But this was good, too. Little Red Carp was always so happy and cheerful.

Just then, Zhao Nuanyang plucked a few of the prettiest plum blossoms from a tree for Little Red Carp and handed them to his older sister. After Zhao Nuanyue finished styling Little Red Carp’s hair, she tucked the fresh plum blossoms into her jet-black locks, transforming her into a cute and beautiful little lady.

“Do I look pretty?” Little Red Carp asked, turning to her brother. “Brother, get me the mirror!”

“You look beautiful. Little Red Carp is the prettiest of all,” Zhao Nuanyue praised. She knew if she said otherwise, Little Red Carp would surely make her redo her hair.

Having already figured out Little Red Carp’s ways, Zhao Nuanyang quickly chimed in, “Little Red Carp is the prettiest.”

Hua Yusen walked in from outside. He looked the pixie-like Little Red Carp up and down, then nodded and said, “Very beautiful. Your sister has such deft hands.”

“Brother-in-law, is it just my sister who has deft hands?” Little Red Carp frowned. ‘Does that mean I’m not pretty?’

‘He should be praising how pretty I am, *and* that my sister’s handiwork is good!’

‘First thing in the morning, and my brother-in-law already loses a point.’ Her mood instantly soured.

Zhao Nuanyue quickly shot Hua Yusen a look. Being as shrewd as he was, and with his understanding of Little Red Carp, Hua Yusen immediately amended his statement. “Ah, Little Red Carp, your sister’s handiwork is good, but you’re even more beautiful. These delicate plum blossoms are the perfect match for your braids today. It’s an especially lovely look.”

“Really?” Little Red Carp asked, only half-convinced and still a bit suspicious of her brother-in-law’s words.

“Of course it’s true! There isn’t a single child in all of Jincheng City prettier than Little Red Carp,” Hua Yusen declared with righteous conviction, hoping to sound more persuasive.

Hearing her brother-in-law’s declaration, Little Red Carp’s face lit up. “That’s wonderful!” she said. “I’m the prettiest in all of Jincheng City, the whole country, and the whole world!”

Ah… Hearing Little Red Carp’s words, Zhao Nuanyue, Zhao Nuanyang, and Hua Yusen were all stunned silent.

Zhao Nuanyue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she had to admire Little Red Carp’s supreme confidence!

“Why are you all standing there frozen? Aren’t we about to eat?” Little Red Carp frowned. “The soup dumplings won’t be good if they get cold. And I want two baskets.”

Zhao Nuanyang shook his head with a chuckle and led Little Red Carp to the dining room.

Hua Yusen looked at Zhao Nuanyue and said, “Nuanyue, you’ve done such a wonderful job raising Little Red Carp. It would be so wonderful if our future daughter is just as cute and healthy!”

Hearing Hua Yusen’s words, Zhao Nuanyue blushed slightly. She, too, dreamed of having a daughter as adorable as Little Red Carp. Then, from an angle her younger siblings couldn’t see, she gave Hua Yusen a sultry look and whispered, “If you want a daughter, you’ll have to try a little harder!”

“Huh?” Hua Yusen froze. ‘This cruel girl,’ he thought, ‘she’s just like Little Red Carp, so fickle. If I hadn’t been going easy on Zhao Nuanyue, I absolutely would have tried much harder last night and this morning.’

‘I can’t believe I’m being looked down on by Little Nuanyue.’

‘Nope, that’s not happening. Tonight, I have to show this girl, Zhao Nuanyue, what I’m really made of. I have plenty of strength and my stamina is long-lasting.’

During the meal, Hua Yusen was simmering internally. However, this was just part of the playful dynamic between him and Zhao Nuanyue, so of course, he couldn’t let it show in front of the others.

The breakfast consisted of soup dumplings. There were six to a steamer basket, and each dumpling was a little bigger than a hawthorn berry, perfect for a single bite. However, they were filled with hot broth, so you had to sip the soup first before eating the rest in one go. The wrapper was smooth, the meat filling was firm, and the flavor was absolutely exquisite.

Zhao Nuanyue ate two baskets. Little Red Carp had a huge appetite today and surprisingly polished off three. Zhao Nuanyang ate four, and the remaining five baskets all ended up in Hua Yusen’s stomach.

But Hua Yusen had a massive appetite and still wasn’t full. He went on to have two bowls of rice porridge and two eggs before his stomach finally felt satisfied.

“Nuanyue, your cooking is amazing,” Hua Yusen praised, and it was a heartfelt compliment. Her food was even more delicious than that of Aunt Li, who had been cooking for his family for twenty years.

Zhao Nuanyue smiled, covering her mouth. “If you like it, I’ll make it for you more often in the future!”

“Great. I’ll help you then,” Hua Yusen said with a smile. “It’s truly delicious. No wonder Little Red Carp and Nuanyang are both so healthy and well-cared for by you.”

“Of course! My sister is amazing,” Little Red Carp said smugly. While praising her sister, she didn’t forget to give Hua Yusen a little warning. “My sister’s medical skills are improving rapidly, her cooking is fantastic, and she’s beautiful. Plus, she’s head-over-heels in love with you, Brother-in-law. So you’d better not bully my sister, and you absolutely cannot let her down!”

Although Zhao Nuanyang didn’t say anything, he shot Little Red Carp an appreciative glance.

Hua Yusen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. A single compliment had earned him such a lecture. To keep Little Red Carp from pestering him further, Hua Yusen quickly gave his assurance, “Of course. Your sister is my beloved; I will always treat her well.”

After breakfast, Hua Yusen took Zhao Nuanyue, Little Red Carp, and Zhao Nuanyang to climb Brick City.

“Nuanyue, on a freezing day like this, why does Little Red Carp want to climb Brick City?” Hua Yusen was completely baffled. It was just too cold. “How about we go play some indoor games instead?”

‘On a day this cold, this really wasn’t a good place for an outing,’ she thought. ‘But Little Red Carp has absorbed a bit too much Dragon Energy, and she needs to process it here. Never mind the strong winds; we’d have to come even if it were snowing heavily.’

Zhao Nuanyue chuckled. “Since Little Red Carp wants to, let’s just indulge her,” she said with a gentle smile. “Come on, look. Little Red Carp and Nuanyang have already run on ahead. Let’s go catch up.”

Zhao Nuanyue had also begun practicing Martial Arts and the Breathing Technique, allowing her to slowly absorb some Dragon Energy as well. However, she had the Dragon Scale to process it for her, so she didn’t need to come. But Little Red Carp and Zhao Nuanyang did.

Although Zhao Nuanyang didn’t understand what that strange energy in his body was, he knew he was getting stronger and his Martial Arts were becoming more refined. He figured that if he were to spar with his brother-in-law now, he might even be able to win by a move or two.

If he weren’t worried his brother-in-law would notice something was amiss, Zhao Nuanyang would have challenged Hua Yusen to a match long ago.

After running on Brick City for an hour, Little Red Carp and Zhao Nuanyang finally finished processing the Dragon Energy in their bodies. Unwilling to spend a second longer there, the group hurried back to the car.

Fortunately, the exercise had warmed them up, so they didn’t feel the cold.

“Alright, let’s head back,” Little Red Carp said with a laugh. “Brother-in-law, can we go to the Friendship Restaurant now?”

Hearing this, Hua Yusen turned to look at Little Red Carp, whose eyes were shining brightly. He smiled and said, “Of course. A promise made to Little Red Carp is a promise I will keep.”

“Brother-in-law is so nice, and my sister is, too!” Little Red Carp said sweetly. “And of course, my brother is the best, too!”

Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen exchanged a smile. In the biting cold of winter, surrounded by their loved ones and their laughter, their hearts felt warm, unafraid of the harsh chill.

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