Chapter 188: What Are You Here For?

“Try this.”

Mu Zhaoyao pushed the plate of pastries, just brought by a maid, towards the child.

She wouldn’t admit that she had them specially sourced just now.

Juanjuan thanked the sister and took a small bite.

As soon as the first bite entered her mouth, her eyes lit up. It was delicious.

It wasn’t like the dry pastries she had before; this one was soft, sweet, and a bit cool.

“Hey! Isn’t this…” Mu Zhaoyuan reached into the food box and took a piece. “Zhenxiu Restaurant’s milk pudding cake? This is hard to get! Usually, when I want some from you…”

Before Mu Zhaoyuan could finish her sentence, she was forcibly interrupted.

She looked at the milk pudding cake stuffed into her mouth and the cousin in front of her signaling her to be quiet with her eyes.

Mu Zhaoyuan shrugged and obediently ate.

Oh well, you can’t argue with someone who feeds you¹. Better to stay quiet and enjoy.

An ordinary child might not understand, but Juanjuan was clever!

Having been influenced by the sharp minds in her family for so long, she naturally understood what her two sisters meant.

“Thank you, Sister Yao.”

Juanjuan gave Mu Zhaoyao a bright and sincere smile.

“Thank me for what? I’ll be teaching you something later. If you can’t learn it, I won’t teach you again.”

As Mu Zhaoyao spoke, she didn’t forget to pour a cup of water for the child, placing it elegantly in front of her.

Looking at the little one in front of her, she thought, just as her sixth sister said, this child was perceptive.

Teaching others was something she rarely did.

If Mu Zhaoyao was going to do something, she would do it the best. Even the disciples she taught personally had to be the best.

“Sixth Miss, the Young Master urgently calls for you.”

A strange male voice sounded.

Juanjuan looked curiously and saw a tall, slender, and delicate young man standing not far away.

“Got it.” Mu Zhaoyuan raised her hand to pat Juanjuan’s little head. “Sister has to go now. Stay here with Sister Yao.”

“The child is in your hands!”

Mu Zhaoyuan walked behind her cousin, placed her hands on her shoulders, patted them gently, and then quickly left.

In the pavilion, only Juanjuan and Mu Zhaoyao remained, along with a maid standing to the side.

“You’re almost five years old, right?”

Mu Zhaoyao asked.

Juanjuan immediately put down the pastry in her hand and replied seriously, “Yes, when the harvest comes, I’ll be five.”

Mu Zhaoyao watched the child suddenly sit up straight and smiled slightly.

Not bad, her family had taught her well.

“The sister who just left, isn’t she valiant and heroic?”

Juanjuan nodded.

Mu Zhaoyao continued, “The women of the Mu Family aren’t bound by many rules. They can fight on the battlefield as well as any man. Though they seem carefree, many people in Jingcheng gossip behind their backs.”

“It’s not surprising. Compared to the usual noble girls, Mu Family girls are indeed different. They don’t care about others’ opinions, but…”

“I just don’t like those who look down on the Mu Family, openly or secretly. So, from a young age, I knew I wanted to become the most prestigious lady in Jingcheng, someone who could trample on what they pride themselves on.”

“I want to show them that Mu Family daughters excel in everything they do.”

Mu Zhaoyao looked at the child listening intently and softened her voice. “And you? Why do you want to study and learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting²?”

Juanjuan was taken aback.

No one had ever asked her this question so carefully before.

“I want… I want to become strong, to earn money in the future, to help my parents and brothers, to make them feel like I’m useful too!”

Juanjuan was honest, saying exactly what she thought.

Mu Zhaoyao tilted her head. It seemed she and this little one had a few things in common.

“You’ve managed to win over my cousin, and I find you quite agreeable too. Let’s give it a try. Once I start teaching, I’ll be very serious and responsible, possibly strict.”

Juanjuan knew this sister was willing to teach her.

Her young face lit up with a happy smile. “Okay!”

Which teacher isn’t formidable?

A bit of strictness is the best.

“Let’s go, and find someone to prepare a few sets of clothes for you.”

Mu Zhaoyao stood up and extended her hand to the little one.

Juanjuan carefully placed her small hand into the pale, slender hand before her.

She hadn’t had a good look before.

Sister Yao’s hands were so beautiful, she didn’t dare to touch them too hard.

…

“Whose house is that over there?”

Bai Yunqi couldn’t resist the allure of spiritual energy and asked the servant guiding him and his brother.

The servant replied, “The current Right Prime Minister, the Wen Family.”

Bai Yunqi asked, “Are they very wealthy?”

The servant replied, “The Right Prime Minister is honest and upright, so they’re not considered very wealthy.”

Bai Yunqi, looking at the spiritual energy almost bursting from the neighboring house: …

Honest? Not very wealthy?

You’re kidding me!

Bai Yun’an glanced at his eldest brother’s expressive face and had a good guess that the Right Prime Minister’s family was quite wealthy.

There’s a saying that goes,

It’s not the thief you fear, but the thief who covets.

The Right Prime Minister’s household… is in danger.

Bai Yun’an looked down at the koi swimming lively in the pond and suddenly remembered that the last time he watched little fish, there was a little one beside him.

“There you are!”

A joyful voice came from behind.

Bai Yun’an turned around to see his parents approaching with good spirits.

His mother even counted the heads.

Then…

“Where’s my little Juanjuan?” Jiang Dai asked, puzzled.

Now she was at ease with her sons, knowing they were all quite clever, so she was naturally reassured.

At home, her little daughter was her treasure.

She wanted to fully enjoy the joy of raising her!

Bai Yun’an replied, “She’s with the Mu Family sisters, visiting the seventh young lady.”

Jiang Dai nodded and then looked at the maid behind her. “Could you please lead me to the seventh young lady? My daughter is over there.”

On the way, Mu Zhaoyuan had introduced the people currently residing in the Mu Manor to them.

So they had a general understanding, but because they hadn’t met, they couldn’t match names to faces.

When Jiang Dai arrived at Mu Zhaoyao’s residence,

Juanjuan had just finished being measured for her new clothes.

“Mom~”

The little one happily ran over, skillfully hugging her mother’s arm.

Jiang Dai looked at her joyful little girl and raised her hand to pat her small head.

【Effortless motherhood, three sons are prodigies, and the little daughter is so adorable. Heaven, I take back what I said when I first arrived; you’ve treated me well!】

“Sister Yao, this is my mom. Mom, this is Sister Yao.”

The little one began introducing them to each other.

Mu Zhaoyao bowed, “Mu Zhaoyao.”

Jiang Dai nodded, “Jiang Dai, as in the character for ‘powder’.”

【Oh my, this young lady is too beautiful! Such grace, such figure, such voice, she’s like an immortal sister with the temperament of a Lin Daiyu³, and a touch of arrogance.】

Juanjuan couldn’t help but smile slightly.

She knew her mother would like a pretty sister.

Because…

She had long noticed that her mother couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at good-looking people and would secretly call out in her heart.

As for her dad…

Wait, where was her dad?

Why did her mom come alone?

Translator’s Notes

• character for ‘powder’: Jiang Dai is referencing the phrase ‘fěn dài’ (粉黛), which refers to white face powder and black eyebrow pigment. Historically, this term was used as a metonymy for beautiful women or court ladies. By using this reference, she is highlighting the elegance and femininity of her name.