The child, arms akimbo, watched the sparrows pecking happily around him, and he became even more pleased.

"Remember to call the boss, okay?" He scanned around and pouted.

“Got it!”

"Knowing this, the eldest child and his siblings, having been given some peanuts, didn't mind much and started calling out as well."

The little child nodded in satisfaction. There weren't many peanuts, just two per person, which were gone in three bites. The children puffed out their cheeks and stared hopefully at the newly designated leader.

That kid pulled out a shuttlecock and grinned, saying: "Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, let's play!"

Saying that, he covered his trouser pocket with one hand and kicked the shuttlecock twice with his foot. Soon, he kicked it to a boy about his size, who immediately took over. A group of people quickly played happily together.

And the boy who was shelling peanuts, quietly pulled on a little girl's arm and whispered into her ear:

Come with me

The little girl's clothes were terribly worn and torn. She was thin and small, with a pale complexion on her oval face. But her eyes were large and bright, with long lashes like fans.

Having reached a secluded corner, the little girl clutched her hands and watched as the so-called "Big Boss" rummaged through his pockets.

"Big boss, what's wrong?"

"Hey! Just call me Ermaoge privately, what's the relationship between us anyway?

"Mhm, Er Mao ge,"

"Er Mao," whose nickname had been changed again, took out some peanuts from his pocket and smiled as he handed them over.

"Look, what's this?" he said with a smug look.

"Wow, and what about this, Ermaog? Are you giving this to me? I...I..." The little girl was a bit shy, looking at this big handful of peanuts. For a moment, she didn't even dare to take them.

Since her mother was taken away to the south of the city and her father died after the Hui Chang incident, she hadn't eaten this many peanuts.

"Oh, take it. Don't be so polite.

"I have plenty of father's money, just eat!" Er Mao said confidently with a wave of his hand.

Hearing this, the little girl finally smiled and took it. This smile made Er Mao's face flush red, he even forgot to sniff his nose.

The two of them sat on the steps outside a house. The little girl was shelling peanuts, and Er Mao watched her.

"Wen'er, after this winter is over, next year will be much better.

The girl tilted her head, a peanut shell still between her teeth, and mumbled, "Isn't it always like this?"

"No, things were better before my father went to Huichang a few years ago.

Seeing her frostbitten hands unable to open them, and with a mouthful of peanut shells from gnawing on them, Er Mao took the peanuts back from her hand, lowering his head as he peeled them one by one and said:

"

Things are different now, you know the Prince, right?

Upon hearing this, the girl's face changed color, her eyes filled with terror, and even her body trembled.

"You know, my mother was caught by the Wang Ye's son..."

Er Mao was originally bowing his head, but when he heard the girl's voice change, he immediately raised his head to look at her. At that glance, Er Mao panicked immediately.

The little girl's eyes were already red, and her small body was still trembling.

He hurriedly explained, "No no no, I wasn't talking about King Qing."

I'm talking about the son of General Zhenbei and Tiger Might, the one who went out from Jinling before. I even took you to see him off back then.

Back then, you even made him boiled eggs.

Just as he was saying this, he scratched his head and said, “No, it wasn't you who gave me the boiled eggs. You didn't even have any eggs to eat. It must have been either Cuihong or Xiulian... I can’t remember.

The girl's expression eased, but she was still somewhat downcast. She kept her head bowed and continued to painstakingly shell peanuts, "Um, it wasn't me, I couldn't get in outside."

"Ermaogge, continue talking. What happened to the king?

Ermi scratched his head, somewhat regretting that he hadn't made himself clear at the beginning. What was supposed to be a happy occasion had made Wenru sad instead.

All because of King Qing's bastard son, a good person doesn't turn into an animal.

My father, Wen'er's father, died protecting his home and country in Huichang. My mother was then taken by a beast of a man, which is why Wen'er is now so miserable.

Damn it!

Er Mao thought angrily, and tightened his grip. "Crack!" the peanut almost got crushed in his hand.

"Er Mao Ge?" The girl raised her face and blinked at him, as if to say she was fine.

Er Mao handed her the peanuts, then said: "I'm telling you, the King isn't rebelling anymore. After the court sent people to suppress him, they were recently defeated in a major battle."

I'm talking about the imperial court, not the prince.

"Heh heh, these guys, they're overestimating themselves. They're definitely going to lose."

"I heard that the prince is going to attack the capital soon. Haven't you noticed that curfew has been extended? Everyone is scared."

The girl nodded as if she understood, but her face was filled with fear: "War means people will die."

My father died in battle in Huichang.

Er Mao looked at her, his youthful face surprisingly solemn. He spoke in a low voice:

Then that's different.

"No, no, your father and the prince are the same. It's just that the current court is different.

The girl looked at Er Mao, who seemed like a grown-up, and said with her lips pursed, "Er Mao ge, aren't you afraid? What if..."

Er Mao once again "squeezed" a peanut open with a snap, his tone unconsciously growing heavier.

I'm not afraid, and you don't need to be afraid either. None of us need to be afraid. The only ones who should be afraid are the bad people.

"Especially the one who harmed your mother, this bunch of cowards, they're definitely going to be so scared they wet their pants, hmph.

Seeming to realize that his vulgarity was inappropriate, Er Mao quickly interjected:

All in all, everyone's saying that this year the King might just be able to conquer Jinling. When that time comes, hmph

The girl lowered her eyes and asked in a small voice, "Do bad people always get punished?"

"That's for sure!" Er Mao suddenly stood up, scattering peanutshells all over the floor.

"Everyone is waiting!"

Everyone is waiting!

He repeated it twice, as if saying something very inspiring.

And in fact, he had heard this phrase from others. People said it all the time, so he repeated it and kept it in his mind.

"Here, Er Mao Ge, you eat some too. Look at this station's straight posture, and his expression seems like that of a grown-up Er Mao. The girl smiles as she hands him the peanut kernels."

Er Mao glanced at the peanuts and waved his hand, saying, “What’s so good about these? Even if my father shelled them for me, I wouldn’t open my mouth.”

But I heard your stomach rumbling, Ermaoge. Let's eat together, peanuts are still delicious.

The girl looked at him, her slender arm raised high, a peanut clutched between her frostbitten fingers.

Under the dim sunlight, the peanuts wrapped in red clothing seemed to be coated with a layer of iris, shimmering with splendor.

"It's a little bit tasty, but only a little. Maybe I ate too much so I can't really tell," Er Mao mumbled while chewing on peanuts and then licking his lips.

The girl just smiled with her eyes narrowed. Er Mao blushed and urged, "Come on, it's just this much, finish it and I'll take you to play."

The girl finished it in three bites and shook her head. "No, Er Mao Ge, you should go home. I'm going home too."

As she spoke, the girl stood up, pulled her clothes tighter, and waved goodbye to Er Mao.

"Well, okay. I'll find you tomorrow.

"My dad has a lot of peanuts, and I can't finish them. Here, take some," Er Mao said with a smile.

"No need, Er Mao Ge. Didn't you say this winter would be over soon?"

After winter, next year, I think I'm also tired of eating peanuts, just like Erha.

"Let's go!"

The girl winked, smiled, and walked away.

The wind blew, raising dust from the ground. In the setting sun, Er Mao watched the girl's receding figure, the crimson sunlight stretching her shadow long and thin.

He shouted from behind, "But my father can't finish it all!"

The wind howled, bringing with it the sound of a girl's laughter.

Er Mao also chuckled and skipped towards home, chasing after a rotten piece of cabbage on the ground while kicking it along, humming a children's song he had recently learned.

"If you want a good dog, get one from my house. My dog is big but friendly, he only bites chickens, not thieves."

A frog with little foresight, touched its prey and immediately felt full.

The giant whale sucks up all the water of the East, and millions of toads are inside it.

The cheerful laughter abruptly stopped as they approached the door, and their father stood there with his arms crossed.

"Father, are you... waiting for me?" Er Mao sneered.

"Who's waiting for you, little rascal? You've been running around all day. Uncle Zhao is here, come and meet him."

Er Mao let out a breath of relief, and a look of delight appeared on his face. His favorite Uncle Zhao, former Captain Zhao Zhennan of the Chi Yan Army, had arrived.

(Editor in charge：dracula novel)