He had originally planned to have the woman forcibly bound and taken away if she refused to return, but given her current skills, binding her would be no easy task. Moreover, the two children already held preconceived notions about him, and if he were to clash with the woman again, those biases would likely only deepen.
At the thought of this, Mu Qinzhen grew restless, finding himself utterly helpless against the woman before him!
The little System’s big eyes sparkled with excitement as it popped a piece of popcorn into its mouth, watching its host argue with the man with great relish, finding it far more entertaining than its cartoons!
Suddenly, the display screen lit up, and a new mission message appeared as unread.
[Host, a new mission has arrived!]
Qiao Yan’s heart skipped a beat, her delicate brows furrowing slightly as a sense of foreboding crept into her chest.
“What mission?”
The little System opened the mission panel, and its big eyes immediately lit up.
[Mission Objective: Host is to travel to the capital to farm and engage in trade.]
[Mission Reward: One bottle of plant growth nutrient solution]
[Mission Failure: All current assets confiscated, with a debt of one thousand taels]
Qiao Yan’s forehead veins bulged, her stunning face barely concealing her fury as the fists at her sides slowly clenched. She ground her teeth and said, “System, who issued this mission?”
The little System sensed its host’s seething anger, nervously twisting the hem of its skirt, its big eyes glistening with tears.
[It’s not the System’s fault, it was issued by the main System~]
Qiao Yan’s face darkened like still water as she cursed the damned main System under her breath—this was trying to ruin her!
But thinking of the hard-earned little money she’d saved, and then of the thousand taels of debt she’d owe, Qiao Yan had no choice but to swallow her anger. She turned to Mu Qinzhen with a radiant smile and said, “Fine, I’ll go back with you after all. Don’t forget the thousand acres of fertile land.”
Mu Qinzhen: “…”
A woman’s heart is truly as unfathomable as the depths of the sea!
But regardless, her willingness to return was the best outcome, and he didn’t dwell on it further.
Qiao Yan straightened her posture and said seriously, “Your Highness, I still have matters to attend to at the moment. Please allow me five days—after five days, I will return to the capital with you.”
Her sweet potatoes weren’t fully harvested yet, the vegetables in the fields hadn’t been dealt with, and she still needed to settle accounts with the restaurant she’d partnered with.
Sigh! Just thinking about leaving behind the property she’d built up bit by bit made her heart ache as if it were being cut with a knife!
Mu Qinzhen was puzzled. “Why?”
Qiao Yan pointed at her vegetable field. “See~ I’ve got to deal with this precious patch of mine, don’t I?”
Mu Qinzhen had grown accustomed to her treating a vegetable garden like a treasure, so he didn’t wish to say more and agreed to her request.
Since he’d agreed to let Qiao Yan stay for five days, Mu Qinzhen naturally had his men settle in at the farmstead, taking the opportunity to bond with the two children as well.
Qiao Yan gritted her teeth, saying her little temple couldn’t accommodate so many people, but the prince was thick-skinned, insisting that only he needed to stay and the rest of his attendants could be ignored.
What could Qiao Yan do? She could only mutter curses at Mu Qinzhen from head to toe, then grumble her way to the kitchen to cook.
Mu Qinzhen, meanwhile, made himself right at home, surveying the little tiled house where the mother and her three children lived with a pleasant mood.
The little tiled house had three rooms, with a kitchen tucked in the corner. The small courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs and filled with many potted plants. In the courtyards of the capital’s mansions, the potted plants were usually rare flowers and exotic herbs, but this woman’s collection was a motley assortment.
There were nameless little wildflowers from the roadside, as well as some tender green vegetables. The courtyard was swept spotlessly clean, and a few sets of small clothes hung drying on a clothesline nearby.
Everything was simple and crude, yet it exuded a warm, lived-in atmosphere. Mu Qinzhen found himself feeling that this little shabby courtyard felt more like home than his own princely mansion.
After surveying the courtyard, he hesitated for a long while before deciding to head toward the room where the two children were.
Standing before the door, he forced his expression to soften, then gently knocked. “Little Fish, may Father come in?”
He still didn’t even know his son’s name. Calling himself “Father” for the first time made him feel somewhat awkward, and the tips of his ears grew slightly warm.
His face remained calm and unruffled, but inside he was filled with anticipation—would the children accept him, this father who had appeared out of nowhere?
He waited for a long time, but the tightly shut door showed no sign of opening. Mu Qinzhen felt a pang of loneliness, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh. He’d have to take it slow.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard the door open, and a flash of joy crossed his eyes as he looked at the little dumpling who had opened it for him.
Little Boat wore a stern expression, glancing at Mu Qinzhen with cold seriousness before turning back to his small desk to continue reading.
The smile on Mu Qinzhen’s face stiffened, a flicker of disappointment passing over his features, but looking at the little boy’s face, so strikingly similar to his own, he felt a warmth swelling in his chest.
He walked over to Little Boat’s side and glanced down at the book he was reading—it was actually the Thousand Character Classic!
The rice paper on the desk was covered in large characters, neat and elegant in a childish hand. Though the brushwork lacked strength, one could already glimpse the potential of what it might become.
Feeling his gaze, Little Boat’s face tightened even more, his small hands gripping the book harder as he pretended to read with utter seriousness, but his little heart was pounding wildly.
Mu Qinzhen looked at his son with relief—he really resembled him as a child!
He raised his hand and gently patted the little boy’s head, offering a faint smile. “What’s your name? Can you read this Thousand Character Classic?”
The little boy lifted his small face, still wearing the same serious expression, but a hint of pride and coyness slipped through. “Qiao Xingzhou. I can read it.”
What a proud little one.
Mu Qinzhen smiled warmly and praised, “Not bad, very clever. Qiao Xingzhou is a lovely name.”
The little boy’s lips twitched slightly at the corners, then he quickly regained his composure, sitting up straight and returning to his book.
Mu Qinzhen was a man of few words, and at that moment, he didn’t know what to say to his son. The father and son fell into a brief silence.
Spotting the paper and brush on the table, Mu Qinzhen had an idea. He picked up the brush and wrote the little one’s name on the rice paper.
His calligraphy was bold and imposing, with powerful strokes that exuded a decisive, commanding aura. After finishing, he stole a glance at his son from the corner of his eye and, sure enough, saw a flicker of admiration on the little boy’s stern face.
He chuckled inwardly, then pressed on, writing a few more characters while pointing out the flaws in the boy’s current handwriting.
The little one listened intently, so absorbed that he momentarily forgot he hadn’t yet acknowledged this convenient father.
The little girl had hidden behind the screen the moment Mu Qinzhen entered. She didn’t want to see this father who looked so much like her brother again.
Every time she thought of how he had angered her mother and even fought with her, the little one felt deeply upset.
In truth, she quite liked this father, but since her mother didn’t, she wouldn’t either!
Hmph! Men are all big pig trotters!
Yet, hearing Mu Qinzhen speak so gently to her brother, the little girl couldn’t help but peek her head out from behind the screen, her big eyes filled with envy. She wished her father would pat her head too.
Mu Qinzhen noticed her movement and turned to look at her with a soft expression. He had sensed her presence behind the screen the moment he entered but hadn’t disturbed her. The little one was probably still upset with him.
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