Lu Chao didn't expect to be the youngest among them. With a faint smile, he said, "I hope my elder brothers will look out for me in the future."
Making more friends meant more opportunities—a mindset ingrained in him as a working adult.
Except for Xu Zhiren, who only had eyes for food, the others flushed with embarrassment. Lu Chao, despite being the youngest, was the most composed. Quick-witted, he had led them to safety, while his elder brothers had ended up being protected by their younger sibling.
"Earlier, I noticed some wild fruits nearby. Let’s pick some to quench our thirst," Lu Chao suggested, waving for them to follow.
"I saw them too, but why not fetch water from the clear pool nearby?" Yingge asked, puzzled.
"Unless absolutely necessary, don’t drink untreated water in the wild. It could contain parasites or even animal droppings—drinking it will give you stomachaches," Lu Chao explained, sharing his knowledge.
"Third Brother, I’m impressed! How do you know so much?" Yang Zongze was thoroughly convinced by the younger Lu sibling.
"Who said he’s your third brother? He’s mine!" Lu Yuanyi shot a glare at his sworn brother.
"My aunt told me these things. She grew up in my maternal grandfather’s household, and he was an experienced hunter. All this wilderness knowledge comes from her," Lu Chao replied frankly.
"Even though Third Brother is a concubine’s son, he’s now raised under my mother’s care!" Lu Yuanyi hastily added, afraid they might look down on him for his birth status.
Zhou Youcheng gazed at Lu Chao’s calm eyes, recalling his master’s words: "The greatest joy is no joy; the greatest honor is no honor." If his master saw Lu Chao, he would surely take him as a disciple.
Most of the wild peaches were still green, and one bite left their teeth aching from the sourness. After picking a few, they gave up. To their delight, the nearby bushes were filled with ripe red snakeberries. Lu Chao tasted one—sweet and tangy—and beckoned the others to try.
"You—you! What are you doing?!" Yingge’s voice was shrill with outrage.
Lu Chao turned to see Yang Zongze lifting his robe, aiming at the peach tree—clearly about to relieve himself.
"Just fertilizing the tree!"
"You—you’re disgraceful!" Yingge spun around, too afraid to return to the cabin alone but keeping her distance.
"Come on, don’t be shy! It’s just us brothers here," Yang Zongze teased with a grin.
"Then I’ll do it too! I don’t dare go out after dark," the timid Xu Zhiren fretted, hastily pulling up his robe.
"Let’s all take care of it before nightfall. We should avoid going out after dark—there might be snakes or insects," Zhou Youcheng agreed. Given their circumstances, they couldn’t afford to be fussy.
"Hey, let’s see who can go the farthest!" Lu Yuanyi’s eyes sparkled with mischief, recalling his schoolyard antics with Yang Zongze.
Lu Chao: "..."
He never imagined that as a grown man in his twenties, he’d be competing with elementary school kids over something so childish.
"Bring it on!"
Despite their maturity, their playful side took over, and soon they were laughing and competing.
"Yingge, want to join?" Lu Chao invited cheerfully.
"No! Thank! You!" Yingge bit out each word.
"It’s almost dark! Hurry up! This isn’t a picnic!!"
Seeing her flushed face and hands on her hips, the boys sheepishly rubbed their noses and headed back.
On the way, Lu Chao spotted dry branches and thorny vines on the ground.
"Gather some dry branches. They’ll keep us warm at night, and if trouble comes, they’ll help us hide in the dark."
"Got it!"
They trusted Lu Chao’s judgment completely.
The mountain forest was dense, and by the time they returned to the cabin, darkness had fallen.
After securing the doors and windows, they huddled together. The earlier playfulness faded into fear as the night deepened.
"We’ll split into two groups—three on the left, three on the right. If intruders come, we’ll have a chance to escape."
Lu Chao arranged the branches by the wall and had them test the hiding spots. He also placed thorny vines by the door and left the bandit’s shoes outside.
Turning around, he found his companions trailing him like ducklings, especially Lu Yuanyi, who clung tightly to his sleeve.
"Don’t worry! I’ll keep watch by the door tonight. And I’ve got a few surprises. Guess what?"
His words successfully diverted their attention.
"What?"
"Look—I swiped a firestarter from that bandit! And there’s something else you’d never expect."
With a flourish, he patted his waist pouch. "Ta-da!"
"Wow! Really?!"
The bandit had been bloodied and unconscious when they fled, so no one noticed Lu Chao’s quick fingers.
"Yep! So don’t be scared. If the bandits come, I’ll blow this at them."
The tense atmosphere lightened slightly—though Lu Yuanyi’s eyes were suspiciously shiny.
"Look! The moon’s out!"
The moonlight finally pierced the darkness. Lu Chao ruffled Lu Yuanyi’s hair, and the older boy, abandoning pride, hugged his younger brother’s arm, silently crying. He missed his mother terribly.
"At dawn, we’ll go down the mountain. I’ll take you home."
Lu Yuanyi sobbed harder. Useless elder brother—protected by his younger sibling instead.
"Since no one’s sleeping, how about a story? Let me tell you about the Handsome Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain."
Long, long ago...
Meanwhile, at the prefectural office, lanterns burned bright.
Officers rushed in and out, and Prefect Meng’s back was drenched in sweat.
"Prefect Meng, for a case this serious, if I hadn’t reported it myself, how much longer would your bureaucracy have dragged on?"
At the hall’s left stood a man in black brocade, nearing forty, his voice icy.
"I wouldn’t dare delay, Lord Zhou. The bandits are being interrogated, and all constables are searching. Rest assured, we’ll find Young Master Zhou soon."
Zhou Sanwei itched to cut down this incompetent official, but he couldn’t—not without revealing the Third Prince’s identity. Steadying himself, he mentally retraced the inspection route for clues.
In the prison, Father Lu and Father Yang listened to the bandits’ confessions, restless with worry.
"Thank heavens Third Lad was sharp enough to send word. Any later, and these scoundrels would’ve escaped. Who knows where the children are now?" Father Yang patted his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.
"Brother Yang, I heard Inspector Zhou is personally overseeing the case. Prefect Meng won’t dare slack off—their chances are better now."
"Let’s hope so."
All available servants from the Lu and Yang families were dispatched to scour every village and relay station for news. They planned to remain at the government office overnight, awaiting updates, and at dawn, they would station themselves at the designated meeting point.
If the kidnappers were bold, it might be for the better—after all, they sought only money and were unlikely to harm anyone. But the greater fear was that they might be cowards, killing their victims and fleeing without a trace.
The more Father Lu dwelled on it, the more his dread grew, his hands trembling slightly as he held the teacup.
