无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

Li Hongyuan casually untied his cloak, hung it on the rack by the door, then stepped towards the brazier. He warmed his hands at its flame, dispelling the wintry chill he had brought from outside.

Only after doing all of this did he approach Jiang Ning and look at the two children in the cradle.

Instinctively, Jiang Ning nudged her wheelchair forward a step, putting a distance between him and the cradle. She didn’t want him too near the children.

Li Hongyuan slightly raised his brow. “I am the biological father of these children. You were granted custody, but does that deprive me of even the right to have a look at them?”

His comment left Jiang Ning unable to retort.

“You’re allowed to see them, but you should at least send word ahead of time. How could you just show up unannounced? Where are your escorts?”

“Who would dare to stop me from visiting my wife and children?”

“Prince Yu, you and I are divorced and share no ties. As a male visitor, should you not inform me before entering my private quarters?”

“Very well, in the future, I will take note.”

She had assumed he would be unreasonable and overbearing but was taken aback when he simply agreed.

Jiang Ning frowned and retreated in her wheelchair. “Then you look around, I’ll head into the inner room.”

“Do you think I am a tiger who’d eat you?” stated Li Hongyuan indifferently. “Even though we are no longer husband and wife, our ties will never be severed as long as we have these two children. You can avoid me today, but can you avoid me for a lifetime?”

He reached out and pulled her wheelchair towards him. “Come here, I have a question for you.”

Jiang Ning didn’t have a choice and was pulled closer.

She grimaced. “What is it?”

“Why does our daughter seem thinner today?” Li Hongyuan picked up Lingzi, catching her between sleep and wakefulness. Jolted awake, she quickly fell back asleep in her father’s arms.

Jiang Ning retorted, “She was just with me yesterday. How could you notice she’s grown thinner in merely a day? Are you pulling my leg?”

“Can’t a tiny person like her lose weight in a day?”

“Quit stirring up trouble.”

Li Hongyuan put Lingzi down and then picked up Wenzan.

To his surprise, as soon as Wenzan was lifted, he began to cry.

Stunned, Li Hongyuan asked, “Did you forget your father, after just one night?”

Jiang Ning quickly extended her hand, “He doesn’t like you, hand him to me.”

“Nonsense. When you’re away, isn’t it me who holds and pampers him? How can it not be the same after just one day?”

“Didn’t you see him crying? Give him to me.”

Unfortunately, since she was sitting and he was standing, even if he refused to hand the child over, she was powerless to do anything about it.

Li Hongyuan asked, “Is he hungry?”

The wet nurse, having heard the cries, entered the room and upon spotting Prince Yu, quickly lowered her head in respect.

“Take the child and feed him,” instructed Li Hongyuan.

Flustered, the wet nurse came over and took Wenzan to feed him. By this time, Lingzi had woken up too and started crying. Another wet nurse hurriedly came to take her for feeding as well.

Jiang Ning commented, “They were perfectly fine until you got here. The moment you stepped in, all hell broke loose.”

Li Hongyuan remained silent for a moment. In a soft voice, he said, “I simply wanted to see them because I was restless and couldn’t sleep. If it displeases you, I will leave immediately.”

He turned around and started to leave.

Jiang Ning said, “You don’t need to play the victim in front of me. You’re their father, and I have no reason to stop you from seeing them. But you must inform me in advance. Do not show up uninvited again.”

“Very well.”

Without turning back, Li Hongyuan lifted the curtain and stepped outside.

Huang Ying walked over, “Miss, the prince forgot to take his cloak. It’s snowing heavily outside.”

“Go bring it to him.”

“Yes, I’ll go right now.”

Hurrying, Huang Ying picked up the cloak and ran after him, shouting “Your Highness, your cloak!”