The little dumpling sniffled and fiddled with her fingers, "Mother, Momo will try to grow taller so I don't drag the family down."
A Cai couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
The little dumpling pouted, looking aggrieved.
There was nothing she could do about it. She wasn't as talented as her brothers, only knowing how to eat.
"Alright, I like everything you say. I'm also very happy that you are so sensible," Zhou Wanyou smiled gently, reaching out to pat each of their heads.
Finally, she picked up the little dumpling, rubbed her face vigorously, and kissed her forehead. "Momo, you don't need to do anything else, just eat well every day."
Her daughter was still young, and this ability to act cute alone put her brothers to shame.
The three brothers, for once, didn't feel jealous. They displayed their brotherly demeanor and spoke in unison.
"Mother, you don't need to be sad. Although Father is gone, we will take on the responsibility of this family and take good care of you and sister!"
"You are all good children," Zhou Wanyou gave them the highest praise.
The three brothers took a step back, looking exactly alike, and bowed simultaneously. "Then Mother, we will take our leave. Please rest well."
Zhou Wanyou nodded. They straightened their backs and, led by the eldest, filed out one by one.
Not long after the three brothers left, Su Siqi crept back in.
He glanced at the little dumpling in Zhou Wanyou's arms and asked in a negotiating tone, "Mother, can you lend Momo to me for a while?"
"Of course, go and play," Zhou Wanyou placed the little dumpling on the ground.
Su Siqi then tugged her along and headed out.
After they had all left, the hall fell silent.
Zhou Wanyou finally found a moment to pick up her teacup.
A Cai looked in the direction the children had gone, a mix of laughter and tears on her face. "Madam, aren't you going to tell the young masters the truth about the General's departure from the capital?"
Zhou Wanyou leisurely sipped her tea. "No need. They are fine like this, it saves trouble."
Meanwhile, the little dumpling was dragged to the mansion's entrance.
A carriage was parked there.
The little dumpling had a bad feeling.
Su Siqi smiled and ruffled the little dumpling's head. "Momo, although second brother has saved some money over the years, when I calculate it carefully, it still seems a bit insufficient. You don't mind helping second brother out, do you?"
The little dumpling thought for a moment and said seriously, "I do mind."
"Momo is such a good child. It's good that you don't mind." Su Siqi grabbed her collar and tossed her into the carriage. "Let's go."
The little dumpling: "..."
Next time, if you don't plan on listening to my answer, could you please not ask me that question?
It's truly redundant.
The mute servant whipped the horse, and the carriage headed towards the bustling marketplace.
The carriage wound its way through several turns and arrived at a textile factory.
The little dumpling was pulled out of the carriage by Su Siqi.
A crowd of middle-aged women had gathered at the entrance.
As soon as they saw Su Yunmo, they all surrounded her.
"Oh, this must be the young lady of the General's mansion. She's so lovely."
"I didn't expect someone from the General's mansion to come to our textile factory to learn embroidery. We are truly honored."
The little dumpling blinked her eyes. "Second brother?"
A man walked out from inside.
The middle-aged women made way for him.
The man sized up the little dumpling. "Hmm, not bad. She looks like a good prospect. Judging by her appearance, she seems nimble-fingered. After a few years of learning, she might even be able to enter the palace as an embroiderer."
He was very satisfied and took out a silver ingot from his embrace, handing it to Su Siqi.
Su Siqi took it, bit down on the silver, and smacked his lips. "Then I'll ask you to take good care of her."
He tucked the silver into his sleeve, patted the little dumpling's shoulder, and said with great earnestness.
"Momo, you don't like studying, do you? Second brother isn't as rigid as eldest brother. If we don't study, we can learn other things. 'A woman without talent is virtuous,' right?"
Su Yunmo: "..."
This was the first time she had heard someone describe selling off their sister so elegantly.
"Alright, I'm leaving. You work hard here. I'll come back to pick you up tonight." Su Siqi waved and jumped onto the carriage.
"Second brother, wait!" Su Yunmo called out, holding up her small hands.
The next moment, the carriage sped away, kicking up dust.
Su Yunmo's face turned green. "Second brother!!!!"
"Come, come, little lady, let's go to our place first."
"Go to our place first, we're learning new patterns."
Several groups of people swarmed forward, grabbing her wrists, hugging her waist, their demeanor almost tearing Su Yunmo limb from limb.
Finally, the leading man said, "One by one, take turns."
Only then did the commotion subside.
For the entire morning, Su Yunmo visited five embroidery workshops. Her needle pricked her fingers more than ten times, and almost every fingertip had a bloodied hole.
When it was time for lunch, she finally couldn't bear it any longer and ran away after flipping the table.
Seeing her escape, the embroiderers chased after her.
Su Yunmo, using all her strength, screamed and darted around the street.
There were many carriages on the street.
As she came out of the alley, she almost crashed into one.
Qian Xue narrowly stopped the carriage and asked in surprise, "Little lady? What are you doing?"
"Quick, don't ask, let me get up!" The little dumpling looked back as she scrambled onto the carriage with her short legs.
She climbed too hastily, and a large piece of her slipped, nearly causing her to fall.
Qian Xue thought something major had happened and quickly pulled her up. "Little lady, don't be afraid. No matter what happens, Master will back you up."
As soon as she finished speaking, a group of embroiderers emerged from the alley.
The little dumpling shrieked and darted into the carriage compartment.
Ye Jingyu, holding a book, was about to inquire about the commotion outside when he looked up and saw a little white mouse slithering into the carriage.
She crouched in a corner, hugging her head with both hands, and muttered incessantly, "Don't see me, don't see me, don't see me..."
Ye Jingyu: "???"
"How dare you collide with Prince Yu's carriage?" Qian Xue's stern voice came from outside.
Then came the sound of the embroiderers kneeling and kowtowing.
"We did not intend to collide with Prince Yu, but a young embroiderer from the embroidery factory could not bear the hardship and escaped, so we chased after her."
Ye Jingyu raised an eyebrow and looked at the 'little mouse' in the corner.
Su Yunmo bowed and lay down on the couch, burrowing behind Ye Jingyu like a hamster, squeezing herself tightly between the man and the carriage wall.
"The things you're afraid of truly surprise me," Ye Jingyu put down the book in his hand. "Why did you go to an embroidery factory of all places?"
The little dumpling shivered and said nothing.
Ye Jingyu then raised his voice to speak to the outside. "Qian Xue, give them some money to send them away. I don't have time to waste here."
Qian Xue: "Yes."
The voices outside subsided, followed by a wave of expressions of gratitude.
The carriage continued to rumble forward.
The little dumpling, hearing that there was no more movement outside, finally breathed a sigh of relief and crawled out.
Her collar was grabbed.
Ye Jingyu dangled her in mid-air. "What is this game you're playing now? Even though General Su has left the mansion, your household's monthly allowance has not decreased. Is it really necessary for you to go out and earn money to support the family?"