With no nagging chatter at her side, Mi Yao felt much more at ease.
But that ease was disrupted again come nightfall.
After supper, she strolled casually around the estate, then planned to continue reading the idle book she had left unfinished. Hearing the door stir, she thought it was Shuang Hua or the others. But when she sensed someone standing by her bed and turned her head, she saw a plump little radish in a red jacket and fur hat, staring at her.
Mi Yao: “…”
She craned her neck to glance outside. “Where’s your nanny? How could she let you run about at night?”
She had no intention of playing the role of a doting stepmother. Since arriving, she had ordered the Xiao household’s small kitchen cleared, taking her meals separately from the children.
Xiao Shan had not come to her during that time, so she thought the radish incident was over. Yet at bedtime, here she was again—clearly sneaking away from her brothers.
Xiao Shan climbed nimbly onto Mi Yao’s bed, burrowed into the quilt, wrapped her short arms around Mi Yao’s waist, and nestled into her embrace.
Mi Yao lowered her gaze to the little head rubbing happily against her, startled by the softness pressed into her chest. She had a bellyful of words but no idea where to begin.
When cherishing her new body, she had thought: if Xiao Xu truly was a “widower king,” born with some defect that kept him from intimacy with women, that would be fine. But if, unlike the original heroine, she bore him no hatred, and he consummated their marriage as usual—what then? Her tender, fair skin, her soft curves—wouldn’t they all be his to claim?
She knew that being a decorative vase came with its price, yet she still felt uneasy, sometimes wondering how to avoid closeness between them.
Later, after meeting Xiao Xu in person, she found his looks and physique satisfactory enough. The resentment of being taken advantage of faded—she simply regarded it as mutual advantage. If she was so calculating even with those who provided her food and drink, then with this little radish freely taking liberties, shouldn’t she be even more exacting in her reckoning?
Mi Yao pinched Xiao Shan’s face as the child kept rubbing against her chest.
“You frightened me so much I didn’t even wash my face with goat’s milk tonight. Why are you still clinging to me?”
Xiao Shan tilted her head up, gazing at Mi Yao in confusion. She took the touch as affection, showing her tiny white teeth and pressing her head against Mi Yao’s hand, continuing to nuzzle.
A child’s face was softer than tender tofu—pink, smooth, with a touch of resilience, irresistibly pleasant to the touch.
“You’re just like a little puppy…”
Afraid her delicate skin might bruise, Mi Yao dared not squeeze too hard. She pinched lightly, then let go.
“So why is it? I haven’t tried to hold you, nor smiled at you. Why do you like me? Could this be my golden finger? If so, it’s a rather useless one.”
She lifted the little radish from her embrace and set her on the quilt, studying her face directly. She wanted to know why Xiao Shan was so drawn to her. But the silly, beaming three-year-old girl could not yet speak. Even if Mi Yao put on a stern face and interrogated her, she would get nothing.
“Did you come because I have tasty pastries?”
If it were for pastries, that would be easy. She had bought plenty of delicacies along the way, taking advantage of winter’s long shelf life, even purchasing recipe books for the cook to study.
But the little radish nodded, then shook her head, and threw her arms around Mi Yao’s neck, rubbing against her again. Though she could not speak, her actions made it clear: she did want pastries, but she came for Mi Yao herself. In her heart, Mi Yao was more important than sweets.
“So why, really?” Mi Yao lowered her gaze, examining the child’s clothes and appearance. The Xiao family’s nursemaids were not diligent in watching the children, but they did keep them clean and well-dressed.
By day and now at night, Xiao Shan wore fine silk that smelled soft and fragrant. Clearly, though the servants might neglect her for lacking a mother, they did not dare mistreat her. That made it even harder to understand. It wasn’t suffering or a plea for rescue—so was it simply affection?
“Could it be your brothers frighten you with talk of stepmothers, and you’re too young to understand, so you cling to me out of fear, trying to win me over?”
With no clear clues, Mi Yao could only hold the round little body and make guesses. Her memory was sharp—she recalled clearly that in the book, the original heroine disliked Xiao Xu’s three children, and the children feared and avoided her.
There had never been any mention of Xiao Shan clinging to the original heroine.
“Madam, are you speaking to me?” Shuang Hua had been tidying things in the side room. Hearing voices from within, she entered and saw the quilt on the bed bulging, with a little figure nestled in Mi Yao’s arms.
“How did the little miss come here?”
“She walked over herself. Looks like her nanny washed her face and feet, then after being tucked in, she snuck out again.”
“Should I carry her back, or tell her nanny and wait until she falls asleep?”
Seeing that Mi Yao did not reject Xiao Shan, even seemed faintly amused, Shuang Hua felt both surprised and reassured. In the past, her mistress had adored Lord Huan, but once she stopped, she grew cold and distant. Now, showing kindness to the little miss, she seemed more alive, which let her attendants relax a little around her.
“Go tell them. We’ll wait until she’s asleep.” Mi Yao did not want to hear a child crying in the middle of the night. After giving her instructions, she looked at the little radish. “You can sleep here, but don’t wet the bed. If you do, no matter how you cling, I won’t let you back again.”
Xiao Shan understood the part about not wetting the bed and sleeping. She nodded, lay down beside Mi Yao, and looked perfectly obedient.
Mi Yao did not want to interact further, so she picked up her book. After reading a few lines, she glanced sideways and saw Xiao Shan still watching her, eyelids drooping, eyes closing longer each time. Mi Yao couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Such an easy sleeper.
“Elder Sister actually kept that little girl. I don’t know what she’s thinking. A mute child who only clings to her—she softens just because of that!”
Hearing that Xiao Shan had come again and Mi Yao had even let her sleep on the bed, Yu Xiu spoke with displeasure. If it were her brother-in-law’s own child, fine. But since they weren’t his blood, why indulge them?
Growing up in the Yu household, she knew too well the rivalry among siblings for resources. She worried that if Mi Yao cared too much for the three children, once they grew up, they might turn against her, wasting all her kindness.
Shuang Hua dared not respond. Yu Xiu’s complaints lost their flavor, and just then, Xiao Shan’s nanny arrived to look for her.
Yu Xiu glared: “You can’t even watch a child properly, letting her run off to my sister’s room. I bet you bully her in secret, thinking she can’t speak. Otherwise, why would she keep running here?”
Learning his sister had wandered off, Xiao Yi also came out to search. Hearing Yu Xiu’s accusation, he paused and looked at the nanny.
The three siblings lived in one courtyard. Xiao Liang and Xiao Shan were still young, each with a nanny. Second Brother had never said his nanny treated him poorly, but since Shan’er could not speak, it was impossible to know how Nanny Fan treated her in private.
“Little Lady Yu, you wrong me! I care for the little miss with all my heart. Just now, I only stepped out to the latrine, and she ran to Madam’s room. It must be that she is so fond of Madam that she wants to see her at every moment.”
“My elder sister cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in her eyes. No matter how you behaved before, now you must be loyal and dutiful. If there’s a next time, watch how my sister punishes you.”
Seeing Xiao Yi nearby, Yu Xiu remembered how he had caused her to be scolded by Mi Yao. She shot him a glare. “If you want your sister, go to my elder sister’s room and ask for her.”
Yu Xiu hoped Xiao Yi would make trouble for Mi Yao, so she would see how much the Xiao children disliked her. But Xiao Yi, though young, was steady in temperament. Knowing Mi Yao would not harm his sister, he did not go to her room but returned to his quarters.
*
Mi Yao did not know when she had fallen asleep, but she woke because of the weight pressing on her. Sleepily, she groped at the lump of flesh on her chest, then carefully moved it aside without opening her eyes. A moment later, she came fully awake, opened her eyes, and saw—it was Xiao Shan, who had already been carried away the night before. She distinctly remembered Xiao Shan being taken back to her quarters not long after falling asleep in her bed. How had she returned again?
Glancing at the sky, not yet fully light, Mi Yao was too lazy to call someone to carry her off again. She generously gave her a small share of the bed.
This time, when Xiao Shan was missing, Nanny Fan made a commotion.
Fortunately, Mi Yao’s quarters had guards at the door, preventing her from barging into the chamber and waking Mi Yao.
Shuang Hua, hearing that Nanny Fan had even roused the two young masters, thought her foolish. Xiao Shan had already slipped into Mi Yao’s room once last night; if she was missing again at dawn, most likely she had gone there again.
If she had found her gone, she should have quietly checked Mi Yao’s chamber. Instead, she made trouble, waking the children and worrying them. Was she a servant or trying to act like a mistress?
After sending Nanny Fan away, Shuang Hua peeked inside. Seeing Mi Yao and the little miss sleeping soundly, she did not disturb them.
Only after Mi Yao woke in daylight and finished breakfast did Shuang Hua mention it.
Mi Yao usually had little appetite in the morning, but with a cheerful little radish beside her eating everything with relish, she herself ate a bit more than usual. Her mood had been calm, but hearing Shuang Hua’s words, she grew irritated.
“Does the Xiao household have no steward?”
“There are nineteen servants in the estate, but no steward. When disputes arise, the accountant doubles as manager, judging right and wrong.”
So this was the household of a man destined for empire—so chaotic. No wonder the original heroine tortured the children to death before he even realized.
Mi Yao had never considered that the Xiao household lacked a steward. For a moment, she regretted being too harsh with Nanny Luo.
Such matters would delight Nanny Luo, eager to seize authority. But for Mi Yao, she only wanted to be a carefree ornament, with all daily affairs handled by the domineering male lead. Her gaze swept the room, finally settling on the little radish, full and smiling at her.
The child’s face was round and fleshy, bundled in winter clothes. Mi Yao had thought her a plump dumpling. But touching her on the bed, she realized Xiao Shan was not fat—her wrists had only a soft layer of flesh over the bone. Either she was naturally unable to gain weight, or she ate well only with Mi Yao and was not properly fed otherwise.
“If I give you a better nanny, will you stop bothering me?” Mi Yao leaned close, offering the bargain.
But the little radish clearly did not understand. She blinked, then rubbed her face against Mi Yao’s cheek. Her tender skin carried the same fragrance as Mi Yao’s own. Not just her face—after sleeping in Mi Yao’s bed, her whole body smelled of the scent Mi Yao liked, making her less resistant to the child’s closeness.
Realizing this, Mi Yao froze, then took it as refusal.
So when Xiao Yi and his brothers came to pay respects, she told him, “Keep a closer eye on your sister. If the servants are negligent, tell your father to deal with it.”
With that, regardless of whether Shan’er cried, she let them carry her away. She had no intention of taking responsibility herself. The foolish nanny came knocking, feeling wronged, wanting Mi Yao to blame Shan’er and clear her own name as a loyal servant.