Chapter 5: You Are My Destiny

Look at this dog-crawling handwriting. What on earth does it say?

Stripping away the crooked circles and crosses, and removing the typos, the content written densely across the scraps of paper summed up to a single sentence: "Mother, please forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye. I am going to pursue true love and live a life of freedom and leisure with my handsome brother, going out together to see the great wide world."

The fingers clutching the note turned a faint pale blue from excessive force, and terrifying blue veins crawled up her forehead. "Hehehehe..."

Like a sinister laugh floating up from the depths of hell, it sounded exceptionally eerie in this quiet, pitch-black room.

"Shangguan Ling, you've got some nerve. At such a young age, you're actually playing the elopement trick on me? If you've got the guts, then don't let me catch you! Otherwise..."

...

Inside a carriage traveling on the official highway a thousand meters outside of town, a loud sneeze suddenly rang out.

Feng Jinmo, who had been napping with his eyes closed, opened them alertly. He leaned down and gently lifted the fabric beneath the soft cushion, only to crash straight into a pair of large, bright eyes that were as lively and brilliant as stars.

"Hi, handsome brother, I've met you again." Her soft voice carried a hint of excitement and a touch of fawning.

Feng Jinmo's lip twitched. He commanded toward the outside, "Stop the carriage!"

How could she be here?

The driver quickly pulled on the reins.

As their eyes met, Feng Jinmo had a belly full of questions he wanted to ask. And Shangguan Ling? She was rolling her eyes around, pondering exactly how she should persuade her handsome brother to elope with her.

"Little milk bun..." Feng Jinmo steadied himself and called out in a low voice. "Why are you hiding here all by yourself? Are you playing hide-and-seek with someone?" He asked softly, his wicked and enchanting face currently wearing a patient and doting smile.

Shangguan Ling looked proud. "I wouldn't play such a childish game as hide-and-seek."

"..." Feng Jinmo felt as if his brain couldn't quite keep up with her rhythm. Looking at her appearance, she was at most five or six years old. Was a child of this age already mature enough to consider hide-and-seek a childish game?

His tone held a faint indulgence: "Alright, then can you tell me what you're doing hiding here?"

"Oh my, do you really expect me to say such things with my own mouth?" Shangguan Ling mimicked the poses of those beautiful older sisters she had occasionally seen when following her mother to brothels in her childhood. She waved her hands shyly, looking as if she were hesitating to speak, appearing utterly charming and captivating.

*Dear, please remember the fact that you are just a child; do you dare stop making these age-inappropriate gestures...*

Feng Jinmo sighed helplessly.

"Running out like this will make your family worry."

"They won't! I left a letter for Mother," Shangguan Ling said righteously. Feng Jinmo understood completely now; it seemed this little girl had prepared for her runaway attempt in advance.

"Are you having a conflict with your family? Did Mother scold you?"

"You're not allowed to speak ill of Mother!" The Shangguan Ling who had just been smiling kindly and looking cute and fragile was now baring her teeth and glaring at him.

Had he said anything he shouldn't have?

"Fine, then tell me, why exactly?" He wouldn't bicker with a child; he would endure! Feng Jinmo flashed his most perfect smile, his voice low.

Shangguan Ling's eyes had turned into heart shapes, and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "Oh my, I know you must understand."

Feng Jinmo was completely lost. He shook his head blankly. He didn't understand! He truly didn't understand! *Please, explain, dear.*

As if sensing his confusion, Shangguan Ling finally waved her hand, pouted, and with an expression that said she was throwing caution to the wind, said: "Fine, fine, you're the one insisting I say it! I'll tell you: I feel like you are my destined one. The plays say that to pursue true love, one should disregard everything. So, I've decided that so I won't have regrets in the future, I'll just follow you!"

True love, destined one, hehehe... Who could tell him that his ears were definitely malfunctioning? How could he possibly hear a confession from a little girl? This was simply unscientific!