Chapter 405 - 403: Becoming a Hero Like Mom! (First Update)

Chapter 405: Chapter 403: Becoming a Hero Like Mom! (First Update)

The next day, after Xu Jing got up, she had some rare leisure time as she had to wait for Mr. Yao to first find out the information about the three managers, and ended up accompanying Xiao Huai’an in his homework for a while.

Seeing the characters written by Little Point, Xu Jing was slightly surprised. She picked up his writing sample with a smile and said, "When did our Chang Xiao’s handwriting become so beautiful?"

Previously, when Xiao Huai’an was younger, his small hands hadn’t fully developed yet, and he couldn’t hold the brush properly, resulting in crooked characters.

At some point, his handwriting became much neater than before, and every stroke much more fluent than before.

Being praised by Mom, Xiao Huai’an raised his little chin. Obviously very proud, but not wanting his mom to think he was too arrogant, he said with a casual smile, "Mr. Wen has also praised me these past few days!"

Shen, standing by, looked at him affectionately and said with a smile, "The young lord has made great progress in his homework recently. Mr. Wen has mentioned several times wanting to personally praise the young lord in front of the madam and the lord, but the madam and lord haven’t been home these days..."

Xu Jing looked at the Little Point in front of her, couldn’t help but hold him in her arms, and softly asked, "Has Chang Xiao been lonely lately?"

It seemed it had become the norm that she and Xiao Yi had no time to accompany Xiao Huai’an.

This child was well-behaved and sensible. Aside from previously becoming a bit sulky during their almost two-month trip to Lingzhou, he rarely complained at all.

Now, nestled in Mom’s fragrant and soft embrace, Xiao Huai’an stubbornly shook his head and said, "I know Dad and Mom are busy with important things. Mr. Wen said that Dad and Mom are very capable, and many people need them. I’m...I’m not lonely at all!"

This denial was such that not even a puppy would believe it.

Xu Jing chuckled, pinching his chubby little cheek and said, "When Dad and Mom finish the things they’re busy with, we’ll spend some good time with you."

Xiao Huai’an’s eyes lit up at once. Suddenly, he grabbed Xu Jing’s clothes with one hand, raised his little head, and said, "Mom, Mr. Wen said that Mom is especially smart. No matter what bad things the bad people do, they can’t hide it from Mom. Whatever corner they are in, Mom can find them out and send them to the government, just like... like the heroine in times of peace!"

Xu Jing was slightly taken aback. This Mr. Wen, she had only met him a few times when she first came to the Western Capital. Later, due to her busy schedule, she only managed to see him briefly in the mansion and would only nod greetings.

She hadn’t expected Mr. Wen to hold her in such high regard.

Beside her, Shen suddenly smiled mysteriously and said, "The other day when the young lord finished class, I went to help him pack his things, and I saw among the books Mr. Wen brought along, there was a copy of Lady Xu’s Collection of Exonerations. I suspect Mr. Wen privately holds the madam in great admiration!"

Xu Jing raised her eyebrows slightly, entirely not having anticipated this.

Xiao Huai’an was still young and didn’t quite understand matters like criminal investigations yet, but intuitively, the little child thought his mom was amazing since even Mr. Wen praised her so much! He couldn’t help but hold onto Xu Jing’s clothes a bit tighter, saying, "Mom Mom, I want to be like Mom in the future, to catch bad people too, to protect others, to be a hero like Mom!"

Xu Jing, somewhat surprised, looked down at the little Point in her arms and couldn’t help but laugh, "Alright, Mom will teach you how to catch bad people in the future."

A hero from times of peace.

Indeed, in a time of chaos, life was as flimsy as grass, and skills in capturing culprits weren’t of the utmost necessity, sometimes not even having the opportunity to exercise them.

She understood that Xiao Yi had been very busy lately, working hard to safeguard today’s peaceful times.

Recently, even Zhao Shao Hua seldom came to see her. Last time she came, she complained about how busy their Zhao family brothers were, barely seen these days.

Though it seemed she was well protected from these changing tides, she genuinely felt the rapidly altering dynamics of the Western Capital.

She couldn’t predict what would ultimately unfold; she could only trust Xiao Yi.

That leisure time hadn’t lasted long before someone from the Western Capital yamen came over, saying Mr. Yao had uncovered significant findings about those three managers and requested Xu Jing to come discuss it.

At the time, Xu Jing and Xiao Huai’an were about to have lunch, and she could only hastily take a few bites before boarding the carriage to the Western Capital yamen.

Who knew, upon arriving at the yamen and just getting off the carriage, she heard Cheng Xianbai’s voice from behind, "Miss Xu! Miss Xu!"

Xu Jing halted, slightly startled, and saw Cheng Xianbai jumping off another carriage behind hers and rushing over, saying, "My carriage had just reached the Xiao Mansion when I saw yours leaving, so I hurried to catch up, luckily I made it in time. Miss Xu, I remembered where I’d heard the names Yan An and Hua Wen before!"

Xu Jing’s gaze deepened as she said, "Tell me more."

"Yan An used to always be beside Lin Chengzhao. His position was slightly lower than a main manager like Yang Shao, but the work was quite similar. I remember his name because once, while passing by the main store of Guangming Hall, I coincidentally saw Lin Chengzhao with Yan An, and overheard the citizens discussing his name.

Up until a little over three years ago, he had always been working closely with Lin Chengzhao..."

Xu Jing keenly noticed the three-year timeline, furrowing her brows slightly, "Why was he transferred away from Lin Chengzhao after that?"

Cheng Xianbai’s lips curled slightly, face looking a bit strange as he replied, "Because, a little over three years ago, Hua Wen came to Guangming Hall."

Xu Jing was taken aback.

Hua Wen had only joined Guangming Hall a little over three years ago?!

She had assumed Hua Wen had been by Lin Chengzhao’s side for many years.

In other words, it took Hua Wen only over three years to become one of Lin Chengzhao’s trusted, an incredible feat, especially considering that Cheng Xianbai hinted that Hua Wen likely received Lin Chengzhao’s favor as soon as he arrived at Guangming Hall!

She realized that what Cheng Xianbai was about to say was crucial, and unconsciously, she focused intently on him as he continued, "If Miss Xu wants to understand what kind of person Hua Wen is, the best person to ask would be Mr. Zhou.

After all, a little over three years ago, Hua Wen was working at Tianyi Hall. I...first heard the name when he replaced the previous steward of Tianyi Hall to fetch something from the store, and even the shopkeeper and staff treated him with utmost respect. I couldn’t help but ask someone beside me who he was..."

Xu Jing’s mind buzzed loudly, memories of many things Zhou Qi had previously told her suddenly surfacing, and she felt like the missing piece of the puzzle in this case had finally fallen into place, completing the entire picture.