The army doctor looked back and forth between the two men, then lowered his voice. "It's hard to say whether this will affect her intelligence. But judging by what the Young General described earlier, the child likely lost her memory due to some external factor."
"Memory loss?" Zhongli Ting asked. "That's a new one. Can this be cured?"
The army doctor replied, "It's hard to say—it's rare. If we can expose her to things from her past more often, she might remember."
"..." If he knew, he wouldn't be standing here racking his brains to ask.
"Alright, you can head back first. Sorry to trouble you." Wei Ling stood up to see him out, and upon returning, patted Zhongli Ting on the shoulder. "If she can't remember, forget it. The camp isn't short of one extra mouth to feed."
"Go on," Zhongli Ting shook off his hand. "How are we supposed to keep a little girl in a military camp?"
Lowering his voice, Zhongli Ting added, "Tomorrow, send someone to the local magistrate's office to check if there have been any recent missing person reports. If she still can't remember after a few days, give her some silver and find a childless farming family to foster her."
"That's no problem at all." Wei Ling nodded. "But this isn't a matter of two or three days. Brother Ting, this little girl has even forgotten her own name. Even if you pick up a stray cat or dog, you still give it a name."
Wei Ling looked eager to try; he had never named anyone in his entire life.
Zhongli Ting was very respectful of personal opinions: "Kid, give yourself a name."
The little girl looked up at him, blinked, her dark, bright eyes full of doubt and complete bewilderment.
After a brief pause, the little girl earnestly and sincerely said, "I'll listen to Big Brother."
"Want to listen to me?" Zhongli Ting met her gaze nonchalantly.
Although the little girl was young, her features weren't fully formed yet, and she was covered in dirt, her facial features looked quite striking—actually much better-looking than any of the young ladies from official families he had seen at palace banquets in previous years.
He hadn't expected such a flower to bloom from the backwoods.
Figuring it was just a temporary code name anyway, Zhongli Ting said casually, "You look like a little flower, let's call you Ruhuahua."
"Pfft—"
Wei Ling had been waiting in anticipation for ages, never expecting such a ridiculous outcome. Barely holding back his laughter, he gave Zhongli Ting a thumbs-up. "Brother Ting, I give up on you. If I were your future wife, I'd rather die than let you name a child."
Without a shred of a guilty conscience, he thought: with that naming standard, even if someone paid him to let him name something, he wouldn't want it.
"Even if you take ten thousand steps back, supposing you were a woman..." Zhongli Ting scoffed lightly. "Never mind, don't take any steps back. I'm not blind."
Wei Ling: "..." Was he not in the prime of his youth and looking his best, for goodness' sake?!
Swallowing his depression, Wei Ling raised his chin at the little girl and seized the chance for revenge. "Don't listen to him. He's just messing with you. Only a fool would listen to him."
Though Zhongli Ting had meant no harm, he hadn't taken it seriously either, and remained noncommittal.
Instead, the little girl spoke up, opening her large, dark, bright eyes and grasping the main point firmly: "I'm not a fool."
Wei Ling said indignantly, "Don't tell me you actually like that name?"
The little girl nodded vigorously. "I like it!"
What was wrong with looking like a little flower?
Zhongli Ting and Wei Ling exchanged glances, both of their expressions freezing slightly.
The name was as tacky as Er-gou or Tie-niu, truly hopelessly rustic. How could the little girl herself have no objections?
Wei Ling pointed at his head. "Brother Ting, when you picked up this kid, did she land on her head?"
The little girl glared at him and said, "You're a bad person!"
Well, look at this little girl.
Wei Ling was almost fit to burst with anger. "You should be thankful I don't stoop to the level of a child."
Little Ruhuahua didn't disdain this new name in the least; she even pointed at herself and asked with fascinated novelty, "Huahua?"
Zhongli Ting felt as though his heart had been lightly scratched by a kitten's paw.
Why did it suddenly feel like the name was actually quite cute?
The corners of his lips curved into a smile. "Mm, our Xiaohua."
Great, this one had been assimilated by the fool too.
Wei Ling truly didn't want to stay with these two fools any longer, and turned to leave.
Ruhuahua turned her head and asked honestly, "Uncle, where are you going?"
Wei Ling turned back: "Uncle??"
He hopped over in disbelief and pointed at himself. "You're calling me uncle?"
How on earth was Zhongli Ting a "Big Brother" while he was an "Uncle"? He was even half a year younger than Zhongli Ting!
Zhongli Ting made a show of stopping Wei Ling, holding back a laugh as he said, "A-Ling, what does a child know?"
Wei Ling felt aggrieved: "But she called me uncle!"
This was the first time in his life anyone had called him uncle.
"There, there," Zhongli Ting patted his shoulder. "Children never lie. Try looking for the cause in yourself more often."
Wei Ling: "???" Suddenly, he wanted to hit someone. How did one fix that?
Zhongli Ting leisurely turned back, teaching the child with a hidden smile, "Don't tease him. A-Ling is my cousin, calling him uncle skips a generation."
The little girl tilted her head, looking at Wei Ling in confusion: "Cousin?"
"Why is she looking at me and calling me cousin?" Wei Ling thought, "Why do I feel like she's calling me?"
Zhongli Ting chuckled. "Huahua, call him Brother Wei."
"Still Brother Ting who loves me." Wei Ling made a hand-heart gesture. "Brother Ting, I love you!!"
"Scram."
Ruhuahua crisp and clear responded, calling out, "Brother Wei."
Wei Ling muttered, "This uncle cannot afford such an honor."
"Big Brother," Ruhuahua tugged at the hem of Zhongli Ting's training uniform, asking quietly, "Is Brother Wei angry?"
Zhongli Ting looked down at the crown of the little girl's head. "No, he's just idle and wants to go do some military drills."
"..."
Wei Ling coughed lightly and said with some helplessness, "I'm going to get medicine from the army doctor." If he couldn't afford to provoke them, he could at least stay out of their way.
"Go on," Zhongli Ting glanced at him. "And have the mess cooks boil some extra hot water and send it over."
Wei Ling paused slightly.
"Still not going?"
"Ah, I'm going right now."
There was a small stream just outside the walls of their encampment, so water wasn't scarce. The camp even had a bathhouse large enough for twenty or thirty people to use together. Still, it was crude, and those with any status usually had guards carry water to wash inside their tents.
Zhongli Ting was the exception, however; he didn't like special treatment and preferred to walk a long way to soak in the hot springs himself.
Wei Ling moved quickly, and the others in the military camp moved quickly too. The hot water was soon delivered, white steam billowing rapidly from the wooden tub.
"Once you've washed up, I'll have someone come help you apply the medicine." Zhongli Ting asked, still a bit worried, "Can you manage by yourself?"
Ruhuahua said quite solemnly, "I'm not a child anymore."
"Alright, little one." Zhongli Ting turned and walked out, instructing the patrolling guards outside, "Keep a close watch here. Don't let anyone enter my tent."
"Yes!"
Taking advantage of the time Ruhuahua was washing up, Zhongli Ting made a trip to Chunfang.
Chunfang sounded pleasant enough, but it was actually where the camp prostitutes lived.
Every regional military outpost had camp prostitutes, some volunteering and others assigned there as punishment. During the day, they would also help wash clothes, cook, and do mending.
As soon as Zhongli Ting stepped inside, he drew the attention of most of the idle women. "Oh, the Young General. What a rare visitor."
This was genuinely Zhongli Ting's first time setting foot in this place.
There were many women—some sitting in the sun doing mending, some washing laundry, and others doing their hair.
"Are you here for a visit, Young General? I'll give you a twenty percent discount."
"I'll give you thirty percent."
"Fifty percent!"
The youth possessed handsome features and a vigorous physique. When he wasn't being serious, his whole body exuded a lazy, roguish charm that could easily stir a calm pool.
Perhaps he was simply too heart-stoppingly handsome; as the prices dropped lower and lower, by the end, some were even shouting that it was free.
Faced with the enthusiastic women, young and old, Zhongli Ting took a step back, his attitude a blend of mildness and hidden aloofness. "I have serious business. I wonder which of you ladies has the time to accompany me on a trip? I will pay the usual reward."
With his good manners and handsome looks, many of the women with nothing to do were willing to make the trip with him. Zhongli Ting casually picked an older woman from among them, one who reportedly had experience applying medicine.
To save time, Zhongli Ting explained as they walked, "The child isn't big, and she likely still has injuries on her body. Take a good look at her later and apply medicine wherever it's needed."
"Don't you worry, Young General, this little matter..." The woman began, but her voice suddenly trailed off.
"What is it?" Zhongli Ting had barely asked before he, too, froze the moment he looked up.