Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha Playboy in Ancient Times - Chapter 131

After handling court affairs in the morning, Shen Yining left the palace in the afternoon with Zhou Zixuan. They rode together in a carriage to visit the little one who had just turned one month old at the prince’s residence.

In Shen Yining’s hands was a finely crafted box containing a set of pure jade bunny figurines. Each little rabbit was exquisitely made and just the right size for a baby to grab and play with.

She reached into the box and touched one of the jade bunnies, her eyes lighting up with joy.

Zhou Zixuan couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. “Should I ask the artisans to carve a set for you too when we return?”

The prim and proper little one gave a light cough and quickly placed the bunny back in the box. “I’m already married. I’m an adult now. I don’t play with things like that.”

Zhou Zixuan laughed and reached out to pinch Shen Yining’s cheek affectionately. Although her little piglet usually put on a serious face, she always turned soft and gentle when they were alone. Zhou Zixuan loved squeezing her cheeks from time to time.

“Oh? So Her Highness really doesn’t want them?” Zhou Zixuan teased playfully.

Shen Yining looked at the cute little bunny in her lap, her ears turning a bit red. “If Sister Zixuan insists on giving them to me… then I’ll reluctantly accept.”

Zhou Zixuan giggled and leaned into her little prim princess, poking her on the nose. “Alright, then I’ll gift them to Your Highness.”

Shen Yining pulled Zhou Zixuan into her arms and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Ever since Zhou Zixuan came into her life, no matter how tired she was, returning to the Eastern Palace always brought her comfort.

The carriage soon arrived at the gates of the prince’s residence. Shen Yining confidently took Zhou Zixuan’s hand as they walked inside, heading straight toward Shen Xingyue’s quarters.

After being informed by Yiliu and the others, Shen Xingyue quickly handed the baby over to Su Muyu and rushed to open the door.

Just as she was about to bow, Shen Yining stopped her. “Cousin, there’s no need for formalities. I’m here to see Little Ears.”

“Come in, come in! She’s wide awake and lively right now,” Shen Xingyue said with a bright smile as she led them inside. She turned to the baby and said, “Little Ears, your aunt is here to visit you!”

Shen Yining and Zhou Zixuan eagerly walked over to Su Muyu’s side to see the baby. The little one curiously stared at them for a few seconds before quickly turning her face away and burying it shyly into her mother’s arms—clearly aware that these were unfamiliar faces.

Su Muyu chuckled as she gently bounced the baby in her arms. “What’s wrong, Little Ears? This is your aunt. Don’t you want to take a look?”

Shen Yining was fascinated by the baby—so tiny and soft, even cuter than the many jade figurines she owned.

Unable to resist, she reached out and gently touched the baby’s small hand. It was so soft and warm. Shen Yining smiled and said, “So soft! Zixuan, you should feel Little Ears’ hand too.”

Zhou Zixuan eagerly followed, touching the baby’s tiny hand. It was small and delicate, like a kitten’s soft little paw.

The baby seemed to notice someone touching her and quickly turned her head to look at them. She wrinkled her nose at Shen Yining and pulled her chubby hand back protectively.

Shen Xingyue couldn’t help laughing at the sight. “You little rascal, being grumpy with your aunt? Can’t even let her hold your little hand?”

“Gigglegiggle.” The baby suddenly burst out laughing and reached her little arms toward Shen Xingyue, clearly asking to be picked up.

Shen Xingyue’s eyes sparkled with joy as she lifted the baby into her arms, planted a kiss on her chubby cheek, and said with a grin, “Our little snuggle bug is just too cute!”

As if she understood she was being praised, the baby rubbed her cheek against Shen Xingyue’s chest and snuggled in close.

Shen Yining asked someone to open the box she had brought and took out a jade bunny, holding it up in front of the baby to playfully tease her. “Look, Little Ears! It’s a little bunny. Isn’t it cute? They’re all for you—do you like them?”

The baby saw the jade bunny and immediately broke into a smile. She reached out her chubby hands, eager to grab the toy and play with it.

Shen Yining carefully handed the little jade bunny to the baby. The baby curiously grabbed it with both of her soft, chubby hands and held it up for a closer look. She had no idea what it was, but it felt smooth and slippery, and she clearly enjoyed holding it.

Seeing how much the baby liked it, Shen Yining rubbed her hands together eagerly and said, “I gave you the bunny, so how about letting me hold you for a bit?”

She leaned in and made a hugging gesture toward the baby. Maybe it was because she had just gotten a new toy she liked, but the baby reluctantly mimicked the gesture and waved her arms as if to say, “Okay.”

“Alright, I’ll be very careful. Let me hold our Little Ears, okay?” Shen Yining gently took the baby from Shen Xingyue’s arms.

With the toy in her hands, the baby was perfectly content. She kicked her little legs in delight and continued studying the jade bunny she had just received.

Shen Yining couldn’t help but laugh as she held the soft, squishy little one. Mimicking what Shen Xingyue had done earlier, she gently bounced the baby up and down in her arms.

The baby played with the bunny in her hands and smiled at Shen Yining.

Shen Xingyue reached out and poked the baby’s soft little arm, teasing, “You little rascal, getting a toy is all it takes to make you happy, huh?”

The baby recognized her and smiled at Shen Xingyue, waving the bunny in her hand proudly.

Zhou Zixuan reached over and gave the baby’s tiny foot a light squeeze. In response, the baby kicked her legs a bit, clearly showing her disapproval.

At this age, the baby was at her most adorable. Every part of her was tiny and soft, and the adults couldn’t stop playing with her.

Before long, the baby got tired and squinted her eyes, reaching toward Su Muyu for a cuddle. Su Muyu took her into her arms and gently rocked her for a while. It didn’t take long before the little one drifted off to sleep.

“Little Ears is such a good baby. I haven’t even heard her cry once,” Shen Yining said, still feeling a bit reluctant to part with her. She had really enjoyed holding those soft little hands.

“She’s in a good mood today. Last night she woke up crying several times,” Shen Xingyue replied with a smile. Seeing how much Shen Yining liked the baby, she teased, “If Your Highness and Princess Consort like children so much, maybe you two should have one of your own. They’re just little bundles of joy—so cute.”

“We—we’re not in a rush. Sister Zixuan and I haven’t been married long,” the prim and proper Shen Yining replied, her ears turning pink. Still, she couldn’t help but secretly imagine what a baby of their own might be like.

After spending a while longer with Shen Xingyue, Shen Yining and Zhou Zixuan finally took their leave.

Back in the room, Shen Xingyue and Su Muyu stayed by the bedside, watching over the sleeping baby. Looking at the tiny, soft little girl in her arms, Shen Xingyue let out a quiet laugh and sighed. She wondered when their baby would finally grow up.

~~

In the blink of an eye, five more months passed. The little one was now six months old.

Shen Xingyue was on the bed, teasing her with a cloth tiger-head toy. The baby rolled around like a little koi fish, eyes squinting with laughter as she giggled non-stop.

“Yaya~ Hee!” The baby still couldn’t speak yet, only able to make babbling noises. Shen Xingyue and the others didn’t know what she was trying to say—but her happiness was easy enough to understand.

“Little Ears, look at this little tiger head. Isn’t it cute? Come over here, and I’ll let you play with it, okay?” Shen Xingyue tempted her with the plush toy. The baby still hadn’t learned to crawl yet, but she babbled a few enthusiastic “ya ya ya” sounds toward Shen Xingyue.

Su Muyu came over holding a bowl of porridge made from a mix of corn and rice. Seeing Shen Xingyue teasing the baby, she lightly tapped her and said with a smile, “Why are you bullying our baby? That tiger toy belongs to Little Ears, doesn’t it?”

The little one seemed to understand what her mother was saying. Her tiny head nodded at just the right moment, and she pointed at the tiger toy in Shen Xingyue’s hand, babbling in baby talk as if tattling to Su Muyu, “Ya ya ya ya~”

Her soft little complaint made Su Muyu laugh out loud. She leaned in and kissed the baby’s plump cheek, smiling as she said, “Oh no, is someone bullying our Little Ears? That tiger belongs to you, doesn’t it?”

The baby perked up her ears and listened to her mother’s voice. Though it was unclear whether she really understood or not, she still nodded her little head in agreement.

Su Muyu lay down beside the baby, turned toward Shen Xingyue, and smiled, “Give back our baby’s little tiger.”

Shen Xingyue chuckled and leaned in, planting a kiss on the baby’s cheek. “Alright, alright, you can have it. You little rascal—only six months old and already tattling on me to your mother. How are you this clever?”

As she spoke, she gently brushed her fingertip under the baby’s chin, making the little one squeal with laughter and roll around on the bed, hugging her tiger toy tightly.

They were still playing when Han Shu and Shen Taotao arrived, bringing along Little Jinli to visit. Jinli was six months older than Little Ears and already a full year old. Shen Xingyue spotted her tottering unsteadily toward the bed with her mother and grandmother holding each hand for support. From time to time, she managed to blurt out a word or two, “Mei!”

“That’s right, we’re here to see your little sister. Isn’t she cute?” Han Shu coaxed with a warm smile.

“Cute!” Little Jinli chirped, though her words were still clumsy and limited to one or two syllables at a time. She had only recently started saying “little sister.”

When Little Ears saw her big sister approaching, she became very excited and waved the tiger toy in her hand, laughing out loud. “Ya ya ya!”

“Your big sister came to play with you. Are you happy, Little Ears?” Shen Xingyue laughed and gently patted the baby’s bottom.

“Mom… mei~” Little Jinli finally squeezed out two soft words. Her chubby little legs wobbled as she tried to walk faster, making all the adults around burst into laughter.

“Your little sister’s right over there—she’s not going anywhere. Take your time,” Shen Taotao said, unable to hold back her smile as she watched how eager Jinli was.

Jinli finally made it to the bed, breathing heavily from the effort. Even as she panted, she kept talking, “Mei! Little sister!”

“Yes, yes, we know she’s your little sister. Look at you, all worked up,” Han Shu said, chuckling as she helped Jinli out of her outer robe. She then lifted her onto the bed to let her play with Little Ears.

Jinli was delighted. She crawled over and lay beside the baby, copying her pose and smiling brightly at her.

“Ya ya ya~” Little Ears was thrilled to have her sister with her and excitedly waved the tiger toy. Then, generously, she handed it over for her big sister to play with.

Jinli accepted the toy and even leaned over to nuzzle her little sister affectionately. The two of them played together with pure joy, their happy babbles filling the room.

A few days later, it was time for the New Year. This would be Little Ears’ first Spring Festival since arriving in the world.

On New Year’s Eve, the baby was dressed in a brand-new outfit first thing in the morning. Shen Xingyue bundled her up in a thick quilted wrap and carried her out into the courtyard. Han Shu had brought Little Jinli over as well.

The servants had already arranged a row of firecrackers neatly on the ground. One of them used a fire stick to light the fuse, then quickly stepped back.

The baby stared curiously at the object in the distance that was starting to smoke. She didn’t know what it was. Then, the firecrackers suddenly began going off with loud popping noises—“crack! pop! bang!”

The baby froze, clearly startled. Her lips trembled, and just as she was about to burst into tears—

Shen Xingyue quickly kissed her cheek and stepped back with her in her arms, soothing her gently, “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Those are called firecrackers. They’re fun, really. Don’t be scared.”

Su Muyu, afraid the noise had frightened the baby too much, hurried to cover her ears.

Nearby, Little Jinli was also startled. She buried her face into Han Shu’s chest and began sobbing sadly. “Bad! Bad!”

“Yes, yes, those are the bad ones,” Han Shu cooed, comforting her gently. “But our Little Jinli is the bravest, right? You want to be a little general when you grow up, so don’t cry, okay?”

Jinli paused for a moment, looked up at her mother—and then buried her head even deeper into Han Shu’s arms, crying even harder.

Little Jinli had no idea what she’d be doing in the future—right now, she was still a wobbly little toddler who could barely walk straight.

Once both little ones had calmed down, Shen Xingyue handed Little Ears over to Yiliu and the other maids to take care of, while she went off to join Han Shu and the others for lunch with Shen Zhengchu. The prince’s residence was filled with festive cheer. A few nannies and handmaids stayed behind to watch over the two babies, while the adults gathered around the table and began their meal.

The table was full of Shen Xingyue’s favorite dishes—grilled lamb, tofu fish soup, stir-fried shrimp, and more. It was a feast.

Seeing her mother’s eating so deliciously, Little Ears started getting fussy. She waved her little hands to get their attention, shouting, “Ya ya ya!”

Shen Xingyue glanced over at her daughter and saw the little glutton eyeing the meat on her chopsticks. She couldn’t help but laugh and cooed, “You’re still too little. You’ve only got two baby teeth—you can’t eat this yet.”

“Ya ya!” the baby babbled in protest.

Shen Xingyue shook her head with a smile, then looked over at Cui Zhu. “Cui Zhu, get Little Ears a bowl of meatball soup—just the broth, no meatballs.”

“Yes, Your Ladyship,” Cui Zhu replied quickly. She scooped some soup into a small bowl and brought it over. The baby smacked her lips as she tasted it, then kicked her legs excitedly, clearly satisfied.

Not far away, Little Jinli noticed her sister had food and grew anxious too. Thankfully, she could already speak a few simple words. “Sister… eat!”

Seeing her daughter getting restless, Shen Taotao had the nursemaids prepare a bowl of meatball soup for her too, and even mashed up two soft meatballs. Jinli, now a year old, had grown a good number of teeth and could eat soft foods. Little Ears, on the other hand, was still too young and could only have the broth.

With their mouths full of soup, the two little ones finally quieted down.

After lunch, Shen Xingyue carried her daughter back to the room for a nap. She gently laid her down on the bed, then took out a shiny gold ingot and waved it in front of her. Teasing, she said, “Little Ears, how about giving me a New Year’s greeting? I’ll give you lucky money. Look at this—so big! You could buy all kinds of snacks with it!”

The baby stared at the golden ingot with wide eyes, curious and eager. She reached out, wanting to grab it.

Shen Xingyue tapped her lightly on the chest and smiled. “You have to do this first—give me a New Year’s bow, and I’ll let you play with it, okay?”

She held her hands together in a traditional New Year’s gesture. The baby mimicked her clumsily, putting her hands together and babbling, “Ya ya?”

“That’s right! Our Little Ears is amazing. Here you go.” Shen Xingyue handed her the gold ingot. Since it was for the baby to play with, she had already cleaned it thoroughly.

Little Ears beamed with joy as she held the gold ingot. When she saw Su Muyu holding another one, the little money-lover immediately made the bowing gesture again, making Su Muyu laugh out loud.

Su Muyu handed hers over with a smile. “Little Ears is already a tiny treasure-lover, isn’t she?”

The baby happily grabbed both ingots, rolled onto her side, and started playing with them, giggling non-stop.

That evening, the courtyard was filled with even more lanterns than usual. Though snow still fell outside, the atmosphere was warm inside. Shen Xingyue and Su Muyu played with their daughter on the bed. The baby was so excited, she rolled from one side of the bed to the other, making herself laugh out loud.

Shen Xingyue held her soft little hand and asked, “When will our Little Ears finally start walking?”

Of course, the baby didn’t understand what she was saying. She just giggled and smiled up at her mother.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye. It was already March. The weather had begun to warm, and buds had started to appear on the trees.

Shen Xingyue and the others had planned ahead of time to take the babies to the countryside for a short outing.

Shen Yining and Zhou Zixuan had cleared their schedules and left the palace early to join them. Everyone made their way to Shen Xingyue’s estate on the outskirts of the capital.

Inside the carriage, Shen Xingyue held Little Ears in her lap and lifted the curtain to let her see the scenery outside. The baby clung to the edge of the window, eyes wide with excitement, and babbled nonstop: “Ya ya ya!”

“Mhm, that’s a bird. Our little one hasn’t seen one before, have you?” Shen Xingyue asked gently, planting a kiss on her baby’s soft cheek.

The baby nodded her tiny head obediently, happily swinging her little legs.

Su Muyu sat nearby, gently playing with the baby’s chubby legs, treating her more like a living doll than a child.

Little Ears, surrounded by both her mother and mommy, was simply overjoyed.

When the carriage arrived at the estate, Shen Xingyue and Su Muyu stepped out. Shen Xingyue carried the baby in her arms, and the two of them strolled into the courtyard together.

The baby looked around at the wide green fields and couldn’t stop babbling, “Ya ya!”

“Pretty, isn’t it? Just wait until you can walk—it’ll be even more fun,” Shen Xingyue said, teasing her gently.

As she played with the baby, Su Muyu arranged for the estate’s servants to bring out plenty of chairs and tables. They were planning to eat outdoors.

Liu Xiang also arrived with Su Muzhi. The little girl had grown a lot taller and now looked like a proper young lady next to the two babies—almost like a little adult.

Shen Xingyue brought Little Ears over and said to her, smiling, “Little Ears, look at your auntie. Isn’t she so much taller than you? The first time I met your auntie, she was still a chubby little baby, just like you.”

She thought back to her first visit to the Su residence, when Su Muzhi had only been three and a half. Back then she was well-behaved and adorable, and now she was already a six-year-old little lady.

“Ya ya~” the baby babbled, not afraid of Su Muzhi at all. She waved her little hand in greeting, and Su Muzhi reached out and gently touched the baby’s hand.

After spending some time playing with the babies, Shen Yining and Zhou Zixuan also arrived. When the others moved to greet them, Shen Yining quickly waved them off, saying, “No need for formalities. This is just a family outing, not an official event.”

Then she and Zhou Zixuan came over to look at the little ones. Shen Tingyu, only eight months old, could still only sit and play in someone’s arms—Shen Xingyue’s, in this case. Han Jinning, however, was already one year and two months old. Though still unsteady on her feet, she could manage to walk ten or so steps on her own.

Because they frequently spent time with Shen Yining’s side of the family, and since everyone here was trusted, Han Shu wasn’t using any disguises today. Smiling, she said to her daughter, “Little Jinli, want to go over and play with your auntie? Try walking over on your own, okay?”

“Okay!” the little girl answered loudly and proudly.

Shen Yining clapped her hands encouragingly, eager to see. Little Jinli began walking toward her with her short legs, taking one careful step at a time. Han Shu followed closely behind, ready to catch her in case she fell. The little girl smiled at Shen Yining as she walked, and just as she reached the end, she lost steam and tumbled into her auntie’s arms.

Shen Yining picked her up and comforted her. The babies were all just too cute—she was absolutely delighted. After playing with Jinli for a bit, she turned her attention to Little Ears.

When Shen Yining clapped her hands toward her, Little Ears reached out her arms, ready to go to her.

Shen Xingyue tapped the baby’s bottom and laughed. “You little rascal, getting bribed away so easily!”

Leaving the baby to Shen Yining and the others, Shen Xingyue went to organize the setup. She had the servants arrange a barbecue rack on one side and a large pot on the other. She planned to make hotpot while grilling lamb at the same time.

They had everything ready: fresh lamb slices, all kinds of vegetables, tofu, and more. But today, Shen Xingyue had also prepared something entirely new to this world.

She had originally wanted to make glass noodles, but since this world had no sweet potatoes or potatoes, she had to improvise. Instead, she had rice ground into a slurry, mixed with lotus root starch to thicken it. Then she fashioned a large gourd ladle into a makeshift strainer—punching small round holes into it.

She boiled water in a large pot and slowly poured the rice mixture through the gourd, letting thin strands drip directly into the boiling water. They firmed up as they cooked and were later dried into a noodle-like shape.

It had taken many tries to get it right. Since lotus starch was already rare in Beichuan, and good-quality rice was expensive, she hadn’t planned to popularize the method—this was just for her own enjoyment.

Shen Yining was seeing the noodles for the first time and asked curiously, “Cousin, what is this? Another one of your new discoveries?”

Shen Xingyue smiled and nodded. “Sort of. Let’s call it rice noodles for now. It’s made from ground rice and lotus starch. It cooks quickly and tastes best fresh. If you like it, I can lend you one of my chefs so he can teach your palace staff.”

“Great! I bet Mother and the others have never tried this. I’ll let them taste it too,” Shen Yining said with a laugh.

There were quite a few people today. Once the pot was ready, Shen Xingyue immediately dropped in a whole tray of meat. As soon as the broth boiled, everyone grabbed their sauces and started eating. They were all familiar with one another, so no one stood on ceremony.

Shen Xingyue had already added mushrooms and tofu to the pot and soon followed with two more trays of meat.

Seeing how delicious everything looked, the two little ones grew restless again. Little Ears pointed and called out, “Ya ya ya!”

Little Jinli wasn’t about to be left out either. “Eat! Eat!”

Shen Xingyue turned to them and laughed, “It’s too spicy for you two. You can’t have any.”

Speaking of spice, Shen Yining looked over and asked, “Cousin, how’s your chili project going? Do you think the court could purchase some seeds and start producing it on a larger scale?”

“Absolutely. Chili stores really well once dried, and it adds great flavor to dishes. Neither Daxia nor Nanqi has it, so we could export and make a nice profit,” Shen Xingyue replied thoughtfully.

“Perfect. I’ll speak to Mother about it when we return,” Shen Yining said with a smile.

Thanks to two years of careful cultivation, Shen Xingyue had already planted quite a few chili crops on the estate. She had confirmed they could grow well in Beichuan, so there was no issue with expanding production.

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