The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 4

Faced with yet another unexpected answer, Jiang Zhang’s carefully maintained easygoing demeanor cracked.

The air grew tense.

“Jiang Momo, we’re asking for your opinion right now. Don’t change the subject.”

Jiang Momo looked up. “Weren’t you just informing me? I didn’t disagree.”

The two locked eyes. Jiang Zhang’s intimidating aura, honed through years of business negotiation, settled over the room like a heavy fog.

Jiang Momo met his gaze directly, showing no sign of backing down.

Little Eight, pretending to be a regular household robot, stood in the corner closest to Jiang Momo, spinning in anxious circles.

Where’s my high-ion scatter cannon?! I want to blast someone!

After watching in silence for a long while, Jiang Xian finally spoke up, seeing that Jiang Zhang was getting nowhere.

Her tone was gentle, like a reasonable elder, but her gaze at Jiang Momo was filled with obvious disapproval. “Momo, you just got back and you’re already pulling a long face. Yes, we brought you to the world but that doesn’t mean we owe you anything. The Jiang family’s wealth and status were earned by your father and me. We decide who inherits them.

“We know you suffered a lot out there but your sister has had a hard time too. We all want her to represent the Jiang family. Can you understand that?”

“I already said I agree.” Jiang Momo touched the corner of her mouth to make sure she was still smiling. Her gaze drifted to Little Eight, still spinning with anxiety nearby.

Wasn’t it supposed to be that smiling at humans made them more friendly?

Little Eight had never been wrong before. So why was it completely different this time?

She didn’t care about the Jiang family’s inheritance. Just like Jiang Xian said, they didn’t owe her anything but naturally, she didn’t owe them anything either.

“If you keep acting with this kind of passive resistance, then we won’t be able to communicate,” Jiang Xian said. “But one thing is certain, you’re the older sister. You need to take care of your younger sister, understand?”

Who’s the one who can’t communicate?

Jiang Momo took a deep breath, starting to feel irritated. “Why am I the older sister?” She expected a reason but none came.

Jiang Xian was different from Jiang Zhang. She never explained things more than she had to.

“It’s the family’s decision,” Jiang Xian said. “You can eat now.”

Jiang Momo didn’t move.

Jiang Xian frowned. “Are you going through a rebellious phase?”

“No.” Jiang Momo looked at the butler. “Where did you put the things I brought with me?”

Little Eight’s new shell looked clumsy. She was planning to reassemble it. It would be great if they had a warship. Little Eight was more comfortable there.

“We sold them,” Jiang Xian answered on the butler’s behalf. “A bunch of junk and you were clutching it like it was a treasure. It’s embarrassing our Jiang family.”

Jiang Momo shot up to her feet. The chair scraped harshly against the floor and the smile vanished from her face. “Where did you sell them? Can you get them back?!”

“They can’t be recovered,” Jiang Xian replied carelessly.

“Then what about the money?” Jiang Momo stared hard at her.

Little Eight had told her that the stuff she brought was actually quite valuable.

“You’re part of the Jiang family. Money from selling those things naturally belongs to the Jiang family. Life on the Capital Star costs money. It’s not like living on a desolate planet. We can’t raise you for free.” Jiang Xian looked up and saw that Jiang Momo’s expression had turned ice cold, her formerly harmless aura gone. She softened her tone slightly, “We’ll give you an allowance every month. Don’t worry about money.”

Jiang Momo pressed her lips together and prepared to flip the table.

Just as she started to move, the butler quickly stepped over and held her hand down.

His grip wasn’t strong but it was enough to snap her back to her senses.

She took a deep breath and pulled her right hand back under the table.

She hadn’t eaten yet. She couldn’t waste the meal.

“Sit down,” Jiang Xian said. She noticed the interaction between them but didn’t say much, only exchanged a discreet glance with Jiang Zhang.

“Momo,” Jiang Zhang began to persuade her. “You’ve returned to the Jiang family now and you need to follow its rules. This is all for your own good. You’ll eventually have to integrate into the upper class on the Capital Star. It’s only been a few years since the Jiang family became the richest family. Those old noble families are still arrogant and stick to strict rules. If you don’t change, you’ll embarrass the entire Jiang family once you’re out in society.”

Jiang Momo laughed again, this time out of sheer disbelief. “Wow… your place is really feudal, huh?”

“Jiang Momo!” Jiang Zhang slammed the table and stood up. “If you want something, just say it. Stop pretending!”

“I want my stuff!” Jiang Momo slammed the table back.

Jiang Zhang frowned. “That junk? I don’t even want to talk about it, you—”

“I want my stuff,” Jiang Momo repeated, her gaze dark, and locked onto Jiang Zhang.

They stared each other down again. The tension in the air was palpable.

Jiang Zhang waved a hand. “Butler, go retrieve her things.”

“Yes.” The butler bowed slightly and left to get the items from the storage room.

At the same time, he felt relieved. Fortunately, he had had the foresight not to listen to Jiang Xian and send the stuff to the junk planet. Otherwise, there’d be no way to get it back now.

“Big Brother! Why did you bring that pile of junk back? It already dirtied my spaceship! Are you going to dirty up the family warehouse too?” Jiang Yuan jumped up, clutching Jiang Zhang’s sleeve in protest.

Jiang Momo said lazily, “If it’s dirty, then give it to me. I don’t mind your old spaceship.”

“Why should we give it to you?!” Jiang Yuan retorted.

Jiang Zhang held him back and looked at Jiang Momo. “You want that spaceship?”

“And the spatial compression storage box,” Jiang Momo replied.

That storage box had a volume of a thousand cubic meters but looked no bigger than a handbag on the outside. She still hadn’t figured out how it worked.

“I thought you didn’t want anything.” Jiang Zhang laughed. “It’s just a few small things. They’re yours.”

“Thank you.” Jiang Momo smiled too, then sat back down like nothing had happened.

The atmosphere suddenly became much more relaxed.

Jiang Zhang used the communal chopsticks to place some green vegetables on Jiang Momo’s plate. His tone was concerned, as if he hadn’t been the one in a standoff moments ago.

“I heard there isn’t much plant life on the desolate planet. Eat more of these. They’re good for your health.”

Jiang Momo stared strangely at the extra vegetables on her plate.

The four Jiang family members were watching her.

After about ten seconds, Jiang Momo picked up the vegetables and stuffed them in her mouth.

Their eyes finally turned away.

The dining room atmosphere instantly warmed up.

Everything before that could be seen as a test of obedience. The Jiang family, assuming Jiang Momo was naive, had been probing her limits. Only when she finally asked for something did they feel like they had leverage and only then did they relax.

But was Jiang Momo really naive?

Of course not.

Jiang Momo focused on eating, ignoring the newly harmonious atmosphere at the table. She knew that from beginning to end, she was just an outsider in the game of familial love.

The food on the table was soon devoured.

Jiang Yuan stared at Jiang Momo in disbelief.

“You eat way too much! You finished food meant for eight people!”

Jiang Momo paused as she wiped her mouth. “That was for eight people? Your appetites are so small. How do you even get full? Aren’t we the richest family?”

Jiang Yuan was stunned by her series of questions.

Why did it feel like Jiang Momo had suddenly turned sharp?

“Still, that’s no reason to eat like that! Doesn’t it make you feel sick?”

He could understand if Jiang Momo hadn’t had good food on the desolate planet but still…

“I’m actually not full yet,” Jiang Momo said.

She usually consumed a lot. A beast as tall as a person wouldn’t even last her a week.

“You’re eating too fast, that’s why you don’t feel full,” Jiang Xian said, sipping her tea. “Girls should eat gracefully, and chew slowly. At least thirty chews per bite. Look at your sister.”

Jiang Momo raised an eyebrow, not agreeing or disagreeing.

If she ate like that, her jaw would fall off before she got full.

Jiang Xian didn’t expect her to change overnight. She put down her tea and said, “I have an appointment with Mrs. Wang, so I have to leave now.”

“I need to get back to school. Enrollment season’s coming and the Student Council is helping with prep,” Jiang Yuan said as he stood up.

“I have a meeting,” Jiang Zhang said, also getting up. “Yingying, remember to get Momo a secondary card.”

“I know, Big Brother.” Jiang Yingying smiled and nodded, taking his coat from the rack, and handing it to him.

Soon, only Jiang Yingying and Jiang Momo were left in the dining room.

“When can I get the secondary card?” Jiang Momo asked, glancing at Jiang Yingying’s ever-smiling face, and smiling awkwardly back.

“Not sure, Big Sister.” Jiang Yingying’s smile didn’t change as she lowered her head slightly and walked away.

[If you’re still hungry, there are desserts and meat in the kitchen fridge.] Little Eight waddled over in its chubby, clumsy body.

Jiang Momo hugged it, pressing her cheek against its cold shell, her voice cheerful, “I just got you a new spaceship! It looks like it used to be a warship, with sealed combat systems still inside.”

Little Eight patted her on the head and sighed, [This body is actually pretty nice. Robots on the Capital Star all run on programs without self-awareness. In this body, I can do what I want without any trouble.]

“So you don’t want the spaceship?” Jiang Momo asked.

[I want it too. Who knows when it might come in handy?]

***

When the butler returned to the dining room, only Jiang Momo was left.

She sat alone at the table, back facing the door, looking very lonely.

“Don’t be sad,” the butler said, unable to help himself.

Jiang Momo looked up, holding a pork knuckle in her hands, her cheeks full and a look of surprise on her face.

“I’m not sad.” She swallowed the meat and took a sip of juice. “I’m just a little disappointed. No one here likes me.”

After saying that, she gave an embarrassed smile, as if she knew she shouldn’t be complaining to the butler.

The butler looked at Jiang Momo with a new perspective.

She really was full of animal instinct; straightforward, pure, keenly perceptive, with clear likes and dislikes.

“The spaceship is parked in the backyard. Here’s the key.”

The butler handed her the key, along with a handbag-sized case. “I’ve returned all your treasures to where they were. You can check if everything’s there.”

“No need, as long as everything’s there.” Jiang Momo didn’t even lift her head. After taking the key and storage box, she continued gnawing on the pork knuckle.

The butler left and Jiang Yuan sneaked back in.

“Why are you still eating?” Jiang Yuan was startled to find Jiang Momo still in the dining room and immediately questioned her.

Jiang Momo asked, “Weren’t you going back to school to help? Why are you back?”

Jiang Yuan looked obviously guilty. “I came back to get something.”

He really had come back to get something.

He still couldn’t accept that Jiang Momo had taken over his spaceship, so he planned to remove the core energy source so she could only look at it but not use it. But when he opened his toolbox, he realized he had left his wrench in the workshop and had to come inside to get it.

Jiang Momo glanced at the toolbox in his hand. “You’re not planning a prank, are you? So childish.”

“Nonsense!” Jiang Yuan, caught red-handed, flew into a rage and lashed out first. “That’s why Jiang Yingying is better. She’d never sneak around the dining room to scare people.”

“So Jiang Yingying is better~” Jiang Momo mimicked his tone mockingly.

“Jiang Momo!” Jiang Yuan shouted in anger, then quickly calmed down, crossing his arms and looking down at her. “Forget it, your brain’s not working right. I won’t argue with you.”

Jiang Momo: “You actually think that between the two of us, I’m the one with the broken brain?”

“Who else?” Jiang Yuan replied.

“You really hate me that much?” Jiang Momo asked.

Jiang Yuan admitted bluntly, “When we found out you were coming back, Yingying cried for days.”

Jiang Momo’s smile disappeared. “Isn’t this better though?” she said softly, taking a sip of juice.

“How is it better?” Jiang Yuan snapped. “Because of you, Jiang Yingying almost wasn’t my sister!”

“Isn’t it better that she’s not your real sister?” Jiang Momo looked at Jiang Yuan with a calm expression and said, “You like her, don’t you?”

“I like her?! That’s impossible!” Jiang Yuan reflexively denied it. Then, as if something hit him, he froze, his face alternating between red and pale, muttering to himself, “Impossible…”

After a long pause, he walked off in a daze, forgetting to take the toolbox.