LOT -Chapter 317 Childhood Arc: Do I Look Steady or Not?

Although Lin Mo was especially lively every day, her health truly couldn’t be considered very good.

The reason everyone didn’t let her go out was actually very simple. First, they were afraid she’d play too wildly; second, they were afraid she’d get sick.

As long as anyone in the household caught a cold, they didn’t dare go near Lin Mo. Otherwise, she would definitely be infected and fall ill.

“I only took her out once today—how did she come back sick?”

“She insisted on following me out today. I thought I’d take her out to have some fun and see the world a bit. It’s my fault,” Madam Lin said, full of self-blame.

Minister Lin gently patted Madam Lin and comforted her. “This really isn’t your fault. You’re the one who least wants Mo’er to get sick, and there was no way you could have predicted it.

“The doctor who just came already said it’s nothing serious. Once the fever goes down, she’ll be fine. Tonight we’ll take good care of her, and during this time we won’t let her go out.”

That night, neither Lin Qi nor Lin Ran slept well. They had wanted to keep watch too, but their parents chased them back to bed.

Children shouldn’t stay up keeping vigil, and besides, they still had to go to school the next day.

This illness lasted a full three days, and Lin Mo was quiet for three days as well.

Without her stirring up trouble at home, the atmosphere felt wrong—far too quiet.

Ji Qianhua lay sprawled over the desk and sighed. “Before, when Mo’er was noisy every day, I thought she was really loud. But now that she suddenly fell sick and the house is so quiet, I actually don’t feel very good about it.”

Noisy was fine—at least it meant she was healthy, full of life and energy.

Lin Qi silently closed his book, his face full of worry. Though small, he already looked quite steady and composed.

“Father and Mother said Mo’er’s body has been weak since she was little, so they never let us take her out to play. She’s young and not in good health—if some children don’t know their limits and hurt her, that would be terrible.”

“From now on, I’ll definitely take good care of Mo’er! I’ll supervise her exercising every day and make sure she trains her body well!”

Ji Qianhua nodded vigorously. “Good! I’ll help you!”

Meanwhile, Lin Mo, still lying in bed, had no idea that her future life had been completely changed.

While Lin Mo was sick, the two troublemakers outside were lively and energetic every single day.

As for these two young masters, the street vendors had already gotten to know them well—after all, they were little gods of wealth.

“Young Master Wei, we’ve got newly arrived fabrics. Would you like to come take a look? All brand-new patterns and colors.”

“Young Masters, a batch of folding fans just arrived. Would you like to have a look?”

Everyone had more or less figured out their preferences.

Wei Zheng’an and Qin Zheng walked past with their hands clasped behind their backs, faces serious. Little kids pretending to be adults—it looked especially amusing.

“Well? Don’t I look much steadier today?” Wei Zheng’an said proudly. “That posture just now—I was copying my father. He walks like that every day. My mother says he looks like someone owes him silver all the time.”

Wei Zheng’an sold out his own father without the slightest hesitation.

Qin Zheng nodded enthusiastically. “I think our imitation was spot-on. Everyone was watching us just now—they must have been amazed at how steady we are!”

The two of them had a mysterious kind of confidence. If no one played with them, they played by themselves. Of course, there were some people who tried to get close to them and主动 asked to play together, but after a few days they realized they simply couldn’t play together at all.

The things Wei Zheng’an and Qin Zheng liked—those people only knew how to flatter, without any real understanding. Everything they said was just pretty words that sounded fake.

Did they not allow people to speak the truth? Of course they did! They were true gentlemen, after all. True gentlemen were never afraid of criticism!

“What on earth are you wearing when you go out like this?” As soon as Wei Zheng’an got home, he was immediately criticized. “I made you so many nice clothes, yet you don’t wear them. Every day you insist on wearing these gaudy, flashy outfits. Look around the capital—what other child dresses like you?”

Outside, he could accept criticism. But at home, he absolutely could not.

And you could criticize him for anything else—but absolutely not his aesthetic sense.

“Mother, can you respect my preferences? I can respect you—why can’t you respect me?”

Recently, he had learned a new word from the tutor: respect. Now was the perfect time to use it.

Madam Wei was so angry she actually laughed. “You talk to me about respect? Then may I ask—can you respect my eyes? Seeing you strutting around in that outfit every day, do you know how much it hurts my eyes?”

“In your own courtyard, wear whatever you like and I won’t care. But when you go out, you absolutely must change. Dressing like that, who knows how many people are laughing at you behind your back.”

Not long ago, when she went out with other ladies, they had mentioned this matter—did they think she couldn’t hear the meaning behind their words?

Wei Zheng’an snorted and ran off directly. He refused to listen!

Children also had their own preferences and self-respect. He absolutely couldn’t abandon his own tastes just because of adults’ preferences.

He didn’t bully others like some people did, nor did he spend money extravagantly like others. He just liked these clothes—that was all. Compared to others, he felt he was already doing very well.

After Qin Zheng went home, he even demonstrated what he had learned today.

Watching their son walk with his hands behind his back, stepping in an exaggerated swagger, his face full of solemn maturity, the couple’s expressions became rather complicated.

What on earth had he learned outside today? Such a young child, why make himself look so old and serious?

And he looked both young and old at the same time—it was really strange, wasn’t it?

“Father, Mother, Brother Wei said this is how his father usually walks. We learned it together. A lot of people were watching us today!”

“Don’t you always say I’m not steady enough? Look—am I steady enough today? I think I was extremely steady today.”

As Qin Zheng spoke, his eyes shone brightly as he looked at his parents, clearly seeking praise. The couple didn’t know what to say.

Madam Qin was silent for a moment, then decided to push the problem onto her husband. “I just remembered—I haven’t finished embroidering my flowers yet. I’ll be going now.”

Lord Qin: !!!

Don’t leave! If you leave, what am I supposed to do? I can’t handle our son alone!

Facing his son’s sparkling eyes, Lord Qin forced a dry smile. “Not bad, not bad. You do look quite steady… it’s just not very suitable for your age.”

“Children should look like children. Don’t learn from certain old people—when children imitate old people, they can easily become old themselves.”

Qin Zheng’s eyes widened in shock. “Then I won’t learn it anymore!”

He was still young—he definitely didn’t want to turn into an old man.