After Cao Xiwang was fed by the wet nurse, He Yuan placed him in a crib next to his bed and got into bed. It was almost morning but he was up all night so he wanted to try to sneak in an hour of sleep.
888 materialized next to He Yuan when he noticed his host couldn't sleep. "Did they name you?"
He Yuan laughed and whispered softly, "No." Then he laid on his side and supported his chin with his hand. "I had been found by the owner of a run down orphanage. In fact, calling it an orphanage is stretching it. It was more of a begging establishment.
-At age three, I was guided on the streets by my seniors as we all begged for alms from passersby. They all referred to me as little boy and I thought that was my name before I started attending classes with the rest of them.
-I was five when I realized it. I had read this one children's book that I picked up in a dumpster and the name of the villain was He Yuan. I really liked the villain better so I adopted his name."
He Yuan laughed now. "When I told everyone else that my name was He Yuan, they wouldn't listen and kept on referring to me as little boy.
-I would get angry and fight with whoever refused to call me by my chosen name whether they were smaller or bigger than me. Sometimes I lost and other times, I won. Soon enough, the name stuck."
888 chuckled. "How about the other organ baby?"
He Yuan shrugged. "No idea. I found out from my parents that he or she had no idea of my existence. I tried to find them but just when I was close to getting results, I was mauled by a chandelier."
"Ouch." 888 said and then they both looked at each other before they burst out laughing.
He Yuan soon fell asleep and 888 watched him for a while before he dematerialized once more.
Cao Xiwang's soft cries awoke He Yuan. After calling for the wet nurse to attend to the child, he had the Wu sisters prepare him for the day.
He'd specifically picked a white and green robe with a few pearly hair accessories. Green was always his go to colour when he needed to cheer up.
He was in the middle of learning how to burp a baby when the noise of commotion drifted into the room so he went outside to figure out what was going on.
Cao Luomei and Chen Bi were right outside. Immediately Cao Luomei spotted him, she raised her chin. "Cao Yuemei the baby is my brother too. You hogged him all to yourself right from the moment he was born. Daddy hasn't even got to see him yet!"
He Yuan wanted to fold his arms across his chest and lean against the wall but that was very 'unladylike' so he settled for clasping his hands behind his back. "Cao Luomei, since when did you become father's spokesperson?
-If he wanted to see my younger brother then he would've come here himself but he didn't, so please take your leave and stop embarrassing yourself before the servants."
"No need to get so defensive," Chen Bi said gently. "Cao Luomei was only looking out for you. You wouldn't want brother Long to get angry at you now would you?"
He Yuan pretended to hear nothing and turned around to walk away.
Chen Bi frowned. "Cao Yuemei, wait! It's almost time to pay respects to the matriarch. How about you and the baby come with us hmm?"
He Yuan did not stop walking. He knew it was time to pay respects and was already planning on taking the child there himself. He didn't need her reminder.
Once he returned with the wet nurse behind him holding the baby, Chen Bi pointed at the wet nurse.
"You, bring the baby over. I'll carry him. Your services aren't needed until after the respects have been paid."
He Yuan raised a brow. This woman had guts. Planning to use Cao Xiwang to play mother. He extended his little arm in front of the wet nurse to halt her movements, then he turned to Chen Bi.
"Who are you? Is the Cao household now a marketplace that even a mere stranger could waltz inside, giving orders and demanding to hold our Cao family child?"
Chen Bi's eyes widened and even Cao Luomei did a double take. Cao Yuemei was usually so silent, not bothering to pay attention to others even when they pestered her. What was wrong with her today?
He Yuan directly walked away with the wet nurse, leaving Chen Bi and Cao Luomei to stare after him with their mouths wide open like fish out of water.
As soon as He Yuan stepped into the hall, he locked eyes with Cao Feng. He ignored the block of ice and paid his respects to the matriarch. After months of tutoring, his stance was perfect and there was almost no flaw to be found.
The matriarch waved at him dismissively and extended her arms out for the wet nurse to hand over the sleeping child.
"Aunt, your Cao family is truly blessed. Such a healthy child!" Chen Bi's mother said with a fawning smile.
Watching the matriarch nod in satisfaction at the male child, He Yuan rolled his eyes and looked over to Cao Feng who was discreetly checking out the child with, of course, his signature cold glare on his face.
The kid always acted like he had a persona to uphold and if he was ever caught acting out of character then he would drop dead.
Nothing ever appeared to faze him. All he had to do was glare coldly. 'Oh my mother ran away after giving birth to my little sister?' Glare coldly. 'Oh my little sister was almost sold off?' Glare coldly. 'Oh the culprit that almost sold off my little sister is not going to be divorced?' Glare coldly. 'Oh the same culprit has given birth to a son that would contend for the position of left prime minister with me?' Glare coldly.
Everyone praised Cao Feng for his intelligence but all the kid ever did was glare at the world and kept silent. Whoever told them silence was a sign of intelligence?!
Even the position of prime minister had been handed down to him, not based on merit but because he was the only person available.
His sister was the empress and he was also brother-in-laws with the general and genius doctor. Who would dare call him out on his incompetence?
A very displeased Cao Luomei and Chen Bi appeared then with Cao Long behind them. Chen Bi walked over to her mother who was standing by the matriarch.
Whilst Cao Long walked over to observe the child. Seeing his youngest, the left prime minister remained expressionless.
Cak Long's subordinate came in then and after exchanging greetings, he whispered something in the ears of the left prime minister.
"Mother, I'll be leaving the child in your care." And with that, he was gone.
The matriarch, who was about to raise the topic of Cao Long marrying a wife to take care of his son was left to stare at his retreating figure with a helpless look.
Chen Bi and her mother had dissatisfied frowns on their faces and He Yuan was enraged by Cao Long's dismissive attitude.
But what could he do? This was probably for the best anyways. He didn't want other people interfering and influencing the child wrongly.
He looked back at Chen Bi who was eyeing the Cao Xiwang in the matriarch's arms and narrowed his eyes. He knew what she was thinking.
She better not dare.
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