As soon as these words fell, the bodyguards and the gagged Xu Ciye were all stunned.
Especially Xu Ciye — he felt as if he were dreaming.
He knew Xiao Lili was very cute, the kind of cuteness that made people like her at a glance. But never, not once, had he thought that this little ancestor would say such words.
How was this even possible!
It had to be an auditory hallucination. Absolutely.
Hah. Yes. They must have heard wrong.
How could that little ancestor ever say he liked someone? Impossible.
They must all be losing their minds. And maybe their ears…
"I like you."
The boy's voice sounded again, slow and deliberate. His black eyes lifted slightly, gaze dark and unreadable.
Xu Ciye went completely blank.
Pei Xiubai's eyes stayed on the little girl as his fingers brushed across her cheek, slow and pale against her soft skin. He really did like this face.
"So," his voice was low, almost casual, "I won't move you this time."
He paused, the corners of his lips cooling. "But not next time."
Lu Li's little head tilted, but her bright eyes sparkled in sudden understanding. Her brother had said he liked her — twice! That meant he really, truly liked her!
She beamed, cheeks lifting, and nodded so hard her pigtails bounced. "Yeah! I like my brother too! I like you very much!"
Pei Xiubai: "…"
Xu Ciye: "…"
Master Lu, your daughter is about to be abducted! If you don't come back soon, she's going to run away with someone!
---
Just like her father, Brother Xiubai had a bad ending. And the path to it was dangerous.
Her father had been plotted against by the male lead and killed. Xiubai's older brother — powerful but equally doomed — had later been framed and imprisoned by the male lead's son.
When she'd read about her father's death in the book, she'd almost cried her eyes out. There was even a sequel about the hero's son, where Brother Xiubai appeared as a villain. But she'd been too upset, and too focused on finding her dad, to finish it.
Still, she remembered enough: in the end, it was Xiubai's brother who killed her father, which was why the hero's son went after him.
That meant… from now on, she had to protect Brother Xiubai just like she protected her father.
If Brother Xiubai got stronger sooner, they could protect her father together. And if he could deal with the male lead earlier, her dad would be safe earlier too!
The three-and-a-half-year-old used all her remaining brainpower to connect the dots. Conclusion:
Protect Dad. Protect Brother Xiubai.
No one gets to bully them!
---
"Let's go."
The matter was resolved, the cat was back in his arms, and Pei Xiubai clearly had no interest in lingering.
Seeing that the worst hadn't happened, the bodyguards were visibly relieved. They quickly untied Xu Ciye, then stepped up to push the boy's wheelchair toward the exit.
Originally, they had come here for Xu Ciye's psychological counseling session. But with Lu Li here, Xu Ciye was obviously in no state to work, so they might as well leave.
Over on the side, Lu Li was still frowning in thought, digging through her memory for details about Brother Xiubai.
He wasn't the protagonist of the book she'd read, nor a major figure, so his appearances had been brief. But she suddenly remembered a plot point:
In just a few days — maybe three, maybe five — Brother Xiubai would have another car accident.
This time it would be pure bad luck.
Everyone in the book had said so. With so many people on the road, it was only him who got hit — the kind of misfortune no one could explain.
After that, he'd be in a vegetative state for five whole years. When he finally woke up, her father would already have been schemed against by the male lead, hanging onto life by a thread.
That couldn't happen. Brother Xiubai had to stay healthy. He still needed to help her protect Dad!
---
"Brother Xiubai, wait for me!"
The bodyguards stopped, and Pei Xiubai turned his head slightly, raising his eyes to look at her.
Xu Ciye frowned. "Lili, what are you—"
Before he could finish, everyone froze.
The little girl, eyes round and determined, ran to Pei Xiubai. She stood on tiptoe, leaned forward, and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Brother Xiubai, I'll give you all my good luck! You have to be safe!"
[Lu Junhan: ??? When am I showing up? When I'm already dead?!]
---
As the little princess of the Koi Clan, Lu Li was born brimming with pure good fortune. Just being near her could shift a person's luck over time.
But that was slow — too slow for what was coming.
So she gave him a kiss, hoping to pass all her good luck at once and make him the second-luckiest person in the world (after Dad, of course).
In truth, eating her meat would have worked even faster. But… that was too cruel! She was fat, yes, and had plenty of meat, but that didn't mean she was going to be eaten!
She'd just have to kiss him more later.
---
Her sweet milky scent lingered in the air. The kiss was light as a butterfly's wings, but it left behind a damp, cool trace on his skin — and a sweetness that didn't fade.
For the first time, Pei Xiubai's dark eyes tightened. His beautiful, ghostly face stilled, and his gaze fixed on her smiling face.
After a long pause, his slender fingers reached up to pinch her soft, round cheek. His voice was low, dangerous:
"Do you know what you just did?"
No one had ever dared to touch him like that.
Xu Ciye and the bodyguards went white with alarm. But Lu Li's wide black eyes held no fear. She blinked and said softly, cheeks squished,
"Lili is protecting Brother."
"Protect me?" His lip curled slightly, eyes glancing over her small frame. "Just you?"
"Mm-hm! Lili is amazing!" she said, utterly serious. "And your legs will definitely get better. Don't be afraid, Brother—"
"Get better?" His tone sharpened, a shadow crossing his gaze. A cold smile touched his lips. "You think my legs can get better?"
The world's most elite medical teams had given up hope. Unless a miracle happened, his legs were gone. Even his own family had abandoned the idea of a cure, turning instead to therapy for his mind.
In this year of disability, he'd endured countless stares — pity from those who knew the truth, speculation from those who didn't.
But this little thing… she was the first to say, with certainty, that he'd recover.
---
Pei Xiubai's expression chilled, and even his cat, KK, trembled in his arms with a pitiful whimper.
"Xiubai… let's talk," Xu Ciye tried, voice tight.
He knew well — Xiubai's legs were his greatest taboo. Mentioning them, let alone talking about treatment, was asking for trouble.
The boy didn't answer him. His eyes stayed locked on the little girl, his voice a soft, mocking drawl:
"Go on. Didn't you just say it so confidently? Why stop now?"
[Later on, Lu Li complained indignantly: "Someone pinched my face the first time they met me. It hurt!"
A certain little devil: "Wife, is my kneeling posture acceptable?"]