who would have thought it would work so well!" Gong Chang'an always had a playful smile in front of Wen Mingqian. "This child isn't bad by nature, I just hope his mother won't spoil him."

“You’re only a year or two older than him,” Wen Mingqian chuckled, “but you know how to act superior.”

"How can these pampered young masters be compared to me, who grew up among convicts and scoundrels?" Gong Chang'an smirked. "They read the books of sages and received the teachings of scholars. I have experienced the vicissitudes of life and understand the ways of the world."

Although we are not much different in age, our experiences are vastly different. Besides, Mother, you taught me from classic texts and scriptures, and I can at least give a few perfunctory answers about the grand principles of saving the world.

The reason Wen Mingqian returned to the capital after seven years was to allow himself to be fully prepared, especially to wait until his son was older.

Otherwise, if the child is too young and has no ability to protect himself, that would be absolutely unacceptable.

"You met that child today, aren't you afraid that the Song family will resent you even more?" Wen Mingqian asked him. "And what will you do next?"

"Mother, you must be tired after being out all day. Sit down and rest." Gong Chang'an helped her sit down in a chair and then smoothly massaged her shoulders and back. "Master and the others are wary of you, but they're not wary of me, this little kid."

Therefore, some things are easier for me to do, and even if I do something wrong, they won't hold it against me like a child.

"Then you must be careful," Wen Mingqian cautioned. "I'm hosting a banquet in a few days, so things will definitely get busy."

(End of this chapter)