It was already dark when we got back.
Li Chang'an returned to his room, found a few more books, and planned to read for a while before going to bed. However, he had only been reading for a short time when he heard a noise outside.
A chill ran down his spine. Could it be that someone was spying on him again?
Immediately putting down his book, Li Chang'an cautiously approached the window and listened carefully. There was indeed a rustling sound outside.
She subconsciously touched the dagger at her waist, a murderous intent rising in her heart. This time, she would definitely not show mercy like last time.
Li Chang'an really didn't expect that the other party would be unable to hold back and make another move so quickly, or that he had more than one spy by his side from the beginning.
Regardless, Li Chang'an hated the feeling of being watched and led by the nose.
Perfect timing, her dagger hadn't seen blood in a long time.
He darted to the door in a few steps and quietly opened it a crack, hearing the sounds outside seem to have changed direction.
Could it be that the other party has noticed something?
Li Chang'an frowned; it seemed he needed to act quickly.
She rushed out of the house without making a sound, then hugged the wall and headed toward the source of the sound, one hand gripping a dagger tightly.
There was a small dark shape ahead, it looked like it was crouching.
There really was someone there!
Li Chang'an quickened his pace, arriving behind the man in a few steps. He then covered the man's mouth with one hand, intending to capture him alive, interrogate him, and then deal with him.
The moment Li Chang'an covered the person's mouth with her hand, she felt something was wrong. The feel of this hand was too good, delicate and tender like egg custard, and the person's face was too small. Her palm seemed to be bigger than the person's face.
"hiss--"
As he was pondering, Li Chang'an suddenly gasped in pain.
This person is actually biting their own hand!
Without thinking twice, Li Chang'an carried the person back to his room like a little chick.
"Brother Bao? It's you!"
After seeing the child's face clearly, Li Chang'an's eyes widened in surprise. She never dreamed that she had actually captured Qin Yubao.
Because of the sudden attack, Qin Yubao was terrified. Her once rosy face turned deathly pale, and her wet almond-shaped eyes looked at Li Chang'an, the culprit, as if she was about to cry.
Qin Yubao would never tell Li Chang'an that she almost peed herself, and that she probably wouldn't have been able to hold it in if she hadn't mustered the courage to bite Li Chang'an's hand.
Looking at the pitiful little child in front of him, like an injured fawn, Li Chang'an felt a pang of sympathy. He realized that he had been too rash and had frightened the child. He hadn't even considered that such a small shadow could not possibly be someone sent by the emperor to spy on him.
However, Li Chang'an was more curious about why Qin Yubao had come to his courtyard so late at night.
If he said that he came to find him, Li Chang'an would never believe it. The child's relationship with him was not that good, and he came alone. Neither Qin Xiashi nor the wet nurse would let him go out alone at night.
Something's definitely up to no good here. This kid is definitely up to something!
Thinking of this, Li Chang'an couldn't help but carefully analyze Qin Yubao's expression. Although his small face wasn't as pale as before, it still showed unconcealed panic and helplessness. Coupled with his flickering eyes, Li Chang'an guessed that this kid had definitely done something bad and had been caught red-handed!
Li Chang'an couldn't help but chuckle, it seemed she had to try and trick this little brat.
Looking at the woman's eerie smile, Qin Yubao felt flustered and experienced what it meant to be uneasy at such a young age.
"You snuck out on your own?"
Li Chang asked the question casually, then sat down leisurely on a chair without even looking at Qin Yubao.
Qin Yubao kept his head down and remained silent, constantly rubbing the hem of his clothes with one hand; he was clearly a child who had made a mistake.
"If you're not going to say anything, then fine. You'd better confess, or I'll tell your aunt and she'll keep a close eye on you from now on!"
Li Chang'an slapped the table and said in a serious tone. Although she didn't slap the table very hard, it made Qin Yubao's heart tremble, as if the slap had hit the tip of his heart.
"No, we can't tell Mother!"
As Qin Yubao spoke, tears began to stream down her face.
"Don't cry. Tell me what you want to do. If it's not too outrageous, I can help you. Otherwise, I'll send you to your aunt right now."
Li Chang'an couldn't stand seeing others cry, whether it was an adult or a child. Whenever she saw someone shed tears, she felt a headache coming on. So she quickly stopped Qin Yubao's dangerous action as soon as it started.
How could a three-year-old child resist such coercion and enticement? Qin Yubao obediently wiped away her tears and stammered out the truth.
It turned out that tomorrow was the day to distribute monthly wages to the servants in the mansion. Madam Qin Xia took her personal maid to do the accounting, so the wet nurse took over to coax Qin Yubao to sleep first.
This child is quite clever; he pretended to be asleep to fool the wet nurse, and then, after everyone had left, he secretly got up to catch crickets.
Because Li Chang'an's courtyard had been uninhabited for a long time, it was overgrown with weeds, resulting in an unusually large number of crickets. Qin Yubao risked sneaking in in order to catch better crickets, but was mistaken for a spy by the astute Li Chang'an.
After listening to Qin Yubao's story, Li Chang'an was both amused and exasperated. He thought to himself, "This little brat is too cunning. What will he be like when he grows up?"
But then she looked at Qin Yubao, who looked aggrieved, with some suspicion: "Where's the cricket you caught?"
Mentioning this made Qin Yubao even more upset. His eyes reddened, and he barely managed to hold back his tears. Then he pointed outside and said, "It fell."
Li Chang'an sighed and went outside to check. Sure enough, a beautiful cricket cage had fallen into the grass where he had just been, but the lid was open and the cage was empty.
Seeing that he only had an empty cage left, Qin Yubao could no longer hold back. Snot and tears streamed down his face, but he was afraid that Li Chang'an would get angry, so he didn't dare to cry out loud. He just whimpered and looked at the cricket cage with a miserable expression.
"Why are you crying? Come on, I'll help you catch it again."
Li Chang'an took out a handkerchief and let Qin Yubao wipe away her tears and snot herself, then patted her chest with a proud look on her face: "Today, your sister-in-law will help you fill the cage!"
And so, the two of them, one big and one small, caught crickets in the yard by lanterns and the moonlight.
To be honest, Li Chang'an's skills were no joke. She caught crickets with both hands quickly and accurately, leaving Qin Yubao, who was standing to the side, dumbfounded. It seemed like catching crickets was easier for her than eating.
Before long, the cricket cage was half full of its spoils.
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