Chapter 327 - 325: Madam Always Has a Way (First Update)

Chapter 327: Chapter 325: Madam Always Has a Way (First Update)

Xu Jing was slightly taken aback, momentarily at a loss.

Shen, standing nearby, quickly rushed forward and picked up Xiao Huai’an, gently brushing the snowflakes off his bottom, "Oh dear, Little Lord, there’s still snow on the ground, be careful not to catch a chill. Haven’t you been waiting every day for your mom and dad to return? Now your mom is back, why are you still crying..."

Xiao Huai’an shook his head vigorously, hiccuping through his sobs, "No! That’s not Mom... hic!"

Xianyun turned to the bewildered Xu Jing and sighed, "These days, Lady Cheng often comes to see Little Lord. Seeing that the child is unhappy, she tells him that he just has to patiently count to the forty-fifth day, and his mom and dad will come back. After hearing this from Lady Cheng, Little Lord would count the days from the departure every day just like you saw, today should be the forty-fourth day..."

Xu Jing immediately understood and felt both heartache and pity.

Since the Zhou Family lent them a doctor, Xu Jing left Cheng Qingqing in the Western Capital to help with the young apprentices, sending Cheng Xianbai back to Anping County to manage Xinglin Hall and continue recruiting and training doctors.

From the day she left until Little Point’s birthday, it would be exactly forty-five days.

Cheng Qingqing, although uncertain of her return with Xiao Yi, evidently believed she wouldn’t miss Little Point’s birthday, and at the latest, by that day, she’d be back. That’s why she comforted him in such a manner.

Unexpectedly, Chang Xiao took her words so seriously, even to an obsessive extent.

Xu Jing could understand Chang Xiao’s feelings; when something yearned for suddenly appears in front of you, even adults often feel a dreamlike sense of unreality, let alone a child under five years old who doesn’t know how to process their emotions.

She walked over and gave Shen a look. After a moment’s hesitation, Shen handed the child over, and Xu Jing, though struggling slightly, took him into her arms. She sat on the nearby swing, gently patting the child’s back, soothingly laughing, "Seems like you’ve grown heavier, did you sneak some delicious treats while Mom and Dad were away?"

The little child seemed to stiffen in her embrace, his sobs quieted.

Hearing Xu Jing’s words, he bit his lip, puffed out his cheeks and looked down, not speaking.

Long eyelashes still clung to yet-to-dry tears, and a pair of dark eyes betrayed an indescribable sense of grievance and sadness.

Xu Jing immediately realized this little guy had sensed her true return; once the initial emotional chaos and disbelief subsided, the grievances buried within began to surface.

This was him deliberately ignoring her, having a little fit.

Xu Jing smiled at him, gently rubbing his back, asking, "Why is Chang Xiao ignoring Mom now?"

The little one’s cheeks puffed even more; his small mouth even more pout.

Xu Jing leisurely continued, "If Chang Xiao keeps ignoring Mom, then Mom can only..."

The little one abruptly straightened his back, looking at Xu Jing with a pitiful look in his eyes, his tiny hands gripping her sleeve tightly.

As if afraid she might suddenly disappear again.

Xu Jing couldn’t help but laugh, saying, "Then the candied hawthorns Mom brought back from outside will have to be given to someone else."

Candied hawthorns!

The little one’s tear-filled eyes brightened instantly, the grievance and sorrow replaced with a gaze full of desire and anticipation.

Chunyang, who had been beside Xu Jing, saw this and immediately understood why the Madame asked her to bring all the candied hawthorns they bought along the way before getting off the carriage. She quickly unwrapped a bundle she’d been holding, took out a food box, and handed it over saying, "Little Lord, when Madame and Lord were outside, they always remembered you. Knowing you liked candied hawthorns, they bought one from each place they passed, wanting you to taste the different flavors."

"The candied hawthorns Mom and Dad bought for Little Lord nearly filled this food box."

Thankfully, since it was winter, the candied hawthorns wouldn’t melt after a while.

Seeing the little one’s eyes glued to the box, Xu Jing chuckled and gestured for Chunyang to open it. She freed a hand to take the box and offered it to Xiao Huai’an, saying, "Your dad said earlier that he was worried too much candied hawthorn would be bad for your teeth, so he never let you eat too many. Today, Mom will decide—how about two candied hawthorns this time?"

Xiao Huai’an immediately looked up, gazing incredulously at Xu Jing, his little hands tightly gripping her clothes. He urgently asked, "Mom, Mom, can I really eat two candied hawthorns?"

Previously, Xianyun and the others only ever let him have one.

And even that was after a long, long time!

Xu Jing put a finger to her lips mysteriously, "Of course it’s true, but don’t tell your dad. It’s a secret between us, alright?"

Children shouldn’t eat too many sweets, true, but once or twice wouldn’t hurt.

Meanwhile, using Xiao Yi, the "strict dad," as a shield was ideal.

Plus, this would improve their mother-son bond, truly a win-win.

The little one burst into a smile, his previous grievances seemingly forgotten. Carefully, he picked a hawthorn-flavored one from the box, glanced at Xu Jing, then gleefully picked an apple-flavored one too.

He then nestled into Xu Jing’s arms, happily eating away.

Xu Jing watched amusingly as Chang Xiao, cheeks puffed and eyes squinting into slits from smiling, occasionally using a handkerchief to wipe the sugar crumbs from his mouth.

She’d only realized this time that ancient candied hawthorns came in so many flavors.

Seeing Little Lord finally consoled and smiling again, Xianyun and Shen nearly wept with joy.

Shen, shaking her head, laughed, "Only you could handle it, Madame. The servants and I tried every trick in the book, yet Little Lord never smiled like this."

Xu Jing smiled slightly looking at them, "You worked hard looking after Chang Xiao, but Lord and I came back late, and we may not have time to properly plan Chang Xiao’s birthday. I thought maybe I’d invite close family and friends over for a meal tomorrow."

Shen said cheerfully, "No matter what, as long as the Madame and Lord are here, Little Lord will be happy."

Although Shen said that, they had left Little Point alone for so many days, Xu Jing still felt bad about it.

She was already contemplating asking Qiushui tomorrow to see if they could make a birthday cake.

That was, in Xu Jing’s understanding, an indispensable item for a child’s birthday party.

That entire night, driven by guilt and affection, Xu Jing couldn’t refuse Xiao Huai’an’s requests, even promising when he timidly tugged her sleeve asking to sleep with her.

The little one instantly grinned from ear to ear, demonstrating what having a mom for everything truly meant.

The bed in Xiao Huai’an’s room, though not small, felt cramped for both Xu Jing and him, so she took him back to her and Xiao Yi’s room.

That night, mother and son squeezed into one big blanket for the first time in ages. The little one bounced on the bed in joyful delight, while Xu Jing lay on her side, propping her head with one hand, smiling at him prancing about like a little puppy.

After being content with rolling around, the little one rolled into Mom’s embrace, lifting his flushed face to ask, "Mom, will Dad sleep here too tonight?"