Li Moyi’s words made Li Lixin pause for a moment.
Before he could respond, Li Moyi stood up and said, “Wanwan is alone in her room. I’ll go check on her. Third Uncle, please take your time.”
With that, he nodded slightly and walked into the house.
Li Lixin watched the boy’s composed and confident back, and after a long while, smiled helplessly.
He had come intending to mediate and calm the situation, but his plan had been pierced by the child, and he had ended up being lectured instead.
Clearly, from now on, one should never underestimate these children.
Li Moyi returned to his room. Wanwan had already changed into the new nightgown he had brought from Zhang Nan.
The pink dress was adorned with colorful little flowers. The fair-skinned little girl clenched her tiny fists, one resting under her cheek, her mouth slightly open, leaving a shiny drool mark. She looked both adorable and innocent asleep.
Li Moyi habitually wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, adjusted her sleeping position comfortably, and lay down beside her.
Having her nearby recently made his sleep more peaceful. Today, he quickly drifted off, accompanied by the faint scent of the child’s presence and her soft breathing.
However, he hadn’t slept long before hearing voices from the courtyard. He furrowed his brow but initially ignored it.
The voices grew closer until there was a knock on the door.
“Third Young Master, Young Master Mo Chen is here and wants to discuss something with you.”
Li Moyi opened his phoenix-like eyes, glanced toward the door, then lazily turned his back.
“Let him wait. Don’t bother me.”
Outside, a patient servant advised, “Young Master Mo Chen, you know Third Young Master’s temper. He dislikes being disturbed while asleep. Better wait until he wakes up.”
Mo Chen’s eyes darkened with frustration, yet he kept a smile, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses and feigning ignorance: “I heard his insomnia has improved a lot. Why is he still afraid of noise?”
The servant’s eyes flickered with displeasure, knowing this cunning smile had to be exposed to get him to behave.
“Don’t play dumb, Young Master Mo Chen. Third Young Master isn’t afraid of noise. He was displeased because your Third Uncle just came to plead on behalf of Second Madam.”
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Mo Chen’s face. Speaking loudly enough for anyone in the room to hear, he said: “Fine. Since Third Uncle already came, I won’t nag. When Ah Ying wakes up, please tell him… I’ve already apologized to Old Madam on behalf of Ah Nai and bought some well-known flowers for her. I hope he’ll consider the family and stop making things difficult. If not, taking it to Grandfather won’t end well for anyone.”
“Understood. I’ll inform Third Young Master.”
“I’ll leave then.”
“Safe journey.”
As Mo Chen left, the servant spat toward his back.
“Does he think Third Young Master was scared into submission? And he dares to use Old Master to pressure him!”
Li Moyi opened his door. The servant was waiting.
Wanwan had slept for over three hours. Li Moyi asked the servant, “Did Mo Chen go to Ah Nai’s place?”
The servant hesitated, then replied, “Yes. Old Madam instructed that Second Aunt has learned her lesson, and that should be enough.”
Li Moyi let out a cold snort. Old Madam had decided to let it go purely to keep the peace, but letting it end there didn’t suit his nature.
He turned and went to wake the little girl.
Wanwan blinked her big dark eyes a few times, yawned adorably, and called sweetly: “Third Brother.”
“You can talk to birds?”
Li Moyi recalled the recent “ghost” incident and how he had seen her command the eagle to scare away the wild birds.
He was now almost certain she possessed this ability.
Wanwan nodded in response to his keen gaze.
“Yes, I can.”
Discovering yet another magical ability in this little bundle of energy sent excitement coursing through Li Moyi, as if he had found a kindred spirit, eager to explore further.
“Can you make them help you with something?” he asked eagerly.
Wanwan thought for a moment. She usually only talked to birds and had never asked them to do tasks.
“I don’t know,” she admitted.
“Then let’s try!”
Li Moyi whispered in her ear for a moment. Wanwan ran to the window and called: “Little White, Little Yellow…”
Soon, a sparrow and a white dove flapped to the windowsill.
“What is it, Wanwan?”
Following Li Moyi’s instructions, she spoke to them carefully: “Can you help me gather the wild birds?”
The sparrow flapped its wings and flew to the electric wire. “No, they’ll eat the flowers and take over our nests!”
“Not exactly. Bring them back, but leave the flowers in other places alone, only those in Ah Nai’s courtyard.”
After eating, the wild birds would have the energy to return home. Wanwan thought Third Brother’s plan was brilliant.
The white dove replied: “Let’s try then.”
Even though Mo Chen had uprooted all the flowers Li Moyi had planted, it would still take two days for the pollen to settle.
On the day Lü Jiefang was discharged from the hospital, she wrapped herself tightly from head to toe, wore two masks on her face, fearful of inhaling any pollen.
“Ah Nai, don’t worry. I already bought flowers to compensate Old Madam. If Li Moyi plants flowers here again, I’ll report to Old Master. He won’t let it slide!”
Reassured, she went inside to carefully recover.
However, in the evening, wild birds hovered over her courtyard. Having just feasted in the garden, their feathers carried pollen, which scattered across the yard in the wind.
Bird droppings also carried seeds, which would take root in the soil, sprouting fragrant flowers after rain.
It was easy to imagine what Lü Jiefang’s yard would look like in the future.
The birds lingered only briefly before flying home.
Meanwhile, the freshly cleaned courtyard was covered with flower petals, droppings, and feathers. The servants scrambled to tidy it up.
“Sneeze! Chirp!”
Lü Jiefang lay in bed, tissues stuffed in her nose, still unable to block her pollen allergy.
As her skin itched again, she scratched wildly, breaking out in hives, and wailed in despair: “Someone, help… take me to the hospital!”