Life settled down, and the child grew up day by day, transforming from a little monkey into a chubby little darling, so adorable that everyone wanted to cuddle him. But sometimes, this love felt too heavy.

When both children needed to be carried by Liu Huan alone, she finally felt the legendary iron-willed maternal love. Holding one child in each armpit, she felt capable again.

Qiu Rong: "Master, it's time to eat. Let me feed Miss."

When the baby was six months old, Liu Huan weaned him. She bought a cow that had just given birth from the cattle market, milked it every day, processed the milk for them to drink, and mixed it with rice cereal and egg yolks. The two children ate it happily.

Qiu Rong and Qiu Ju had just finished feeding An Zhi when the little chubby boy started to misbehave, grabbing at his food and getting it all over his clothes, hands, and face. So, each time they fed him, someone had to hold his hand.

This made Anran in Liu Huan's arms seem much quieter. She sat in Liu Huan's lap without moving. She would eat whatever was scooped for her, barely touching the bowl with her hands. Her big, grape-like eyes blinked, and her little mouth ate the porridge whole, which made Liu Huan's maternal love overflow.

"No need, she's so well-behaved, I'll feed her."

Liu Huan felt that her daughter was her warm little cotton-padded jacket, soft, cute and adorable.

She'll definitely raise me into a little lady... The imagination is beautiful, but the reality is bleak.

Her little cotton-padded jacket had started leaking air at some point, and it was so bad that it couldn't be patched up anymore.

Since the age of three, An Ran has awakened her "older sister" skills. She dares to argue with the older children in the village, thinking that others are afraid to hit her, but in reality, others give in to her because they think she is cute.

Several times, the other woman's mother came to complain, causing Liu Huan to lose face.

Enraged, Liu Huan roared like a dragon, disregarding her image: "How many times have I told you, if you're going out to play, then go out to play! Why are you pushing people like that, and even pushing them into the mud?"

The little girl tilted her head back and pouted, complaining, "Who told him to pull my hair? What an annoying brat!"

"Naughty child" was Liu Huan's favorite word when scolding her, and she learned it very well.

Liu Huan was also helpless. Her daughter was too cute for her to control. She didn't know why, but An Ran's hair was naturally curly. When she didn't tie it up, it was a fluffy head. When she did tie it up, it looked like a typical doll with her chubby face.

But she was born with a domineering personality, which Liu Huan felt definitely didn't come from her; she was so well-behaved and adorable as a child, loved by everyone...

In contrast, her mischievous one- or two-year-old son is now unusually quiet, leading her to seriously suspect that he has been possessed or has also traveled through time.

Liu Huan compromised, saying, "Then don't play with him anymore. He can't stand losing and he always complains. His mother has come several times already."

An Ran sighed like a little adult, "I told him he's a tagalong and he still follows me around, there's nothing I can do about it."

When Ermo returned from herding the cattle, he was heartbroken to see her innocent appearance. "What happened? Who bullied you?"

Seeing that her support had arrived, An Ran tried to squeeze out her tears, "Uncle, that little Mu Zi from the village pulled my braid and made me get scolded by my mother. I'm innocent."

Ermo picked up his precious baby and coaxed her, saying he would help her teach that little brat a lesson another day, and that the child was still young, etc. He slowly took the rattan cane from Liu Huan's hand and threw it far away.

Liu Huan wasn't really disciplining the child; she was just putting on an act.

If a bratty kid who's a year older than her daughter keeps pulling her hair and gets scolded by her, and she still hits the kid without even asking what happened, what kind of person would she be?

The thought of her daughter eventually growing up and facing more and more challenges made her feel overwhelmed.

"Ermo, why don't you take the two kids out for some exercise? It'll save them from having nothing to do all day."

Ermo was naturally delighted. "Okay, sister, I will definitely teach them how to protect themselves so that those scoundrels won't dare to bully them."

Liu Huan said, "I didn't say that, you said it yourself."

After Liu Huan left, An Ran whispered in Er Mo's ear, "Uncle, I know that Mother is afraid that I will be bullied by others."

Liu Huan called from inside the house, "Liu Anran, come and take a bath! Look how dirty you are! Can't you learn from your brother?"

"Can't you learn from your brother?" Anran shook her head and babbled. Ermo found it amusing. "Go quickly, or your mother will beat you again."

Anran nimbly climbed off Ermo, saying, "Uncle, I'm leaving. I won't give Mother a chance to hit me."

She's furious during the day, but at night, watching her daughter sleep soundly, she's filled with love. These adorable children are hers, and she has two of them!

...

The Su family in the capital

Today is the wedding day of the third master of the Su family. He is marrying Qi Yuechan, the daughter of the great general who protects the country.

The two had liked each other for two years, but Madam Qi refused to agree to it no matter what.

Firstly, Su Cheng comes from the countryside, and she was married into the Qi family, who also came from the countryside, and now the family is in turmoil.

Secondly, Su Yi's affair was widely publicized at the time. He abandoned his fiancée as soon as he gained power, and as his brother, Madam Qi naturally categorized the two of them together.

Thirdly, Su Cheng was a military general, and she knew the hardships behind being a woman of a military general. Whenever Yi was fighting, she would worry day and night and couldn't sleep. She didn't want her daughter to follow in her footsteps.

All of these factors hit her sore spots.

After realizing his own feelings for her, Su Cheng worked hard for two years to win the heart of his beloved, finally getting Madam Qi to agree to let his daughter marry him again.

The grand procession of the bride and groom, with drums and gongs filling the air and a red procession stretching for miles, the wedding of the daughter of the great general who protected the nation, and even the ailing emperor sending the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to offer their congratulations, demonstrates just how much attention was being paid to the occasion.

Su's parents had long ago said that Su Cheng didn't need to invite them to his wedding; they could just bring his wife back to visit when they had time.

So today, the elders are still Qi's parents, which makes Madam Qi very satisfied. The two elders of the Su family don't live with them, and the young couple lives their own lives. With the Qi family's help, life couldn't be more comfortable.

After the wedding ceremony, the couple was led to their bridal chamber, and Su Yi witnessed the entire lively scene.

He saw Su Cheng's genuine smile as he toasted the guests, and the day of his wedding kept replaying in his mind.

He was just as happy and expectant that day, looking forward to lifting the veil and seeing the bride he had been longing for; it felt like he had won the whole world.

"Second brother, second brother, what are you thinking about?"

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw his younger brother standing in front of him, holding a wine glass, waiting for his blessing.

Su Yi smiled and said, "I was just thinking about something. Congratulations to my brother for getting what he wanted."

Su Cheng, like a shy young boy, downed his drink in one gulp and grinned so wide you could see his back teeth: "Thank you for your blessing, Second Brother."

The wedding lasted until late at night before it ended. Su Yi shielded Su Cheng from a lot of drinks, just like Su Cheng shielded him from drinks on his wedding day.

I returned to the courtyard in a daze and bumped into someone.

In a daze, the woman in front of him overlapped with the face in his mind, her face showing obvious resentment, as if accusing him of drinking so much.

"Lord Su?"

"Huanhuan, you're back?"

The woman visibly stiffened for a moment, then followed Su Yi's words and said, "My lord, I'm back. Let me help you inside."