On the road where Wen Mu saw off Mr. Bai.
"Madam, you need not worry too much. These three little ones, in my estimation, are in good health. There are no major issues."
Wen Mu carefully considered the meaning behind his words.
So... there were minor issues?
"That chubby child possesses the constitution of a pine and cypress. However, though he is young and still growing, excessive eating is not advisable. An overweight child at such a tender age can impact fundamental growth. I have prescribed some herbal soup for him, which should be taken for a month."
Wen Mu nodded and made a note.
"As for the other two little ones~" Mr. Bai stroked his long beard. "Just follow the prescriptions I've given."
He smiled. "The herbal teas for them both are for strengthening the spleen and whetting the appetite. The taste might be a bit peculiar, but the effects are excellent, and consistency is key. Young children should not be supplemented indiscriminately. They merely need normal meals and good care."
"Then what did the elder mean by 'no major issues'?"
"The little one who rarely smiles, upon my inquiry, I found his eating habits differ greatly from what Madam described, and he seems preoccupied. He is so quiet, unlike a child of only a few years. Yet, Madam says this child is cheerful and active."
Wen Mu looked at Mr. Bai, a hint of worry on her face. "Then this is..."
"This situation with the child is not common, but in my decades of practice, I have encountered it. Has he experienced any recent stimulation or temptation?"
Wen Mu truthfully replied, "To be frank, these three children got lost some days ago and were only found yesterday..."
Mr. Bai showed a look of understanding. He nodded and mused, "That explains it. It all makes sense now. Madam, you simply need to remember that what he liked before, he may no longer like, and what he disliked in the past, he may very well like now."
"Are you saying, Elder, that Bao'er's personality has changed due to experiencing a shock?"
Mr. Bai nodded. "Actually, this requires no medical treatment. After all, medicine can only heal the body, not the heart. The child is still young, his disposition not yet formed. Cheerfulness has its benefits, as does quietude. It requires parental guidance. Otherwise, normal care will suffice."
Wen Mu agreed and asked Ling'er to see Mr. Bai out.
After walking a few steps, Mr. Bai suddenly turned back. "The little one named Wen Jue shows great talent in medicine."
Without waiting for Wen Mu's reply, Mr. Bai followed Ling'er out.
Wen Mu didn't think much of it, taking it as a polite compliment to her son, and headed towards the main house.
-
Dinner time. The family was all present at the dining table.
The little ones, after a day's rest, appeared much more energetic.
At this moment, all three were eating with great focus.
Wen Bai found the child's bowl too small and specifically asked Duo Shu to fetch him a slightly larger one.
Because the bowl was so large, Wen Bai almost buried his face in it. He ate with such relish that it made everyone else feel hungry.
Wen Jue, meanwhile, pointed with his little finger at several small dishes. Fu Qi quickly served him the food in front of him. His bowl was gradually filled with the dishes that Wen Bai had already tried.
Wen Mu felt gratified.
The matters she had once worried about the most were slowly becoming less of an issue as her children grew.
Wen Mu's gaze swept across the table and landed on Mo Xingchen, the chubby child.
Though this child was somewhat spoiled, his demeanor and actions did not suggest he was from a humble background.
Yet, he could not clearly recall where his home was, nor its general direction. He only remembered his parents' names.
His father was named Mo Rushan, and his mother, Liu Qing.
Searching for people with those names, without any place of origin, proved futile.
While similar names were possible, inquiring one by one yielded no results, making the search like finding a needle in a haystack.
Unable to find any information, they decided to let the child stay with the Wen family for the time being. Raising one more child was not a burden for them.
However, as a mother herself, Wen Mu pondered how frantic Mo Xingchen's parents must be.
She had people inquire if any families with the surname Mo had lost a child, but nothing came of it.
Wen Fu and Wen Mu were very concerned for Mo Xingchen's parents, but Wen Bai at the dinner table was quite content.
The male lead was living in his home, within reach. He had ample time to steer the male lead away from his desire for cultivation.
-
After dinner, Mo Xingchen, contrary to his usual habit, did not follow his servant. Instead, he insisted on going to play with Wen Bai.
Wen Jue, who was about to return to his courtyard with Fu Qi, stopped in his tracks upon hearing this.
Seeing Mo Xingchen abandon his servant and excitedly run after Wen Bai, Wen Jue watched them for a moment. Then, he turned to Fu Qi and said, "Fu Qi, you go back first. I'm going to play in Gege's courtyard for a while."
Fu Qi was startled. How could he go back alone? Young Master Wen Jue was still so small.
Moreover, it was getting dark, and the two courtyards were some distance apart.
Fu Qi, worried, said, "Young Master Wen Jue, I can escort you there."
"No need, I can go by myself." Wen Jue tilted his small face up. Although his voice was soft, his tone was irrefutable.
Fu Qi couldn't explain why, but he had been determined to escort Young Master Wen Jue today.
However, as soon as he met Young Master Wen Jue's gaze, he faltered.
He had no choice but to return to the courtyard alone.
Wen Jue, with his short legs, scurried after them and ran between Mo Xingchen and Wen Bai, separating the two who were walking side by side.
He said in a soft voice, "Gege, Xingchen, what are you playing? I want to play too."
Mo Xingchen stammered, "I was just going to see Wen Bai's courtyard. I haven't been there before."
"Then I'll go see it too. I haven't been to Gege's courtyard to play in a long time."
In reality, it wasn't a long time; he had never been there.
Previously, his relationship with Wen Bai was not close. He didn't like Wen Bai, and Wen Bai didn't like him.
When did his timid Gege, whom he had once looked down upon, become someone he wanted to approach?
Wen Jue tilted his head, looking at Wen Bai's profile under the moonlight.
Ah, it was from the moment he saw Gege kill a tall man in an instant.
The current Gege was quite interesting.
Wen Jue's round eyes curved slightly.
And so, the three little ones arrived at Wen Bai's courtyard.
Wen Bai's and Wen Jue's courtyards were kept remarkably similar by Wen Mu, even the furniture and decor were the same. However, the contents within were different.
Both Wen Bai's and Wen Jue's courtyards had many small toys, with one set for each.
Wen Jue's were all piled on the floor, and he would occasionally play with them.
As for Wen Bai's, he had instructed Duo Shu to put them all away into large boxes. He didn't want to see children's toys scattered everywhere.
Now, with Wen Jue and Mo Xingchen arriving, those small toys were brought out by Duo Shu at the opportune moment.
Mo Xingchen tumbled into the pile of toys and refused to come out.
Wen Bai sat expressionlessly at the table, drinking fruit juice after the meal, slowly digesting.
Wen Jue, not wanting to play with toys at the moment, looked around the room and his gaze fell upon a piece of paper on the table, covered in drawings and writing.