...
Mo Qingze returned to the Scholar Mansion with an unsettled mind, sitting alone in his study for a long time without moving. It wasn't until Little Mo burst in, urging him to go to bed, that he realized it was already the middle of the night.
Mo Qingze slowly got up, moving his stiff body and numb legs until his circulation returned and he regained his agility, then he resumed his seat at the desk.
Little Mo, dissatisfied, pecked at his master's hand, which was about to grind ink, squawking noisily, clearly dissatisfied with his master for not sticking to bedtime.
Even though Mo Qingze did not understand the language of birds, he understood what Little Mo was trying to convey and soothed it with a reluctant promise, "Behave for me, and I will just write a few words. Once I'm done, I'll rest."