"Xu! Wen! Zhu!"
Consort Mi had just reached the corridor outside the study when she heard Wu Xian's suppressed, uncontrolled growl. The son holding her hand flinched and shrank back, clutching her sleeve and refusing to go any farther, fear flashing in his eyes. Consort Mi gently stroked the back of his head, soothing him. Mother and son waited in the corridor to be summoned. After quite some time, the study door quietly opened.
It was one of Wu Xian's personal guards.
He softly warned her that Wu Xian was in a foul mood and that she must not provoke him. Consort Mi gave a slight nod and quietly thanked him. Inside the study, Wu Xian sensed the two approaching and reined in his imposing air, but the atmosphere remained suffocating.
"Father!"
Consort Mi bowed to Wu Xian.
Compared to her reserve, her son was much livelier. Pure adoration shone in the child's eyes as he looked at Wu Xian and asked in a clear voice, "Mother said I've grown a year older today. Father, look—am I taller than I was yesterday?"
The gloom on Wu Xian's face lifted a little.
He stroked his son's crown. "You have grown a bit."
Consort Mi stood carefully to one side, watching him. She said helplessly, "The child is still thinking about the promise you made the other day, my lord. He was clamoring to get up before dawn, and I couldn't get him to stop pestering me."
Wu Xian remained expressionless. "It's fine."
Afraid of stepping on a land mine, Consort Mi sat for a while, then used making longevity noodles for her son as an excuse to leave. To her surprise, Wu Xian rose and followed her. Seeing her timid, yet flattered, expression, he said meaningfully, "Some things are already set