Those years when I was Cannon fodder

You guess?

Chuyu's body froze in place, and her father burst into uncontrollable laughter, leaving her bewildered. It felt like a twisted joke, but deep down, she sensed the truth in his words. This biased scumbag, her father, was revealing his true thoughts.

The First Madam, his beloved wife, had given birth to his cherished eldest daughter. On the other hand, the Third Madam, despised by him, had brought Chuyu into this world. Sadly, Chuyu was caught in the crossfire of their bitter rivalry.

What troubled Chuyu the most was how her father could utter such words to his own five-year-old daughter. Did he not fear planting seeds of bias and resentment in her young heart? Was he not concerned that his actions would drive a wedge between the sisters, igniting a fierce sibling rivalry?

Unequal treatment among children could lead to an array of problems even in normal families. If siblings with the same parents faced such challenges, one could only imagine the tumultuous dynamics in the Lord's Manor with its three daughters and three mothers. The mere thought of it resembled an epic drama, full of intrigue and conflicts.

Before leaving, Chuyu confronted her father about the maid who had taken her token but failed to deliver the message. To her surprise, her father acknowledged that a maid had indeed mentioned her desire to meet him a few days ago. However, he dismissed it, as he had encountered too many excuses like this and no longer believed them.

In an attempt to cover up his harsh words in front of his youngest daughter, he adjusted his tone, leaving Chuyu's lips twitching. She questioned, "Didn't she give you the token?"

Her father seemed genuinely unaware, replying, "Token? What token? I didn't see any."

Her father didn't seem like he was lying.

Chuyu immediately understood that the maid had kept the token for herself.

In fact, that token wasn't valuable, just a birthday gift from her father to her original self.

Her original self cherished it. Chuyu didn't want that token to fall into the hands of the maid, so she mentioned the matter to her father. Her father mocked her a bit but promised to retrieve the token for her. He also made an agreement with her to visit her in the neighboring courtyard in a few days.

...

Returning to Qingnan Garden, Chuyu eagerly shared the good news with the Third Madam. The Third Madam, surprised and overjoyed, personally took charge in the kitchen in preparing a special meal for Chuyu's father.

Chuyu found herself astounded by this sight. In her time here, she had never witnessed the Third Madam cooking a meal herself. The Third Madam treasured her hands dearly, taking meticulous care of them every night with herbal solutions and medicines. It was as if her hands held extraordinary value.

Intrigued by this unfamiliar sight, Chuyu couldn't contain her curiosity. She asked, "Mother, considering how much you cherish your hands, why do you handle medicinal herbs and process them? It seems detrimental to their well-being."

With an elegant roll of her eyes, the Third Madam responded, "What do you know? I cherish my hands precisely because of their skills. With these hands, I can work with medicinal herbs efficiently, achieving twice the results with half the effort. Through careful nurturing, my hands have become more sensitive. They can touch various herbs and discern their needs—whether they require watering, fertilizing, air-drying, or sun-drying during the processing stage."

Chuyu was taken aback by the Third Madam's rare loquaciousness. Sensing an opportunity, she continued, "Mother, can you even distinguish between toxic and beneficial herbs just by touch?"

The Third Madam looked at her silently

Chuyu's heart started to race as she anxiously watched the Third Madam's face. She began to wonder if she had been too reckless in probing the Third Madam. If the Third Madam was truly the hidden hand behind the attempts on her life, this kind of probing would expose her.

But as she looked at the Third Madam's face, she couldn't bring herself to believe that the Third Madam would harm her own child. It was normal for the mothers to compete for favor in the backyard, but poisoning one's own child didn't make any sense, neither from a mother-daughter bond perspective nor from a perspective of vested interests.

Under Chuyu's nervous gaze, the Third Madam spoke two words, "You guess?"

After that, she dismissed Chuyu.

Chuyu hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't dare to further inquire about the matter. Her intuition told her not to delve deeper.

Later that evening, Chuyu's father arrived punctually and presented her with a gift. However, her joy was overshadowed by a sense of unease. "Xiaoyuer, these ten cloud seals hold significant value. Practice diligently and aim to memorize them all. There will be rewards, and I shall test you during my next visit," he instructed.

Surprisingly, the Third Madam showed interest as well, her gaze fixed upon the gift. Chuyu inwardly cursed the situation. It felt as if the Third Madam would supervise her learning relentlessly, an astute plan indeed.

Unable to contain her concern, Chuyu questioned directly, "Father, what if I can't remember them? Will there be consequences?"

To her astonishment, her father and the Third Madam, entangled in their love-struck world, responded in unison, "What do you think?"

Chuyu forced a smile and accepted the gift, stealing a quick glance. She was taken aback by the complexity of the ten distinct characters presented before her. Fortunately, her father had included simplified explanations on the margins.

She spotted characters like wind, rain, and cloud, about to delve further into the gift when the Third Madam signaled for her to put it away and prepare for dinner.

Though she refrained from continuing her exploration, a theory formed in Chuyu's mind. These characters likely introduced basic natural symbols, similar to when her mother used flashcards to teach her character recognition. For example, a cloud would be depicted with a drawing of a cloud, and rain would be represented by small droplets.

However, it seemed like a rather mischievous gift. Most people wouldn't appreciate such an approach.

Seated at the head of the table, her father frowned disapprovingly upon surveying the dishes. He expressed his displeasure to the Third Madam, questioning her choice of tempting Chuyu with such salty and spicy food while she was on medication. His words struck a nerve, wiping the joy from the Third Madam's face.

Chuyu couldn't believe her father's unreasonable behavior, sabotaging his own daughter in this manner. She quickly intervened, defending the Third Madam. "Father, don't blame Mother. She knows I have strong self-control, which is precisely why she chose this. If I were truly unable to resist temptation, I am certain Mother would accompany me with plain rice and simple dishes. Today, the three of us are gathered here, a moment of happiness. Let's not dwell on this matter."

"Come, allow me to serve you both a bowl of soup. Let us toast with soup instead of wine."

Chuyu didn't forget to emphasize the benefits of having soup before a meal. Witnessing her desperate plea, her father sighed and refrained from further hurtful comments.

Although the atmosphere was initially strained, Chuyu's efforts to lighten the mood gradually paid off. By the time they finished the meal, her father and the Third Madam had managed to reclaim their smiles, engaging in light banter and exchanging jokes.

Taking advantage of her need to review her lessons, Chuyu excused herself, providing space for the two of them to converse without her presence.

They say that couples often reconcile at the foot of the bed after quarreling at its head. Chuyu hoped that without her as a third wheel, her father and the Third Madam could communicate effectively and resolve any misunderstandings as soon as possible.

If any misunderstandings persisted, this pleasant atmosphere would be the ideal opportunity to address them.

Perhaps their plastic-like affection could be tested and ultimately strengthened through this experience.

As the saying goes, enduring love is forged over time.

Who knows, they might just sleep their way out of this plastic affection.

(End of this chapter)