"Kneel! Pay homage to your King," the chubby baby proclaimed with an air of authority, his two short legs resembling lotus roots as he gazed sternly at Qiao Mu. His attention then s.h.i.+fted to the somber expression on the face of the sapling Qiuqiu.
"How dare you keep that long face in the presence of your King? You there, go and remove the fur from its head!"
"Yes, King!" A child nearby promptly responded, rolling up his sleeves and taking a few steps forward.
Qiao Mu's lips twitched with indecision. She really didn't want to mistreat a child, but it appeared that others were already determined to take Qiuqiu from her arm. If she stood by idly, she'd be seen as a coward.
Reluctantly, Qiao Mu hoisted the youngster, who was now kicking his legs in the air like a fish gasping for air.
Then, she couldn't hold back her laughter. The child's face darkened instantly, and she could feel a headache coming on.
The chubby boy in the crimson undergarment was not pleased. He swiftly leaped from the grand recliner with a resounding thud of his chubby little feet hitting the ground, and he charged toward Qiao Mu.
The sapling Qiuqiu raised its two small leaves to cover its eyes.
It couldn't bear to look at the fragment before it any longer. How could someone be so clueless?
In fact, it was not wearing any clothes…
Could it be that this child had been sealed within the tablet for hundreds or even thousands of years?
"Woman, how dare you!" The chubby child placed his hands on his hips, gazing up at Qiao Mu, and yelled.
If only he were a bit taller, he might have appeared more imposing.
But now…
Qiao Mu rolled her eyes and extended a vine directly from her sleeve. She swiftly plucked the child up like a dumpling and dragged him in front of her.
"Where did you find my Lian?"
"Release him right now!"
The chubby boy widened his round, black eyes and gazed pitifully at Qiao Mu before turning to glance at Qiuqiu. He burst into loud sobs, "Big, Big Brother, help me, Big Brother!"
Qiuqiu couldn't help but raise its leaves to cover its eyes in exasperation.
Qiao Mu reached out and gently flicked the chubby child's head. "Quiet down! You've become quite bold. Kidnapping people now?"
"You brought them here to play. Don't you realize their families will be worried sick?" Qiao Mu chastised the chubby youngster in a stern, motherly tone. "How do you plan to resolve this now?"
"Big Brother," Fragment Four whimpered, "Could you please ask Eldest Sis not to scold me?"
"Who's your Eldest Sis?"
"Address me as Master!"
Qiao Mu and Qiuqiu issued a joint, commanding growl.
Fragment Four lowered her head like a timid quail. Before she could utter a word, tears welled up in her eyes. "Miss Master, what do you think we should do?"
"B-Big Brother, can you absorb me later?"
"Get to the point!" Qiuqiu demanded with a resolute growl.
"I-I-I, I have no harmful intentions toward them," Fragment Four stuttered, her cries growing more pitiful. "I just wanted someone to play with for a while."
"I-I haven't harmed them; I even provided them with good food and drinks."
"Even so, abducting people is unacceptable," Qiao Mu retorted, giving him a stern look. As she prepared to continue her lecture, her expression suddenly s.h.i.+fted to a frown.