Chapter 31: Both Children Are Missing

Taoyuan County.

Passersby couldn’t help but cast their eyes on a young man walking down the street.

The man wore simple, coarse clothing—worn but clean. His handsome appearance wasn’t the only reason people were staring at him.

“Why is he leading that boy with a rope?”

“I think he’s afraid the boy will run off and get lost.”

“But no matter how you look at it, it seems like he’s… walking a dog.”

Bai Yunqi, who had already begun the initial stage of cleansing his essence, had excellent hearing.

Moreover, the discussions around him weren’t exactly quiet!!!

Bai Yunqi: 【Can’t you people be a bit quieter!】

Bai Tian actually felt a bit embarrassed too, but recalling his eldest son’s nature from his memories, he decided to grit his teeth and hold on.

Otherwise, if he couldn’t finish his tasks, he might end up having to search for his son in this unfamiliar county.

It would waste time and energy, and most importantly, it would deplete his already limited fatherly patience.

Juanjuan lay relaxed on her father’s shoulder, feeling utterly content.

Though, Eldest Brother’s constant chatter was a bit noisy.

“Juanjuan, do you want a steamed bun?”

Bai Tian, holding Juanjuan in one arm and leading his eldest son with the other, stopped in front of a Steamed Bun Shop.

Juanjuan perked up, eyeing the soft buns in the steamer.

“I want to eat… but they’re too expensive.”

The little one’s voice shifted from cheerful to hesitant in just a few words, making Bai Tian’s heart ache.

Looking at his sensible little daughter, Bai Tian waved his hand grandly and said, “Two meat-filled steamed buns, please!”

Unfortunately, Bai Tian had one arm holding Juanjuan and the other leading his eldest son.

So when he waved grandly, it was the hand holding his eldest son that moved.

Bai Yunqi, almost swept off his feet by his father’s gesture: …

【Good thing this rope is tied around my waist. If it were around my neck, the clinic would have another patient.】

The vendor handed the meat-filled buns to Bai Tian, curiously glancing at his peculiar way of managing children, and casually asked, “Why have you tied up a child? Is he… a fool?”

Bai Yunqi: 【You old man, don’t think I didn’t hear you. You’re the fool!】

Bai Tian handed five copper coins to the vendor and took the buns. “My son is smart, just too rambunctious. It’s easier to keep him in check this way in the county.”

“Here, one for each of you.”

Bai Tian handed the fragrant, soft buns to the two children, one for each.

“Papa, have a bite.”

Juanjuan offered her bun to Bai Tian’s lips.

“I’m not hungry, Juanjuan, you eat.”

“Papa, just one bite, please!”

Bai Tian couldn’t resist his little girl’s unconscious charm, especially since he did want a bite himself.

Bai Tian: 【How sinful, fighting a child for food. But having been raised with the values of respecting the elderly and loving the young, especially with such a sweet child like Juanjuan, it really does make me feel guilty!】

Juanjuan seemed to understand that her father was feeling shy.

The little girl looked at her father and said, “Papa, when Juanjuan grows up, I’ll earn money to buy you lots of buns!”

Bai Tian chuckled softly, “Alright, when Juanjuan grows up, buy Papa some buns.”

A gentle breeze blew by, painting a picture of a loving father and obedient children.

If one could ignore Bai Yunqi being led by a rope, it might have been even more beautiful and heartwarming.

“Papa, do you want some?” Bai Yunqi also held up his bun.

Bai Tian looked at the bun with a black handprint on it: …

“No need! Goudan, you eat it yourself.”

Bai Yunqi: “Papa, my name is Bai Yunqi.”

Bai Tian: “Alright, Goudan.”

Bai Yunqi: …

Juanjuan nibbled on her bun, looking content, not finding anything wrong with the way her brother and father interacted.

After all, before, their father wouldn’t speak so affectionately with her brother.

Back then, their home was shrouded in an atmosphere of fear.

But now.

Juanjuan took a bite of the meat filling, watching her father and brother chat casually.

Now it felt just like Brother Dachui’s home next door—cheerful.

However, soon Bai Tian and Bai Yunqi were not so cheerful anymore.

Bai Tian: 【I didn’t expect buying just a little brown rice and coarse flour would cost so many copper coins!】

【Five coins for a dou of brown rice, eight coins for a dou of coarse flour, and salt is even more expensive. Coarse salt can reach up to 150 coins per jin!】

【This place isn’t near the sea, and we can’t refine salt ourselves. Why didn’t I study agriculture? Even being a veterinarian would help!】

Bai Yunqi: 【There’s a strong spiritual energy fluctuation in that shop ahead, but… it’s a pawn shop!!】

【Bai Yunqi, control yourself! You have no money! No money!】

【So, if I want to restore my Spiritual Energy now, I have to obtain it from jade stones, which currently require silver to acquire, and the one thing our family lacks the most is silver.】

The word “poverty” hung heavily over the hearts of the Bai father and son.

But what enveloped Jiang Dai was no longer just poverty.

It was panic!

Because.

Both children had disappeared simultaneously!!!

———

A dou (斗) is an old Chinese unit of volume, roughly 10–13 liters depending on the era—about the size of a bucket. Often used for measuring grain.

Jin is 500 grams