Chapter 71

An’an didn’t retain many memories from his previous life. Most of what he remembered took place in that dilapidated courtyard, struggling just to survive. Among those few memories, the old Nanny took up nearly all the space.

Her eyesight had been poor, and eventually she went completely blind. Even so, she still took care of him.

In the end, when she froze to death in the courtyard, she held him tightly in her arms, trying to keep him warm.

Later on, An’an realized she had died, but he still couldn’t bear to leave the arms of the only person who had ever cared about him.

From the few things she used to say to him, An’an gathered that he reminded her of her son who had died unexpectedly.

Thinking of this, An’an glanced at Young Master Wang. Noticing the look, Young Master Wang gave him a small smile.

“It’s a bit simple here. If we’ve not treated you well, I hope Brother Liu won’t take offense.”

“Not at all.”

Liu Sisi didn’t look down on him just because of the humble setting. To have earned a place in the academy despite such poverty already said a lot about him. Growing up poor and still striving upward—Liu Sisi could only admire that.

When An’an saw the elderly woman lying on the bed, he stood there stunned for a long time, only moving when his brother picked him up and stepped aside to let the doctor take her pulse.

It was just a cold, but she had dragged it out too long. Plus, at her age, other chronic ailments had resurfaced.

To treat her properly, the required medicine would be quite expensive—far beyond what a typical family could afford.

The doctor glanced at Young Master Wang, whose clothes were so worn they had turned white with over-washing. He hesitated. A patient like this could easily bankrupt a household. Most poor families would just let it run its course, to avoid dragging down everyone else.

Liu Sisi caught the doctor’s hesitation and spoke up:

“Go ahead and prescribe the medicine.”

“Understood.”

With this richly dressed young master’s approval, the doctor dared to write the prescription.

An’an finally came to his senses. Once he confirmed that this really was the same old Nanny who had taken care of him in his past life, his small hands immediately started digging through the pouch his mother had made for him.

Noticing the movement, Liu Sisi reached out and gently pressed a hand on the back of An’an’s.

Startled, An’an looked up at his brother, who gave a subtle shake of his head. Though An’an pouted a little in protest, he only gave a soft hum in reply.

Raised personally by Duke Liu, Liu Sisi wasn’t just some bookish nerd. He understood well the principle that a small kindness fosters gratitude, but too much fosters resentment.

People’s hearts are never satisfied. If they gave too much, and Young Master Wang couldn’t repay it for a while, the pressure would shift to them.

“It’s getting late. We should be on our way.”

Young Master Wang personally gathered some mountain goods and placed them on their carriage. He had wanted to invite Liu Sisi to stay the night, but with a home this bare, he figured they wouldn’t be able to live with it—especially with a little brother in tow.

He personally saw them to the village entrance before returning to his mother’s bedside and told her a classmate had taken a liking to his calligraphy and bought it, so she needn’t worry about the medicine anymore.

On the way back, Liu Sisi recalled An’an’s earlier action and asked curiously:

“How much silver do you have? Just being so generous like that? What you gave for her treatment was enough. If you overdo a favor, how is it to be repaid?”

An’an nodded as if he understood, though in truth, he had only acted out of instinct, wanting to be kind to that Nanny. He hadn’t thought whether what he was doing might be improper. Now, he buried his face into his brother’s chest.

His flushed red ears peeked out, betraying his embarrassment.

Liu Sisi gently patted his back. His grandfather had always said that kindness was no flaw. An’an was still young, and it was perfectly normal that he couldn’t bear to see others suffer.

He shouldn’t extinguish the innocent heart of his little brother. With the Duke’s household backing them, there was no need to fear he’d be taken advantage of. Let him stay this way—perhaps that was for the best.

When leaving the academy earlier with Young Master Wang, Liu Sisi had already sent someone ahead to inform his aunt, lest she worry if they were late.

As the sky darkened and the city gates were about to close, the two children had yet to return. Liu Nüluo and the Madam of the Liu family were anxiously waiting at the gate.

At last, a familiar carriage approached from the distance. Liu Sisi carried An’an down, and after making sure he was standing steady, he bowed deeply to apologize to his mother and aunt.

Had it not been for that incident, they would’ve returned long ago. Liu Nüluo hugged An’an and held his little hand, checking to make sure it wasn’t frozen, then breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

“It’s fine. We all know An’an’s temperament. Once he’s made up his mind about something, you can’t really change it. As long as you don’t mind him being a bit mischievous and disturbing your studies, it’s all good.”

On their way into the estate, Liu Sisi briefly explained where they had gone today.

Liu Nüluo had always known her son’s pouch had been stuffed with quite a bit of silver by his grandfather, but she hadn’t expected it to be this much. When she heard the amount, she was momentarily stunned.

“That much?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Liu Sisi had mentioned that classmate before, so Madam Liu wasn’t too surprised. Upon hearing the money was enough now, she let out a breath of relief.

“Poor Nanny,”

An’an clung to his mother’s hand, gently swaying it in a childish plea. Liu Nüluo, helpless, pinched his chubby cheek.

“So what do you want to do about it?”

Truthfully, An’an didn’t really know either. When they were at Young Master Wang’s house, he had mentioned that his mother had gone blind from the illness, and there was no way she could come to the Duke’s estate to care for An’an.

Even if An’an was willing, Liu Nüluo couldn’t feel at ease.

An’an had just shared what he was thinking instinctively, but he didn’t actually have a plan. His confused little expression softened Liu Nüluo’s heart.

She had just heard from Sisi that the old woman was blind and advanced in years. Even if she wanted to help, there wouldn’t be much she could really do.

Madam Liu disliked seeing An’an look so pitiful. With a gentle smile, she said:

“What’s the big deal? I heard that Young Master Wang plans to sit for the exams next year? If he really has talent, your father can help him out a bit. At the academy, Sisi can also look after him.”

If the child succeeded, the mother’s life would naturally improve too.

“You’re right. I was overthinking it.”

“I heard from Sisi that this child is promising and upright in conduct. If that’s true, then helping him now is no loss.”

After speaking, Madam Liu glanced at her son and instructed the maid beside her:

“From now on, give Young Master two extra taels of silver each month.”

Liu Sisi understood his mother’s intentions and gave a small nod.

An’an didn’t miss the bitter misery of his past life, but after encountering someone familiar, he just wanted to make things a little better for her.

He had thought of searching before, but perhaps because he’d left the Tang household too early, by the time Tang Yun was posted to a remote county, all the servants had been dismissed. An’an had been too young and hadn’t heard a word about any of them.

Now that he had finally found the Nanny, and with his aunt and mother around, he knew she wouldn’t suffer too much. That was enough for his peace of mind.

In his past life, the Nanny had said her son was very gifted in his studies, but had drawn too much jealousy at the academy. One winter, someone pushed him into the lake.

As long as he hugged his brother’s thigh tight and kept an eye on that boy a few more times, he wouldn’t have to worry.

People born into poverty with no support are easy to bully, but there weren’t many who’d dare touch someone favored by the Duke’s household.

Holding his mother’s hand, An’an bounced along the path in the garden.

The dark, hopeless past life was gradually drifting farther and farther away from him, replaced by a beautiful present life with a mother, grandparents, uncles and aunts, and a loving family.

Step by step, Liu Sisi followed behind his mother, their shadows stretching long in the setting sun.

An’an really liked the Liu family now. Even the usually stern grandfather and uncle didn’t question his desire to just be a happy little rice worm.

As long as he clung tightly to his cousin’s leg, he would be the most well-connected young master in the entire capital.

…

Huo Siwei had been persistent in trying to win An’an’s affection. He knew well how much Liu Nüluo cared for the child she bore after surviving countless near-deaths. As her fiancé, it was only natural for him to love whom she loved.

After all, in the future, An’an would have to call him “Daddy.”

An’an was still a child—no matter how clever he was, under the deliberate attentions of an adult man like Huo Siwei, his attitude gradually softened.

Huo Siwei’s military talent was nothing short of extraordinary; the battles he fought were even recorded in the history books.

An’an’s favorite thing was to curl up in Huo Siwei’s arms, holding a plate of pastries in his own, and listen to him talk about the perilous battles on the frontlines, and how he used his wit to claim victory.

When the stories got intense, his mouth would hang open wide enough to fit an entire pastry inside.

Seeing them get along so well, Liu Nüluo felt a sense of relief. No matter what she did, she could never ignore An’an’s feelings—especially not for something as major as remarriage.

Soon, the wedding day of Liu Nüluo and Huo Siwei arrived. A live-in son-in-law marriage followed a different process from traditional weddings—it was much more complicated.

At first, An’an thought there was just another celebration in the house. His short legs eagerly ran around trying to join in the fun. It wasn’t until the day before the wedding that he found out what it really was.

When he heard it from his older brother, An’an was so shocked that half the pastry in his mouth fell to the ground. He stared wide-eyed at Liu Sisi.

“An’an, don’t worry. Auntie is taking in a husband, not leaving home. She’ll still be living here,” Liu Sisi said gently as he rubbed his little brother’s head. If he hadn’t lost a bet with their mother, this news wouldn’t have fallen to him to deliver.

When he saw An’an’s eyes start to redden, his mind instantly went through a thousand ways to comfort him.

An’an sniffled and reached out to his brother, burying his face in his arms. He was so upset.

He had treated Huo Siwei like a good buddy, and now Huo Siwei wanted to be his dad?!

On the wedding day, An’an was in a foul mood. His puffed-up cheeks made him look like he might explode at any second—it was unbearably cute.

The only reason Liu Sisi had been asked to break the news was because Huo Siwei didn’t have the courage to do it himself. After all the effort he’d put into getting on An’an’s good side, there was no way he was going to risk it now.

The day after the wedding, Huo Siwei accompanied Liu Nüluo to formally visit the Duke of Liu. An’an sat on his grandfather’s lap, glaring out of the corner of his eyes, and didn’t move a muscle even when Huo Siwei knelt to offer him tea.

The Duke of Liu poked the soft flesh at An’an’s waist, and An’an defiantly scooted further into his grandfather’s arms.

Huo Siwei calmly presented the tea. An’an crossed his arms and turned his head away. He wasn’t just angry now—he was a little heartbroken, too.

The Duke of Liu knew his grandson’s behavior wasn’t appropriate, but this was the child he had raised himself. He couldn’t bear to scold him in front of others, so he turned slightly to take the gesture of respect himself.

An’an clung to his grandfather and refused to speak to Huo Siwei. Even when his mother beckoned him over, he pretended not to see.

He knew Huo Siwei was a good person—different from his biological father—but that didn’t stop the discomfort.

He needed time to adjust to the idea that his mother no longer belonged to him alone.

After the visit, the Duke of Liu took An’an to the rear garden. It was deep autumn, and the wind sent leaves fluttering down to the already-covered ground.

Each step on the leaves made a satisfying crunch. An’an found it fun and skipped along happily.

The Duke of Liu finally saw his little grandson return to his usual cheerful self and felt relieved. They sat at a stone table, and after a moment, he asked gently:

“An’an doesn’t like Uncle Huo?”

Not really, but An’an didn’t know whether to shake his head or not.

“Then why are you unhappy?”

An’an couldn’t explain. He just grabbed a pastry and stuffed it in his mouth.

His guilty behavior gave the Duke a general idea. He rubbed his temples and said with a sigh:

“If I’d known earlier, I wouldn’t have let them rush into marriage like this.”

If An’an had been given more time, he might’ve accepted it. This had just come on too suddenly.

“Mhm.”
An’an nodded lightly in agreement. The Duke gently ruffled his soft little head.

Liu Sisi and Huo Siwei had only met a few times at most. His real concern was still his younger cousin. Every time he returned from the academy, he brought back some fun new gadget to amuse An’an.

There was also Young Master Wang. He might not have had much silver on him, but he brought many interesting things from the countryside. To a boy like An’an, raised in the Duke’s manor, they were full of novelty.

Even after marrying Liu Nüluo, Huo Siwei didn’t ease up on trying to win An’an over. In fact, he was even more attentive than before.

The Duke’s household valued scholarly pursuits, while Huo Siwei excelled in martial arts.

He lured An’an to the training grounds with a plate of Liu Sisi’s favorite pastries and began performing with his spear. His style, inherited from a former Grand Marshal, was beautiful and impressive from afar.

Watching from the side, An’an began mimicking the movements subconsciously.

After finishing his set, Huo Siwei returned to An’an and crouched down. Though it was only early autumn, he was dripping with sweat. He reached out to grasp An’an’s little hand and asked with a smile:

“Want to learn from me?”

An’an’s eyes sparkled as he nodded, pushing all their past tensions to the back of his mind. He answered in his soft little voice:

“I do~”

“To make your spear moves that pretty, you’ll have to start with the basics.”

Huo Siwei brought it up casually. An’an, totally unsuspecting, nodded in agreement.

“Let’s train!”

Huo Siwei discussed the matter with the Duke. Given that An’an was weak, martial arts would be perfect to strengthen his body.

But An’an had always been a famously lazy little fellow, and no one in the Liu family had the heart to push him. So the job was left entirely to Huo Siwei.

With a red-tasseled spear in hand, Huo Siwei cut a gallant figure on the training field, and An’an, watching from the sidelines, practically had stars in his eyes.

This time, Huo Siwei didn’t even need to coax him—An’an happily scampered over on his own.

Clinging to Huo Siwei’s sleeve and swaying slightly, he whined like he usually did when asking his grandfather for something:

“Teach me, teach me, please?”

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you the fundamentals. Only after that can you learn the real stuff.”

“Why?”

An’an, slightly dazed by the excitement, suddenly snapped back to clarity and looked up at his uncle with suspicion.

“Can you even lift this spear?”

Huo Siwei brought over a small spear and placed it in front of An’an, peach blossom eyes full of laughter, clearly certain that An’an wouldn’t be able to pick it up.

Being looked down on is never a good feeling—especially for someone as young as An’an, who couldn’t handle even the slightest provocation. He crouched in front of the spear and stared at it for a while, but couldn’t see anything particularly special about it.

He tried to pick it up with one hand as if it were easy, but when it didn’t budge at all, a serious look crept onto his chubby little face.

He gripped it with both hands and gave it a mighty pull. This time he managed to lift it—barely—but after just a few seconds, An’an set it down on his own.

Huo Siwei moved the spear aside and crouched down to meet An’an’s eyes, asking:

“Are you willing to start practicing your fundamentals properly now?”

“Mm~”

An’an gave a soft hum and nodded in agreement. His uncle’s spearplay under the sunlight looked so cool it almost sparkled. He wanted to learn it too—even if it might be a bit tough.

Huo Siwei could tell An’an was smarter than most kids. Even though he was still young, he couldn’t expect the boy to treat him like a real father.

So from the start, he didn’t try to act like one. Instead, he chose to be An’an’s friend—and martial arts teacher.

Duke Liu had already wanted An’an to learn martial arts. But he worried that the boy, raised a little too delicately, wouldn’t be able to endure the hardship—and might end up offending his teacher instead.

Now that Huo Siwei was part of the family, having a general who’d proven himself in battle teach a child martial arts seemed like overkill.

The next morning, An’an changed into clothes better suited for movement and was dragged off to the training ground by Huo Siwei. Usually one to sleep in, he still felt half-asleep and blurry-eyed when he was picked up and dressed.

Huo Siwei looked at his groggy little face and finally understood why neither his father-in-law nor his wife could bear to be too hard on the boy.

“Susu, just a little more sleep, just a bit more.”

As Huo Siwei shook his shoulder, An’an looked at him with teary eyes.

“No.”

Huo Siwei forced himself to stay firm. A strict father and a gentle mother—if Liu Nüluo couldn’t bear to discipline him, then he would have to do it.

“Just a little while…”

An’an mumbled with grievance, clutching Huo Siwei’s arm and swaying it gently despite the stern expression. Huo Siwei was starting to cave under the whining. With a helpless rub at his brow, he relented:

“Fine, just a little while. But watch me first.”

“Okay~”

As long as he didn’t have to start right now, An’an would agree to just about anything.

He sat on a little stool, tucked his hands away to keep them warm, and watched his uncle in the training field.

Huo Siwei’s martial arts were top-notch. On the battlefield, he specialized in the spear. This wasn’t some empty flashy show—every move he made was laced with lethal intent.

Power and danger coexisted, pushing the beauty of form to its limits.

An’an, who had been quietly slacking off, unconsciously sat up straight when he saw this. He was completely captivated.

Cool. It was really cool—the kind of cool that appealed across all age groups.

When An’an saw his uncle do a spectacular reverse sweep, his mouth fell open in awe, dazed for a moment before he snapped back to his senses.

He patiently waited for Huo Siwei to finish. Without needing a word of encouragement, he toddled over with his short little legs.

“Uncle, teach me! Teach me!”

Huo Siwei scooped up the bouncing An’an and gave a soft hum in reply, then held him while demonstrating a horse stance.

For martial artists, mastering the basics is everything. But An’an was still young—there was no need to rush. If pushing too hard ended up harming his health, it wouldn’t be worth it.

He corrected An’an’s posture. Seeing him grit his teeth and persist, Huo Siwei’s eyes filled with amusement.

“If it’s too hard, you don’t have to do it. It’s just some basic spear techniques, nothing that special.”

The more he said things like that, the more An’an refused to back down. Once his rebellious side was triggered, nothing could stop him.

“Hmph~”

With a scoff of disdain, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind.

The more his uncle tried to stop him, the more he wanted to prove him wrong. He’d show him—he would master it. Then his uncle would have to admit he’d underestimated him.

Fueled by the desire to slap his uncle in the face with his success, An’an’s willpower became astonishing.

At first, even Liu Nüluo didn’t think An’an would manage. But day after day, he kept at it. Huo Siwei even brought it up several times, saying the kid had real talent for martial arts.

It was just a shame he was physically frail. Otherwise, he’d be an outstanding prospect.

Every morning, when Huo Siwei practiced his spear techniques, he brought An’an along. Like bait for a fish, An’an was hooked deep.

Every time he felt tempted to give up, that bait would dangle in front of him again, making his heart itch.

And then there was Huo Siwei always whispering in his ear—saying if he really couldn’t keep going, he didn’t have to force himself. It wasn’t like he had to learn it.

With that kind of “encouragement,” An’an had to master it!

Whenever Liu Nüluo saw An’an grit his teeth and keep going no matter what, she couldn’t help admiring how clever Huo Siwei was. Only he could get their little troublemaker to behave. Nothing else they tried ever worked.

Knowing An’an wouldn’t accept him as a father, Huo Siwei had simply let go of that identity and chose instead to be his teacher.

Nowadays, a teacher should be respected like a parent—so there wasn’t really much difference. It was just a more palatable approach for An’an.

Focused only on mastering his martial arts, An’an had no idea what a web of plans was behind all this. He was still grunting and puffing through his horse stance.

Duke Liu couldn’t help but laugh watching Huo Siwei’s methods.

His clever little grandson, who always seemed one step ahead, was now completely caught in someone else’s trap—thinking he’d scored a huge win.

Duke Liu didn’t expose it. Every household needed someone who could keep the boy in line and teach him.

Liu Sisi wholeheartedly supported his younger brother’s desire to learn martial arts. From a young age, he knew that when he grew up, he would inherit the Duke’s title. That’s why he felt fully justified in saying he’d protect his brother for a lifetime, no matter what he wanted to do.

If it weren’t for Grandfather’s objections…

Liu Sisi actually thought it wouldn’t be so bad for his little brother to be a pampered slacker while he grew up. As long as he was sheltered, what harm could it do? He wasn’t a bad kid, just a playful one.

But he knew if he ever said that out loud, their grandfather, mother, and father would all object—and probably give him a harsh scolding too.

From a young age, Liu Sisi understood that the Duke’s estate was his responsibility—and so was looking after his younger siblings.

He treated all his younger siblings and even the extended family well. But of all the younger ones, the one closest to him was An’an.

An’an was growing day by day. With Huo Siwei teaching him martial arts, he already seemed much more grounded and strong than the pampered little noble boy he used to be.

After getting married, Huo Siwei even returned the tiger tally the emperor had given him—the one granting command of troops. He looked every bit the man who’d decided to retire peacefully at home, raising a family and teaching his child.

After becoming accustomed to the bloodshed of the battlefield, Huo Siwei was very content with his current life and had no desire to provoke the Emperor’s suspicions again.

Rather than wait for the Emperor to grow impatient and take back the Tiger Tally, it was better to offer it up voluntarily and leave an impression of knowing one’s place.

To the current Emperor, the Duke’s estate held a special significance—it had supported him resolutely from the start, even when no one believed he could secure the title of Crown Prince.

The Empress bore him children, her elder brother served him with utmost loyalty in court, and now with Huo Siwei added to that list, he simply decided to chalk all that favor up to An’an.

That clever, adorable little fellow—he liked him quite a lot too.

…

A fall rain marked the shift of seasons, and soon it was time for the execution of the criminals. Both Tang Yun and Tang Jun were among them.

Tang Yun had entangled himself with the imperial concubines, and the punishment was execution of his entire household. As Tang Yun’s adopted son, Tang Jun naturally faced the same fate.

When Liu Nüluo learned of this, she was silent for a long time before eventually deciding to tell An’an.

The fact that An’an had lived an entire lifetime more than them was something Liu Nüluo had never told anyone—not even her current husband, who was now the closest person to her. She admitted to herself that this was selfish.

She didn’t want to gamble on the fickleness of human hearts, and she believed that in this world, no one could love her child as unreservedly as she did.

If An’an hadn’t confided in her during a high fever, Liu Nüluo would never have hesitated—she would have treated it all as if nothing had ever happened.

When An’an grew up, he would only remember Huo Siwei as his father, and Tang Yun, the criminal, would have nothing to do with him.

But someone who had lived a whole other life—how could An’an possibly forget? He probably wouldn’t be able to, even in this lifetime.

So why not ask him if he wanted to see the execution, to truly put an end to that part of his past?

When Liu Nüluo went to talk to An’an, he was holding a spear taller than himself, wanting to show off his progress to his big brother who had just returned from the academy.

His chubby little body holding that spear—he didn’t look anything like Huo Siwei’s formidable presence.

Not the slightest bit handsome, but undeniably cute.

Liu Sisi was very supportive, offering a string of praises without repeating a single one. Hearing them, Liu Nüluo couldn’t help but cover her mouth with a handkerchief to stifle a laugh.

By the time An’an put the spear down, he was already panting from exhaustion. Liu Sisi handed him a cup of tea.

“You seem to have improved quite a bit since last time.”

Ever since An’an started training, this kind of praise was his favorite. He pretended to be modest on the surface, waving his hand, but the pride in his eyes was practically glowing.

“Auntie, I still have some homework to finish, so I’ll be going now.”

Liu Sisi could tell his aunt had something to say to her cousin, so he sensibly took the initiative to leave.

“Alright.”

“Brother, next time you come back, you have to watch me again!”

An’an was a bit reluctant to part with his brother. Liu Sisi gave him a solemn promise.

“I will.”

Once Liu Sisi was out of sight, Liu Nüluo ordered the servants nearby to leave as well.

“Mother, is something wrong?”

“An’an, the day of Tang Yun and Tang Jun’s execution is near. Do you want to go watch?”

The execution would take place in front of the market, and all the common folk could go watch.

An’an hadn’t expected his mother to bring this up. He nervously clenched the hem of his robe.

He did want to go, but he hadn’t dared to tell her. After all, in everyone’s eyes, he was still just a child—such a bloody and violent scene wasn’t considered appropriate for him.

But after everything that had happened in his past life, even after so long in the Duke’s estate, he still couldn’t forget.

His father had pointed at his nose and cursed him as the culprit who killed his mother, saying he wished he could strangle him to bring her back.

Back then, the young and confused An’an truly believed he was responsible for her death and desperately sought a way to atone.

Tang Jun had acted kindly in front of his father, even advising him not to be too harsh on An’an. That made An’an believe, naively, that Tang Jun was a good person.

But once the father was gone, Tang Jun was even crueler.

He flaunted their father’s love and attention, boasted of his learning and ability, and even said that everything would be left to him.

Every insult reinforced the idea that An’an didn’t deserve love at all—that he was a complete failure, someone who didn’t even deserve to exist in this world.

Those dark memories chilled him to the bone even now.

“I do.”

An’an thought for a few seconds before voicing his true feelings. After he spoke, he nervously watched his mother’s face, not wanting to miss a single reaction.

His mother was nothing like the father and brother he remembered. He was sure that even if he revealed his true thoughts, she would never see him as cold-blooded or cruel.

No matter what he did, his mother would still love him.

“Alright. When the time comes, I’ll take you to see it.”

Huo Siwei had been nearby while Liu Nüluo spoke with An’an. Upon hearing this, he offered:

“Then I’ll go reserve a spot at the teahouse.”

An’an had been so focused on his mother that he didn’t even notice Huo Siwei was there.

Once he came to his senses, he grew a little nervous, tightening his grip on his mother’s hand and anxiously watching her, afraid Huo Siwei would think poorly of him.

This was the first time Huo Siwei had seen An’an show such unease in front of him. He reached out and ruffled the boy’s hair with a smile.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you just say you wanted to see it?”

“Then… will you let me go too?”

An’an looked up at him with curiosity, his wide eyes filled with uncertainty. Huo Siwei, of course, couldn’t bear to disappoint him.

“As long as you want to go, then go.”

Whether An’an was driven by curiosity or by something deeper he couldn’t yet say, it didn’t matter.

Huo Siwei couldn’t have children of his own after being wounded on the battlefield—a lie he had made up to get Liu Nüluo to agree to be with him.

But in the end, that lie was no different from the truth.

He couldn’t bear to let Liu Nüluo endure the hardship of pregnancy again. An’an was his only child in this life.

As a father, he would guide An’an down the right path and pull him back if he ever strayed.

So far, An’an had been doing just fine, and Huo Siwei didn’t think it was time to step in and correct him.

“Some people will say I’m wrong.”

In this life, Tang Yun hadn’t even had time to do anything yet. But even if he had, there would always be people who tried to guilt An’an using the word “father.”

The more Huo Siwei looked at this pitiful expression on An’an’s face, the more amused he felt. He pulled An’an into his lap and gently rubbed their noses together.

An’an squirmed at the ticklish touch and instinctively dodged to the side.

“Then we’ll go secretly.”

“Okay~”

The day of the execution arrived quickly. Luckily, Huo Siwei had reserved seats at the teahouse in advance—otherwise, they might not have been able to see anything at all.

The spot he had chosen was excellent—it gave a full view of the entire execution ground.

After being imprisoned for so long, Tang Yun and Tang Jun no longer looked like how An’an remembered them. Tang Yun appeared much older, and Tang Jun had lost all trace of his former pride and spirit.

Kneeling there with ashen faces, Tang Yun even had strands of white hair growing at his temples.

The execution officer proceeded according to the law. An’an kept his eyes fixed on Tang Yun. When the executioner raised the blade and was about to bring it down, An’an instinctively held his breath in tension.

He wanted to look—but he didn’t want to look.

His mind was filled with scenes from his past life, interwoven with the happiness he had experienced in the Duke’s Estate in this life, tugging back and forth at his emotions.

“The hour has arrived!”

At the official’s command, Tang Yun and Tang Jun instinctively closed their eyes. Just as An’an was about to lean forward to watch, a hand covered his eyes and drew him into a familiar embrace.

The familiar scent told An’an—it was his mother.

Huo Siwei had seen too much bloodshed on the battlefield to be affected, but he knew both Liu Nüluo and An’an would likely be afraid. When Liu Nüluo reached out to stop An’an from watching, he also covered his wife’s eyes.

“Don’t be afraid.”

“Okay.”

An’an was especially obedient, responding with a soft voice and a little nod.

“Okay.”

Heads fell. Blood splattered.