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墨書 Inktalez
"Who are you? Do I need to know you? Go away!"
However, Shen Yuanyuan was not one to be easily deterred. No matter how much Skyview City disliked her at that moment, she remained unfazed, smiling brightly as she approached, revealing her cute little tiger teeth and two adorable dimples. With her sparkling eyes, she said, "Didn't I just say? My name is Shen Yuanyuan, and this school belongs to my family."
Skyview City ignored Yuan Yuan completely and walked over to his mother, tugging at her hand and pointing towards a few children playing nearby. Zhou Lijiao shook her head helplessly and could only lead her son over.
Yet Shen Yuanyuan stubbornly followed behind, enthusiastically introducing everything about the place.
At that moment, Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin happened to pass by. They had come to check on the children but were surprised to see Tian Ming Rui's family had arrived. Tian Ming Rui repeatedly emphasized that they were just here to visit like everyone else, blending in with local customs. Shen Muhan couldn't be bothered to entertain them specifically; he simply took them around the school for a tour before heading back home.
"Mom, that cute little handsome guy is adorable! I want to marry him when I grow up."
Inside the carriage, Shen Yuanyuan's cheeks flushed as her big sparkling eyes remained fixed on the frowning Skyview City. She boldly declared this in front of everyone.
Xia Muxin and Shen Muhan's faces darkened, while Zhou Lijiao awkwardly chuckled. Tian Ming Rui, however, looked at Shen Yuanyuan with great interest, thinking that a marriage between their families would be a wonderful thing.
At this time, Shen Yuanyuan was three and a half years old, while Skyview City was only two.
After a long pause, Xia Muxin pulled her daughter close and said, "Yuan Yuan, Skyview City is your little brother. You mustn't say such things."
Skyview City was likely to become an emperor in the future and already had a harem. She didn't want her daughter entangled in such matters from a young age. Thus, she thought it best to instill this mindset early on to prevent the child from taking it too seriously.
Yuan Yuan mischievously winked and whispered in Xia Muxin's ear, "Mother, whether it's my little brother or my big brother, I'm set on marrying."
Naturally, Xia Muxin didn't take her words seriously. Her daughter was quite bothersome, always getting reported and complained about at school. There was nothing she wouldn't dare to do; it was just that others wouldn't even think of it.
Even Master and the others found her intimidating.
If she weren't Xia Muxin's daughter, she would have likely been kicked out long ago.
However, for various reasons, Tian Ming Rui hurried to the capital the next day, while Zhou Lijiao didn't want to return so soon and stayed at the Xia Family.
What the adults often heard was:
"Hey, Ugly Monster, I told you I have legs and can run. If you pull me again, I won't pay attention to you."
"Fatty, you're so chubby that you definitely won't get married when you grow up."
"Looking at you is annoying; I'd rather be with Python Brother's family."
"I only play with my brothers, not with men."
And the conversations went like this:
"Don't judge me by how I look now. They say girls change a lot by eighteen; just wait until I grow up and show you."
"Fat Woman represents a broad-minded person, capable of embracing all."
"Python Brother, what can you compare with me? At least when you're feeling down, I can keep you company."
"Damn, what's wrong with women? Look at my Mother Tiger, she has all three men in my family completely under her thumb."
The adults shook their heads repeatedly. Thus, Zhou Lijiao returned to Kyoto after staying in Skyview City for two months, personally escorted back by someone sent by Shen Muhan.
However, after that year, every year during a certain period, Skyview City would come to stay for two months with Zhou Lijiao, often sent over by Tian Ming Rui.
But in the fifth year, neither Zhou Lijiao nor Tian Ming Rui came. It was said that she was pregnant again, and since Tian Ming Rui had officially recognized her as his consort, Zhou Lijiao readily agreed this time.
That year, Yuan Yuan was eight years old, and Skyview City was six and a half.
"I told you not to follow me; can't you understand human language?"
Xia Muxin had become the richest merchant in the Tianli Kingdom, building a commercial empire. With the rise of commerce came national prosperity. Tian Ming Rui did not take advantage of them; just the taxes alone were an astronomical amount each year. However, ultimately, the biggest winner remained the Xia Muxin family.
Songzi had been admitted as the Top Scholar of Martial Arts, studying Military Strategy under Shen Muqing. Whenever Shen Muhan had free time, he would also teach some lessons. Young as he was, Small had already gained considerable fame; his studies were excellent, but his focus was on literature.
Perhaps Xue Er was destined to be Small's nemesis. Even at this age, whenever Small returned, Xue Er would cling only to him. Moreover, he would defer to Xue Er in everything, almost always accommodating her requests. In the eyes of the adults, it seemed these two were fated to be bound together.
Since Skyview City had become familiar with this place, the adults no longer had the energy to manage the children. Shen Muhan wished he could take an extended vacation with Xia Muxin to enjoy their time together. Unfortunately, circumstances did not allow it; this year was a bountiful harvest year. The entire orchard had borne fruit, and Xia Muxin was eagerly awaiting this great harvest, refusing to leave no matter what.
Because of this, the task of entertaining Skyview City was entrusted to Yuan Yuan. At eight years old, although she had not yet slimmed down to a delicate figure, it was clear that she was a beautiful girl. Her skin was so tender it seemed like it could be pinched to produce water, and her sparkling eyes seemed to speak for themselves, often captivating others before she even opened her mouth. Although she still had a mischievous streak, she had improved significantly compared to her younger days. Xia Muxin and the others no longer had to worry daily about how to teach these children well. The eldest and second eldest were doing quite well in both academics and other areas, and Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin felt reassured.
At this moment, Yuan Yuan was closely following Skyview City wherever he went. He found her presence particularly bothersome; she seemed to haunt him endlessly, which he greatly disliked. Moreover, her thick skin was beyond ordinary—thicker than the city walls.
"I am the host, and you are the guest; I cannot neglect you."
Yuan Yuan watched him walk into the orchard, her gaze shifting slightly as she retorted with annoyance.
She had always known that Skyview City disliked her, but her mother had said that he was an esteemed guest in their home. If anything were to happen to him—even losing a single hair—would cause a stir throughout the entire Tianli Kingdom. With such a daunting task assigned to her, she naturally had to take responsibility for him.
Besides, entering the orchard wasn't as simple as it sounded; it was easy to get lost. She had wandered off a few times while playing, but fortunately, she was clever enough to steal some of her father's glow powder. Once night fell, the powder emitted a faint light that would guide her back.
Moreover, Skyview City was quite pleasing to the eye; he grew more handsome as he aged, nearly surpassing her beloved father in looks. It felt like a treat just to look at him—after all, gazing wouldn’t cost her anything. Besides, he was over a year younger than her yet still taller, which she found intolerable.
Skyview City's lips curled into a mischievous smile as he noticed Yuan Yuan lost in thought. He reached out and pushed her against a sturdy tree trunk, leaning in close so their faces were nearly touching. With his long, fair fingers, he lifted her chin and said in a teasing tone:
"Do you remember saying you wanted to marry me?"
Huh??
Yuan Yuan was taken aback; she was the type who would forget what she said the next day. She knew very well that she liked sticking close to Skyview City because he was easy to tease. No matter how much she bothered him, he would only pout with his stunning face but never retaliate like her two brothers did—who would simply say they'd see her in the training grounds.
Every time they fought, she would end up crying out loud while her brothers cleverly avoided hitting her face and instead targeted her calves or backside so their parents wouldn’t notice. Besides, they were willing to accept defeat; there was no need for her to act like a petty person and complain about them.
However, at that moment, Shen Yuanyuan truly had no recollection of what Skyview City was asking.
Seeing her looking at him in confusion, as if she were dazed, for some reason, Skyview City felt a surge of anger and annoyance. He then pecked at Shen Yuanyuan's enticing lips and said with a stern face:
"I always remember; you must take responsibility for what you say. Don't let me down."
After saying that, he left Shen Yuanyuan behind. This time, she did not chase after him. It wasn't until dark that she began to worry because Skyview City had not come out again since he left. Just as she was about to seek help, a tender voice suddenly appeared:
"Silly woman, don't you know to find a place to sit?"
As the voice fell, Skyview City jumped down from a tree, lazily yawning and stretching.
Shen Yuanyuan was utterly shocked, her voice trembling as she pointed at Skyview City:
"You... you... you know martial arts..."
She realized that what she hated most in her life was martial arts because her two brothers would always challenge her with their mediocre skills, and the one who lost was always her.
Skyview City looked at Shen Yuanyuan with an expression of utter foolishness. After a long pause, he coldly uttered:
"In this day and age, only fools don't know martial arts."
"......"
Shen Yuanyuan felt thoroughly belittled and vowed in her heart to keep her distance from Skyview City in the future—far away as possible.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. Before they knew it, six years had passed since they last visited Skyview City.
*
"Damn it, Shen Muhan, Xia Muxin, you better not come back. Otherwise, I will make you regret it," the eldest brother, Shen Jing, growled as he finished reading a letter with a grim expression.
The second brother and Shen Yuanyuan wisely kept their distance. So much had happened in these six years: their grandfather had passed away, Ming Yi and other godfathers had married one after another, forgetting about the three of them. They were all busy enjoying life with their wives and children. Shen Muhan was even more in love with Xia Muxin, while their uncle flaunted his affection with his wife daily. Their grandparents followed suit, indulging in their own romance, leaving Shen Jing and his brother rolling their eyes in frustration. Zhou Cailian had also married the second son of Aunt Liu five years ago. Although she was a bit older and on her second marriage, the family was doing well and had even welcomed two children.
To make matters worse, their selfish parents had started training them in business when they were just five years old. Now, with a single letter, both of them had gone off to enjoy their couple's world, leaving behind this place with nothing but responsibilities for Shen Jing to manage.
Thinking about it made him furious; he felt like tearing the letter into shreds.
In the family, Shen Jing had the worst temper. He was fair but unyielding; even when his sister made mistakes, he handled it strictly. However, Shen Yuanyuan had never been treated that way.
So generally, everyone kept a safe distance from their eldest brother.
As for the second brother, he was exceptionally capable—both scholarly and martial—but compared to the eldest brother, he was much gentler. However, he often hid his sharpness behind a smile.
Shen Yuanyuan, on the other hand, received an eight-character evaluation from everyone except for Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin: simple-minded but physically strong.
Xia Muxin often complained that perhaps the young Shen Yuanyuan had been swapped at birth.
"Brother, those two old foxes had this planned all along. We might as well accept our fate."
The second brother was genuinely afraid that the eldest would get so angry he would tear the roof off. He peeked out from a corner and helplessly said.
Both of them were under fourteen, but the girls chasing after them had already lined up from Daimiao Village to Kyoto, and they were all exceptionally beautiful. Every time Cousin would fan over Shen Yuanyuan, complaining:
"Why do I have to be your close relative?"
Shen Yuanyuan would roll her eyes in response.
This was a rule set by their mother; no matter if they were close or distant relatives, they could not be in-laws, claiming it would negatively affect future generations. Their mother was the Empress Dowager of the family, and no one dared to refute her words, not even the two older brothers, because behind her stood their Vinegar King Dad.
Three months after the Shen brothers took over the family business, Shen Yuanyuan left without a word in a letter, making Shen Jing so furious he wanted to drag her back for punishment.
It wasn't that he was being dramatic; it was just that his sister was completely oblivious and useless in many ways, except for one thing—she was incredibly attractive.
He could guarantee that in his rich experience, no woman's beauty could compare to his sister's. He often wondered how that chubby, gluttonous little girl had grown into such a stunning beauty. Several times he secretly asked his father if she had been swapped at birth, but his father would only stroke his smooth chin thoughtfully and give him a knowing look.
However, while she hadn't learned much else, she had mastered one skill: disguise. This became one of her greatest hobbies.
Moreover, their family's internet connections spanned the entire Tianli Kingdom. He worried about those men enchanted by her; would they collectively lose their minds?
That year, it was rumored that the emperor had named his eldest son as the crown prince. When Tian Ming Rui and others came, although they did not reveal their identities, Shen Jing, being clever as he was, had already guessed most of it.
"Big brother, do you think this crown prince is the one Yuan Yuan has been pestering since childhood and claimed she wanted to marry?"
At that moment, the second brother was lounging with his legs crossed, casually playing with a finely crafted monster made from stone. He curiously asked Shen Jing, who was studying by the light of a lamp nearby.
Since childhood, they had all been interested in stones, and now they had a whole room dedicated to them. Xia Muxin had been teaching them simple sketches, drawing various rare small animals. The brothers of Shen Jing had polished these stones into the shapes of those little monsters, which were selling like hotcakes in the market.
Without lifting his head or blinking, Shen Jing simply replied with a nonchalant "mm," leaving the second brother feeling bored as he continued to examine the little monster in his hands.
A month later, in Kyoto.
A short man dressed plainly was sneaking through the bustling streets, biting into a large pear with a furrowed brow.
"It's still better when freshly picked," he muttered, taking another big bite without regard for appearances.
This man was none other than Shen Yuanyuan, disguised and having run away from home.
At this moment, her face was particularly ordinary, marked with a few teenage pimples.
She had traveled from Daimiao Village, enjoying the sights along the way, and it took her a month to reach Kyoto.
Suddenly, she felt relieved to be away from her two troublesome brothers; at least she wouldn't be bullied every day or ordered around.
"Hey, Fortune and Longevity Restaurant? Why does it have the same name as Uncle Su's tavern? Is it a chain?"
However, after walking along the street for a while, a striking sign suddenly caught her eye. It was the name of a tavern she was very familiar with. Out of curiosity, she walked straight inside.
Speaking of this restaurant, she thought of Su Yan-Chu, a little man who was tamed by Aunt Wei like a docile cat. To her, he was even more exaggerated than her own father, who had almost become a lapdog in front of her mother. Uncle Su was simply beyond description. However, his restaurant business had always been thriving, thanks to her family's connections. If he hadn't opened a restaurant in Zhushan County, it would have closed down long ago, no matter how glorious it once was.
After all, her family had two older brothers after her step-parents, which was practically a myth in the business world. Even that little stone they picked up out of ignorance back then could be turned into a professional brand by the two of them. How bizarre was that?
It was no wonder they were so outstanding; otherwise, the two old folks wouldn't have abandoned them to enjoy their own world.
Fortunately, she had self-awareness and distanced herself from such a world early on; otherwise, she would have ended up being scolded by them until she felt neither human nor ghost.
"Welcome, sir. Please take a seat inside. How many people are you with?"
However, the young waiter did not look at her with disdain due to her ordinary appearance; he greeted her with the same enthusiasm.
"Just one. I’d like to sit in a corner."
Shen Yuanyuan glanced around the entire hall and accurately spotted a corner table by the window as she walked and spoke.
This restaurant was similar to those in Zhushan County; although it had one large hall, it was divided into booths for two, three, or four people, separated by painted boards. There was only one entrance, and once all the dishes were served, it could be closed off like a small private room. This idea had originally come from her mother, but Uncle Su had also put in a significant amount of money for it.
Moreover, she noticed that this large space only had that one spot with a window.
She liked natural and fresh air, and since summer had already arrived, sitting by the window would create an ambiance.
"Um... sir, I'm sorry, but that booth has been reserved."
As soon as she finished speaking, the young waiter looked troubled and scratched his head apologetically.
"How many people are there?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Yuanyuan frowned. Immediately, her tone rose as she spoke. In places like these, dining is all about the ambiance; otherwise, she wouldn't have any appetite. Besides, in the entire Tianli Kingdom, whose culinary skills could rival those of her Mother Tiger? It was because they were captivated by her cooking that they listened to her every word.
"Uh... to be honest with you, that booth has been reserved for a long time, just for two people."
The attendant saw that Shen Yuanyuan didn't seem difficult to talk to and promptly told the truth.
However, he was already sweating on his forehead. Those who came here to dine were either rich or noble, and they were not people he could afford to offend. Although this young master was dressed quite ordinarily, his demeanor was not something one could fake. Not knowing the other party's background, he dared not offend any potential benefactor.
Upon hearing that there were only two people, Shen Yuanyuan relaxed her expression and smiled lightly.
"Two people? That's easy to handle; we can share a table."
The attendant's previously cheerful face instantly turned sour as he looked at the already seated Shen Yuanyuan with a pained expression, almost pleadingly saying:
"Young master, this..."
"Oh wow, Cheng Cheng, today there are still those who are fearless enough to say they want to share a table with you. Look at them; they don't even have two taels of meat on them, and their appearance is hardly presentable. What do you think we should do?"
- End of Chapter -
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