“Oh, little ancestor, you should be grateful anyone wants you at all, with such high standards.”
“Exactly! What child is as picky as you?”
As discussions buzzed and the crowd grew larger, Luo Luo waved her small hand and declared with grand ambition: “No rush, no rush! Luo Luo has treasures in the royal garden. Mountains of gold and silver—whoever gets selected can have it all! I won’t go back on my word.”
“Tr…treasures?!”
The crowd erupted into chaos.
“Me! Pick me! I’m the most handsome young man for miles around!”
“Step aside! When it comes to raising children, I’m the expert! I’ve raised seven kids!”
“Look at me, young noble! I may not have much gold, but I’m thoughtful! You’ll be satisfied!”
A single stone stirred a thousand waves.
Upon hearing about the “mountains of gold and silver,” the crowd swarmed forward like bees to honey, nearly sweeping the little one off her feet.
Luo Luo stood with her hands behind her back, puffing out her small chest, her eyes critically scanning the crowd:
“No, no, this one’s too scruffy and not handsome enough.”
“Huh? That uncle… you seem a bit short…”
“Hmm… this young master’s looks are passable… but he’s not even one ten-thousandth as dashing as my daddy.”
“Well… in terms of aura, he’s still miles behind Daddy…”
The line behind had grown long as a dragon.
“Form a line, form a line!”
Luo Luo commanded with great seriousness, “No rushing! One at a time! Lord Luo Luo will personally choose!”
She rolled up her sleeves, ready for a prolonged battle.
In the Regent’s study, sandalwood incense curled in the air.
Xiao Lin held a brush poised over a military report, but his gaze drifted uncontrollably toward the carved window.
That little rascal had been standing in the corner for a while now.
He had scolded her harshly earlier—had he… actually made her cry?
His heart twinged suddenly.
He set the vermilion brush on its stand.
“Why is it so quiet outside? Is Luo Luo still reflecting on her mistakes properly?”
Xiao Lin frowned, a trace of uncertainty in his tone.
Could that little devil really be so well-behaved?
A figure knelt silently before the desk.
“Your Highness,” the shadow’s voice was strained with difficulty, “The young mistress… she… she is not in the courtyard.”
Xiao Lin’s eyes turned frosty: “Not there? I ordered her to face the wall in the corner.”
“The young mistress… slipped out of the manor half an hour ago.”
The shadow swallowed, bowing his head lower, “She said… she was going to the East Market to recruit a new father… and also… also…”
“Also what?!”
Xiao Lin’s voice was like shattering ice.
“Also… to revoke Your Highness’s fatherhood… and appoint a new father…”
Before the shadow finished speaking, the cold emanating from Xiao Lin almost solidified. His knuckles turned white, and the veins at his temples bulged like angry dragons, throbbing violently.
Good!
Very good—revoking fatherhood!
East Street.
“Line up! Everyone line up! Stop pushing! Everyone has a chance to become Lord Luo Luo’s daddy!”
(′,,ω,,｀)
Luo Luo’s little face was flushed from busyness as she tried to maintain order.
Suddenly.
The bustling crowd scattered as if they’d seen a ghost—one moment it was fervent chaos, the next they scattered like ants scalded by boiling water.
In an instant, only a messy empty space remained before Luo Luo.
“Huh? Why did everyone leave?”
Luo Luo looked around blankly, her small hand frozen mid-air, “Don’t you want to be daddies anymore? There’s still a chance!”
A bone-chilling, sun-freezing aura enveloped her from behind.
“Xiao! Luo! Ning!”
Luo Luo shivered, the hairs on her neck standing on end. She turned her head extremely slowly, instantly breaking into a brilliantly innocent smile.
“Oh! Daddy~ You… what brings you here in your free time? *′))”
Unnoticed, Xiao Lin had appeared behind her, clad in a black golden-threaded python robe with chi dragon patterns.
His fierce aura of battle and his handsome yet frosty face were enough to silence the entire street.
A large hand reached out and lifted the pink bundle into the air.
Xiao Lin’s voice seemed to grind through his teeth: “Xiao Luoning! In public, you’re openly recruiting a father here? Am I… am I not your father?”
Luo Luo’s short legs kicked uneasily in the air. Her round almond eyes instantly welled up with tears, threatening to fall, looking utterly pitiful.
“Wah… Daddy is scary, Luo Luo is afraid… Daddy, put Luo Luo down please.”
“Afraid?”
Xiao Lin was so angry he saw stars, “You know fear? I ordered you to reflect on your mistakes, and you dared to come to this bustling market to recruit a father?”
His voice shook the nearby vendor stalls.
“Your Highness, calm your anger, please calm down!Liu Bo stumbled over and quickly gathered the poor Luo Luo into his arms to comfort her.
“The young mistress is young and mischievous, she doesn’t understand. Please calm your temper, don’t frighten her…”
Luo Luo hid in Liu Bo’s broad embrace, nodding her little head like a pecking chick.
“Mhmm, Grandpa Liu is right, Luo Luo… Luo Luo is still very young… It’s not strange for children to make mistakes…”
(。-ω′-)
Xiao Lin pressed hard on his throbbing temple: “Xiao Luoning! I heard you even want to revoke my fatherhood? Appoint a new father?”
Luo Luo buried her face in Liu Bo’s clothes, mumbling:
“That… that’s because Daddy is too scary… always making me stand in the corner or being fierce… Luo Luo is afraid…”(ω\) Liu Bo quickly chimed in sympathetically: “Your Highness, the young mistress has a point.” You are usually… somewhat excessively imposing…”
Scary?
Was he really that scary?
Looking at the little one’s secretly peeking, teary, accusatory big eyes, Xiao Lin’s heart twisted slightly.
He took a deep breath, trying hard to soften his tone, almost grinding his back teeth as he made the promise: “Fine. I… will treat you… more gently from now on.”
Luo Luo immediately lifted her face, tears still in her eyes, but her voice was sweet and clear:
“Then will Daddy still make Luo Luo stand in the corner? Luo Luo’s legs hurt QAQ.”
Xiao Lin almost helplessly closed his eyes: “Exempted.”
Starting today, he would be a kind father.
As soon as the words left his mouth, two plump little arms immediately stretched out straight: “Daddy~ Hugs!”ε==(づ′▽)づ
Xiao Lin stiffened for a moment before finally reaching out to take the hot potato-like soft bundle.”
Holding the small, warm, milky-scented body in his arms instantly extinguished most of his previous raging anger.
He cleared his throat and ordered the guards: “Return to the manor. Clean up these… ‘notices’ too.”
As he turned, his gaze inadvertently swept over the crumpled “Recruiting Father” notice on the ground.
The crooked handwriting clearly stated the primary requirement: A gentle and handsome father!
Xiao Lin’s heart stirred slightly.
So this little thing wanted that kind of father.
Fine.
From now on… he would learn.
“My heavens! That was actually the Regent’s little daughter?!”
“I never heard His Highness had such a big daughter!”
“Amitabha! Buddha protect us! Thank goodness I wasn’t chosen by this little ancestor! Otherwise, my life would be over!”
The onlookers scattered like startled birds, fleeing in all directions, wishing their parents had given them two more legs.