A Child Should Act Cute

"Mom." He walked over to the desk, frowned at the pile of memorials covering it, and said, "Why are you working this late again? Don't you care about your health?"

"Only a few are left. I'll sleep after I finish them." Bibi Dong set down her brush and smiled as she ruffled his hair. "What about you? Why did you come here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? Let me guess—you need something from me again."

She knew her son too well.

Whenever nothing was wrong, the boy would have already returned to his room to rest. He would never come running over in the middle of the night. Every time he visited this late, he always had some "outrageous" idea.

Bibi Xu chuckled twice and got straight to the point. "Mom, I want to take Qian Renxue's place and go undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire."

The study fell silent the instant the words left his mouth.

The smile on Bibi Dong's face gradually faded. She stared at Bibi Xu, her brows slowly knitting together, disbelief in her eyes.

"What did you say?"

"I said I'll go to Heaven Dou in Qian Renxue's place." Bibi Xu repeated himself, his tone utterly serious.

"She isn't suited for that undercover mission. Her mind is too pure, and she lacks scheming. The imperial palace is dangerous—she won't be able to handle it. Besides, it would be such a waste for her to spend more than ten years undercover."

"No." Bibi Dong rejected him without a second thought, her tone decisive. "Absolutely not. Don't even think about it."

What kind of joke was this?

What sort of place was the Heaven Dou Palace? It was a dragon's den and tiger's lair, where every step was fraught with danger. One careless mistake would mean being crushed to pieces.

She was not nearly as heartbroken over Qian Renxue going. After all, she was a member of the Qian Clan and ought to bear her mission. But Ah Xu was the apple of her eye. How could she let him take such a risk?

What was more, she had proposed this undercover plan in the first place. Its purpose was to send Qian Renxue away from Spirit Hall, weaken her influence within the Hall, pave the way for Bibi Xu, and allow him to securely establish his position as Holy Son.

Yet now, this child wanted to jump into it himself?

"Why not?" Bibi Xu leaned closer. "I'm far more suitable than Qian Renxue. I'm more mature than her, and I know more than she does. I can definitely keep the Heaven Dou court firmly in my grasp. Once I control the Heaven Dou Empire, won't it be much easier for Spirit Hall to unify the continent in the future?"

"No means no." Bibi Dong's expression darkened. "Heaven Dou is not Spirit Hall. No one will protect you there, and the slightest misstep will condemn you beyond redemption. You are Spirit Hall's Holy Son, Bibi Dong's son. You cannot take this risk. This matter is not open for discussion. Qian Renxue going is her mission. It has nothing to do with you."

Her attitude was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

She had made the undercover plan, and she had sent Qian Renxue away for Ah Xu's sake. How could she possibly let Ah Xu take Qian Renxue's place and jump into a pit of fire?

Bibi Xu looked at her stern face and knew that reasoning would not work.

That was fine. He still had Plan B.

He took two steps forward, circled to Bibi Dong's side, grabbed her sleeve, and gently shook it.

"Mom~" He drew out the word, his voice soft and sweet with a touch of coquettishness. "Just let me go~ I promise I'll protect myself properly and definitely won't cause you any trouble. I'll send you messages regularly, okay?"

Bibi Dong froze for a moment.

This child... was acting cute with her?

Usually, he was mature beyond his years, as steady as a little adult. Why was he suddenly doing this today?

Just as she was about to put on a stern face and refuse again, Bibi Xu shook her sleeve even harder.

"I want to go, I want to go!" He simply started throwing a tantrum. "If you won't let me go, I'll come bother you every day. I won't eat, cultivate, or sleep! I'll wander around here every day!"

As he spoke, he squatted down and wrapped his arms around Bibi Dong's leg, tilting his head up at her with an expression that clearly said, "If you don't agree, I'm not getting up."

Bibi Dong was completely dumbfounded.

She stared blankly at her son throwing a tantrum at her feet, unable to react for a long while.

Was this... really her calm, composed, mature little Xu?

How was this rolling around in a tantrum any different from the children on the street who threw fits?

She was both annoyed and amused, and much of the sternness in her heart was swept away.

Come to think of it, this child had always been far too sensible from a young age. He had never acted cute or thrown tantrums like other children.

Today, he finally looked a little like the nine-year-old child he was supposed to be.

As she watched the boy looking up at her with sparkling eyes, filled with both stubbornness and expectation, Bibi Dong's resolve actually began to waver.

Just then—

With a creak, the study door was pushed open.

Qian Daoliu, dressed in white robes, slowly walked in.

He had received a message sent by Bibi Xu, saying there was an important matter regarding the undercover mission to discuss, so he had specifically come over. Yet the moment he entered, he saw this scene.

Bibi Xu was squatting on the floor, hugging Bibi Dong's leg and looking up with a tiny face full of stubbornness. Several memorials had fallen to the floor, making the scene indescribably comical.

Qian Daoliu: "..."

He was dumbfounded too.

In his impression, Bibi Xu had always been calm and courteous, deeply calculating, and carried the bearing of someone in power despite his young age.

He had always regarded the child as both a potential opponent and an aid to Xue'er. He had never imagined that Bibi Xu had such a... childish side.

The atmosphere instantly became rather awkward.

Bibi Xu had not expected Qian Daoliu to arrive at such an unfortunate moment. Still holding Bibi Dong's leg, he neither knew whether to let go nor keep holding on.

Bibi Dong was the first to react. She gave a light cough and said to Bibi Xu, "Get up. What kind of behavior is this? The Grand Worshiper is still here."

Only then did Bibi Xu awkwardly let go and climb to his feet. He patted off his clothes, instantly returning to his usual calm and courteous self, then gave Qian Daoliu a slight bow. "Grand Worshiper."

It was as if the person throwing a tantrum just now had not been him.

Qian Daoliu's mouth twitched, and he pretended he had seen nothing.

He looked at Bibi Dong and got straight to the point. "I came regarding the Heaven Dou undercover operation. Ah Xu sent someone to tell me that he is willing to go to Heaven Dou in Xue'er's place. Is that true?"

"Yes." Bibi Xu spoke first. "Grand Worshiper, I believe Xiao Xue is not suited for undercover work. Her nature is too pure, and the imperial palace is dangerous. It would be too easy for something to happen to her. Besides, her proper task is to remain at Spirit Hall and focus on cultivation. I am more suitable to go. Whether in mentality or methods, I am better suited than her to handle court struggles."

The moment Qian Daoliu heard that Bibi Xu was willing to go in Qian Renxue's place, he had been tempted.

He had never wanted his granddaughter to suffer through this in the first place. A nine-year-old little girl, infiltrating an enemy nation alone and unable to return home for more than ten years—it hurt just to think about it.

But the plan benefited Spirit Hall, and Bibi Dong supported it. He could not find a reason to oppose it.

Now that Bibi Xu was willing to go in Xue'er's place, it was like receiving a pillow just when he was sleepy.

Moreover, he also felt that Bibi Xu truly was more suited for it than Qian Renxue.

The child was shrewd, resourceful, and deeply calculating despite his young age. He was a natural at politics. If he went to Heaven Dou, perhaps he really could seize the Heaven Dou Empire in his grasp.

The only problem was Bibi Dong.

This was her precious son. Would she agree?