"Hello, Aunt."
The little dumpling dressed in a dragon robe looked nervously at the person in front of him.
His mother said she had a sister from an otherworld. That was his aunt, the only one who could keep him alive!
"You... hello." Mu Ran greeted awkwardly, stunned by the sudden appearance of the child.
When she was eight, she had a system that could communicate with ancient people.
But it was limited to one person.
And only through letter correspondence.
Yet yesterday, she received a system notification that the ancient sister Empress sent over a child!!
So she hurried back from the film festival.
When she got home, the child dressed in ancient clothes appeared suddenly.
The child's appearance was new to her, yet his character and experiences were clear from her exchanges with her sister.
At three, he went to the military camp and stayed for a year before his father brought him back, to live alone in the Eastern Palace.
According to Sister Shu He's description, he was an obedient and thoughtful child.
She had always wanted to meet her sister's child, but she never thought their meeting would come at the cost of severing her and sister Empress's system connection.
"You're called Xiao Jin, right?"
"Yes!!" Chu Xijin's eyes lit up upon hearing his name from his aunt, and he handed over the letter and money prepared by his mother.
Mu Ran ignored the two bulging bags, directly opening the letter.
The writing on the paper was rushed and messy, showing the owner's panic. The letter's content was simple.
Sister Shu He quickly narrated her plight; her maternal family was accused of "colluding and betraying the country" by the Emperor, who stubbornly believed she and her son were involved too.
Therefore, they were to be eradicated completely.
With no choice, she entrusted the child to Mu Ran.
She didn't need to personally raise the child; finding a good family to hand him over would suffice.
All she asked was for the child to live.
As for the money.
One portion was a gift for Mu Ran.
The other was for the child, hoping Mu Ran would manage it, giving some to the child's new parents each year, and the remainder when he reached adulthood.
Mu Ran clenched the letter tightly, her fingertips trembling slightly. Now that her sister had sent the child, she certainly wouldn't survive!
Sister was born a warrior, her dream was to fight enemies on the battlefield, but the Emperor's decree had positioned her as Empress.
She appeared to be in glory.
Yet she was merely a hostage.
Now, in utter madness, the Emperor eradicated sister's maternal family, not sparing her own son!
Mu Ran's grip on the letter caused her veins to bulge. That damn Emperor, why couldn't he just die?
Gurgle gurgle gurgle...
The child's hungry stomach brought her back to her senses, Mu Ran glanced toward the sound.
He held his stomach, his pale face turning as red as a little apple, "I... I'm not hungry, it's just that it made a sound for no reason."
"Alright, I understand. You eat something first, I'll buy you clothes to change into, and then you follow me out!" Mu Ran took milk and biscuits from the fridge for him.
Finally having time to look at his appearance.
He surely inherited his mother's looks, extraordinarily handsome.
His cheeks were slightly chubby, his eyes tilted up at the corners, with innocent lower eye bags perfectly complementing his eyebrows.
His nose was high and his lip line beautiful, making him look particularly exquisite, and most importantly, his clear and bright eyes.
On the big screen, his face wouldn't lose its appeal; it would become even more stunning.
Chu Xijin's eyelashes trembled slightly.
Mu Ran naturally shifted her gaze, grabbing the phone on the living room's small wooden table to search online for a children's brand store to buy clothes for him, having them delivered, choosing ancient attire once more. Thankfully, ancient clothes were popular, so children in them wouldn't look out of place.
Why not modern ancient attire?
Because it was too formal.
Going out in a dragon robe, a real one, was too eye-catching.
Chu Xijin ate the strange-tasting food, his eyes darting around. The flavor of the milk was somewhat similar to what his uncle had given him.
But the crunchy thing was unknown, yet delicious.
Sneaking a glance at his aunt, realizing she was watching, Chu Xijin became embarrassed, shifted his gaze downward, and saw the bags, so he said, "Aunt, do you want to look at the bags?"
"Okay."
Mu Ran opened both bags.
One was labeled "Chu," containing an Emperor Green Jade Guanyin, three jadeite jade bracelets, a mutton fat jade pendant, and ten red and green gemstones each.
One labeled "Mu," containing the same as "Chu" but with an additional phoenix hairpin.
Inside was a note: Dowry. Not married is okay.
Seeing these six words, her eyes burned, tears almost pouring out.
She had once said she didn't want to get married.
Sister Shu He remembered, but she also said: "I know you don't wish to marry, but if you meet someone you truly love, it would be a blessing. If only we weren't separated by a thousand years, I'd prepare a dowry for you."
She had responded back then: "Sure, give me a phoenix hairpin, let me look impressive."
Sister remembered and sent it.
But they would never meet again.
Even though this bag was worth at least three hundred million! Together, they were worth six hundred million.
Mu Ran felt no joy from wealth, instead feeling weighed down as if by stones, making breathing difficult.
The young prince sensed his aunt's stormy demeanor, slowing down his sip of the unusual drink.
Empress had advised him.
Aunt is kind, just a little temperamental.
Chu Xijin dared not make a sound, only occasionally stealing a glance at his aunt with his round eyes.
Meanwhile, he discreetly took in his surroundings.
The house was very bright, with sunlight streaming through the glass, and it was clean and spacious, with no decorations, only tables and chairs.
No servants were around.
The house was exceedingly simple.
The sound of a visitor alert brought Mu Ran out of her memories, reminding her of clothes she ordered that were likely brought by security. She rose to grab them, expressed thanks, and asked Chu Xijin, "Do you know how to dress yourself?"
"Yes, I do!" Chu Xijin nodded.
"Then you change clothes first, and I'll teach you how to wear shoes later."
"Okay."
Chu Xijin obediently went to the guest room to put on the new clothes.
The clothes weren't as sophisticated as his previous ones but were comfortable and relaxed without much constraint.
He finished dressing and came out.
Mu Ran stared at him with arms folded.
She had previously picked child stars, seen many beautiful children, yet none like him.
His young age carried an extraordinary aura.
She wondered whether the heavens gave him a special filter, he looked too stunning.
Stunning enough that Mu Ran wanted to summon the dog Emperor and slaughter him a dozen times over.
What kind of nonsense is this?
Having such a precious son yet not cherishing him, even wanting to kill him, is his brain waterlogged?
Mu Ran's thoughts bore a serious expression.
To Chu Xijin, his aunt seemed upset again.
Mu Ran beckoned him over: "Come here, I'll teach you how to wear shoes, then you can do it yourself. As for the shoes, first, loosen the laces a bit, then lift the thicker material."
As she instructed, she also crouched, maneuvering his foot into the shoe.
Then tied his laces.
As she was about to signal for a second time.
Chu Xijin quickly said, "Aunt, I can do it myself."
"Alright, you go ahead."
Seeing him manage the shoes promptly, Mu Ran nodded: "Let's go eat something delicious."
She lived on the twenty-first floor.
Going downstairs naturally required using the elevator, Chu Xijin stood in it, swaying slightly, face pale.
"What's wrong? Not used to it? This is an elevator; it's a tool that helps us get from high floors to the ground, don't be afraid." Mu Ran crouched, frowning slightly, and asked again, "Can you manage?"
Chu Xijin didn't speak, only tightly clutched his aunt's sleeve, fingers pale.
Mu Ran pressed the nearest floor button, leading him out, "Since you aren't used to it, let's take the stairs."
Chu Xijin really wasn't accustomed to the loss of gravity, feeling as if he was about to be pulled to the ground.
The sensation was terrifying.
Now, leaving the elevator, he still felt weak and dizzy, recovering after descending a floor.
"This is our number, 17." Mu Ran pointed to the floor number, telling him.
Chu Xijin remembered carefully.
17.
16.
15.
…
3.
2.
1.
-1.