Chapter 354| Chapter 355| Chapter 356
Chapter 354: The Entire Army is Investigated
At eleven months old, it was the perfect time to start correcting Yi Yi’s temper. If a child pushes boundaries once and notices you don’t react, they will surely do it a second time, constantly testing your limits. Food was incredibly precious in this era. To not only refuse to eat but to willfully spill it demanded a proper lesson. Sheng Wanyan had realized that Yi Yi was a remarkably sharp child; if she didn’t establish firm rules now, there would be endless trouble down the road.
“I only wish the fourth child’s family could raise their boy as well as you do,” Mother Gu sighed.
Wang Chunmei doted on her son to a fault, giving him whatever he demanded. Even when the boy did something wrong, she always managed to find a way to blame someone else. If the toddler tripped and fell, she would blame the floor for being uneven and causing her precious son to stumble.
“There must be boundaries,” Father Gu interjected firmly. “The children of the Gu family cannot grow up to be the type who only know how to run crying to their parents the moment something goes wrong.”
Sheng Wanyan could clearly sense that her parents-in-law were deeply dissatisfied with Wang Chunmei, but that drama had nothing to do with her.
“Yan’er, I’ve already dispatched specialized teams to search the entire river basin for the third brother,” Father Gu said, his tone softening as he turned back to her. “I believe we will have news soon.”
The primary reason Father Gu had traveled north was to personally oversee the search for Gu Tingxiao, and to give Sheng Wanyan some absolute reassurance. No matter what the outcome—whether he was alive or dead—they would find him.
“Dad, I understand.”
Sheng Wanyan knew exactly why the Commander-in-Chief had carved time out of his grueling schedule to visit the Bing City base. He had come to give her an account of the situation, and to place the full weight of his authority behind her. He wanted to ensure that no one on this base would look at Gu Tingxiao’s absence and think they could bully a lone mother and her child.
“I’m glad you understand,” Father Gu nodded. “The military administration will deliver a thorough resolution regarding today’s incident very soon.”
The Du family, the Liang family, and Liang Qian would not be escaping the consequences.
Sheng Wanyan remained quiet. In truth, even if Father Gu hadn’t arrived today, she would have found a way to ensure Liang Qian vanished from the family quarters permanently. As for the rest of the Du family and Chief of Staff Liang, as long as their records were clean, they had no reason to fear a military investigation.
Sheng Wanyan hadn’t expected the investigation to yield results so rapidly. Within a short time, several typed pages detailing the crimes of Liang Qian and Captain Du were laid across Father Gu’s desk.
The files revealed that during her tenure with the military art troupe, Liang Qian had systematically weaponized her family’s political background to suppress her colleagues. She had once gone so far as to secretly place sharp nails inside the dance shoes of a fellow performer. The poor woman had suffered a severe foot injury, robbing her of a critical showcase performance. Worse yet, the structural damage to her foot never properly healed, permanently destroying her physical foundation and ensuring she could never dance again for the rest of her life.
Liang Qian had resorted to such vicious sabotage because, after Pan Yue stepped down due to pregnancy, the coveted center stage position had been awarded to that particular young woman. Refusing to accept the artistic director’s decision, Liang Qian had orchestrated the trap.
The investigation unearthed numerous other instances where she had abused her family’s status to terrorize others. She routinely targeted female comrades within the troupe, occasionally coordinating group harassment. In one of the most severe instances, she and her cronies had cornered a performer inside the restrooms, forcibly stripping off her clothes to humiliate her. When the victim attempted to report the assault to the leadership, Liang Qian threatened her directly, stating that if she dared utter a single word, her father would ensure she lost her livelihood. Terrified of Chief of Staff Liang’s immense political leverage, the victims had been forced to swallow their trauma in silence.
These revelations alone were more than enough to dismantle Liang Qian’s life, but the search into Captain Du yielded far less. Aside from his previously disciplined incident of attempting to steal credit, Captain Du’s record was relatively clean. For all his glaring selfishness and personal flaws, his loyalty to the regiment and his military duties remained genuine.
The findings on Chief of Staff Liang, however, were truly fascinating, bringing a slight wave of surprise to Sheng Wanyan. Though Chief of Staff Liang had failed miserably when it came to educating his daughter, his professional record was remarkably unsoiled by financial corruption. The family could have survived this storm in relative peace, but Father Gu’s investigators discovered that he had repeatedly used his office to bury Liang Qian’s criminal misconduct.
The incidents involving the nails in the dance shoes and the systemic assault of the troupe performers had all been successfully suppressed because Chief of Staff Liang had used his ranking position to terrorize the investigators. Out of blind devotion to his daughter, he had compromised his own integrity to insulate her from the law.
Though he had recently severed public ties with Liang Qian after she failed to meet his expectations, the administration could not simply erase his past transgressions. Using high-ranking military office to intimidate subordinates and suppress criminal evidence was a textbook case of abusing power for personal gain.
Father Gu sat rigidly behind his heavy desk, reviewing the compiled evidence with a dark scowl, while Political Commissar Xie stood off to the side, scarcely daring to draw a breath. He was genuinely horrified to discover the systemic rot that had been festering in the dark corners of the unit he managed.
“Hmph! What an arrogant, untouchable Liang family!” Father Gu roared, slamming the documents onto the polished wood. “The daughter systematically ruins the lives of innocent young women, and the Chief of Staff stands right behind her, handing her the blade!”
The shouting echoed through the office, leaving the sub-officers entirely paralyzed with fear.
“Political Commissar Xie, how do you propose we handle this?”
“Naturally… they must be dealt with to the absolute full extent of military law,” Political Commissar Xie stammered, straightening his spine.
“Then why are you still standing in my office? Move!”
“Yes, Sir!”
Political Commissar Xie immediately organized a detachment of armed guards and marched directly to the Liang residence, taking Chief of Staff Liang and his wife into custody for immediate interrogation.
Chief of Staff Liang had been gripped by a persistent sense of dread ever since Father Gu’s unannounced arrival the previous day. From the exact moment he discovered that the Commander-in-Chief was Sheng Wanyan’s father-in-law, he realized a thorough auditing of his household was inevitable.
Liang’s mother dissolved into a panicked fit of hysterics, weeping loudly as the guards crossed their threshold.
“Look at the magnificent daughter you’ve raised!” Chief of Staff Liang snarled at his wife, his hands shaking with pure, unadulterated fury. He felt entirely bitter; his daughter’s entitlement had been fostered by his wife’s endless coddling. Now, his own distinguished career and the future prospects of his sons were being thoroughly annihilated by Liang Qian’s stupidity.
Liang’s mother could do nothing but sob into her hands. She had no idea her daughter would be foolish enough to provoke Sheng Wanyan again, having completely discarded the brutal lesson from their previous altercation.
“Chief of Staff Liang, please come with us quietly,” the commanding guard instructed.
Chief of Staff Liang closed his eyes in grim resignation. He knew that this time, the curtain had officially fallen. Every cover-up and abuse of power he had executed over the years had undoubtedly been brought to light. What awaited him now was a merciless court-martial. Broken-spirited, he allowed the guards to lead him and his weeping wife out of the residential building.
A massive crowd of neighbors from the tube-shaped apartment buildings gathered in the courtyard to watch the spectacle, whispering frantically among themselves. After a bit of discreet probing, word quickly spread that Liang Qian’s malicious behavior had brought total ruin upon her household.
“I heard the Commander-in-Chief himself is Captain Gu’s biological father!”
“Liang Qian actually had the audacity to curse the Commander-in-Chief’s granddaughter as a jinx. She’s completely done for now.”
As the crowd gossiped, the military wife who had accepted the ten-yuan bribe from Liang Qian stood at the very back of the throng. Hearing the murmurs, the color drained from her face, leaving her trembling with fear. Would this disaster spill over onto her husband’s career? If she had known she was stepping into a political minefield, she never would have let her greed blind her for a measly ten yuan.
“Comrade, please step forward and come with us,” a firm voice called out behind her.
Her worst fears materialized instantly as a pair of guards escorted her out of the crowd.
Watching another neighbor get detained, the onlookers broke into a fresh wave of hushed speculation. It was right around dinner time, and the courtyard had turned into an absolute circus. With so many individuals being hauled away in a single sweep, a tense, suffocating anxiety began to settle over the entire base.
“I heard the leadership is running a comprehensive audit on every single household,” a woman whispered.
Hearing this, many of the military wives felt their hearts skip a beat. They worried that a sweeping purge was underway. Liang Qian hadn’t just destroyed her own family; her stupidity had triggered a domino effect that threatened to implicate everyone. In a community composed entirely of officer dependents, it was common practice to casually utilize familial connections to secure minor privileges or perks. If the high command intended to scrutinize every minor infraction with absolute rigidity, every household on the base was bound to suffer.
Chapter 355: The Dust Settles
“That absolute menace, Liang Qian!” one woman hissed.
“Now everyone is being audited,” another groaned, wringing her hands. “If my husband’s career gets derailed because of this, I might as well throw myself in the river!”
A suffocating panic gripped the entire base. Those with something to hide were sick with anxiety, while the few with completely clean records simply sat back to watch the drama unfold.
Amid the chaos, Mother Sheng and Mother Gu headed into the city on their bicycles to shop. Mother Gu’s primary goal was to spoil Sheng Wanyan and Yi Yi. Seeing how sweet and well-behaved her little granddaughter was since arriving in Bing City, she wanted to buy her the world.
Back at the quarters, Sheng Wanyan sat in the pavilion focused on her translations, while Maodou kept Yi Yi company nearby. She refused to let herself idle; she couldn’t afford to stop moving.
Lately, Sheng Wanyan had taken to staying indoors. With the military administration conducting such a ruthless, sweeping investigation, it was best to avoid going out unless absolutely necessary. Fortunately, with her parents and in-laws around to dote on her, little Yi Yi no longer clamored to go outside. Between her mother and her grandparents playing with her every day, the baby had more than enough stimulation to burn through her boundless energy.
In fact, Yi Yi had discovered that Father Gu was far more entertaining than anyone else outside. It seemed her grandpa was willing to indulge her every whim. Sheng Wanyan was glad to see the baby forming such a tight bond with her grandparents; after all, the elder Gus truly treasured the little girl.
Given her current mental state, having family around to shoulder the burden of childcare brought Sheng Wanyan immense peace of mind. She was hyper-aware of her own emotional fragility; she had been suppressing her grief for weeks, living under a dark cloud of heavy, low-pressure anxiety. She was terrified that if she wasn’t careful, her negative emotions would bleed through and affect the baby.
Whenever the stress of translating grew too heavy, Sheng Wanyan would lean over and gently pinch Yi Yi’s chubby cheek to ground herself. Every single time she did it, Yi Yi would look up at her with a look of pure, wide-eyed confusion. It was incredibly healing.
“Ma~”
Yi Yi called out. Sheng Wanyan looked down to find the baby holding a tiny wildflower up to her. It was a common little weed growing just outside the pavilion’s edge. The baby must have crawled to the perimeter, plucked it, and carried it over as a gift.
Sheng Wanyan’s eyes stung, turning a fierce red at her daughter’s gesture. Even at ten months old, the intuitive little thing seemed to sense that her mother was drowning in sadness.
“Thank you, Yi Yi,” Sheng Wanyan whispered, her voice cracking. “Mommy loves it very much.”
She carefully accepted the tiny bloom. The simple white petals looked exceptionally beautiful, catching the bright afternoon sunlight. Sheng Wanyan stared at the flower in her palm, completely lost in thought for a long moment.
“Ma~”
Yi Yi crawled closer and wrapped her chubby arms around her mother’s shins, leaning her small body against her legs in a silent offer of comfort. Sheng Wanyan reached down and gently stroked the baby’s round head, an indescribable wave of emotion swelling in her chest.
“Yi Yi, your daddy will definitely come back to us safely,” Sheng Wanyan murmured, as if speaking to herself. “And when he does, I am absolutely going to show off this flower you gave me. He’s going to be so jealous.”
Yi Yi remained snuggled against her legs, providing her silent companionship.
“Mm!” the baby nodded vigorously, as if firmly reassuring her mother that Gu Tingxiao would indeed return.
Sheng Wanyan scooped the little girl into her arms, holding her tightly against her chest to draw strength from her tiny body. Yi Yi stayed perfectly still, her little fists clutching her mother’s shirt. Locked in a tight embrace, mother and daughter functioned as each other’s sole lifeline against the storm.
Staring down at the baby’s features—the distinct brow line and the bridge of her nose that so perfectly mirrored Gu Tingxiao’s—a sharp wave of bitterness flooded Sheng Wanyan’s throat. Her daughter looked so much like him.
Sheng Wanyan leaned down and pressed a tender kiss into the baby’s soft cheek, causing Yi Yi to flash a bright, gummy smile. For the first time in weeks, a genuine smile broke across Sheng Wanyan’s own face.
“My sweet Yi Yi, thank you,” she whispered, burying her face into the baby’s neck while Yi Yi patted her head. When her mother was happy, the baby was happy too.
Returning from their shopping trip, Mother Gu caught sight of the tender scene through the courtyard gate and let out a heavy, emotional sigh. Tingxiao, you stubborn boy! she thought bitterly. If you don’t find your way back to us soon, your wife and daughter are truly going to leave you behind in the dust.
Mother Gu quietly stepped back, refusing to disrupt the rare moment. It was a blessing for her third daughter-in-law to finally let her guard down and express some emotion; it was better to let her vent. Right now, little Yi Yi was Wanyan’s absolute saving grace—the only anchor capable of piercing through her frozen composure.
Mother Sheng was just about to ask why they weren’t going inside when she noticed the look on Mother Gu’s face and stopped herself, peering into the yard.
“In-law, let’s go sit under the shade tree for a bit,” Mother Gu suggested softly, guiding her away. Mother Sheng quietly latched the gate behind them, and the two women walked over to a nearby tree to chat in the shade.
Within two days, the military tribunal finalized the verdicts for Liang Qian, Chief of Staff Liang, and everyone else caught up in the purge.
Father Gu had no intention of executing a scorched-earth campaign against every single family on the base. He was a veteran commander; he understood that practically every household harbored some minor infraction or used a bit of leverage. As long as it remained within a reasonable, harmless boundary, he was perfectly willing to turn a blind eye. After all, when officers were out risking their lives on dangerous front-line missions, it was only natural that their wives might seek small advantages to ease their domestic burdens. As long as those actions didn’t actively damage the state, sabotage the regiment, or destroy the livelihood of others, he chose to look the other way.
A few minor squabbles and petty perks were simply part of human nature. You had to allow the families some grace; otherwise, who would be willing to lay down their life for the uniform?
Still, this specific audit had unearthed a substantial amount of rot. While the lower-ranking dependents were mostly guilty of harmless shortcuts and minor favoritism, the higher-level leadership was a different story. The investigation exposed a mountain of corrupt behavior among the officers. Ironically, the only individuals who emerged with flawless records were Political Commissar Xie and Father Pan. Nearly everyone else had abused their authority for personal gain to varying degrees.
However, Father Gu differentiated between minor nepotism and severe corruption. Several officers had used their connections to secure factory jobs for their relatives or accepted standard courtesy gifts; Father Gu let those slide. As long as they hadn’t actively stripped a job away from a qualified, hardworking citizen through fraud, a mutually consensual transaction wasn’t worth destroying a career over. After all, the Gu family themselves utilized their hard-earned political leverage to clear obstacles for their own children—though they strictly drew the line at harming innocent parties.
But Chief of Staff Liang, who had weaponized his high-ranking office to bury his daughter’s cruel, criminal behavior, would receive absolutely no mercy.
“Chief of Staff Liang is to be permanently stripped of his rank and dismissed from service,” Father Gu decreed. “And a full, formal apology and restitution must be delivered to the victims of his daughter’s actions!”
A dishonorable discharge carried a brutal consequence: immediate exile to a state labor farm to reflect on his crimes through hard labor.
The fallout devastated the entire household. Though Chief of Staff Liang’s son was entirely innocent of his sister’s actions, his career prospects were deeply tarnished by association. To preserve his military life, his only option was an immediate transfer to a penal regiment in a barren, remote border outpost. If he refused the reassignment, his sole alternative was to publish a formal announcement in the national newspapers completely severing his biological ties to his father. How to navigate that bitter choice was for the Liang family to decide. Furthermore, the married daughters of the Liang house would undoubtedly face a cold, miserable existence under their in-laws’ roofs now that their family’s political capital had been obliterated.
“I heard Captain Du is already filing for a swift divorce from Liang Qian,” a neighbor whispered in the courtyard.
“Yes, the paperwork is already being processed.”
“Captain Du certainly knows how to cut his losses and run.”
“The man is completely spineless,” Father Gu remarked coldly when the update reached his desk. With that single evaluation, the Commander-in-Chief effectively choked off any future advancement for Captain Du. Political Commissar Xie agreed completely; Captain Du was a thoroughly self-serving pragmatist who wouldn’t hesitate to abandon his own family the moment trouble brewed.
“For the crimes of public treason against the state’s authority and attempted malicious sabotage of a fellow citizen,” the final military verdict read, “Comrade Liang Qian is sentenced to indefinite forced labor at a high-security penal colony in the western wilderness.”
The far west was the most brutal, unforgiving territory in the country—a vast expanse of arid desert plagued by severe water scarcity and extreme conditions. Those exiled to its labor camps rarely, if ever, survived long enough to return.
Father Gu’s stroke was unyielding and severe. He had engineered the sentence to ensure Liang Qian would never set foot in civilized society again. Yet, because he executed the entire purge strictly within the rigid boundaries of military law, no one could find a single flaw in his judgment. Instead, the high command in the capital would praise him as an exemplary leader who had successfully restored integrity and discipline to the northern forces.
He had delivered absolute justice to the victims while maintaining stability for the rest of the base. It was a masterclass in military governance.
Chapter 356: Father Gu’s Methods
“And every single person on this list who abused their power for personal gain will be dealt with according to military law!” Father Gu commanded, his voice slicing through the air like a blade. “Our troops have absolutely no need for these bad apples!”
“Yes, Sir!”
Political Commissar Xie rushed to execute the orders, not daring to delay for even a single second.
A massive wave of arrests followed, leaving many families on the base terrified that they would be the next ones dragged away. For days, a suffocating panic gripped the quarters. It was only after Father Gu formally concluded the investigation and moved on to other matters that life on the base slowly began to drift back to normal.
The Commander-in-Chief remained at the base for a full week. His schedule was incredibly grueling, yet no matter how busy he was, he made sure to return to the apartment for dinner every single evening. The absolute moment he crossed the threshold, he would swoop little Yi Yi into his arms. For as long as he was inside the house, the baby never left his embrace.
Beyond his affection, Father Gu even carved out pockets of time late at night to handcraft a variety of wooden toys for the little girl. Yet, out of everything she received, Yi Yi’s absolute favorite item was a particular necklace her grandfather gave her.
To call it a necklace was a bit of an understatement; it was merely a simple, worn black cord. However, the pendant dangling from it carried immense, profound meaning. It was the bullet extracted from Father Gu’s body the very first time he was shot during a front-line combat mission in his youth.
Later on, he had polished the metal casing, strung it onto a cord, and wore it continuously as a personal protective talisman. During his stay, Yi Yi had repeatedly reached for the shiny object to play with. Now that it was time for him to return to the capital, he took it off and gifted it to his granddaughter as a lifelong keepsake.
When Mother Gu saw him slip the heirloom over the baby’s head, she gasped in pure astonishment. In all their years of marriage, she had never seen Father Gu display such utter, boundless indulgence toward any of their children or other grandchildren. The possessions he guarded with his life were nothing more than playthings to little Yi Yi. He never once scolded her; instead, he willingly offered his treasures for her amusement.
Throughout his life, Father Gu’s mind had been entirely occupied by his military duties and his devotion to his wife. When it came to raising his sons and daughters, he had relied strictly on unyielding discipline and physical punishment, never once showing a soft-hearted side. Mother Gu had initially assumed her husband was merely being a bit attentive to the baby, but seeing him part with his ultimate personal talisman proved that Yi Yi held a completely sacred, separate place in his heart.
Father Gu carefully settled the black cord around the baby’s neck, typing a secure knot at the back and adjusting the length so it sat safely against her chest. “Consider this Grandpa’s formal one-year-old blessing to our Yi Yi.”
Hearing the gravity in his voice, Sheng Wanyan and Mother Gu stood in silent, touched reverence, unsure of what to say.
Clueless to the historical weight around her neck, Yi Yi bounded happily on her grandfather’s thighs, flashing a brilliant, joyful smile. Overjoyed by the attention, she threw her tiny arms around Father Gu’s neck, refusing to let go as she leaned forward and pressed a wet, sloppy baby kiss right onto his scarred cheek.
The sudden touch caused the hardened Commander-in-Chief’s eyes to widen in sheer shock. He froze, entirely paralyzed, completely unsure of how to process such raw, innocent affection.
“Yeah~”
Before Father Gu could even recover from the initial shock of the kiss, another miracle materialized from the baby’s mouth.
Did Yi Yi just call him grandpa?!
“Oh my goodness! Did she just say grandpa?!” Mother Gu gasped, quickly scrambling forward to confirm what she had heard. She hadn’t expected the baby to articulate “grandpa” before ever uttering a word for her grandmother. She had yet to hear a single syllable dedicated to herself!
“Yeah~”
Yi Yi waved her chubby little hands in pure excitement. Only Sheng Wanyan, watching from the side, knew exactly what her daughter was actually articulating. The little girl was simply shouting a happy cheer of “Yeah!” rather than calling for her grandfather. However, seeing the pure, unadulterated joy radiating from her parents-in-law, Sheng Wanyan wisely chose to keep the truth to herself. Even if she had exposed the misunderstanding, the elderly couple’s profound grandchild-filter would have firmly insisted the baby was calling for him anyway.
Knowing that Father Gu was scheduled to board a train back to the capital the following morning, Mother Sheng prepared a massive feast so both families could share a final dinner together.
The next morning, long before the first hint of dawn broke across the horizon, Father Gu departed for the Capital alongside his personal guards. A mountain of critical state affairs awaited his attention in the capital, and he couldn’t afford to waste a single hour.
Mother Gu rose early to see him off. Knowing how deeply reluctant her husband was to leave his granddaughter behind, she had taken a chance and gently knocked on Sheng Wanyan’s bedroom door just before his departure.
Sheng Wanyan, who had been sleeping fitfully due to her lingering anxiety, woke up the instant the wood rattled. She threw on a light robe and pulled open the door.
“Yan’er, I’m sorry to wake you,” Mother Gu whispered apologetically. “Your father is preparing to leave for the Capital, and he was hoping to catch one last glimpse of little Yi Yi before he goes.”
Sheng Wanyan understood completely. She walked over to the crib, carefully scooped up the sleeping bundle, and carried her out to the entryway. Father Gu, who had his hand on the doorknob, froze the moment he saw the baby girl emerge.
“Go on, take a good look,” Mother Gu teased her husband softly. “We wouldn’t want your granddaughter forgetting what her grandpa looks like.”
Father Gu stepped closer, staring down at the soundly sleeping infant. A look of profound satisfaction settled over his stern features. On the surface, he still maintained his signature, stoic “I don’t care” expression, but Mother Gu knew his underlying character far too well. Outwardly he was a stone wall, but inwardly he was practically bursting with joy.
“Look at you, putting on airs,” she murmured affectionately.
Feeling a bit self-conscious after being completely read by his wife, Father Gu quickly cleared his throat to change the subject. “Wife, I’m heading out now.” He turned to his daughter-in-law, his voice softening. “Carry the baby back to bed, Yan’er. Don’t let the chill wake her up.”
Mother Gu handed him a parcel of traveling provisions she had packed the night before. “Take this for the train journey.”
“Alright. I’m off,” Father Gu nodded, stepping out onto the threshold. He looked back at his wife one last time. “Take good care of things here.”
“I know. Safe travels,” Mother Gu replied, knowing his schedule was strict and avoiding any lengthy goodbyes.
As he turned to descend the steps, Sheng Wanyan called out quietly, “Dad, please be careful on the road.”
Father Gu paused, gave a solemn nod of acknowledgment, and vanished into the darkness with his guards. Once the gate clicked shut, Mother Gu gently guided Sheng Wanyan back inside, helping her settle the baby safely back into her crib.
Having fully shaken off her sleep, Mother Gu had no intention of returning to bed. She decided to carry Yi Yi into the guest room with her so Sheng Wanyan could get some much-needed rest. “Yan’er, go back to sleep for a bit. It’s still incredibly early.”
Sheng Wanyan didn’t argue. She had only managed to drift off during the latter half of the night and felt entirely drained. She slipped back beneath her covers and caught up on her sleep, finally waking up at nine o’clock in the morning to a warm breakfast.
By the time she walked into the living room, Mother Gu had already fed Yi Yi her morning formula and was patiently guiding the baby across the floor to practice her walking steps.
After finishing her meal, Sheng Wanyan fetched the delicate little wildflower Yi Yi had gifted her the previous afternoon. She carefully pressed the petals, setting them out to dry so she could preserve the keepsake permanently. With her daughter’s first birthday arriving the following month, she realized she needed to start organizing the traditional celebration supplies.
Later that afternoon, Mother Gu prepared to take the baby out for a stroll and looked back at her daughter-in-law. “Yan’er, why don’t you come out and get some fresh air with us?”
Sheng Wanyan’s instinctive reaction was to decline, preferring the quiet isolation of her desk. But the moment she looked down and caught the eager, pleading look in little Yi Yi’s wide eyes, her heart softened. “Alright. Let’s go.”
Sheng Wanyan grabbed a heavy canvas backpack before stepping out, intending to utilize the walk to gather dry firewood from the base of the mountain. It was never too early to start stockpiling fuel to ensure the household could comfortably survive the brutal northern winter. Furthermore, based on her conversations with Mother Gu, she knew her mother-in-law intended to stay for an extended period; with extra eyes constantly in the apartment, it would be far too risky to frequently pull firewood out of her secret spatial dimension.
While Sheng Wanyan focused on foraging along the timberline, Mother Gu cradled Yi Yi in her arms, strolling leisurely along the dirt path at the base of the foothills. A large group of children from the quarters were playing nearby, and the moment they spotted the exceptionally chubby, fair baby, they abandoned their games and swarmed around them.
“Look, a little sister!”
Yi Yi blinked, staring curiously at the sudden crowd of children pinning her in.
“Wow, she’s so fat!” one boy shouted, leaning in.
“Yeah! She looks exactly like a giant, white flour bun!” a girl giggled, clapping her hands.
Yi Yi’s little face instantly fell into a pout. She was not fat!
Offended by their blunt evaluations, the baby refused to look at them, burying her face into Mother Gu’s shoulder with a look of pure, sullen grievance. Hmph, they were all meanies!
Feeling thoroughly discouraged, the baby made it clear she wanted to leave, forcing Mother Gu to carry her further down the path to escape the crowd. However, Yi Yi had severely underestimated her own magnetic charm. No matter how far Mother Gu walked, the trail of children followed right behind them like a loyal flock, relentlessly calling out to the “little sister” and reaching up to gently pat her chubby hands.
Eventually, Yi Yi’s social nature won out, and she decided she loved playing with them after all. Even though they kept commenting on her size, she had to admit she quite enjoyed the soft, roll-filled nature of her own body anyway. They just didn’t understand fashion, hmph!
Watching the lively procession from a few yards away, Sheng Wanyan couldn’t help but chuckle. Her little girl was undeniably a natural social butterfly, possessing the effortless charm of a future beauty. Sheng Wanyan saw no reason to intervene in the children’s playful banter; the kids only called her fat because they found her exceptionally cute and healthy-looking.
As Mother Gu sat on a low bench to let Yi Yi interact with the group, several older children eagerly fished inside their pockets, pulling out pieces of dried fruit and crackers to offer as gifts. Seeing the sudden influx of treats, the baby’s sullen mood vanished instantly, replaced by a wide, radiant smile.
“Thank you, sweethearts, but Little Sister is still too small to eat those snacks,” Mother Gu intervened gently, laughing as she waved the treats away.
