"..." Jin Rou was stupefied of what he heard, "You want me to take your son?"
To Jin Rou, this didn't make sense at all. As a mother of the child, why would she choose to give her son to someone she barely knew? Not to mention, what if Jin Rou wasn't a good person?
Besides, it's her responsibility as the mother to take care of her child. Giving the responsibility to someone else was an act of cowardice.
Even her child, the tender boy, looked at his mother with a widened eyes. It seemed that even for him, he couldn't understand what his mother trying to get at.
But perhaps, this woman called Xi Xi had a reason for this. Thus, Jin Rou wanted to hear her out.
"I... I..." Xi Xi stuttered, but forced her way to continue, "I am not deserving to be the mother of Xiu'er."
Saying this, she couldn't help but cry, "I bear a grave sin that I need to atone in the sect. And as a member who has done them wrong, I need to take full responsibility for it. I know, you might think that I sound silly since I have now the chance to take things lying down and run to live in peace. But I know it myself that I can't live well if my conscience is killing me. I am a proud cultivator of Misty Ocean Sect."
"…" Jin Rou didn't know what to say.
It turned out that this lady was ready to accept all the punishments that were on the plate for her. She was not planning on backing off.
However, a variable appeared that made things complicated. It was her son, Xiu'er. Because of her son, she was forced to choose this option. Rather than being killed in the sect, Xi Xi chose to abandon her son if that would mean Xiu'er would live well.
And thanks to a fortunate variable called Jin Rou, Xi Xi could feel that she the entrust her son to him. Who knew? Perhaps, under Jin Rou's tutelage, her son would also become a very strong person in this world that everyone would look up to.
Now, it was up to Jin Rou if he would say yes or no.
"Please, I beg you Benefactor..." Xi Xi kowtowed once again with her head banging. She didn't even mind being bare naked in front of this young man, "I want my child to stay out of this, not to be implicated even a bit."
"…" Jin Rou couldn't help but sigh. Truth be told, he wanted to say no. After all, he would not benefit in any way by taking the child into his custody. In a subjective point of view, it would just be troublesome and a deadweight.
But seeing the begging woman in front of him, it gave him a hard time. He could tell that this woman was a proud existence that used to look down all of the mortals. A prideful one that she wouldn't let anyone step on her.
But the current her, right now, was pleading so low that she didn't care about her status and pride that once she had. Perhaps this was her motherly way of showing love to her child. In fact, she even begged the three women a while ago just for the sake of her child.
"Alright, I'm going to take him into my custody." Jin Rou sighed once again and picked a blanket and covered the kneeling woman to hide her private parts, "So please stand up, don't make things any more difficult than this."
Xi Xi couldn't help but be happy and ashamed at the same time. She knew that she was giving her benefactor, Jin Rou, an unnecessary inconvenience. But for the good of her Xiu'er, she was willing to swallow this down.
Afterwards, Xi Xi got up from her knees and front Xiu'er. She caress the white and smooth cheeks of her child and smiled while tears run down her face, "Xiu'er, my baby. This Big Brother is going to take care of you for the meantime, so you must not give him any headache."
"Ar yulebing m mama? (Are you leaving me mama?)" Xiu'er asked while his expression showed that he was sad. Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes.
"No, no. Of course not." Xi Xi shook her head and said, "Mama is just going to take care of some matters and I'm going to look for you after that. So you must behave well and listen to your Big Brother, okay?"
Xi Xi's heart was being torned into pieces when saying this. She knew what was the truth. And she refused to let her son swallow this bitter pill called reality.
"..." Xiu'er looked down and was still sad. However, he nodded his head in obedience. He tried to force back the tears and act strong for his mother.
After which, Xi Xi kissed her son on the forehead and brought herself to Jin Rou, bowing, "Benefactor, you have my greatest gratitude for granting me this wish. Though I don't know your name, I will deeply engrave your appearance so that when I meet you in my next life, I would be able to serve you."
"You don't need to push it that much." Jin Rou said, "And my name is Jin. As long as you fight for your life and remain alive for your son, that will suffice."
"That, I don't know..." Xi Xi smiled wryly. She knew how grave her sin was. She knew how serious the Misty Ocean Sect when talking about the iron rules. She might die here. No, there's a high chance of her being executed, "I will just leave it up to fate."
Jin Rou didn't say anything anymore. He just watched the mother and son talking to each other once again while hugging.
This was their last time to be together, perhaps. And Xi Xi wanted to use every available second to be with her son for the last time.