The Mystic Lucky Baby is Five and a Half Years Old - Chapter 6

Gurgle! Her little stomach made a very timely growl. It was as if it were urging its owner, Go eat already, or I’m going to starve!

Yu Niannian rubbed her belly, her tiny face scrunching up into a frown. That look of sorrow and misery on her face was so exaggerated it was almost adorable. 

Like a little adult, she let out a long sigh.

There was no point in avoiding it anymore. Even if she didn’t want to face that “big demon” of a big brother, she still had to get out of bed and go downstairs for breakfast.

She got dressed at a slow pace, climbed off the bed using both hands and feet, slipped into her slippers, and went pat-pat-pat down the stairs. 

When she saw Yu Sheng and Zhao Tang sitting at the dining table, eating their breakfast gracefully, her small body instinctively shrank back.

Like a timid little wife afraid of being scolded, she shuffled forward in tiny steps and clambered up onto a chair with effort. But when she saw the food on her plate and the knife and fork placed beside it, Niannian froze.

Back at the Taoist temple in the mountains, breakfast was always steamed buns, dumplings, or plain porridge with pickled vegetables.

And the only utensils were chopsticks and spoons.

The Western-style meal in front of her, and those knife and fork things, looked completely foreign to her. She had no idea where to start.

She stole a glance at Yu Sheng and tried to copy him, picking up the knife and pressing it down hard to cut her food.

Scrrreeech! The knife scraped against the plate with an ear-piercing sound.

Yu Sheng frowned and stopped eating, looking straight at Niannian, his eyes full of displeasure.

That look instantly reminded the little dumpling of the nightmare she’d had last night. Terrified, she froze in her seat, too scared to eat, eyes quickly welling up with tears.

“Forget it. Go get her a pair of chopsticks, and cut her food into smaller pieces before bringing it over,” Yu Sheng ordered calmly.

To her surprise, Yu Sheng didn’t scold her this time. He didn’t say anything harsh either.

He actually… helped her.

Niannian was shocked. The big demon big brother is acting so strange!

Yu Sheng’s sudden change in behavior didn’t just confuse Niannian, it also made Zhao Tang tense up.

A sense of danger surged through Zhao Tang. When no one was looking, she shot Niannian a fierce glare. It was full of malice.

Niannian, being unusually perceptive, immediately noticed it and turned her head, right in time to catch Zhao Tang’s eyes.

Zhao Tang flinched for a second, but quickly composed herself. She wasn’t worried about being found out. Instead, she tugged lightly at Yu Sheng’s sleeve, diverting his attention back to her.

The moment Yu Sheng saw Zhao Tang’s slightly anxious expression, his cold, stiff face softened. He might as well have had the words “double standard” written across his forehead.

In a gentle tone, he asked, “What’s wrong, Tangtang?”

“Second Brother, I’m full now. I should head to school.” Her cautious, delicate manner made her look so pitiful.

“Alright, I’ll take you,” Yu Sheng said immediately.

Nothing worried him more than seeing her look upset. Without hesitation, he put down everything, didn’t even finish his breakfast, picked her up, grabbed her little schoolbag, and walked out the door.

That left only Niannian, a small, pitiful figure sitting alone at the dining table.

Just after the two went out, the housekeeper came back in, carrying the dishes to clear the table.

The nanny was a woman in her forties, plain-looking and a bit chubby, but her sharp eyes and calculating air made Niannian instinctively wary of her.

But since the woman was holding food, Niannian decided not to react. Her stomach had already protested several times. Right now, all she wanted was that plate of food.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the meal, her whole face showing anticipation. She looked like a carved jade doll, anyone would find her adorable.

But not those who liked to bully the weak and flatter the strong.

Crash! The sound of breaking porcelain rang out. The plate hit the floor, and the food scattered everywhere.

The nanny gasped dramatically, clutching her mouth and pretending to be shocked. Then she “accidentally” stepped on the food a few times.

She crouched down to clean up the mess, apologizing as she worked, “I’m so sorry, Miss. I didn’t mean to, my hand slipped and I couldn’t hold it steady.”

But Niannian knew perfectly well she was lying. She’d seen it clearly, the woman’s hand had been steady before she deliberately loosened her grip to drop the plate.

And when she could’ve stepped back, she’d purposely taken two steps forward just to trample on the food.

Niannian was furious. Her long-awaited breakfast was gone, all over the floor. She was so angry she didn’t even want to talk.

But what could she do?

Suddenly, she remembered a phrase her master and senior brothers used to say, “Living under someone else’s roof.”

She didn’t fully understand what it meant, but now, she felt it. “Is there any more?” She asked softly.

The little dumpling thought she should be angry, but she didn’t dare to be, not here, not without her master and senior brothers to protect her.

The nanny showed no sign of remorse. She quickly cleaned up the shards, then straightened up with a smile.

“Sorry, Miss. To make sure the young masters and young ladies eat fresh meals every day, we only prepare a fixed amount of food each time. There’s no breakfast left.”

“Anyway, it’s just breakfast. Missing one meal won’t hurt. Lunch will be served soon enough, just wait a few more hours.”

Her tone was completely disrespectful. If not for how she addressed Niannian, anyone would’ve thought she was the employer.

“When will lunch be ready?” Niannian asked, fidgeting with her fingers, suppressing her frustration.

“We serve lunch at exactly 12:10 every day.”

“Twelve o’clock?!” Niannian’s eyes widened.

It was only seven in the morning, she’d have to wait five whole hours. Unacceptable. Her belly certainly wouldn’t agree! Food was the most important thing in the world.

Even the mild-tempered Niannian couldn’t stay calm while starving. Without saying another word, she quickly climbed down from the chair.

She could sense people’s emotions clearly, and she could feel the nanny’s hostility toward her. The nanny was doing this on purpose, she wasn’t going to give her anything to eat.

Realizing this, Niannian decided she didn’t need to rely on her. If no one would feed her, she’d feed herself!

After all, back in the temple, she often sneaked into the back mountain to pick wild fruits or catch a chicken or two as snacks. She could take care of herself, she wouldn’t starve.

Puffing up angrily, she stomped upstairs, grabbed the small backpack she’d brought from the mountain, and stomped back down again.

She went straight to the front door, jumped up to grab the handle, opened it, and walked out of the villa.

The nanny watched her go. When the little dumpling finally disappeared outside, she just curled her lips in disdain and mockery. She didn’t even bother getting up from the couch.

Humming a tune, she turned on the TV and happily settled down to watch her favorite family drama.

Meanwhile, little Niannian marched proudly out of the villa’s yard, heading straight toward the neighborhood gate.

Not long after she left, two figures emerged sneakily from the shadows and followed her from a distance.