the beautiful golden tea choked your airway and you coughed loudly which made the little boy on your side look at you with worry in his eyes, one hand holding a small wooden sword and the other clutching your sleeve. you put down the cup of chamomile tea on the table, careful that it will not spill as you tried to compose yourself.
that caught you off guard.
“..are you alright?” yanqing’s meek voice almost makes you forget that his innocence is a double-edged sword. aeons, this boy will be the death of you. you turned to him, smiling, assuring the child with a soft pat on his head.
“mhm. i’m fine.” you gently pinch his xiaolongbao cheeks. “care to explain what you mean by your words, young man?”
“i wan no wayt!” i want to fight!
“no, you don’t.” as you let go of his cheeks, you plant a kiss on them. “now, finish your breakfast and i’ll take you to yuan'er. ” the boy giggled when he heard the nickname of your husband. in his mind, yuan'er means he will be surrounded by swords and different kinds of weapons he has yet to set his eyes upon. you worry that yanqing cares for the blades more than his father but the problem will be handled by jing yuan not you. after all, it was him who introduced yanqing to the swords by bringing him to his office.
“yuan'er! yuan'er! yuan'er! ” yanqing cheered. his small arms wrapped around your shoulder as you carried him. he nudged your cheek with his temple, as if mimicking the lion that your husband brought home. mimi tends to rub against you—looking for attention— and looks like yanqing is copying her. “mother, yuan'er?”
“yes, yuan'er.”
seven years later, a large man clad in heavy armor comes running to your arms, crying crocodile tears as he sobbed in your arms. someone would have mistaken the shaking of your husband’s shoulder to be crying but not you. you’re too old for pranks and jing yuan thinks he is not.
“yanqing refuses to call me yuan'er, dear.” jing yuan tightens his hold on you, head buried to your neck. acting like a white lotus. “that kid is being mean to his father!”
the said boy, much more taller now and wearing his cloud knight uniform, only huffed and crossed his arms as he watched his father taking advantage of the situation. the general is just using him as an excuse to garner your affection.
“we were working, general.” yanqing emphasizes the last word. “and stop that! you just want to hug mother before i can!”
“general jing yuan, you’re nothing but a scoundrel!”
jing yuan gasps, offended at his son’s absurd claim.
