Chapter 20: Daddy, why do I keep losing feathers?

Shang Youqing's heart sank as she almost immediately noticed something was wrong.

The little phoenix chick's down was dense, snow-white. The small tail feathers adorning its back should have been golden, reflecting a fiery brilliance, soaring with pride.

But now, the feathers had become flaky and burnt, curled up and drooped beneath its wings in pain, as if burned.

Shang Youqing lowered her head and carefully cradled the little furry creature in her arms. Instinctively, she infused her little phoenix chick with spiritual energy while softly soothing Shang You.

However, despite her diligent efforts, she still couldn't help. Shang You's tail feathers remained limp, their golden sheen fading.

Furthermore, Shang You's body temperature was intensifying, burning like a small fireball in Shang Youqing's palm, and her cries were growing weaker.

Sensing Shang Youqing's trembling fingertips, he pecked them softly, comforting her, "Chiu..."

[Mommy, don't cry...]

Shang Youqing sniffed softly, forced herself to remain calm, and said "Hmm," promising her, "Mommy, don't cry."

Could this be related to why she had brought the baby down the mountain?

Shang Youqing's thoughts were in turmoil, and she couldn't think calmly. She even wanted to immediately transform back into her true form and bring Shang You back to Wutong Mountain. However, just as she was coming out of the zoo with her little fur ball in her arms, she ran into Lu Jingchi, who had rushed over in an emergency car.

Lu Jingchi opened the car door, "Sister, get in the car quickly!"

As soon as Shang Youqing got in, Lu Jingchi soon noticed the curled up and scorched tail feathers of the little phoenix chick in Shang Youqing's arms, which scared him a lot: "I heard from Old Yan that Youyou was sick with a fever. This is not just a fever, Youyou's phoenix tail is about to be burned. Senior sister, what's going on?"

Shang Youqing continued to use her spiritual power to maintain the weak spiritual breath of the little phoenix chick in her arms. During the short time she was in the car, she had gradually regained some consciousness. She forced herself to calm down and asked, "Junior brother, I have a question to ask you. Did I bring Shang You back to Wutong Mountain by myself back then?"

Lu Jingchi's worried look paused, not knowing why his senior sister suddenly asked about this, but he shook his head and replied, "Of course not, Senior sister, you might have just given birth to Shang You not long ago, and your body was very weak. It was Senior Brother Mu who brought you back to Wutong Mountain personally."

"Senior Brother Mu..."

Shang Youqing glanced down at the little phoenix chick in her arms, its wings clasped around her hand. She asked, "Is he still at Research Institute 57 in Jing City?"

Lu Jingchi nodded. "Senior Sister, as you know, Senior Brother Mu works at the highest-level classified research institute. Shortly after bringing you back to Wutong Mountain, he returned to the institute. It's been years, and I haven't seen him around. I guess it's just not convenient back there—" Before

Lu Jingchi could finish her words, Shang Youqing fished out his phone from the backpack slung over his arm. He scrolled through the address book, found a number from Jing City, and dialed it.

A few seconds later, the call connected, and a clear, elegant voice echoed from the other end. "Youqing?"

Lu Jingchi was stunned. So

, Senior Brother wasn't having trouble answering the phone all these years, but was only willing to answer calls from Senior Sister?

...

Yanyuan.

Perhaps it was because the weather in Bindao had turned cold again in the past couple of days, that the young master He had been feeling a little unwell recently, especially since he knew his father was away on a business trip these past two days. Every day

, after attending classes and taking his medicine, the little fellow would go play with Ruibai for a while. The rest of the time, he would lie on the windowsill with an old bird doll in his arms, gazing out at the lakeside area. One day, when He Zhimo woke up in his room holding the bird doll, he was surprised to find that there were several small white feathers on his bed. There were

a few fluffy white feathers on his pillow and next to his little hand.

He Zhimo sat on his bed in confusion, and curiously picked up the small feather. He touched it with his little hand. It was soft and smooth, like the feather of a baby bird in a cartoon.

But how could there be baby bird feathers on his bed?

He Zhimo carefully picked up these thin and small feathers.

Just at this time, Butler Chen came in with breakfast. He Zhimo couldn't help but tell Butler Chen about this: "Uncle, there are bird feathers on my bed."

Butler Chen was stunned. He walked over and took the feathers from Young Master He's hand and checked them. He felt a little strange and said hesitantly: "Maybe they leaked out of the quilt. I'll ask the servants to change a new quilt for the young master."

He Zhimo didn't think much about it. He ate breakfast and drank medicine obediently. His head was still a little dizzy. He touched the small wooden pendant hanging around his neck with his little hand and asked in a soft voice: "Uncle, will Dad be back today?"

Butler Chen looked at Young Master He's white face and didn't have the heart to answer immediately. He just said: "I'll call Mr. He later."

In the afternoon, Butler Chen first called Yu Zhu to make sure that Mr. He had woken up in the hospital before calling to ask.

"Mr. He, are you feeling better?"

He Cong asked. "Well, where's Momo?"

"The young master must have missed you. He woke up this morning and asked when you'd be back..."

He Cong paused for a moment, forgetting his promise to Dr. Zhao to stay in the hospital for two days. He said slowly, "I'll be back tonight."

That night, as usual, the young master finished his milk and returned to his room, cuddling his bird stuffed animal.

But as he slept, for some reason, a sharp pain began to throb in his heart.

The young He Zhimo didn't yet know it was the twins' influence. He clutched his chest, waking up from the pain. He crawled to the headboard, turned on the headlights, rolled up his pajamas, and carefully examined his heart. It was intact, with no injuries.

Moreover, the pain seemed to have subsided after waking.

He Zhimo scratched his face, wondering when his sleepy eyes suddenly opened wide.

"Why are there more feathers?"

Several more pristine white feathers fell from the collar of his pajamas, where his hand had just been resting. He Zhimo was

about to pluck one of them to examine it when the door to his room gently opened. He looked up and saw his father, who hadn't been home for two days, appear at the door. His eyes welled up, and he put on a stern face and lectured him, "Dad, all he does is work. He never comes home."

He Cong approached the crib, ruffled his son's messy hair, and said in a low voice, "Dad woke you up?"

He Zhimo was about to give his father another stern lecture when something suddenly occurred to him. He unfolded the feathers he was holding in his hand and showed them to his father, complaining, "Dad, why are there always feathers falling on my bed?"

...

Mu Weiting's plane arrived in Ning City that night.

Lu Jingchi, aware of the dire situation, avoided small talk and took his senior brother back to the courtyard of Mingling Zoo.

During this time, Shang Youqing held her little phoenix chick in her arms and continued to infuse it with healing spiritual energy.

Because of this, although Shang You's whole body was still as hot as a ball of fire, his condition at least did not deteriorate any further.

After Mu Weiting arrived, he exchanged glances with Shang Youqing and held out his hand. "Let me see?"

Shang Youqing hesitated for a second or two, then carefully held the little phoenix chick in her arms for him to see.

Mu Weiting, aware of her concern, took the little phoenix chick with equal caution, gently fiddling with its agitated tail feathers. He lowered his eyes in thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion.

"Youqing, Shang You's tail is burning like this after its first molt."

Shang Youqing frowned slightly. "Why is its tail so burned like this?"

She knew, of course, that phoenixes molt three to five times from infancy to adulthood.

As the name suggests, a phoenix's tail feathers become longer and more beautiful with each molt.

However, she herself had molted normally each time before, and had never experienced anything like Shang You's situation.

Mu Weiting lowered his gaze at her and continued softly.

"Master must have forgotten to tell you that a phoenix's first molt requires blood from both parents to successfully temper its tail."