Chapter 6 Teach Me

Two of Huli Jing's Daddies are on watch while she's playing with the fur ball that the little foxes gave her. At first, they were reluctant to give it to her, but she acted as if she was going to cry. The males couldn't let her cry and gave in.

One of the males is stitching something, he looks so gentle. Huli Jing was amazed when she saw that earlier. Men don't do such a thing back in Li, even in Hu country. Only ladies do such a thing. Some who are too rich or have power, don't do such a thing, as they feel it degrading. She didn't even know how to embroider. Needle and Huli Jing are enemies.

The other male is writing something, he is using stick charcoal and a square stone. He looks like a scholar. When Huli Jing saw it, she couldn't understand it. Even if Huli Jing wanted to write, she wouldn't dare. One, they might be suspicious of her. Two, the stick charcoal seems to be rare, as the male rarely writes and is reluctant to make mistakes. She can only play with the ball. Even though Huli Jing is playing, her mind is too busy.

'I now know many words. Although, there is no guarantee that the words are right, at least I could understand them. My name is Hu'er. The males I've seen are my Daddies. Not sure if that's brothers, uncles, or cousins. That's the only thing I could think of. I know how to say no, fruits, pee, poop, bath, hate, like, kiss, hug, and carry. I don't need to cry anymore just so they could understand. Luckily, they started teaching me some words.

I also am glad that I can act in front of them. Changing faces is after all one of the requirements of Moon Pavilion. Although acting like a baby makes me embarrassed, I can at least be safe. They wouldn't know that I am Huli Jing, not Jiuweihu.'

Huli Jing's thoughts were stopped when she heard, "Hu'er?" Looking at the Daddy who called her. He seems to have called her several times already. 'Another one, I need to get used to responding when I hear Hu'er.'

"Dwadwy?" Huli Jing suddenly thought, 'I should practice saying Daddy again and again so it doesn't sound dewy.'

The man talked to her. Of course, she can only blink as Huli Jing didn't find anything he said familiar. Then, He carried her down.

Huli Jing feels so excited. This is the first time she's left that room. This is her chance to see where she is. Her hope of finding where this place is immediately dashed out of her mind. Her Daddy only went down and he put Huli Jing down in the middle of so many things.

An old man's voice sounded from downstairs. He came up to Huli Jing's room laughing happily. The old man stops his laugh and looks at Huli Jing in excitement. She suddenly feels fear and looks at her Daddy.

Her Daddy smiles at her and pats her head. Huli Jing looked at the old man again and saw her Daddy, who is a physician, following the old man. Her eyes beamed and called him. "Dwadwy!"

The physician smiled gently and nodded at her, "Hu'er.."

The old man's eyes are full of astonishment. He rushed to Huli Jing, making her scared. Huli Jing's eyes widened. Shocked, she felt her body falling. Her Daddy at the back caught her and fixed how she was sitting. The old man looks at her, apologizing.

The old man stood up and talked to her Daddies. Huli Jing heard them speak words that she could understand, which made her curious. They also look at her from time to time. The old man seems to be excited. Nodding, he sat down in front of her.

The old man said something repeatedly. Huli Jing blinks at him. The physician said something to the old man. The old man seemed to realize what the physician was saying.

He looked at Huli Jing again and said, "Elder" then pointed at himself. He did it again and again. Huli Jing looks at her Daddies, seemingly looking if it's fine.

Her Daddy said "Elder" and then pointed at the old man.

"Ewdewl," after saying that, Huli puffed her cheeks. Annoyed at how she pronounced it. The three males already feel proud but before they could compliment her, Huli Jing pursed her lips and force herself to say "Eldyer".

She felt that it was much better than the first and repeated it then pointed at the old man. Thinking that she could straighten up that Daddy, she said "Dadyee". Proud, she pointed at the two males.

"Yes!" They both nodded at her.

"Yes!" Huli Jing repeated and happily raised her hands.

The old man chuckled and took something from the floor, and said, "Flower".

Huli Jing widened her eyes and suddenly thought, "He is actually going to teach me! Great!" Then said, "Fwowyer!" Huli Jing shook her head.

The old man patiently repeated it for her. "Flower," Huli Jing slowly pronounced it right.

Huli Jing excitedly yell, "Fwower!" stunned, she blushed. They laughed at her. The old man gently said something and repeated the word flower.

When Huli Jing got it right and could speak flower straight, the old man nodded and gave her another thing. He said, "Stone".

The old man taught her well and in the middle of it, Huli Jing felt her throat dry. She looked at her Daddy, and only saw the person who brought her down. The physician has long been gone. Her Daddy is writing again. He seems to feel her gaze and looks at her. Huli Jing smiles and lays out her hand, "Fwut" She repeated, "Fruit."

Her Daddy stood up and gave her one berry. She ate it and saw the old man looking at her. 'Does he want it too?' Huli Jing looks at her Daddy and asks for more. When Huli Jing got it, she pushed her hands toward the old man and said. "Elder, fruit."

The Elder was shocked and smiled gently. "Thank you," he said.