TSWPF -Chapter 428 Brainwashing

Li Qingling glanced at the bowl of tofu and crucian carp soup, picked it up, and finished it in just a few gulps.

Liu Zhimou took the bowl from her, set it aside, helped her lie back down, and told her to rest for a while before eating. She could have her meal again after three-quarters of an hour.

Nanny Yao had said that if she ate immediately after drinking the soup, she might not have much appetite. It was better to drink the soup first and eat later.

Li Qingling raised her eyebrows noncommittally and hummed in response.

During her confinement period, she didn’t have much say anyway. She just had to listen obediently.

Liu Zhimou reached out to tuck in her blanket, bent down to kiss her forehead, reminded her of a few things, and then carried the empty bowl out.

He personally went to the kitchen to check on her meal. After confirming what she would be eating, he returned to the room.

As soon as he entered, he saw Diandian squatting by the bedside, staring seriously at the tiny person in Li Qingling’s arms.

He quickly walked over and took the baby from her.

“Nanny Yao said you shouldn’t hold the baby too much during confinement. Be careful not to strain your arms.”

Then he glared at Diandian.

“Why are you here?”

This fellow actually came to disturb his wife’s rest while he was away. It really deserved a beating.

Diandian didn’t even look at Liu Zhimou. It kept staring at the baby and let out a soft “ao wu.”

That annoying male owner was disturbing its time with the little master.

Liu Zhimou couldn’t understand it. He turned to Li Qingling and asked, “What is it saying?”

Li Qingling smiled and translated for him.

Hearing that, Liu Zhimou snorted coldly at Diandian, stood up with the baby in his arms, and refused to let it see her anymore.

It dared to call him annoying? Then he’d annoy it by not letting it look.

Besides, could his precious daughter be casually shown to others?

When Diandian couldn’t see the baby anymore, it became anxious. It stood up and craned its neck toward Liu Zhimou.

“Ao wu, ao wu…” Let me see the little master.

“Be quiet.”

Seeing the baby pucker her little lips, Liu Zhimou scolded Diandian softly.

“You’ll wake Xiaoxiao up.”

At once, Diandian shut its mouth and didn’t dare make a sound.

Liu Zhimou nodded in satisfaction and walked around gently, coaxing the baby.

Diandian followed closely behind him, step by step, just to sneak a look at the little one.

Feeling sorry for it, Li Qingling told Liu Zhimou to sit down and let Diandian see the baby.

If it couldn’t see her, it wouldn’t give up.

Since his wife had spoken, Liu Zhimou had no choice but to obey. He sat back down by the bed.

Diandian immediately sat obediently, staring unblinkingly at the baby.

“Ao wu, ao wu…” She’s so small.

Li Qingling smiled, reached out, and gently patted its head.

“She’ll grow up.”

Diandian nodded as if half-understanding. It looked at the baby’s tiny hand, slowly raised its paw, wanting to touch her—but fearing it might hurt her. Its expression was full of hesitation.

Li Qingling’s heart softened.

She gently held the baby’s hand and touched Diandian’s paw.

“Shake hands. Be good friends. You two have to love each other, okay?”

Diandian spun around excitedly several times and howled at Li Qingling, saying it would protect Xiaoxiao well.

The little master’s safety was on it.

It would never let anyone hurt her.

Whoever dared, it would take revenge.

Li Qingling smiled and praised it a few times, making it even more excited.

Liu Zhimou gave it a grudging glance and told it to hurry back and stop disturbing his daughter’s sleep.

Diandian looked at him resentfully, howled twice, and ran out, turning back every few steps.

Even though Liu Zhimou couldn’t understand it, he could tell from its expression that it wasn’t saying anything nice.

He asked Li Qingling, “What did that fellow say?”

Li Qingling pressed her lips together and laughed.

“You wouldn’t want to know.”

That only made him more curious.

“What did it say?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“Sure.”

Li Qingling cleared her throat and said with a smile: “‘I’ll come see Xiaoxiao again tomorrow.’ That’s exactly what it said.”

It was obvious that Diandian really liked Xiaoxiao.

Even before she was born, it liked communicating with her. Now that she was born, it liked her even more.

If it weren’t allowed to see her, it might get angry and wreck the house.

Liu Zhimou: “…”

Not only would his daughter be snatched by Master and the others, now even Diandian wanted her.

Thinking about it made him feel bitter.

This was his daughter. His daughter…

“Why? Are you jealous?” Li Qingling asked teasingly.

To her surprise, he nodded generously.

“Yes, I am.”

He wondered what position he would rank in his daughter’s heart.

Of course, he hoped to be first.

But who knew?

“…”

Now Li Qingling was speechless.

This man had really grown up—he was even jealous of Diandian.

“When Xiaoxiao grows up, will you still let her get married?” she asked.

She could already imagine how miserable her future son-in-law would be.

A proper daughter-doting father.

Thinking about how the cabbage he raised so carefully would be taken by some pig, Liu Zhimou felt even more sour.

“Not marrying,” he said firmly. “I’ll raise her for life. I can afford it.”

His daughter could choose not to marry if she wanted.

“…”

Li Qingling twitched her lips and silently lit a candle for her future son-in-law.

Meeting such a father-in-law would be unlucky.

Liu Zhimou looked at her seriously.

“If our daughter doesn’t want to marry, you’re not allowed to force her, okay?”

He wished she could stay by his side forever.

Li Qingling rubbed her forehead helplessly.

“She was just born. Aren’t you thinking too far ahead?”

It would be more than ten years before marriage was even an issue.

Why worry so early?

But he insisted on an answer.

Rolling her eyes, she said, “Fine, fine. We won’t force her. She can decide for herself. Okay?”

Otherwise, Xiaoxiao would grow up to be a little tyrant.

Just imagining a spoiled, domineering child made her head hurt.

“I’m telling you,” she added, “a daughter should be spoiled when appropriate and punished when necessary. You can’t indulge her blindly. That’ll harm her.”

“I know, I know,” Liu Zhimou replied perfunctorily, staring lovingly at the baby.

Then he added, “My daughter is so well-behaved. How could she ever be punished?”

“…”

In his eyes, his daughter was perfect in every way.

She thought her daughter was good too, but not to this extreme.

She glanced at him and said, “Husband, come. Let’s discuss something.”

He turned to her. “What is it?”

“When I’m educating Xiaoxiao, you’re not allowed to interfere. Okay?”

He frowned.

“What if you hit her?”

“…”

Li Qingling rolled her eyes.

“Do I look like a stepmother? Am I one? Is that how you see me?”

She was furious.

How could she bear to hit the child she carried for ten months?

Seeing her angry, Liu Zhimou quickly shook his head.

“That’s not what I meant. I misspoke.”

“It just slipped out,” she snorted. “What slips out is what’s in your heart.”

Oh no. His wife was really angry.

Sweating, he carefully put the baby down, held Li Qingling’s hand, and explained softly.

“Wife, believe me. I really just misspoke.”

He pressed her hand to his chest.

“In my heart, you’re gentle… you’re the one I love deeply.”

His survival instinct was strong.

He even confessed his love to save himself.

She looked at him half-smiling.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” he nodded quickly.

“When you teach Xiaoxiao, I won’t interfere.”

Li Qingling snorted lightly and said seriously,

“And not just you. No one is allowed to speak up. If every time she makes a mistake she runs to a ‘protector,’ it’ll ruin her.”

She was most worried not about Liu Zhimou, but about Mr. Luo.

Grandparents tended to spoil children.

After confinement, she would have to talk to him properly.

Liu Zhimou nodded.

She looked at him skeptically.

“Really?”

He pinched her nose helplessly.

“Really.”

Someone had to play the bad guy. Since he couldn’t, she would.

She snorted.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

You just want me to be the villain.

He touched his nose guiltily and changed the subject.

“Are you hungry? Want to eat?”

“Yes,” she said.

She let him off—for now. There was plenty of time to keep “brainwashing” him.

Feeling rescued, Liu Zhimou jumped up.

“I’ll go see if the food is ready.”

Before she could reply, he hurried out.