“Brother, go help Dad quickly; they’re arguing again.”
In the living room, it was naturally Ruan Xiao and He Feng fighting and dismantling the place. Ruan Shu had already been scooped up and taken upstairs by the butler for safety, and he did so with practiced ease, as if this wasn’t the first time such an event had occurred.
Though the two restrained themselves a bit for Ruan Shu’s sake, the furniture downstairs didn’t fare as well.
A bit worried, Ruan Shu tugged her older brother’s hand, pulling him toward the lounge.
Dad and Uncle He had been discussing some compensation issue, but it escalated into an argument.
Afraid they might start fighting again, she hurriedly dragged her big brother over to help.
“Big Brother, if Dad and Uncle He start fighting again, will you help Dad?”
Ruan Fengsi looked at her, amused. “…Shouldn’t you be asking me to break up the fight?”
Not long ago, she’d been terrified when she saw them fight.
Ruan Shu gave a shy, gentle smile. “Well, try to stop them first. But if that doesn’t work, help Dad.”
Ruan Fengsi: …Well, wasn’t she just trying to get him to take sides!
Now he was curious who had caught this little one’s attention this time.
They hadn’t even reached the lounge door yet when voices came from inside.
“If it weren’t for you exposing my embarrassing moments, would I have lost my temper? Taking advantage of the situation, huh? No way! Unless you let me be Shushu’s godfather!”
Ruan Fengsi rolled up his sleeves, his expression fierce. “Who dares to be this arrogant?”
And wanting to make Ruan Shu his daughter? Fat chance!
Ruan Shu quickly hugged her big brother. “Big Brother, they’re not fighting. Don’t go in.”
Ruan Fengsi: Fine, but if they really start, he wouldn’t mind getting in a few kicks.
Ruan Shu led him to the doorway, where she peeked in stealthily to assess the situation.
He Feng, talkative and loud, sounded like a whole flock of ducks.
“Honestly, don’t you think you’re being unethical? I only showed Shushu your highlights, and what did you show her? Embarrassing videos of me! That’s bound to ruin the image she has of me…”
Ruan Xiao sat calmly in his chair, throwing out a few words, “You have an image?”
He Feng retorted, “What are you saying! I’m the Empire’s Marshal, and I have more fans than you. So many glorious moments, how could I not have an image? Want me to show you a video?”
“I don’t care. Either way, you’re going to let Ruan Shu be my daughter, or I’m not leaving.”
Ruan Shu: She felt as though she was being shamelessly targeted, and by a grown man no less.
Ruan Fengsi stepped in. “Uncle He, if I’m not mistaken, you already have a daughter, right? Isn’t it a bit much to come over to my house trying to claim another?”
He Feng scratched his head. “How about… we swap?”
Ruan Xiao & Ruan Fengsi: “Get lost!”
In the end, father and son teamed up to throw He Feng out.
Ruan Fengsi warned his little sister, “In the future, keep your distance from people like him. You’re too naive and can easily be tricked, understand?”
Ruan Shu: ………
She let out a soft, aggrieved “Oh.” She wasn’t that gullible! She wouldn’t randomly recognize people as her dad.
All the damaged furniture in the house was eventually gathered, and Ruan Xiao promptly sent the repair bill to He Feng.
Ruan Xiao: You’ve got two days. Pay up.
He Feng: I haven’t even gotten Shushu’s contact info yet!
He Feng: I’m a dignified Grand Marshal, and I can’t even adopt a goddaughter? It’s not like you’re losing out—an extra dad means extra help! Why are you so stubborn?
He Feng: Bro, can I call you bro?
Just as He Feng was about to send another flurry of messages, he realized they were marked with three exclamation points, glowing red as if mocking him.
He Feng: ………
After blocking He Feng, Ruan Xiao thought back to the video call he’d had with his subordinates, recalling the mix of curiosity, envy, and unspoken questions in their eyes.
He opened StarNet, only to see that his daughter’s dress-up video was still trending at the top.
Watching it again, his adorable little dumpling looked as charming as ever in all her outfits.
He saved the video and then instructed someone to take it down.
He did the same with every other photo and video.
The netizens: …Is he even human?
【Where’s my baby? What happened in just a blink? Where’s my sweet, soft little darling?!】
【Thank goodness I saved the video; it must’ve been taken down. I won’t say who did it, but it’s not the first time photos and videos of Marshal Ruan have been removed—any content unrelated to official matters, gone!】
【Wah…Marshal, go ahead and fight if you want, but give us back our little one!】
【Oh no, I got so absorbed I forgot to save the video! Anyone kind enough to share it? I need it to get through the day!】
……
Ruan Shu was unaware she had become a trending topic. When bedtime came, she bathed, washed her hair, and emerged as a damp little ragdoll kitten. She toddled on her short little legs out of her room, on her way to find her dad.
However, she was intercepted halfway.
With the scruff of her neck gently gripped and her little butt supported, Ruan Shu found herself curled up with her tail and four paws tucked in, looking bewildered. “???”
Who? Who caught the kitty?
“Meow!”
She flailed her tiny paws, unable to turn her head as the back of her neck was firmly held.
Who is it? So rude!
The little kitten puffed up in frustration, her still-damp fur bristling until she looked like a porcupine, and to top it off, she was practically steaming.
A chuckle from above revealed who it was, and Ruan Shu instantly knew who had grabbed her.
Big Brother—of course, in this household, only Big Brother would treat her so harshly.
“Meow~”
Ruan Shu drooped her little head, mewling softly. Big Brother, let me go, please?
But Ruan Fengsi didn’t let go. Instead, he carried the little kitten all the way to his room and held her up to the mirror, positioning her so she could see herself.
“Look, a steaming, spiky ball.”
Ruan Shu stared blankly at the reflection in the mirror with her big, bewildered eyes.
Her damp, clingy fur stuck to her body in patches, with some parts poking out like porcupine quills. Through her matted fur, you could even catch glimpses of her soft pink skin underneath.
And on top of that, her entire body was surrounded by a light mist of white smoke, as if she were in a steam bath.
“Meow!!!”
The damp little kitten looked a bit silly, and Ruan Shu quickly covered her eyes with her paws, attempting a bit of self-delusion.
As long as she didn’t see it, that silly cat in the mirror wasn’t her.
Ruan Fengsi burst out laughing, clearly entertained by her reaction.
He grabbed a dry towel, wrapped her up like a tiny fluffball, and started to rub her dry.
The vigorous rubbing made Ruan Shu’s little head dizzy, and she protested in her thoughts, ‘No more rubbing, please, QwQ!’
By the time she finally wriggled free from the towel, she was so disoriented that she staggered like she was tipsy, eventually bumping her head on the bed and collapsing onto it.
Watching her, Ruan Fengsi muttered to himself, “I was being gentle, though…”
A dazed Ruan Shu thought: I… I see a bridge… and a granny holding a bowl of soup on it…
Ahahahahahahahaha! I love this chapter!!
And she saw the (what’s it called in Chinese again?) Nai He Bridge(?) with Meng Po on the other side, from how hard her brother was drying her? Hahahaha