492 Father and Son Meet Again
Xiaobao had secretly slipped away during his nap. They had their own room in Wutong Courtyard, but they usually didn’t sleep much. During the day, they would rest at Old Madam’s room and at night, they would rest in Yan Jiuchao and Yu Wan’s room.
Everyone was asleep, and the maidservant was also dozing off. Xiaobao quietly climbed off the bed, and no one was woken up.
It was only after Yu Wan finished acupuncture Yan Jiuchao and went to Old Madam’s room to see if the three little fellows were naughty that she realized that a little black egg was missing.
At first, Yu Wan did not expect the little fellow to have left home. She thought that he had gone somewhere to steal food. She walked around the rooms where Xiaobao might have appeared and went to the private room to take a look. However, she still did not see anyone, so she guessed that the little fellow might not be in the courtyard anymore.
If this was in the Great Zhou, Yu Wan would have to worry that the little fellow had been kidnapped by the enemies of the Prince Yan Manor, but she did not have the same worries about the Helian Manor. They had just arrived and not many people had grudges against them. There were even fewer who knew that they were in the Helian Manor. Those fellows from the West Manor could not reach the East Manor for the time being either.
It couldn’t be the Little Commandery Princess of the Queen Manor. That girl was just an idiot. She bullied others while not daring to make too much noise, afraid that she would anger the Queen. She was even less suspicious than the West Manor.
Yu Wan thought for a while. Xiaobao should have walked out by himself.
Yu Wan called Fu Ling and Zi Su over and asked them to go to the places where the children often went to look. Yu Wan told Yan Jiuchao about Xiaobao’s disappearance. She did not know where the little fellow had hidden for a while. It was always like this in the Young Master Manor. The three little fellows were hiding and could make Uncle Wan cry, but the Old Madam did not understand the little fellows’ bad habit. Yu Wan was worried that the Old Madam would let her imagination run wild and asked Yan Jiuchao to stay and coax her.
Fortunately, this little ancestor did not cause any trouble today and agreed to it.
Yu Wan was still a little worried. “…If Old Madam asks, just say that I went to buy rouge. When Xiaobao woke up, he pestered me to go out.”
Yan Jiuchao gave her a cold look. “Yu Ah Wan, are you doubting my intelligence?” Yu Wan had taught him the word intelligence. He had learned it in one go.
Yu Wan : “…”
She had really shot herself in the foot.
Yu Wan went to the children’s room and realized that the bag she had made for Xiaobao was gone. Along with it was a small toy that Yan Jiuchao had personally carved for his sons and Xiaobao’s special milk bottle.
Oh, it seemed like he was going to cause trouble. Yu Wan was even more certain that the little fellow was hiding.
“Fight with your mother? You’re still too inexperienced.” Yu Wan went to Helian Beiming’s courtyard and carried the little snow fox out.
Yu Wan got Xiaobao’s diaper for the little snow fox. The little snow fox fainted on the ground from the smell. It took three seconds for it to get up in a daze and look for him hopelessly.
The little snow fox walked around the manor with its four short legs. Yu Wan followed it closely all the way to the back door of the East Manor. She could not help but be puzzled. The little fellow was quite good at running.
At this moment, Yu Wan still did not guess that the little fellow had run out of the manor until the little snow fox came to the back door and kept scratching the ajar back door with its claws.
“Did… he slip out of the manor again?”
Due to the little fellows’ experience of slipping out of the manor more than once in the past, Yu Wan was not too shocked by this operation. But in the past, he had done it with his brothers, but this time, he acted on his own. He had really grown bold.
However, when Yu Wan opened the back door and walked out, she only saw an empty road. There was no sign of Xiaobao.
In the bustling street market, there was a Fuyuanzi shop that had been open for more than ten years. The shop was not big and only had four small tables. The tables and chairs looked like they had been around for a few years. Its business was good every day, but it was not mealtime yet, so there were not many customers.
At a table in the furthest corner sat a man wearing a silver mask. The man was wearing a wide-sleeved stone-green robe. His figure was tall and straight, like jade and pine. He was poised and noble, and his temperament was elegant. On his right sat a little black child who was less than three years old. That child was really black. The moment the man held his hand and walked in, the boss was frightened.
However, it was true that the doll was good-looking. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, a small nose, and a small mouth. When he smiled, he had two small dimples. He was so cute.
Both of their clothes and temperament were incompatible with this old and simple shop, but they did not despise the food in the shop at all.
“Is it enough?” The Prince Consort looked at the small bowl of Fuyuanzi in front of Xiaobao and asked gently.
Xiaobao thought for a while. “It’s enough!”
This shop’s Fuyuanzi had many flavors. The Prince Consort asked for a bowl of Fuyuanzi without stuffing for Xiaobao, but he asked the shopkeeper to put in sweet eggs and sweet rice wine. He did not know why he thought of such a way to eat. It seemed that he had eaten with someone like this a long time ago.
“Huu ~ Huu ~” Xiaobao blew on the spoon.
“I’ll do it,” the Prince Consort said.
Xiaobao handed him the spoon. The Prince Consort took the spoon and bowl and gently stirred them. Xiaobao widened his black eyes and looked at the Fuyuanzi in the bowl without blinking. He drooled. The Prince Consort was amused by his gluttonous look.
“Do you want some?” The Prince Consort asked.
Xiaobao nodded vigorously!
The Prince Consort smiled gently. “Almost done.”
Xiaobao swallowed his saliva. The Prince Consort scooped half a spoonful and fed it to him. Xiaobao gently licked it. Oh! Why was it so delicious! Xiaobao opened his bloody mouth and obediently waited for him to feed him. The Prince Consort fed him a bite, and the Fuyuanzi was so delicious that Xiaobao kicked his legs.
The Prince Consort smiled. “What’s your name?”
“Xiaobao!” Xiaobao said.
“Who’s your father?” The Prince Consort continued.
This time, Xiaobao was stumped. Xiaobao sadly realized that he didn’t know what his stinky father’s name was!
“It’s fine, eat.” The Prince Consort fed Xiaobao another bite, and Xiaobao started eating heartily.
The bowl of Fuyuanzi was quickly emptied. Xiaobao smacked his lips and was not satisfied. The Prince Consort asked the shopkeeper to make two more bowls.
Xiaobao ate three bowls in one go, making the Prince Consort dumbfounded. He really did not know how his little stomach could fit in. He did not eat any of the Fuyuanzi and let this little fellow eat them all up.
Xiaobao was full. He rubbed his round stomach and leaned against the wall, as happy as a god. The Prince Consort looked at his eyebrows and eyes without blinking. The more he looked at them, the more he could not look away. This child made him feel very close, and it even made him think of Cong’er. However, he was not similar to Cong’er at all.
“Cong’er…” He called him that again.
“I’m Xiaobao!” Xiaobao corrected him.
“Ah, sorry.” The Prince Consort smiled. “I’ll send you back.”
Xiaobao crossed his arms and turned his face away. “I don’t want to go back!”
The Prince Consort asked softly, “Why not? Your family will be worried if you come out like this.”
Xiaobao said aggrievedly, “Hmph! They wouldn’t!” They did not like Xiaobao. They only liked Dabao and Er’bao! He was no longer the obedient child in their hearts!
The Prince Consort rubbed Xiaobao’s head. “Xiaobao is so obedient. Your family must like you very much. When they find out that you’re missing, they’ll be very anxious and sad. Your mother will cry.”
At the mention of his mother, Xiaobao’s eyes turned red. He missed his mother so much.
On the other hand, after the little snow fox chased him all the way to the door, Xiaobao’s aura disappeared. There was only one explanation. Xiaobao had been taken away, and it was very likely that he had left in the carriage.
Yu Wan called Yan Jiuchao out and told him about Xiaobao’s situation.
Yan Jiuchao’s gaze turned cold. “I understand. Go back to the manor and wait for my news.”
“I’ll go with you,” Yu Wan said.
“No need,” Yan Jiuchao said.
Yu Wan looked at him in confusion. “You know where he went?”
Yan Jiuchao said indifferently, “I know how to find him.”
Yu Wan seriously suspected that she had missed something, but it was more important to find her child at this juncture. Any doubts could wait for Xiaobao to return. Yu Wan obediently returned to Wutong Courtyard. Yan Jiuchao took out a small porcelain bottle.
Fifteen minutes later, Yan Jiuchao appeared in the shop selling Fuyuanzi.
Although this shop had been open for many years and there had been high-ranking officials and nobles visiting in the past, three of them had come at once. The boss was a little dumbfounded. The “father and son” inside were already shocking. But this young master was even more noble. Those who didn’t know better would think that he was an esteemed guest of the royal family.
“S-s-sir…” The boss stuttered in shock.
Yan Jiuchao ignored him and entered the shop. As soon as he walked into the hall, he heard his little brat say, “I’m not going home!”
As soon as Xiaobao finished speaking, he felt a dangerous aura approaching him. He looked up and trembled in fear!
“What’s wrong, Xiaobao?” The Prince Consort followed his gaze and turned around to see Yan Jiuchao behind him.
Yan Jiuchao also saw him. Their eyes met and they stopped in unison. This was the second time they met, but they were still not sure who the other party was. Just a face that was exactly the same as Prince Yan did not mean that he was Prince Yan. He did not have such a father. His father would not abandon him, would not not want him.
“Yan Xiaobao.” Yan Jiuchao looked away coldly and looked at the little brat who had been caught. “Hurry up and come over.”
Xiaobao slowly climbed off the stool and walked towards his stinky father. Yan Jiuchao held his greasy little hand and turned to walk out.
The Prince Consort suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm.
