Chapter 44: Don't Call Me Master - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It
Chapter 44: Don't Call Me Master In his first lifetime, Chen An once asked the system what he needed to do during the nurturing process. Or rather, he asked how he should go about nurturing. The system didn't give a direct answer; instead, it informed him that the heroine was in a state of despair and sought his opinion. Chen An's response at the time was: "Of course you should take care of her meticulously, love her, help her rediscover the beauty of the world, and reignite her desire for life. Then, find someone to have me torn apart by five horses in front of her." "Oh, and make sure my death looks as tragic as possible." This answer left the system in prolonged silence. "Isn't that a bit too cruel?" Chen An was momentarily startled, then agreed, "Indeed, maybe I should alter my ending a bit; being torn by horses is quite gory." ... ... Even after entering the warm chamber, Luo Cong An still had a dazed expression on her face, as if she were in a dream. But even if it were a dream, she would willingly surrender to it and refuse to wake up. "So, how is it? Are you comfortable?" The question came from behind, snapping the little girl out of her stupor. She instinctively straightened her body, lowered her head, and whispered timidly, "Thank you, sir, but I don't need such a nice room. Letting me stay in a woodshed is enough..." Truth be told, sleeping in a woodshed had once been one of her dreams. Compared to the damp, unprotected dark alleyways, a woodshed that could shelter from the wind and rain was a luxury. "What nonsense are you talking about?" A hand reached over, lifting the long hair that covered most of her face. With nowhere to hide, Luo Cong An mustered the courage to look at Chen An. For a moment, her heart pounded, and her breath almost stopped. So handsome. In her mind, she searched and searched for words and phrases to describe him. But with her limited vocabulary, after a long while, she only managed to express five words. "You are really handsome, sir." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. Chen An smiled and asked, "I still haven't asked for your name." Perhaps influenced by the environment, the little girl relaxed a bit. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she shyly replied, "Luo Cong An." "Which Luo?" Chen An inquired. This question seemed to trouble the girl. Because she couldn't read. Her uncle Luo Hua was infamously stingy, naturally unwilling to hire a tutor for her. She had only managed to recognize her own name through constant exposure both heard and seen. Fortunately, Chen An was considerate enough to offer his hand to the girl. "Can you write it?" "Yes!" This time, the girl nodded vigorously. She stepped forward, cautiously extending a finger to carefully write within the palm that could envelop her completely. Stroke by stroke. "So, it’s that 'Luo.' I almost heard it as 'Luo,'" Chen An chuckled. He then remembered the last two characters of her name and joked, "It seems we have some fate; there's also an 'An' in my name." "Nice to officially meet you; I'm Chen An." He suddenly clasped Luo Cong An's small hand, smiling mischievously at her bewildered expression. "Although our handshake is a bit unconventional, it counts, doesn’t it?" Handshake? Luo Cong An was puzzled, not understanding the connection between these two things. But her little head nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick. "Thank you, Master, thank you, Master..." Falling to her knees again, Chen An frowned slightly and pulled her up. "Don't kneel so casually in the future." His tone carried a hint of sternness. Hearing this, Luo Cong An trembled all over. She almost knelt to apologize but stopped herself, remembering Chen An's words. "And don't call me Master from now on." Seeing the girl obediently complying, Chen An's tone softened considerably. But even so, his words struck Luo Cong An like a bolt from the blue, causing her fingers to pale with a tight grip. In an instant, countless troubling thoughts surged through her mind. Could it be that she messed up again... The master no longer wanted her... To not call him Master meant he didn't want to accept her as his servant, right? If she had never seen the light, she could have endured the darkness. But after feeling those warm hands, Luo Cong An became afraid. Tears began to flow uncontrollably, soaking her cheeks. Though she made no sound, the occasional twitch of her shoulders reflected her inner turmoil. Sensing her distress, Chen An held the girl's hand again, feeling a bit anxious himself. It was, after all, his first time deceiving a little girl. For this wholesome young man from the 21st century, feeling no guilt was impossible. "What’s wrong, what’s wrong, don’t cry. Did I not do enough? Is it this room that you're unhappy with? How about you sleep in my room..." Chen An's words were interrupted by her whimpering. Luo Cong An wiped her eyes repeatedly; she didn't want to make any noise. But upon hearing Chen An's words, she couldn't help herself. Her nose sniffled. "No, no..." She was desperate to explain that it wasn't the case. The young master was undoubtedly the kindest person to her in the world. Yet, the more anxious she became, the more urgent her sobbing, making it impossible to utter a complete sentence. In the end, Chen An gently embraced her. Suddenly enveloped by warmth, Luo Cong An froze, even her sobbing stopped. Her eyes lowered, restlessly shifting her posture. Fortunately, Chen An only hugged her momentarily before releasing her. Then he reached out, placing his hand on her filthy white hair. Unkempt for too long, the strands emitted a foul odor and felt unpleasant to the touch. Hurriedly, Luo Cong An removed his hand, taking a step back with visible anxiety in her eyes. "Don’t..." "Master, it’s dirty..." She glanced at her master's hand, long and fair—a hand belonging to a scholar. But now, that hand bore some small, dirty, unidentified particles. Seeing this, Luo Cong An's heart tightened. She stood upright like a child caught doing wrong. Chen An felt at a loss, though he had an inkling of the girl's thoughts. He sincerely said, "There's no need to be so sensitive with me." Luo Cong An stubbornly shook her head. A trace of pity flashed in Chen An's eyes, but he did not relent. "Anyway, don't call me Master." The candlelight flickered, his face appearing and disappearing in its glow. "I'm not forbidding you because I don't want you anymore." "I just want you to understand—you're not a subsidiary of anyone." "Not now, and not in the future." (Chapter Ends)