Chapter 65 - 45: Xiong Family (II) (2/2)

”It's good you know not to speak to strangers. But I'm no stranger. I'm your fourth uncle from the third branch. You can call me uncle Nuen.”

Little Xiong Zhi opens her mouth.

”Nice to meet you.” Her adorable voice and her no expression was very cute.

I laughed.

”Good manners.” I praised her and patted her head. She bowed her head a little and basked in my pat. That's when I realized that this girl was actually soft and like every other eight-year-old child, needs attention.

And too bad, after that day we never have a chance to meet again...

Until just now.

Xiong Nuen Zai becomes fond of Xiong Zhi since that day. She was not like the other Xiong. She was an innocent and pure child that was not tainted by any black heartedness nor full of schemes. She was like a blank white paper. And Xiong Nuen Zai wanted to protect that white blank paper to not be dirtied by anyone. Too bad. He only had a little power. Little power that he was finding it difficult to even protect his own family (son and wife). But he knew that his decision was right. It was better to be distant in the power struggles of the Xiong than to give a little privilege of power but be in danger later.

In the blink of an eye, the child that he once wishes to protect was big now. Her gaze was still clear, calm and unperturbed. But her aura changed. There's a sharpness within. And somehow for some reason, he can sense a beast within her that silently waiting to be unleashed. As she was walking towards him, he could feel the pressure. There was a beast inside of her that any moment can be unleashed but surprisingly it was under control, calm yet raging. Xiong Nuen Zai who was an artist, a painter, a good observer could feel it. His sixth sense was always right. A thought suddenly occurred in his mind. No doubt, this girl would be Big in the future. But how Big he did not know.

This child grew up amazingly.

”Uncle Neuen. It has been long.” Xiong Zhi arrived in front of Xiong Nuen Zai. She bowed politely with a sincere smile on her face.

Xiong Nuen Zai was awakened from his daze by Xiong Zhi. Then he becomes glad that Xiong Zhi still remembers him.

”Haha! I am very happy you know my name.”

”Of course. I am very much indebted to you, Uncle. Your kindness will never be forgotten by me.” Xiong Zhi said wholeheartedly.

Xiong Nuen Zai thought it was because of that day eight years ago. In the remaining days of grieving, Xiong Nuen Zai stayed together with Xiong Zhi. He told him about the existence of her parents and her parent's death. It was a blessing in disguise that Xiong Zhi was not closed to her parents and only knew them by pictures and names. And sometimes in a yearly gathering that she got to meet her so-called parents. So she did not have any lingering feelings towards her parents.  It was laughable that she spent the longest time with her parents in this funeral that lasted for days.

Pitying the child, and since he liked Xiong Zhi, he favored her and sincerely treated her well.

But what Xiong Zhi meant was both in lifetimes. In the last lifetime, her Uncle Nuen helped her so much. She knew that his uncle never joined the power struggles and distancing himself as far away as he could from the Xiong. As he did not want to be inflicted by the Xiong's battlefield. But when the hard time came, he unhesitatingly agreed to be Xiong Zhi's guardian even it put his family's safety into danger. Even though Xiong De won at the end to be her guardian, it was still the big effort to save her that she would be forever grateful. She even heard that because of the kidnapping, his sickly son's health deteriorated more and even heard the rumor that her little cousin passed away. But despite that, when the title of Young Miss of Xiong has stripped away from her. Xiong Nuen Zai together with Xiong Mai gathers the loyal elders to oppose it. He and her aunt, Xiong Mai helped her so much that she promised herself that in this lifetime, the kindness they gave would be paid out ten times more.

Uncle, Aunt, Thank you. In this life, I will not disappoint you. I will be stronger and stronger to fight them and keep away from that faith. In this life, let me be the one who will help you.