Mo Lingxi lightly tapped his head and said irritably, "You should learn from Father, not the other way around."
Little Feng puffed out his cheeks and said indignantly, "If you hit me again, Father, I won't help you anymore."
Mo Lingxi rubbed his forehead, finding it quite amusing. "Alright, Little Feng, help Father."
"Then tell me, how should I appease your mother?"
Little Feng whispered slyly, "Give her medicinal herbs. Mother loves all sorts of good medicinal herbs."
"Also, Mother dotes on me the most. If Father can coax me, I'll help Father coax Mother."
Hearing the latter part, Mo Lingxi pinched his nose. "You're a cunning little thing!"
"Go help Father coax your mother. I'll bring you delicious food another day."
Little Feng cheered and darted back into the house, hugging Tao Lengshuang's leg. "Mother!"
Tao Lengshuang, who was preparing medicinal powder, saw her son's cheerful demeanor and knew he had discussed something with Mo Lingxi.
"You little imp, what benefits do you want from Mother now?"
Looking at her son's increasingly healthy hair, she thought about stewing some nourishing soup for him tomorrow. A child's foundation needed to be solid, otherwise, there would be great trouble in the future.
Little Feng grinned sheepishly. "Mother, I'm apologizing to you on Father's behalf. Please forgive Father."
"Father just doesn't know how to speak properly. Actually, he's very, very good to Mother. He often tells me to be good to Mother and be filial to Mother..."
He chattered on, speaking highly of Mo Lingxi and saying that Mo Lingxi had always treated him very well.
Tao Lengshuang stopped what she was doing, picked up Little Feng, and placed him on the heated brick bed. She said seriously, "Little Feng, Mother's not being good to Father isn't just because she's angry with him."
"Your father's identity is not simple. Mother is just an ordinary peasant woman. Have you seen any noble families marry peasant women as wives?"
Although Little Feng was only a little over four years old, the concept of class was deeply ingrained in him. He understood that class could not be crossed unless one studied and participated in the imperial examinations.
"Then why did Father marry Mother in the first place?"
"Your father wanted to avoid the spotlight. When he resolves all his affairs, he will divorce Mother. Do you understand?"
Little Feng, half-understanding, asked, "Does Mother mean that when Father recovers his identity, he will divorce Mother, right?"
Tao Lengshuang indicated that it was more or less the case.
Little Feng put his hands on his hips and got angry. "Father is so wicked! I'm going to find Father to settle the score."
Before he finished speaking, he had already run out again, making Tao Lengshuang both amused and exasperated. This child was as quick as lightning, she didn't know who he took after.
Little Feng rushed to Mo Lingxi and looked at him with the eyes of a faithless husband, quietly accusing him, "Father is so wicked, wanting to abandon his wife of humble beginnings."
Upon hearing this, Mo Lingxi knew that Tao Lengshuang had told Little Feng the gist of it. He crouched down and explained, "If Father didn't want to abandon his wife of humble beginnings, wouldn't your mother be the one to divorce Father?"
Little Feng didn't believe a word and snorted, "Father's status is so high, so high. Mother is nowhere near worthy. Clearly, Father is lying."
He made a face. "Father said that people who lie are not good children. Father is not a good child."
Now Mo Lingxi understood one of the core issues. He frowned; the difference in status was indeed a problem.
However, no one, not even the current emperor, could stop him from marrying whomever he wished.
But seeing Tao Lengshuang's reaction, she seemed to care about the difference in status. He had to find a way to resolve this matter.
"Father, Father?"
Little Feng waved his hand in front of him and pouted, "What are you thinking about, Father? I'm talking to you, but you're not listening."
"Also, Father is very strange. Before, Father didn't want to be with Mother, but now Father wants to be with Mother... Of course, Little Feng wishes Father and Mother would be together forever.
But Father's attitude has changed so strangely. Could it be that Father thinks Mother has become more beautiful and has developed feelings?"
Mo Lingxi was stumped by his son's question and couldn't recover for a long time.
Indeed, he had previously disliked Tao Lengshuang immensely, even harboring murderous intent towards her.
But since when did he no longer have such thoughts about her? Instead, he enjoyed staying in this home and found her company comfortable.
Why was that?
"Father is spacing out again."
Little Feng looked like he couldn't do anything about his father, with a cute expression. "Father, Little Feng hopes you can treat Mother sincerely. Mother deserves the best."
Mo Lingxi's thoughts were interrupted. He good-naturedly patted Little Feng's head. "Your mother deserves the best."
"This matter, Father was not considerate enough. Father will think about it carefully."
Little Feng's face lit up with a smile, and he nodded heavily. "This is my good Father."
"Father, Little Feng will put in a good word for you with Mother."
Mo Lingxi said "good" and began to ponder the change in his attitude towards Tao Lengshuang. Since when did he have such a significant change in his feelings for her?
Seeing his father lost in thought, Little Feng tilted his head. He always felt that there was something strange between his father and mother, a strangeness he couldn't quite pinpoint.
However, his parents' relationship was much better than before, and he liked the way they interacted now.
...
The next day, in the morning.
Tao Lengshuang lay in bed, groggy, and took her own pulse...
"It is indeed a cold." Her voice was hoarse, her throat ached severely, her forehead was burning, yet her whole body felt cold. She couldn't feel any warmth even lying on the heated brick bed.
It was all that scoundrel Mo Lingxi's fault!
That scoundrel made her stay out in the heavy snow for so long yesterday and even pushed her into the snow. It was no wonder she caught a cold.
"Mother!"
As soon as Little Feng woke up, he pounced into Tao Lengshuang's arms, only to find his mother's face frighteningly red. "Mother, are you not feeling well?"
Tao Lengshuang covered her mouth and coughed a few times, her throat aching so much that tears welled up. "Little Feng, please help Mother fetch a bowl of warm water. Mother needs to take her medicine."
Hearing her voice, Little Feng quickly put on his clothes and ran towards the kitchen.
Entering the kitchen, he saw Mo Lingxi tending the fire and immediately told him about Tao Lengshuang's discomfort.
Mo Lingxi's heart tightened upon hearing this, and he immediately brought over a bowl of warm water.
Seeing Tao Lengshuang's weak appearance, he touched her forehead, and a pang of pain welled up in his heart. "So hot! How did you catch a cold?"
It was the first time he had seen Tao Lengshuang looking so weak. She had always been full of spirit and energy.
Tao Lengshuang glared at him unhappily. With his support, she sat up and slowly took her medicine. "If it weren't for you yesterday, would I have caught a cold?"
She had not been sick since coming here, yet she had fallen ill because of Mo Lingxi.
Hearing her weak and hoarse voice, Mo Lingxi felt even more guilty. "I'm sorry. I will take good care of you until you recover."