A Game With The Little One

It was peaceful in Eternal Spring for three days until loud footsteps shook the house.

Li Wei's eyebrows scrunched up in irritation. Which brat dared! Her body turned from side to side until she could take it no longer. She grabbed her robe and walked out into the corridor.

Khan Bohai's small body jumped up and down, stepping into the puddles of the recent morning rain. His steps were wider than normal as he tried to follow the trails of the puddles. He grinned in satisfaction when he landed perfectly in the center of a puddle.

"Yes!" He cheered. The little boy kept playing until he realized someone was blocking the way. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked up. The colors on his face instantly paled.

Li Wei glanced at him up and down. The last time she ran into him and Khan Bojing, his reaction to her was distant. In the past four years, she hadn't seen him often. She forbade the prince to see her and she, too, didn't look for him. They would only meet occasionally during public events.

It was a wonder Khan Bojing even told him she was his mother. If she raised him alone, she wouldn't tell him who his father was.

Regardless, Khan Bohai had grown well by his father's side. His head now reached her mid thighs, he was slightly chubby for his age, and his smile disappeared when he saw her...

She leaned forward, making her cold expression even more terrifying. "Who allowed you in here?"

He took a step back. Daddy lied. Mommy didn't become warmer.

Her tongue clicked impatiently, "Not answering?"

"D-daddy said I can play with you for one day," He stuttered.

"So it was your father?" Li Wei crossed her arms.

"Imperial Mother," He courageously grabbed her leg. "Please don't be mad."

She didn't know how to respond, only looking at him quietly. Before, he didn't dare approach her and only watched from afar. Today, he made the first initiation to find her. Somehow the anger she expected didn't come. Why wasn't she mad?

Khan Bohai buried his face into her dress. He was scared to see his mother's expression. "Don't get sick."

"Why?" Her health was in good condition. What nonsense were others telling him?

"What will daddy do if you get sick?"

A tiny part of her suddenly wanted to know what he would say next.

"Daddy said he will go crazy," He repeated the words he heard.

Crazy? Li Wei rolled her eyes. "And that scared you?"

"It sounds bad..."

What a gullible child. Would he believe every word out of his father's mouth?

She pulled him back. His eyes had become slightly teary. Whether it was from his fear of her or his fear of his father going crazy, she wasn't sure. "You are still young. You don't know the ways of the world."

"I-I know a lot," He bravely disagreed. His mother hadn't hit him for speaking out yet.

The boy was surprisingly bold. Li Wei pursed her lips. "Is that right?"

"Y-yes..." Khan Bohai paused for a moment, thinking if he should say more. He was here already, who knows if he would get to see her again tomorrow? "Meet with daddy too."

"Don't want to."

"Daddy misses you."

The boy was sure talkative. "Do you know what it means to miss someone?"

"I do," He nodded confidently. "Miss is you want to see them."

"So your father wants to see me?"

He nodded again.

She shook her head. "Wrong. I'm the last person he wants to see."

Ah? He tilted his head in confusion, "But that's what daddy said."

"Your father tells you a lot of nonsense."

Khan Bohai didn't know nonsense. He only knew what he was told and the things he saw. He glanced left and right before he quiet whispered, "Daddy cried last night."

"So?"

"Tell him something nice."

"My son, you give me orders now?"

Khan Bohai immediately bowed down. "N-no!"

After a moment's contemplation, she relented, "What should I tell him?"

His dull eyes sparkled again. Mommy wasn't mad, she was interested! "Want to know?"

"No, I changed my mind. Go back with Uncle Ye."

Li Wei closed the doors and returned to bed. If she slept, her consciousness would be taken over. For a short moment, she wouldn't have to think.

Why was it so hard to sleep now? The little shadow against the wall bothered her. She pulled the blanket over her head. It wasn't much better.

She thought she would be able to sleep if she didn't see his shadow slumped hopelessly. Even when she couldn't see it, the image replayed in her head.

With a defeated sigh, she opened the doors. "You said you came to play?"

Khan Bohai's head that was previously down looked up. His round eyes widened more than ever before. No way... Mommy would play with him?

"After playing, you'll leave?"

"Yes!" He agreed happily.

A moment later, the mother and son sat on the large swing in the garden. Li Wei hadn't played with him before. Not knowing what he liked, she could only suggest a game she used to play.

She forced her finger to point on a soft cloud, "What's that?"

Khan Bohai stared at the cloud's shape, determined to please his mother. "A panda?"

"Wrong, it's a peach. What about that one?"

"A bird?"

"No, it's a leaf. What's that one?"

"M-maybe a bunny?" By this point, his voice was getting quieter and quieter with each response. He had been getting it wrong. Would mommy be mad?

Li Wei turned to him, "How can you be so bad? Have you not played it before?"

"I-I played with daddy. He said I got everything right." Khan Bohai scratched his head.

She scoffed. Of course, Khan Bojing would spoil him unreasonably. "Well, your father's a liar."

"A liar?"

"Someone who hides things," She said as simply as she could.

"Like toys?"

"..." Alright, that didn't work. Li Wei tried again, "Hide the truth using words."

"A bad person?"

"It depends on how mean the lie is."

"Like daddy is sad but he says he's okay?"

"... That works."

"Ohhh," His voice echoed his thoughts. He got it now.

The little boy suddenly pointed at two clouds very excitedly. "Imperial Mother, what's that?"

Her gaze lazily returned to the sky. She couldn't make out a shape. Weren't it just clumps? She made up an answer, "Two ugly ducks."

"Nope." He shook his head and proceeded to happily declare, "It's you and daddy!"

Where? How? The blank expression on her face frowned when she caught on, "Khan Bohai, you dare?"

"Don't dare, don't dare!" Khan Bohai scurried away, running to the gates. Under the archway, he glanced back. For the first time, he gave her a smile.

A big smile in which his lips curved upwards and his eyes turned into crescent moons.

Li Wei placed her hands on her hips disapprovingly. That boy had become so bold he dared to used what she said to tease her. Was she too easy on him? A scowl came upon her face. Just wait until the next time she sees him!

Khan Bojing had spoiled him too much. He believed everyone was kind. Even her.

If Khan Bojing didn't teach him the harsh reality of life, she would. He was going to find out when he grows up anyway.

"Imperial Mother, I forgot."

She stared at his small and chubby figure that returned. Those innocent round eyes would one day look at her with hatred as the others.

"You want to know, right?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Want to, don't want to. Does it matter? You'll tell me anyway."

"You won't know if I don't tell you."

"Just say it."

"When you see daddy..." He started backing up.

"I told you, I'm not seeing him."

Khan Bohai waited until he was far enough to escape. Then, he blurted out loudly, "Don't talk. Just hug and kiss!"