Xiao Yi had not answered. Lu Wanqing was silent for a long time before speaking, "It's getting late, go take a bath first, and then get some rest early."
The child had been tired all day, and Lu Wanqing didn't want to delay his rest. Moreover...
According to what the Marshal had meant downstairs, Xiao Yi still had to wake up early for training tomorrow morning.
"Okay," Xiao Zhong Liyi finally nodded in response.
Xiao Zhong Liyi turned to the wardrobe. Lu Wanqing quickly followed. When the child opened the wardrobe and saw the dull-colored clothes inside, her heart fell silent again.
Was this how a five-year-old child's wardrobe should look?
Lu Wanqing suddenly wanted to buy clothes for Xiao Yi, lots of clothes, in all sorts of colors and styles – casual, cool, cute – buy some of each, and then see which ones the child liked, and let him wear those!
Xiao Zhong Liyi quickly picked out an outfit and turned to look at Lu Wanqing.
But it was only for a moment. Xiao Zhong Liyi quickly walked towards the bathroom.
Lu Wanqing followed, feeling uneasy.
At the bathroom door, Xiao Zhong Liyi finally stopped. He looked up at her and reminded her, "I'm going to take a bath, don't come in."
Xiao Zhong Liyi was a boy. Although he was only five years old, he already knew the difference between boys and girls. Boys' baths were not for girls to see.
Lu Wanqing took the opportunity to glance into the bathroom and asked with concern, "Do you want Mommy to prepare the hot water for you?"
So, children with mothers had their mothers prepare hot water for them? Xiao Zhong Liyi looked at Lu Wanqing, thinking blankly, but it was only for a moment. He shook his head again, "No need."
He had already learned to bathe himself independently; he didn't need his mother's help.
Lu Wanqing suddenly didn't know what to do. Looking at the little guy, she sighed softly and then agreed, "Alright, be careful. Mommy will wait for you in the room. If you need any help in the bathroom, you can call Mommy anytime. Mommy will hear you and come to help you right away, understand?"
Xiao Zhong Liyi stared at her for a moment, then nodded, "Okay."
Lu Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. Habitually, she raised her hand to rub the child's head, but then remembered that the child might not like it and lowered her hand.
"Go take a bath, Mommy is waiting for you in the room," Lu Wanqing said.
"Okay!" Xiao Zhong Liyi agreed.
Lu Wanqing watched the child go in and the bathroom door close. Her heart was still uneasy. Before this, she had never imagined that Xiao Zhong Liyi's childhood had been like this.
Time passed slowly. Lu Wanqing kept listening to the sounds from the bathroom. She had a feeling nothing would go wrong, as Zhong Liyi had been trained very well by the Zhong Li family. At five years old, he was truly independent.
But just thinking that the child was so independent at only five years old made her feel inexplicably sad and heartache for him.
The moment the bathroom side door opened, Lu Wanqing quickly stood up and walked towards the bathroom.
Xiao Zhong Liyi still had a slight hint of moisture on his body, a fresh and clean feeling. The child was indeed fine, he had finished his bath.
"I'm done," Xiao Zhong Liyi hesitated for a moment, then explained.
Lu Wanqing nodded and praised, "Xiao Yi, you're amazing. You can take care of yourself at such a young age."
Xiao Zhong Liyi nodded. He hesitated again and then walked towards the children's bed in the room.
"Mother, I'm going to sleep now," he said again when he reached the bedside.
"Okay," Lu Wanqing agreed with a smile. She sat by the bed and looked at the child, "You get into bed first, and Mommy will read you a bedtime story before you sleep, alright?"
Xiao Zhong Liyi looked at Lu Wanqing, and after a while, he climbed into bed himself.
Lu Wanqing quickly pulled the quilt and carefully covered the little guy. Then, by the bed, she began to read the bedtime story in a gentle voice.
Lu Wanqing told the same stories she had told Xiao Mu Lan before, starting with the story of the evil dragon and the princess. What Lan Lan had, she hoped Xiao Yi would also have. She didn't want to favor any child.
Zhong Lipei had already finished his bath. He appeared at the door of Xiao Zhong Liyi's room at some point. Seeing Lu Wanqing reading a story to Xiao Zhong Liyi in the room, he was a little stunned.
Xiao Yi was different from Lan Lan. The first time Lu Wanqing read a story to Lan Lan, Lan Lan's curiosity was piqued, and when Lu Wanqing stopped, he asked for the ending of the story.
But Xiao Yi did not. When Lu Wanqing stopped, he didn't rush her, just looked at Lu Wanqing quietly.
Lu Wanqing looked at Xiao Yi, and after a moment, continued the story.
When she finished the story, she gently tucked him in, then leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, saying, "Alright, the story is finished. Xiao Yi, sleep well~"
Lu Wanqing stood up, preparing to leave the child's room. However, as she turned, she saw Zhong Lipei, who had appeared at the door at some unknown time. She paused slightly.
But it was only for a moment. She quickly composed herself.
Lu Wanqing walked outside. When she reached the door, she glanced back at Xiao Yi on the bed, smiled at him, then turned off the light and closed the door.
"Are you here to see Xiao Yi?" Lu Wanqing asked softly, looking at Zhong Lipei after closing the door.
Zhong Lipei nodded, "Yes."
Lu Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. Although the Zhong Li family's requirements for Xiao Yi were too strict, Zhong Lipei still came to see the child before sleeping. They must care about the child a lot and were trying their best to take care of him in their own way. It was just that their methods might have been somewhat lacking, which was why the child lived such a subdued life at such a young age.
"I have something I want to discuss with you. Can we... talk outside?" Lu Wanqing thought for a moment and then added.
Zhong Lipei looked at her with a hint of confusion.
Lu Wanqing explained, "It's about Xiao Yi."
Zhong Lipei nodded, "Okay."
At this moment, Zhong Lipei seemed to realize that the issue of his lack of care for Xiao Yi, which he had always been unable to understand, might be something Lu Wanqing knew about.
"Let's talk in the study," Zhong Lipei said.
Lu Wanqing nodded, "Okay."
They went to the study together.
That night, Lu Wanqing spoke a lot with Zhong Lipei, about child-rearing, about the child's mental health. Zhong Lipei's attitude shifted from calm to shocked. Was it like this?
Xiao Yi's quiet and inactive personality was actually due to a lack of care?
"It's not wrong to cultivate a child's independence and let them take care of themselves. But Xiao Yi is only five years old. He's still a very young child. This is the age when they need their parents' company the most. He needs love and care, not cold commands."
Zhong Lipei came back to his senses. He looked at Lu Wanqing and said seriously, "Okay, I understand. I'll trouble you with Xiao Yi from now on."
Zhong Lipei paused, then said, "You are his mother. You have the right to arrange his life. You can take care of him however you wish, as long as it's for his own good."
Lu Wanqing: "..."