Having finally found an opportunity for Xiao Qi to leave, Wanwan immediately abandoned her horse stance and tiptoed to the guard's side.
"Brother Guard, Wanwan has a question for you."
Wanwan tugged at the guard's sleeve and looked up at him. Upon seeing this, the guard squatted down to be at the same eye level as Wanwan.
Seeing him waiting earnestly for her question, Wanwan immediately beamed with joy. Her round, dark eyes held a childlike cunning, and her fair cheeks were flushed with a rosy glow, like a glutinous rice ball with color that had been added and then spread out.
"What do you want to ask me, Wanwan?"
The guards were immediately charmed by the little girl's smiling face, unaware of the approaching danger, and unconsciously started laughing along with her.
Wanwan leaned closer to his ear, and the guard obediently moved closer as well.
"Wanwan knows Uncle Wan was beaten up! Was it the guard who did it?"
The blunt question startled the guard so much that his elbow, which was supporting him on his knee, slipped and he almost fell flat on his face. The smile on his face was instantly replaced by panic.
"No...nothing like that..." the guard quickly lied, but perhaps because the little boy's eyes were so pure, he couldn't even speak properly for a moment.
Seeing his panicked look, Wanwan became even more certain and her playful spirit intensified. Her mischievous thoughts, like grass seeds after the rain, quickly spread and covered the area.
She stood with her hands on her hips like a little adult, cleared her throat, and said, "Ahem, guard brother, lying is wrong. What if Brother Xiao finds out..."
"Shh!"
The guard quickly raised his hand to cover her mouth, putting his index finger to his lips as a shushing gesture. "Little girl, keep your voice down. If the young master finds out, I'm dead!"
Wanwan opened her eyes wide and blinked playfully twice to indicate that she understood; her bright, almond-shaped eyes almost served the purpose of speaking.
The guard then released his grip with relief, his shoulders slumping slightly as he relaxed.
Wanwan knew her guess was right, but she still couldn't resist leaning closer to scare him, "So, did the guard really hit Uncle Wan?"
The guard pursed his lips, nodded helplessly, and added with concern, "Wanwan, please don't tell the young master."
Wanwan nodded vigorously, then waved her hand and said, "Wanwan won't, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond!"
After finally learning a complex ancient phrase, Wanwan uses it whenever she has the chance.
"I heard Uncle Wan is too afraid to go out!"
With bright, sparkling blue eyes, a joyful ripple spread across her shimmering gaze. "How did the guard manage to beat Uncle Wan so badly that he can't leave the house?"
The guard frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.
Before he could even come up with a solution, Wanwan's next words almost made him bite his tongue in shock.
"Could you teach Wanwan?"
"This..." The guard scratched the back of his head haphazardly, thought for a moment, and then said with difficulty, "Actually, it's very simple, just hit him in the face."
"Oh—" Wanwan nodded meaningfully as she answered.
"Wanwan, you absolutely mustn't tell the young master!"
The guard was still uneasy and tugged at her curved collar like a child, as if urging her to reassure him again.
Seeing this, Wanwan quickly imitated the adults, raising three fingers and solemnly swearing to the sky, "Wanwan swears that she will never say a single word to Brother Xiao!"
"say what?"
A clear, youthful voice interrupted the two.
The two people, one big and one small, felt a chill run down their spines and slowly turned around to look after a long while.
Xiao Qi was standing not far away, having been watching the two of them for who knows how long.
He was dressed in moon white today, which made him look even more refined and elegant. His dark eyes were sparkling like starlight, but his brows remained as indifferent and serious as ever, like snow on bamboo.
Just seeing it makes me feel cold...
"What are you not going to tell me?" Xiao Qi pressed, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two of them.
"It's nothing..."
"The guard brother carried Brother Xiao on his back and beat Uncle Wan so badly that he dared not go out, and he even told Wanwan not to tell you."
The words, spoken like beans spilling from a curved bamboo tube, silenced the guard's attempt to conceal the truth and conveniently pinned the blame on him.
The guard looked at Wanwan in disbelief, and kept that expression on his face as he watched her finish telling the story. Finally, seeing that she hadn't left a single word behind, he looked at Xiao Qi speechlessly.
He just swore he wouldn't say a word! But after only a few questions, he told them everything!
The guard had mixed feelings...
Is it true?
Xiao Qi remained calm and deliberately asked him a redundant question.
There was no anger between his brows, nor any turmoil in his eyes.
Having served Xiao Qi for so long, the guard knew he wasn't really angry, so he reluctantly admitted, "Wanwan is right. I did beat up that brat Wan Qiusui behind your back."
"Um."
Xiao Qi responded in a low voice, his meaning ambiguous.
The guard looked up again, somewhat unwilling: "This is to avenge you! That brat went too far! He actually dared to poison you! Although... although..."
Xiao Qi's face slowly darkened, and the guard, meeting his gaze, lowered his head again and stammered, "Although... the method was indeed a bit too straightforward and somewhat inappropriate."
"You know it's inappropriate," Xiao Qi replied indifferently. "Considering you realized your mistake in time, I'll only punish you by making you fetch fresh water for the Wan family for three days."
After saying that, Xiao Qi turned and walked back.
"Huh?" The guard seemed reluctant.
"Four days."
"Young Master..."
Five days.
"Understood, sir. I will go and do it immediately..."
The guard looked as aggrieved as a seedling struck by frost.
"Brother Guard."
Wanwan raised her chubby little hand and patted his shoulder. "Brother Xiao looks so scary when he's angry. Besides, he already knew, so it was no use not telling him!"
The guard looked up at her, but there was a hint of disbelief in his eyes.
"Wanwan is wrong! But it's okay, since you're fetching water for every household, Wanwan can let you have some water!"
Wanwan winked playfully, looking confident and composed.
“You said it yourself.” The guard immediately stood up and turned to find the water bucket.
Two figures, one tall and one short, quickly arrived at the Wan family's residence. True to her word, Wanwan indeed took the guards to go boating.
The guard picked out only one bucket, and Wanwan followed along to fill the large vat with water.
Unfortunately, Xiao Qi caught them cheating together again.
"If Wanwan doesn't like practicing martial arts, then go copy books." Xiao Qi waved his folding fan, looking at Wanwan's dejected appearance, his smile becoming more and more obvious.
"Just copy the book that your second brother asked me about the other day, and then let me check it when you're done."
Xiao Qi added a sentence.
"oh……"
With a slight frown, Wanwan responded, but ultimately obediently went back to her room to find paper, pen, and her second brother.
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