The sound of footsteps drew closer, and Ziya immediately wiped the smile from her face.
She buried her head under the quilt, keeping her breathing light and even.
*Zzz… zzz…*
She intentionally let out soft, adorable snoring sounds, looking exactly like a sleeping kitten.
Lü Erlu pushed the door open and stepped inside.
He tiptoed to the bedside, his eyes filled with indulgence as he watched the small body rising and falling slightly under the covers.
“This child, she’s sleeping so peacefully…”
The moment his fingertips touched the corner of the quilt, Ziya quietly shrunk inward.
Her eyelashes fluttered gently as she pretended to be startled.
She slowly opened a crack, revealing watery purple eyes filled with thick sleepiness.
“Father…” she said in a soft, waxy voice.
“Are you awake?”
Lü Erlu rubbed her hair.
“Hurry up and get up to wash your face. The soufflé is still hot. I made it especially for you.”
Ziya sat up sluggishly, her messy hair draped over her shoulders.
Her cheeks were flushed from sleep, and she nodded obediently.
“Thank you, Father. I’ll be ready in a moment.”
She nimbly put on her little dress and gave her hair a simple brush in front of the mirror.
Suddenly!
*Mwah!*
Ziya turned and threw herself toward Lü Erlu.
She stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.
“Good morning kiss, Father! I’m going to go change now!”
“Run slowly, don’t fall,” Lü Erlu warned with a smile.
“Mhm!”
Ziya skipped out of the room.
The moment she turned the corner of the stairs, the obedient look on her face vanished instantly.
It was replaced by a cunning grin, like a little fox ready to pull a prank.
‘Hehe, looks like everyone is already up.’
Downstairs in the dining room, Longjiu was sitting at the table, her back as straight as a board as she slowly gnawed on roasted pork ribs.
Her movements were orderly, and only a tiny bit of grease stained the corner of her mouth.
Her tone had returned to a calm state, devoid of the playfulness she had shown earlier with Lü Erlu.
Longjiu only acted like an energetic girl in front of Lü Erlu.
She had likely inherited her mother’s personality — being mischievous when it was time to play and steady when it was time to be serious.
“Father hasn’t come down yet?”
Longjiu asked, looking at the clock on the wall.
“He’s probably waking up that little lazybones! Honestly.”
Baining sat nearby, eating a white blood honey tart with a small fork.
She rolled her eyes.
“We have to wait for her every single time. It’s such a pain.”
Longjiu didn’t speak.
She simply nodded and continued to gnaw on the bone slowly.
At that moment, Ziya ran down with a sweet smile on her face.
Her hair was neatly combed, and her skirt fluttered as she moved.
She looked perfectly well-behaved and adorable.
“Good morning, sisters! Sorry to keep you waiting!”
“As long as you know!”
Baining huffed, but she still pushed the soufflé toward her.
“Eat quickly before it gets cold.”
“Thank you, Sister Baining!”
Ziya sat down with a beaming smile.
She took a large scoop of soufflé and her eyes lit up.
“Wow, so sweet! Father’s cooking is the best!”
While she ate, she secretly kicked Baining’s chair.
The force was light — just enough for Baining to feel it, but not enough for Lü Erlu, who had just come downstairs, to notice.
Baining frowned and glared at her.
Ziya immediately lowered her head, pretending to focus on her meal, though the corners of her mouth were twitching upward.
Lü Erlu walked over to the head of the table and sat down.
Looking at his three daughters, he smiled.
“Eat up. After you’re finished, you can go play in the yard if you want. Just be careful.”
“Okay!”
Ziya immediately raised her hand, smiling obediently.
“I want to play hide-and-seek with my sisters!”
“That’s fine,” Lü Erlu nodded before looking at Longjiu.
“Longjiu, take good care of your older sisters.”
Longjiu nodded seriously.
“I will. Don’t worry, Father.”
After breakfast, Lü Erlu went to the kitchen to tidy up the dishes.
Ziya immediately dragged Baining and Longjiu toward the yard.
The moment they left the dining room, her sweet demeanor vanished, and she made a face at Baining.
“Sister, I’m definitely going to win at hide-and-seek later!”
“Humph, it’s not decided who will win yet!”
Baining said defiantly.
“Last time you cheated by hiding in a tree hollow and never coming out!”
“I did not!”
Ziya stuck her tongue out.
She secretly fished a few gummies out of her pocket and, while Baining wasn’t looking, tossed one into her hair.
“Oh no, Sister, there’s a bug in your hair!”
Startled, Baining quickly reached up to feel for it.
When her hand touched the gummy, she jumped up in anger.
“Ziya! You played me again!”
“Hahahaha!”
Ziya laughed and ran away.
“Come and catch me! You can’t catch me!”
Longjiu stood to the side, staring blankly at them with the gummy Ziya had stuffed into her hand earlier.
She said softly, “Don’t run too fast, you’ll fall.”
Ziya didn’t listen.
Instead, she ran even faster, occasionally turning back to make faces.
Baining stomped her feet in frustration and chased after her.
The two of them ran several laps around the large tree in the yard.
Ziya was running so fast that her foot slipped.
Just as she was about to fall, Longjiu’s eyes sharpened.
She moved like a flash, rushing over to catch Ziya firmly by the arm.
“Careful.”
Longjiu’s tone remained calm, and her grip was steady.
Once Ziya was steady, she patted her chest and gave Longjiu a sweet smile.
“Thank you, Sister Longjiu… I mean, little sister! You’re so kind~”
The moment she finished speaking, she took advantage of Longjiu’s distraction to stuff a gummy into the girl’s mouth, then turned and bolted.
“Little Sister Longjiu, is it sweet?”
Longjiu chewed and said blankly, “Sweet.”
At that moment, Baining caught up and grabbed Ziya’s arm.
“Let’s see where you’re going to run now!”
“Oh, Sister, have mercy!”
Ziya pretended to beg for your life.
The second Baining loosened her grip, Ziya threw the rest of the gummies onto Baining’s clothes.
Hehe~
“Aaaaah! Ziya!”
Baining gnashed her teeth in anger and reached out to tickle her.
“See if I don’t teach you a lesson!”
“Hahahaha! It tickles! Sister, I was wrong!”
Ziya laughed while dodging.
She ran behind Longjiu, using the girl’s clothes as a shield.
“Sister Longjiu, save me!”
Longjiu stood in the middle.
On her left was Ziya, who was laughing so hard she couldn’t stand straight, and on her right was a fuming Baining.
She looked at one, then the other, and said softly, “Stop messing around. Father will worry.”
“I know, I know!”
Ziya poked her head out from behind Longjiu and made another face at Baining.
“I’ll let you off this time, but I’ll get you again next time!”
“You dare!” Baining glared at her.
Just then, Lü Erlu finished tidying the dishes and walked out.
Ziya immediately let go of Longjiu’s clothes and ran to Lü Erlu to give him a hug, smiling innocently.
“Father! We’re having so much fun! My sisters are being so nice to me!”
Baining was about to expose her for the prank, but she saw Ziya secretly mouthing words at her.
‘If you say anything, Father will think you’re bullying me~ hehehe.’
Baining’s cheeks puffed out with anger, but in the end, she didn’t say a word.
She only let out a huff.
Lü Erlu looked at Ziya’s obedient face and smiled as he rubbed her head.
“Our Ziya is so good, knowing how to get along with her sisters.”
Ziya snuggled up against Lü Erlu with a beaming smile, secretly winking at Baining with eyes full of mischief.
Longjiu stood nearby and said blankly, “Sister Ziya is very lively.”
Lü Erlu laughed.
“Yes, our Ziya is just adorable.”
***
The sun was warm, and the yard was filled with the laughter of the three girls.
In front of her father, Ziya was a docile and sensible little treasure, but in front of her sisters, she was a mischievous little brat.
This small contrast made the family’s daily life exceptionally lively and interesting.
And although Baining was always being teased by Ziya, she was never truly angry; she almost seemed to enjoy it.
As for Longjiu, though she seemed dazed, she was remarkably clever when interacting with Lü Erlu, and she always managed to protect her older sisters at critical moments.
Ziya secretly glanced at Baining and Longjiu, her mind racing.
‘Next time, I definitely have to think of an even more interesting prank to tease them!’
Of course, in front of her father, she would still be the most obedient little daughter.