Chapter Eighteen: Youbao Slaps Back at the Wicked Uncle

“Who are you? Mind your own business—”

Upon seeing the visitor clearly, Mu Yao’s eyes widened. He forcefully swallowed the word “crap”—no, “matter”—back down.

“Mr. Qi, what an unexpected honor to have you here! Haha!”

“You didn’t give me any notice before coming; I would have personally come to greet you!”

Mu Yao smiled brightly, his tone dripping with sycophancy.

“Chirp, chirp!”

The small brown bird in the tree flapped its wings and flew away.

[This man seems like a big tail dog, wagging his tail so hard it might reach the sky!]

[Can't bear to watch, really can’t!]

Hearing the bird’s silent judgment, Mu You glanced at Mu Yao’s desperate attempts to curry favor with Qi Han and couldn’t help but laugh aloud at how fitting it was.

“You little brat, what are you laughing at? What’s so funny? Don’t get in the way here, go back inside for now. I’ll deal with you properly later!”

Mu Yao wanted to step forward and drag Mu You away, but Qi Han blocked his path, leaving him no way to act.

“Ahem, Mr. Qi…”

“Little You, it’s been a while. How’s your health? Have you recovered well?”

Qi Han treated Mu Yao as if he were invisible, his entire focus and affection fixed on the little bundle before him.

“Uncle Qi, thank you for your concern. Little You is very healthy now!”

After seven or eight days apart, Mu You’s cheeks had finally filled out a bit, though her nose was still red like a tiny cherry tomato.

Her clothes were warmer and much prettier than when they first met.

Her smile was more vivid and spirited.

Now, she barely resembled a typical five-and-a-half-year-old child.

It seemed the Mu family was not entirely heartless.

Qi Han had originally thought that if he found Mu You’s condition unchanged today, he would contact the best lawyers to fight for her custody.

He was prepared to fire the first shot in a stranger’s battle for the child…

“Uncle Qi, how is brother? Is he still feeling unwell?”

Mu You still worried about Qi Haoxuan.

After all, he had shielded her from a whip, stayed cold and hungry in the basement for a long time, and inhaled so much smoke that he was unconscious!

“He’s fine, just needs rest and will be discharged soon.”

Qi Han recalled how the first thing the little rascal did upon waking was to look everywhere for You.

The first words he spoke were to ask how she was and whether any bad woman had bullied her.

He truly was a good son!

“Brother is fine, so Little You can rest easy now!”

Mu You exhaled deeply in relief.

“When Xiao Xuan is discharged, I’ll bring him to see you.”

“That sounds good, but I don’t know when Little You’s cold will get better. It would be bad if she passed it on to brother.”

As she spoke, Mu You sneezed three times in a row.

She had been outside in the cold too long; fortunately, she was dressed warmly, or she would be shivering!

“Little You, do you have a cold?”

Qi Han frowned.

At that moment, Mu Yao, who had been ignored by the two, suddenly jumped out, desperate to remind everyone he was there.

“No, no, she’s just being overly dramatic. She made a mistake, got nervous, and ran out to the yard to hide. She even learned to lie! Kids sneeze when they catch a draft; it’s normal, nothing serious!”

“Uncle, Little You didn’t make a mistake! Little You didn’t lie!”

Mu You firmly refused to allow anyone to slander her like that.

She would never be the bad child who tells lies!

Qi Han was initially angry that the Mu family still hadn’t taken proper care of Mu You.

But hearing this, and recalling the scene he had witnessed earlier of Mu Yao beating Mu You with a belt…

Of course, he believed You.

“Is that really so? You’re an adult now; you must take responsibility for your words.”

Qi Han stared at Mu Yao with eyes full of doubt and threat.

The pressure was overwhelming.

Mu Yao swallowed hard, instinctively stammering as he tried to reply.

“Y-yes, of course!”

“Good.”

Qi Han took off his coat and gentlemanly draped it over Mu You.

His clothes were so large that they completely enveloped her!

“You admit to domestic violence against Little You, child abuse. Old grievances and new debts—perhaps we can settle them all at once.”

Mu Yao shuddered at the memory of the last incident; his calves even felt weak.

But pride kept him from backing down too soon, so he persisted with a defiant tone.

“Mr. Qi, you’re making it sound far too serious. This is just a family matter in the Mu household. When children make mistakes and lie, us adults should discipline them properly.”

“She’s getting older and older. If we don’t discipline her now, what if she commits crimes or harms others in the future?”

“Many adults discipline their children this way! You really don’t need to worry!”

Qi Han was about to retort when Mu You, wrapped in the coat, stood up.

“Uncle, if you keep saying that about Little You, she’s going to be angry!”

“How can you be so stubborn and wrong Little You? You’re the one who loves to lie, you’re the bad kid!”

Summoning her courage, Mu You spoke up about the injustices she’d faced over the years.

“Uncle says kids need to be disciplined when they make mistakes, but brother and sister bully classmates in kindergarten and lie that others started it.”

“What does Uncle do? He never disciplines brother and sister like he does me; instead, he praises them!”

“Doesn’t Uncle fear they’ll grow up to commit crimes and harm others?”

“You dare curse my children?!”

Mu Yao, slapped in the face by the truth, flew into a rage and wanted to rush forward to shut the little one’s mouth, but Qi Han’s words stopped him in his tracks.

“Mr. Mu, are you trying to confirm your own guilt in child abuse?”

Qi Han sneered coldly.

“Hmph…”

Such ‘discipline’—the Mu family was full of fools and cruel people who treated Little You differently. They hardly deserved to talk about ‘education’!

Mu Yao instantly felt as if he had been thrown into an ice cellar.

“I, I’m not, I…”

For a moment, the atmosphere among them grew tense and awkward.

Until Xu Ya arrived.

“Mr. Qi, your visit is most welcome. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality.”

The woman wore a kind and elegant smile.

To a first-time observer, she seemed very approachable.

But from the moment Mu You saw Xu Ya, she quietly stepped back and hid behind Qi Han’s legs.

Qi Han noticed the little one’s reaction and began to question Xu Ya’s true nature.

“It was sudden of me to visit.”

If it weren’t for his father’s request and his own concern for Little You, he would never have set foot on the Mu family’s filthy grounds!

Qi Han wondered what kind of relationship Xu Ya had with his father, and what kind of person she really was.

So far, he could find no fault.

Then Xu Ya casually smoothed over the conflict between Mu You and Mu Yao, invoked the name of the elder Qi, and tried to cozy up to Qi Han.

She smoothly suggested they go inside to talk.

Walking toward the villa, Qi Han watched Xu Ya’s figure and thought to himself:

This woman is definitely not simple.

“I’m going to take Little You back to her room first.”

Xu Ya paused at this, then smiled.

“Of course.”