Хiао Ling Bаo wоke up early in thе morning to find hеr seсоnd unclе, Ling Yixi, sitting bу the bеd, rubbing his hands together eаgerly.
“Gоod mоrning, Xiao Ling Bao!” Ling Yixi smiled brightly, like а blooming flоwer.
Тodaу, thе Ling hоusehоld wаs shrоuded in glоom, with evеrуоnе wearing solemn еxprеssiоns—еxсept for Ling Yiхi, who wаs rаdiаnt аnd beаming with joy.
Тhe fаmily had аrranged fоr а master tо сhооse a name fоr Хiao Ling Bao.
Hоwеver, Grandfathеr, Еldest Вrоther, аnd Old Тhird hаd all gоne to the corporation, Fifth Brother had returned to the hospital, Seventh Brother was away for a schedule, and Eighth Brother had rejoined his team.
Only Fourth Brother, the useless one, was left, unable to compete with him. So today, Xiao Ling Bao’s custody belonged to him!
“Come, let Second Uncle hold you!” Ling Yixi reached out his hands.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Ling Bao rolled over to the side and landed on the floor.
“No holding, no holding. Ling Bао has grown up,” Xiao Ling Bao said, shaking her little hands as she ran toward the bathroom.
Ling Yixi… was filled with question marks and disbelief.
This little rascal hadn’t acted like this yesterday!
What was going on? Was she treating her uncles differently now?
Not only did Xiao Ling Bao refuse to let Ling Yixi hold her, but she also wouldn’t let him help with washing up, not even allowing him to squeeze the toothpaste for her.
She dragged over a small stool and stood on it with a patter. “Ling Bао always washed herself before.”
Ling Yixi, with a pained look in his eyes… pressed the nearby sink’s height adjustment button.
Watching the vanity mirror and countertop lower with a buzzing sound to a height suitable for her, Xiao Ling Bao’s eyes sparkled. “Second Fool Uncle is so amazing!”
Ignoring the nickname, Ling Yixi extended his claws again. “Hug…”
Xiao Ling Bao pushed Ling Yixi away, her voice soft and childish. “Second Fool Uncle, you’ve grown up. You need to learn to walk on your own. No more hugging, okay? Be good!”
Ling Yixi: “…”
…
Ling Yixi brought Xiao Ling Bao into Master Huang’s Refined Abode.
Master Huang was the most renowned feng shui master in the capital, claiming to have opened his Heavenly Eye and to be well-versed in the Book of Changes, Eight Trigrams, Six Ren, and Qimen. The wealthy and influential people in the capital who sought his services for feng shui and divination could line up from east to west.
To quickly secure a good name for Xiao Ling Bao, the Ling family had even used Grandfather’s old connections.
“Second Fool Uncle, look!” As they crossed a small bridge, Xiao Ling Bao suddenly pointed at the clear pond water.
“Look at what?” Ling Yixi squinted.
“There’s a person in the water!” Xiao Ling Bao spoke innocently, without restraint.
Ling Yixi shuddered inexplicably. “No way, right?”
Little treasure, don’t scare him—he couldn’t see anything…
“Quiet!” the disciple leading them scolded sharply. “No noise or nonsense is allowed within the Daoist Sanctuary.”
Children these days were becoming more and more unruly.
The garden in their Refined Abode was built according to a Formation Array based on the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends’ positions. How could there possibly be anything unseen?
It was one thing for a child to talk nonsense, but if they accidentally offended the master, their family would face serious consequences.
Master Huang sat at the Eight Immortals table in the guest hall, wearing a neatly buttoned white jacket and pretentiously waving a paper fan with the character “Dao” written in wild cursive on it.
The disciple explained Ling Yixi’s purpose for the visit. Master Huang beckoned, and Ling Yixi handed over a note given to him by Grandfather.
Inside was Xiao Ling Bao’s birth date and time.
Master Huang frowned as he examined it for a while, then shook his head.
“This child has a very ominous fate.”
Ling Yixi’s heart tightened.
“Ling Bао isn’t ominous. Uncle, you’re the ominous one,” Xiao Ling Bao spoke up crisply.
“Silence!” the disciple shouted.
This child truly dared to speak so boldly.
Wasn’t she afraid that Master Huang might become enraged and bring misfortune upon her family?
Ling Yixi was also frightened and quickly tugged Xiao Ling Bao’s hand, signaling her to keep quiet.
Fortunately, Master Huang did not seem to take it to heart.
Before the Ling family arrived, he had already received news from the Wang family, knowing that this little girl was a typical “Crow Mouth.”
Of course, the Wang family had also asked him for another favor…
“My words may not be pleasant to hear,” Master Huang said arrogantly, raising his head, “but this child was born to bring misfortune to her close relatives, causing bloodshed and disaster. If I am not mistaken, her parents are no longer here, are they?”
Ling Yixi hesitated for a moment. “Master, you are… correct.”
“If you believe I am right, then you must listen to what I say next, no matter how harsh it may sound.”
Master Huang pointed at Xiao Ling Bao again. “Wherever she stays, misfortune follows. If she comes to your home, your family will decline. Based on her birth date, your family should have started encountering frequent troubles from the time she was born, right?”
Ling Yixi’s heart sank.
He was perhaps the most oblivious person in the entire family. Earlier, when he received Xiao Ling Bao’s birth date, he hadn’t paid attention to this detail.
Now, hearing Master Huang’s words and carefully tracing back the timeline, the Ling family had indeed begun to show signs of decline over three years ago…
But was this truly related to Xiao Ling Bao?
Master Huang shook his head again. “If my calculations are correct, your family is now facing a major crisis because of her. Am I right?”
Ling Yixi’s face turned pale.
The Wang family had used Xiao Ling Bao’s household registration issue as leverage to push the southern city project back onto them.
His eldest brother reportedly stayed up all night at the company yesterday, and Grandfather and Old Third had also gone there this morning.
Even though he rarely involved himself in family affairs, he knew the situation at home was dire…
Master Huang sneered. “If you continue to ignore this, not only will your family decline, but people will also perish one by one. Sudden disasters and untimely deaths—even a deity would be powerless to save you!”
Ling Yixi’s legs went weak, and he nearly knelt. “Master, please show us a way out!”
“It’s simple.” Seeing that he had intimidated them, Master Huang leisurely fanned himself. “Aren’t you planning to change her name? I will calculate a name for you here. Take it today and have it officially changed for your child. After that, things will begin to turn around.”
“Yes, yes!” Ling Yixi nodded eagerly. “Master, please proceed with the calculation.”
Master Huang instructed his disciple to grind the ink, then swiftly wrote a name on a slip of paper. He rolled it up, placed it in a small paper tube, and had his disciple hand it to Ling Yixi.
“Make sure to change it today,” Master Huang emphasized.
“Thank you, Master, thank you,” Ling Yixi expressed his gratitude profusely, feeling as though the Ling family had glimpsed hope again. He tugged at Xiao Ling Bao. “Xiao Ling Bao, say thank you to Master.”
But Xiao Ling Bao tilted her head and answered irrelevantly, “The little brother has been crying for a long time.”
“What?” Ling Yixi couldn’t keep up with his precious child’s train of thought.
Master Huang waved his hand, signaling them to leave.
The task entrusted to him by the Wang family was now complete.
The Divination Fee from the Ling family was substantial, and what the Wang family offered was even more generous. He loved such easy jobs where he could profit from both sides.
“Then, Master, we shall take our leave…” Ling Yixi attempted to exchange pleasantries.
“Waaah—” A sharp infant’s cry grew louder, accompanied by chaotic voices.
“Master! Master, please save our family’s treasure!”
“Don’t cry, little treasure, we’ve arrived at Uncle Huang’s place…”
Before Ling Yixi could process what was happening, the door to the reception hall burst open. A large crowd of people—men and women, old and young—pushed their way in, huddled around a baby swaddled in a blanket.