Wen Mingyu observed him, hoping to see his unacceptance, but he was dismayed. Not only was Mu Zhan unperturbed, but he actually smiled and said, “If Yu Yu thinks this name suits me, then I will make sure to live up to it and prove it true. Let’s see tonight.”
Wen Mingyu froze, not expecting that he had managed to dig a hole for himself.
After breakfast, they went to the Imperial Garden, where the court painter was commissioned to create portraits of them.
During the painting session, movement was allowed, though just not too much.
Wen Mingyu sat in his chair, chatting with Mu Zhan. The initial discomfort from being watched nearby quickly faded as their conversation grew more engrossing, almost making them forget their surroundings.
The two energetic dumplings scrambled up and down their daddy and father emperor as if they were climbing frames, even competing with each other.
Mu Zhan simply held Little Chilli down to prevent her from running around. To distract her, he even stuffed her with some children’s snacks.
Little Rice Cake was slightly more behaved. Without Little Chilli leading the way for adventure, he too slowed down, obediently clinging to Wen Mingyu’s robes, like a little koala hugging a tree. Very cute.
Mu Zhan tilted his head toward Wen Mingyu. Suddenly, he smiled and said, “Still don’t want to remember what happened last night?”
Wen Mingyu’s hand, stroking Little Rice Cake’s hair, halted. He said nothing.
Mu Zhan went straight to the point. “I don’t see anything shameful about it. I actually like it—you standing up for me. Even when you cried, you were adorable.”
Directness was always the most effective and also the hardest to defend against.
Moreover, after Mu Zhan delivered his direct shot, he feigned retreat. “Or are you regretting those words now and want to take them back?”
This time, Wen Mingyu had no choice but to look up and rebuke him, “What regrets? It was just speaking the truth after a few drinks. Crying for so long was just embarrassing. You can remember the words, but the crying part—forget it. Forget it all, got it?”
Mu Zhan smiled and said, “I don’t mind. I have seen you cry even harder before.”
Wen Mingyu was taken aback. His first thought was when exactly had he cried, as he rarely did so. Until a memory suddenly surfaced, and his eyes flushed red, tingling with heat.
Mu Zhan then pressed even further, his tone growing more playful. “Remember what you said, that you said you wanted to hide me away, and I would be yours… Do you want to hide me?”
Wen Mingyu was struck speechless, unable to respond. Though he had to admit, he felt a tug of temptation.
Mu Zhan sat there, perfectly still, exuding an air of a docile, breathtaking beauty, as if he were there to be taken and possessed. It seemed that if Wen Mingyu truly wished to hide him away, he wouldn’t resist but would obediently cooperate.
Wen Mingyu’s lashes fluttered slightly as he stared at Mu Zhan. Then, unable to help himself, he laughed out loud, his mood improving immensely.
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Wen Mingyu assumed the painter was earnestly at work and must now have witnessed the scene.
In reality, however, the painter had just peeked over and gained inspiration and ideas. He began painting with passion, his brushstrokes flying across the paper as if guided by a higher power.
Finally, the painting was completed and presented to the Emperor and Empress.
The scene depicted was not particularly unique, just Wen Mingyu and Mu Zhan gazing at each other and conversing casually. Yet the atmosphere it conveyed was exceptionally warm, radiating such bliss that one glance felt like pure happiness.
In the painting, the two handsome and graceful young men, both dressed in fine brocade robes, sat close together, their knees nearly touching. They gaze at each other with unmistakable smiles on their faces, as if there were no one else in their eyes but the person before them. Each carried a small bundle in their arms—a delicate, porcelain-like child. The chubby little dumplings, toys in hand but not playing with them, instead tilted their heads up curiously, eyes sparkling as they watched them. Though the setting was in the imperial garden, the couple’s court attire and noble bearing carry not the distant aloofness of royalty but rather a warmth and intimacy that feels deeply human. Their deep affection and perfect harmony radiate a sense of domestic bliss.
The painting was still, yet every stroke and lines vividly captured the scene’s atmosphere, giving the viewer a sense of being there firsthand, and a feeling that stirs the heart.
This painting was eventually mounted and hung in the imperial study of Mu Zhan, where it met his gaze daily as he attended to state affairs.
Since the emperor was pleased with the painting, the painter received generous rewards.
Before they knew it, Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake were already eleven months old, nearing their first birthday. The palace had already begun preparing for their birthday banquet. As the only two imperial heirs, the beloved young princess and prince were naturally treated with great importance.
While everyone bustled about the preparations, the two main stars of the show remained utterly oblivious. Blissfully unaware and carefree, they happily chewed on their toys and played to their hearts’ content.
When Wen Mingyu came over, he happened to catch Little Chilli attempting to “escape” by climbing over the railings. Despite her chubby body, she was surprisingly nimble, scrambling over in two seasoned moves and landing on the plush carpet without a hint of discomfort.
When she spotted her daddy, she showed no guilt whatsoever. Instead, she flashed a dazzling grin, her expression practically begging, ”Aren’t I amazing? Praise me!”
Wen Mingyu: “…”
Just as he was about to say something, he realized this was not the end of it.
A babyish voice came from inside the playpen, “Jiii.”
Little Chilli turned back and pulled her brother out from inside too. The two dumplings couldn’t steady themselves and toppled over onto the carpet together. They got up and wobbled toward Wen Mingyu, swaying unsteadily. After a few steps, apparently finding walking too tiresome and slow, they simply opt to drop on all fours and scurry toward their daddy.
Wen Mingyu understood; the two little dumplings knew how to plan a jailbreak. Little Chilli would climb over the fence first, while Little Rice Cake pushed her up from inside. Once Little Chilli rolled out like a rice ball and successfully escaped, she would pull her brother out. If they weren’t doing something mischievous, one would almost want to praise their clever teamwork.
This was not the first time it had happened. They had escaped before, too. At this age, their curiosity was endless, and everything fascinated them. They loved exploring everywhere, rummaging through drawers, crawling under tables, or dismantling toys. Everything was considered a toy to them, making them almost as destructive as a playful husky tearing apart a house. Thankfully, someone was always watching, preventing them from getting hurt by going too far.
At lunchtime, the family of four ate together.
Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake had already begun learning to feed themselves with spoons, though they struggled to control their strength and direction, often spilling food or flinging it into themselves. Wen Mingyu and Mu Zhan didn’t intervene and just tied embroidered bibs around their necks and let them eat slowly on their own.
Sitting beside them, Wen Mingyu served as perfect role models, and the two little dumplings eagerly mimicked their every move.
Little Chilli’s chubby hands fumbled with the spoon. While eating, she accidentally let go, dropping it onto the floor. Mu Zha glanced over, picked it up without second thought, and replaced hers with a clean one.
Later, it happened again. It dropped, and he picked it up once more.
Little Chilli, for some reason, seemed to have discovered something fun and deliberately dropped the spoon again. But the third time was the charm, and it was clear she was doing it on purpose. She looked up at Mu Zhan with wide, hopeful eyes.
But Mu Zhan remained still this time, only saying coolly, “Eat with your hands.”
Wen Mingyu watched them and couldn’t help but break into laughter.
Little Chilli blinked, glancing down at her empty hands, then at the minced meat in the bowl. Then, she quickly climbed down from the wooden chair all by herself, clutched the spoon in her little hand, and huffed and puffed her way back up to sit properly on the chair.
Just as she was about to take a mouthful, Wen Mingyu replaced her spoon. Little Rice Cake saw this and wanted one too. He hurriedly thrust his spoon in front of Wen Mingyu, babbling indistinctly, “Da, dada!”
Wen Mingyu responded with a nod, guided his hand with the spoon back in the bowl, and let him scoop a spoonful of minced meat and fed it into his mouth. After that, he forgot all about the spoon swap.
After the meal, fruit was served. Wen Mingyu and Mu Zhan ate fruit slices, while the little dumplings enjoyed peach soup.
The small porcelain bowls were adorned with plump, adorable peach patterns. It held a pale yellow, with a creamy color and a sprinkle of pink petals on top. Its sweet fragrance wafted gently through the air.
Wen Mingyu found himself craving it. In fact, many baby foods were made to be both appetizing and delicious. The imperial kitchen had placed a lot of effort into making the young masters willing to eat, and even an adult like Wen Mingyu was captivated.
While the dumplings were busy with their toys, Wen Mingyu sneaked a bite. Licking his lips, he found it indeed delicious. Some unknown ingredients had been added that balanced the flavors, making it very palatable.
However, the moment he took that bite, an eerie silence descended around him.
A bad feeling washed over Wen Mingyu. He looked over, and sure enough, Little Rice Cake stared at him in utter shock, unable to believe that his daddy had dared to steal a taste of his soup.
Wen Mingyu: “… Let me explain.”
Alright. There really wasn’t much to explain. He had indeed sneaked a bite.
Because of this, when Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake ate their peach soup afterwards, they couldn’t relax and kept stealing nervous glances at Wen Mingyu, as if their small bowls might be snatched away at any moment. They clutched their food tightly.
Unable to explain himself, Wen Mingyu sported a serious face, acting as though he had complete disinterest.
Eventually, Little Rice Cake reluctantly pulled the spoon from his mouth, scooped up some soup, and offered it to Wen Mingyu. However, his hand trembled twice, leaving less than half a spoonful in it. Little Chilli also offered some to Mu Zhan.
Wen Mingyu chuckled, “I don’t want any.”
The two dumplings huffed in relief, quickly stuffing the spoon back into their own mouths and slurping away happily. Clearly, giving up their beloved food had been a very agonizing decision for them. Had it not been for their daddy and father emperor, they would never have shared.
Wen Mingyu and Mu Zhan realized this too and felt a little touched. Until later, when the dumplings insisted on feeding them toys and enthusiastically inviting them to treats, they then started to wonder if they had overthought things earlier.
Shortly after lunch, Mu Zhan had to discuss state affairs with his ministers. Wen Mingyu, who had some free time, decided to take care of the dumplings for a while.
Although they were still too young to recognize characters, they were already able to scribble lines and doodle freely, completely absorbed in their play.
The little dumplings had their own child-sized writing brushes, short and stubby, very suited for their play.
When the paper ran out, Wen Mingyu didn’t call for a palace servant but went to fetch more himself, as he also wanted to take a look at the painting in the imperial study.
He stood before the painting, gazing intently. Little Chilli also spotted the figure resembling herself in the painting, babbling out a couple of “ah” sounds as if greeting her.
After a while, Little Chilli, finding the still painting rather dull, began playing on her own. However, she accidentally knocked over a stack of scrolls from the shelf next to her.
The clatter of falling objects drew Wen Mingyu’s attention. He bent down to pick them up, but one of the scrolls that had rolled to the floor happened to unfurl.
The figure depicted was none other than himself, dressed in the clothes from the interstellar era.
Wen Mingyu’s heart jolted violently. His eyes widened involuntarily as he froze in place.
The Author has something to say:
PS:A little preview—next up would be a flashback of their childhood, their first real encounter. Some readers asked me where the foreshadowing is, but it’s more interesting to discover it yourself than to tell it outright. I’ll just point out a few of the bigger hints. The minor details are too scattered to list. If you don’t want to read this part, feel free to skip ahead.(Here)
ChiFu: LMAO little chilli with her antics so cute aaa I’m starting my internship this month. Let’s do our best, everyone!