Chapter 35

In the study.

After listening to the cub's mother's wildly imaginative ideas, Xu Qingyan only asked one question: "Mom, was it Chengcheng who instigated you?"

Besides the younger brother He Nianzhu, the most troublesome person in this family is none other than the younger sister Xu Niancheng.

He didn't believe the cub's mother could react so precisely and so quickly.

Xu Yirou cleverly avoided her son's question, and stood on tiptoe, pitifully pleading, "My dear son, I don't want to die from beauty, I want to be beautiful, happy, and healthy."

Xu Qingyan said calmly, "Then Mom, I'll buy another alpaca to keep Meimei company."

Xu Yirou shook her head vigorously: "Meimei said it wants to be with Yangyang, and Yangyang is Meimei's older sister!"

How could an alpaca possibly talk?

"Mom, tell me honestly, do you want Meimei to have a companion, or do you want someone else to have a companion?" Xu Qingyan's unfathomable black eyes seemed to see through all her little thoughts. "You want to live with Paopao, right?"

"...I...I didn't." The baby's mother, her little scheme exposed, felt guilty for a moment, then her little brain seemed to remember something, and she immediately retorted confidently, "Big baby, don't you want to see Bubble Mommy?"

Xu Qingyan's lips twitched, and she said helplessly, "Mom, even if I were willing to go to Bubble Mom, she would never agree to let me move in."

If it were that simple, what's the big deal about him staying up all night to create a five-page plan?

Wouldn't that make us a laughing stock?

Xu Yirou's radiant face, full of collagen, showed a hint of disdain, and she gave a small snort: "How will you know if you don't try?"

"Da Bao, you've become a coward, Da Bao."

Xu Qingyan, feeling deeply despised by the cub's mother, rubbed his temples in pain.

Suddenly, he paused out of the corner of his eye and picked up the brightly lit phone on the table.

—Jiang Yan.

Xu Qingyan's calm eyes flickered with emotion, but he pressed the answer button without showing any change in expression. Jiang Yan's tired and helpless voice came from the receiver.

"Is it convenient for us to meet now?"

Xu Qingyan raised an eyebrow slightly: "Convenient."

"Then please send me your address," Jiang Yan said softly. "I'll bring Bubble over."

Jiang Yan, who had been avoiding him not long ago, surprisingly took the initiative to bring her daughter to his door to see him.

Xu Qingyan frowned, guessing that the other party might have encountered some tricky trouble.

After hanging up the phone, he told Xu Yirou that Paopao and her daughter would be coming to visit. As soon as Xu Yirou heard this, she immediately stopped crying and making a fuss.

When her best friend Bubble comes to visit for the first time, as the head of the household, she has to treat her well and make her feel the warmth of home.

So she ran back to her room with small, quick steps and rummaged through drawers and cabinets looking for toys.

*

Uncle Yun: "Madam, Young Master, Miss Jiang has arrived and is in the living room downstairs."

Xu Yirou, who had been waiting for a long time, cheered and dashed downstairs like a happy little butterfly, spreading her arms and running towards her good friend Bubble.

"Bubble!"

"Meat!"

Xu Yirou stopped in her tracks, tilted her head and looked around for a moment, then her face showed an anxious expression: "Bubble, are you crying?"

Her puffy eyes were red and swollen, her round and pert nose was tinged with peach color, and her long and thick eyelashes were wet. It was obvious that she had been crying.

"I'm fine." Bubble clutched a tissue and rubbed her nose. "Grandma said that if Yangyang, an alpaca, gets unhappy, he'll easily get sick, and if he gets sick, he won't eat or drink, and then he'll die."

“I know Yangyang wants to see Meimei, so he asked his mother to bring me to your house.”

“Meimei also told me that it misses Yangyang.” Xu Yirou pouted, the two little ones looking quite pitiful, like two people in the same boat. “But Dabao doesn’t want to take me to find you, boohoo.”

"My mom is the same, waaaaaah..."

The two cubs burst into tears at the drop of a hat, hugging each other and crying loudly. It was so cute!

Xu Qingyan & Jiang Yan: ...

Jiang Yan interrupted, "Baby, don't cry. Yangyang is still in the car. You and Rou Rou should go and bring it in first."

"What? Yangyang's here?"

Xu Yirou, who was crying halfway, peeked out like a blade of grass, her eyes wide as if she had heard heavenly music.

Bubble's emoji lit up like a light bulb: "Yes, yes, Yangyang is in another car. Let's go pick Yangyang up."

As soon as I turned around, Yangyang had already been taken out of the car by the driver, and the maid was pulling it in by the leash around its neck.

*

Inside the study on the second floor.

As the saying goes, "things reflect their owner," and the study, from its decor to its furnishings, is as elegant and tasteful as Xu Qingyan herself.

On the table sits a white porcelain vase, its texture as clear as jade; a single flower inserted into it would add a touch of vibrant color to the study.

The woman with a graceful figure sat elegantly, her expression a half-smile, her tone languid: "Mr. Xu, are you scared? So yesterday's threats were just to scare me."

Xu Qingyan narrowed his eyes slightly, his magnetic and clear voice carrying a hint of seduction: "There are many rooms in the house, why don't you and Paopao stay here?"

Jiang Yan laughed in anger and said coldly, "Why should my daughter and I, who have no official status, stay? Where did President Xu learn to be shameless?"

Xu Qingyan wasn't annoyed at all. He raised an eyebrow slightly and uttered a low syllable: "I can give you a title. Let's get married."

"...Are you crazy?"

"What do you think?" Xu Qingyan leaned in forcefully. "I can't accept my child calling someone else 'Dad,' nor can I accept you dating other men. If nothing unexpected happens, I will become a stumbling block in your romantic life."

"The only way to get rid of me, this stumbling block, is to marry me."

"Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Xu Qingyan suddenly wrapped his arms around her slender waist, his voice low, cool, and languid. "Jiang Yan, marry me."

After five years apart, the once-naive young man was now brimming with the hormones of a mature man, as alluring and powerful as the pheromones released by an Alpha. Jiang Yan was almost captivated by him.

"Why me?" She bit her tongue, trying to stay calm, and asked with a composed expression, "Where is Rou Rou's mother?"

Xu Qingyan was clearly taken aback, then suddenly laughed.

Jiang Yan frowned subconsciously and grabbed his collar unhappily: "What are you laughing at?"

Even a lamb waiting to be slaughtered has the right to struggle.

Xu Qingyan's expression remained calm and composed, but his deep black eyes held an unprecedented mix of emotions: "Jiang Yan, I never joke. Rou Rou isn't my child, but—"

“I am her child.”

"She is my mother."

"My mom turned back into a four-year-old."

...

Jiang Yan's brow twitched, and she barely suppressed the urge to turn around and leave.

This man... is seriously ill and unreasonable.

What does it mean to revert to the appearance of a four-year-old? A perfectly good love story suddenly turns into a mystical one.

Is it fun to mess with her? Does she seem stupid and easily fooled?

Her good manners prevented her from uttering any foul language, and the man's tall stature and well-developed muscles also deterred her from slapping him.

Jiang Yan sneered, "You bastard, do you think I'm a three-year-old?"

I'm so angry, I really can't stand it.

Xu Qingyan didn't explain, but pulled her straight out of the room without saying a word: "If you don't believe me, then go see someone you can believe."

He held her hand tightly and firmly, and no matter how she tried, she couldn't break free.

"You scoundrel, you beast," Jiang Yan muttered under her breath.

The two walked through corridor after corridor, and then stopped in front of an antique carved door. Xu Qingyan bent his fingers and tapped it twice.

"grandmother."

Qiao Wen's voice came from inside: "Come in."

Jiang Yan's palms inexplicably started sweating.

The voice I'd only heard on TV news was just a wall away from hers. Without the added layer of media packaging, Qiao Wen's voice was more three-dimensional and clear, and also colder and more imposing.

The moment I looked up, the carved wooden door made a soft sound, and the exquisite aroma of tea wafted over.

A figure sat behind the thin wisp of tea smoke, like a fairy mist.

Xu Qingyan held her hand the whole time, walking step by step to sit down in front of Qiao Wen. With a blank expression, he spoke calmly:

"Grandma, this is Jiang Yan, my fiancée."

Jiang Yan, who was completely unprepared, froze in shock.

She suddenly thought of the Mary Sue dramas she had filmed in her early years. Usually, the male and female leads would confront their elders right away and not pretend at all. The two of them would go through countless trials and tribulations before finally getting together.

Eighty-one tribulations...

Jiang Yan was stunned. Sure enough, men only slowed down her earning speed.

Based on her experience dealing with wealthy young men, she was certain that Qiao Wen would not accept her, especially a top-tier wealthy family like the Xu family, which places great importance on matching social status and wealth; only socialites and heiresses would catch their eye.

Jiang Yan, who was well aware of this principle and quite self-aware, did not want to face the storm from Qiao Wen. She was determined to draw a clear line between herself and Xu Qingyan in front of Qiao Wen.

"Okay, I understand."

"..."

Jiang Yan could feel a gaze that carried no scrutiny as it swept over her. She bit her lower lip; it seemed to be different from what she had expected.

Xu Qingyan carefully chose her words: "Grandma, I would like to ask you to testify for me that the four-year-old child in the family is my mother, not my daughter."

Qiao Wen glanced at Jiang Yan, who looked completely bewildered: "Is it because of your fiancée?"

"Yes, Grandma."

Qiao Wen nodded knowingly, asked no more questions, and casually instructed the maid beside her, "Have Madam come up here."

A moment later, strong, thumping footsteps were heard, followed by a baby's voice, sweeter than juice: "Mama!"

Jiang Yan clearly saw that Qiao Wen's perpetually icy expression, as cold as a snow-capped mountain, softened slightly.

She opened her arms and let the little dumpling hug her tightly.

"Mom, do you miss me?" Xu Yirou nuzzled Qiao Wen with her soft cheeks like a kitten.

Qiao Wen smiled and gave a slight "hmm".

"I knew it!" Xu Yirou touched her face with her small, tender hand, her eyes as bright as jewels. "I miss Mommy too. Rou Rou will take Mommy to meet my good friend Bubble. Bubble is so nice, you'll definitely like her too."

Xu Qingyan: "Mom, why don't you miss me?"

Xu Yirou, engrossed in cuddling and kissing Qiao Wen, barely managed to spare a moment, replying rather perfunctorily, "Ah, I'll think about it, I'll think about it."

Jiang Yan paused abruptly. He actually called Rou Rou "Mom"?

Deeply shocked, Jiang Yan was in a state of confusion.

The interactions between the three were so natural and real; they acted like mother and daughter when they should have, and like mother and son when they should have...

Xu Qingyan squatted down and said gently and solemnly, "Mom, I have good news to tell you. I plan to marry Bubble Mom. Do you agree?"

Xu Yirou's eyes suddenly lit up, and she covered her mouth in surprise, blinking her round almond-shaped eyes.

"Really, Da Bao?" She threw herself into Xu Qingyan's arms, but her eyes were fixed on Jiang Yan. "Auntie, oh no... Goose wife! Goose wife, are you going to marry my Da Bao?!"

My heart is pounding.

Jiang Yan was still reeling from the shock of them being mother and son when the cub's comment about being a goose wife left her speechless.

"Goose wife~" Xu Yirou changed positions with a clattering sound, jumping around happily and expectantly, "I have so many beautiful treasures, I'll give them all to you! Thank you for taking my darling away, hehe!!"

“…No need.” Jiang Yan coughed lightly, unsure whether to call her Rou Rou or Auntie.

The little girl she used to call Rou Rou, her daughter's best friend, turns out to be her ex-boyfriend's mother.

Is there anything more outrageous and absurd in the world?

Xu Qingyan's pale, jade-like fingers gripped her wrist as she met his eyes, which held a hint of a smile: "Grandma and Mom both agree, can we get married now?"

"...Isn't this a bit too hasty?" Jiang Yan replied reluctantly. "Marriage is a serious matter and shouldn't be taken lightly."

His four-year-old mother is one thing, but does that mean the old lady agreed?

There was none of the haughtiness and arrogance of a wealthy wife.

They didn't make things difficult for her, nor did they try to intimidate her. They didn't even inquire about her basic family situation. Their 'kindness' was unbelievable to her.

Qiao Wen stated earnestly: "That's right. My suggestion is for both sets of parents to meet and discuss the marriage arrangements, and then choose an auspicious day to register the marriage and hold the wedding banquet."

Xu Yirou clapped her hands so hard they almost fell apart: "Yay, yay! We can eat the feast of the goose and its wife!"

She hadn't eaten at a banquet in a long time and had almost forgotten what it tasted like.

Jiang Yan came here only to appease her daughter and take Yangyang back to the Xu family. She didn't expect to get the mother and daughter involved, and she also didn't expect to learn a shocking secret.

Turning around and leaving is clearly inappropriate.

But marriage was never in her plans, so she said indirectly, "I need to go home and discuss it with my parents."

The Xu family naturally had no objections.

Jiang Yan emerged from the tea room in a daze, with Xu Qingyan keeping an arm's length distance from her.

Once they reached a secluded corner, Jiang Yan couldn't hold back any longer and pressed, "Is Rou Rou really your mother?"

Xu Qingyan hummed in agreement: "She is my mother."

Before returning to China, Jiang Yan had heard some rumors about his family and found it hard to believe that a terminally ill adult woman would suddenly turn back into a cub.

But she understood Xu Qingyan and knew that he had no reason to fabricate an easily exposed lie just to coax her into marriage.

The fact that two little figures are fighting and pulling at each other in her mind is a sign of her inner turmoil.

Xu Qingyan did not take the opportunity to pressure her, but gave her three days to consider.

Why three days?

"Today is Sunday. We'll get our marriage certificate on Thursday, have the wedding banquet on Friday, and the Civil Affairs Bureau will be closed for the weekend." The arrangements are very well-organized.

Since the matter was still far from being settled, Jiang Yan was too lazy to argue with him.

"That Rou Rou..." She paused, realizing she couldn't call her Rou Rou due to the generational difference, so she awkwardly changed the subject: "Is Auntie's illness better?"

Based on our interactions over this period of time, Rou Rou is an exceptionally healthy and lively child.

But she wanted to get the most accurate answer from Xu Qingyan.

Xu Qingyan composed himself and said seriously, "That's right, she's cured and is very healthy now."

*

Yangyang wore a red collar around her neck and a shiny gold name tag below it. She walked around with her head held high, gesturing as if surveying her territory.

In just one day, she went from an ordinary working woman to a glamorous imperial concubine.

Compared to the still simple and plain Meimei, Xu Yirou couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, feeling that she had wronged Meimei.

The beautiful sisters, Meimei and Yangyang, were overjoyed to see each other again after only one day. They immediately broke into a tap dance, rubbing their heads and necks together vigorously.

The moans had a more tender, lingering quality, and her large, dark eyes were wet, as if she were about to cry.

The cubs have strong senses, and Xu Yirou and Bubble are very happy about their reunion.

Each of the two puppies held one in her arms. Xu Yirou stroked Meimei's head and made soft, babyish "ooh ooh ooh" sounds to comfort it and stop it from crying.

"Don't cry, Meimei. Mommy will also give you a gold necklace, gold bracelet, and a princess crown."

She dashed upstairs like the wind and came down just as fast, dragging and pulling a small pink suitcase along with her.

The moment the suitcase was opened, Bubble let out a loud "Wow!"

"Meatball, are these all your treasures? There are so many."

"Not much, not much at all," Xu Yirou waved her hand modestly. "I have many more rooms. I'll take you to my room later to pick out what you like; it'll be a gift for you~"

"Mmm!" Bubble looked on expectantly.

Uncle Yun looked at the two little girls sitting on the ground with incredibly gentle eyes, and sighed from the bottom of his heart that the cubs were indeed a source of joy, and that laughter would follow wherever the cubs were.

"Now let's dress up Yangyang and Meimei into a beautiful sheep princess."

At this moment, Yangyang and Meimei were unaware of what was about to happen, and obediently lay on the soft carpet licking each other's fur.

The small suitcase was fully stocked. Xu Yirou and Paopao lay there picking and choosing, their strange and wonderful ideas flowing freely as they eagerly designed shapes for the items.

Xu Yirou first took out a pink headband with lace trim, rested it against Meimei's neck to compare the size, and found it to be just right.

He nodded with satisfaction, "It looks good, it looks good. Let's tie it on."

Bubble took out a pink pearl necklace and exclaimed, "What huge pearls! They're bigger than my eyes!" She put it around Yangyang's neck.

Next up are hair clips. Yangyang's hair looks short, but it's just a visual illusion caused by curling it up. The hair is thick and long, so it can not only be used to wear hair clips, but also to tie small braids.

But now Xu Yirou relies on her son and daughter to braid her hair, which makes things easier for Paopao. She can just comb her short curly hair a couple of times before going out, so neither of her kids knows how to braid their hair.

The kids who gave up wearing pigtails didn't give up on having fun.

In less than half an hour, two alpacas, each less than a meter tall and seventy or eighty centimeters long, had their snow-white fur adorned with all sorts of oddly shaped and adorable hair clips.

The cubs' aesthetic sense is simple and crude: the brighter and more vibrant the color, the more beautiful it is.

So, Meimei not only underwent a makeover, but also got to experience applying makeup in front of the mirror.

"Rou Rou, your eyebrows are drawn too curved. They should be flatter to look good."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Look at me." Bubble carefully drew two thick Crayon Shin-chan eyebrows. "Do you understand? It's that simple. This is called Korean-style flat eyebrows. All the older girls like to wear them. It's very popular."

“(⊙o⊙)…Bubble, you’ll definitely be a painter when you grow up.”

Bubble: "Hehe."

Hsu Yi-jou: "I'm done drawing."

"So fast!" Bubble looked over curiously, then immediately corrected with a serious face, "It's too easy. You haven't done a lot of makeup yet. Look, you should add some more shimmery powder here."

Hsu Yi-jou earnestly asked, "Why do you need to add glittery powder?"

Bubble recalled, "Because it could brighten things up."

My mom likes to watch makeup videos. She would secretly watch them and hear the makeup instructors in the videos saying things like, "Applying certain powders will make you brighter, and they can even build some kind of building on the ground." Anyway, they said it would make you the brightest spot in the crowd.

So she wanted to make Yangyang and Meimei become third wheels as well.

Not long ago, the two little alpacas were clean and white, but now each of them has three sparkling rhinestones stuck between their eyebrows, two blouses of rose pink blush on each of their classic oval faces, and two crooked eyebrows above their big, bright eyes.

The two kids admired the stunning makeup and styling they had created themselves.

"It's done! Let's call this 'Alpaca Spring Peach Blossom Makeup'~ Yay!" Bubble came up with a name on a whim.

Xu Yirou, who can barely read: Teacher Bubble is so amazing and professional!

They can't just admire it themselves; the alpaca involved needs to admire its new self as well.

Thinking about it, Xu Yirou led Meimei to the dressing room, and Yangyang followed her in automatically.

"Meimei, Yangyang, look~ isn't it beautiful?"

Standing in the walk-in closet surrounded by mirrors, the adorable Meimei Yangyang was so startled when she saw herself in the mirror that she leaned back in fright, her eyes wide like saucers.

Hmm, who is this?!

Hmm, it's me?!

Chew, chew, chew, where's my snow-white fur?!

Chew, chew, chew, I'm not clean anymore!

The two-legged cubs beside them were waving their arms and legs and chattering excitedly.

Yangyang and Meimei's little brains started working, and they discovered that the two-legged cubs had been fiddling with them, but because it didn't hurt, they hadn't paid any attention.

"Bubble, look how happy Meimei and Yangyang are! They're saying thank you to us!" Xu Yirou excitedly told Bubble. "They love dressing up like this!"

This time, the stylist, Bubble, proudly puffed out her chest: "Of course, my mom is a big star, I know much more than this. Just you wait and see, next time I will dress them up even more beautifully."

The two cubs happily flattered each other, unaware that the sheep's anger level was rising steadily.

Give me back my white fur—

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

Icy, foul-smelling saliva sprayed onto the faces of the two children.

Xu Yirou & Bubble: ": "

Xu Yirou stared blankly at the drool on her forehead.

"Ha!"

*Smack*, another bite.

Xu Yirou looked at the culprit in disbelief.

"Ha!"

Bubble cried out, "Yangyang spat on me! Ugh~ It stinks!"

The two cubs, stunned by the spittle, panicked and ran away, only to be chased by the usually docile and adorable alpaca.

The four little hooves clattered and ran very fast. How could a two-legged cub outrun a four-legged cub? The cub was so frightened that it cried and squeaked.

"Waaaaah!! Help!! Meimei, don't chase me!"

"Yangyang, stop throwing up! Waaah, my new clothes!"

"Help! Waaaaaah! Meimei has gone crazy!"

Xu Yirou and Paopao's terrified cries immediately attracted Uncle Yun and the servants.

When everyone saw that the once delicate baby had become disheveled and covered in dirt, with two brightly colored alpacas following closely behind, they immediately understood what was going on.

Unable to suppress her laughter, the maid quickly lowered her head and went through all the sad things on her mind.

Yunbo decisively stepped forward to block the two children, waved Yangyangmei away, and the servant took the opportunity to hug the alpaca, thus rescuing Xu Yirou and Paopao.

When the adults rushed downstairs, they saw two terrified children, their eyes filled with tears and hiccups.

Jiang Yan asked anxiously, "What's wrong with the baby?"

Xu Qingyan and his sister, along with Qiao Wen, also came over to check on Xu Yirou's condition.

"Waaaaah, Yangyang and Meimei are sick... Please call a doctor quickly." Xu Yirou cried uncontrollably, feeling extremely guilty. "It must be because I didn't take good care of them...it."

"Mommy, Yangyang spat at me, and Meimei spat at Rou Rou." Bubble, who was older, hugged her mother and gradually calmed down. "Do they have mad cow disease?"

They had seen all the medical reports when the two alpacas were delivered, and there were absolutely no problems.

Alpacas spitting is considered a closely guarded secret skill, used specifically to deal with unfortunate individuals they dislike or who anger them.

Uncle Yun stepped forward and said, "The two alpacas must be angry, that's why they were spitting at the two young ladies."

After saying that, the maid, who was holding Yangyang Meimei, consciously stepped forward.

Only then did everyone notice the 'tragic' state of the two alpacas...

"..."

The adults were speechless with embarrassment, and remained silent for a long time.

Xu Yirou gnawed on her nails, her eyes blank: "Angry? Is it because they played with us for too long and got tired, so they're angry?"

Bubble chimed in confidently, "That must be it. These kids have quite a temper. Looks like I'll have to prepare some delicious food for Meimei and Yangyang from now on, then they won't get angry."

Don't let it happen again; if it happens again, you won't be able to avoid it.

An alpaca's spit can reach a range of three meters.

Let them go; they're still babies.

Xu Niancheng wiped the mother cub's forehead and face with a wet wipe, suppressing a laugh as she asked, "Is it possible that they're not tired, but simply can't accept themselves after changing their clothes?"

Just like with Huazhuang, let alone looking beautiful, if anyone dares to mess with her face like that, she can twist their head off on the spot and use it as a stool.

Sigh, Xu Niancheng was very worried. Even though her mother had shrunk, how could her aesthetic sense have degenerated to that of a wild man?

Xu Yirou pondered her daughter's words.

Styling director Bubble jumped in to refute: "Impossible!"

The adults waited with great interest for what would follow.

Bubble was a little proud and smug: "Because my mom taught me how to do makeup, and all my sisters love wearing this kind of makeup!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Yan froze on the spot.

"Does my sister-in-law like this kind of makeup?" Xu Niancheng scratched her head, glanced at it cautiously, but couldn't tell at all.

It's quite niche.

Jiang Yan: "..." She's not, she didn't.

Silently repeat "I gave birth to you" three times.

“Baby, you can’t just put makeup on animals. Animal skin is different from ours, and makeup can harm them,” Jiang Yan continued expressionlessly. “Besides, Mommy didn’t teach you how to do makeup. Where did you learn? Were you playing on your tablet?”

Bubble's eyes darted around, pretending not to understand, and she muttered to herself, "A good child knows when to correct their mistakes. I want to apologize to Yangyang and never draw faces on Yangyang again."

Upon learning the truth, Xu Yirou let out a sob.

Facing Meimei's direction, she made a gesture resembling Xi Shi clutching her heart: "Meimei! I'm sorry, I'm not a good mommy, hit me, scold me!"

"Please don't spit on me anymore, waaaaah."

He broke down and screamed.

"I don't want to save face anymore!"