Watching the little dumpling tear through croissants, big steamed buns, seafood congee, and everything else in sight like a small hurricane, Butler Li suddenly understood why Mu Yunshang had remarked just yesterday that Mu Yunyi really needed to earn more money…
This was just a single meal, yet it had consumed well over a week's worth of food for an ordinary family — what kind of household could possibly afford to keep someone like that?
"Miss An Bao… there are still beef patties in the kitchen. Would you… like some more?"
Butler Li gazed at the little one's small belly — round and pudgy as it was, it hadn't swollen to any alarming degree — and couldn't help but speak up.
The little dumpling bit into the steaming bun, its juices still seeping out, and stared up at Butler Li with wide eyes, giving their small head a shake. The little mouth, stuffed to bursting with bun, smacked twice and declared: "Not eatin'! Hmph! I awweady know izzit beef or not."
"Ah?" Butler Li hadn't understood a word of it, his face a mask of utter bewilderment.
Mu Yunshang, who had been watching An Bao the whole time, couldn't help letting out a soft laugh. He reached out and pinched An Bao's chubby little cheeks, then turned to Butler Li and said: "An Bao says Taoist priests aren't allowed to eat beef. Don't serve beef at home from now on."
"Yes…"
Seeing that Mu Yunshang could understand what she said, An Bao stared at him with a face full of wonder, her big eyes bright and shining, as though she were showering Mu Yunshang with praise.
Then An Bao hastily swallowed what was in her mouth, and only then, in a babyish little voice, stuck out her thumb and pressed it against Mu Yunshang's head. "Third Uncle is so awesome!" she declared. "An Bao gives you a like!"
Mu Yunshang was praised by An Bao, and a faint sense of satisfaction quietly rose within his heart.
After dinner, Mu Yunshang took a phone call, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
It turned out that Academician Li's flight had been delayed — it seemed he would need another day before he could come to treat Mu Yunyi.
Although Mu Yunyi looked as though he was simply asleep, Mu Yunshang had no way of knowing whether Mu Yunyi sleeping on and on like this would cause any problems……
Seeing Mu Yunshang's troubled expression, An Bao couldn't help but bring up once more the matter of wanting to visit Mu Yunyi — only to be flatly refused by Mu Yunshang again.
Mu Yunshang truly didn't dare……
After all……
This little chubby one eats a lot and is surprisingly strong — and small as she is, she has no sense of how hard she hits.
The scene of beating that influencer senseless inside Lanyue was still fresh in his memory.
If the unconscious Mu Yunyi were to be struck a couple of times by the little dumpling wielding that peachwood sword, there would be no need to wait for Academician Li to come and treat him — they might as well just invite Academician Li straight to the funeral feast.
Having been rejected by Mu Yunshang, the little milk dumpling was very, very gloomy……
She could see the black miasma emanating from Mu Yunyi's room growing denser by the moment — it must have been that malevolent spirit desperately devouring her eldest uncle's fortune.
The moment An Bao laid eyes on Mu Yunyi, she knew — her eldest maternal uncle was destined for great wealth and glory.
In this life, even if he just lay there without lifting a finger, his was a fate destined to rake in gold by the day!
Given Mu Yunyi's birth chart, he should never have been haunted by those malevolent spirits in the first place!
Yet for some unknown reason, this Gloom Spirit had somehow managed to keep pace with Mu Yunyi. Judging by the time that had passed, the Gloom Spirit had been following Mu Yunyi for at least a year — otherwise it could never have grown this formidable.
"Ah…"
An Bao sat on the windowsill in low spirits, hugging her peachwood sword and heaving sighs, her chubby little feet dangling and swinging at the window's edge, her small face a picture of distress.
Xiao Fengfeng perched calmly on her shoulder, preening its feathers. Hearing An Bao sigh over and over, it could not help but speak up: "An Bao, stop sighing already — if you want to save your uncle, I, Xiao Fengfeng, have a way!"
"What method?"
An Bao's little feet came to a stop. She tilted her head and looked at Xiao Fengfeng, eyes lighting up with curiosity as she asked.
"Look, we can't get in—but that doesn't mean that Dispirited Spirit can't come out! All we have to do is…"
Xiao Fengfeng leaned close to An Bao's ear, whispering something in a tiny voice. The more An Bao listened, the brighter her eyes grew, and then she hugged Xiao Fengfeng earnestly and said, "Xiao Fengfeng!!! You're so clever! We'll do it just like you said!"
"Unhand this King!!!"
Xiao Fengfeng struggled and flapped her wings, watching a few more of her noble feathers fall away, her heart aching so much she could barely breathe.
When Mu Yunshang returned, he happened to catch sight of the kitchen area, where a crowd of servants had gathered, their faces etched with worry.
Butler Li, meanwhile, stood at the door pounding on it frantically and shouting, "Miss An Bao! Miss An Bao, come out right now! You mustn't play around with things in the kitchen!"
"What's going on?"
Mu Yunshang strode forward, his face grim as he demanded.
"Third Young Master? You're finally back—Miss An Bao is, is blowing up the kitchen!!!"
???
Before Mu Yunshang could even react, a thunderous boom rang out, and the entire villa shook several times.
Immediately, a thick plume of smoke seeped out through the gap of the kitchen door!
Yet this thick smoke was not acrid in the slightest — on the contrary, it even carried a faint scent of… medicinal herbs?
Mu Yunshang had no time to think it through. The moment he thought of the little one inside, anxiety and fury surged through him as he began hurling himself against the door: "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and break this door down together!!"
The servants standing nearby only then came to their senses, hastily stepping forward to help.
"I'll count to three, together!"
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
"Bang!"
"Ouch…"
When the count reached three, everyone exerted their strength in unison.
Yet, to their surprise, the door actually opened…
Caught completely off guard, everyone tumbled in together and landed in a heap.
"Third Uncle, what are you all playing?" An Bao's soft, milky voice, laced with curiosity and an eager itch to join in, drifted into Mu Yunshang's ears.
Mu Yunshang winced and grimaced as those around him helped him to his feet, only then noticing that Little Milk Bun was standing right there before him, completely whole and unharmed.
His oversized Daoist robe was riddled with several small scorched holes, the little topknot atop his head had come half-undone, and his pale face was smudged with pitch-black soot.
It looked... it really was... both funny and adorable.
But…
"An Bao!! How could you hide in the kitchen all by yourself and play with fire! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? If something were to happen to you, you…"
Mu Yunshang decided it was high time little An Bao received a proper lesson on fire safety. He put on a stern face and, cradling the soft little bundle in his arms, had barely gotten two sentences of scolding out when something wet suddenly spread across his cheek.
*Smack.*
An Bao was seen pouting her rosy little lips, planting a kiss on Mu Yunshang's face, then gazing up at him with a pitiful look: "Third Uncle, please don't be angry anymore. An Bao was wrong."
"This—this isn't something you can just smooth over with a kiss! This is serious, you..."
*Smack…* Another mouthful.
"I'm telling you, you can't play with fire — it's very dangerous. I also…"
"Smack…" Another bite.
"Hey… if you want to play with fire next time, Third Uncle will take you outside — we'll do it in an open field, understand?"
Mu Yunshang's fury, which had been at its peak, plummeted in an instant — *whoosh* — straight to rock bottom.
She had just mentally rehearsed every word of the lecture she was going to give the little milk bun — but then the little milk bun planted a few milky-sweet kisses on her, and the whole thing went right out of her head.
Standing nearby, Butler Li couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth: *Third Young Master, could you possibly have any less shame?*