Chapter 195

Chapter 198: The Bitter Cold (Part 2)

Only Eleven Miss, Dongqing, Binju, and Feng Qing were left in the room.

Dongqing and Binju were a bit uncomfortable, but Eleven Miss remained composed and instructed them, "Go help Zhao Ying pack up. I’ve got this under control."

"But what about Master Fengqing..." Binju hesitated, looking at Feng Qing, who was gradually losing strength.

"I’ll let you know if I need anything," Eleven Miss said calmly.

Dongqing and Binju had no choice but to curtsey and say 'Yes' before leaving.

Eleven Miss ignored Feng Qing, pinning his legs with hers and firmly holding his hands. Whether he struggled or stayed still, she kept him tightly in her arms... until he gradually lost strength and began to breathe lightly.

"This is my final warning," Eleven Miss, now in complete control, spoke softly, yet her voice carried authority in Feng Qing's ears. "If you sit still, I’ll let you go. If you agree, nod your head."

Feng Qing pursed his lips tightly and, after a long while, finally nodded.

Eleven Miss gradually loosened her grip.

Feng Qing instantly shifted.

Eleven Miss said coldly, "Feng Qing, we had a deal. Stay still, and I’ll let you go. Otherwise, it’s payback."

Feng Qing hesitated for a while but ultimately did not move again.

Eleven Miss softly cradled him, "Feng Qing is such a good boy. I really like him!" As she spoke, she gently rubbed his back. Feng Qing’s little body slowly relaxed, and he adjusted his posture, lying quietly on her.

Eleven Miss breathed a sigh of relief and, glancing at the messy snacks still on the bed, gently asked him, "Would you like some water?"

Feng Qing hesitated for a moment, then his little head on her shoulder nodded slightly.

Eleven Miss cradled Feng Qing in one arm and poured tea with the other, then sat on a nearby armchair to feed him the water.

He downed the whole cup of tea in one gulp, then looked at Eleven Miss with eager eyes.

Eleven Miss smiled and asked, "Would you like some more?"

He nodded.

Eleven Miss poured him another half cup.

He chugged it all down again, then stretched his neck to look at the snacks on the bed.

"Would you like a snack?" Eleven Miss followed his gaze.

He shook his head, then nodded.

"Do you want to keep the snacks for later?" Eleven Miss guessed.

Feng Qing nodded, the corners of his mouth slightly curling into a faint smile, his whole face lit up.

Eleven Miss smiled slightly and called Dongqing in—Feng Qing's body immediately stiffened.

"Don’t be afraid, she’s a very good person," Eleven Miss comforted Feng Qing, holding his head. "She’ll look after you from now on."

Feng Qing nodded.

"Madam," Dongqing, seeing Feng Qing obediently lying in Eleven Miss's arms, was full of surprise, "This..."

Eleven Miss smiled and simply pointed at the messy bed, "Put those pastries away."

Dongqing, confused, gathered the pastries into the food box.

"Hand it to me, please," Eleven Miss instructed Dongqing to hand over the food box.

Dongqing, hesitant, handed the food box to Eleven Miss.

Feng Qing quickly grabbed the food box and held it close to his chest.

"Young Master Fengqing..." Dongqing's eyes widened.

But Feng Qing thought for a moment and handed the food box back to Eleven Miss—his large eyes blinking, gazing at her imploringly.

Eleven Miss's heart melted with tenderness.

For Feng Qing, having enough to eat and staying warm were his greatest desires in life. And now, he was willing to give up the chance to be well-fed for himself, placing his complete trust in her.

She shook her head and smiled, "Feng Qing, you hold onto the food box. When I want to eat, I'll ask you for it. Okay?"

Feng Qing thought for a moment, nodded, and revealed a bright smile.

Eleven Miss smiled and patted his head, "Let’s find another spot to sit—you’ve damaged the marquis’s bed, and we need to fix it quickly."

Feng Qing nodded. Just as Eleven Miss picked him up, Binju came in, "Madam, the lord is here!" Before she finished speaking, Lord Xu walked in briskly. Behind him were Amber and Lin Bo.

Seeing Eleven Miss holding Feng Qing, he was startled. Then, noticing the mess on the bed, his eyes widened even more, "What happened here?"

"It's nothing, nothing," Eleven Miss laughed, "The bed frame just collapsed by accident." Then she briefly explained what had happened.

Throughout this, Feng Qing kept his large, phoenix-like eyes fixed on Lord Xu. Unfortunately, Lord Xu was listening to Eleven Miss and didn't notice him at all. When he heard that the child had been hiding on top of the bed to sleep, he glanced at Feng Qing, then at Eleven Miss, unsure of what to say.

He had first experienced the anxiety of explaining the truth to his mother, then the frustration of not knowing where the child was, the confusion upon suddenly hearing the child was found, the shock of hearing how the child was found... Now, seeing Feng Qing obediently nestled in Eleven Miss's arms, he felt as though the last half hour had been a rollercoaster, leaving him both worried and delighted, not knowing what to say.

Eleven Miss, however, was more concerned about the elder madam.

She smiled and asked Lord Xu to join her in the study, "...Let Zhao Ying help fix the bed."

Lord Xu nodded.

Eleven Miss then handed Feng Qing over to Dongqing.

But Feng Qing clung tightly to her neck, unwilling to release her.

Eleven Miss had to gently say, "I need to talk with the lord. You play with Sister Dongqing in the hall." After repeating this several times, Feng Qing reluctantly let go.

Lord Xu looked at Eleven Miss in surprise.

She appeared to have a natural way with children—Zhenjie was like this, Chun Ge was like this, and even this prickly Feng Qing was like this. In just half an hour, Feng Qing’s demeanor toward Eleven Miss had transformed.

He pondered this as he entered the study.

Although Eleven Miss didn't want to delay, she was even more reluctant to ruin the good relationship she had just built with Feng Qing. Therefore, she didn’t follow right away but spent a little more time comforting Feng Qing, watching him gradually relax, before entering the inner room.

Zhao Ying had already welcomed Lord Xu to sit by the window on the large kang. Seeing Eleven Miss enter, she discreetly prepared another cup of tea before putting down the half-finished tidying and retreating.

"Did you tell Mother?" Eleven Miss had broken a sweat during the confrontation with Feng Qing, and drinking hot tea felt very comforting.

"I did," Lord Xu took a sip of tea and smiled bitterly, "At first, she was stunned and didn't speak for a while. Seeing something was wrong, I quickly went to comfort her, but she grabbed my hand and kept asking, 'Is it true, is it true?'..." Then he sighed, "I was at a loss for words!"

Lady Eleven could imagine the matriarch’s disappointment. Like all mothers who dote on their children, although she knew she had been too indulgent, she always felt her child was different from others—just a bit more delicate and weak-willed, but never capable of doing anything too outrageous. When the incident actually happened, the sobering realization made her feel even more pain. She either chose not to believe it or had to face the reality.

“So, what did she say?”

“What could she say?” Lord Xu sighed deeply. “She blamed herself for being too lenient with Young Master Five.”

“You should console her.” Since the incident had already happened, regret was useless. The important thing was to learn from it and correct the mistakes. Lady Eleven pondered and said, “As the saying goes, misfortune can turn into a blessing, and blessings can lead to misfortune. Although Fifth Master’s actions were inappropriate, it also serves as a lesson for him. The important thing is to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

“I think so too!” Lord Xu nodded. “Besides, I’ll be able to keep a closer watch on him at home now.”

Lady Eleven smiled and nodded.

Lord Xu, remembering how skillfully she had held the child, hesitated briefly.

Lady Eleven noticed it clearly and wondered, Did the matriarch say something to him? Has there been a change regarding Feng Qing? Given Lord Xu’s nature, he only looks like that when he feels he’s wronged me…

With this in mind, she couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”

Lord Xu hesitated and said, “Did you look after your younger sister when you lived with your parents?”

Lady Eleven was quite surprised.

Lord Xu then smiled and said, “Oh, I saw you holding the child, and you seemed so natural at it!”

Lady Eleven smiled faintly.

In divorce cases, if there’s no dispute over child custody or property, it’s usually straightforward. But once child custody and property are involved, especially custody, it can drag on endlessly, with all kinds of complications. As a lawyer, she sometimes discreetly seeks the child’s opinion and communicates it to the parties, aiming to honor the child’s wishes. Gradually, she has gained some experience in how to interact with children.

“I simply adore children.”

This was the truth. She believed all children were angels.

No souls were purer than theirs.

Perhaps it was for this very reason that she hesitated to marry, fearing she might not be able to raise a child well.

Lord Xu raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at the corners of his eyes.

Lady Eleven felt embarrassed.

Her response was far too ambiguous.

She quickly changed the subject, “What does Mother think about Feng Qing?”

Mentioning Feng Qing, Lord Xu’s smile gradually faded. “Mother believes it’s best for Xiang Yi to help care for him. One is influenced by the company they keep. Xiang Yi is honest and kind-hearted. If he follows Xiang Yi, he will surely grow up to be an honest and decent person.”

Is this also the expectation for a child born out of wedlock?

Not seeking great success, but hoping for honesty and integrity.

“But today is already after the Minor New Year, and the snow has been heavy this year. There are few travelers on the road. It’s too conspicuous to rush back to the hometown like this.

Moreover, we can’t find a suitable person to send him to the hometown… We’ll have to wait until the market opens on the eighth day of the first lunar month.”

After the market opens, merchants from all over start traveling, and it’s indeed less conspicuous with the mix of people.

“Until the eighth day of the first lunar month…” Lady Eleven calculated that there were still more than ten days left. “That’s quite a wait!”

During the New Year, there are many guests at home, and no one can guarantee that no one will get lost or intentionally break in…

"So after discussing it with Mother for a while, we decided to send him to Second Sister-in-law's house!"

"West Mountain!" Eleven Miss exclaimed in surprise.

Lord Xu nodded, resignedly saying, "It looks like that's our only option now! We'll send the child over under the guise of delivering goods to West Mountain."

It’s certainly easier when it’s not your responsibility.

Moreover, Eleven Miss vaguely sensed that Second Sister-in-law, for the sake of the Xu family, would surely take on this hot potato.

"It’s a bit unfair to Second Sister-in-law," she said, "We should explain it to her properly."

"Mm!" Lord Xu agreed, "We’ll have Steward Bai personally head to West Mountain first thing tomorrow morning."

As he spoke, he gazed at Eleven Miss, "But there’s something that might require a bit of sacrifice on your part!"

Eleven Miss felt a twinge of anxiety.

But since Lord Xu had already spoken to this extent, she could only take one step at a time.

"No need to talk about sacrifice, my lord. Just give your orders," she said with a faint smile.

"The fewer people who know about Feng Qing’s situation, the better. I’d like Dongqing to accompany the child to West Mountain for a few days."