Qing Heng, who is meditating, suddenly opens his eyes upon hearing the book spirit’s words. He frowns slightly and stands up.

Seeing him rise, the book spirit, now even angrier, says: “This is infuriating! They bully the baby like this. From now on, I won’t let them set foot in my library!”

The library holds millions of books, and many people usually come here to borrow them. But because of Wang Feilong’s current testing competition, borrowing books has been temporarily suspended.

In addition to managing this library, the book spirit can go anywhere that has books. It lives in the books, comprehending the essence of the texts, its abilities constantly grow stronger.

Its current goal is to become more beautiful so that when it appears before the baby, it won’t scare him. 

As the book spirit continues fuming, Qing Heng’s figure disappears from behind the desk.

Downstairs, Ming Qiao sits on the steps, unable to hear any sounds from above. He holds his dirty face in his little chubby hands, feeling down. His stomach growls from not having dinner, but he frowns and makes no move to go eat.

“Not hungry?” A gentle, pleasant voice suddenly speaks from behind him.

Ming Qiao freezes for a moment, rubbing his little ears with his chubby hands. Before he even turns around, Qing Heng is already sitting beside him.

“Mother…” Ming Qiao doesn’t turn his little face toward him but keeps his head lowered, speaking in a muffled baby voice. 

“Don’t look at Qiao Qiao.”

“Why not?” Qing Heng asks.

“Qiao Qiao is dirty, not good-looking.” Ming Qiao mumbles. Though he hasn’t looked in a mirror, he knows he’s all dirty. He doesn’t want his mother to see him when he’s a messy, dirty little child.

“You are quite dirty.” Qing Heng says, noticing the boy’s messy hair and the dirt on his face and hands, speaking truthfully. 

Hearing this blunt remark, Ming Qiao pouts, feeling even more wronged.

The next moment, a clean and warm big hand takes hold of his little chubby hand. “There’s a hot spring on the north shore of the courtyard. Want to soak in it?”

Ming Qiao’s eyes light up immediately, and he nods eagerly like a pecking chick, “I want to!” He really wants to bathe with his mother!

Seeing his enthusiasm, Qing Heng picks him up, and they disappear from the library. The book spirit watches the two leave, feeling relieved. “Good, it seems Qing Heng also likes the baby!” 

The book spirit knows Qing Heng has always had an aversion to physical contact, to the point where even a slight, unintentional touch from someone would cause him to react with intense discomfort.

Now, seeing Qing Heng holding the baby without any issues, the book spirit internally marvels a thousand times. See? This is the power of blood ties! How great it is!

While the book spirit remains at the library, marveling over the power of familial bonds, Qing Heng and Ming Qiao are already soaking in the hot spring.

Before heading to the hot spring, Qing Heng takes Ming Qiao to the cafeteria to get dinner and his medicine. When Ming Qiao arrived there, his messy appearance makes the cafeteria auntie feel heartbroken.

“Oh dear, I was wondering why all the other kids came for dinner, but you didn’t! Turns out you were being bullied!” As she speaks, the auntie quickly reheats the food she had set aside for him earlier.

“Who on earth would be so heartless to bully you like this?” After reheating the meal, she starts to reach out to wash Ming Qiao’s little face. But Ming Qiao turns his face away, refusing.

“Auntie, someone else will wash me.” Ming Qiao says, knowing that his mother doesn’t mind him being dirty, since he had carried him all the way here. He secretly hopes that his mother will wash his face for him.

Seeing him refuse, the auntie lets it go. “Alright, but make sure whoever washes you cleans you up well. We can’t have such a pretty little face stay dirty for long.” 

After giving him his dinner and medicine, the auntie hesitates for a few seconds before calling him back as he’s about to leave.

“Qiao Qiao, if anyone bullies you again, go find old Ge at the gate. He really likes that little tassel you gave him last time.” 

Ming Qiao nods, remembering her words. After thanking and saying goodbye to the auntie, he runs off to find his mother outside.

Knowing his mother dislikes interacting with people, Ming Qiao thoughtfully doesn’t ask him to come inside. He runs to the bamboo grove outside, where no one is around, and stretches out his little hands. 

“Mother, hug hug.” He says.

Qing Heng bends down and picks him up. This time, with no interruptions, the two of them smoothly enter the hot spring together.

This is not the same medicinal spring as the one in the Xisha Forest. Ming Qiao relaxes as he soaks in the water, tilts his little face up as his mother washes him.

He also washes his little body, which is soft and fair, with chubby little arms and legs. Qing Heng doesn’t find the task troublesome at all. Instead, he feels that the little one in his hands is adorably obedient and soft.

After a while, Ming Qiao is all clean. Standing on Qing Heng’s lap,he grabs a towel and tries to wipe his mother’s face. “Mother, Qiao Qiao will wash you too.” 

The little one doesn’t just talk about being filial—he starts right now! Qing Heng, wearing only his inner clothes, has them soaked through, revealing his jade-like skin underneath.

His handsome face is now wet from Ming Qiao’s wiping, with water droplets clinging to his long eyelashes. As he blinks gently, they fall like clear and tiny crystals. Holding the towel, Ming Qiao clutches his chest in awe.

“Ah! Mother is so beautiful!” His face turns bright red, utterly mesmerized by his mother’s beauty.

Qing Heng quickly supports his small body, his usually indifferent face showing a rare, complicated expression. “Sit properly. I don’t need a bath.” Qing Heng says, taking the towel from him.

Since he can’t help his mother bathe anymore, Ming Qiao obediently pulls out the dinner and invites his mother to eat with him.

Qing Heng, having fasted for a long time, doesn’t need food. But despite this, the filial little one insists on feeding him.

“Mother, eat.” Ming Qiao says. Every time he takes a bite himself, he feels compelled to feed his mother too. He offers his mother a spoonful of meat, his big, watery eyes blinking expectantly, his rosy lips slightly parted. Every bit of him exuding cuteness.

Qing Heng, despite being distant and having a strong sense of cleanliness, can’t help but find the boy in front of him adorable.

He can’t even understand why he feels this way, nor why he doesn’t mind the spoon Ming Qiao has used or feel not a shred of disgust.

“Mother, isn’t it tasty? Auntie really likes me! She always saves me the best food!” Ming Qiao babbles happily.

Before Qing Heng realizes it, he has already eaten the spoonful of meat.

Seeing that his mother has eaten such a big bite, Ming Qiao beams with joy, talking excitedly about how good the food is and praising the auntie endlessly.

After dinner, it’s time for medicine. Ming Qiao actually hopes his mother will comfort him while he takes it. He can take the medicine on his own, but deep down, he wants to be soothed by his mother.

In the past, his father was already exhausted just taking care of him and finding various medicines, so Ming Qiao was always obedient.

He would take his medicine, eat his meals, and sit by the door waiting for his father when he went out.

He has been good for a long, long time. But now that he has found his mother, he feels like he’s becoming more spoiled.

“Mother…” The little one, wanting to be pampered, holds the bowl of medicine and looks at his mother.

Qing Heng gazes back down at him. Their eyes meet, and Ming Qiao, after pursing his lips, loses the courage to be willful. He lowers his little head and quietly gulps down the medicine.

The medicine tastes bad. As he drinks, Ming Qiao’s eyes turn red. Qing Heng assumes the medicine’s bitterness caused it, so he gently pats Ming Qiao’s back in comfort.

After finishing the bowl of medicine, Ming Qiao tosses the bowl aside and buries his little head in Qing Heng’s chest.

“Mother, hold Qiao Qiao.” He murmurs.

Though Ming Qiao’s small hands are already holding onto his mother tightly, he still wants to be held by him.

Although he’s young, he’s quite sensitive. He knows his mother doesn’t completely accept him yet, though he’s not as distant as his uncle was at first. Ming Qiao understands his mother’s feelings but still wants to prove his identity. 

He thinks about showing the items left behind by his father in the storage ring, and the keepsakes that his father said belonged to his mother.

“But even if I find them, what then?” Ming Qiao timidly worries—

“What if showing these to his mother makes him feel like he’s being forced to accept me? Will he think Qiao Qiao is a bad child?”

While Ming Qiao curls up in Qing Heng’s arms, lost in these anxious thoughts.

Meanwhile, in the dormitory far behind them, Du Sheng lies on the ground in pain, having been trampled. Though his face and body show no visible signs of being beaten, he is in immense pain.

Du Sheng’s bones are nearly crushed, especially in hidden places. The pain is so overwhelming that he can’t even beg for mercy. His face turns pale, and his body curls up like a shrimp.

“I’ll let you keep this life for now.” You Qing says, his shoe pressing down on Du Sheng’s face. His tone is emotionless but cold nonetheless. 

“If Ming Qiao suffers even a bit tomorrow, I’ll make sure you die.”

Du Sheng clenches his fists and pretends to nod in agreement. You Qing glances at him and smirks.

In the next second, he crouches down and snaps Du Sheng’s arm with a crack. He breaks it, heals it, and breaks it again. He’s never short of ways to torment people.

After what feels like an eternity, Du Sheng is sobbing uncontrollably, his face streaked with tears and snot, his eyes filled with terror. “Please spare me! I won’t bully Ming Qiao again! I beg you please, just let me go.”

Under Du Sheng’s desperate begging, You Qing finally releases him. That night, not only Du Sheng but the other kids in his group don’t escape the punishment either.

The next morning, Ming Qiao wakes up nestled in his mother’s arms, well-rested. He snuggles up to him upon waking. “Mother, Qiao Qiao is going out now!”

Ming Qiao says cheerfully. While his mother is still groggy from just waking up, he quickly leans over and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

His face turns red, and he runs off in a hurry, worried that his mother might not let him kiss him again next time. 

Ming Qiao’s mood brightens quickly, and any sadness from the night before vanishes. After eating a hearty meal, he enters the secret realm.

This time, inside the secret realm, Du Sheng and his gang don’t cause any trouble. In fact, they avoid him entirely! Without any interference, Ming Qiao successfully collects a bunch of spiritual treasures, happily exploring the secret realm. 

Meanwhile, You Qing arrives at the library. He immediately seeks out the book spirit and reveals his identity.

The book spirit stares at him for a long time, impressed by You Qing’s boldness, and decisively reveals itself. As it materializes, You Qing remains completely unbothered, just as it expected—unafraid.

The two stare at each other for a moment before You Qing raises an eyebrow and asks: “Is Qing Heng really Ming Qiao’s mother?”

The book spirit responds: “That’s what the baby says.”

You Qing asks: “Baby?”

The book spirit replies: “Yes! Ming Qiao is the baby!”

After a brief pause, You Qing continues, “Has Qing Heng admitted it?”

The book spirit hesitates, “Hmm…”

You Qing doesn’t need to guess. He knows that despite Ming Qiao calling out “mother” so affectionately, the little one probably lacks the courage to be completely straightforward about it.

Calmly, You Qing says: “Give me some paper and ink.”

The book spirit, though curious, quickly hands over the supplies.

You Qing, with his photographic memory, perfectly copies the letter Ming Qiao had shown him before. “Give this to Qing Heng. It’s his love letter.”

Ming Qiao’s father had written this to Qing Heng, so calling it a love letter seems appropriate.

——————————————————

Author’s note:

Big brother: Helping the timid little one get acknowledged.