Thе Hоng family’s eyes аll lit up.
Young Мadаm Нong аlmost snаtchеd the baby from the nаnny’s arms аnd rushed tо Xiao Ling Bao.
“Little Miss, pleаse takе a lоok, makе thе littlе brothеr stор crуing, pleаsе…” Аs sоon as she spоke, teаrs strеаmed dоwn her facе. “Auntiе bеgs уоu…”
Xiаo Ling Bаo lеt out a big уawn, lazilу rеsting her heаd оn Ling Хuаnyan’s shoulder. “Sо nоisy…”
Whether by coinсidеnce or nоt, аs soоn аs she finishеd spеаking, the bаby’s previously deafening cries instantly softened a little.
“It works! It really works!” The Hong family was overjoyed.
Ling Xuanyan carried Xiao Ling Bao over to the Hong family’s baby. Xiao Ling Bao leaned in for a glance, patted the Longevity Lock on the baby’s chest, and said, “Still crying? I’ll spank your little bottom if you keep crying!”
The baby’s cries stopped abruptly.
Within two seconds, it was breathing steadily and had fallen asleep…
This miraculous situation left the Hong family not only overjoyed but also deeply shocked.
“This,” Xiao Ling Bao pointed at the Longevity Lock, “was dug up from underground. There’s a little brother living inside. He’s most afraid of nighttime, thunder, and rain.”
The Hong family broke out in goosebumps.
Without needing Xiao Ling Bao’s instructions, they immediately removed the item from the baby’s neck.
But with such a Longevity Lock, it was neither easy to throw away nor to keep.
Only Eldest Master Hong, relying on being a man, dared to hold it. He exchanged glances with the others, unsure what to do.
“Um, Little Miss Ling, what do you think we should do with this?”
The Hong family would never go looking for any Master Huang again.
What kind of master was he!
To give their baby something dug up from a grave!
Utterly malicious!
Xiao Ling Bao casually extended her little hand, very straightforwardly. “Give it to me.”
Eldest Master Hong hurriedly and respectfully handed the Longevity Lock to Xiao Ling Bao.
Xiao Ling Bao picked up the Longevity Lock and couldn’t help it: “Achoo!”
She rubbed her little nose, complaining, “What’s this smell…”
Not to mention the Hong family, even the Ling family watched Xiao Ling Bao’s actions with bated breath.
When she sneezed, Ling Yixi nearly jumped on the spot.
Fortunately, Ling Xuanyan remained steady, still holding Xiao Ling Bao firmly without changing his expression.
“Caught a cold?” A voice came from outside. “It’s so late, why isn’t Xiao Ling Bao asleep yet? What smell? Is the little glutton hungry and wants something to eat?”
Fifth Brother Ling Wenyang walked in.
He had just finished a surgery and rushed back from the hospital, covered in dust.
“This…” Not only was Xiao Ling Bao still awake, but the room full of people also caught his attention.
“Uncle Bian Que!” Xiao Ling Bao raised the Longevity Lock in her hand. “What’s this smell?”
Ling Wenyang felt a little embarrassed. He smiled and explained to the Hong family, “Our Xiao Ling Bao loves giving her uncles nicknames…”
Calling him Bian Que, the divine physician.
The embarrassment was feigned.
He was proud!
Ling Wenyang took the Longevity Lock, gave it a casual sniff, and immediately frowned. “Ether?”
“Ether!”
The Hong family was about to explode. “Are you sure it’s ether?”
Ether is a controlled anesthetic!
“It’s ether. This pungent smell is unmistakable. It’s almost completely evaporated, but you can still catch a whiff. Here, smell it.” He also handed the Longevity Lock to the Hong family.
The Hong family… respectfully declined.
Who would dare to take this deadly thing now?
Watching everyone avoid it like a plague, Ling Wenyang looked puzzled, glancing left and right. “What’s wrong?”
With a wave of his hand, the Hong family members scattered backward.
“This dosage is useless for us adults. What are you all hiding from? Could there be some poison on it too?” Ling Wenyang sniffed it again. “Shouldn’t be…”
Everyone looked at him with expressions of “brave warrior, we salute you.”
Uncle Bianque was utterly bewildered.
The Hong family had also brought a doctor, who, guided by his materialist scientific perspective, mustered the courage to come over, waved his hand, and took a sniff.
“It’s ether,” he confirmed Ling Wenyang’s judgment. “This dosage is ineffective on adults, but…”
He couldn’t help but glance at the baby fast asleep in the nanny’s arms.
“Oh! No wonder I smelled something strange when that Master Huang was performing his ritual during the day!” Old Madam Hong suddenly realized. “I even felt a bit dizzy at the time! So he used anesthesia on my precious grandson this afternoon!”
As soon as Xiao Ling Bao left, Master Huang found he couldn’t suppress the baby’s crying at all. To save face, he resorted to such despicable means.
“He probably used it at night too. Ether evaporates quickly. If he used it during the day, there’d definitely be no smell left now,” the doctor explained, understanding the whole situation.
“My poor, unfortunate grandson.” The baby had stopped crying, but Old Madam Hong was about to burst into tears.
How blind had their Hong family been to hire such a sinister master!
Fortunately, they encountered the young lady of the Ling family. Otherwise, their only heir in three generations would have tragically died young.
“Young Lady Ling, our baby has been weak and sickly since birth. Could you take a look at him?” The Hong family even used honorifics. “Also, that lock… does it have any negative effects…”
The baby had already been wearing it for two months.
His health did improve when he first put it on. Who knew it was actually a death-hastening ghost charm!
The adults from both sides simply sat down, letting the Hong family hold the baby for Xiao Ling Bao to examine.
“Hmm…” Xiao Ling Bao quickly reached a conclusion. “Actually, I can’t see anything wrong. But the little brother is very cute. I’ll draw him a SpongeBob and stick it on his clothes. He’ll definitely get better then.”
“Good, good, good!” The Hong family nodded repeatedly.
They wouldn’t object even if she drew a fluttering moth, let alone a SpongeBob.
The Ling family brought paper and a pen. Xiao Ling Bao gripped the pen like a stick.
First, she drew a square head on the paper, then two round eyes, followed by four crooked matchstick limbs…
The Hong family: “…”
If they hadn’t witnessed Xiao Ling Bao’s spiritual power firsthand,
who would believe that a three-year-old’s scribble like this could be an artifact for warding off evil and supporting yang energy?
“Little brother will be all better after wearing this for a week. If he gets sick again later, you can take it out and stick it on again,” Xiao Ling Bao instructed with great seriousness.
Old Madam Hong respectfully took the palm-sized piece of paper and softly instructed her son, “Have it framed first…”
No one expected that this scribble, which was impossible to identify, would later become the Hong family’s family heirloom and house-protecting treasure.
Of course, that’s a story for later.
“Um, our Hong family has an impertinent request,” Eldest Master Hong, being more quick-witted, spoke up. “Could our baby recognize Young Lady Ling as his elder sister?”
Grandpa Ling didn’t agree immediately, instead looking toward Xiao Ling Bao.
Xiao Ling Bao yawned and nestled back into Ling Xuanyan’s embrace.
“No need, Ling Bao is sleepy…”
The Hong family thought Ling Bao was still too young to understand what being an older sister meant and was about to explain further.
“If Xiao Ling Bao says no, then it’s settled,” Grandpa Ling smiled as he declined. “In our family, such matters are decided by Ling Bao.”
The Hong family dared not insist further.
“By the way, please keep tonight’s events confidential,” Grandpa Ling added.
“That’s right!” Ling Bao, who had already closed her eyes, perked up at these words. “If you tell others, it won’t work anymore!”