Liu Bei POV
“Alright.” I sighed in resignation at how what I had refused before was now being forced upon me, “I’ll take in Kou Feng.”
“Oh~ That really is the best” The uncle said with a gleam in his eyes, seeming thoroughly relieved.
I looked at Kou Feng again and saw that she was still motionless as she clung on tightly to my thigh. As I looked at this rather cute girl who had been through hell, I could not help but to reach out and rub her head.
“But my lord, is it really alright to do this? I must say that I personally support your decision though.” Wen Yuan said softly to me as she came closer.
“Un? What problem will there be?”
“What I mean is… Will it be alright for you to adopt her without discussing it with anyone beforehand?”
Ah… I completely forgot about that. Now that I think about it, everyone seems to be opposed to this child calling me “daddy” but now that the misunderstanding has been resolved, there should be no further issues.
“There shouldn’t be a problem.” I said to Wen Yuan as I gave her a thumbs up, “I feel that they will be supportive of me adopting her. Of course, I will be as responsible as I can.”
“Un~” Wen Yuan grunted somewhat sarcastically with a meaningful expression but I ignored her and turned to the uncle and bowed.
“Though you didn’t take her in, I’m sorry for troubling you to come all the way here. Many thanks for that.”
“No no, you don’t need to say such things. I really was compelled to come after all.” He said as he waved his hands dismissively and smiled stiffly, “But since you’ve already accepted her, I no longer have any relation with the child from now on.”
Making clear such things now huh?
“I got it.” I nodded, “But if you should wish to come and see the child, you are more than welcome to do so.”
“Ah, for sure, for sure.” He replied very readily and heartily but I am sure he will not come.
“Well then, that’s it for now. Kou Feng, make sure you get along well with the lord general~”
And just like that, he rushed off. He did not say too much at the end but it’s not like Kou Feng would have liked to listen anyway, I thought as I looked at the uncle who was by now in the distance.
And just like that, we have a new member huh?
“I actually expected things to more or less become like this from the very beginning.” Wen Yuan said as she gave me a wry smile, “So this girl is now your adopted daughter now right, my lord?”
“Un? Ah ah, yes yes.” I said as I went up close to Wen Yuan and whispered, “Let’s take it as that while we’re in front of Kou Feng for now.”
“Eh?!” Wen Yuan exclaimed as her eyes bulged, giving me a fright, “Are you lying to the child?!”
“Ah! Shh! Shh!” I hurriedly said to Wen Yuan, afraid that Kou Feng would hear it.
“My lord, since you’ve already said it then you have to abide by your words and treat the child well.”
“Wu… I didn’t say I wouldn’t treat her well…” I said as I looked down at Kou Feng, feeling a little irritated as I looked into her expectant eyes.
Ah… I just realised a startling fact.
What I feel right now is exactly what her uncle felt just now. On one hand, I promised to take her in yet I tried to shirk responsibility and give myself a chance to escape in my heart. What difference is there then, between her uncle and I?
This is probably what Wen Yuan is trying to get at, I thought as I looked up at Wen Yuan and saw that she had an unforgiving expression as she frowned.
“I understand what you mean.” I said as I smiled at Wen Yuan and bent down to look at Kou Feng, stroking her cheeks and nose as I did so. The more I look at her, the more cute she seems to be.
“Kou Feng, will you be willing to live with us?”
“Un un,” She vigorously nodded, “I am willing to live with daddy.”
So now she can speak normally huh?
“You’re willing to recognise me as your foster father?”
“Un un.” She nodded again.
Alright, if she is going to go that far, then there is nothing more I can do to turn her down. Doing so would be tantamount to shirking my responsibility.
“Alright. Then from tonight onwards, you are a member of the Liu family.” I said as I rested my hands on her shoulders, “When you grow older in future, you may choose to leave or continue staying with me. But until you leave my side, I am willing to have you with me as my foster daughter.”
“Ah!” Kou Feng cried out as she flew into my chest, making me feel a giant impact.
But I did not fall over nor did I dodge and merely caught her in my arms and hugged her tightly. As of now, we are no longer strangers. She is my daughter and I am her father. Even if it is only in name.
“That’s more like it~” Wen Yuan said as she came over and stood beside me before looking at Kou Feng as she continued, “This child should change her name as well. She shouldn’t be called Kou Feng anymore.”
“Eh? Not Kou Feng? What then?”
Wen Yuan gave me a bewildered look in response before she explained, “This child is now your daughter now so she will have to take on your surname.”
“My surname?” I said as I pointed at myself and looked at Kou Feng, “Then… She will be Liu Feng right? Or Bei Feng?”
“Of course it’s Liu Feng!” Wen Yuan yelled out, “Or is it Sha Feng since you’re called Shamoke?”
I am not that retarded… I felt a bit awkward about this and decided to hear what the person in question thought first.
“Will you be willing to take my surname?”
… *Nod* *Nod*
I did not expect her to agree so easily. But perhaps she is hoping to use this as an opportunity to forget everything that happened before. All the unhappy, sorrowful memories cut off and thrown away as she becomes a new person. I am not god so I cannot say for sure but I feel that she feels some of that at least.
“Then… Liu Feng?”
A gleam appeared in her eyes as she returned the greeting softly, “Father…”
Even the way she addressed me has become more formal.
“Un.” I still felt a little awkward about it but I accepted it. I really still cannot accept being addressed like that…
“Alright, that’s settled then. Liu Frng, when you’re a bit older, I’ll teach you martial arts so you can take care of all the bad people!” Wen Yuan said with a fierce and determined expression. Compared to Feng Xian, Wen Yuan has a richer variety of expressions.
“How will my lord deal with her care from now on?” She asked, returning the conversation to a more serious topic.
“Un, I’ll bring her back to Xinye with me.” I said as I looked up at the sky. It was going to be noon soon but I had not even started packing yet.
“That’s good, I suppose. You can leave her with Gan Qing after you both return to Xinye and get her to help look after her.”
“Un, that’s what I was thinking about as well.” I said as I looked at the little girl hugging my leg with a blissful expression, “She’ll have a peer in Mi Zhen as well.”
The both of them should be roughly the same age, about 11-12. Ah, Mi Zhen seems to be younger by a couple of years.
“In any case, we’ll go and pack first. Now isn’t the time to be tarrying about.” I said once I realised that the most urgent task at hand now was to go and pack up and meet the rest at the doorway.
“Un, have a safe trip, my lord (Liu Bei).” Wen Yuan said as she saluted me and gave me a wry smile, “I’ll notify my lord (Lu Bu) and the others as well. My lord (Liu Bei) need not worry about this.”
“Oh, I would be most grateful for that.”
That way, the possibility of any misunderstanding happening is minimised and I do not need to repeat myself over and over. I am not good with words after all.
“That’s it for now then,” I said as I saluted Wen Yuan and held Liu Feng’s hand as we returned to the mansion and asked her, “Liu Feng, we’ll be going to another city, okay~”
“… Un.” Liu Feng merely grunted as she nodded with a blissful expression on her face as she held my arm with 1 hand and her doll with the other.
“Do you like that doll?”
“Un un.” She vigorously nodded and brought it to my face and showed it to me, “This is… My most precious thing…”
“… I see.”
Liu Feng had a smile that had both longing and pain mixed in. To her, this doll is perhaps the only thing left in this world of her life as Kou Feng that is worth remembering. If she tosses it away, she can leave her old life aside and be Liu Feng completely. That she still clings on to it means she has not come to terms with what has happened to her yet.
“The doll is quite beautiful but we need to wash it later.”
“Un~” Liu Feng shook her head all of a sudden and voiced her objection to something I casually tossed out.
By the way, the female attendants who helped to bathe her took a lot of effort to do so. Perhaps it’s a common phenomenon for children to dislike bathing.
“Be obedient. We most definitely have to wash it later.”
“Un~”
“If you don’t, I’ll let that fierce and evil looking elder sister catch you~”
“Uwee~~~”
She immediately relented huh… I am sorry, Feng Xian but since Liu Feng is that scared of you, I will use your name to the fullest.
Alright, I will have to get someone to clean the doll later when we return to Xinye. But since it looks a little worn out, I will have to make sure the one doing it is more careful.
“Alright!” I yelled as I slapped my face, “We need to pack and then we’ll move out!”
“Alright!” Liu Feng did the same as me. The way she closed her eyes and slapped her cheeks was really, really cute.
It still did not feel real to me though, that I, a man of just 18-19 years of age, already had a daughter.
Liu Bei POV
“Alright.” I sighed in resignation at how what I had refused before was now being forced upon me, “I’ll take in Kou Feng.”
“Oh~ That really is the best” The uncle said with a gleam in his eyes, seeming thoroughly relieved.
I looked at Kou Feng again and saw that she was still motionless as she clung on tightly to my thigh. As I looked at this rather cute girl who had been through hell, I could not help but to reach out and rub her head.
“But my lord, is it really alright to do this? I must say that I personally support your decision though.” Wen Yuan said softly to me as she came closer.
“Un? What problem will there be?”
“What I mean is… Will it be alright for you to adopt her without discussing it with anyone beforehand?”
Ah… I completely forgot about that. Now that I think about it, everyone seems to be opposed to this child calling me “daddy” but now that the misunderstanding has been resolved, there should be no further issues.
“There shouldn’t be a problem.” I said to Wen Yuan as I gave her a thumbs up, “I feel that they will be supportive of me adopting her. Of course, I will be as responsible as I can.”
“Un~” Wen Yuan grunted somewhat sarcastically with a meaningful expression but I ignored her and turned to the uncle and bowed.
“Though you didn’t take her in, I’m sorry for troubling you to come all the way here. Many thanks for that.”
“No no, you don’t need to say such things. I really was compelled to come after all.” He said as he waved his hands dismissively and smiled stiffly, “But since you’ve already accepted her, I no longer have any relation with the child from now on.”
Making clear such things now huh?
“I got it.” I nodded, “But if you should wish to come and see the child, you are more than welcome to do so.”
“Ah, for sure, for sure.” He replied very readily and heartily but I am sure he will not come.
“Well then, that’s it for now. Kou Feng, make sure you get along well with the lord general~”
And just like that, he rushed off. He did not say too much at the end but it’s not like Kou Feng would have liked to listen anyway, I thought as I looked at the uncle who was by now in the distance.
And just like that, we have a new member huh?
“I actually expected things to more or less become like this from the very beginning.” Wen Yuan said as she gave me a wry smile, “So this girl is now your adopted daughter now right, my lord?”
“Un? Ah ah, yes yes.” I said as I went up close to Wen Yuan and whispered, “Let’s take it as that while we’re in front of Kou Feng for now.”
“Eh?!” Wen Yuan exclaimed as her eyes bulged, giving me a fright, “Are you lying to the child?!”
“Ah! Shh! Shh!” I hurriedly said to Wen Yuan, afraid that Kou Feng would hear it.
“My lord, since you’ve already said it then you have to abide by your words and treat the child well.”
“Wu… I didn’t say I wouldn’t treat her well…” I said as I looked down at Kou Feng, feeling a little irritated as I looked into her expectant eyes.
Ah… I just realised a startling fact.
What I feel right now is exactly what her uncle felt just now. On one hand, I promised to take her in yet I tried to shirk responsibility and give myself a chance to escape in my heart. What difference is there then, between her uncle and I?
This is probably what Wen Yuan is trying to get at, I thought as I looked up at Wen Yuan and saw that she had an unforgiving expression as she frowned.
“I understand what you mean.” I said as I smiled at Wen Yuan and bent down to look at Kou Feng, stroking her cheeks and nose as I did so. The more I look at her, the more cute she seems to be.
“Kou Feng, will you be willing to live with us?”
“Un un,” She vigorously nodded, “I am willing to live with daddy.”
So now she can speak normally huh?
“You’re willing to recognise me as your foster father?”
“Un un.” She nodded again.
Alright, if she is going to go that far, then there is nothing more I can do to turn her down. Doing so would be tantamount to shirking my responsibility.
“Alright. Then from tonight onwards, you are a member of the Liu family.” I said as I rested my hands on her shoulders, “When you grow older in future, you may choose to leave or continue staying with me. But until you leave my side, I am willing to have you with me as my foster daughter.”
“Ah!” Kou Feng cried out as she flew into my chest, making me feel a giant impact.
But I did not fall over nor did I dodge and merely caught her in my arms and hugged her tightly. As of now, we are no longer strangers. She is my daughter and I am her father. Even if it is only in name.
“That’s more like it~” Wen Yuan said as she came over and stood beside me before looking at Kou Feng as she continued, “This child should change her name as well. She shouldn’t be called Kou Feng anymore.”
“Eh? Not Kou Feng? What then?”
Wen Yuan gave me a bewildered look in response before she explained, “This child is now your daughter now so she will have to take on your surname.”
“My surname?” I said as I pointed at myself and looked at Kou Feng, “Then… She will be Liu Feng right? Or Bei Feng?”
“Of course it’s Liu Feng!” Wen Yuan yelled out, “Or is it Sha Feng since you’re called Shamoke?”
I am not that retarded… I felt a bit awkward about this and decided to hear what the person in question thought first.
“Will you be willing to take my surname?”
… *Nod* *Nod*
I did not expect her to agree so easily. But perhaps she is hoping to use this as an opportunity to forget everything that happened before. All the unhappy, sorrowful memories cut off and thrown away as she becomes a new person. I am not god so I cannot say for sure but I feel that she feels some of that at least.
“Then… Liu Feng?”
A gleam appeared in her eyes as she returned the greeting softly, “Father…”
Even the way she addressed me has become more formal.
“Un.” I still felt a little awkward about it but I accepted it. I really still cannot accept being addressed like that…
“Alright, that’s settled then. Liu Frng, when you’re a bit older, I’ll teach you martial arts so you can take care of all the bad people!” Wen Yuan said with a fierce and determined expression. Compared to Feng Xian, Wen Yuan has a richer variety of expressions.
“How will my lord deal with her care from now on?” She asked, returning the conversation to a more serious topic.
“Un, I’ll bring her back to Xinye with me.” I said as I looked up at the sky. It was going to be noon soon but I had not even started packing yet.
“That’s good, I suppose. You can leave her with Gan Qing after you both return to Xinye and get her to help look after her.”
“Un, that’s what I was thinking about as well.” I said as I looked at the little girl hugging my leg with a blissful expression, “She’ll have a peer in Mi Zhen as well.”
The both of them should be roughly the same age, about 11-12. Ah, Mi Zhen seems to be younger by a couple of years.
“In any case, we’ll go and pack first. Now isn’t the time to be tarrying about.” I said once I realised that the most urgent task at hand now was to go and pack up and meet the rest at the doorway.
“Un, have a safe trip, my lord (Liu Bei).” Wen Yuan said as she saluted me and gave me a wry smile, “I’ll notify my lord (Lu Bu) and the others as well. My lord (Liu Bei) need not worry about this.”
“Oh, I would be most grateful for that.”
That way, the possibility of any misunderstanding happening is minimised and I do not need to repeat myself over and over. I am not good with words after all.
“That’s it for now then,” I said as I saluted Wen Yuan and held Liu Feng’s hand as we returned to the mansion and asked her, “Liu Feng, we’ll be going to another city, okay~”
“… Un.” Liu Feng merely grunted as she nodded with a blissful expression on her face as she held my arm with 1 hand and her doll with the other.
“Do you like that doll?”
“Un un.” She vigorously nodded and brought it to my face and showed it to me, “This is… My most precious thing…”
“… I see.”
Liu Feng had a smile that had both longing and pain mixed in. To her, this doll is perhaps the only thing left in this world of her life as Kou Feng that is worth remembering. If she tosses it away, she can leave her old life aside and be Liu Feng completely. That she still clings on to it means she has not come to terms with what has happened to her yet.
“The doll is quite beautiful but we need to wash it later.”
“Un~” Liu Feng shook her head all of a sudden and voiced her objection to something I casually tossed out.
By the way, the female attendants who helped to bathe her took a lot of effort to do so. Perhaps it’s a common phenomenon for children to dislike bathing.
“Be obedient. We most definitely have to wash it later.”
“Un~”
“If you don’t, I’ll let that fierce and evil looking elder sister catch you~”
“Uwee~~~”
She immediately relented huh… I am sorry, Feng Xian but since Liu Feng is that scared of you, I will use your name to the fullest.
Alright, I will have to get someone to clean the doll later when we return to Xinye. But since it looks a little worn out, I will have to make sure the one doing it is more careful.
“Alright!” I yelled as I slapped my face, “We need to pack and then we’ll move out!”
“Alright!” Liu Feng did the same as me. The way she closed her eyes and slapped her cheeks was really, really cute.
It still did not feel real to me though, that I, a man of just 18-19 years of age, already had a daughter.
