Chapter 184

The moment An Luo came in, she saw that little fair face scrunched up like the folds of a bun.

White, plump, fluffy, piping-hot little buns fresh out of the oven!

"What's Zaituan worrying about?"

Saying so, she lightly tapped the little fellow's cheek with her fingertip.

On the screen, Yu'an's face dimpled in, and the baby fat wobbled along with it.

Hearing her voice, Small Dumpling grinned, his little mouth stretching wide and his big eyes crinkling into a smile.

"Fairy Sister, you're here!"

An Luo glanced at the upper left corner.

"Wow, already level two — Yu'an is amazing!"

Saying so, she cast a heart-aching glance at Zaituan's soft, tender little hands.

Every single pit was dug out by Zaituan himself.

"It must have been really tiring, right?"

Yu'an shook his head with a beaming smile.

"Not tired at all!"

In his milky little voice, there was even a touch of pride.

"As long as I think I can reunite with the Ancestors, Yu'an doesn't feel tired at all!"

An Luo gently rubbed Zaituan's hair with the pad of her finger.

What an obedient little dumpling that makes one's heart ache.

"By the way, Fairy Sister, there are only three friend slots — who should Yu'an invite?"

An Luo thought for a moment.

"You definitely have to save one for your Daddy. As for your little uncle, Elder Sister can reach him, so we can set him aside for now."

"Old Madam definitely needs one too. For the last remaining slot, who does Yu'an want to save it for?"

"Mommy!"

Yu'an shouted loudly.

"Give it to Mommy!"

After shouting, the little fellow's face was full of conflict.

"But Grandmother also really misses Daddy."

An Luo rubbed the little fellow's head and gently offered a suggestion.

"How about this — invite Cheng Old Madam first and let her decide?"

The little fellow nodded heavily.

"Mm!"

……

In a small grove a few hundred li away.

The Cheng Family's womenfolk were resting here with several hundred Cheng Family Army soldiers disguised as a merchant caravan.

Meng Shi carried a bowl of hot soup over to Cheng Old Madam.

"Pomo, the wind is strong in the grove at night. Have some soup to warm up."

Cheng Old Madam nodded, took the bowl, and was about to bring it to her lips.

Suddenly, a line of glowing yellow text appeared before her eyes:

Farm Owner Cheng Yu'an requests to add you as a friend. Accept?

Even Cheng Old Madam, who had seen her fair share of storms, was startled by this sudden sight.

The hand holding the bowl trembled twice, spilling quite a bit of the soup inside.

Hearing the commotion, Meng Shi looked over and happened to see her rubbing her eyes and waving her hand in front of her face.

She hurried over, took Cheng Old Madam's hand, and squatted down, looking at her with worry.

"Pomo, what's wrong?"

Hearing the voice, Cheng Old Madam glanced at her.

"Do you see any words in front of me?"

The question left Meng Shi completely baffled.

"N-no, I don't."

Hearing this, the worry in her eyes deepened.

"Pomo, are you really all right?"

Cheng Old Madam smiled and shook her head, patting her hand.

"I'm fine, don't worry. I was just lost in thought. Go on back to your work."

"All right then, but if you're feeling unwell, just call for me."

With that, Meng Shi sighed and left, turning back every few steps.

Cheng Old Madam drained the soup in her bowl in one gulp and kept staring at the words before her.

So this is the farm Yu'an mentioned before?

She reached out and tapped it. The line of text turned into a streak of light and flew onto her left wrist, where a small golden house emblem appeared.

She rubbed the emblem with her finger, and a light screen the size of a bowl's mouth appeared before her eyes.

Do you wish to visit your friend's farm?

Yes!

Then a flash of white light passed before her eyes, and the next second her body went limp.

In her ears were the panicked voices of her daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

"Pomo!"

"Grandmother!"

Meanwhile, in the farm, Yu'an was running around excitedly and eagerly, peeking here one moment, glancing there the next.

Anxiously stamping her little feet.

"Why hasn't she come yet?"

An Luo comforted softly.

"Don't be anxious, Yu'an. Maybe something held her up."

Before she even opened her eyes, Cheng Old Madam felt herself in a very bright, very warm place.

Bright?

Isn't it nighttime right now?

Cheng Old Madam opened her eyes, and what came into view was blue sky, white clouds, a big sun, forest, little flowers, green grass, and from time to time butterflies and little birds flew past right before her eyes…

Not far away was a flat, fertile plot of land, and behind her was a little red house with a fence, with the words "Level One Warehouse?" written on it.

"Great-grandmother!"

A familiar, childish, milky voice of joyful cheering reached her ears.

"Yu'an?"

The little one clip-clopped over to her great-grandmother's side, bouncing and skipping happily, and stretched out her tiny hand to point.

"Great-grandmother, look quickly, this is Yu'an's farm!"

Cheng Old Madam smiled and took Yu'an's little hand.

"Our Yu'an is really amazing."

Having received the elder's praise, the little dumpling puffed out her chest, swayed her head happily, and grinned with a delighted little mouth.

"Hehe."

Of course, Yu'an hadn't forgotten the important matter either.

"Oh right, Great-grandmother, there are only three friend slots for now—one for you, one for Daddy, who should the last one go to?"

Cheng Old Madam thought for a moment.

Coming in would let her meet Sitao, but whether giving it to her daughter-in-law or her granddaughter-in-law, it would seem unfair to the other.

Besides, among their group, having her come in to exchange information was enough.

Although from what Yu'an said, there were only three for now, and there would be more after leveling up later.

But who could say for sure when the next level-up would be?

So this last slot had to be considered carefully.

Thoughts churning in her heart, after a long contemplation, Cheng Old Madam suppressed the deep thought in her eyes and looked at her great-grandson with loving kindness.

She bent down and whispered something in the little one's ear.

Thinking of Qiuyun and the others' reactions before she came in, she gave another instruction.

"Great-grandmother is going out to take a look first, and will come back in a while. Do you still remember which characters they are, Yu'an?"

The little one obediently nodded.

"I remember!"

"Good, then Great-grandmother will leave for a bit, or else your grandmother and the others will probably be worried sick."

Her consciousness returned to her body once more, and her ears were filled with panicked voices.

The Cheng Family women were all crowded into the cramped horse carriage at this moment.

"Eldest Sister-in-law, how is Pomo's health really?"

"Yes, Mother, what happened to Grandmother exactly?"

"How did she suddenly faint?"

Meng Shi was so anxious that sweat kept breaking out on her forehead, and she turned her head to say to the others.

"All of you stop making noise, let me take the pulse in peace first!"

Hearing this, the others obediently shut their mouths and waited quietly at the side.

Having steadied her mind again, the moment Meng Shi placed her hand on the wrist, it was grasped.

Cheng Old Madam opened her eyes.

"No need, I'm fine."

"Pomo, you're awake?"

The others hurriedly helped her sit up properly.

"Grandmother, I'll go get you some water!"

"Then I'll go get you some medicine!"

The two sisters said this and were about to jump off the horse carriage.

"No need."

Cheng Old Madam beckoned to the others.

"All of you sit down, listen to me."

"Do you still remember the farm Yu'an mentioned? Just now I went there."

The others paused slightly, exchanged a glance, and continued to listen attentively.

"…"

"We can still get news from the Capital, but it's always too delayed, so…"

Hearing this, a flicker of dimness passed through Meng Shi and Tian Qin's eyes.

Cheng Old Madam patted their hands.

"Be patient a little longer. There will be a day we are reunited."

Meng Shi's eyes reddened slightly as she nodded.

"Your daughter-in-law understands. The greater picture comes first."

Tian Qin also forced a small curve of her lips.

"Don't worry, Grandmother. I understand everything."

And Wang Shi and Qiu Ruo gripped each other's hands tightly, their eyes full of sorrow.

Seeing this, Cheng Old Madam naturally knew they were thinking of Song, but how could she not think of him too?

But she could not show it — not even a trace of grief or vulnerability.

Suppressing the ache in her heart, she sighed softly within.

In the end, it was the Cheng Family who had wronged them.

……

As for the Capital side, the Meng Residence.

These past days, far too many things had happened in court. Even without attending court, Vice Minister Meng's news had never ceased.

After barely sleeping for two hours, just past the Hour of the Ox, he woke.

As usual, he stared at the canopy above his head in a daze.

Only today, something seemed a little different.

Why did it look like a line of text had appeared?

Vice Minister Meng rubbed his eyes hard and looked closely.

"Farm Owner Cheng Yu'an requests to add you as a friend. Accept?"

Vice Minister Meng: "???"

Yu'an!!!