[To Become a River of Stars] Dong Xiange - Chapter 55

After resting for another night, they set off the next day.

Li Xuanci had always preferred riding horses, valuing the freedom and exhilaration it brought. This journey had been no exception—he had ridden on horseback the entire time.

However, that afternoon, he had Jin Zhan bring over a horse: a docile chestnut mare, not too tall.

Then, as if leading a horse himself, he led Shiliu over. She obediently followed, clutching her “brother’s” sleeve as she meekly entered the stable.

Unfortunately, at the sight of the horse, her true nature surfaced—she was afraid of strangers. She scurried behind Li Xuanci, clinging tightly to his waist and refusing to let go, only daring to peek at the snorting horse with a pair of fearful eyes.

Li Xuanci shot a sharp glance at Jin Zhan, who stood to the side. The latter, ever the dutiful guard, expertly clamped his gaping mouth shut and lowered his head, refusing to look further.

Still, he couldn’t help but inwardly marvel: Brother Shiliu has adapted to this role change remarkably fast. Truly impressive!

Li Xuanci withdrew his gaze and looked down at the hands clasped around his waist.

A pair of rather plump, tender hands.

Though Shiliu had delicate features, her hands seemed to have inherited her hearty appetite—fair, soft, and plump rather than slender and elongated. They weren’t quite as stubby as carrots, but they were undeniably… cheerful-looking.

Fortunately, her master had once comforted her, saying the gaps between her fingers were so tight that not even noonday sunlight could slip through. She was destined, he claimed, to be the best in their sect at hoarding and safeguarding money.

Li Xuanci mercilessly pried open those plump fingers one by one, then hauled the shrew-mouse-like Shiliu out from behind him.

“Get on the horse yourself,” he said, nudging her forward.

But Shiliu clung to his arm, refusing to release him, pleading, “Shiliu doesn’t want to. Shiliu is scared. It will bite Shiliu.”

Since when did horses bite people? She was just being stubborn again. Li Xuanci decided not to waste words. Instead, he twisted his wrist, seized Shiliu, dragged her over, lifted her up, and made to carry her toward the horse.

Shiliu thrashed like a spring, legs kicking wildly as she cried, “Shiliu doesn’t want to! Brother is bullying Shiliu! It’s going to bite Shiliu!”

To an untrained ear, it almost sounded as if she were accusing Li Xuanci of biting her.

Jin Zhan not only dared not look—he now dared not listen either. He wished he could cover his ears entirely. Still, he sensed something unusual about Shiliu; she seemed as uninformed and naive as a child. It was a pity he didn’t dare look up to see clearly.

Li Xuanci deposited her directly onto the horse. Unfortunately, the uncooperative girl, even while straddling the saddle, leaned sideways, stubbornly clinging to him.

She deployed every coquettish trick in her arsenal: eyes brimming with tears, pitifully calling, “Brother, don’t abandon Shiliu,” her face streaked with tears, those plump hands still tightly wrapped around his neck.

Her tender, soft face glistened with tear tracks under the sunlight, so close to his. Li Xuanci’s eyesight was exceptional; he could easily make out the fine down on her cheeks, like a freshly picked peach, still dewy.

Shiliu gazed at him pleadingly, her eyes filled with dependence and petulance. Her pupils, illuminated by the light, had turned into deep amber. Her tear-dampened eyelashes clumped together, casting delicate shadows under her eyes.

“Brother, don’t leave Shiliu, okay? Shiliu will be good. Shiliu will even give you her cloth tiger to play with.” Her voice still carried a nasal tone, making her sound even more pitiful and docile. She was willing to give up her most beloved cloth tiger if it meant he wouldn’t abandon her.

Shiliu didn’t really understand what riding a horse or traveling meant. She didn’t worry about when she might recover her senses. She understood nothing—she simply relied wholeheartedly on her “brother.” Even if he was sometimes mean to her, she didn’t want to sit alone on this tall horse, watching him walk away below, didn’t want to be separated from him.

Li Xuanci didn’t speak, only gazed deeply into her eyes.

The brilliant sun cast a hazy glow atop her hair. In that moment of stillness, only dust motes danced slowly in the air before settling. Shiliu’s clear eyes reflected only his image from below.

After a brief standoff, Li Xuanci let out a soft sigh and lifted her down.

Afterward, Jin Zhan went to hire a carriage.