The teacher said that she would teach them how to dance this weekend. In order to facilitate their progress, it would be best if she could come over on Saturday and get in more practice.

  She was going to the television station next week to dance. They were asked to wear blue clothes then, preferably dresses.

  She could just wear her own dress if it was appropriate. However, if it wasn’t and the broadcasting station didn’t have any suitable costumes for her, she might be rejected.

  This was because the costumes at the television station were limited.

  The teacher told them to bring along the costume when they came to class so that she could take a look.

  Compared to the later generations, the conditions were much more arduous for performers in this era.

  Mu Jingzhe understood.

  The teacher specifically informed Mu Jingzhe because Little Bei’s situation was very special.

  The other chosen children were all children from the county city who could come to practice after class every day. Only Little Bei went to school in the village and only had the chance to attend dance practice on the weekend.

  She liked Little Bei a lot and knew that she was a fast learner. Still, she was worried that Little Bei wouldn’t be able to keep up and might fail to be selected.

  “Don’t worry, Teacher. I’ll be prepared. If Little Bei doesn’t master it by then, I’ll think of a way too.”

  Mu Jingzhe promised the teacher. She then went to select fabrics that day to prepare a dress for Little Bei’s performance.

  Upon hearing that she would go to the broadcasting station to perform and dance, Little Bei was naturally excited.

  This was a very rare chance for children in rural areas.

  However, Little Bei was also worried. “Auntie, won’t it be too troublesome? We even have to prepare our own clothes and go to the city.”

  In the past, they had been too poor. Unknowingly, money had become what they valued the most. No matter what happened, the first thing they thought of was money.

  Mu Jingzhe felt helpless. A child this old should be carefree.

  “Little Bei, it’s no trouble. Don’t think about these things anymore. It’s such a good opportunity to be able to appear on TV. You like it too, so just go ahead and do it. Money is something an adult should consider. You just have to do what you have to do.”

  Mu Jingzhe patted her chest. “Although our family doesn’t have much money right now, this little bit of travel fees and costume fees shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Raising five children indeed cost a lot of money, and Mu Jingzhe could already deeply feel it.

  It made her feel that there wasn’t enough money, but she really didn’t want them to fret over this anymore.

  “I go to the city often too. You’re a child. I can just carry you, and it won’t even cost any money. Don’t think about these things in the future, alright?”

  “Alright.” Little Bei finally agreed happily. “I’m going to appear on TV!”

  Little Bei was only one of the little dancers. With so many people there, she might not even be captured on screen. Alas, Mu Jingzhe naturally couldn’t destroy her confidence at a time like this.

  Mu Jingzhe started making the costume.

  Then, Shao Dong came to look for her. “I’ll remember what you did for Little Bei. I’ll repay you in the future. I’ll pay you back double.”

  Mu Jingzhe nodded. “Alright, I believe you. I’ll take care of you now, and you’ll protect me in the future.”

  \r \r \r

  Shao Dong heaved a sigh of relief. “It’s settled then.”

  He was about to leave, but he stopped and said, “I’ll really treat you well in the future.”

  Mu Jingzhe chuckled as she watched him leave.

  “Does this promise from the big boss mean I can just lie down and eat in the future?”

  After Shao Dong left, Shao Xi dilly-dallied over and handed her his workbook.

  “I’ve finished this exercise book. Since you like it so much, I’ll give it to you.”

  Ever since Mu Jingzhe had encouraged Shao Xi and his work had been accepted by the radio station, his confidence in his writing had increased. He wrote a lot and submitted some of his manuscripts.

  The first draft was in the exercise book.

  Although he didn’t know why Mu Jingzhe liked his exercise book, he endured this shame and discomfort and gave it to her because she liked it.

  On the cover of the exercise book, it was written that it was a gift for Mu Jingzhe.

  He had written ‘May all your dreams come true’.

  Below the words was a serious signature.

  The young kid’s handwriting made Mu Jingzhe’s eyes brighten.

  “That’s great, I like it so much!”

  Shao Xi: “I’ll give you another one when I finish writing it.”

  He then turned around coolly and touched his nose. “Weirdo.”

  Even though he was calling her a weirdo, the corners of his lips couldn’t help but curl up.

  As if they had made an agreement, Xiao Wu also came to look for Mu Jingzhe, but not for anything else. He had brought her food—a small bunch of black and purple mulberries.

  However, the mulberries had already wilted after being pinched by Xiao Wu on the way, staining his hands black.

  Xiao Wu brought them over to Mu Jingzhe as if he was presenting a treasure. When he saw them, he almost cried.

  “How did this happen…”

  “It’s okay. They’re still delicious.”

  Mu Jingzhe praised Xiao Wu. “Xiao Wu, you are the best, but you should eat more in the future. Don’t bring them all back for me.”

  “I ate some.” Xiao Wu had eaten some himself, but he had eaten the less ripe ones. He had wanted to give Mu Jingzhe the ripest and sweetest ones, but because they were too ripe, he had accidentally crushed them on his way back.

  Upon looking at Xiao Wu’s dark tongue, Mu Jingzhe knew that he wasn’t lying.

  Since God knew when, Little Bei and Xiao Wu had started keeping things for her. Little Bei would give her peaches, and Xiao Wu would give her apricots. Gradually, this developed into a habit.

  After Xiao Wu left, Shao Nan also came.

  He brought her a glass of water and some sugar. “Thank you for your hard work.”

  He looked obedient, and his words were pleasing to the ears, but it was strange for a little child to have the air of a veteran.

  “I happen to be thirsty right now. Thank you.” Mu Jingzhe’s face turned serious too, and she drank the water.

  She thought about the children’s performance, and it suddenly occurred to her that this might be a benefit she enjoyed because they were not her biological children.

  If they had been her biological children, they would sometimes have taken it for granted that a mother should treat her children well.

  But she wasn’t, so the children were always grateful to see what she had done for them.

  Of course, this theory was only one-sided and varied from person to person. Regardless of whether they were biologically related or not, some children knew how to be grateful, while others didn’t.

  Shao Nan continued speaking like a little adult. “No need to thank me. I only did what I could. Don’t worry, just take Little Bei there. We will look after our home.”

  Mu Jingzhe: “…”

  Those who didn’t know might think that this was what a spouse said to their other half who was about to leave. She wondered where he had learned it.

  “You’re so cute.”

  Mu Jingzhe couldn’t help but stroke Shao Nan’s little face.

  Shao Nan: “…”

  He was speaking to her seriously. Why was he being treated like a child again?

  Shao Nan stomped his feet and turned to leave with the ceramic vat, but he almost bumped into Little Bei.

  Little Bei was holding some wildflowers in her hand that she passed to Mu Jingzhe as if they were a treasure.

  “Auntie, these flowers are for you.”

  Little Bei was even more dependent on Mu Jingzhe now.

  After all, Mu Jingzhe was always protecting her.

  She could sense how well Mu Jingzhe was treating her.

  In the past, she had thought that Shao Qihai was powerful and would protect her like a hero. However, the one who’d ended up protecting her in the end was Mu Jingzhe.

  She hadn’t been very protected by her father when he had been around previously. And then, he was gone.

  In the past, she had still been afraid of Mu Jingzhe. Now, she no longer had any scruples. Every day, she would walk around Mu Jingzhe and tell her what had happened at school when she returned home. She would also give Mu Jingzhe all the good food and fun stuff she had come across.

  She would pluck some flowers for her and give her bird eggs when she chanced upon them.

  How could Mu Jingzhe refuse adorable Little Bei?

  “Thank you, Little Bei. These flowers are really pretty. Shall I draw them on your dress?”

  “Okay!”

  Onlooker Shao Nan: “…”

  He gritted his teeth.

  His heart felt a little sour. He and Little Bei were twins, so the two of them were closer to each other than to the others. In the past, Little Bei used to tell him everything and rely on him. Then, the two of them would in turn rely on Big Brother together.

  Now… For some reason, he felt that Mu Jingzhe was more important to Little Bei than him.

  She hadn’t even glanced at him or greeted him earlier.

  There was also Mu Jingzhe. Upon seeing that Mu Jingzhe was beaming so widely that her eyes couldn’t be seen and noticing the way she was tenderly fidgeting with the slightly-wilted flowers, Shao Nan snorted again.

  Ridiculous!

  His snort… wasn’t even noticed by Mu Jingzhe and Little Bei.