"You better actually do what's expected from you or else you're going to get it." Bao jabbed its paw at him. The creature was currently standing on Ying Yue He's dinner table and reprimanding Li Yang as usual.

The only reason why he wasn't even bothering with it that much to speak less is because of how much enthusiasm it was able to muster in Ying Yue He. It should have been really obvious that she liked animals a lot.

Li Yang sipped his coffee in peace.

"It's so cute." Ying Yue He gushed as she leaned closer to the Panda-like creature. Her attempts at poking it were countered by a small slap that she evaded without blinking an eye. While there was more to it as 'Bao' claimed, Ying Yue He just wanted to think of it like a brooding cat. "Are you a girl or a boy?"

"Why the heck does it concern you, woman? Leave me alone as I berate this guy." Bao finally tugged itself away from her as it strolled up once more to Li Yang. "Don't think you make light of threats like this one."

"I am aware. But there is a certain need to situate and plan before going for the mission," Li Yang explained vaguely.

"It's an odd term. Makes me think of you as some kind of sexy agent, or something." Ying Yue He coughed lightly.

Li Yang only smiled lightly at that. "I'm glad to hear that."

He hoped it wouldn't be so necessary, but the mission was pretty clear. Seduction was where it was at. The near six-year age gap between him and his target and hearing her being described by her parents made Li Yang think that he would be dealing with someone more child-like than he was used to.

But it wasn't in the way that Taiga was youthful or his daughter being an actual child.

It just meant that his target was a spoiled brat.

How it came to be that she was his next target—it was something that he was afraid that he'd have to find out. No sooner had he woken up and started enjoying his coffee with Ying Yue He that the text messages came.

[ Liang: I have no idea whatsoever where you slept last night. But at least haul your ass and bring your daughter home. You're not going to let a child stay all by herself, would you? Hire a caretaker if you will. ]

"He's so good with words as usual." Li Yang clicked his tongue.

"Um, your brother?" Ying Yue He asked.

"Yes."

"Sorry to hear that," Ying Yue He said. "Glad I didn't decide to stay and work with him."

He forgot to send a text to Liang last night about Chunhua's accommodations, but.. it was never obvious or apparent that his own family cared about his disappearance.

Would it have even mattered if he was actually dead?historical

Li Yang pondered on that question many times over back when he was younger, dealt with dark thoughts, but mostly pushed them out of mind and out of sight. Now, he was just dealing with a heavenly force, but as long as it was an external force—he was going to deal with it.

Still, the thought of hiring a caretaker came to his mind.

Who was no better than Ying Yue He for the job? Now that Li Yang thought about it, it has been at least a year since she quit, and it was doubtful that anything that happened over the hidden island was something you could put in the resume.

In the event that Ying Yue He ever needed something to return to a much more normal and simpler life, he'd do it in a heartbeat. For now though, Li Yang had a change of plans.

"Miss He.. it's a bit difficult to approach you for this. But I know no one else more capable than you for the job." Li Yang was going to ask for much and he wondered if it was a good idea in the first place.

"You don't have to flatter me, Yang. But what is it?" Ying Yue He straightened up in her chair.

"Would you take care of both Chunhua and Luo Ju Di for me? Mostly, Chunhua." Li Yang went over the explanations of the situation surrounding them and he was surprised to know that Ying Yue He was not aware of all of this.

Truth be told, Ying Yue He never looked back once she quit and it never crossed her mind to double check again—it was almost excruciating to know how long Luo Ju Di was stuck in a coma and left Chunhua alone.

How lonely it must have felt to be in that position.

.. and yet everything that Ying Yue He feared was coming true. It was nothing more than a throwaway joke at first—maybe an actual concern that bothered her when the mother-daughter pair first arrived a little less than a year ago.

But now she was going to be an actual nanny?!

Ying Yue He had an air of professionalism around her, but she was also slightly dying inside. How could she have forgotten about them? While Ying Yue He knew that Li Yang was not married whatsoever, what were the chances that a relationship would blossom after it?

Was it a little too early for her to have gone with the boyfriend title?

Countless little worries nudged and made her on edge, until finally, Li Yang squeezed her hand and gave her a look. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to."

Despite also receiving a text from both his own father and even the person handling his grandmother's contacts, he first and foremost wanted to know and make sure that Ying Yue He was fine.

But it was about time that they finally contacted him.

He was a little surprised that they texted him at the same time though.. Then again, what kind of people wouldn't find it troublesome to have him littered all over the news? Even if they weren't so kind or concerned, their reputations were still at risk.