My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Shi Nian thought that if she kept on protecting Xiao Kun from the bullies, then everything would be fine. Everyday, they went to school and returned home together. When the bullies saw that there was a fierce looking Shi Nian beside him who clearly wasn't easy to bully, they didn't dare to find them anymore.

Sometimes, Xiao Kun's clothes would be stained with red or blue ink. It spread on the clean fabric, looking especially glaring and dirty. However, when Shi Nian asked about it, Xiao Kun always said to just leave it alone.

Thus, she could do nothing but babble, sing and spend time together with him.

People could talk, but they could also choose to ignore. As long as Shi Nian distracted him, filled him with happy memories, then Xiao Kun wouldn't be sad anymore.

However, she still underestimated how cruel the society could become.

Shi Nian looked at Si Qingzhao's swollen eyes, proof that she had just cried, then looked at the glum Xiao Kun. Nowadays, Xiao Kun smiled less and less often. He wasn't a fan of laughing to begin with, but he didn't usually look this somber either. He was shrouded in an air of gloominess and the sadness in his eyes was evident.

Si Qingzhao forced herself to smile as she and Qiang Fei went away to talk. Shi Nian confirmed that the adults couldn't hear him and whispered. "Auntie Si…was crying?" She asked tentatively.

Nan Xukun sported a blank expression as he blurted out smoothly. "We overheard the auntie below say that my mother is a promiscuous woman, that's why my father doesn't want us anymore." Children were just like that, they could repeat whatever adults said without knowing its meaning.

Shi Nian looked at him, confused. There were some words she had never heard before. But she still rebuked seriously. "So what if your father doesn't want you? I want you ah!"

Xiao Kun mustered a smile, but Shi Nian felt like it was better if he didn't smile at all. It looked too…ugly. "Can you keep on protecting me forever? Can you stay with me forever?"

"I can!" Shi Nian puffed out her chest. "Why can't I? I will be with you, protect you and accompany you!"

"For the rest of our lives?"

Shi Nian didn't understand what it meant but she still nodded. "For the rest of our lives!" Only after saying that did Xiao Kun give her a genuine smile, one which she returned with a wide grin.

Later, Auntie Si asked her. "Little Shi Nian, do you like our family's Xiao Kun?"

"En!" Shi Nian beamed. "I like her very much!"

"Then…" Si Qingzhao teased. "How about getting married to Xiao Kun in the future?"

Shi Nian tilted her head, baffled. "Auntie, you're joking, right? Mama said only a boy and girl can get married in the future. They are future spouses, that's why we have to maintain some distance from them so as to not create troubles in the future!"

Si Qingzhao was astonished by her solemn tone. Then, she blinked, blinked and blinked again. Realization slowly dawned on her and she abruptly burst out in laughter. She laughed so hard that she almost rolled on the floor.

Shi Nian was bewildered. She didn't think that she had said something funny. But seeing Si Qingzhao's bright smile which she hadn't seen for a while, Shi Nian became happy too so she laughed along with her.

That was the scene Xiao Kun saw when he got out of the bathroom. His mother and Shi Nian were laughing at who knows what. Si Qingzhao's face was flushed and she wheezed for breath, hugging her cramp stomach. 

Seeing her son, she staggered toward him and patted his shoulder, the corner of her lips trembled. "Nan Xukun, it will be hard for you in the future."

Xiao Kun: ???

The days passed by as usual until one day, delicately protected balance was finally broken.

The classes for first year and third year of primary school were different. Shi Nian didn't have exams, but Xiao Kun did. The latter persistently told her to go home first. Thus, Shi Nian had no choice but to follow his words lest Xiao Kun would cry again. He was such a crybaby.

On the stairs leading to her floor, Shi Nian was careless and bumped into a boy. He was a fairly young man with youthful face, clad in a school uniform she had never seen before. For the five years old Shi Nian, the boy was akin to a towering giant.

"Sorry!" After bumping into his legs, Shi Nian rubbed her aching nose and craned her neck ninety degrees just so that she could look at his face. She had never seen someone so tall before and was curious, thinking that he was a new neighbor.

He clearly looked so young, yet his eyes terrified Shi Nian so. Those eyes were too chilling, frosty with no emotions seen. Dark and bottomless. When he looked down at Shi Nian, she had the notion of being submerged in icy cold water in snowy weather. 

Children were more sensitive toward emotions thus, when his eyes fell upon her, she instinctively recoiled, cold sweat dripping down her back.

The boy didn't say anything and proceeded to go down the stairs. His footsteps rang out clear and loud, matching with Shi Nian's heartbeat. Thump…thump…thump. Only after he disappeared down the corner did Shi Nian dare to move again and dashed into her house with the greatest speed she had ever mustered.

Even after a few days, whenever she thought about those eyes, she would be so scared that she didn't dare to sleep alone.

It was only later that Shi Nian realized that the scary big brother was coming out of Auntie Si's house. Shi Nian hid behind the door until the boy disappeared down the stairs before she proceeded to ring Auntie Si's doorbell. 

The door swung open in an instant, showing Auntie Si behind it with a fierce expression she had never seen before. "What do you want—ah, sorry, it's Niannian. Sorry...did Auntie scare you?"

Shi Nian was still frozen in shock and she only recovered when Si Qingzhao pulled her in and sweet scents of chocolate cookies filled her nose. 

She gingerly asked, "Auntie Si…who did you think of just now?"

Si Qingzhao gave a forced smile. "No one, don't think about it. Are you hungry now? Auntie will give you some cookies first so don't tell Xiao Kun, okay?"

As expected, Shi Nian was distracted just with that. She loudly promised, "Not telling Xiao Chun!"

But clearly, that boy wasn't no one like how Auntie Si described him to be. In total, Shi Nian saw him three times. And the last time was when she was together with Qiang Fei. Because her mother was here, Shi Nian had nothing to be scared of. Even then, she still grabbed Qiang Fei's hands tight and hid behind the woman's legs as she looked at the boy's receding back.

"Niannian?"

Shi Nian couldn't contain her curiosity. "Mama, I have seen him coming out of Auntie Si's house a few times before."

Qiang Fei smiled and patted her head softly. "Little busybody. Your Auntie Si has her own family and relatives okay? It's very common for someone to come visit her."

So, it was Auntie Si's family? Shi Nian blinked. Then why don't they live together?

She really wanted to ask, but she didn't want to be called a little busybody anymore thus she held herself back. They went inside the house one after another and Shi Nian helped Qiang Fei drag one of the plastic bags to the kitchen.

Qiang Fei gave her a loving smile and pushed her back. "Go out and wait a moment. Dinner will be ready in half an hour."

"Okie dokie!" It wasn't often for them to have dinner together as Shi Nian usually went next door to munch for food from Auntie Si when Qiang Fei was swarmed with work. Thus, Shi Nian waited obediently on the sofa, short legs swinging back and forth in anticipation.

However, the awaited dinner never came.

Shi Nian's doorbell rang, once, twice, third, continuously as if the person behind the door was jamming on the button anxiously.

"Niannian, go and see who's outside!" Qiang Fei called out from the kitchen.

Shi Nian jumped down the sofa and opened the door as far as the safety chain allowed before peeking outside.

The anxious cry came even before Shi Nian comprehend what was going on. "Help! Help my mother! She—"

What happened afterward was a blur in Shi Nian's mind. She recalled how Qiang Fei ran out from the kitchen and brought her into the bedroom with a pale face, telling her to play alone for a while. Shortly after that, the sound of door slamming close and rapid footsteps sounded.

After a while, Shi Nian tiptoed and peeked out of the window and saw an ambulance driving into their community. The piercing siren rang out loudly, the red lights shone in a dazzling glow.

She thought, the color was very similar to the red liquid on Xiao Chun's body.

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A/N: Shi Nian is such a little busybody but no, it doesn't change either after she grows up (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ ohh and who's the mysterious boy in school uniform? Hmm sus...

One more chappie until we return to the present!