Has the Little Money-Grubber Saved Enough for a 'Wife Fund' Today? - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The little dragon cub moved even faster. As soon as the doorbell rang, Long Xi acted as if she’d been injected with chicken blood. Her short little legs churned frantically, and with a “shoo,” she rushed to the door.

In the bottom right corner of their front door, there was a small door embedded with a peephole at a height suitable for a dragon cub—about forty centimeters off the ground. Through the peephole, Long Xi saw the person outside.

She took a breath and solemnly announced the news to the two people behind her: “It’s Sister Mumu!”

She hopped up, trying to grab the door handle to open it for Mu Yiyan, but before she could reach it, she was grabbed by the scruff of her neck.

Long Xi, suspended mid-air: “…”

The familiar and precise grip made her realize who was responsible, and she knew she was powerless to resist.

The noisy little dragon cub quieted down instantly, her round body hanging limply as if she had no bones.

The living room fell into a deep silence. The branches of the Jabuticaba tree swayed slowly behind the glass door. With the room so quiet, even the afternoon sunlight seemed to soften.

Shen Zaiqing put on a smile. Carrying Long Xi by the scruff, she walked past Long Xuan. Stopping before her, she crinkled her eyes and said in a gentle voice, “Mimi, Mama and your younger sister have something to talk about. Go stay in your room for a while, and why don’t you entertain our guest?”

Long Xuan nodded.

Shen Zaiqing carried her younger daughter back to her own room and closed the door. The once-quiet dragon cub finally made a dissatisfied sound, her four limbs paddling through the air like she was treading water. “Ma, Ma, Ma! I’m eighteen this year, did you forget? Why are you still carrying me like this!”

According to human years, eighteen is an adult. As an adult, doesn’t she need to save face? Why did her mother still carry her around like a three-year-old child?

Regarding this, Shen Zaiqing was dismissive, letting out two cold chuckles.

She used practical action to tell Long Xi that among the three dragons in this house—no matter which one, and no matter how old—she would carry them whenever she felt like it, and she wouldn’t accept complaints or resistance.

Lifting the dragon cub until they were eye-to-level, Shen Zaiqing issued a “soul-piercing” interrogation: “You have the nerve to say you’re eighteen? Your sister is trying to fall in love. It’s one thing if you don’t help her, but you’re still teasing her like that. Tell me, what was that performance you put on in front of her just now?”

Long Xi said indignantly, “When did I not help my sister? I was putting in all my effort to help her; she’s the one who isn’t ‘on track’.”

“Hearing the news that Sister Mumu returned to the country, she actually had no reaction at all. Doesn’t she also have feelings for Sister Mumu?”

Shen Zaiqing knew something was wrong just from her tone. She poked Long Xi’s head and said, “I say your heart is just biased toward outsiders. Be honest—what are you planning behind our backs?”

“You knew the news of Mumu’s return long ago, didn’t you? What kind of conspiracy are you two plotting?”

“Ma, I’m heartbroken that you’d suspect me like this. Am I that kind of person?” The dragon cub hanging in mid-air cried “wronged,” but she wasn’t entirely innocent, so her shouting wasn’t very loud.

Adults often have to do some unavoidable things due to formalities.

Shen Zaiqing narrowed her eyes, her gaze turning a bit colder.

No one could challenge the authority of the head of the household. Long Xi worried her mother wouldn’t let her eat dinner tonight, so she shrank her neck and began to spill the beans like pouring out peas: “Sister Mumu is my boss now. She invested in my studio.”

“For a benefactor who provides help in a time of need, can I refuse the things she arranges for me to do?”

Shen Zaiqing’s focus shifted slightly. She raised an eyebrow and asked, “Your studio hasn’t gone bankrupt yet?”

Long Xi was so angry she laughed. “Can’t you all just wish me well?”

“My sister is the same way. When I went to ask her to invest, do you know what she said? She said that once my studio is stable and I need to develop online programs or increase output, she’ll give me a full set of technical support plus financial management—for free.”

Long Xi muttered a few words in the ancient Dragon language, nearly swearing, before finally saying, “In a moment of life or death, whoever gives money can buy me over.”

She spoke with righteous conviction: “If my sister would let me scam a sum of money out of her, I would definitely follow her lead right now.”

Shen Zaiqing understood. Her lips curled upward as she asked, “So, besides those fancy performances just now, what else did Mumu arrange for you to do? Tell me so I can get some gossip.”

“I promise not to tell your sister.”

Long Xi covered her mouth, putting on a stance as if she wouldn’t speak even if she had to die a hero. Principles! One must have principles when dealing with a generous boss!

But how could she not know her own daughter? Seeing her “much thunder but little rain” appearance, Shen Zaiqing guessed that true military secrets wouldn’t be passed to her anyway. Realizing asking was useless, she casually tossed her daughter onto the bed and walked to the door herself, pricking up her ears to eavesdrop.

The abandoned dragon cub rolled twice on the bed, using her tail to stop her backward momentum. Once stopped, she used the tip of her tail to give a sharp push, using the force to flip off the bed.

Don’t leave her out! She wanted to eavesdrop too!

After the doorbell rang, the house remained quiet for a while. Long Xuan felt her feet were heavy, and her movements weren’t very natural.

Due to not sleeping well, her head throbbed faintly, so she wasn’t very clear-headed. She was a bit worried about the conversation that was about to follow.

The door opened. The first thing Long Xuan saw was what Mu Yiyan was holding—a square… gift?

“Were you just about to take a nap, or are you already up?” Mu Yiyan noticed her gaze and smiled, naturally tucking her hands behind her back.

Her eyes were curved, and her red lips were turned up. The wind in the hallway blew her long hair, a few strands brushing across her face before settling back calmly.

She is still so beautiful, Long Xuan said silently in her heart. Then, she seriously answered Mu Yiyan’s question: “It’s too late; I don’t plan on sleeping anymore.”

Mu Yiyan nodded, her finger tapping the box behind her back; it seemed she had guessed as much. Her gaze searched inside for a moment before returning to Long Xuan. She asked, “Are you the only one home? Are Auntie Shen and Tietie not here?”

Long Xuan turned sideways and pointed inside. “My mom and sister are both here. They’re in the room talking about something; they’ll come out when they’re finished.”

“Do you want to come in? I’ll get you some slippers.”

Mu Yiyan stood her ground, declining with a smile. “No, I just came to deliver something and I’ll leave right after. I missed giving something to Tietie just now.”

Long Xuan had already picked up the slippers. Seeing Mu Yiyan hand over the item from behind her back, she hurriedly put the slippers down and reached out to take the item.

This gift… was hers. She recognized it.

It wasn’t that she didn’t have a gift; it was just that it had been “missed.”

“It’s for Tietie. Help me pass it to her, thanks.” Mu Yiyan handed the item forward with a smile, but the words she spoke were not what Long Xuan wanted to hear.

Long Xuan’s reaching hands paused. Her expression didn’t change much as she calmly took the item and said, “Okay.”

“Then I’m going.” The item was delivered; Mu Yiyan felt her task for today was complete and prepared to leave.

Long Xuan took a step outward and suddenly called out, “Wait a moment.”

Mu Yiyan looked back, her gaze softening as she quietly watched Long Xuan. “What is it?”

Long Xuan had been struggling with this for a while. If this person didn’t give her a “verdict” today, she felt her head was going to explode sooner or later. So, she just went for it and asked, “The matter you said you would consider… have you finished considering it?”

Mu Yiyan certainly knew what matter she was talking about. She tilted her head, putting on a thinking expression, before shaking her head. “I haven’t finished considering it yet. Let me think for a bit longer… or are you in a hurry for an answer?”

“No, no, no,” Long Xuan shook her head repeatedly. “Take as long as you need to consider.”

“I’m not in a hurry.”

A smile surfaced in Mu Yiyan’s eyes. She suddenly felt the person in front of her wasn’t that dull—at least she was much better than before. It seemed the “Little Dull Dragon” had changed over these past two years.

The front door closed, and the sound of high heels in the hallway faded away. The eavesdropping Long Xi perked up; her whole dragon-self was alert. She smelled the scent of a mission; this specifically-named gift definitely had a problem.

Her boss had assigned her a task!

Her wrist vibrated. Long Xi looked down and opened her communicator. She raised an eyebrow; as expected, her boss had left some instructions.

The knee-high dragon cub loosened her wrists and kicked her short legs, a secret excitement on her face, looking like she was about to do something big. She jumped up to grab the door handle, opened the door a crack, and couldn’t wait to slip out.

Holding the gift, Long Xuan was about to return to her room when a dragon cub circled around behind her and blocked her path, holding out a palm. “Sis, Sister Mumu said there’s something for you to pass on. Give it to me now.”

Long Xuan looked down at her, her gaze very displeased.

The dragon cub was sharp-eyed. Her gaze swept around and immediately found the target object. She began to push her luck: “That thing in your hand is it, right? Give it to me quickly, I’m going to take it back to my room to unwrap.”

Long Xuan moved the item behind her back and coldly refused: “It’s not yours.”

Long Xi raised her wrist and pointed at the black and white text on the communicator. “Sister Mumu said it’s for me. See for yourself.”

Long Xuan’s expression was very ugly. Her face darkened as she repeated once more: “It is not for you.”

Long Xi was about to say something else, but her tail, which was resting on the ground, was stepped on.

She stifled the pain, her eyes filling with tears: “…”

“Tietie, your sister needs to go back to her room to rest. Stop pestering her.”

Long Xi, who was in so much pain she was about to cry, couldn’t say a word.

How could her mother be like this? It was one thing to grab the scruff of her neck, but how could she step on the very tip of her tail?

Doesn’t she know that the tip of a dragon cub’s tail is more fragile than a human’s toe!

Being held firmly in check by Ms. Shen, Long Xi completely gave up struggling.

Shen Zaiqing lifted her head in satisfaction and said to Long Xuan, “Mimi, it’s still early. Do you want to go take a nap? You look like you have no energy.”

“Mhm.” Long Xuan nodded obediently. Holding the gift in front of her chest, she walked quickly back to her room.

The slipper was moved away. Long Xi hugged her own tail, looking at Shen Zaiqing with teary eyes.

Is this her biological mother?

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