The Old Madam was stunned for a moment, then widened her eyes. “Where are the bugs? Why can’t Grandma see them?”
Wanwan was too young to explain what she was seeing.
She could only repeat in her soft, childish voice, “There are bugs eating Grandpa.”
The Old Madam frowned deeply. The Li family had never believed in mysticism or spiritual arts. They thought such things were just tricks used by charlatans from the mainland to swindle money in the port city.
Half a year ago, her husband had suddenly fallen seriously ill, remaining unconscious day after day, barely able to swallow even water.
She had people search everywhere for doctors and medicine, but none could find the cause of his illness. Every method they tried was useless.
Until three months ago, a self-proclaimed wandering immortal passed by the Li residence and claimed that evil forces were at work in her home, and that someone would soon die.
The Old Madam had been terrified and asked him how to resolve it.
But the man shook his head, saying he only knew how to set formations and read feng shui, not how to exorcise spirits.
Before leaving, however, he said one thing: “The Old Master of the Li family has great fortune. Soon, perhaps a heavenly maiden will descend to resolve this crisis for him.”
The Old Madam suddenly recalled those words and looked at Wanwan with hope.
“Girl, if bugs are eating your grandpa, what should we do?”
“Wanwan will catch the bugs!” Wanwan nodded her little head as she spoke and walked straight to the bedside.
The Old Madam clenched her hands tightly and clearly saw that the husband who had been gravely ill for half a year suddenly breathed more smoothly the moment Wanwan touched him.
Nervously, she stepped forward and called out, “A Ying!”
The Old Master slowly opened his eyes and saw only a tiny little child, no bigger than a bean, fiddling with her small hands as if grabbing something from his body.
The little girl’s round eyes were wide open, completely focused on catching bugs.
The soul-devouring worms wrapped around his body vanished into mist the moment they were touched by her.
“A Ying, you’re awake!” The Old Madam burst into tears of joy.
The Old Master looked at the busy little child before him, feeling as if invisible chains were being stripped away from his body.
“Grandpa, Wanwan has chased all the bugs away,” Wanwan said in her soft voice, holding his aged hand.
He moved his fingers and once again felt a warm energy flowing from the little girl’s hand into his body.
“Where did this little one come from? She can actually cure me?” As his illness faded, his vitality gradually returned, his complexion becoming rosy again, and he regained the strength to speak.
The Old Madam’s eyes were filled with delight as she looked at Wanwan like a precious treasure.
Before Wanwan arrived, her husband hadn’t spoken a single word for months!
Wiping her tears with a handkerchief, she explained, “She was brought from the mainland by A Xuan’s fifth wife. Haven’t you always wanted a granddaughter? I made the decision to bring her here to raise by our side.”
The Old Master nodded and looked at the soft, chubby little girl, then directly lifted her into his arms.
“This child has fate with our Li family. She has cured my illness—let her stay and be recognized as our granddaughter.”
The Old Madam nodded repeatedly, delighted, and held Wanwan’s hand.
“Girl, quickly call us Grandpa and Grandma.”
Feeling their kindness, Wanwan called out sweetly, “Grandpa, Grandma!”
“Yes, what a good child!”
…
News of the Old Master’s recovery quickly spread throughout the Li family.
Everyone rejoiced, and the entire residence was filled with laughter and celebration.
By now, it had been three days since Wanwan was taken away by the Old Madam. Zhang Nan, as a newly entered concubine, dared not go to retrieve her without being summoned.
As time passed, Zhang Nan grew increasingly anxious and called her husband, who was away on a business trip.
“A Nan, don’t worry. Father and Mother have decided to adopt Wanwan as their granddaughter. Mo Cheng and Mo Bing and I are already on our way back. The other children will return as well to formally meet Wanwan.”
Zhang Nan finally relaxed, but at the same time, she was shocked.
She had thought the Old Madam only wanted a girl to amuse herself, but she hadn’t expected her to truly recognize Wanwan as a granddaughter.
Did that mean her status as the fifth concubine had finally been acknowledged?
…
In the main courtyard, the Old Madam and the Old Master sat together.
The Old Master’s second wife had wanted to visit ever since hearing of his recovery, but the Old Madam delayed it until he had fully recovered before allowing them to come.
Wanwan sat beside the Old Madam, now dressed in a brand-new outfit. The little tufts of hair on her head were tied into two small pigtails, adorned with a golden butterfly clip that fluttered as she moved.
“In my life, I’ve only had one son, Li Xuan. And he gave me six little troublemakers. I’ve never had the chance to raise a delicate little granddaughter. Luckily, his newly married fifth wife brought me such a child so I can finally enjoy doting on a granddaughter!”
As she spoke, the Old Madam held Wanwan on her lap like a treasure, her pride unmistakable.
“Come, Wanwan, this is your Second Grandma,” she said, pointing to the Old Master’s second concubine.
After hearing the introduction, Wanwan blinked her big, bright eyes and greeted her, “Hello, Second Grandma.”
Hearing this, Lü Jiefang, who was sitting below, nearly twisted her nose in anger.
Isn’t she just a granddaughter? As if she didn’t have one!
Just a wild child from the mainland—was she really worth showing off?
“No matter how well you treat this child, she still carries another family’s surname. Our family is not without girls. Mo Shu, born to Li Zheng’s second wife, is the true blood of the Li family. If you like girls so much, why not raise Mo Shu instead? Why insist on holding onto someone else’s child? Or have you been jealous of me all these years and are just trying to provoke me?”
Lü Jiefang’s sharp mockery made the Old Madam’s expression darken.
Just as she was about to retort, someone entering the courtyard spoke first.
“Aunt, your words are misleading. The children of Second Uncle belong to you. But my grandmother gave birth to my father—so naturally, my father’s children are her true descendants.”
The young man who entered wore a black suit. His graceful stride made him look like a refined gentleman, almost like a celestial being.
Though his smile was gentle and non-threatening, it silenced all the younger members of the second branch. Lü Jiefang looked as if she had been choked, her expression extremely unpleasant.
Soon after, another young man entered, dressed in a floral shirt, his features striking.
His gaze fell lazily on Lü Jiefang, the curve of his lips carrying a hint of mischief.
“Big Brother is right. Mo Shu from your branch is practically a demon—sharp-tongued and mean. Even the servants don’t like her. And you expect Grandma to keep her by her side? Just one more glance at her feels dirty!”