Chapter 345 - 302: Year After Year, Safe and Sound

After falling in the snow a few times, Xiao Mo had assumed that with his robust constitution, nothing would come of it.

Besides, after returning to his room, his mother had given him a warm bath and changed his clothes.

But he hadn’t expected this outcome.

The next morning, when Xiao Mo woke up, he found that he had a fever after all.

Lying in bed, Xiao Mo was surprised by how miserable his first fever felt in this newborn body. His whole world seemed to be floating.

"Mo’er, what’s wrong?"

Zhou Ruoxi was startled to see her child’s cheeks flushed red, his breath coming in hot puffs. She quickly placed a hand on Xiao Mo’s forehead.

It was burning hot to the touch.

"Cuicui, Mo’er has a fever! Hurry and get the doctor!" Zhou Ruoxi exclaimed, extremely anxious.

"Ah? The Young Master has a fever?" Cuicui was just as startled. "Madam, please don’t worry. This servant will go get the doctor right away!"

With that, Cuicui scurried out.

"What should I do... what should I do..."

After Cuicui left, Zhou Ruoxi paced back and forth anxiously.

But soon, she calmed down, quickly fetched a basin of warm water, wet a towel, and began to gently wipe down her child’s body.

As the minutes and seconds ticked by, the doctor still hadn’t arrived, and Zhou Ruoxi’s anxiety mounted.

She had never felt time pass so slowly.

After the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, the doctor finally arrived.

"Madam, there’s no need to be alarmed. The young master has simply caught a deep chill. I will prescribe a medicine. Have him drink it three times a day, and he will be fine."

The doctor said to Zhou Ruoxi after examining Xiao Mo.

"Thank you for your trouble, Doctor."

Zhou Ruoxi breathed a sigh of relief. She took out a piece of crushed silver from her sleeve and gave it to him as an extra tip.

After accepting the silver, the doctor quickly bowed in thanks.

Not long after, in his drowsy state, Xiao Mo felt a liquid enter his mouth. It was incredibly bitter. He instinctively wanted to spit it out, but he held back and swallowed it down.

That night, Xiao Mo broke out in a heavy sweat and felt much more comfortable.

"Mo’er will be alright. Mo’er will get better soon. Mother will always protect Mo’er."

In a daze, Xiao Mo heard his mother’s voice, but he soon drifted back into a hazy sleep.

The next morning, when Xiao Mo woke up, he felt light and refreshed. The fever must have broken.

"Mo’er, you’re awake."

Just as he came to his senses, Xiao Mo heard his mother’s voice.

"Mama..."

Xiao Mo called out in his childish voice.

He looked at his mother’s haggard face, the dark circles under her eyes, and her unkempt hair.

Xiao Mo knew that his mother surely hadn’t slept a wink since his fever started.

"Yes, yes, Mother is here."

Zhou Ruoxi picked Xiao Mo up and gently nuzzled his cheek.

That same day, Xiao Mo was able to get down and walk around with a PITTER-PATTER.

’This new body is pretty amazing,’ he thought. ’I get sick fast, but I recover just as quickly.’

And it was on the second day of Xiao Mo’s fever that the second young master of the Xiao Mansion’s birthday arrived.

The Xiao Mansion’s second young master, Xiao Yishen, was born to the legal wife. He was a year older than Xiao Mo, with a birthday close to his.

Although it was only Xiao Yishen’s second birthday, the entire Xiao Mansion was decorated with great fanfare. Many dignitaries and nobles from the Qin Kingdom, along with friends and relatives, all came to congratulate the second young master.

On the day of the banquet, Zhou Ruoxi brought Xiao Mo to the front courtyard of the Xiao Mansion.

This was the first time Xiao Mo had ever left his mother’s courtyard.

’As expected of Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion,’ he mused.

Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion was enormous, even featuring its own mountains, streams, and lakes.

In Xiao Mo’s eyes, its scale was only slightly smaller than his own Imperial Palace had been.

"Mo’er, let’s sit here. You can eat whatever you want," Zhou Ruoxi said, placing Xiao Mo on a chair and ruffling his hair.

"Owu."

Xiao Mo nodded, his big eyes watching the people coming and going.

Everyone was there to celebrate the second young master, Xiao Yishen’s, birthday.

Xiao Yishen’s clothes were exceptionally opulent.

Even the Sovereign of Qin had people from the Imperial Palace deliver gifts and congratulatory messages.

The pomp and circumstance were immense.

Zhou Ruoxi turned her head to look at her Mo’er, his little hands gripping the edge of the table, his eyes darting left and right.

A pang of guilt arose in Zhou Ruoxi’s heart.

After the gift-giving ceremony was complete, the Maids of the Xiao Mansion began to serve the dishes.

The dishes were all delicacies from the mountains and seas; not a single one was inexpensive.

Xiao Mo even overheard from the conversations of others that the Sovereign of Qin had specially sent an imperial chef from the palace to cook for the second young master’s birthday at Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion.

’As for my own birthday in a few days, will there be such a grand display?’

’I don’t even have to think about it. Of course not.’

’The Xiao Mansion will probably just ignore it completely.’

However, Xiao Mo didn’t let it bother him.

Three days after the second young master’s birthday celebration, it was Xiao Mo’s birthday.

As expected, being an illegitimate son, no one paid any mind to Xiao Mo’s birthday.

But that morning, as soon as Xiao Mo got up, his mother changed him into a set of festive red clothes.

Cuicui had bought many red lanterns and red silk ribbons to decorate the courtyard.

She had even gone out to buy plenty of pastries and snacks, as well as fresh fruits, vegetables, chicken, duck, and fish.

Xiao Mo sat in the courtyard, playing with a snowball while watching his mother and Aunt Cui bustle about.

Happy smiles adorned both of their faces.

That evening, as night fell, the red lanterns were lit one by one. Their warm, red glow mingled with the bright moonlight, illuminating the entire courtyard.

Zhou Ruoxi and Cuicui brought the prepared dishes into the house, one after another.

The fragrance of the food filled the entire room.

"Mo’er..."

Zhou Ruoxi knelt before her son, holding his small hand and looking gently into his big eyes.

"Your mother is useless. I can’t give you a lively birthday banquet like your second brother’s, nor can I invite many people to celebrate with you. I don’t have much money to buy expensive dishes. Aunt Cui and I can only celebrate your birthday here in this courtyard. You won’t blame Mother, will you?"

Xiao Mo shook his head forcefully. In a milky, baby voice, he said, one halting syllable at a time, "Mama... wuv... you..."

Zhou Ruoxi froze for a moment, then quickly understood what her son was trying to say. Her eyes shimmered as she hugged him tightly. "Mother loves Mo’er too..."

"Young Master, Young Master, this is my birthday gift for you. Please don’t mind that it’s simple." Cuicui took out a silver bracelet and happily slipped it onto Xiao Mo’s wrist.

Looking at the silver bracelet, Xiao Mo knew it must have cost Aunt Cui at least half a year’s worth of her allowance.

"Pw...etty..." Xiao Mo said, a happy look on his face.

"Hee hee hee, I’m glad you like it, Young Master." Seeing that the young master liked it made Cuicui even happier.

"Mo’er, this is Mother’s first-birthday gift for you."

Zhou Ruoxi placed a Peace Jade Token around Xiao Mo’s neck.

"As your mother, I don’t care what you achieve in the future.

I only hope that my Mo’er...

...is safe and sound, year after year."