CHAPTER 172: Loyal companion (2)
The boy lifted his hand and patted the dog affectionately, "Hao hao, you're such a good boy. You should eat first though, you've been hungry for days. I'm so sorry I can't find food for you" the little by muttered meekly, his voice trembled as he's trying to stop himself from crying.
Lady shan shou frowned as she stood up and brought food to their side, she sat beside him and feed him a mouthful of soup. "Just eat up, don't worry we have lots of foods with us. Eat well until you recover." She said warmly, the boy thought he's just dreaming as he opened his mouth shyly and started eating.
As lady shan shou feed the little boy, yu yue called hao hao. After she feed its fill she gets some celestial spring water, hao hao drinks it wantonly. Since she's at it she also bathes it.
"miss, let me do that instead" xing er offered seeing yu yue taking out a tub and trying to wash hao hao's fur.
"nah, I can handle it" yu yue replied without glancing as she bathed the obedient dog. After drying its fur, it looks really lustrous and shiny. However, there are still signs of malnourishment.
Hao hao lick yu yue's hand as it barks at her happily, it waves its tail fondly. Yu yue likes him the moment she saw him; she couldn't help but caress its gold brown fur. Hao hao is a male chow chow, it looks really cute and adorable.
…
As the sun rose the little boy woke up, yu yue and the others were already having a breakfast. Same as last night hao hao brought him a piece of meat, yu yue tried to stop it as xing yi already set aside a plate-full for the little boy but it wouldn't relent so she just let it be.
After they have a meal they brought the little boy with them. He sat quietly and a little embarrassedly opposite yu yue. They have to bring him along as the nearest town is still far away, it's also not safe for him to be out in the woods.
After xing yi help him clean himself and changed his clothes they started traveling again.
"what's your name little boy?" yu yue asked casually, lady shan shou pursed her lips. She could barely hold it in, yu yue wasn't that old to begin with so addressing the little boy as such sounds weird.
"I'm little cheng shi, this is hao hao" he replied timidly as he hugs his loyal companion.
"I like your name, who give it to you?" she asked curiously.
Little cheng shi froze, he shifted uncomfortably. His eyes reddened as his body trembled, huge bead of tears trickled his face.
"what's wrong?" yu yue was stupefied, she looks at lady shan shou confusedly.
"my big brother… bohuhuhu… my big brother—" he shook as he cried vigorously.
"did he gave you your name?" lady shan shou asked warmly as she comforted him, little cheng shi nodded but he still sobbed pitifully.
"what happened to your big brother?" yu yue asked with a frown, however right after she asked that little cheng shi cried even louder.
Lady shan shou glanced at her speechlessly, yu yue shrink her neck and decided to remain quiet. She's also wondering why every time she asked something casually it would trigger something.
"big brother said… he said that he would go to the lava mountain forest to look for a herb called fire dragon grass. He said he would be back but I've been waiting for three years already, he hasn't come back ever since… bohuhuhuhu" the boy cried mournfully.
Lady shan shou and yu yue glanced at each other, they didn't dare said out loud their opinions and just consoled little cheng shi.