Dorian "Doudou" Owen had hoped that matching outfits would win Little Dumpling’s favor, but his plan backfired and made the baby cry, tugging at everyone’s heartstrings. Still, it wasn’t without benefit—at least Prince Nolan’s mood improved considerably…
After Serena Feng soothed Little Dumpling in William Wang’s arms, she promptly handed the baby to Prince Nolan: “Hold him.”
Little Dumpling was no longer as soft as a newborn. Prince Nolan, though not skilled at holding babies, wouldn’t hurt him; having just finished crying, Little Dumpling had no energy left to fuss and nestled quietly in Prince Nolan’s arms. Whoever came to tease him, he would smile, making Felix Fuller, Dominic Zhai, and General Warren Yu itch to pinch him—and deeply envy William Wang, who had won the baby’s affection the moment he arrived.
How could there be such a gap between people?
That’s how children are—their feelings show instantly, and their moods shift in a flash. Dr. Redwater and Dr. Marcus Guile saw Little Dumpling had already forgotten the incident, so they took him and hung the peace amulet they’d made together around his neck.
“A peace charm from a temple only brings comfort, but mine truly keeps you safe.” The amulet Dr. Redwater and Dr. Marcus Guile gave Little Dumpling had been soaked in a special medicinal solution to ward off hundreds of poisons. That was already precious enough, but the real treasure lay inside: a single life-saving pill.
The pill was left by Dr. Redwater and Dr. Marcus Guile’s grand-master—there was only one in the whole world. No matter how grave the injury, as long as you still drew breath, swallowing this pill could save your life.
It was an incredibly valuable gift, but Serena and Prince Nolan didn’t refuse. They accepted it with gratitude and kept the favor close to heart.
“With a gift like that, you’ve made it impossible for me to compete!” The Valley Master glared fiercely at Dr. Redwater and Dr. Marcus Guile, then produced an exquisite little bracelet and, feigning indifference, declared, “This is the legendary Anti-Poison Bead—not only does it ward off hundreds of toxins, it repels all venomous creatures and gu-insects. Once you wear it, no poisonous bug or gu can come near.” Far more powerful than any peace amulet, the Valley Master looked smug, secretly relieved at his own generosity—otherwise, he’d have lost face.
“Thank you, Valley Master. You’ve truly gone above and beyond.” Serena accepted for Little Dumpling and, in front of the Valley Master, fastened the bracelet onto the child’s wrist.
No one knew what the bracelet was made of. It looked large, but once fastened on Little Dumpling’s arm, it fit perfectly—not too tight, not too loose.
“Ahem… Just a small token. As long as Little Dumpling can use it, that’s all that matters.” The Valley Master was a bit awkward; Serena hadn’t spoken to him in ages, and he’d wanted to apologize but never found the chance. Now that she was talking to him, did it mean she’d forgiven him?
“Of course it’s useful. With the Valley Master’s bracelet, I don’t have to worry about Ghost Hall’s Ghost Doctor anymore. Valley Master, you and your colleagues must drink a few extra cups tonight—you’ve worked hard these days.” Serena could forgive Prince Nolan; how could she really blame the Valley Master? He was just a subordinate, forced by circumstance.
“Absolutely, absolutely—we’ll drink a few more cups!” If he’d only suspected before, now the Valley Master was sure: Serena had truly forgiven him. He was so happy he grinned foolishly, not even caring about the pain of parting with the Anti-Poison Bead.
You have to understand, he hadn’t even been willing to give that bead to Prince Nolan. If it weren’t for Serena’s sake—and his fear that Little Dumpling might be poisoned like Prince Nolan—he’d never have handed it over, not for anything.
Both the Valley Master’s and Dr. Redwater’s gifts were medicinal, but Simon Sun didn’t bring anything like that. Even if he could find rare elixirs, they couldn’t compare to the Valley Master’s or Dr. Redwater’s collections. What Simon gave Little Dumpling was a small wooden horse he’d carved himself.
The wooden horse wasn’t anything fancy, but the material was exceptional—the wood gave off a faint medicinal fragrance that was soothing just to smell.
Seeing everyone puzzled, Simon Sun shyly explained, “This piece of wood is the only thing my father left me. He said it’s medicinal wood, good for nourishing people. I heard from Master that Little Dumpling was poisoned and is still weak; since he’s so young, strong tonics aren’t suitable. Using this medicinal wood to gently nourish him is best.”
“Medicinal wood? A whole piece? You carved it into a horse?” Serena’s lips twitched. She’d heard of medicinal wood—most people make beads to wear on their wrists, but carving it into a horse like Simon did was a real waste.
“Yes. I used the leftover material to make two strings of beads for Zed and Ling Mo. It’s good for them.” Simon Sun apologized to the crowd; the material was limited, so he could only make so much, giving it to those who needed it most.
Simon Sun handed two small wooden boxes to Zed and Ling Mo. Neither of them had expected Simon to remember them, let alone prepare such precious gifts—they both froze on the spot…
At the same time, the two cousins’ eyes reddened. The tiny boxes in their hands felt as heavy as a thousand pounds—hard to accept, yet impossible to refuse.
Seeing Zed and Ling Mo standing there like statues, Serena reminded them, “Go on, try them on—see if they fit.”
“Okay.” Zed’s voice trembled, thick with tears. He carefully took the box from Simon Sun, opened it with great care, and gently put on the bracelet.
“Thank you, Brother Sixing.” Zed said solemnly, expressing his gratitude.
He hadn’t cried when his father died, nor when he was betrayed by those closest to him. But now, for the first time, his eyes stung and he wanted to cry…
“As long as you like it.” Simon Sun was a little embarrassed—he wasn’t skilled at wood carving, and the beads were a bit rough. If not for the quality of the wood, he wouldn’t have dared to present them.
“I like it very much.” Ling Mo was a bit calmer; after saying those three words, he melted into the crowd and fell silent.
After Simon Sun handed out the gifts, the hall suddenly fell silent. For a moment, the atmosphere was strange. Dr. Redwater paused, his elegant phoenix eyes narrowing, and took the initiative: “Your apprentice is truly heart-tugging.”
“Of course—if my apprentice isn’t lovable, who is?” Serena patted Zed’s hand. “Take care of your health. Don’t waste Simon’s good intentions or make him worry about you.”
“Mm.” Zed squeezed the beads on his wrist, his expression firm.
From now on, he would behave—he wouldn’t let Brother Sixing worry about him anymore…
After Simon Sun’s gifts, Sean Xuan, Left Shore, and William Wang each presented their birthday offerings to Little Dumpling—not for their value, but for the meaning behind them.
Sean Xuan gave Little Dumpling his sect’s secret martial arts manual: “My master left this to me before he died. The techniques inside are top-tier; I’m past the age to learn them, but they’re perfect for Little Dumpling.”
Left Shore personally made a small garment for Little Dumpling—light as gauze, yet impervious to blades and arrows. Worn over the heart, it offered perfect protection.
Most thoughtful of all, Left Shore made the garment extra large, folding up the excess material so that as Little Dumpling grew, more could be let out. The shirt would fit him all the way to adulthood.
As for William Wang, his gift was the most unique—and the most valuable. He gave Little Dumpling his clan’s seal: “With this seal, as long as the Wang family exists, you can command half its wealth and manpower at any time.”
In other words, William Wang had just given half his family to Little Dumpling!