Chapter 192: Thank You, Brothers?

On the rooftop.

Bai Yunqi looked down at his little sister below and tilted his head towards his second brother. “How did she get out here?”

Bai Yunxing: …

【How would I know how Juanjuan got out here?】

【And since Juanjuan is right below, why not just ask the little one directly!】

Juanjuan, who could hear her Eldest Brother’s words from below: Exactly!

“Eldest Brother, I can hear you.”

The little one said crisply, completely unaware that from her brothers’ perspective, she looked like a bouncy little figurine.

“Oh,” Bai Yunqi responded, casually grabbing the grass-woven rabbit from his second brother’s hand. He was about to leap down from the rooftop but suddenly remembered that in the eyes of outsiders, he was still just an ordinary eight-year-old child. Even though it was late at night, there were still a few Dark Guards from the General’s Estate around.

So, the very impressive Cultivation Expert had to reluctantly abandon his cool leap and instead climbed down the ladder in a more conventional manner.

【Really, not cool at all!】

【But then again, if I had jumped down, Juanjuan might have been scared. Tsk…】

【Although Juanjuan doesn’t know, it doesn’t matter. Being impressive behind the scenes is the best! I must say, the things Mom and Dad talk about are quite interesting!】

Juanjuan blinked, watching her chatty Eldest Brother walk up to her and place the grass-woven rabbit in front of her.

“Here, a little rabbit. Isn’t it cute?”

Sitting on the rooftop, Bai Yunxing’s mouth twitched slightly. “I think I made that, didn’t I?”

“Oh, what’s yours is mine!”

【Of course, what’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is still mine!】

Juanjuan: ?? Is that… right?

“Let’s not be so distant, we’re brothers. Your dad is my dad, your mom is my mom, and your sister is my sister! So…”

Bai Yunqi smiled at their truly “young” little sister. “This little rabbit is from your brothers for Juanjuan!”

Juanjuan took the grass-woven rabbit, hesitating a bit as she thanked them.

“Tha… thank you, brothers?”

Bai Yunqi nodded, patting the little one’s shoulder. “Want to go up on the rooftop and take a look? The view is nice!”

Juanjuan was still a bit dazed, and after taking a few steps with her Eldest Brother, she suddenly stopped.

“I, I need to go to the restroom!”

With that, she shoved the little rabbit back into her Eldest Brother’s hands and ran off towards the restroom.

She almost forgot she needed to go!

Bai Yunqi: 【Tsk… it seems going out at night to the restroom isn’t always just an excuse.】

Not long after, the Dark Guards of the General’s Estate saw another child appear on the rooftop.

Dark Guard 1: “Should we go up and check, make sure nothing happens?”

Dark Guard 2: “Look at how those kids are walking around like it’s nothing. What could happen? Didn’t our young master and miss climb rooftops all the time when they were little?”

Dark Guard 3: “Don’t worry about it. Those kids seem to be from the countryside. Didn’t you run around like that when you were young?”

Listening to the Dark Guards’ conversation, Bai Yunqi stretched lazily and lay down, crossing his legs and swaying them leisurely.

The gentle night breeze blew freely, carrying a sense of freedom.

When Juanjuan came up, she grabbed a handful of grass and was learning to weave little grass rabbits from her second brother.

Meanwhile, she listened to her third brother’s grand plans, occasionally interspersed with a few emotionally charged complaints from her Eldest Brother.

Remarkably, the four children knew to climb down from the rooftop and return to their rooms to sleep.

This skillfully avoided the slightly alarming scenario of Bai Tian and Jiang Dai, the new parents, waking up to find all the children lying on the rooftop.

…

Inside, Juanjuan peeked at the exquisite bottles and jars on the table, curiously watching her mother apply makeup.

【It’s been a while since I’ve done makeup, and I’m a bit rusty. But the cosmetics here are quite refined. Thankfully, it’s rice powder, not lead powder.】

【The lip balm is also decent. It’s a good thing I used to enjoy studying makeup. Even if it’s not an influencer’s style, I can handle it.】

Juanjuan didn’t quite understand what her mother was saying, only feeling that her mother’s hands were magical. She was already beautiful, but with just a bit of makeup, she became even more so.

Mu Zhaoyao watched from the side, her gaze gradually showing appreciation.

She hadn’t expected this country woman to have such unique taste and skill, and to be able to teach her children so well.

“Miss Mu, is there a custom in Jingcheng for children to have a red dot on their foreheads?”

Mu Zhaoyuan snapped back to reality, looking at the smiling woman in front of her and the lively child beside her. She answered truthfully, “There isn’t.”

Jiang Dai blinked. “What about adult women with decorative forehead marks¹?”

Mu Zhaoyuan frowned slightly, then shook her head.

Jiang Dai suddenly had a great idea.

Amidst a profusion of flowers, the breeze rustled the leaves, creating a gentle sound. Sunlight poured down, casting shifting shadows, creating a beautiful scene.

In the courtyard sat a dozen young women, gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing, more delicate than the flowers around them.

Liang Tian’er sat alone, her expression calm, but her mind filled with her own thoughts.

In the past, she hadn’t had much interaction with the young ladies of the Mu Family.

In fact, being the daughter of a merchant, she wasn’t very familiar with these official families’ daughters either.

Now, the esteemed Miss Mu, the first lady of Jingcheng, had suddenly organized a gathering and specially invited her.

There could only be one reason: the news she had passed to the Mu Family had reached them, prompting this special invitation.

Liang Tian’er sat alone, pondering her thoughts.

She didn’t notice the familiar small figure that had appeared at the gathering.

“Sister Liang!”

It was Juanjuan’s first time surprising someone like this.

Her voice was filled with suppressed excitement as she spoke.

Hearing the familiar voice, Liang Tian’er immediately looked over and saw the little Bai Family girl she could only see in Niantao Village!

“Juan… Juan!”

Liang Tian’er’s face immediately broke into a smile, surprised to see the little one who shouldn’t be in Jingcheng.

“How did you come to Jingcheng, dressed so beautifully!”

Indeed!

Jiang Dai and the others watched Juanjuan every day, and even with the subtle influence that people often overlook, they could see Juanjuan’s cuteness.

Let alone Liang Tian’er, who hadn’t seen her for a long time.

In her memory, Juanjuan was clearly pretty, but she was thin, her hair was somewhat dry, and she was a bit timid.

But now.

Dressed in a comfortable and exquisite light yellow outfit, her hair smooth and neatly groomed, her little face had filled out, making her look like a soft bun, with a red cinnabar dot² on her forehead, it was the perfect finishing touch.

The most significant change, Liang Tian’er thought, was the child’s aura.

Calm and composed, serene and poised, even her shyness added a touch of childish innocence.

Hearing her sister’s praise, Juanjuan beamed. “I came with Mom and Dad!”

Liang Tian’er: “The whole family came?”

Juanjuan nodded, pointing to the side. “Look! Mom is over there!”

Translator’s Notes