Ye Muo started preparing to head to the Ye family manor as soon as breakfast was over.
His itinerary was already known to the others. Bert yawned, “Do you have to go this early?”
“En, otherwise Uncle will grow anxious while waiting.”
Bert tried to find his glass with his eyes still closed. “I don’t get it, personally, but I suppose such neuroticism is suited towards certain tasks. He’s like a fish in water in the intelligence bureau. The bureau chief can’t praise him enough.”
Theodore adjusted Ye Muo’s collar while Ye Muo sighed like a little grown up, “There’s no helping it. He’s just naturally like that. However, everyone is different for a reason. I like my attentive uncle, and I like Bert too.”
Bert struggled to open his eyes. “Don’t think you can wheedle me into continuing to work.”
During the days Norton was away, he had stepped in out of necessity to fill the position of emperor. After Norton returned, everyone went back to referring to him as His Majesty Norton, yet there were still people who, unable to catch Norton, chased after Bert while clutching documents and shouting ‘Your Majesty Bert’! Even Norton started telling certain individuals to send their paperwork to His Majesty Bert.
Actually, Bert suspected that everyone chasing him had been directed over by Norton. Meanwhile, the ever-capable Secretary-General Lin returned to Norton’s side once more.
When he slammed the desk and told them to send it all back to His Majesty Norton, a whole crowd of people would look at him with troubled expressions. Was he really that easy to pick on?
Bert planned on appointing a scapegoat of his own…
His Majesty Xavier?
He glanced at the child packing up his things.
Ye Muo was busy, but not busy enough to not respond with slight dissatisfaction, “I wasn’t cajoling Bert, I meant every word I said. I really do like Bert.”
And so Bert averted his gaze. Xavier still had classes some days and also had to go to school from time to time. He couldn’t very well carry a backpack of documents to review at the academy. Some of those were classified.
Bert turned his attention elsewhere, setting his sights on Jacob.
His Majesty Jacob?
Jacob was actually quite decent at handling paperwork.
Xavier had finished getting ready. Norton stood up as well. Ano naturally followed behind, followed by Helene and Dylan. The rest of the Grantz naturally got up to tag along.
Bert felt like something was amiss. “Your Majesty Norton, we’re currently in a crucial stage of integrating with the Alliance. It’s hardly the time to be loafing and playing around.”
Norton first signaled for the other Grantz to return to their seats with a sharp glare before turning to look at Bert. “I trust Your Majesty Bert can share in the workload.”
Adlet topped up Bert’s glass with juice. “Your juice, Your Majesty.”
He then turned to Norton. “The hovercar is ready, Your Majesty. Jackets have been placed inside, as it may get chilly in the evening.”
Once they had left…
Ano finally started complaining, “Big Brother is always like this, Sylvia.”
Sylvia soothed him, “There, there. Ye Muo is going out to play. It would be a bit improper for you to tag along anyway. Whatever you want to do can wait until he gets back.”
Crossing her arms, Helene leaned her head over and teased Bert in an high pitched voice, “Your Majesty~!”
Bert shoved her head back. “Your Highness, you should quickly finish eating. There will be plenty of tasks assigned to you soon.”
Looking around at everyone left in the dining room, he thought: Good, not a single one of you will get off easy.
……
The Ye Manor.
Ye Huaiyuan hovered in the doorway while Ye He sat with Lady Ye.
Ye Mingyuan was sitting on the three-seater sofa with knitting needles in hand. Ye Yun was directing him from the side, “Now loop through…not there!”
Ye Mingyuan had a faint frown on his face, as if he was dismantling a bomb instead of knitting. He’s never been so focused even when facing real bombs. “Here then?”
Ye Yun was itching to just take over from here. “No, here! Why are you as dull as Ye Muo? He doesn’t understand instructions either.”
Lady Ye poured them two cups of tea and pushed them over the table. “Mingyuan is actually a quick learner, ah. Little Muo…Little Muo isn’t suited for this.”
Ye Yun tried teaching Ye Muo how to knit back in their childhood. Ye Muo wasn’t that old back then. He looked on in admiration as Ye Yun accepted a half-finished hat from Lady Ye.
He trotted over as soon as there was a chance someone would teach him, only to pick himself in the eye with a knitting needle within two minutes. He immediately started crying while clutching his eye, only to stubbornly insist he was just fine but his eye was a bit sore.
Ye Zhiyuan came downstairs. He started speaking midway down the stairs, “Big Brother, I told you Ye Muo usually comes before lunchtime already. There’s no need to crowd around the door.”
Ye Yun shrugged helplessly. “I told him the same thing! Ye Muo likes to procrastinate, especially in bed. He would never come early in the morning. Even if he did, there’s no need to wait for him by the door. Why don’t you come and reinforce the sentiment?”
Thus, Ye Huaiyuan hesitantly took a seat in the living room under their urging.
Ye Yuan retrieved a half-finished scarf from a box on the side. Many such things had popped up around the house as teaching props as Ye Mingyuan learned how to knit.
Ye Huaiyuan started swiftly knitting away with a worried expression, though he seemed a bit more settled now.
However, as he knit, he stood up again and soundlessly made his way back to the door. He even subconsciously used his stealth skills to do so.
Ye Zhiyuan was a bit helpless. “Big Brother…”
Ye Mingyuan glanced at Ye Yun, who glanced at Ye He.
Ye He: “…Forget it, just let him be. And you missed another stitch.”
Ye Mingyuan started undoing his knitting with practiced motions.
……
Ye Muo stopped by the car door and seriously dissuaded Norton from following him. “Uncle will surely hide if he sees you, Dad. He’s a bit afraid of you.”
Norton frowned. He silently remained seated in the car.
“Theodore and I will return after having dinner here.”
Norton remained motionless.
Ye Muo sincerely continued, “Actually, I would’ve made my way back home soon from Ambrose’s place even if you and Ano hadn’t come looking for me. And your psychic power is watching over me even now. Isn’t that the same as you coming in person?”
Norton’s psychic power was still locked onto Ye Muo. Ambrose would’ve made a few quips about it if he was here.
Ye Muo straightened, appearing quite confident. He had already left the part of him that rolled around on the bed, worrying with Theodore about not being able to come home or not behind. “I promise that, wherever I may go in the future, I will always come home. Even if I die, I want to die on my favourite bed at home.”
“Nothing will happen to you. You will always lead a peaceful, happy life. Don’t say such things from now on. Now go, I will be back to pick you up after dinner.”
He watched on as Ye Muo pulled Theodore over to bid him goodbye before they ran off towards the nearby villa. When Ye Muo turned back at the door and saw that Norton hadn’t moved, he waved at the man one last time before slipping inside with Theodore.
Norton looked away.
……
Ye Muo pushed the door open with practiced motions and was immediately greeted by the sight of a full living room. He glanced around and greeted each person in turn. Theodore echoed the sentiment from behind him.
After the greetings were done, Ye Muo became a bit puzzled. “Where’s Uncle? Is he not here? He said he would wait for me today.”
Ye Zhiyuan sighed and pointed at the other side of the door.
Ye Huaiyuan finally stepped out from the other side, clutching the half-finished scarf before him. He had slipped into his old habits as an assassin and concealed himself in the crevice as Ye Muo came in. By the time he caught himself, Ye Muo was already greeting everyone. Thus, he started fretting over whether he should come out or not until he was called out.
Ye Huaiyuan had barely emerged before Ye Muo crashed into his arms.
Ye Muo wrapped his arms around his waist. “I missed you, Uncle. Is this scarf for me? You didn’t come to see me before. Everyone else went. Well, Ye Mingyuan…en, Uncle Ye Mingyuan didn’t go either.”
Ye Mingyuan straightened on the sofa. Various thoughts flashed through his mind before he concluded he really shouldn’t have hid like fugitives with Ye Huaiyuan.
Ye Huaiyuan started stammering again, “I-it’s made by everyone. If you want, I’ll knit the rest of it for you. S-sorry…”
“I forgive you,” Ye Muo instantly replied, “but you have to come with everyone else to visit me next time…”
He said, sensing something odd. He felt around Ye Huaiyuan’s waist and back. “What happened here, Uncle?”
This area used to be rock hard.
Ye He rose and brought Ye Muo’s usual cup over. “Thanks to the medical technology of the Alliance, his body has been healed.”
Meanwhile, Ye Muo was already using super strength to pull the man’s shirt up to take a look. There was only a faint scar left on his abdomen. “That’s wonderful.”
He hugged Ye Huaiyuan again before setting his sights on Ye Mingyuan.
Ye Yun wasn’t surprised. He always knew Ye Muo could be petty at times and would not let a single person off. Letting out a snort, he sat back and prepared to watch the show.
Ye Mingyuan was uncomfortable under scrutiny. “I’ll go visit you as well next time. I’ll even catch Faceless–”
It was Ye Huaiyuan who jabbed him this time. He swiftly changed his tune, “–Catch Ye Huaiyuan and make him tag along.”
Satisfied, Ye Muo withdrew his gaze and pulled Theodore over to take a seat. He sat down on Lady Ye’s other side and started prattling away.
When Ye He set Ye Muo’s cup down in front of him, he was caught and told by Ye Muo that he wanted something cool to drink.
Ye Yun showed Ye Mingyuan’s scarf to Ye Muo. “It’s unsightly, but much better than what you put out as a child.”
Ye Zhiyuan frowned and pulled Ye Huaiyuan to the sofa as well. “You can’t be like this all the time, Big Brother. A friend of mine who used to carry out assassinations told me you had a habit of…”
The addition of Ye Muo and Theodore to the living room made the already bustling space livelier than ever.
……
Things were lively on the other side too.
In the study, documents flitted through the air as the Grantz organized themselves into scattered factions. Temporary alliances would form, only to split apart just as quickly.
Bert skillfully stirred the pot, “Helene, are you going to lose to Dylan again? Oh, and Adrian, why don’t you go help Ano…”
Secretary-General Lin adjusted his glasses in the corner, having long since given up on trying to stop them. He only prayed that the largest and heaviest desk in the center of the room wouldn’t be lifted again. It housed a cutting edge holomind and AI.
The door was pushed open.
Secretary-General Lin assumed it was Adlet. When the silence became prolonged, he turned around.
Norton stood at the door, looking at them. The other Grantz in the study gradually took notice too and swiftly quieted down. “Ano, hush!”
“Wait, it’s Big Brother! I said wait!”
Once even the sound of breathing seemed too loud, Norton spoke up, “You’re being too noisy.”
The Grantz huddled together.
“You have 20 minutes to restore this place to how it was earlier. All the work must be finished by tonight. Any objections?”
A downcast, guilty-sounding chorus of replies came weakly from the Grantz huddle.
“No.”
“None, Big Brother.”
“We’ll get it done at once.”
The door closed again as Norton walked in. He took a seat in the central seat in the room. Adlet appeared right on cue to place a cup of tea by his hand. Norton glanced at the others who had yet to move. “Begin.”
The frozen Grantz instantly stepped into action.
Author’s Corner
Muomuo Tidbit: At some point, Muomuo developed the habit of biting his fingers in his sleep. Once Mom Ye and Dad Ye found out, they rubbed essential balm1风油精, a type of topical Chinese medicine containing menthol, eucalyptus oil, etc. used to repel insects, soothe bites and refresh oneself on his fingers.
Muomuo awoke that night to a spicy sensation. He gave his fingers a few more licks before waking the whole family up with his sobbing: Muomuo’s hands turned into chili peppers
