Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Brother Dotes Too Much
Inside the carriage.
Xie Suzhi placed all the tasty treats in front of Shen Ningning.
"Godfather doesn’t know what you like to eat, but I asked my colleagues, and they all said little girls love sweets."
"There are pink glutinous rice balls, fried sweet dumplings, red bean sticky rice cakes... See which ones you like. Eat as much as you want, and Godfather will buy you more next time."
Xie Suzhi watched Shen Ningning, his eyes filled with boundless, gentle affection.
The little girl sat beside him, a delicious sweet pastry in each of her chubby hands, happily munching away.
"Thank you, Godfather~" Shen Ningning mumbled, her mouth full.
"Eat slowly, there’s no rush." He used his sleeve to wipe the little one’s mouth, not minding in the slightest, and even poured some tea, holding the cup to her lips for her to drink.
Seeing how happily Shen Ningning was eating, Xie Suzhi finally asked, "Ningning, at the National Academy, did one of the teachers give you a hard time?"
Shen Ningning shook her head. "The teachers are all very nice, Godfather. I was assigned to the Huangzi Class today, and Mr. Han has a very carefree personality."
"He’s like one of the legendary heroes from the martial world—unconventional. His lectures are excellent, too. I like him a lot."
Xie Suzhi’s brow smoothed, and he smiled faintly. "Then why did you say earlier that Cai Ying took a scolding for you?"
At his words, the little girl fell silent.
Her rosy cheeks were puffed out as she chewed on a fried sweet dumpling, savoring its sugary flavor.
"Godfather, when I go to the academy the day after tomorrow, I want to bring my own maid."
In truth, Shen Ningning was no longer the simple, naive child she once was.
She had experienced malice. Aunt Qin’s family and Wei Yufu had both taught her a lesson.
They were the ones who made the little girl understand that not everyone’s words in this world are spoken with good intentions.
And Shen Ningning was incredibly perceptive. Cai Ying’s instigations, once or twice, might not have been obvious.
But by the third or fourth time, the little girl noticed.
From the moment Cai Ying tried to stop her from writing "Carefree Wanderings," Shen Ningning knew the maid didn’t want her to be too outstanding.
The little girl wasn’t the least bit hurt by this.
’After all, Cai Ying isn’t my personal maid. It’s only natural that she wouldn’t treat me well.’
But Shen Ningning had to teach her a small lesson. After the scare Cai Ying got with Mr. Han today, she probably wouldn’t try to stir up trouble again.
Hearing this, Xie Suzhi pondered for a moment, a guess forming in his mind. "Are you unhappy with Cai Ying?"
Shen Ningning nodded, then shook her head.
She didn’t want to say any more on the subject. The little girl felt that Cai Ying was Cai Ying, and Xie Yuanjiu had meant well by lending her.
’If I keep talking about it, I’ll become the one stirring up trouble!’
So, she took the initiative, picking up a small sweet dumpling from the table and holding it to Chancellor Xie’s lips. "Godfather, you have some."
Xie Suzhi immediately broke into a smile and took a bite of the dumpling. "It’s so sweet."
He never thought that in the fourth year since losing his daughter, he would get to taste food fed to him by her own hand.
This was a beautiful dream he had never dared to imagine before.
The thought of how difficult it had been for his daughter to return made Xie Suzhi’s eyes turn cold.
After returning to the mansion, the housekeeper was waiting at the entrance with a group of nannies and maids.
Xie Suzhi handed Shen Ningning over to them. "Have the servants take you to wash your hands first, then go see what wonderful thing your Brother is making for you in his courtyard."
"Godfather is going to change his clothes and will be back to have dinner with Ningning in a little while."
Shen Ningning immediately agreed, beaming, her shallow dimples showing as she followed the servants into the mansion.
After she left, Xie Suzhi’s expression turned cold, and he summoned a Hidden Guard.
"Go find out what kind of trouble Cai Ying caused at the National Academy today."
"Yes, sir." The Hidden Guard accepted the order and vanished in an instant.
Xie Suzhi had prepared a courtyard for Shen Ningning to live in.
In the future, whenever she wasn’t returning to Wolf Mountain, she could stay with the Xie family.
The small courtyard was adjacent to the main lady’s residence. Inside stood a two-story building surrounded by a profusion of flowers.
A circle of green bamboo was planted in the southwest corner, its color a deep, lush jade, completely untouched by the autumn season.
On the second floor, Shen Ningning pushed open the window with her small hands and looked out.
Most of the Prime Minister’s Mansion came into view: intersecting pavilions and towers, brand-new buildings in verdant hues, and stretches of black roof tiles.
Everything spoke of the Xie Mansion’s wealth and high status.
The little girl heard the sound of wood being sawed.
She curiously followed the sound with her eyes and saw Xie Mingxu sawing wood on the other side of a floral-gated doorway.
"It’s Brother~" The little girl giggled and quickly ran out of her courtyard, heading in his direction.
When she reached Xie Mingxu, she saw his feet were surrounded by wood shavings, and he had quite a few on his clothes as well.
He was currently sanding a long, thin wooden board in his hands.
"Brother! What are you doing?" Shen Ningning’s eyes widened with curiosity.
Xie Mingxu looked up, his handsome, cool, and steady temperament hidden beneath his dark brows.
He wiped the light sweat from his forehead and smiled faintly. "I’m making a little cart for you."
Shen Ningning trotted closer, tilting her head curiously. "A cart?"
Xie Mingxu’s strong arms moved back and forth, sanding the wooden board until it was smooth before applying a coat of varnish.
"You have too many books. Even with a maid to help, I’m worried it’ll be a hassle for you to carry them." He had considered that she also had to return to Wolf Mountain.
He had been to the mountain and knew the terrain.
"So, I’m making a wheeled cart. You can pull it wherever you go, and it won’t be heavy."
After Xie Mingxu finished speaking, Shen Ningning felt a rush of delight. She crouched down to examine her little cart carefully.
Top-grade huanghuali wood had first been cut into pieces.
Then, Xie Mingxu had personally sanded them and, following the principles of a four-wheeled vehicle, fashioned four small wheels for pulling it.
The cart’s body was sanded into a half-meter-long rectangle, built using mortise and tenon joints, making it exceptionally sturdy.
Xie Mingxu fitted the handle for pushing and pulling into place, and it was finally complete.
He reached out, picked up the little girl, and placed her in the cart’s body.
"Come on, Brother will pull you. Let’s test it out together."
Shen Ningning’s dark eyes lit up with surprise and joy. "Okay!"
Xie Mingxu pulled her, walking forward slowly, and the cart’s body glided along with them.
"Wow~" The little girl was overjoyed. "Brother, this is like an open-top carriage!"
Xie Mingxu chuckled. "You’ve got a way with words, little one."
Shen Ningning closed her eyes, spread her little hands, and felt the autumn breeze gently brush against her cheeks.
The rustling of leaves from the nearby bamboo grove only enhanced the feeling of tranquil silence.
Shen Ningning opened her eyes and said gleefully, "Brother, you should get in and try it too! I’ll push you."
But Xie Mingxu just laughed. "If I get in, I’m afraid I’ll break it."
"Why? Brother, you made this to hold my books, and my books are very heavy."
"How can such a big cart hold all my books, but not one brother?"
Before Xie Mingxu could answer, Shen Ningning thought of the answer herself.
Her eyes lit up. "I know! It’s because books are filled with knowledge, but besides knowledge, my brother’s body is also filled with martial arts!"
Her childlike words sounded playful, but they also made a certain kind of sense.
Xie Mingxu let out a hearty laugh. He bent down and gently tapped Shen Ningning’s little nose twice.
"You charming little thing." With that, he lifted Shen Ningning out of the cart.
Just then, the attendant Xie Mingxu had sent to fetch ink returned.
"Brother, what’s this for?"
"The cart is finished, but you’re a girl. I’m going to paint some designs on it so it won’t look so plain." Xie Mingxu had thought of everything.
He was a man; for him, simple was good enough for anything.
But his little sister was a girl, and she deserved the best of everything. She should have dresses in every color and no shortage of jeweled hairpins and accessories.
Even this simple pull-along cart had to be pretty.
Shen Ningning found this activity novel and exciting. She rolled up her sleeves.
"Then let me help you, Brother. I want to paint, too."
"Alright. You paint the left side, and I’ll paint the right." Xie Mingxu handed her a brush and the ink.
The servant had brought four colors of ink: vermillion red, distant-mountain cyan, deep-black ink, and rich purple.
Shen Ningning thought for a moment, then dipped her brush in the distant-mountain cyan, sat down on the ground, and began to paint with focused concentration.
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