Chapter 414 - 410: A Mother Worries When Her Child Travels Far

Chapter 414: Chapter 410: A Mother Worries When Her Child Travels Far

Gu Nuan Nuan hadn’t expected Cao Cao’s little sulk to last this long. They had followed the map Luo Hongyi gave them to tour the mines of Nan’an Country and gathered quite a few treasures. They were only forced to head back when their storage rings were almost full. She figured that since they’d been out for so long, she should go home to put her family’s minds at ease and grab her passport before heading out again. So, the two finally returned to Ju State, once again enduring the less-than-pleasant experience of taking various connecting buses and trains. ’And after all that, just as we’re about to reach home, Cao Cao is *still* angry?’

Although it was in a mood, Cao Cao didn’t go on strike; it still worked as diligently as ever. But its most common posture was to give her the silent treatment with a cold, haughty little face. Yet, every so often, it would reveal an expectant expression that just screamed, ’I’m furious! Hurry up and coax me!’ It was so obvious that even a blind person couldn’t have missed it.

This left Gu Nuan Nuan at a loss, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She almost gave in and coaxed it several times, but the thought of the consequences always stopped her... In the end, she just grit her teeth and pretended not to notice Cao Cao’s displeasure. Cao Cao was overcome with sorrowful resentment. Seeing its master being so heartless made it even more sad and hurt. Next, it would flick its little rear around to give Gu Nuan Nuan its back, hoping this cold-shoulder treatment would finally get her attention.

On the surface, Gu Nuan Nuan remained expressionless, but inside, she was on the verge of a complete breakdown. What else could she do besides continue to play dumb? ’Talk to Cao Cao about how that lecher Luo Hongyi likes to hit on me?’ So she hardened her heart and continued to ignore it. This only made Cao Cao whimper and cry, until it finally stormed off into the pocket dimension to sulk by itself—

"Sigh..." With no other choice, Gu Nuan Nuan also sent her consciousness into the dimension to have a talk with Cao Cao about "privacy" and "personal space."

"Privacy? Even the two people who are closest need personal space?" Cao Cao was shocked to hear its master say such a thing. Its eyes went wide. "Master, have you forgotten that we’re one and the same?"

"Cao Cao, whether you can understand this or not, you just need to know that everyone needs to maintain an appropriate amount of personal space. No two people can be truly inseparable every moment of every day, without any privacy. Otherwise, over time, they’re bound to grow tired of each other." Gu Nuan Nuan’s expression was very serious as she spoke.

"But... but..." Cao Cao grew anxious. "I don’t need any privacy when I’m with you, Master."

"So, you’re saying you’d be willing to let me watch you eat, drink, and use the bathroom?" Gu Nuan Nuan pressed a hand to her forehead, forcing herself to look it in the eye and ask.

"Uh? Master, have you forgotten? Cao Cao doesn’t need to eat, drink, or relieve itself," Cao Cao said, its face turning red.

"Then just imagine: if you did have to, would you want me standing there watching you the entire time?"

"..." Cao Cao was dumbfounded. It imagined the scenario. The eating and drinking parts might be okay, but if its master was staring intently while it was doing the other two things... it couldn’t help but cover its face in embarrassment.

"Now you get it, right?" Gu Nuan Nuan said, satisfied, striking while the iron was hot. "Don’t look at what’s improper, don’t listen to what’s improper. Sometimes, when I limit what you can do, it doesn’t mean we’re not close anymore. Like you said, the bond between us can never change. But even so, your master—me—still needs a little privacy of her own. Understand?"

"I understand," Cao Cao said quietly, lowering its little head. "Master, I’m sorry." It glanced up at Gu Nuan Nuan nervously. ’Master won’t stop liking me just because I was acting so spoiled, will she?’

"Don’t let your imagination run wild. You’re still my favorite," Gu Nuan Nuan said with a smile, ruffling Cao Cao’s little head. ’I feel like I’m raising a child again,’ she thought. ’But it’s a nice feeling. Most of the time, at least, this "little kid" of mine is pretty well-behaved and lovable.’

"Mhm, mhm~" Cao Cao was instantly excited. It flew two circles around Gu Nuan Nuan and began chattering away happily, as if trying to make up for all the talking it had missed out on. Gu Nuan Nuan found it both exasperating and amusing, but deep down, she let out a huge sigh of relief.

After an exhausting journey, she was finally home. It was already dark, so Gu Nuan Nuan didn’t go to her grandmother’s place and instead went straight to her family’s villa.

As she entered, the sound of the door opening, though quiet, still woke Zhang Minzhen. She threw on a robe and came out, overjoyed to see that Gu Nuan Nuan had returned. She immediately pulled her in, looking her up and down as if she could never get her fill. "How did you get so thin? Weren’t you eating properly while you were away?"

In the past, Gu Nuan Nuan hadn’t actually spent much time at home throughout the year, but this time was different. Before, she had always stayed in one place, so even though she wasn’t home, no one was particularly worried about her. This time, however, was what the Zhang Family considered Gu Nuan Nuan’s first time traveling far from home all by herself.

The old saying, "A mother worries when her child travels a thousand miles," is no joke. While Gu Nuan Nuan was away, Zhang Minzhen truly experienced this feeling of constant concern for the first time. Even though she knew her daughter was capable and the chance of her running into danger was minuscule, she couldn’t help but worry. Her heart was never at ease.

"Mom, I really did eat well. I never missed a meal. But out there, sometimes I couldn’t really eat my fill in crowded places. On the journey back, especially, I could only eat until I was about half-full every time. Even so, people would still act like I was eating too much! The stares they gave me were terrifying." Seeing her mother so worried, her words just like any other mom’s—’I obviously haven’t lost any weight, but she’s convinced I have just because I went on a trip’—made Gu Nuan Nuan’s heart melt. She couldn’t help but throw her arms around her mom and act spoiled.

"You silly child! You refused to eat your fill just because you were afraid of some strangers’ odd looks? What kind of sense does that make? What are you afraid of? Are you dense? You’re scared of people staring, but you’re not scared of how bad it feels to be hungry? A good appetite is a blessing, and you’re eating your own food, not theirs!" Zhang Minzhen was both angry and anxious. She wanted to lecture Gu Nuan Nuan a bit more, but she was worried her daughter was still hungry, so she gave her a gentle push. "Quick, go wash up. I’ll make you something to eat while you do."

"Okay." Gu Nuan Nuan nodded obediently. After enjoying a long, relaxing bath, she came downstairs to find that Zhang Minzhen had already prepared a huge bowl of noodles and pan-fried two steaks. Her mother smiled the moment she saw her. "I was worried you wouldn’t be able to sleep if you ate too much tonight. I’ll make you a bigger meal tomorrow to help you recover."