“Shushu, there will be guests coming to the house later, so please take care of Ningning and Kangkang.”
Because the Lu siblings were coming over to visit Feng Xiao, He Yingzi handed these two little ones, He Anning and Jiang Lekang, to Qiao Shu.
“No problem, Sister. Just let Ningning and Kangkang read with me in the study.”
Qiao Shu smiled, then pulled the two little ones into her arms, one on each side.
To be honest, when He Yingzi had taken these two little ones away a few days earlier, she had felt rather unaccustomed to being alone at home.
“Fairy Little Aunt, you smell so good, all fragrant—better than the foreign perfume our classmates’ moms spray!”
He Anning rubbed affectionately against Qiao Shu, feeling like she wanted to hold onto her family’s soft and fragrant little aunt forever without letting go.
“Little Aunt is fragrant!”
Jiang Lekang rubbed his little head against Qiao Shu and grinned foolishly as he said it.
Qiao Shu had grown accustomed to the natural fragrance of her body and usually didn’t pay much attention to the scent anymore.
After all, the spiritual spring water had transformed her body in too many ways. This pleasant bodily fragrance was something she could completely overlook.
Well, not entirely overlook it—after all, if she sweated, the fragrance would double and spread out. She thought to herself that at that point, she might end up like the Fragrant Concubine, surrounded by a swarm of butterflies.
Of course, this was just Qiao Shu’s idle speculation.
After all… her body, transformed by the spiritual spring water, no longer felt hot, and she had never sweated since.
“Alright, since I’m watching you today, same old rules: I’ll write the story, Ningning practices writing by copying the calligraphy model, and Kangkang keeps reading picture books and drawing.”
Qiao Shu took the two little ones by the hand and led them to the desk, where she smilingly arranged everything neatly for them.
Neither little one had any objections to Qiao Shu’s arrangements.
They both obediently crouched beside her—the older one practicing writing, the younger one drawing. Though they occasionally sneaked careful glances at Qiao Shu, they cooperated quietly without disturbing her as she wrote her fairy tale.
However, though these two little ones were so well-behaved and sensible as not to disturb Qiao Shu’s fairy tale writing…
There were always those without any sense who shattered this leisurely peace…
“Little Fatty—!”
Suddenly, a bright youthful voice rang out, breaking the tranquility in the study.
“Puppy He—!”
“…”
He Anning, who had been diligently practicing her writing and sneaking peeks at Qiao Shu, lifted her head instinctively upon hearing that voice—especially the nickname at the end. The pen in her hand nearly snapped from her grip.
Qiao Shu naturally noticed He Anning’s reaction. She paused her writing, set down her fountain pen, and looked at her in puzzlement.
“What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing.”
He Anning shook her head instinctively, but such a reaction couldn’t fool Qiao Shu.
“That… ‘Little Fatty’ and ‘Puppy He’—they’re calling you???”
Qiao Shu glanced at He Anning. Though the little girl looked chubby, she was tall for her age, so it wasn’t like she deserved to be called Little Fatty.
As for Little Dog… she couldn’t see how He Anning related to a dog at all.
“…Mm.”
Hearing Qiao Shu say that, He Anning immediately wilted. Her most hated nicknames had been heard by her family’s Fairy Little Aunt.
So embarrassing! Too embarrassing! That dog Lu Chengye! She should’ve bitten him to death when they were kids!!!
“Ningning hates these two nicknames?”
Qiao Shu saw the little girl’s shy fury and gently stroked her head to comfort her.
“Then we’ll just ignore that rude person.”
Though she didn’t know who was calling He Anning from outside, Qiao Shu figured that since today’s guests were the Lu Qian siblings, the owner of that voice must be Lu Qian’s little brother.
Probably the youngest in the Lu family that Lu Qian had mentioned last time…?
Qiao Shu guessed inwardly, and she was indeed correct.
The one calling He Anning’s nicknames was none other than Lu Qian’s brother, the Lu family’s youngest, Lu Chengye.
As the late-born youngest son of Commander Lu’s family, with all his older siblings a generation ahead, and looking just like his mother—beautiful from childhood—he had been utterly pampered by the whole family.
It was precisely in this environment of total indulgence that Lu Chengye grew into the Military District Compound’s notorious ‘playboy rascal’.
He became the compound’s negative example, someone no one dared provoke.
Well, not quite no one—the other little tyrant, He Anning, dared to provoke him.
But the outcome… was getting saddled with two awful nicknames.
“Little Aunt, I-I want to hit him! Can I?!”
Hearing that lazy, punchable voice from outside, He Anning endured and endured, but finally couldn’t take it. She looked pitifully at Qiao Shu and made this violent request.
“…”
Qiao Shu had originally wanted to say that hitting people was wrong, but seeing the aggrieved, pitiful expression on the little one’s face and hearing how truly punchable that voice outside was…
She blinked, then thought of a ‘naughty idea’.
“Hitting people is wrong…”
Hearing Qiao Shu’s words, He Anning wilted and lowered her head obediently, listening closely.
But when Qiao Shu said the second half, He Anning’s eyes lit up instantly.
“But… we can prank him, teach him how rude his behavior is.”
Qiao Shu winked slyly, then leaned in to whisper her prank plan to the two little ones’ ears.
“Wow! Too bad we don’t have a camera at home! Otherwise, I’d definitely snap a photo of him!”
After hearing the prank plan, He Anning’s eyes sparkled.
Imagining getting back at that sly, nasty Lu Chengye soon, He Anning sprang into action.
The only pity was that she’d have to waste one of her delicious desserts.
Qiao Shu and the two little ones quietly left the kitchen, avoiding Lu Chengye outside. After a quick preparation in the kitchen, she and Jiang Lekang hid to the side.
He Anning, meanwhile, carried a bowl of Sugar Steamed Crispy Cheese and sauntered leisurely to the living room window, flashing a provocative smile at Lu Chengye, who was bored in the Feng Family Residence courtyard using his slingshot to shoot at birds.
Lu Chengye, already bored, put away his slingshot upon seeing He Anning and walked over with a wicked grin.
“Puppy He, I called you earlier—why didn’t you answer?”
After entering the living room, Lu Chengye said to He Anning with a smiling face.
Though his smile was quite handsome… those repeated “Puppy He”s had filled He Anning’s anger gauge to the brim.
So He Anning ignored him completely and turned toward the kitchen.
“Puppy He, why ignore people? Your Brother Ye came to your house for once—shouldn’t you play the good host?”
Bored Lu Chengye hurried after her, only to have his attention captured by the milky-white thing in He Anning’s arms that she was eating.
“What’re you eating?”
Sniffing the occasional milky fragrance wafting over, Lu Chengye—who’d eaten his fill at home—suddenly felt hungry.
He knew He Anning hated the “Puppy He” nickname, so this time he didn’t call her that.
Sure enough, without the nickname, He Anning finally deigned to reply grudgingly.
“Sugar Steamed Crispy Cheese.”
“More?”
“Yeah, in the kitchen. Get it yourself.”
Under He Anning’s guidance, Lu Chengye entered the kitchen. Only then did Qiao Shu, hiding in the kitchen with Jiang Lekang, get a clear look at Lu Chengye’s appearance.
Though Lu Chengye’s personality was a bit nasty…
His looks were top-notch.
Qiao Shu hadn’t expected Lu Qian, who was so average-looking, to have such a handsome younger brother.
More precisely—strikingly beautiful?
The sixteen-year-old boy had a jade-like face and starry eyes. His fox-like eyes sparkled with lively mischief, but his sharp, three-dimensional contours tempered the femininity of his delicate features, giving him more of a roguishly handsome youthful vibe.
Though spoiled by his family, he still had proper upbringing.
Thus, the wild recklessness on Lu Chengye was diluted by his youthful dash and vigor.
Even if the boy’s behavior was nasty, his good looks—combined with teenage bravado—made it hard to stay mad at him.
One just felt the boy wasn’t bad at heart; he just hadn’t grown from an immature teen into a mature man yet.
“Delicious!”
Lu Chengye picked up another bowl of Sugar Steamed Crispy Cheese in the kitchen, took a bite, and squinted his eyes in bliss.
Though Lu Chengye appeared arrogant and unrestrained, a fierce fighter who ruled the naval compound unchallenged and untouchable as its top dandy…
He had a little secret—he loved the sweets that girls adored.
But to uphold his ‘manly dignity’, Lu Chengye had never shown it in front of others.
Only his closest family knew this secret.
Today, if not for how tempting He Anning’s bowl of Sugar Steamed Crispy Cheese had been…
And considering He Anning still a silly little kid in his eyes, he wouldn’t have eaten sweets in front of outsiders.
“He…”
Lu Chengye started to call He Anning’s nickname but thought better—if he did, the little girl definitely wouldn’t talk to him.
More importantly, he wouldn’t find out who made such tasty sweets or poach them to his house.
So he changed tack and called her name properly.
“He Anning, who made this?”
“My Little Aunt!”
He Anning puffed out her little chest proudly, thinking smugly that no one could resist the food made by her family’s Fairy Little Aunt!
“Your Little Aunt?”
Lu Chengye recalled the recent rumors in their compound: the Feng Family had brought back a childhood betrothal little wife for Feng Xiao from the countryside. She was supposedly stunningly beautiful, like a fairy. But Feng Xiao didn’t like her and didn’t want to marry her, so the Feng Family was matchmaking her with others…
Lu Chengye had always scoffed at claims of her being fairy-like beautiful. He didn’t buy it.
After all, no one was that beautiful like a fairy.
And if she really was, why wouldn’t Feng Xiao like her or want to marry her?
So those rumors about the country girl being fairy-beautiful were pure nonsense—not worth believing.
“That’s a shame, then…”
A shame he couldn’t poach her to his house to make him sweets every day.
He Anning paid no mind to Lu Chengye’s mumbling; her focus was entirely on—
When would that dog Lu Chengye finally reach the chili sauce layer under the Sugar Steamed Crispy Cheese and get spiced to death?!
As He Anning grumbled inwardly, wondering if she’d hidden the chili sauce too deep—that Lu Chengye still hadn’t hit it yet—
The next second, she saw Lu Chengye, who’d been savoring blissfully, suddenly widen his eyes. His jade-white face flushed red as if scorched by fire.
“Hiss—! So spicy!”
Lu Chengye’s expression changed drastically as he set down the bowl. His mouth gaped wide, and he fanned it frantically with his hand.
If Lu Chengye loved sweets most, then he hated spicy most—couldn’t tolerate even a speck in his meals.
Eating it turned his tongue into a big, swollen mess, and his face flushed vivid red like pig liver.
The young man no longer had any of that earlier dashing yet defiant rogue air.
At this moment, his entire face was flushed vivid red like pig liver, and those sly fox eyes of his were irritated red like pinkeye.
The contrast was utterly wretched and pitiable.
He Anning had never seen Lu Chengye in such a sorry state before, so with ‘sweet revenge achieved,’ she couldn’t hold back and clapped her hands in delight.
“Hahaha! Lu Chengye! You look so hilarious right now!”
Seeing He Anning mock him mercilessly, Lu Chengye instantly realized this little girl in front of him had pranked him!
Already suffering from the spice, Lu Chengye flew into a rage.
“He! An! Ning!”
Lu Chengye’s eyes bulged wide as he glared fiercely at He Anning and stalked toward her.
Though He Anning was a little tyrant in the compound, unbeatable among her peers, she was only ten years old after all, and nowhere near as tall as the one-meter-eighty Lu Chengye.
So the little bully He Anning got scared and immediately cried out to her Fairy Little Aunt for help.
“Little Aunt! Lu Chengye’s gone mad! Let’s run!”
“…”
Hearing He Anning’s words, Lu Chengye finally noticed there were others in the kitchen.
Qiao Shu was also startled by Lu Chengye’s rage explosion. In fact, even before He Anning called for help, she had already pulled Jiang Lekang and hurried out.
“Ningning, don’t be afraid. Come here.”
Like a hen shielding her chicks, Qiao Shu pulled He Anning behind her.
Only then did she look up at Lu Chengye, who was glaring daggers at them.
“You’re not a little kid anymore. I heard you’re already sixteen, six years older than Ningning. How can you stoop to bickering with a little girl?”
Qiao Shu paid no mind to Lu Chengye’s ferocious, man-eating glare. After all, this was the Feng Family, her turf. She didn’t believe for a second that as Feng Xiao’s wife, she wasn’t his elder—surely he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her?
With a bit of ‘fox borrowing the tiger’s might’ mentality, Qiao Shu rattled on and gave Lu Chengye a good scolding.
If the Lu Family saw this, their eyes would probably pop out.
Lu Chengye had never been scolded like this even at home, let alone… Lu Chengye showed no anger at all. Instead, he stared at Qiao Shu in a dazed, silly manner the whole time—rather cute, even.
“Look at you, tall and burly, so much bigger than Ningning. How could you even think of hitting her! And! Sure, pranking you was wrong on our part, but you started it by giving Ningning those awful nicknames. You provoked us first. Teaching you a little lesson isn’t over the line. We just hope that after this, you’ll rein it in—stop giving people mean nicknames, and especially stop calling others by nicknames they hate…”
As Qiao Shu lectured, she noticed something off about the boy opposite her!
She had said so much, yet this tough-looking teenager hadn’t uttered a single word???
“Oh no, Little Aunt. Did we spice Lu Chengye silly? Why does he look like his brain’s fried? But I never heard of chili spicing someone’s brain out… Did I put too much chili sauce…”
The younger He Anning might think chili could spice someone silly, but Qiao Shu knew a few spoons of chili sauce wouldn’t do that.
Instead, she felt this teenager standing dumbly in front of her, staring blankly as if he’d lost his soul… Was he… mesmerized by her looks???
“Hey! You okay?”
Qiao Shu reached out and lightly patted the cheek of the boy who towered a full head over her.
The next second, his eyes lit up as he gazed at her, and then—
“Sis, I like you. If Brother Feng Xiao doesn’t like you and won’t marry you, be my wife instead! I’ll treat you great. Whatever you want, I’ll get it for you!”
“…” Huh? What the heck? What just happened???
Qiao Shu had met plenty who fell for her looks, but this was the first time she’d seen such a shameless, thick-skinned confession!
And… was this a straight-up proposal???
While Qiao Shu was dumbfounded, He Anning exploded in fury.
The girl who’d been scared moments ago rushed in front of Qiao Shu, shoved Lu Chengye hard, then grabbed her Fairy Little Aunt and bolted, yelling at the top of her lungs as they ran—
“Mom! Little Uncle! Hurry! That dog Lu Chengye’s trying to steal Little Aunt!!!”