Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 478: A Family Reunion - Dad Repeats What Mom Says Like a Parrot (4)
Dugu Chen nodded firmly, "Yes, as long as you have enough power to strike fear into the hearts of others, your mother and sister will be safer."
"Power? You mean like father, tall and strong?" π³πΏππππ²ππ»ππππ₯.ππ π
"This βpowerβ does not refer to how tall you are or how big you look, but to the extent of your influence!"
"Influence?" The young Qiqi, half understanding, turned to look at his sister, who animatedly described the interesting things they encountered along the way, her face shining with a sun-like smile, and as their mother tensed due to an exaggerated gesture from the sister, he suddenly laughed.
"Father, although I donβt know what influence means, I will try my best to be a good Emperor, a good son, and a good brother."
"Mhm, father believes in you." Dugu Chen smiled with satisfaction. Although Qiqi was very young, educating him now might seem cruel, but being born into the imperial family, it was an unavoidable circumstance. If he hadnβt been a smart boy and learned to endure in the army, he wouldnβt have had his beloved wife and adorable children now. So it was better for Qiqi to endure some hardship now than to suffer a great fall later.
"Honored guest, your meal is ready." The waiter carried a tray with five dishes and a soup, placing each one on the table.
The four at the table exchanged smiles and picked up their chopsticks, serving each other with a warmth that ended the quiet dinner slowly.
At night, Feng Xuxu lay weakly on Dugu Chen, her eyes half-closed and swollen lips slightly parted, "Did you and your son plan this all in advance?"
Still immersed in the subtlety of the moment, Dugu Chen slowly opened his enchanting peach-blossom eyes, his lips curving into a shallow smile, "Didnβt you guess that already?"
Feng Xuxu lifted her gaze, slightly angered, "The child is still so young, how can you bear to train him so early?"
"My wife, you should know better than anyone the helplessness of being born into the imperial family. If we are not around in the future, who will give him wings to fly, and under whose wings will he survive?"
Feng Xuxu sighed and lay back down, "The imperial family is so heartless, I just pity our son."
Hearing this, Dugu Chen gently stroked her now damp hair, lamenting, "Our son must take this step, though itβs cruel now, for the sake of the future, we must put aside that pity and sympathy. At least for now, we are by his side, and he will not be harmed."
Feng Xuxu silently nodded.
Dugu Chen sighed softly, stood up, picked up his wife, and walked toward the screen, where hot water was already prepared, just the right temperature for bathing now.
The next day, the whole family slept in late, had a simple breakfast, and all four, followed by several people, went to the street, beginning a new journey.
Yueyue, like a happy little bird, ran back and forth tirelessly, and upon seeing an old woman making dough figurines at the street side, insisted that she create figures of the entire family of four. Clearly piqued by interest, Dugu Chen stepped forward with Feng Xuxu smiling as well.
"Oh my, what a talented and attractive couple. Iβm an old woman and even in my lifetime I havenβt seen such a match. Just look at these two little ones, truly... ah, me, what am I babbling on about, just showing off nonsensically."
"Itβs βblue out of blue, but better than blue,β" Qiqi cheerfully finished the sentence for the old woman.
The old womanβs eyes instantly shone, "Right, right, exactly that." Although she chatted with them, her hands didnβt slow down for a bit, and soon, Yueyueβs small figure was skillfully shaped. The old woman reached for the colorful pencils on the shelf and began to delicately decorate Yueyueβs figure with a pink tulle skirt adorned with roses.
It took about the time it takes an incense stick to burn for the old woman to hand over the dough figurine of Yueyue.
"Wow, look, mother, itβs so beautiful." Yueyueβs long lashes fluttered as her lively grape-like eyes gazed up at her mother.
Dugu Chen smiled gently and picked up Yueyue from the ground, "Thatβs because our Yueyue is beautiful, so the old woman was able to make such a nice figure."
"Oh my, this lord here, not to boast, but in the entire Zhangzhou Prefecture, my handiwork is well-regarded," the old woman said with a laugh, her face crinkling up like chrysanthemums in September.
Feng Xuxu smiled faintly, recalling hearing a similar statement from an old woman selling shoes, sadly, those tiger-head shoes were now nowhere to be found.
The old womanβs craftsmanship was indisputably exquisite, the figurine worth the time it took to create.
"How much silver?" Feng Xuxu held the figurine, looking quite charmed by it.
"One hundred wen each, but since youβre getting many, just give three hundred and fifty wen," said the honest old woman, not using the opportunity to haggle, even waiving fifty wen of the price.
Yueyue pulled out broken silver equivalent to one tael from her sleeve and handed it to the old woman, "For you, granny."
The old woman frowned at the scattered silver in the young girlβs hand, "Little miss, I donβt make that many in a day, how could I make change? Otherwise, just giving three hundred wen is fine."
Yueyue chuckled, stepping forward to stuff the silver into the old womanβs hand, "You donβt need to make change, granny. Just make a few more for me in the future."
The group stood to leave, leaving the old woman behind, her face alight with excitement as she murmured to herself, "What a sweet little girl, may the heavens bestow upon her a brush of affinity."
With that, the old womanβs figure swayed away, soon vanishing around the corner of the street.
Unbeknownst to Yueyue, that small act of kindness would lead to a lifetime of happiness.
