“Mom.” Qiao Mu’s eyes automatically lit up when she saw her mother, quickly running up to hug her arms.
“You child!” Wei Ziqin poked her small head. “You’ve worried Mom to death. You’re always disappearing without notice. Do you know that Xiao Mo has been leading people all over to search for you, almost to the point of digging up the ground to find you.”
Qiao Mu nodded helplessly.
She was also quite exasperated!
If not for that disaster-courting curse putting her in that weird situation, she actually could have come home right when she got transferred out of the secret realm.
“Alright, alright, it’s good that you’ve returned. Come in before saying more.” Qiao Zhongbang quickly gestured for them to enter.
After the group relocated to the main hall, there were naturally servants to serve tea.
“Mom, is everything fine at home.”
“There is nothing for you to worry about at home.” Wei Ziqin grasped her daughter’s small hand with heartache filling her eyes. “Qiaoqiao, how come you got so skinny? Was this time’s practical training in the Mystic Beast Forest secret realm really tough?”
“It was okay. It wasn’t so tough.” Qiao Mu hugged her mother’s arm and consoled with a shake of her head, “Mom, don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Look, my cultivation state increased again. I just broke through to become a level-14 mystic cultivator.”
Qiao Zhongbang and Wei Ziqin goggled in shock as they looked their daughter up and down.
Wei Ziqin also gazed at her with a complicated gaze as she murmured, “This must be bloodline inheritance.”
“Mom, what are you mumbling?”
Hearing her voice, Wei Ziqin jolted in surprise before hastily covering up with a smile, “Nothing, nothing. Child, don’t go anywhere after coming back this time, ah? You have to properly prepare for your coming-of-age hairpin ceremony at home. Understand?”
Qiao Mu nodded her small head obediently.
In her past life, her mom had passed away early, and how would her stepmother take such pains for her? Hence, she did not have a coming-of-age hairpin ceremony.
She could only hide in a corner by herself and watch enviously as the main family prepared a grand hairpin ceremony for Qiao Ni.
At that time, she was like a rat that no one wanted, living in the filthy sewers without seeing the light of day.
Wei Ziqin smiled with closed lips. “That’s a good girl. Then move back home today. You can’t mess about again before your marriage.”
“Ah, I can’t!” Qiao Mu suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, “Mom, I have to go out on a trip again.”
Wei Ziqin patted her small hand mildly, sweeping her with a displeased look. “You child. You want to go out again after just returning home? You’re not allowed to go anywhere.”
“Mom, I had promised other people something. Previously, I had commissioned people to gather a large batch of primary-rank herbs, but later on… anyways, because of various reasons, I missed our appointed time. I must make a trip there. Mom, it’ll be quick. I’ll return in at most five days.”
“Five days??” Wei Ziqin glared at her. “Your hairpin ceremony is in a bit over a few weeks.”
“Four days! Just four days!” Qiao Mu stuck out four fingers and waved them in front of her mother. She then rocked her mother’s arm and wheedled, “Mom, I will definitely make it back in time. If you let your Xiao Mo accompany me there, you’ll be able to rest assured.”
Crown Prince Mo, who was in low spirits because his wife had to move back to live in the Qiao Estate, suddenly brightened when he heard this. He immediately took his wife’s side and persuaded with repeated nods, “Mom, don’t worry. With me accompanying Qiaoqiao, she definitely won’t go missing again this time.”
Wife, don’t I treat you well! Mo Lian winked at Xiao Qiao.
