Time flies, and once again, it’s winter.
The sky is filled with large, fluttering snowflakes, blanketing the entire courtyard in white. The entire scene looks like a pure, snow-covered wonderland.
Two years and ten months old, Xu Ming, wrapped in a tiger-head cotton jacket and matching tiger-head boots, stood at the doorway with his hands on his hips. His face was rosy and glowing with health.
Now, Xu Ming’s strength had grown to the point where he could lift objects weighing 200 pounds. As for speed, he had roughly tested himself. In the Xu Manor, he picked a corridor as straight as possible, about 100 meters long. With his short legs, he managed to run it in just under 15 seconds.
In terms of endurance, Xu Ming once ran about 5,000 meters until he was finally out of breath—all while his mother wasn’t paying attention.
Overall, at two years and nine months old, Xu Ming felt that his physical abilities had far surpassed those of an average adult male.
However, in this world of high martial arts cultivation, Xu Ming felt that his current strength was hardly impressive.
For one, he still couldn’t even beat that Tianxuan Goose in the courtyard!
Amidst the snow, the Tianxuan Goose was strutting around the courtyard, its long neck held high and its wings spread wide, as if patrolling its domain.
Seeing the goose’s arrogant posture, Xu Ming tensed up. His fists clenched.
Taking advantage of his mother being away, Xu Ming charged out and once again grappled with the Tianxuan Goose.
Half an incense stick’s time later, Xu Ming was defeated yet again.
The Tianxuan Goose stood triumphantly on Xu Ming’s back, spreading its wings in a display of victory. It even patted Xu Ming’s small head with its wing, as if saying, “Little one, do you submit to your big sister now?”
Absolute humiliation!
Just as Xu Ming prepared to engage in another deathmatch with the goose, his mother’s voice called out from outside the courtyard.
The goose instantly leaped off Xu Ming and waddled away, flapping its wings. It was well aware of who the true master of this household was.
The difference between one meal and meals for life—it understood perfectly.
If it didn’t know better, it might just end up becoming someone’s meal.
A moment later, Xu Ming saw his mother entering the courtyard, accompanied by Madam Qin, who was holding Qin Qingwan. Unexpectedly, Lady Wang Feng, the Xu family’s first wife, also arrived, carrying Xu Xuenuo in her arms.
“Ming’er, why are you lying in the snow? You’ll catch a cold! Get up quickly.”
Chen Suya hurried over when she saw her son lying in the snow. She lifted him up and patted the snow off his clothes.
She hadn’t expected that in the short time she was out, her son had already woken up and even ended up in the snow.
Her Ming’er was wonderful in every way, but he was just a bit too lively. The moment she took her eyes off him, he’d disappear.
Qin Qingwan, upon spotting Xu Ming, wriggled free from her mother’s arms and toddled over on her short little legs, beaming with joy.
Nearly three years old now, Qin Qingwan was adorable, with her rosy cheeks and a pair of peach blossom eyes she had clearly inherited from her mother. Provided her looks didn’t stray too far as she grew, she was bound to become a stunning beauty, perhaps even surpassing her mother.
Meanwhile, Xu Xuenuo, nestled in her mother’s arms, watched Qin Qingwan toddle over to Xu Ming before coming to a stop in front of him. Her big eyes blinked at him curiously.
Then, with a soft “hmph,” Xu Xuenuo turned her head away.
No one really knew why Qingwan liked Xu Ming so much.
“Lady Wang, Sister Chen, let’s leave the three children to play here—it’ll be fine. How about we go to the kitchen and make winter plum cakes?” Madam Qin suggested.
Chen Suya glanced at the three children. “Of course. Ladies, please follow me.”
Her courtyard was relatively small, without any ponds or other hazards, so it was quite safe.
Wang Feng also nodded, giving her daughter a quick reminder: “Be good, stay in the courtyard, and don’t wander off.” She then set her daughter down, and the three ladies headed toward the small kitchen in the courtyard.
Hearing Madam Qin mention “winter plum cakes,” Xu Ming roughly understood what was going on.
Previously, when Sister Chunyan visited and chatted with his mother, they mentioned that someone important in the family was returning from the frontier. This person apparently had a fondness for winter plum cakes, and since his mother was quite skilled at making desserts, it seemed the cakes were being prepared especially for him.
“Ming-gege~ Let’s have a snowball fight!” Qingwan grabbed Xu Ming’s hand, her eyes brimming with excitement.
“Alright, let’s have a snowball fight,” Xu Ming agreed with a nod.
“Yay~” Qingwan cheered, bouncing happily. “Snowball fight, snowball fight~~~”
She toddled off on her little legs, crouched down, and formed a small snowball with her hands. “Heave-ho!” she called out as she flung it toward Xu Ming.
The snowball arced through the air but didn’t hit Xu Ming.
Xu Ming also picked up a snowball, carefully controlling his strength, and tossed it back. He deliberately aimed slightly off, letting the snowball graze past Qingwan’s shoulder.
“Ehehe~ Ming-gege can’t hit me, can’t hit me~” Qingwan laughed gleefully as she continued to diligently make snowballs, throwing them at Xu Ming with all her might.
The two of them went back and forth, but neither managed to land a direct hit.
Finally, Qingwan threw a particularly well-aimed snowball. Xu Ming thought about it for a moment and decided not to dodge. The snowball hit him squarely in the chest.
“I hit him! I hit Ming-gege!” Qingwan jumped up and down with joy.
Xu Ming retaliated by tossing a snowball that hit Qingwan on the shoulder.
The two continued their playful battle, like two clumsy rookies fumbling through a duel.
Xu Ming noticed that Qingwan’s throws were getting closer and closer.
In the end, Qingwan stopped throwing snowballs altogether and instead tackled Xu Ming, knocking him down into the snow. She giggled as she nuzzled against him.
Qingwan seemed to want to kiss Xu Ming on the cheek again, but she suddenly remembered her mother’s words: “Qingwan and Ming-gege are grown up now. Boys and girls shouldn’t casually kiss each other.”
Her bright eyes dimmed with a hint of disappointment.
But soon enough, a sparkle of mischief returned to her gaze.
“Ming-gege, can you kiss me?” Qingwan asked expectantly.
“Why?” Xu Ming was momentarily taken aback.
Qingwan blinked her wide eyes. “Because Mama won’t let me kiss Ming-gege anymore, but if Ming-gege kisses me, it’s like I kissed you, right?”