At the Li residence, the main courtyard.
Half an hour ago, Old Master Li had gone fishing with a few long-time servants.
On a whim, he had planned to bring his beloved little granddaughter along, to show her off a bit.
But when he went to fetch her, he was told the child was missing!
Old Master Li questioned his wife, who then asked the two servants responsible for little Wanwan.
Upon learning that Wanwan had been taken by Li Moying, the couple immediately sent people to search the east wing.
The servants returned looking miserable: “Master, Third Young Master says he hasn’t returned with the Little Miss.”
“Two children… how can they just disappear? Find them, even if it means turning the house upside down!”
Since regaining his health, Old Master Li had never lost his temper like this.
The entire Li household was suddenly in chaos, searching for the two children.
Even after checking every doghouse in the yard, there was no sign of them.
Worried sick, Old Master Li called back Li Lixuan and Li Mocheng from work to help search.
Li Mocheng, upon learning Wanwan was missing, was more anxious than anyone.
Yet his rational mind told him not to panic. Though Third Brother was young, he wasn’t reckless.
That he could play with Wanwan indicated that he genuinely accepted his little sister.
“But where’s Second Brother? He’s often with Third Brother; he should know where they are.”
Li Mocheng’s words reminded the Old Madam, who immediately asked the servants: “Where’s Second Brother? Call him over; maybe he knows.”
Li Mobiang’s servants replied, “Second Young Master went to look for them. If he finds them, he’s probably on the way back.”
“Which direction did he go?” Li Mocheng asked seriously.
The servant pointed northward within the courtyard: “He went toward the back of the house.”
…
Li Mobiang opened the wooden gate of the flower garden and indeed found Li Moying with the tiny milk ball asleep against the swing.
He walked over and pinched Li Moying’s nose, rousing him fully awake.
Li Moying opened his phoenix-like eyes, brow furrowed, gaze sharp with icy hostility.
“What are you doing!”
Li Mobiang smirked, snatching the sleeping Wanwan. The force woke her instantly; she rubbed her eyes with her tiny hands.
“Give her back!” Li Moying stood, trying to reclaim her.
Li Mobiang took a couple steps back, keeping a safe distance. “The whole household has been searching for you two like crazy, and you… hid her here and let her get all dirty. Just wait until we go back—you’re about to get a beating!”
Yet, seeing her dirty, a subtle curiosity rose in Li Mobiang’s mind.
This Third Brother… no longer seemed bothered by her messiness?
Li Moying’s youthful face grew long and dark, like a ghost emerging from the underworld.
He snorted coldly.
“Scaring me?”
“Whether I scared you or not, you’ll see for yourself when we get back!”
Li Mobiang rolled his eyes, turned, and carried Wanwan quickly toward the exit.
From the side, Wanwan tilted her little head, watching Li Mobiang’s tense jawline.
In a sweet, childish voice, she asked, “Second Brother… are you mad?”
Li Mobiang curved one side of his lips, gently rubbing her dirty little face.
“Wanwan, don’t be scared. I’m mad at Third Brother, not you.”
At that moment, he caught sight of Li Mocheng, appearing with an icy aura.
Li Mobiang mockingly raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, even Big Brother is here?”
Li Mocheng’s cold gaze swept over him, and he reached out.
“Give her to me.”
Li Mobiang didn’t want to let go, but the little bundle in his arms immediately turned toward Li Mocheng, excitedly stretching her arms out.
Reluctantly, Li Mobiang handed Wanwan over, muttering under his breath: “You little ungrateful brat… now that Big Brother’s here, you don’t want Second Brother.”
Wanwan, slightly embarrassed, rested on Li Mocheng’s shoulder, pouting shyly.
As the eldest brother, Li Mocheng shouldn’t have cared about Li Mobiang’s childish rivalry.
But he couldn’t tolerate the little girl in his arms being troubled in the slightest.
“You’re a grown man arguing with a child—you’ve really gone too far.”
With that, he strode forward, holding Wanwan firmly.
Li Mobiang made a face at the back of Li Mocheng’s head. Wanwan saw it and mimicked him, pressing her nose like a little pig, making Li Mobiang burst into laughter, the irritation in his chest instantly gone.
…
As Li Mocheng held Wanwan, Wang Ma and Liu Ma, the two servants responsible for her care, approached.
“Young Master, thanks to you for finding Little Miss, or else our jobs would be in jeopardy.”
“Thank you, Young Master! Please hand her over to us.”
Li Mocheng ignored their outstretched hands, instructing: “Go report to Grandpa and Grandma. Little Miss’s clothes are dirty; I’ll take her to Fifth Aunt to change.”
Before they could react, he carried Wanwan away.
The two servants looked at each other and reluctantly returned to report.
“Old Madam, it’s really not that we ignored Little Miss… it’s just that Third Young Master and Young Master don’t allow us to intervene.”
“Did she cry when Li Mocheng found her?” the Old Madam asked anxiously.
Liu Ma shook her head: “No, Little Miss was happy, just a little dirty. Young Master took her to Fifth Aunt to change.”
The Old Madam sighed and looked at Old Master Li: “Let Li Mocheng handle it for now. He’s more reliable than Third Brother anyway. Fishing can wait until tomorrow.”
Old Master Li nodded reluctantly, though a few complaints escaped:
“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let them come back. Both of them constantly fight over her; I couldn’t even see my granddaughter!”
He silently vowed to take Wanwan away the next morning, just to stop their squabbles.
…
Li Mocheng carried Wanwan to Zhang Nan’s courtyard. Zhang Nan prepared to take the child, but Li Mocheng silently avoided him.
“Has Little Miss’s room been prepared?”
Zhang Nan nodded eagerly.
“Since the day before yesterday. Is Wanwan returning to stay?”
Li Mocheng replied: “Bring her here to wash and change. Tell Fifth Aunt to have the servants prepare hot water.”
“All right, I’ll go.”
Zhang Nan hurried to prepare, while Li Mocheng entered Wanwan’s room and pulled a few dresses from the wardrobe for her to choose.
“Which one does Wanwan want to wear?”
Her big eyes flicked from dress to dress, frowning slightly as she tugged at her hair tuft.
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Do you like these dresses?”
“Wanwan likes them.”
But liking all of them made it difficult to choose.
Li Mocheng noticed her indecision and picked a yellow short-sleeved top with matching skirt for her. “How about this one?”
“Good.”
The little girl nodded obediently, her cute demeanor making Li Mocheng unwilling to let go for even a moment. He wanted to give her all the world’s beautiful things just to see her smile.