Chapter 104 Extra 2: Daily life of a family

Although they moved from Hedong to Youzhou, Mi Yao and Xiao Chuan's daily lives remained the same.

When they're busy, they might not see each other for ten days or half a month, but whenever they have free time, they'll spend it all together.

Xiao Chuan had strong opinions about Mi Yao bringing the "radish heads" to Youzhou, fearing that the sweet balance between husband and wife would be broken and that Mi Yao would have to devote some of her attention to the "radish heads".

In reality, when Xiao Liang and the others arrived at their lodgings, they saw Xiao Chuan half-embracing Mi Yao, staring at them menacingly. Xiao Liang turned his head and whispered to his brother and sister, "Father is getting more and more childish."

Xiao Shan nodded in agreement: "We've all grown up and know that Mother is his wife and his life partner. They are the ones who will spend their lives together. It's just that Father is getting more and more childish and always on guard against us."

Xiao Yi coughed lightly, pretending that his younger siblings were whispering secrets that only they could hear. He put on a serious expression, looked at his parents whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and bowed to them in greeting.

"Father, Mother, may you be blessed. We have had a safe journey without any danger. Erlang and Shan'er are in good health and have not experienced any discomfort along the way."

Now that Xiao Yi has turned thirteen, he is becoming more and more like a little adult.

His face gradually lost its childishness. Because of years of martial arts training, his figure was more upright than that of children his age. His calm demeanor and clear speech made people ignore his hoarse voice, which was going through puberty. It felt like he was talking to a thoughtful and mature adult.

"Not only was there no danger, but we also ate a lot of special foods that we had never eaten before, and packed a lot to bring back to our parents."

After Xiao Liang finished speaking, Xiao Shan took out a pair of red strings from his pocket: "This is something we got for Father and Mother from a very effective matchmaking temple we passed by. Father, please put it on Mother, so that you two can be even sweeter and more loving!"

Children change every day during their growth period. In less than half a year after Mi Yao left home, she felt that all three children had changed.

Xiao Yi is more composed and reliable, Xiao Liang's belly is rounder, and Xiao Shan has grown quite a bit, his chubby face has become an oval face, making his round eyes appear more lively and prominent.

Mi Yao gently patted each of their heads.

"If you don't come soon, I'm afraid I'll forget what you look like."

"Mother will never forget that the three of us are the most beautiful children in the world, except for the younger brothers and sisters that Mother will have in the future."

As Xiao Shan spoke, he glanced at Mi Yao's still flat stomach.

It was obvious that her father was useless; her future younger siblings, who would be as good-looking as her, still hadn't arrived after more than half a year.

"Once you arrive, go and tidy up the house. If you need anything, report it to the steward of the manor."

Xiao Chuan interjected, and seeing that the three children could tidy themselves up on their own, he first took Mi Yao's arm and led her into the house.

As soon as Mi Yao and he entered the room, she pinched the tip of his ear.

"Didn't you hear what Xiao Liang and the others said? Nobody's going to take it from you. Don't act so childish."

Xiao Chuan hunched over and buried his head in Mi Yao's neck: "They think I don't know anything. They are using a feigned retreat to advance, so they are setting up a smokescreen to confuse me."

"Oh."

Mi Yao sneered, unsure how to comment on General Xiao's assessment of his own children.

“What do you think I am? They used to cling to me because they were still young. Now, except for you, who is like a baby who hasn’t been weaned and sticks to me as soon as you see me, the others aren’t as clingy.”

Mi Yao teased Xiao Chuan, who readily opened her clothes and said, "Indeed, you haven't been weaned."

Mi Yao: ...

The teasing was taken as an invitation, and Mi Yao waved her hands, trying to push away the shameless Xiao Chua, but an unweaned child is full of possessiveness for food that can fill his stomach.

Mi Yao's several acts of resistance were all suppressed.

Seeing that Xiao Chua wouldn't let go, she said speechlessly, "Have you had enough? Unless you tear off a piece of meat and chew it, no matter how hard you try, you won't get anything from this piece to fill your stomach."

Xiao Chuan took Mi Yao's reminder to heart, so the next moment he turned to the place where the liquid could come out, first gagging her mouth before going down.

In any case, whether it's black or white, it all sounds yellow to him.

He started getting distracted when she spoke in long sentences, unable to hear what she was saying, just staring at her mouth as if she was inviting a kiss, and now he's starting to interpret her words according to his own understanding.

I don't know if this counts as progress for him.

*

Whether it was a coincidence or not, Xiao Shan and his group arrived at the mansion on the day they arrived. Xiao Chuan stayed at the mansion for a few hours before leaving due to an urgent report.

The burning embrace that had been clinging to her disappeared, and the thought that Xiao Shan and the others had grown up and no longer longed to be close to adults made Mi Yao feel a sudden sense of loss.

In that instant, she felt Xiao Chu's longing for intimacy.

Emotions can be addictive. When you shut yourself off, you feel that emotions are the most useless thing, that they will only hurt you and become your weakness and burden.

Once you open your senses and begin to accept and respond, all those self-warnings will disappear, and you'll only want to take more.

It went from Xiao Chuan and Xiao Shan needing her to her needing them too.

As Mi Yao changed her clothes and composed herself, before she could go to find Xiao Shan and the others to see if they had truly grown up and no longer needed her, the door opened and Xiao Shan and Xiao Liang ran quickly into her arms.

"Father has finally gone out to work. Mother, I've missed you so much."

"Sigh, having such a childish father is such a hassle, it's a lot of trouble for us kids to coax him."

Xiao Liang sighed and then rubbed his cheek against Mi Yao's cheek with satisfaction, "Mother smells so good."

"Sister..."

Standing by the threshold, Yu Xiu looked at Mi Yao with a resentful expression.

Xiao Shan and the others were able to meet and exchange a few words with Mi Yao upon their arrival, but because she was afraid of Xiao Chuan, she had to go to her residence to pack first, and only then could she meet Mi Yao.

“I’ve never been separated from my older sister for so long.”

Yu Xiu stepped forward and hugged Mi Yao, just like Xiao Liang and the others. She was tall, and when she hugged Mi Yao, she also pulled Xiao Shan into her arms.

Xiao Shan grinned unhappily: "My aunt is so old, but she's getting smaller and smaller, acting like a little kid like us, hugging and cuddling."

“Who says only children can hug and cuddle? I am my elder sister’s younger sister. No matter how old I am, in my elder sister’s eyes I am no different from you. I can hug her too.”

When she was the same age as Xiao Yi, she felt like an adult. She even thought about how to have children to win favor, and how to teach her children, who were also born out of wedlock, to be good people.

Five years have passed, and she still feels like a young woman at her age, knowing nothing. Having children is a distant dream for her. Her current task is to compete with Xiao Shan and the others for her elder sister's favor.

"Sister, I miss you so much. Let's never be apart again."

“A day apart from Mother feels like three autumns. We haven’t seen each other for hundreds of years. From now on, wherever Mother goes, Shan’er will go.”

Xiao Shan pretended to cry.

"I want to stay with my mother forever."

Compared to the three who were acting coquettishly, Xiao Yi was much more reserved. He quietly watched them from the side. When Mi Yao's gaze fell on him, he raised his lips, his childish smile lacking the composure he showed when facing Xiao Chuan.

"Mother, all the delicious snacks we collected on the way are now displayed in the flower hall. Shall we go and try them?"

"good."

When Mi Yao spoke, I noticed that the corners of her mouth were also turned up quite a bit, and she was smiling with a satisfied expression. She probably looked a little silly, just like the children lying on her, but also very content and happy.