Ling Cang's waterfall-like long hair inadvertently slipped down, brushing lightly against Ming Xi's face. The sleeping person frowned, raising a hand to scratch his cheek. Ling Cang gently tucked that strand of hair back, his eyes filled with deep, tender affection. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, spilling over the two of them like an exquisite painting.
Ming Xi woke up because he was too hot. In his dream, he felt trapped by a large bear, and only managed to break free by pushing with both hands and feet. Then he woke up, his hair a mess, sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the quilt he had kicked onto the floor.
An unfamiliar environment? Right, this wasn't his home. This was that male fox's den. Thinking of this, Ming Xi bit his lower lip.
When did I fall asleep last night? I was supposed to be trying to soften this fox's heart so he'd send a message to my fathers.
How could he have fallen asleep? It was all the bed's fault for being too comfortable.
Forget it, I'll try again tonight.
As he thought, he caught a whiff of food. He sniffed left and right, finally pinpointing the direction—the delicious smell was coming from the room on the right. Ming Xi swallowed, rubbed his stomach, got out of bed, put on his shoes, tossed the quilt back onto the bed, and ran out *clomp clomp clomp*.
In the kitchen, Ling Cang was rolling up his sleeves, shoveling a flatbread out of the pan. He turned around and saw Cao Ming Xi standing dumbfounded at the doorway, his hair a disheveled mess, drooling over the flatbread on his spatula.
"The one who said he would cook slept until this hour?" Ling Cang said.
Ming Xi pouted.
Ling Cang carried the flatbread over, reached up, and pressed down Ming Xi's sticking-up hair.
"Go wash up."
After saying this, he stepped out first, placing the flatbread on the stone table under the peach blossom tree.
Ming Xi reached up unconsciously to touch the top of his head, realized his hair was sticking up, and hurriedly turned to go outside. Fresh water gurgled beside the pool. The peach blossoms in the yard were in full bloom. Ming Xi put his hands into the water trough, rinsing them while twisting his head to sniff a nearby peach blossom with the tip of his nose.
"It's real!" he suddenly said, opening his eyes wide.
Something soft and furry brushed against his foot. He looked down and saw it was a rabbit.
"A rabbit?"
He squatted down to stroke its fur.
"How did you get in? What if that fox eats you? You should leave quickly!"
The little rabbit gave him a disdainful look and hopped away to find Ling Cang.
Ming Xi pouted, stood up, splashed water on his face haphazardly, dried himself with the cotton cloth prepared for him, and walked over too.
A few flatbreads and two bowls of plain congee were placed on the stone table. The rabbit that had given him the white eye was happily munching on a carrot. Ling Cang only picked up his chopsticks when he saw Ming Xi approach.
"Eat."
Ming Xi nodded, sat down opposite him, picked up a flatbread, and buried his head in eating.
"When can I go home?" he asked quietly after swallowing, looking up at the person across from him.
Time seemed to freeze instantly. Ming Xi held the flatbread, waiting for an answer.
Even if he doesn't agree, I have to escape.Dad must be worried sick. I shouldn't have sneaked out. The outside world is really as dangerous as Father said. There are liars like Fu Yu, assassins, and most importantly, man-eating foxes.
He glanced at the person opposite him—refined as jade, peerlessly handsome... Cao Ming Xi immediately shook his head.
No, no, no, I can't be fooled by his appearance.
The corners of Ling Cang's mouth lifted. He looked up and said,
"I saved you. You need to repay the favor. You can leave when I am satisfied."
"As for your family, I will naturally inform them that you are alive."
"Really?" Cao Ming Xi's eyes sparkled.
"Are you going to use magic? Pluck a hair from yourself and send it to my home?"
That's how it was written in the popular Fox Immortal tales in Qing Kingdom—they could pluck a hair to send messages. He had been amazed by it for a long time.
Ling Cang facepalmed. "Come here."
Ming Xi put down the flatbread in his hand and slowly shuffled over.
"What?"
He sat down next to him.
Ling Cang raised his right hand, and a section of a peach blossom appeared out of thin air. He handed the peach blossom to Ming Xi.
"Say what you want to tell them to it. It will naturally reach their ears."
Ming Xi held the peach blossom branch with both hands, his round eyes fixed on him.
"You... you're not plucking a hair?"
Ling Cang reached out and picked the bread crumb off the corner of his mouth. "Afraid of pain."
Ming Xi, holding the peach blossom branch, smiled shyly.
"I'm also afraid of pain! When I fell from a tree as a child, I cut my shoulder. It hurt so much! There's still a scar!"
Little did he know, while he was asleep, Ling Cang had already erased the scar for him. The person he fancied was not allowed to have any scars.
Ming Xi fiddled carefully with the peach blossom branch for a moment, then looked up at Ling Cang with pleading eyes.
"Can it only carry words? Can it let Dad see me?"
Ling Cang thought: The child just wants to see his Dad. It's just a matter of expending a bit of merit. As the Divine Emperor, he had plenty.
So he raised his hand and pointed. The peach blossom branch became even more vibrant.
"It's done."
Ming Xi happily grabbed the peach blossom branch and ran under the peach tree. He glanced back at Ling Cang, who was still sitting on the stone stool, holding a teacup and taking a sip.
He remembered there was no teacup on the table.
How did this person start drinking hot tea in the blink of an eye?
Oh well, never mind. Try the peach blossom branch first.
Only when he picked it up did he realize he forgot to ask how to activate it. Ming Xi looked anxiously towards Ling Cang.
Ling Cang, leaning on the stone table with his arm, watched Ming Xi. He extended his index finger and demonstratively shook it left and right.
Seeing this, Ming Xi looked down and tried shaking the peach blossom branch left and right.
He tentatively asked,
"Father? Dad? Can you hear Xi'er's voice? Can you see me?"
[Cao Manor, Capital City.]
Cao Jun and Shu Ge'er were going over the account books.
"Wanbao Pavilion's profits are getting better and better," Shu Ge'er said to the person beside him.
"Of course! Wife, take a break. The accountants can handle the books. You haven't paid attention to me all morning," Cao Jun said, pouting like a resentful husband, pinching Shu Ge'er's palm.
Shu Ge'er smiled and held his hand. "You're a father of three children. How are you still acting like a child?"
Cao Jun wrapped his arms around Shu Ge'er's waist. "Being a father of three doesn't stop me from being your husband."
Shu Ge'er smiled and shook his head.
Twenty years ago, if Cao Jun hadn't rescued him from his black-hearted uncle's clutches, he would likely have long become a mound of yellow earth, buried in a ditch in the mountains, never seeing the light of day.
It was he who made him the envy of all ge'ers in Qing Kingdom, gave him endless wealth, made him a father to three children. His sons were all outstanding: Mingli above tens of thousands, Mingqi brave and skilled in battle, Ming Xi ... Thinking of this, Shu Ge'er turned to look at the person holding him.
"Ming Xi has been gone for so long. Hasn't he sent any message yet?"
Cao Jun tightened his embrace and said angrily,
"Not yet. That ungrateful little brat, having so much fun outside he forgot his dad and father. When he comes back, I must spank him."
Shu Ge'er slapped Cao Jun's arm and glared at him.
"Xi'er is a ge'er, after all. Don't talk about spanking so casually."
Cao Jun: "Alright, alright, no spanking. Just a good talking-to."
"Father? Dad ? Can you hear Xi'er's voice? Can you see me?"
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