In the living room, a man was kneeling on the floor, looking timid and uneasy, under the watchful gazes of two figures—one big, one small—on the sofa. The man's name was Mu Chen, an Eight-Star Saint Forger, and at this moment, he was being punished by his wife… and his daughter's stare made him feel as if he was sitting on needles.
After a long moment, Mu Xi finally relaxed her expression somewhat.
"So, this little sister is a disciple Daddy took in?"
By the time her mother Yuan Bao'er returned home, and after both parents explained everything, Mu Xi finally understood the whole story.
Some time ago, she had started learning forging. Her father, in a good mood, went out for a walk and unexpectedly came across a little girl with outstanding forging talent.
"That's right, Xiao Xi! Your dad told me about it when he got back. I was even the one who changed that child's clothes. He just didn't tell you earlier because he was worried you'd overthink it…"
Seeing her daughter beginning to understand, Yuan Bao'er gave Mu Chen a meaningful look: "Leave our daughter to you for now. I'll go talk to that little girl."
Actually, Yuan Bao'er could fully understand the situation. The little girl had been forging just fine and suddenly fainted, only to be taken to a strange place by a strange man who looked a bit… wild?
Well, considering he's a forging master, it's easy to get absorbed when inspiration hits. And as a man, Mu Chen usually looked unkempt.
If Mu Chen were to continue interacting with that little girl, she'd definitely be more scared, and the disciple recruitment might backfire—she might even run off. A genius like her might never appear again.
So Yuan Bao'er decided to soothe the girl herself and perhaps bring up Mu Chen's situation. After all, being a disciple of a Saint Forger was a rare and precious opportunity!
With his wife's permission, Mu Chen immediately got up from the floor, sat on the sofa, and began calming his daughter, steering the conversation toward forging.
His daughter loved forging—how could a father like Mu Chen not know? Changing the topic now might make her forget her anger in time.
Good! A child worth teaching!
Watching her husband's tactic, Yuan Bao'er smiled and nodded approvingly before turning to leave the living room. There was still a guest waiting in the study!
"Hello there, little one!" As soon as the door opened, Yuan Bao'er saw Heita sitting upright on the sofa, as if she had been waiting for quite a while. "I'm so sorry. I had to deal with that 'bad guy' just now, so it took a bit. He didn't scare you, did he?"
Since in the child's eyes Mu Chen was already the "bad guy," I'll just play the "good guy" role.
Obviously, Mu Chen had been thrown under the bus.
"…" But Heita didn't respond. She just silently stared at Yuan Bao'er.
The atmosphere grew a bit awkward, but Yuan Bao'er wasn't one to sit idle. She opened her arms and pulled Heita into a hug.
"Aww! You're just too adorable!"
"Where are your mom and dad? How could they let such a cute little girl out on her own? What if some bad person kidnapped you?"
"…Auntie, I don't have parents." Heita turned her head away, avoiding Yuan Bao'er's gaze. "They've been gone for a long time now."
Yao Lan, Heita's original self, had already lost her parents before her transmigration. She had lived alone in the world. At this moment, Heita was the manifestation of Yao Lan's consciousness—her feelings were completely real.
Ah… this might be tricky.
They had barely spoken a few words, yet Yuan Bao'er had stepped right on a landmine. But she didn't panic—there was still room to recover.
"I see…" Her expression turned regretful, but Yuan Bao'er quickly adjusted her mood and pulled Heita into another hug. "If you'd like… would you call me Mom?"
Using the same hugging tactic as Mu Chen, but with much more youthful warmth, Yuan Bao'er came across as naturally friendly—perfect for softening Heita's guard.
And with that final sentence, she didn't just play the emotional card—she gave Heita the freedom to choose, showing respect for her feelings. It was a winning strategy on all fronts.
So calculating!
Even Heita was stunned for a few seconds. But she didn't plan to refuse—wasn't this exactly why she stayed?
It looked like she might not only become Mu Chen's disciple but also go a step further: "adopted daughter and disciple"—now that was even better!
A faint red gleam flashed in Heita's eyes—a sign of her simulated Enlightened Mind Deduction process.
At this moment, both Yuan Bao'er and Heita were putting on their best performances to pursue their own secret goals.
"…Mom…"
"Hey!" The moment Heita spoke, Yuan Bao'er hugged her tightly again. "Since you called me Mom… then I won't hold back! Snuggle time!"
This light-hearted approach eased the girl's emotional burdens. Over the next stretch of time, Yuan Bao'er kept up her playful antics, quickly bonding with Heita.
"Wow, little Heita is so amazing! You're only slightly younger than my Mu Xi, yet you've already reached Level Five Forger—and you learned it all by yourself? Even that big bad guy wasn't this talented when he was young!"
Clearly, Mu Chen got thrown under the bus again.
"If it's little Heita, I bet it won't take long for you to become a Divine Forger, right?"
"Hmph! Of course! I'm a genius after all!"
Hearing Yuan Bao'er's amazed reaction, Heita completely shed her earlier anxiety and sadness, moving toward a brighter path.
"But… does little Heita know anything about more advanced forging?"
"Um… does Mommy Bao'er know?"
From their earlier conversation, Yuan Bao'er had learned that Heita came from a slum. Despite her natural talent, her future could easily be held back by her environment. So now, Yuan Bao'er tossed out some bait…
"Do you remember that big bad guy from earlier?"
"Of course I do! That… that scary-looking uncle who didn't say a word before dragging me here. Luckily, I met you, Mommy Bao'er!"
She swallowed the original "bad guy" comment and replaced it with a gentler phrase. Heita did that on purpose—and it worked…
Such a child!
Seeing Heita controlling her words, Yuan Bao'er confirmed: she had already gained a solid place in the girl's heart. Time for the next step.
"Mhm, that uncle did bring you here, but it's because he was worried! What if something happened to you while you were alone? What if someone really tried to kidnap you?"
"But he definitely went about it the wrong way. How about this—he can compensate you! Don't be fooled by how rough he looks; that uncle is actually an Eight-Star Forger! In the world of forging, only one person is stronger than him."
"If he teaches you forging techniques as compensation—how does that sound?"
Yuan Bao'er cleverly repackaged the whole "taking a disciple" thing into a "compensation" offer—much harder to turn down. But seeing Heita still hesitate, she knew she needed one final push.
"Don't worry. If that uncle ever bullies little Heita, just come to me—I'll make him kneel on a washboard all night! Let's pinky swear!"
"Mhm! Pinky swear!"
With Yuan Bao'er saying all this, Heita finally revealed a radiant smile and held out her little pinky.
One gained a genius daughter, the other a perfect family. This round…
Yuan Bao'er: The advantage is mine!
Heita: No, it's mine!