The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Dabao Speaks

No matter how Ji Huan tried to soothe him, her gentle words seemed to be blocked out, completely unable to reach Dabao’s ears.

He was clearly out of strength, yet he continued to resist and struggle. His newly grown fingernails even cut the side of Ji Huan’s face.

Ji Huan hissed in pain.

It was this sound that made Dabao’s screams pause for a moment.

Ji Huan seized the opportunity to hug him tighter, one hand patting his back comfortingly.

"Dabao, you heard that, didn’t you? It’s your big sister. I’m back. I didn’t abandon you. I’m back..."

The voice was soft and gentle, just like on those evenings after dinner, lying on the warm brick bed, listening to the person who would slowly tell him stories...

Dabao’s stiff body relaxed bit by bit, until finally, he was nestled in Ji Huan’s arms, docile and obedient once more.

From this subtle reaction, Ji Huan knew. Dabao was alright. He recognized her.

However, an even greater surprise was yet to come.

She stood up, about to pull Dabao to his feet, when she vaguely heard a voice in the darkness.

She shook her head. ’I must be hearing things.’

’Who would call me sister? Dacheng and the others always call me Sister Wan.’

Then, Dabao suddenly grabbed her hand, holding it very, very tight.

Then Ji Huan heard the voice again, crystal clear this time.

It was Dabao. In a hoarse, clumsy voice, he called out, "Big... sis."

Ji Huan froze in place.

In that instant, her body was numb, her mind was blank. She didn’t even know whether to laugh or cry.

She crouched down and fumbled to cup Dabao’s face, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "What did you just say? Say it again."

She was answered with a long silence.

Ji Huan wasn’t discouraged. She kept coaxing Dabao in an encouraging tone.

"Dabao, please say it again. Your sister wants to hear it one more time. Just call me that again..."

But Dabao still refused to speak.

Still, he *had* spoken.

Ji Huan was certain she hadn’t been hearing things.

She couldn’t contain her euphoria. She turned to run outside, desperate to share the good news with someone.

But she had barely taken a single step when she heard Dabao’s devastated sobs from behind her.

"B-big... sis... Bao... wrong... won’t... dare... no... don’t... abandon..."

The words were fragmented and broken, but Ji Huan heard every single one with perfect clarity.

If she had felt joy before, this was pure ecstasy!

Before she could even recover from the powerful shock, Dabao threw himself at her legs, hugging them tightly as he repeated his slurred words through sobs.

At first, Ji Huan was too immersed in the joy of Dabao finally speaking to notice, but now she realized something was wrong.

She crouched down to touch Dabao’s face and, sure enough, her hand came away wet with tears.

Dabao rarely cried, and a fit of sobbing like this was completely unheard of.

So Ji Huan panicked instantly.

Especially with Dabao saying he was wrong, that he wouldn’t dare again... ’What on earth is all this about?’

She knew she wouldn’t get an answer out of Dabao, so she simply picked him up and carried him to the main hall.

A lamp was lit in the main hall. Seeing the brother and sister emerge, the members of the Hu Family all had looks of delight on their faces. Apparently, they had heard Dabao speak.

Widow Xie was especially happy for her. "Oh, my! Dabao has finally spoken! All your worrying wasn’t for nothing. Now let’s see who dares to call Dabao a mute!"

Hu Dacheng walked over to tease Dabao, who had his head on Ji Huan’s shoulder. "Dabao, call me Brother Chengzi. Come on, say it."

Hu Ximei joined in on the fun. "Then you have to call me sister, too!"

Dabao just hugged Ji Huan’s neck, ignoring everyone. His eyes, welling with tears, were fixed on Ji Huan.

Ji Huan asked Widow Xie, "Did Dabao get into any trouble today while I was gone?"

"Not at all. He was perfectly well-behaved before dark. He just sat by the door holding that little lion of his, waiting for you without moving an inch. After it got dark, though..."

Ji Huan immediately turned to Hu Liang. "When you went to stop him after dark, did he bite you again?"

Before Hu Liang could even speak, Ji Huan felt Dabao’s little body suddenly go rigid.

Hu Liang thought for a moment, then said with a puzzled expression, "Come to think of it, he actually didn’t bite me today. He got really agitated near the end, but he just wouldn’t let anyone get close..."

Ji Huan truly couldn’t figure it out.

’If Dabao didn’t bite anyone, why did he tell me that he wouldn’t dare again, that he was wrong?’

’And a moment ago, I only turned around. Why was he so terrified?’

Dabao had always been clingy, but never to this extent.

Sometimes, when she had things to do, she would leave Dabao with the Hu Family for a little while. As long as she explained it to him properly, he would listen, even if he was reluctant.

’Could it be that just because I was gone for a whole day, a longer time than usual, he thought I was gone for good?’

Ji Huan looked at Dabao. He blinked, and another tear rolled down his cheek.

Ji Huan’s head throbbed, but her heart ached for him more. She patted his back gently.

"Please don’t cry, okay? It’s my fault. I’m the bad guy; I shouldn’t have been gone for so long. But I’ve told you before, haven’t I? No matter what, I will never abandon you. Even if you get lost, I will always find you. So what are you crying for? Did you forget what I said?"

Dabao shook his head, his small body still hitching with sobs.

’...Great. So the kid who never cries has turned into a little crybaby?’

"Alright, alright, as long as you’ve calmed him down. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? We left some food for you in the pot. Dabao didn’t even eat lunch, so you should feed him a little, too."

Widow Xie and Hu Ximei brought the warmed-up dishes from the kitchen, and Ji Huan sat down on a stool with Dabao in her arms.

She had intended to have Dabao sit by himself—he’d gained some weight recently and was getting difficult to hold.

But Dabao clutched her clothes and refused to let go, so Ji Huan had no choice.

’Well, since it’s so rare for him to cry, his little heart must be feeling fragile. I suppose I can indulge him this one time.’

Ji Huan finished her bowl of congee in a few quick gulps, then picked up the steamed egg custard made specially for Dabao, scooping up a spoonful and bringing it to his lips.

Dabao glanced at it with heavy-lidded eyes. It probably didn’t taste quite like what Ji Huan usually made for him, and he seemed reluctant to open his mouth.

But after another look at Ji Huan, his small mouth opened anyway.

"Good boy! Here, have another bite."

He finished the entire bowl of egg custard without any fuss.

Watching them, Widow Xie shook her head. "Forgive me for saying so, but you spoil Dabao far too much."

"Do I?" Ji Huan replied, not admitting to anything.

She felt she was only indulging him for this one moment. Normally, Dabao sat on his stool and ate all by himself.

But she and Widow Xie were talking about two completely different things.

"The boy won’t accept anyone but you now, but let’s set that aside. I did as you asked and had Liangzi steam a bowl of egg custard for him at noon, but he wouldn’t let anyone feed him. He refused to eat when we had dinner, too. How could he not be hungry? He’d rather starve than eat until you came back to feed him. If that isn’t spoiling him, what is?"

In truth, Widow Xie hadn’t even finished her thought.

What farming family could afford to give their child a bowl of steamed egg custard every single day?

And it wasn’t just the egg custard. Ji Huan was always preparing all sorts of different dishes for Dabao every day.

He ate well, he dressed well, he was taught to read, and he was told stories. No one had ever seen a child raised with such meticulous care.

Even Dacheng and Ximei had privately complained to her, asking why she hadn’t given them a sister like Ji Huan.

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