Duoduo blinked her big eyes.
“Mother, you were the one who just said that I should tell you and Father what’s in my heart.”
“Well, I’ve told you now!”
“You can’t go back on your word!”
Duoduo playfully winked at Su Xian.
“Otherwise, should I brew another bowl of medicine for Father?”
Su Xian lightly smacked Duoduo on the bottom.
“You little rascal!”
“Your father didn’t hit you nearly hard enough today!”
Duoduo clung to Su Xian’s arm and squirmed around like a little sugar figurine.
“Mother!”
“Good Mother!”
“My wonderful mother!”
“Please say yes!”
“I promise that once my little brother is born, I won’t make you worry about him at all!”
“I’ll take care of everything!”
Duoduo looked as though she intended to shoulder the entire responsibility herself.
Su Xian was utterly helpless. She reached out and tapped Duoduo on the forehead.
“What if it’s a little sister? Do you think Mother can decide to give birth to a son just because you want one?”
What childish nonsense!
Duoduo’s eyes darted around. Then she pulled a black pill from her sleeve.
“Mother, eat this!”
Su Xian froze.
“What? You drugged your father, and now you want me to take medicine too?”
Duoduo shook her head.
“Mother, once you eat this pill, you’re guaranteed to have a son!”
“But it only works for half a month.” Duoduo’s face filled with regret. “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll study the formula later and try to extend its effects.”
Su Xian had never imagined that Duoduo had secretly made so much effort just to ensure that they would have a son to carry on the family line.
Su Xian pulled Duoduo into her arms and stroked her hair.
“What your father said just now about never marrying you off was true.”
“He said that everything belonging to the Prince of Pingyang’s household will belong to you in the future.”
“He has already made arrangements. When the time comes, you’ll find a husband who marries into our family. That way, no one will be able to bully you.”
“As long as you stay by our side, we can protect you.”
Duoduo buried her head in Su Xian’s embrace.
“All right!”
“I’ll listen to Father and find a husband who marries into our family!”
Su Xian burst out laughing.
“Then why do you still want a little brother?”
“What if your little brother tries to fight you for the family fortune?”
“Aren’t you afraid that once you have a brother, your father and I will favor him?”
“When that happens, you might end up with nothing!”
Su Xian was teasing Duoduo, of course, but there was also a hint of probing in her words.
Everyone had their own biases.
She could not guarantee that, in the future, she would not favor her own biological child.
But neither did she want to treat Duoduo unfairly.
After all, Duoduo was her first child.
It was because of Duoduo that she had experienced both the happiness and the pain of being a mother.
Sometimes, she even felt that Duoduo was the child she and the Prince had shared—she had simply been born from another woman’s womb.
Duoduo lifted her head from Su Xian’s arms, her face glowing with a brilliant smile.
“I’m the older sister. I won’t fight with my little brother!”
“But if he refuses to listen and insists on competing with me, then he’ll have to rely on his own abilities!”
“If he’s truly capable and I lose to him, I’ll accept it wholeheartedly!”
Su Xian’s eyes grew hot.
This child was simply too kindhearted!
Su Xian blinked, forcing away the moisture in her eyes.
She gently stroked Duoduo’s hair.
“You silly child, your little brother will be a boy. If he wants the family fortune, he can earn it himself!”
“If he dares to fight you for it, I’ll have your father break his legs!”
Duoduo laughed, her smile dazzling. The dimples at the corners of her mouth were as intoxicating as wine.
She rose onto her tiptoes and brought the pill in her hand to Su Xian’s lips.
“Mother, hurry and eat it!”
“Don’t worry. This prescription won’t harm your health.”
“And it won’t harm the baby either!”
Su Xian opened her mouth. The pill slid down her throat the moment it entered.
She was already accustomed to the pills Duoduo gave her.
Knock, knock, knock!
A knock sounded from outside the door.
“Princess, His Highness wants Princess Duoduo to go see him,” Lianxin reported from outside.
Su Xian immediately lowered her head to look at Duoduo.
“Have you gotten into trouble again?”
Duoduo shook her head in confusion. “I haven’t!”
Su Xian thought for a moment.
“Come on. Mother will go with you.”
Duoduo grabbed Su Xian and pressed her back into the chair.
“Mother, you should rest for a while.”
“Now that Grandmother has left, you can finally relax properly!”
“Father may have something else to discuss with me. You don’t have to worry!”
“If Father punishes me, I’ll have Lüdou come and send you a message!”
“Then you can come rescue me!”
Duoduo stuck out her tongue mischievously.
Su Xian was indeed rather tired.
She had run all the way over earlier to save Duoduo.
On the way back, she had hurried along again because she had something weighing on her mind.
She had been kept busy all night and had barely slept.
She had planned to rest that morning, but then her mother had come over and caused another commotion.
Her temples were throbbing with pain.
Su Xian took Duoduo’s little hand.
“All right, you go.”
“If anything happens, have Lüdou come and tell me.”
“And whatever your father does, he’s doing it for your own good.”
“Don’t argue with him. Discuss things with him properly, understand?”
Duoduo had been raised by Xiao Yi, and father and daughter had very similar tempers.
Neither of them was willing to give in!
Su Xian was worried that Duoduo would argue with her husband again, leaving him unable to back down and resulting in Duoduo being punished once more.
Duoduo understood that her mother was only concerned for her, so she obediently agreed.
“Go on. Don’t keep your father waiting.”
Su Xian released her hand.
After giving Su Xian a respectful bow, Duoduo left the room.
Outside the door, Yunxiao bowed when he saw Duoduo.
“Yunxiao, why are you here?” Duoduo asked, puzzled. “Were you waiting for me?”
Yunxiao nodded.
“His Highness ordered me to escort you there, Princess.”
Duoduo immediately grew wary.
“What could Father want that he had to send you to fetch me?”
Seeing Duoduo’s expression, Yunxiao realized at once that she had misunderstood.
He lowered his head in a bow.
“Princess, we have a guest.”
“His Highness wants you to go meet him.”
Duoduo relaxed, and curiosity took its place.
“Who is it? Why would Father want me to meet him?”
Yunxiao was silent for a moment.
“Princess, I cannot say.”
“But His Highness wants you there quickly. Please hurry.”
Duoduo eyed Yunxiao suspiciously.
“If you won’t tell me, I’m not going!”
Yunxiao froze.
“If you can’t even say who it is, that proves you’re lying!”
“Tell me! Is Father trying to trick me into going there?”
“Is he still angry? Why is Father so petty?”
“I’m not angry anymore!” Duoduo puffed out her cheeks.
Seeing that Duoduo’s misunderstanding of His Highness was growing worse by the second, Yunxiao anxiously scratched the back of his head.
“Princess, that person’s identity is not something I’m at liberty to disclose.”
“But His Highness was worried you wouldn’t come, so he told me to say that it has something to do with Lüdou’s pastry shop!”
