Chapter 136

Doctor Li placed his hand on the young master’s wrist, his expression growing serious.

In all his decades of medical practice, he had never encountered such a strange condition.

If it were just sleepwalking, at most the person would wander within their own room. But according to what the young master described, he had clearly fallen asleep in his own courtyard, only to wake up in the eldest young master’s courtyard.

If this really was sleepwalking, and he managed to go that far, then it was no small matter.

Normally, even a sneeze from little Yaozu would send Granny Yang into a panic. But today, upon hearing something this serious, she remained surprisingly calm, even turning to glance at the nanny who looked after Yaozu.

The old nanny hadn’t known what the young master had assumed, so she hadn’t had a chance to explain. Now that she realized he had misunderstood, she quickly spoke up.

“Young Master came back late last night and, while little Yaozu was sleeping, carried him over.”

“This morning, he said he had to meet with Boss Zhou about a business deal, so he left early and didn’t have time to say anything to little Yaozu.”

An An, who had been sitting on a small stool, had never even considered such a possibility. He froze in place, his face gradually turning red.

When he noticed his grandmother watching him with an amused, knowing look, he quickly raised his hands to cover his face.

“Granny, I, I still have other things to do, so I’ll be going now.”

With that, he bolted away at top speed.

Granny Yang waited until little Yaozu’s figure completely disappeared down the corridor before she finally let herself laugh. The others in the room, including Doctor Li, couldn’t help but burst into laughter as well.

This little one really was too adorable.

That evening, Young Master He returned home after finishing his work and, as usual, went to his mother’s courtyard to greet her.

When she mentioned how An An had thought he was sleepwalking that morning, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Is An An back in his own courtyard now?”

“I had someone move his things back today. I’m planning to knock down the wall between your courtyard and the one next to it, so the two can be combined.”

Granny Yang shared her plan. She didn’t believe her son would remain chaste after recovering.

In families like theirs, it was perfectly normal to have a few servant girls attending to the master.

Her own mother-in-law hadn’t treated her well, but she had taught her a few things.

For example, children shouldn’t be too strictly controlled. The stricter the rules, the more likely they were to backfire.

Rather than letting him go to some random dance hall while discussing business, it was better to have someone trustworthy at home.

Besides, An An wasn’t that young anymore. It wasn’t exactly appropriate for father and son to keep living in the same courtyard.

Granny Yang knew exactly what kind of person her own son was. She didn’t want that rascal to lead her precious little darling astray.

But yesterday, Yaozu had just happily moved into his own courtyard, only to be carried back by You’er that very night, and he even thought he’d been sleepwalking.

After thinking it over, the best solution was to have their courtyards close together, so You’er could easily check on Yaozu whenever needed.

If they were in the same courtyard, at least he wouldn’t sneak in at night and carry Yaozu off again.

“Alright.”

Young Master He agreed without hesitation. He felt his mother’s arrangement was just right and wouldn’t make anyone uncomfortable.

Initially, Granny Yang had planned to place Yaozu’s courtyard next to her own so she could easily check whether the servants were taking proper care of him.

But now that An An spent most of the day by her side, there was no need to fuss over such details.

“Mother, Yaozu is about the right age to start learning to read and write. Today, I happened to run into the head of the Li Family. He’s found a renowned teacher for his grandson.”

If You’er hadn’t brought it up, Granny Yang would’ve thought it fine for him to teach Yaozu himself.

As she was still considering whether there were any other good teachers in the East City, Young Master He shared his idea.

“Old Master Li asked me if I’d be willing to let Yaozu study with his grandson, Qiqi. The two boys are about the same age, and learning together might encourage them to improve.”

Back then, the incident between their families had caused a rift that lasted for years. But in truth, within East City, the Li and He families had always complemented each other.

During those years, not only did the He Family’s business decline sharply, the Li Family also suffered.

Now, if there was a chance to mend ties, it would benefit both sides.

Both families cared about appearances, so there was no way they’d consider another marriage alliance after what had happened.

After much thought, Old Master Li decided that having the younger generation grow up together was a feasible plan.

He had met He Yaozu before and found the boy kind-hearted and well-mannered, a perfect match for his own grandson.

As far as he was concerned, the issues between the previous generation shouldn’t affect the next.

Besides, pretending the past had never happened would be best for both families.

“That’s wonderful. Of course it’s a good idea.”

Back when Granny Yang struggled with managing the family business, a major reason was that the Li Family had suddenly stopped cooperating, making it extremely difficult to find new partners.

Marriages might fall apart, but the bond between two childhood friends raised together would never change.

“I’ll have to trouble you, Mother, to speak with Yaozu about this.”

Granny Yang had just agreed when she suddenly realized what he was doing. She gave her son a look, half-smiling as she asked,

“So you want me to be the bad guy, is that it?”

“Mother, how can you say that?”

Young Master He didn’t even flinch, pretending as if nothing was amiss.

If Granny Yang didn’t know his personality so well, she might’ve actually been fooled.

“Fine, fine. I’ll talk to him.”

After thinking it over, Granny Yang decided it was indeed better for her to break the news to Yaozu.

The boy had grown up by her side and was closer to her. It was different with You’er. On the surface, their relationship seemed fine, but in truth, it was hard to say.

She used to hope her grandson would become closer to her. Now, she hoped he could also build a bond with his father.

The first child always held a special place in one’s heart.

Yaozu was still young and didn’t understand the complexities of the adult world. Even a casual frown or hint of rejection could one day unexpectedly sting You’er’s heart.

Now, no one wanted more than Granny Yang to see harmony between father and son.

“Thank you, Mother. I’ll go rest now.”

Granny Yang watched her son leave, then finally rose and returned to her inner room.

Perhaps it was age catching up with her, but she had become more talkative. She would go over the same things again and again with the old nanny who cared for her.

“Back then, I think I may have misjudged my mother-in-law. She raised You’er very well.”

Granny Yang was old, and she hadn’t had much experience before. Managing the household had often felt overwhelming.

But since You’er took over the family business, things had gradually returned to their former glory.

The old nanny didn’t respond. She simply helped Granny Yang lie down.

She didn’t need anyone to say anything. All she wanted was someone to listen while she spoke.

The next day, a little figure came bouncing into Granny Yang’s courtyard, holding a rose in his hand, eager to chat.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Granny Yang waving him over. His short legs moved faster than ever.

“Granny~ Yaozu’s here~”

“Mmm, Yaozu, Granny has something to tell you today, alright?”

“Okay.”

Yaozu nodded obediently, showing he was listening.

No matter what Granny said, he was always happy to listen. Based on his experience, anything Granny told him was never bad.

Little An’an rubbed his hands together like the flies he’d seen before, hoping Granny was about to praise him and reward him with a piece of cake!

The He Family’s cook was incredibly skilled, especially when it came to making milk cakes. They were simply divine.

Unfortunately, milk cakes were made with glutinous rice, and little Yaozu’s stomach had always been delicate. Granny Yang had set a rule: only two pieces per day.

But if he behaved well, he could earn an extra piece. That was what An An looked forward to every single day.

“Yao Zu, you’re not that young anymore, are you?”

Just that one sentence made An An sense something was off. He stopped himself from nodding and gave a firm shake of his head instead.

He rested his head on his grandmother’s knee, turned to look at her, and softly objected, “No, Yao Zu is still Grandma’s little darling.”

To Yang Laonainai, no matter how much older Yao Zu got, he would always be her little one.

If it weren’t for the serious matter she needed to discuss with him today, she would have already burst into laughter at his confident declaration.

“Yao Zu, children your age in the East City have already started school and are studying with tutors.”

“I don’t care. I want to stay with Grandma.”

An An wrapped his arms around his grandmother’s arm, puffing out his cheeks in frustration. He looked genuinely upset after hearing what she said.

“Even after school, you can still spend time with Grandma.”

“No, there’s also Daddy. There’s only one Yao Zu, and I can’t be with both of you at the same time.”

An An had his schedule all figured out. During the day, he would stay with Grandma. Once his father finished work, he’d spend time with him. He made sure to take care of both sides equally, never favoring one over the other.

And because he was so good with words, both Yang Laonainai and Young Master He were convinced that, in this little fellow’s heart, they were the most important person.

“Today you’re with Grandma. Tomorrow you can be with Daddy. It’s the same.”

“If Yao Zu stays in this big residence with Grandma all day, it’ll get boring. Wouldn’t it be nice to go to school and play with that Qi Qi from the Li Family?”

The previously adamant Xiao An An, who had strongly resisted the idea of going to school, now hesitated upon hearing that.

Qi Qi? Last time, he seemed very experienced in how to properly live up to his father’s expectations.

“Well… okay then.”

An An agreed, albeit reluctantly.

As long as he nodded, everything else would fall into place.

With a smile on her face, Yang Laonainai quickly had the maid Ya Huan summon the seamstresses from the manor to make a new set of clothes for Yao Zu, just in time for his first day at school.

Master Li had only two children in his life. Unfortunately, his eldest son’s wife, who had once saved his life, was unable to bear children. Because of this life-saving debt, and the deep affection between the couple, divorce was never an option.

His eldest son also refused to take a concubine. But a family as large as theirs still needed an heir.

So his daughter’s eldest son—Qi Qi—caught Master Li’s attention.

Even though he was a maternal grandson, he still carried the blood of the Li Family. After consulting his daughter and son-in-law, Master Li brought the boy into his household to raise from a young age.

Because of this, Master Li placed great importance on his grandson’s education.

Unfortunately, Qi Qi and An An had very similar personalities: sweet-talking and lazy.

But precisely because they were so good at acting cute and playing the fool, even when it was obvious they were slacking off, no one could bring themselves to truly punish them.

Master Li pinned his hopes on the He Family’s only young master, hoping that he could steer his grandson onto the right path.

Yang Laonainai, on the other hand, was counting on the famous teacher Master Li had hired to give her precious grandson a solid education.

Neither of the two boys had any idea of the heavy expectations placed on their little shoulders. After class, they would just run off and play.

Qi Qi took An An through a dog hole into his secret base and generously shared half of his stash of hidden silver coins.

“What’s the point of hiding so many silver coins?” An An asked, though he was already stuffing them into his pocket without hesitation. Once he was done, he squatted down, rested his chin on his hands, and looked on with curiosity.

Qi Qi silently adjusted the cover he had used to hide his stash, rolled his eyes at An An, and replied, “What do you know? If I ever make Grandpa mad and get kicked out of the house, without silver coins, I wouldn’t even be able to afford a steamed bun!”

An An nodded as if he understood. Seeing how confident his friend looked, he decided not to voice his own thoughts.

Last time, An An had visited Master Li with Yang Laonainai. Even though it was just a brief meeting, An An had a good sense of the old man’s personality.

Based on what he knew, there was no way Master Li would ever kick Qi Qi out. Locking him up at home for a scolding seemed more likely.

After showing off his secret base, Qi Qi took An An to the Li Family’s garden and proudly gave him a tour.

Back when the emperor was still around, this estate had belonged to a high-ranking official who had exquisite taste. The garden was built beautifully, with a scenic view every ten steps.

With Qi Qi as his guide, An An had a wonderful time at the Li Family estate. The two little rascals played wildly every day.

A month passed. Their teacher gave them a test to assess what they had learned over the past month.

When An An and Qi Qi received the test papers, they exchanged a look. Their faces were equally grave.

Their time had been spent playing.

Their minds were still blank.

In the end, An An managed to guess a few answers right based on instinct. Qi Qi, however, was completely clueless. He couldn’t even recognize all the characters on the paper, let alone answer the questions.

When Master Li saw their test papers, his face darkened with anger.

Little Yao Zu was picked up by someone from the He Family and taken home first. Qi Qi was left alone, obediently standing on a prayer mat in the ancestral hall, hands behind his back, looking like a model student waiting to be scolded.

Yang Laonainai had heard about the test and had even reminded Yao Zu to bring the paper home so she could take a look.

On the way back, An An kept thinking about how to handle the situation.

The test paper had been collected by the page boy, so there was no way to hide it.

If Grandma saw it, she would definitely be angry…

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. His eyes turned red with worry. As soon as the carriage stopped, he didn’t wait for the attendants and ran straight to find his grandmother.

When Yang Laonainai saw her little grandson running toward her with red eyes, she thought he must have been bullied.

An An buried his face in her arms, wrapped his arms around her, and let out a soft sob.

“Grandma…”

“Oh my little sweetheart, what happened? Did that Li Family boy bully you? If he did, we won’t go back to that school tomorrow. It’s just a tutor, after all. Our He Family can easily afford our own!”

Seeing Yao Zu crying so pitifully, Yang Laonainai immediately forgot all their previous plans.

“Grandma, Yao Zu was playing too much and didn’t do well on the test.”

An An confessed honestly. He still remembered his father telling him how, when he was little and got scolded by his tutor, his grandmother made him kneel in the ancestral hall for a whole day and night.

Just imagining that scene made An An’s knees start to ache.

“Oh, so it’s just that the test results weren’t great?”

“Mm.”

Tears welled up in An An’s eyes as he nodded gently.

“That’s all right, it’s no big deal. As long as you can read, that’s enough. We’re not expecting you to become a top scholar or anything.”

Yang Laonainai took a handkerchief and carefully wiped the tears from An An’s face.

She had thought something serious had happened, but it turned out to be just this.

“Grandma, you’re not mad?”

An An asked in a choked voice. Only then did Yang Laonainai realize why he had been so panicked earlier. So he was afraid she’d be angry?

Did she really look that fierce? Had she scared this little one that badly?

“I’m not mad.”

“What about Daddy?”

“Your daddy wouldn’t dare be mad.”

Yang Laonainai straightened An An’s clothes and ruffled his fluffy little head.

Whatever else might be the case, she still had the final say in this matter.

Master Li had gone to great lengths to hire such a good teacher, and she had agreed to send Yao Zu over. But it wasn’t because she expected An An to actually learn much.

What she cared about more was the relationship between the two families.

Right now, both Yao Zu and the Li Family’s young master were still little. A bit of mischief was harmless.

The two children attending school together gave outsiders the impression that the families were still on good terms. That was more than enough.

That evening, Young Master He returned from outside and, as usual, went to greet his mother first.

Normally, Yang Laonainai would rest after his greeting. But tonight, she remained seated, leisurely sipping tea. It was clear she was waiting for him, probably to discuss something.

“Mother, are you well? Did something happen?”

Yang Laonainai gave a soft hum and gestured for him to sit beside her. Then she told him about how Yao Zu hadn’t done well in the test given by the teacher earlier that day.

“That child is already feeling down. Don’t mention it in front of him, or you’ll just make him even more upset.”

“Yes, understood.”

An An had always thought that only his grandmother treated him with the most kindness and patience, but in truth, his father was just as tolerant.

In the eyes of both elders at home, he was still a young, clueless child. And since he was just a child who didn’t understand much, whatever he did was forgivable.

Besides, all An An had done was get a few questions wrong. It wasn’t like he had done anything truly wrong.

Young Master He didn’t think An An had done anything wrong at all. In fact, he was already thinking that if the teacher ever took a day off from class, he’d take Yao Zu out to the countryside estate for some fun.

It was the height of summer, and someone from the estate had just sent word that the little crayfish in the pond were in season.

An An had merely shared some of his worries and frustrations with his grandmother, and just like that, the two of them had already made plans to take him out for a good time.

Three days later, Young Master He personally visited Master Li and mentioned that he planned to take An An to the estate to catch crayfish. He asked if the young master of the Li family was free that day and whether he could come along.

In the past, whenever Yao Zu talked about anyone, it was always either his father or his mother. Now, there was a new name added to the list: Qiqi.

Since the children seemed to get along well, Young Master He naturally kept that in mind.

Handing the child over to Young Master He, especially since he’d be with the He family’s young master, didn’t raise any concerns for Master Li.

When he heard that Young Master He planned to let the children stay overnight at the estate, he even gave special instructions to the servants to prepare two sets of spare clothes.

Qiqi was a mischievous child, and if his clothes got wet, they’d need to be changed right away.

When An An heard the good news about going to the estate, he was so excited he nearly jumped up on the spot.

Seeing how happy he was, Yang Laonainai swallowed the words she had been about to say to talk him out of it.

Forget it. Seeing him this happy, she couldn’t bear to spoil the mood.

They quickly packed up, and Young Master He took both children into the carriage.

Not long after the carriage set off, An An gave Qiqi a look. Qiqi, who had been squirming with excitement, suddenly remembered and started chatting with An An about his father.

“My daddy says he’s going to become the biggest merchant in East City! That means I’ll be the young master of the biggest business in East City!”

Qiqi’s declaration didn’t really interest Young Master He. He was still thinking that if they stayed at the estate for two days, the whole trip would take at least three days in total.

By the time they returned, the account books would probably be piled up like a mountain.

Qiqi’s father was indeed talented in business. Young Master He had worked with him a few times and knew him well.

The next second, An An’s mouth dropped open in amazement, his face full of admiration and envy.

“Wow, really? That amazing?”

The familiar childish voice of his son caught Young Master He’s attention.

If he wasn’t mistaken, his son was actually envious?

What was there to be envious about? All the major businesses in East City were involved in different industries. Each had its strengths, and no one could say for sure who was truly the best.

If you asked him, Qiqi’s father was just boasting in front of his child. To go so far as to deceive even an innocent child—utterly shameless.

“It’s true! If I become the young master of the biggest business, I’ll be so cool~”

Qiqi had originally said it as part of a plan he’d made with his little buddy, but the more he talked, the more he started to genuinely imagine the scene.

It really did sound amazing.

An An quickly hugged Qiqi’s arm and leaned in with a grin.

“Then you’ve got to look out for me, okay?”

“Don’t worry~”

Qiqi agreed without hesitation.

If we rise to wealth and power, we must never forget each other. That was the promise he and his little buddy had made.

“And my daddy too. You have to look out for my daddy.”

“Mm-hmm, I’ll look out for everyone.”

No matter the situation, his son always remembered to include his father. Young Master He should have felt touched by that, but for some reason, it just felt awkward now.

The He family was in no way inferior to the Li family or to Qiqi’s Zhou family. Things weren’t settled yet, so who could say for sure who would end up as the top business in East City?

In the past, Young Master He would have said that even ten years from now, the major businesses in East City would still be evenly matched.

But now, something had changed. The casual, innocent words of two children had stirred a bit of ambition in him.

Even the heir of the Zhou family had such ambition and believed he could achieve it. So why couldn’t he?

Yao Zu gave Qiqi another wink. Based on what he knew of his father, their conversation had definitely been overheard.

Qiqi leaned back, waiting for An An to feed him the milk cake he’d been promised. It was the reward they’d agreed on beforehand.

In truth, Qiqi knew very well that his father wasn’t someone he could count on.

In his father’s heart, there was only room for his mother. He himself was just an accident.

When his grandfather took him in, his father hadn’t shown the slightest reluctance. If anything, he’d been eager to pack him up and send him away.

All his father ever thought about was how to be with his mother, which gave this little bun a constant headache.

From all the things he’d seen while living with his grandfather, Qiqi knew that if his father stayed lazy, he himself would have to work extra hard.

But Qiqi didn’t want to be the one suffering, so he had to work hard and push his father to improve.

After meeting Xiao An’an, the two of them hit it off immediately.

When they arrived at the countryside estate, someone was already waiting for them.

An An and Qiqi walked at the front. Even just leaning over the railing, they could see the little crayfish below scrambling to climb up.

“Wow~”

The two little ones, who hadn’t seen much of the world, began shouting in excitement. Meanwhile, Young Master He went to meet with the steward of the estate and asked him to bring over the recent account books for review.

Years ago, this estate had been a retreat for a noble.

After that noble met with misfortune, the estate was purchased by Young Master He’s grandfather.

Because the environment was so pleasant, the family had never considered selling it, no matter how high a price others offered.

Little ones were always full of energy. Even after playing all afternoon, they weren’t tired. If Young Master He hadn’t stopped them, they probably would have asked the maid to hold up a lantern so they could keep fishing into the night.

Catching crayfish wasn’t hard. Every time they dropped a line, they’d reel one in.

Neither An An nor Qiqi had ever done this before, so the novelty made it all the more exciting.

That night, when they were finally forced to go to bed, both boys wore matching expressions of dissatisfaction.

The next day, they were taken by the estate’s servants to pick vegetables in the fields. For children raised in grand mansions, these kinds of activities held irresistible charm.

Young Master He took the opportunity to thoroughly review the account books from the various estates.

There were a few discrepancies, but since the missing silver wasn’t much, he chose to turn a blind eye.

Before they left, he gave the steward a pointed warning so he’d know that nothing had gone unnoticed.

On the carriage ride back, An An asked if he could stay at Qiqi’s place for a few days.

As it happened, Young Master He needed to travel elsewhere to check more accounts, so he sent his son along with the Zhou family’s carriage, arranging for his clothes to be delivered to the Zhou residence in a few days.

Since Qiqi had personally brought home a friend, his mother came out to greet them herself.

When she learned that An An was He You’s son, her expression froze for a moment before quickly recovering into a warm smile.

They were all merchant families. No matter what she felt inside, she couldn’t let it show on the surface.

When the Zhou family’s young master returned home that evening after finishing his work, he heard from a servant that his son had come back. He hesitated for a moment, then changed course from his wife’s courtyard and went to see his son instead.

After all, this was his own child. They hadn’t seen each other in days. Not going to see him in person would be hard to justify.

When he arrived, An An was sitting on the swing in the courtyard, dressed in a fresh set of clothes.

He instinctively glanced around the courtyard, looking for any sign of his own son.

On the way over, the young master of the Zhou Family had already learned the child’s identity from the servants. Although he felt it was somewhat inappropriate, he held his tongue since his son liked the boy.

He stood at the doorway for a long time, watching. Before him stood his usually arrogant son, now humbly standing behind that child, dutifully pushing a swing.

When the child mentioned he was a little hungry, his son even ran off to fetch him some pastries.

The way he bustled about so willingly, it was hard to believe this was his own son. He looked more like a sycophant!

The young master of the Zhou Family was so infuriated by the scene playing out in his mind that he didn’t step forward immediately. Instead, he stood there, trying to calm himself down.

His brat of a son hadn’t been home in ages, and the moment he returned, he had the nerve to scold him.

While he was trying to compose himself, the voices of the two little ones drifted over to him.

Compared to An An, Qiqi was much more uninhibited. He crouched beside the leisurely swinging An An, resting his chin in his hands and gazing up at him with eyes full of admiration.

“Wow, your daddy’s really going to become the head of the East City Chamber of Commerce? That’s amazing! Then can I cling to your thigh in the future?”

“If you tell me to go east, I won’t even think about going west! I promise I’ll do everything you ask!”

An An tilted his chin slightly, striking a proud pose as he lazily replied:

“Of course. My daddy goes over the account books every night when he gets home. He says that in time, he’ll become the best merchant in East City.”

“When that happens, I’ll be the young master of the biggest chamber of commerce. I suppose I can reluctantly let you cling to my thigh.”

“Oh right, go bring me the milk cakes I like. I’m hungry.”

An An pointed to the plate of milk cakes on the nearby table. Qiqi hesitated upon hearing the command.

Ever since he’d tasted milk cakes once at the He Family’s place, he understood why his good friend always raved about them. They really were delicious!

Now, they weren’t just An An’s favorite—they were his too.

Thinking that his father was probably standing just outside the door, Qiqi gritted his teeth, picked up the entire plate of milk cakes, and crouched beside An An, holding the plate up.

“Here you go, young master. At your service, the milk cakes are here~”

Seeing his son acting like such a bootlicker, the Zhou Family young master felt he couldn’t bear to watch. He had never felt so embarrassed by his son.

The biggest chamber of commerce in East City? That He Family brat sure talks big!

Right now, the three major families each had their own strengths. No one could definitively say who was the best, yet he dared to boast that his family would come out on top.

Such bold claims—was he not afraid of biting his own tongue?

The Zhou Family young master had long been bitter about the engagement his wife once had with that man. Even now, the thought of it left him sulking for days.

And now, his own son had become a lackey for the person he despised most. How could he not be angry?

The attendant beside him noticed his face growing darker and cautiously asked:

“Young master?”

The Zhou Family young master shot him a cold glance, instantly silencing the rest of the question.

If he had known he’d witness something like this, he wouldn’t have come.

The swing he once cherished was now being used by that brat, and his favorite milk cakes were being offered up with a wagging tail. It was utterly humiliating.

If he could, the Zhou Family young master truly didn’t want to admit that this was his son.

Perhaps sensing the elder’s displeasure, Qiqi curiously asked:

“Is your daddy really that confident?”

The Zhou Family young master perked up his ears, silently agreeing with his son’s question.

Exactly. Is he really that confident?

“My daddy is super hardworking. He stays up late every night going over the account books. He doesn’t even have time to cuddle me.”

An An lied through his teeth without the slightest hint of guilt.

Lies, all lies! No matter how late it got, his daddy always held him while going over the books, only sending him back once he was too sleepy to stay awake.

Qiqi shook his head helplessly, putting on a look of reluctant acceptance. In a voice tinged with grievance, he muttered:

“Well, my daddy’s really no good. He never looks at the account books. He’s so lazy, always just looking for my mom.”

At this point, the Zhou Family young master couldn’t take it anymore. Face dark as thunder, he turned and stormed off.

“Young master, young master, where are you going?”

“To look at the account books!”

Those two words were squeezed out through gritted teeth, each syllable laced with fury.