An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

During dinner, Jing Qiurong felt that the father and daughter were indeed a little strange today.

Xu Dingchun always glanced at her secretly, with indescribable emotions hidden in his eyes; Jing Chunxi was particularly attentive, sometimes serving her food and sometimes pouring her soup.

The atmosphere between the two was so subtle that it seemed as if they were brewing some secret, but when she looked at them closely, they immediately put on the most natural smiles, leaving her completely confused.

Just as she was lost in thought, the father and daughter suddenly started putting food into her bowl at the same time - Xu Dingchun brought a piece of braised pig's trotter, and Jing Chunxi added a braised prawn. In just a few moments, the food in her bowl was piled up like a small mountain, and they kept adding more, as if they were afraid that she would not be full.

"Alright, alright, stop it." Jing Qiurong was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and quickly raised her chopsticks to block their attack. "If you keep eating like this, I won't be able to fill my stomach anymore."

As she spoke, she divided the piles of dishes in the bowls between the two of them, giving each of them a large portion.

Since giving birth, although her stomach has almost healed thanks to the exercises provided by the mysterious black box in the space, she is still seven or eight pounds heavier than before pregnancy, and her waist is no longer as slender as before.

Therefore, she has always insisted on eating small meals frequently, and she could not withstand such an onslaught of fish and meat.

"There's a little bit of meat on it, just the right amount." Xu Dingchun munched on the braised pork his wife had brought him. The rich juices burst in his mouth, making him squint his eyes in satisfaction. He looked at Jing Qiurong with a fiery and lingering gaze, not knowing whether he was enjoying the sweetness of the fat or savoring the soft skin his palms touched on the bed.

Jing Qiurong's cheeks flushed when he looked at her. She glared at him shyly, her eyes full of charm.

After dinner, they chatted about family matters for a while. Seeing Jing Chunxi winking at him frequently, Xu Dingchun said to his wife apologetically, "I have to go to the front yard to handle some official business. If you are tired, Qiurong, you can rest early and don't wait for me." His tone was as gentle as ever.

"Mother, Xier has also gone back to her own courtyard." Jing Chunxi immediately stood up, and her movements were so fast that she almost knocked over the embroidery cushion behind her.

"Okay! Xier, don't keep it cool. Ask someone to close all the windows in the attic before you go to bed." Jing Qiurong reminded her worriedly. Looking at her daughter's back as she hurried away, she always felt that the father and daughter were too tacit today.

The father and daughter walked out of Qingqiu Courtyard one after the other. After making sure that no one was around, Jing Chunxi lowered his voice and said, "Xi'er didn't want to go in first, but now that the mechanism is open, it would be bad if we don't go and take a look. It would be bad if rats, insects, or something else got in first."

"Daddy thought the same thing just now, but do you want me to join you?" He had guessed Jing Chunxi's thoughts a long time ago. Given the child's personality, who wouldn't want to see what secrets are hidden in it as soon as possible?

But he was more worried that once the entrance was opened, it would attract rats, insects, and poisonous ants. If the precious objects inside were damaged, that would be a real pity.

"Yeah!" Jing Chunxi nodded vigorously, her eyes gleaming. The last time she entered the secret passage, she was with Xu Zize. It wasn't that she was afraid to go alone, but she had used an excuse to clear everyone out of the yard.

There is no one guarding the entrance now. If anything unexpected happens, this secret passage will no longer be a secret.

"Daddy will help you guard it. Xier, be careful when you go in there. You don't have to tell daddy what the situation is like when you come out. From now on, Xier only needs to tell the eldest prince." Xu Dingchun said in a serious tone. He always remembered that this was a secret between his daughter and the eldest prince. It was something that did not belong to him. He did not want to see it, nor did he want to know it.

As for whether the eldest prince would tell the emperor, that was a matter between them and his son and had nothing to do with him as a subject.

"I understand." Jing Chunxi nodded desperately, feeling a warm feeling in his heart.

She was naturally happy that her father thought this way. This was not only a trust in her, but also a respect for the eldest prince.

That secret is like a precious seed. From the moment it was discovered, it is finally about to sprout.

"Daddy will wait for you at the rockery at midnight," Xu Dingchun carefully looked at his daughter's complicated dress and whispered, "Xi'er, remember to change into some light clothes." The secret passage must be full of dust, and there might even be cobwebs. Such beautiful everyday clothes are not suitable for exploring the secrets of the cave.

"Okay, Daddy." Jing Chunxi's voice was as light as a silver bell, and he called Daddy with great joy.

She lifted her skirt and ran towards the Moon Gate like a happy little deer, the pearls in her hair dancing with dazzling light in the sunset.

Xu Dingchun shook his head lovingly behind him before turning and heading towards the front yard.

The moon never showed up tonight, and even the stars were pitifully sparse, with only faint lights twinkling sporadically on the sky.

At midnight, the backyard of the Rong Enbo Mansion was immersed in a perfect silence, the rustling of leaves in the wind being especially clear. The rockery and pavilions were reduced to blurred outlines in the thick night, like dormant giants.

"Daddy." Jing Chunxi's voice was very low, but it was clearly audible in the quiet night.

"Yeah." Xu Dingchun's response was also brief and low.

The father and daughter had a tacit understanding, and even their greetings were as brief as possible, for fear of breaking the deliberately created tranquility.

Jing Chunxi led Xu Dingchun through the winding path and finally stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary rockery.

Xu Dingchun turned around consciously and looked at the dark shadows of trees in the distance. He neither looked at his daughter's specific location nor tried to spy on her next move.

His broad back looked particularly reliable in the night, like a silent guardian angel.

Jing Chunxi deftly activated the mechanism, and with the almost inaudible sound of the mechanism turning, an entrance quietly appeared on the rockery. She lit the torch she had prepared, bent down, and entered.

The air in the dark passage was damp and heavy, carrying a familiar smell of dust. The light from the torch danced, stretching her shadow, sometimes long, sometimes short, casting it on the mottled wall.

As she walked along, the scene before her was exactly the same as the last time she and Xu Zize came in - on one side was a long secret passage leading to the other side of the lake, and through the door on the other side was the small room where sundries were stored, and further ahead was the large room that was spacious enough to accommodate dozens of people.

She held the torch and carefully explored every inch of the wall and every corner, but she did not see any extra doors or rooms as she had hoped. An indescribable disappointment gradually welled up in her heart.

When Xu Dingchun touched the mechanism on the rockery that day, she could clearly hear a clear sound of the mechanism from below, which meant that it had been touched and it was definitely not her illusion.

Reluctantly, he searched again, his fingertips brushing against the cold, rough stone walls, but still found nothing. Jing Chunxi finally sighed, picked up the torch in disappointment, and prepared to return the way he had come.

But I was thinking in my heart: This is unreasonable, this is impossible!