Chapter 22: Daddy, Scratch My Chin
She took out a crisp date, wiped it, and ate it, thanking him softly.
“Thank you, Uncle Wang.”
“Oh, you’re so good. I wish my stinky kid was half as good as you.”
Who wouldn’t like such a beautiful little sticky rice ball?
Holding a fragrant rice ball wrapped in meat, Qin Wanwan went to find her father.
Ke Ke led the way, turning left and right until they found her biological father training soldiers.
“Daddy.”
The child’s soft, milky voice was somewhat inconspicuous amidst the rough sounds of exertion.
But Xie Chong heard it.
He turned his head slightly and saw a short, chubby, beautiful white ball of fluff.
The little chubby hands held a fragrant rice ball larger than her face, and she slowly walked over with tiny steps.
“Daddy, hug.”
The little one was very clingy, leaning softly against General Xie’s leg, her beautiful little face lifted up, impossibly cute.
Xie Chong handed over the matters here to his subordinate and took the little one away with one arm.
“Daddy, eat.”
“Who made such a big rice ball for you?”
Qin Wanwan leaned on his shoulder, her fluffy head rubbing and nudging against his neck, super clingy.
“Wanwan asked Uncle Ma to make it. I’ll eat a little bit, Daddy, you eat the big one.”
“Try it, it’s delicious.”
The little one took a bite herself, her small mouth making her cheeks round.
Then she held it up and brought it to her biological father’s lips.
Xie Chong was not polite and took a big bite.
This formed a stark contrast with the small gap next to it.
The rice ball in Qin Wanwan’s hand was finished quickly with both of them taking bites.
“Wipe your hands.”
Xie Chong: “Spoiled.”
Although he said that, he still took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped her little chubby hands clean.
He didn’t used to have the habit of carrying a handkerchief, but now, he always carried one.
“I heard you two caused trouble at the blind date?”
Ke Ke immediately bristled indignantly: “What do you mean caused trouble? Explain to me what you mean by caused trouble, we were there to help!”
Qin Wanwan nodded as if to back him up: “Help!”
Ke Ke, with the cub’s support, became very smug: “Those girls rescued from the bandits, how pitiful they were. We prevented them from finding scumbags.”
“Scumbags!”
“Even if they aren’t scumbags, their situations aren’t suitable for being with elders who look down on them. By helping to screen them, their future lives will surely be prosperous!”
“Prosperous.”
Xie Chong lifted a certain child’s chin.
“Shut up.”
The child’s chin was soft, and Qin Wanwan leaned into it, rubbing like a kitten.
“Daddy, scratch my chin.” The little one squinted her beautiful eyes.
Xie Chong really scratched her, and Qin Wanwan hummed and snuggled against him.
“We’re going back to the General’s Mansion today.” He didn’t mention the blind dates anymore.
“Okay.”
Qin Wanwan had no objections wherever she went, as long as her Daddy didn’t abandon her.
Xie Chong rode his horse and took Qin Wanwan back to the General’s Mansion.
The once dilapidated General’s Mansion, overgrown with weeds, had now been renovated.
Xie Chong spent a huge sum of ten taels of silver to replace the damaged walls and tiles, and also had new furniture made to replace the broken pieces.
After dismounting, Qin Wanwan ran around the bare courtyard, curious about everything.
“Let’s go back inside.”
Called by her Daddy, Qin Wanwan immediately ran back to his side and looked around the room.
“This is your room.”
Qin Wanwan’s little room was decorated nicely, with a wardrobe, a small wooden bed, a small vanity, a table, and chairs.
Her beautiful little skirt was even in the wardrobe.
The bedding on the bed was also fluffy and soft.
Xie Chong had given her the best he could within his means.
The room was clean, and Qin Wanwan, not being picky at all, liked it very much.
“Where is Daddy sleeping?”
Xie Chong pointed to the next room.
Qin Wanwan followed him to look and was stunned.
Compared to the exquisiteness of her room, Xie Chong’s room was as simple as could be.
One bed, one wardrobe, and nothing else.
The bedding on the bed was old, the kind with patches.
It was rare to see a general living like this.
“Daddy, you have money now, why didn’t you get new things?”
Qin Wanwan looked up at him, puzzled.
Xie Chong: “It’s still usable, why waste money replacing it?”
“That silver has other uses.”
Xie Chong had suffered the hardship of being surrounded with no money and no military rations.
The military pay and grain provided by the Imperial Court were always meager. He was from the grassroots, and his only connections in the Imperial Court were with the old general who had taken care of him before; he had no other connections among the officials.
The old general feared the Emperor would be wary of his power and couldn’t help him freely, so he had no one in the Imperial Court, and he suffered more losses every time the Imperial Court issued military pay and rations.
Even then, there were people exploiting him.
Therefore, he planned to have the gold, silver, and jewels confiscated from the bandits exchanged for grain and stored for emergencies.
He also needed to equip the army with better gear.
His silver had to be used where it mattered most.
However, these things didn’t need to be explained to a three-year-old.
Although Xie Chong decided to move back, he was very busy and couldn’t always accompany Wanwan.
So, he had to buy slaves.
Thus, he took Qin Wanwan to a slave dealer.
The slave dealer enthusiastically brought out the best slaves.
“Who can cook?”
Several slaves stepped forward.
Xie Chong asked Qin Wanwan: “Do you want to choose yourself, or shall I help you?”
Qin Wanwan nestled in his arms and said softly: “Wanwan will choose herself.”
Relying on her instincts, she chose a taciturn woman.
As for who would take care of her, Qin Wanwan looked around and pointed to a youth in the corner.
“I want him!”
“Daddy, his eyes are so beautiful.”
The slave dealer looked in the direction Qin Wanwan pointed and seemed a bit hesitant.
“This, he’s a mixed-blood.”
Mixed-blood, meaning a mix of Tianqi commoners and grassland tribesmen.
“And he’s from the Wolf Tribe, so his temperament might be a bit fierce.”
Mixed-bloods were not uncommon here, but these people generally had a difficult life.
Firstly, their appearance differed somewhat from the Tianqi people, which many considered heresy.
Secondly, the relationship between the Tianqi people and the various grassland tribes had always been tense.
Some of the more peace-loving tribes were fine, but for those with blood feuds with the Tianqi people, mixed-bloods were unwelcome everywhere.
The Wolf Tribe, Xie Chong, as a general, naturally knew of them.
They were a very mysterious grassland tribe, who called themselves the children of the Wolf God, fierce and warlike, all brave warriors.
However, their bravery was usually displayed when their territory and tribesmen were threatened, and they didn’t have much conflict with the Tianqi people.
But three years ago, the Wolf Tribe suddenly disappeared from the grasslands, and there hadn’t been news of them for a long time.
The most famous characteristic of the Wolf Tribe was their eyes.
Their eyes were blue, very distinctive.
“Are you sure you want to choose him?”
Xie Chong frowned. This little girl looked so easy to bully. It was uncertain if that young man could take care of her, but what if he ended up bullying her instead.
