Chen Fang paused for a moment. Still, he continued on, "When they arrived back home, I saw Lil Zheng talking to the Little Master. It seemed like Lil Zheng was requesting the Little Master to not mention how late Lil Zheng was to the Madam. He must've agreed." So YiHan wasn't actually afraid to mention how he was mistreated, but because he didn't think much of it and had promised someone else not to mention it.
"That's not right either. Based on HanHan's personality, when would he ever be considerate of other people? If he wasn't happy, he would never have let things go so easily," said Bai FuRen. He raised his head and looked at Chen Fang, "Okay. You may leave."
"Yes," replied Chen Fang. Report finished, Chen Fang turned and walked out, satisfied with another job well-done.
Ma closed her eyes. She tried her best to recall her youngest son's every act, every move and every single person he'd interacted with recently. However, she couldn't think of anything. "I think XueQing's correct. HanHan must've suffered a great deal. That's why he suddenly became so quiet and obedient. He woke up quite late this morning. When he came down, he even broke down crying in my arms. XueQing and I asked him about it and he just said he was scared because of a nightmare."
FuRen frowned. "HanHan cried? He cried this morning. Then when he went out, he showed a calm and even temper which he'd never shown before. When he came home, he hugged you again and said he loved you…"
"No. Not just those," Ma, searching through her memories, said. "This morning, he had prawn congee. Because he daydreamed for a while, it had cooled down. Usually, he would never have touched it but today he ate it all."
"When I left the house today, he even told me to drive carefully," XueQing added. "I was so happy because of it. I even thought the brat finally knew to show his concern for his sister. And during dinner just now, he ate everything we put on his plate. Due to that, he was even stuffed to the point of being uncomfortable. Usually, he wouldn't force himself to do something just for someone else. Ah, if I'd known he'd be like that, I wouldn't have given him so much." Ma nodded in agreement.
FuRen leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes in thought. "The change in HanHan is too much today. This could be a major or a minor problem. He's a stubborn child. If something really happened to him outside this house, questioning him would only make him dislike us. That way, we'd discover nothing. We need to observe every move he makes. Someone needs to stay by his side all the time. Don't let him out of the house alone. We'll still go about our days as normal. We mustn't let him realise we know something." His eyes turned frosty. "If it's just him becoming mature and growing up, then let it be. But if someone actually dared to touch my son, I am not someone they can just trifle with!"
Ma nodded along again.
"Then Big Bro…" said XueQing.
FuRen massaged his temples with two fingers. "I'll talk to your brother about this," he said.
As he said so, the two brothers who'd been out on a walk returned. The three in the living room collected themselves and put on their smiles.
"Well, HanHan? Do you still feel uncomfortable? Really. If you can't eat that much, don't do it. You'll only make yourself suffer," said Ma.
YiHan sat down by her side. "It was nothing much anyway. I just had a little too much. I feel much better now," he replied with a smile.
XueQing exchanged a glance with her father. "How old are you now, little brother? Don't you know when you're full?" said she.
"You put the food on my plate. I didn't want to waste your efforts, yet you don't care at all!" YiHan hmphed.
XueQing hurriedly begged for his forgiveness. "How could I not care? I'm so happy about it."
YiHan pursed his lips and hmphed once more.
Bai Yan ruffled YiHan's head. With eyes twinkling and a smile on his lips, he said, "My little brother's growing up."
YiHan laughed. He should be growing up. He's someone who'd died once already. How can he not?
Deep in the night, Yan knocked on the door to Bai FuRen's study. "Father, I'd like to talk to you about my younger brother. Something's not quite right with him today. Something might've happened," said he, as soon as he walked through the door.