I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?-Chapter 32: A Manor as Deep as the Sea

"Great! Meat buns are my favorite," Ye Qianning said cheerfully.

’I’m quite pleased with this man, even if he looks a bit grubby,’ she thought. ’But there are still some things I need to think over carefully.’

"Hahaha! Great! Papa will buy you a whole bunch!" Xiang Minghou boomed with laughter. He scooped up the little girl and walked out of the room, completely ignoring the Prince who was still inside.

Sang Yan shook his head helplessly, hoping this wouldn’t cause any trouble down the line.

Xiang Minghou had arrived on horseback. Carrying the girl, he vaulted stylishly onto his steed. "Let’s go! Off to buy some buns!"

Ye Qianning sat in front of him. The streets were teeming with people, and the horse galloped wildly. Cries of surprise and panic erupted from the crowd as they scrambled to clear a path. Although the horse was fast, it only caused a bit of chaos and didn’t injure a single person.

’As expected of the Great General,’ she thought. ’His horsemanship is incredible.’

However—

"Papa..."

Ye Qianning couldn’t help but call out. The horse’s constant jostling was making her stomach churn.

"What’s wrong, my girl?" Xiang Minghou asked, looking down.

"Papa, I feel a little sick."

Ye Qianning was speechless. ’I can’t even ride a horse? It feels like I’m getting motion sickness. I wasn’t like this in my past life.’

Xiang Minghou immediately pulled on the reins. With a loud neigh, the horse reared up on its hind legs before coming to a halt.

He assumed that, being so young, the sudden gallop had frightened her. He was instantly filled with remorse.

"It’s all my fault. I was just so happy... I was in such a rush that I forgot to get a carriage."

"It’s fine. We can just go slowly." Ye Qianning was frustrated with herself. ’Galloping on horseback would be so freeing, but this body just can’t handle it.’

’I’ll definitely have to train this body more in the future!’

"Alright, Papa will go slower." Xiang Minghou nudged the horse’s flanks with his legs, and it obediently began to walk.

It took a moment for Ye Qianning to feel better. As they went, she looked at the shops lining the street. There was every kind of business imaginable, and on the corner of nearly every single sign was the character for "Gu."

’The Gu family’s businesses are incredibly prosperous,’ she mused. ’Their reputation even overshadows the Emperor’s own ventures. Coming here might not have been a good thing after all.’

Xiang Minghou stopped his horse in front of a bun shop, bought a few large ones, and handed them to her. "This is the most famous bun shop in the Capital City."

Ye Qianning took them and looked them over.

"Why aren’t you eating?" Xiang Minghou asked. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"I’ll wait and eat them with Fourth Granny tonight."

The aroma of the buns was tempting, but Ye Qianning’s nausea had only just subsided, and she had no appetite. So she hugged the wrapped-up buns to her chest.

It was just a casual remark, but it nearly brought Xiang Minghou to tears. He stared at Ye Qianning, his heart aching for her. ’This child must have suffered so much.’

"My girl, Papa is taking you home. There won’t be any more hard days from now on." His voice was thick with emotion.

Ye Qianning looked up at him. His eyes were brimming with tears and his voice was choked, as if he were on the verge of crying. ’Is he really this sentimental?’ she wondered.

Xiang Minghou rode on, turning through several streets and heading straight for the General’s Estate.

The horse moved slowly, and it took them over twenty minutes to arrive at the General’s Estate.

Xiang Minghou dismounted, still holding her, and a groom immediately came to lead the horse away.

"My girl, look. This is our home," Xiang Minghou said, bending down to her level and patting her head with his large hand.

Ye Qianning stared up at the tall plaque above the gate. ’Once I walk through this door, I’ll be a member of this household. The infighting in a great house like this will be unavoidable. I was so happy for a moment there that I completely forgot my original intentions.’

’But it’s too late to back out now,’ she realized, as her small body was lifted into his arms.

"Let’s go." Xiang Minghou’s face was alight with joy as he strode through the gate.

"General, you’ve returned," the steward said, jogging over to greet him.

"Mm," Xiang Minghou nodded. "Gather everyone in the estate and bring them to the front courtyard. I have an announcement to make."