On one side, Ruan Shu was plotting a way to orchestrate a forced family reunion. Meanwhile, Ruan Fengsi, after snapping some photos, was preparing to post a nine-picture grid. For the last photo, after some thought, he decided on one of his little sister wearing a small apron, making mooncakes in the kitchen.
In the photo, the little girl wore an adorable apron with a border. Her hair was styled in a bun, with straight bangs that neatly brushed her eyebrows, and a few longer wisps framing her face on each side.
The picture was taken from a side profile, highlighting her curled lashes and the soft, chubby curve of her cheek, dotted with a little flour. But the powder didn’t detract one bit from her cuteness.
Her lips, plump and rosy like a peach, added to her sweet charm. Her focus as she wrapped the mooncakes could melt anyone’s heart; even Ruan Fengsi, a grown man, found her irresistibly adorable!
Ruan Fengsi captioned it: “First time trying mooncakes made by Shushu herself. Delicious!”
As soon as he posted it, a cascade of notifications for likes started rolling in.
Ruan Fengsi popped a mooncake in his mouth as he glanced through the comments, most of which came from colleagues.
[Employee A]: “Boss Ruan is really lucky; his sister made him mooncakes! I don’t even get gifts from my own daughter.”
[Employee B]: “So jealous of Boss Ruan having such a sweet little sister.”
[Employee C]: “Mooncakes? Boss Ruan’s sister invented these treats on her own? Amazing!”
[Employee D]: “Wow, they look so tasty! How thoughtful is Boss Ruan’s sister! I remember that little figurine on his desk was also a gift from her. I wish I had a sister like that.”
[Employee E]: “She’s made other snacks for Boss Ruan before; I’ve seen them.”
[Employee F]: “When is sister coming to the office? We haven’t seen her in a while.”
[Employee G]: “Is sister okay after her injury before?”
[Employee H]: “This picture is just too cute; the way she’s focused on making the mooncakes is so precious. Her chubby cheeks must be so soft!”
As they liked and commented, many employees quickly saved the last photo of Ruan Shu and shared it in their private groups, squealing over it.
Since Boss Ruan shared it, they felt no need to hold back. They rallied their friends and colleagues to like and hype up the post, jokingly urging Ruan Fengsi to show off more often. After all, Ruan Shu was their little good luck charm!
The initial comments were mostly flattering, but as Ruan Fengsi continued reading, he began feeling a little uneasy. Wait, what was going on here? Why were people dropping the formal titles and just calling her “sister”? Wasn’t that a bit too familiar?
So, he started replying: “Keep it respectful, everyone. She’s my sister. Whose boundaries are you all pushing here?”
The group: Busted.
They toned it down publicly, but in their private group chats, they got more carried away, affectionately calling her “little sis” and even dreaming of becoming her “virtual parents” with glee. A child this sweet was perfect for everyone to dote on virtually. Unfortunately, most online videos and photos had been pulled by the Marshal, so they just kept replaying the ones they had saved.
If Boss Ruan could occasionally post updates to satisfy their “virtual parenting” dreams, that would be ideal.
“Reporting in.”
Suddenly, a loud, confident voice echoed from outside. Ruan Shu, who was sitting beside her father munching on a salted egg yolk mooncake, looked like a soft, chubby little hamster.
Ruan Xiao called, “Come in,” and the door opened, revealing a tall, muscular man in a military tank top. His gaze immediately went to the Marshal’s side.
His face was stern, but internally he was thrilled. He’d finally seen the Marshal’s daughter! It had been worth defeating multiple competitors for the chance to deliver documents to the Marshal’s office.
After all, there was only one document, which meant only one person could come to deliver it.
“Marshal, sir.” The soldier handed over the document but lingered there, occasionally stealing glances at Ruan Shu out of the corner of his eye.
Just like they said, it wasn’t an exaggeration—she really was as soft and lovely as they claimed. How could their marshal have such an adorable daughter?
Ruan Xiao cast him a look. “Anything else?”
“No, sir, nothing.”
He stole another glance at Ruan Shu, and then another.
Initially, he had hoped to sneak a photo to boast about with his colleagues. But Ruan Shu, who noticed his repeated glances, assumed he was eyeing her mooncake.
The little girl thought for a moment, then picked up a mooncake and walked over to him.
“Here you go.”
The soldier was stunned.
Ruan Shu handed him the mooncake, then quickly ran back to her father’s side.
The soldier left, still in a daze, staring at the mooncake in his hand with a silly grin. He couldn’t wait to brag to everyone—he had been given a mooncake by the marshal’s daughter!
Ruan Xiao patted his daughter’s head. “Want to go out and have a look around?”
Ruan Shu blinked. “But we’re waiting for Grandpa.”
As if on cue, her grandfather, Ruan He, arrived, laughing heartily as he scooped up his precious granddaughter into his arms.
“Shushu came to visit Grandpa today! Let’s go, I’ll take you out for a stroll!”
Ruan Xiao: She obviously came to see me.
Ruan He, who was always one for action, didn’t waste any time. Holding his little granddaughter, he started walking, proudly introducing her to everyone they encountered along the way.
“This is my granddaughter.”
“This is my granddaughter Shushu. Isn’t she adorable?”
“My granddaughter Shushu made these mooncakes herself. Delicious, right?”
At first, Ruan Shu felt a little nervous and shy, but soon she grew numb to the attention.
He was truly the type who wanted the whole world to know that Ruan Shu was his granddaughter. For a moment, he even overshadowed Marshal Ruan Xiao himself, and soon everyone was referring to Ruan Shu as the Old Marshal’s granddaughter rather than the marshal’s daughter.
Ruan Xiao: …
For the first time, he felt a bit frustrated by his own reputation for being stoic and reserved.
Ruan He took her on a full tour, even showing her the training grounds and letting her watch the soldiers in action.
She watched as they ran obstacle courses, carried heavy loads, and even shifted into beast forms for raw combat drills.
The scenes were a bit gory, and while Ruan Shu clung to her grandfather, torn between curiosity and slight trepidation, she wasn’t overtaken by fear.
Having once witnessed the brutal reality of the battlefield firsthand, Ruan Shu’s mindset had unexpectedly grown stronger.
She finally understood why people in this world admired strength so fervently, why fights broke out at the slightest provocation, and why even young children were taught to hunt and fight as soon as they could walk.
Danger was everywhere in the universe, and without strength, they couldn’t protect their homes or loved ones.
Ruan Shu knew that she was different from the people of this world. She was unique because she had no combat abilities, and her Jingshen was only at an F level.
By nature, she was weak and, under normal circumstances, would be excluded or bullied.
But she was blessed with a wonderful family. And perhaps due to her soft and gentle demeanor, coupled with her small, timid star-beast form, people seemed to like her.
It wasn’t the admiration reserved for the strong; it was more like a group of fierce, powerful beasts finding a small, delicate creature among them, one so different that they were curious and charmed by her. But she knew this was only a fleeting novelty.
Ruan Shu also wanted to fit in, to become stronger. But reality was clear—whether in her star-beast form or her Jingshen, everything reminded her that such aspirations were just daydreams.