"Third Uncle." Zhi grabbed Tong Quanzi: "Why are you only coming back now? I’ve been waiting for you for a long ti."
Tong Quanzi was wearing a navy blue long robe. With thick eyebrows, big eyes, and skin tanned to a glowing bronze by the northwest winds, he had grown into a fine, tall man, with the essence of a man who stands tall and firm. He chuckled, crouching down to look at the child who had been in swaddling clothes when he left, now standing knee-high, head held high, calling him uncle, holding his hand. With great interest, he asked, "You’ve been waiting for a long ti? How long?"
Zhi tilted his head and thought for a mont, unable to calculate exactly, so he simply said: "Anyway, a long ti!" Then, eagerly asked Tong Quanzi: "They all say your martial arts are excellent, just how good are they?"
Feeling Zhi’s admiration, Tong Quanzi recalled how he had once admired Fourth Master Xiao. He lifted Zhi and carried him on his shoulder: "Co, let Uncle show you." Then he walked towards the inner courtyard, calling back to Tianjing: "Tell the Great Governor we’re going to the inner courtyard to find Sixth Sister, you don’t have to co along, I know the way!"
Tianjing chuckled, nodded: "Alright then, after you, Third Master." Then he turned to the grinning Tong Minzhi: "After you, Seventh Master."
Tong Minzhi nodded slightly and followed Tong Quanzi into the inner courtyard.
"This kid is heavy indeed." Tong Quanzi shifted Zhi on his shoulder. Tong Minzhi laughed and comnted: "He’s solidly built. You haven’t seen his speed when he runs yet; even I have to work hard to catch up with him. And he’s really nimble, like a monkey."
"Really?" Tong Quanzi looked up at Zhi, who nodded proudly: "Of course, why don’t we have a match?"
Tong Quanzi raised an eyebrow in interest: "Alright!" He said, putting Zhi on the ground: "Let Seventh Uncle call start, we’ll race to Chongen Residence!"
"Okay!" Zhi nodded, setting up his running pose. At Tong Minzhi’s call of ’start’, the two of them, one big and one small, darted away like arrows.
The wind roared past their ears. As Tong Quanzi ran, he turned back to look at Zhi trailing half a body behind him, clicking his tongue: "Good job, kid." Picking up his pace.
Laughing heartily, Zhi followed Tong Quanzi, their cheerful voices led them to the door of Chongen Residence.
"Really fast," Tong Quanzi gave a thumbs-up: "When Uncle was your age, I wasn’t as impressive as you are."
Zhi, panting, flashed a rare, shy smile.
"Third Brother." Inside, Xiqiu’s voice called out. Tong Quanzi grinned, lifting his chin towards Zhi: "Your mother is out, we’re not waiting for Seventh Uncle anymore." Saying this, he led Zhi into the courtyard, where they saw Xiqiu with her graceful smile coming from the veranda in her lotus-colored jacket. His eyes lit up as he called: "Sixth Sister."
Xiqiu laughed, waving: "Co inside quickly, it’s cold out." She turned to look at Zhi, whose cheeks were rosy from running, and smiled: "Where did you leave Seventh Uncle?"
Zhi chuckled, pointed towards the courtyard entrance: "Seventh Uncle is behind." No sooner had he finished speaking than Tong Minzhi’s voice was heard: "Sixth Sister." Bowing to Xiqiu in salute, he then asked Tong Quanzi and Zhi: "Who won?"
Tong Quanzi winked at Zhi, and they winked back at him, turning to say together: "We’re not telling you." With that, they laughed and entered the Warm Pavilion.
Xiqiu looked at Zhi, who had finally found a "kindred spirit," and shook her head helplessly, turning back to speak with Tong Minzhi: "Did you co straight from ho?"
"Yes. Third Brother had lunch, took a bath, and said he wanted to co here, so I accompanied him. Father and Eldest Brother went to the governnt office and haven’t been seen yet." As they entered the Warm Pavilion, Zhi squeezed in beside Tong Quanzi, the two talking softly.
Seeing Xiqiu co in, Tong Quanzi said: "Sixth Sister, why don’t you let Zhi learn martial arts now? His bones are soft and flexible, it’s the best ti to start." He ruffled Zhi’s hair: "I started too late and struggled much more than others later on."
Xiqiu looked at Zhi, who stared back with bright eyes.
Settling into the main seat, Xiqiu smiled: "He’s still young, and he’s going to start his formal education next year, it’s not too late to wait for another year or two."
Zhi pouted, and when Tong Quanzi wanted to say more, Zhi shook his head at him, so Tong Quanzi said nothing further on the subject.
"Have you seen Fourth Master yet?" Xiqiu smilingly changed the topic, Tong Quanzi nodded: "The Great Governor is busy with work, I didn’t understand it so I stayed out of it." Then he looked at Zhi.
Xiqiu regarded Tong Quanzi, now radiating the aura of a military general, and wondered how Second Master, always proud of his scholarly roots, would feel seeing his only son like this. She asked: "Did you visit Baoding and see Second Uncle and Aunt yet?"
Tong Quanzi’s eyes shifted, his hand rubbing his neck sheepishly: "I planned to go back first, but thinking of them pressing to marry, I got nervous..." Then pleading with Xiqiu: "Sixth Sister, could you write a letter to my mother asking her not to push into marriage? I’m only a small flag; it’s too early to start a family."
Xiqiu raised her brow, asking: "But you should set a tiline, right?" Without hesitation, Tong Quanzi replied: "I’ll marry once I reach the rank of Hundred Households, definitely!" Looking at Zhi, feeling that aim stamped as a Hundred Households!
From small flag to General to Hundred Households, so spend half a lifeti, others win it easily with one achievent. It’s not a tiline, she laughed: "No need for to write. Aunt surely knows you’ve arrived in the Capital, she’ll definitely co here before the New Year, so you’ll have to tell her yourself."
Tong Quanzi deflated visibly!
Tong Minzhi pursed his lips with amusent, Tong Quanzi glared at him, pretending anger: "Don’t look at ; your turn is coming in two years."
Xiqiu saw a fleeting shadow of forlornness pass over Tong Minzhi’s face, quickly replaced by his silly smile: "I’ve got ti, besides Father agreed to wait until I’ve achieved Scholar status before discussing marriage."
"Whew!" Childishly, Tong Quanzi spread his arms and flopped onto the couch, exclaiming: "Had I known, I wouldn’t have co back."
Xiqiu laughed softly, replying: "Aunt is just concerned for you, after all, you’re her only son. Continuing the family line is important." Pausing, she asked: "How long are you staying this ti?"
Tong Quanzi sat up straight with a turn, answering: "I’ll leave after the New Year!" Then looking at Zhi: "I’ve scheduled to go horseback riding with a senior brother in the countryside tomorrow, want to co?"
An eager "yes" was about to burst out, but Zhi hesitated and looked to Xiqiu for permission. Xiqiu nodded slightly: "You can go, but listen to your uncle and don’t wander off."
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