The Poor Girl, Bing-Er . . .
Cha-Eun Xiao was left dumbfounded. *'What in the world! I've just been ousted from my own Space by an egg! This is my personal domain, for heaven's sake! I'm the rightful owner here! And now, you're denying me the ability to cultivate within it? Very well, let's see how long you can hold out.'*
From that day onward, Cha-Eun Xiao decided to cut off all supplies to the Space.
The Wood Space was the first to cease its functions, no longer carrying out its normal operations. Moreover, Cha-Eun Xiao refrained from depositing any treasures or materials into the Space. Most of the valuable items he acquired were now securely stored within the Ling-Bao Hall's treasure vault, with the remainder carefully placed within the Cha Clan's inventory. In his mind, there was no longer any reason to contribute anything further to the Space.
Furthermore, he ceased all cultivation activities within the Space, adopting an attitude of indifference.
*'You've made it clear that you don't want me to cultivate in my own domain? Very well. I shall starve you of resources and see how long you can endure this deprivation. I'm certain you've grown accustomed to absorbing copious amounts of resources, but I doubt you'll withstand this for long. It remains to be seen which of us will relent first.'* A sinister smile crept onto his face, giving him the appearance of a scheming individual.
Just as he entertained these thoughts, a faint moaning sound emanated from the bed. The girl had once again awakened. Over the past several days, she had regained consciousness multiple times, though she remained immobilized and unable to speak. Her sole abilities seemed to be limited to blinking and moving her eyes.
This time, her condition had improved significantly. She was capable of producing faint moans, signifying progress in her recovery.
Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but feel delighted. *"Are you awake?"* he inquired.
The girl gazed at him with a mixture of confusion and fear, her natural wariness of strangers apparent. Her lips quivered, and after considerable effort, she finally spoke, *"Who... Who are you?"*
A light cough followed, and Cha-Eun Xiao introduced himself with a warm smile. *"Ahem, you may address me as Lord Cha. And you, dear lady? What is your name, and where do you hail from?"*
The girl remained bewildered as she regarded Cha-Eun Xiao, her speech labored as she questioned her surroundings, *"Where is this place? And who am I?"*
Cha-Eun Xiao was taken aback by her inquiry. Inside his mind, thoughts swirled. *"What? What did she just ask? Where is this place? Well, that's normal given her condition. But the latter question, 'Who am I'? She doesn't know who she is? If she doesn't even know her own name, how could I possibly know it?"*
Nevertheless, he recognized the girl's dire condition, her injuries impairing her ability to speak comfortably. Not wishing to further distress her, Cha-Eun Xiao gently massaged his temples and inquired, *"Do you remember your name? Can you recall it?"*
The girl, her eyes reflecting innocence and purity, responded with a degree of childlike simplicity, *"I only remember that my name is... Bing-Er..."*
Her eyes, incredibly untainted by the complexities of the world, seemed more fitting for a child than a young woman of her apparent age, which Cha-Eun Xiao estimated to be around seventeen or eighteen.
Worry gripped Cha-Eun Xiao as he probed further, his voice tinged with concern, *"Bing-Er... What a lovely name."*
The girl's eyes lit up with a fleeting moment of happiness, as if his compliment was a treasured gift. She had taken solace in his appreciation of her name.
*"How old are you, Bing-Er?"* Cha-Eun Xiao inquired.
"I... I am six..." The girl's voice quivered with sadness. She struggled to move her eyes, scanning the room with a fearful expression. *"I... How did I end up here... I should be at the ruined temple... I..."*
Cha-Eun Xiao found himself at a loss for words, incredulous at her responses. *"What? What did she just say? Does she even understand what she's saying? Bing-Er? Six years old?"*
As he observed her, a girl who appeared to be at least seventeen, possessing a captivating beauty that could enchant any man, Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but wonder whether he should laugh or cry at the bizarre situation unfolding before him.
Cha-Eun Xiao gently probed the girl with more questions, attempting to unravel the enigma shrouding her past. It quickly became apparent that her memory was marred by a profound void, save for a single detail - she believed herself to be six years old. Her words painted a poignant picture of an orphaned existence, marked by begging for sustenance and a life devoid of parental care or affection. Her sole companion had been a faithful dog, and the mere mention of her canine friend seemed to open the floodgates of sorrow as tears welled up in her eyes.
In a heart-wrenching narrative, she revealed that she had suffered a cruel fate at the hands of a heartless villain. This malefactor had not only subjected her to a merciless beating but had also devoured her beloved dog. Her story left her sobbing inconsolably.
Cha-Eun Xiao could scarcely believe the absurdity of the situation he had stumbled into. The girl's condition was nothing short of a temporal enigma, a memory loss spanning multiple years. It appeared that the traumatic experiences she had endured, coupled with a fall from a great height, had ravaged her memories, leaving her with but a six-year-old's recollections.
As he contemplated the dilemma before him, Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but mull over the practical implications of this perplexing predicament. He wondered, *"What should I do if, in the most improbable turn of events, I find myself in the company of the world's most enchanting beauty, only to discover that her mind is that of a six-year-old child?"*
Seeking counsel in his frustration, Cha-Eun Xiao turned to Song Jue for assistance. However, Song Jue proved to be as confounded as his nephew in the face of this bewildering situation. Their shared sighs were a testament to the profound complexity of the girl's plight.
Unwilling to entertain the notion of marriage with a girl whose mental faculties appeared to be those of a child, Song Jue wisely refrained from his earlier counsel.
Cha-Eun Xiao sighed, his heart heavy with the burden of responsibility. Although he had yearned for someone to care for him within the Cha Clan household, it now seemed he had inadvertently become the caregiver himself. Lying in his bed, the girl had become his charge, and he was prepared to embrace the role of a 'male maid' in order to provide her with the care and support she so desperately needed.
Upon his return to his room, Cha-Eun Xiao was met with the sight of the girl, her large, innocent eyes fixated upon him. Her gaze held an unmistakable sense of happiness and dependency as she greeted him with the words, "Brother, you are back."
His response was a warm smile as he acknowledged her presence. "You are seriously hurt," he observed with a gentle tone, "Take care of yourself first. When you are better, let me take you out and play. I will bring you to see the goldfish…"
Curiosity and delight danced in the girl's eyes as she inquired about the mysterious goldfish. "Goldfish? What is it?" she asked, her anticipation palpable, "I have never seen such a thing! Is it beautiful? Is it shiny like gold?"
In response, Cha-Eun Xiao nodded in affirmation. "We have goldfish in our yard," he explained, "You can see them when you step out of the door. Be good. Drink the medicine first. Good girl…"
With a silver spoon in hand, he carefully administered spoonfuls of medicine to the girl. Two doses had been swallowed when she suddenly quivered, tears streaming from her eyes. Her voice wavered as she spoke, "Brother, you are so kind to me… Nobody ever treated me with kindness like this… They just beat me up…"
Moved by her words, Cha-Eun Xiao offered reassurance, his tone soothing, "Don't worry. Nobody will dare to bully you as long as I am here."
The girl responded with determination, her gaze filled with happiness and reliance. She couldn't believe her fortune, fearing that this might all be a fleeting dream.
As he set a meal before her and arranged the dinnerware, Cha-Eun Xiao overheard her murmurs, her voice tinged with disbelief, "Am I dreaming… Such a nice bed and such a nice person… I don't want to wake up from such a sweet dream…"
A bittersweet smile tugged at Cha-Eun Xiao's lips. While he had brought comfort and kindness to the girl's life, her innocence and vulnerability served as a poignant reminder of the hardships she had endured.