"Mommy, mommy, wake up..." In a daze, Chu Lian was shaken awake by the little one beside her. Rubbing her eyes, she propped herself up and looked toward the bedside. There stood Anna, fully dressed, her cheeks puffed up in anger as her small hands clutched Chu Lian's arm and shook it vigorously.
"Good morning, Anna. How sweet of you to wake mommy up today?" Chu Lian stretched lazily, still feeling a bit groggy. It had been a long time since she'd slept so comfortably. This journey had been so full of incidents that her nerves had been tightly strung the whole way.
Yesterday, she had gone straight to sleep after returning, but that strange dream had woken her up too early. She hadn't rested enough.
Unlike last night—she'd gone to bed before ten and slept straight through until now... Wait, what time was it again?
"Mommy, it's already eleven, and you're still sleeping!" Seeing her look around blankly, Anna puffed up even more and grabbed her hand, giving it a hard bite.
"Ouch! My little ancestor, what are you doing..." Though Anna bit with all her might, with Chu Lian's constitution, she wasn't really hurt. Still, the sting was enough to make her wince, especially when it came unexpectedly.
"You ignored Anna..." The little girl's heart was simple. She'd been calling for so long just to wake up her sleepy mommy, yet the first thing Chu Lian did after waking was look at the clock instead of her. Feeling neglected, she got pouty again, and Chu Lian could only smile helplessly.
"It's mommy's fault, okay? Be good now, Anna..." Realizing the time, Chu Lian understood why Anna was upset. The girl must've woken up early and been left alone for too long. Now that she finally got to wake her mommy up, of course she'd throw a tiny tantrum.
Once you knew the reason, it wasn't hard to fix. Ignoring the fact that Anna was still biting her hand, Chu Lian gathered the girl into her arms, kissed her gently on the forehead, and used her other hand to softly stroke her silky hair, soothing her.
"Hmph, let's see if mommy dares to ignore Anna again." Being treated with such warmth, Anna's mood improved instantly. She released Chu Lian's hand, her eyes narrowing as she melted into that comfortable embrace.
Mommy's arms were so warm. Even though they were flat, they still felt so safe and cozy.
"Tina, tell me—does Anna have some of your spirit cat genes? She looks even more catlike than I do," Chu Lian asked through spiritual communication while petting Anna, glancing at the white cat lying motionless on the pillow. The creature had barely moved since yesterday.
She didn't deny her own catlike temperament—in fact, she was quite proud of it. After all, it was an irresistibly cute trait. Many girls wanted that kind of natural charm but couldn't fake it. Since she had it by birth, why wouldn't she be happy?
Tina, however, clearly had no interest in responding. She rolled over once, turning her back to Chu Lian as if the question were nothing but a passing breeze.
"You damn cat, seriously..." Chu Lian muttered under her breath. There wasn't much she could do about it, though. After all, Tina had worked hard during the latter half of their journey. Letting her rest was only fair.
"By the way, where did Big Sis Chu Chu and the others go?" After calming Anna down, Chu Lian finally thought to ask. It was already eleven—if Chu Chu hadn't slept in, she'd definitely have been dragged up by their mother to do chores by now.
"She's being made to do chores by mommy's mommy. Big Sis Inori's reading—she said it's for studying or something." Anna pouted unhappily as she replied. Her mommy was right here, yet she was thinking about other people again. So annoying!
"Chu Chu really... Getting caught doing chores again. When you see mother busy, you should offer to help. Otherwise, once she catches you, she'll just give you even more work." Hearing that Chu Chu had been caught by Li Mingxue to do housework, Chu Lian couldn't help but chuckle quietly. That girl had laughed so hard at her yesterday—serves her right.
But Inori was reading? That was unexpected. It seemed she really wanted to adapt to this world quickly. Her social circle was still too small—aside from their group, she barely knew anyone. It was about time she expanded her knowledge.
As she thought this, Chu Lian's gaze lingered on Anna. Even the subtlest change in the little girl's expression didn't escape her eyes, and she instantly realized that Anna was feeling unhappy again.
Reaching out to pinch the little girl's nose, Chu Lian chuckled. "What's this, Anna? Are you jealous? Don't be jealous, sweetheart. Mommy's right here with you, holding you in her arms, isn't she?"
"Then when mommy's holding Anna, you're not allowed to think about other women. Otherwise, Anna will bite you." Anna turned her face slightly away, her tone filled with grievance, as if Chu Lian's wandering thoughts might actually hurt her.
Chu Lian sighed and tapped her forehead. She knew that if she didn't give this girl an answer, Anna would cling to her relentlessly until she got her way.
Over the past couple of days, though Chu Lian had been teaching her many things and guiding her away from her more extreme tendencies, Anna's lively and mischievous nature had started to show. She had learned how to use her cuteness and coquettishness to get what she wanted.
But Chu Lian knew well that the little girl's true purpose behind all this was simply to monopolize her.
Anna's thoughts were still naïve and boundless. She had always believed that the things she liked should belong solely to her—no matter what it was, even if it was her mommy, she could only be hers and no one else's.
She also knew that this goal was difficult, so she worked hard—working tirelessly toward it, hoping that one day her mommy would truly become hers alone.
That would be the best kind of mommy—the kind who gave all her gentleness to her, all her time to her, shared all her food, bathed and slept with her, and never let anyone else intrude.
Her interactions with those other women were merely a means to an end—to understand them first, and then, in time, erase them one by one. That way, mommy would belong only to her, and she would be the only one left in mommy's world.
She didn't realize just how twisted this way of thinking was. In her innocent little heart, disliking someone simply meant not keeping them around, and liking someone meant keeping them forever—forever, and ever, and ever.
Fortunately, ever since Anna had awakened, Chu Lian had been teaching her patiently, explaining all sorts of things—what could and couldn't be done. It kept the girl's mind from falling completely into obsession.
Still, such an extreme kind of affection could only stay dormant for so long. One day, it would inevitably erupt. Hopefully, Chu Lian would notice it in time.
After cuddling for a while, Chu Lian glanced toward the sunlight shining in through the window at the foot of the bed. Judging by the brightness, it was almost noon—time for lunch. She patted the little girl still curled up in her arms and said softly, "Anna, be good. Mommy needs to get up and wash up now. You go downstairs and keep everyone company first, okay? Mommy will be down soon."
"No. Anna wants to wait right here for mommy..." Anna shook her head. Since her mommy was already awake, she had no intention of going downstairs to spend time with those she didn't like.
But Chu Lian's tone suddenly turned serious. "Anna, are you not going to listen to mommy? Only good girls who listen are lovable, you know?"
That made Anna's fingers twist together as she mumbled reluctantly, "Got it, mommy... Then Anna will go first." Since Chu Lian had put on her stern face, she knew that if she disobeyed, there would be consequences—she'd learned that much over the past few days.
"That's my good girl." Chu Lian smiled with satisfaction, leaning down to give the girl a soft kiss on the cheek before running barefoot toward the bathroom next to her bedroom.
"Hiru, let's go downstairs before mommy gets mad." After sitting for a moment, Anna stood up and spoke to the snake coiled around her wrist like a bracelet.
Hisss~ The serpent's voice echoed softly, as if offering her comfort. Whatever it said made Anna smile with renewed cheer as she headed downstairs, her mood brightened.
"No need to worry. She'll be yours sooner or later." Tina stretched her body, sitting up from her lounging position. She stuck out her tiny tongue and gently licked her paw before speaking for the first time in her sweet, childish voice, "She really is a dangerous person, nya~ To have such thoughts at her age... I wonder if my silly, flat-chested master even realizes, nya~."
"Tina, I heard that," came Chu Lian's voice from behind. The moment Tina finished her comment, the startled white cat jumped instinctively, all four paws leaving the ground as she tried to dart for the window.
"Not so fast." With a swift motion, Chu Lian reached out and caught the floating cat midair. Pulling Tina into her arms, she pressed the feline's body against her chest and smiled mischievously. "Weren't you calling me flat-chested? Well then, let's see if you can handle the power of flatness!"
"I was wrong, nya~" Since Chu Lian had now discovered that she could speak human language, Tina no longer bothered to hide it. After being smothered against her master's flat chest, she cried out for mercy.
Her attributes were still slowly developing. It would take time before she could fully synchronize with Chu Lian's power and gain the benefits of their completed contract. For now, even if she transformed into her Thunder White Tiger form, her stats would still be completely crushed by Chu Lian's overwhelming strength. In her normal form, she had no chance of winning.
Pinned like this, begging for mercy was about all she could do.
"I know about Anna too," Chu Lian said softly. "But now isn't the time to do anything about it. It's not that I don't want to—it's that I can't. She's still far too wary of everyone except me. Even though she's learned to accept the presence of others on the surface, deep down, I'm the only one she truly cares about. Just like last time—when I fainted on the platform and she carried me back, she wouldn't let anyone else near me. She never once thought about really connecting with them."
Of course Chu Lian understood Anna's situation. The fact that she didn't talk about it or ask didn't mean she wasn't acting. This was just the beginning—helping Anna slowly open her heart to the world. Only by creating a small crack in that wall through time and affection could she completely dismantle the defenses around the girl's heart.
Right now, that wall trapped the two of them inside while shutting everyone else out. To others, it was an impenetrable barrier. Time was her only ally, and her role was to guide Anna in the right direction.
"But she's scary, nya~ Tina's worried that before we can change her, she might lose control and hurt someone, nya~" Tina had her own concerns. The journey they'd been through had changed her too—she had grown genuinely fond of those girls and didn't want to see any of them get hurt.
"You're overthinking it. Remember—she's Tírnas's daughter. That powerful being left a fragment of her soul within Anna. If anything really happened, she'd step in to make sure her daughter could grow properly. What we need to do now is simply guide her, slowly but surely."
Chu Lian had considered the same issue, but remembering Tírnas's precaution had eased her mind. Clearly, that mighty being understood Anna better than anyone.
The so-called fragment of a soul left behind to "protect" Anna... Chu Lian suspected that most of its purpose was to suppress her if she ever lost control—to calm her down and prevent major destruction, rather than to rescue her from mortal danger.
"I understand, nya~" Tina nodded, realizing Chu Lian had a point. Feeling reassured, she yawned and soon drifted to sleep in Chu Lian's arms.
"You really are a lazy little cat," Chu Lian said with a small smile. She slipped on her shoes, held Tina gently in her arms, and headed downstairs.
In the living room, Chu Chu was mopping the floor, while Li Mingxue, wearing an apron, bustled around, carrying dishes from the kitchen to set them on the dining table.
Inori sat on the sofa with a laptop on her knees, typing now and then before returning to deep focus on the screen. Unlike what Anna had mentioned earlier about her "reading," it seemed she'd already finished her books and was now researching things online to study.
Meanwhile, Anna sat idly nearby, clearly bored. She occasionally glanced at the laptop on Inori's lap or closed her eyes for a nap, showing no desire to talk.
"Big Sis, you're finally up?" Chu Chu exclaimed as she dragged the mop from the other side of the living room toward the staircase. She spotted Chu Lian coming down in her white outfit and waved cheerfully.
"Yeah, sorry for sleeping so late," Chu Lian said with a sheepish smile. This was probably the longest, most peaceful sleep she'd had in a year. Waking up to see everyone busy while she had nothing to do made her feel a little embarrassed.
"It's fine, it's fine! As long as Big Sis's health is fine, Chu Chu can handle all the chores by herself!" Chu Chu puffed out her chest proudly—literally—patting her impressive bosom as she spoke with conviction.
"Well then, that's perfect," came Li Mingxue's timely voice. "For the rest of this month—and all of next month—Chu Chu can take over all of Lian'er's work while she focuses on resting."
The moment she heard that, Chu Chu froze on the spot, mop still in hand...
"Pfft..." Seeing Chu Chu's expression, Chu Lian couldn't help but laugh. She walked over and gently patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Chu Chu. Big Sis will help you, okay? Don't be discouraged, don't be sad—believe that you can do it well."
"Yes, Big Sis! Chu Chu will definitely do her best!" Encouraged by Chu Lian's words, Chu Chu seemed to regain all her energy, her mood instantly lifting as she worked even faster.
"This child... she listens to you more than she listens to me. I suppose that's what happens when you've been her idol since childhood," Li Mingxue said with a smile as she set the last dish on the dining table and wiped the sweat from her forehead before sitting down beside Chu Lian.
Gently stroking the fur on Tina's back, Chu Lian replied, "Chu Chu just wants to help take some of the load off me. She doesn't always know how to express herself, so it comes out like that."
As an older sister, how could she not understand her younger sister's feelings and thoughts? She simply didn't say it out loud, nor did she stop her.
"Mommy... Anna was very good today..." The little girl obediently came over as soon as Chu Lian sat down. Sitting beside her, Anna looked up with wide, glistening eyes, her expression sweet and innocent.
"Yes, Anna is the best." Chu Lian smiled, running her fingers through the girl's soft hair. She couldn't help but notice that petting Anna felt almost the same as petting Tina—both were so silky smooth.
Of course, that was a comparison she would never say out loud. If she did, she was certain that both the little girl and the chest-loving perverted cat would explode.
After soothing Anna, she called toward the sofa, "Inori, it's time to eat."
"Oh, coming, Lian." Inori closed her laptop and gracefully made her way over, sitting down on Chu Lian's other side.
Chu Chu soon finished tidying up, washed her hands, and sat beside Inori. Li Mingxue took the last open seat—right next to Anna.
Maybe it was her imagination, but the moment Li Mingxue sat down, Chu Lian could clearly sense Anna's unease and tension.
So it was true—when it came to brats, mothers really were like living nuclear bombs.
Just look at them—Anna, Chu Chu, Tina, and even herself. There wasn't a single one her mother couldn't handle.
Maybe her mother could even help fix Anna's personality? With the kind of authority Li Mingxue had over children, getting Anna to behave wouldn't be too difficult.
Sure, it might not reach the same level as her own bond with Anna—where one word was enough to make her listen—but at the very least, Li Mingxue could keep her from doing things she shouldn't.
Helping the girl walk a better path shouldn't be too hard either, right? Under her mother's guidance, Anna might truly become obedient—and those dangerous thoughts would naturally disappear.
But the nervous little girl beside her had no idea that her beloved mommy was, at this very moment, entertaining the one thought she feared most.
Anna really couldn't understand why she was so afraid of this smiling woman—the one her mommy called "mommy's mommy."
Every time she saw her, she couldn't help but suppress all those dangerous thoughts, trembling as she listened obediently to whatever the woman said.
When she was told not to make noise, she stayed quiet. When told to sit on the sofa and wait for Chu Lian, she didn't dare to move an inch without permission. When told to wait patiently for lunch, she didn't whine or sneak food.
It wasn't like how she listened to Chu Lian out of love—it was something deeper, instinctive. As if disobedience would bring terrible consequences.
"Lian'er, Anna's very well-behaved. From now on, why don't I help you look after her? Really, having a daughter this young—you've made me, her grandmother, feel far too young." Li Mingxue's tone was teasing, but beneath the surface, her words carried another message: she already knew about Anna's situation—and she would help handle it.
"Haa..." A single sentence could contain a thousand layers of meaning between mother and daughter. Chu Lian understood immediately, relief washing over her.
"With Mom watching over Anna, I can already picture the future. So, Tírnas, when you entrusted her to me, it wasn't because of me—you were counting on my mother, weren't you? This divine artifact of hers—'Maximum Effectiveness Against Mischievous Children and Oddball Girls'—is truly unmatched." Feeling relaxed, Chu Lian found herself enjoying her meal even more.
And so, in that quiet, harmonious afternoon, time drifted peacefully by...