After finishing sword practice, Qin Yi got up and headed to the wing room where he had changed clothes earlier.
"Da Tou, why are you going to the east wing?"
Normally, after training, Da Tou would return home. Seeing him head to the east wing instead, Qin Xu was curious.
"To change clothes?" Qin Yi turned and looked up at Qin Xu, scratching his head. "Young Master, if I don't change back into my original clothes, how can I go home?"
Qin Xu shook his head. "These clothes are already yours. You can wear them home if you want."
"I know! But…" Qin Yi hesitated for a moment before explaining his thoughts honestly. "Young Master, if I go home wearing these clothes, my mother will be sad because she cannot make clothes like these for me. My brothers might feel jealous because I have something they don't. My friends may feel distant because of the difference between us. Young Master, I don't want a single piece of clothing to ruin my happy life."
Qin Yi's words were truly remarkable for a child.
Ah, someone gives you good clothes and shoes, and instead of just being grateful, you claim these things could become the "original sin" that destroys your life.
Who talks like that?
But Qin Yi genuinely didn't want to deceive Qin Xu. Even if he were punished for it, he would accept it.
Still, the thought of potentially losing everything he had now made him anxious.
It seemed he wasn't as carefree as he had thought.
Qin Xu stared at Da Tou, astonished that such wise words came from a child not even three years old.
And yet, these simple truths are things many adults never fully understand in their lifetime.
He himself was one of those who hadn't fully understood.
Qin Xu looked at Da Tou with a complex expression. "Well said. Life is yours. Da Tou, you're right—live your life your way."
Qin Yi cautiously observed Qin Xu and saw that he wasn't angry. In fact, he approved of Qin Yi's reasoning and even praised him.
In his heart, Qin Yi cheered for Qin Xu: Young Master, you never disappoint your fans. You are truly eternal.
"Thank you for understanding, Young Master," Qin Yi said.
He changed back into his original clothes and shoes. The clothes felt much less comfortable than the new ones, which was noticeable now that he had a comparison.
The shoes were even worse. If the clothes were a mental discomfort, the shoes were a physical one.
They were too small and tight, making his feet feel restricted.
How strange… why did the shoes suddenly feel too small? They were fine before.
As Qin Yi exited the east wing, he intended to say goodbye to Qin Xu but suddenly remembered something and asked, "Young Master, if I learn archery, will it affect my sword practice?"
"Archery?" Qin Xu raised his eyebrows slightly. "Why do you ask that now?"
Through their time together, Qin Yi's intelligence had been recognized. Qin Xu no longer saw him as a clever but ignorant child, but as someone with wisdom capable of discussing matters as an equal.
So while Qin Xu could have made a decision based on experience, he still wanted to hear him out first.
"Da Shan—he's my good friend. His father, Uncle An, is our village hunter. Uncle An has started teaching Da Shan archery. I find it very fun and want to learn too. But I'm not sure if it will affect sword practice… after all, both are weapons…"
Qin Xu nodded. Da Tou had considered this carefully.
Archery taught by a hunter counts as studying arrows… hehe.
Thinking about the village, Qin Xu made a decision.
"If you make an agreement with me, I won't interfere with any of your skill learning."
"First, it must not affect your learning progress."
"Second, it must not harm your body."
"Third, whenever you learn any skill, you must consciously use swordsmanship as the foundation."
The first two were straightforward—just be mindful.
But the third… felt very difficult. Could he do it?
"Da Tou, do you agree?"
For the sake of learning all skills, Qin Yi bit his teeth and nodded with all his might.
"Good. It's settled then," Qin Xu said, amused by Da Tou's determination. "I believe in you. You can do it."
After Qin Yi left, Elder Huang couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, isn't the third rule too early for him?"
He worried Qin Xu might push Da Tou too fast and ruin this promising child.
"If it were another child, I wouldn't let him access such advanced training yet. That would ruin him. But with Da Tou's talent, it will help him grow."
The Young Master's expectations for Da Tou were really high… let's hope he's right.
"Don't believe it? Then let's make a bet."
Qin Yi ran into the courtyard and greeted Wang Gensheng before running to the kitchen. "Mother, my shoes are a bit small."
"Lift your foot so I can check," Jin Ni said, her hands busy with kneading dough.
She took a moment to examine Da Tou's shoes. "Yes, they are a bit small. Luckily, I made a few larger pairs for you in advance. Husband, if you have time, please check the cabinet and find a pair that fits."
Qin Yong heard the request, put down his work, and quickly examined Da Tou standing on one leg. He laughed, "Not only are the shoes small, the clothes are slightly tight too."
Jin Ni glanced and saw it was true.
"Strange, how is Da Tou growing so fast?"
Qin Yong explained, "After starting martial training, growth speeds up."
Jin Ni recalled her own growth at twelve or thirteen, where she grew more than two feet in just a couple of years. Martial training had accelerated it.
So some clothes and shoes needed to be prepared in advance.
After finding suitable clothes and shoes for Da Tou, Qin Yong returned to the kitchen and said, "Da Tou has grown. It's time for him to sleep in his own room."
When building the house, Qin Yong had planned for population growth, so he had built five rooms of various sizes.
"Do you want Da Tou to sleep with Shuanzi and the others? He's well-behaved; it should be fine."
"No, I want to tidy up the west-side storage room for Da Tou. I had planned the storage room when we built the house, but the other rooms were enough, so I hadn't used it. Now it's time."
"Since you've thought it through, let's do it that way."
End of Chapter