Rebirth: Find a General as Your Backer

The next day, Xue Huai strolled aimlessly along the city wall, his heavy steps seemingly carrying endless frustration. He hadn't slept well all night.

At this moment, he hung his head, looking listless and lifeless.

At this moment, Zhang Fu was diligently patrolling. He stood tall and straight, his sharp eyes scanning everything around him. When his gaze inadvertently fell on Xue Huai, he immediately strode forward and greeted him warmly: "Young Master Xue, good morning."

Hearing the voice, Xue Huai slowly raised his head, his face full of exhaustion. He replied listlessly and weakly, "Greetings, General Zhang." Zhang Fu looked at Xue Huai, who was usually so vibrant and energetic, but was now so listless, and a sense of doubt arose in his heart.

He quickly stepped forward with concern and asked, "Young Master Xue, what's wrong? Why do you look so listless? Tell me, what's troubling you?"

Xue Huai opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but then suddenly fell silent. He shook his head helplessly, then sighed heavily, a sigh that seemed to contain endless sorrow.

Seeing him like this, Zhang Fu became even more curious. What could have made the usually cheerful Young Master Xue so different? So, he ordered his men to continue patrolling while he stayed behind to find out what trouble Xue Huai had encountered.

"Tell me, what's troubling you? I'll take care of it for you, as long as it's not illegal or disorderly conduct."

Zhang Fu genuinely liked this young master Xue. In his memory, Xue Huai was unlike the other dignitaries who had come here before, who were always aloof and arrogant, and who looked down on them, the deputy generals.

In truth, Zhang Fu thought that if it weren't for people like them guarding the border, those people wouldn't have such good lives. Those wealthy people only knew how to enjoy themselves, but never experienced their hardships.

"General Zhang, you said you fractured your ankle. How did you all recover?" After a long silence, Xue Huai finally broke the silence and slowly spoke. There was a hint of urgency in his voice, as if this question was very important to him.

"Why even ask how to heal it? When we encounter a broken foot, we just set it back in place. We're all rough guys, no need for such meticulous care. But who's injured? Could it be your foot? Let me check it, I'll treat it for you."

As Zhang Fu spoke, he hurriedly reached out to check Xue Huai's foot. His face was full of worry, fearing that Xue Huai might have been injured somewhere.

Xue Huai quickly dodged the question and hurriedly replied, "Oh dear, you've got it wrong, it's not me, it's Miss Su."

"Huh?" Zhang Fu looked at Xue Huai in disbelief, his surprised expression as if he had seen something incredible. Then, he said blankly, "Miss Su, how did your foot get injured?" His eyes were wide open, full of doubt.

Upon hearing this, Xue Huai looked ashamed, a guilt that hung over his face like a dark cloud. He lowered his eyes and said in a low voice that it was his fault.

"Huh?" Zhang Fu was completely stunned by this series of news. Xue Huai had injured Miss Su's foot, this... this... He was so shocked that he couldn't speak clearly for a moment: "You... you... you..." He stammered, trying to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

Xue Huai was extremely frustrated. He hung his head and recounted the general events, then looked at Zhang Fu with expectant eyes. Zhang Fu listened in stunned silence, completely frozen in place. He was utterly at a loss for what to do, as if he had been placed under a spell.

Facing Xue Huai's gaze, Zhang Fu moved his body with difficulty. His eyes casually glanced somewhere, but as if seeing a savior, he strode over and said sternly to a soldier, "Look at your posture! It's not upright at all, it's unbecoming of a border soldier. Stand up straight!" He tried to calm his inner turmoil by speaking sternly to a soldier.

Xue Huai watched as General Zhang addressed the soldiers on the city wall one by one, without ever turning back to look at him again.

He felt utterly wronged, as if he had been abandoned. A wave of loneliness washed over him, making it unbearable. So, he called out and tried to chase after her.

Zhang Fu was so frightened that he took a step back and ran away, muttering to himself: "Please don't follow me again, my dear Young Master Xue! You really are a noble young master, causing such a big mess as soon as you arrive. That's the general's darling! You may not care about your life, but I do!"

Xue Huai watched Zhang Fu walk away, his outstretched hand remaining undone for a long time. At that moment, a cold wind swept past mercilessly, causing him to shiver involuntarily. An urge to cry surged within him. He felt utterly alone, as if the world had forgotten him. The cold wind seemed to penetrate his heart, chilling him to the bone.

......

"A grown man crying like that, it's really shameful." A woman's voice suddenly rang out.

Xue Huai was immersed in grief, as if shrouded in a gloom. His head was slightly lowered, his eyes were dull and lifeless, and his once handsome face was now filled with sorrow. Hearing the woman's voice, he remained motionless, as if he hadn't heard it.

Back in the capital, he was quite the clever and quick-witted fellow. Whenever he made a mistake, his handsome brows would furrow slightly, instantly giving him a pitiful look.

Then he would resort to the tactic of feigning distress, sobbing softly or whimpering, looking like a wounded fawn, making people feel sorry for him. He did this only to elicit sympathy from his grandmother and mother, hoping they would plead for him before his father, thus helping him avoid punishment. Strangely enough, this trick always worked, and over time, he didn't see anything wrong with it.

Zhou Qi helplessly reached out and tugged at him. Xue Huai's slender figure moved slightly, but there was no further reaction. Zhou Qi couldn't help but say, "You must be Xue Huai. The general sent me to invite you."

Without waiting for his reaction, she grabbed him and dragged him away. As Zhou Qi dragged Xue Huai along, he muttered to himself that he couldn't stand a grown man acting like a woman, with no manly spirit at all.

I just can't understand how someone like that could have caused Miss Su to suffer, even though he seems so foolish.