Ren Yaohua thought for a moment and said to the wet nurse: “Pan’er might be tired. Let’s rest here for a while.”

There were also some delicate ladies and madams around who had stopped to rest when they got tired from walking. The wet nurse was also afraid Lei Pan’er might truly be exhausted, so she quickly agreed.

Ren Yaohua instructed the maids to set out tea and refreshments, then led Lei Pan’er to sit under a tree for shade. The wet nurse originally wanted to follow, but after thinking about it, she finally stopped four or five steps away from them. She knew that Third Miss Ren would marry into the Lei family as the mistress in the future, so she was very tactful in front of Ren Yaohua.

Ren Yaohua crouched down in front of Lei Pan’er, touched her head, and looked into her eyes as she asked: “Pan’er, what’s wrong?”

Lei Pan’er looked at her once, then looked at her again, but still bit her lips and said nothing.

Ren Yaohua sighed, her tone becoming even gentler: “Tell elder sister, alright? Did that sister who whispered in your ear just now say something that made you unhappy?”

Hearing this, Lei Pan’er first pursed her lips, then her eyes reddened, and finally she couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into loud crying with a “wah—”

Ren Yaohua was startled, then immediately held Lei Pan’er in her arms, lowering her head to comfort her softly. People passing by on the path heard the crying and looked over with puzzled expressions.

The wet nurse quickly smiled and covered up: “Our young miss is delicate. She’s tired from walking and doesn’t want to continue, so she’s having a tantrum.”

Those who had originally looked over at the commotion smiled knowingly and stopped paying attention. Which family’s little girl wasn’t pampered? For a little girl of Lei Pan’er’s age to walk this far was already quite remarkable.

Ren Yaohua coaxed Lei Pan’er in a low voice while glancing at the wet nurse, thinking this wet nurse was quite quick-witted. Xiangqin, nearby, smiled at the wet nurse in a friendly manner, then led her aside for refreshments. The wet nurse glanced at Lei Pan’er and saw that her crying was gradually subsiding, as if Ren Yaohua had managed to comfort her, so she felt more at ease and tactfully followed Xiangqin, though her gaze never left Lei Pan’er.

Ren Yaohua gradually comforted Lei Pan’er, taking out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and runny nose. Lei Pan’er had cried until her eyes and nose were red, looking both adorable and pitiful. Ren Yaohua couldn’t help but pinch her cheek and tease: “Look at you, you’ve turned into a little rabbit.”

Lei Pan’er said pitifully while hiccupping: “Like the rabbit cake?” Lei Pan’er was referring to the rabbit-shaped Double Ninth cakes that Ren Yaohua had specially made for her before.

“That’s right. Was the rabbit cake delicious?” Ren Yaohua touched her head.

Lei Pan’er sniffled and nodded, saying somewhat shyly: “Delicious.” After thinking, she pouted again and tugged at Ren Yaohua’s sleeve: “Pan’er likes to eat rabbits, but Pan’er doesn’t want to be a rabbit!”

Ren Yaohua pinched her cheek again: “Then don’t cry anymore in the future?”

Lei Pan’er nodded obediently.

Just as Ren Yaohua was thinking about how to ask Lei Pan’er why she had been crying, Lei Pan’er looked at her with wide red eyes and suddenly asked: “Sister Yaohua, are you going to become my mother?”

Ren Yaohua’s hand, which had been adjusting Lei Pan’er’s skirt hem, couldn’t help but pause. She looked up at Lei Pan’er and met those eyes filled with shyness, happiness, nervousness, grievance, worry, and many other complex emotions. Ren Yaohua couldn’t help but be stunned. Seeing such complicated expressions in a child’s eyes made Ren Yaohua feel somewhat sorry for Lei Pan’er. Precocious children always evoked pity.

Ren Yaohua said carefully: “Did that sister who whispered in your ear tell you this?”

Lei Pan’er nodded, staring at Ren Yaohua without blinking: “She asked me what I liked. I said I liked the rabbit cakes Sister Yaohua made. She said that when you come to our house in the future, you’ll be able to eat them every day.”

Ren Yaohua frowned slightly, but seeing Lei Pan’er looking at her curiously, her expression softened a bit.

Lei Pan’er asked again: “Are you going to become my mother?”

“I…” Ren Yaohua was somewhat at a loss for words, not knowing how to answer Lei Pan’er’s question. She paused and asked: “Were you unhappy just now because of this?”

Lei Pan’er thought about it but shook her head. She looked at Ren Yaohua with a serious, solemn expression. Though she had just been crying and her nose was still stuffy, this expression on her face looked amusing, but what she said next greatly surprised Ren Yaohua.

“I know many people want to find a new wife for my father. They all say that when that time comes, Pan’er will have a new mother, but Pan’er knows they’re just coaxing children. Father’s wife belongs to Father—they’re not Pan’er’s real mother. Pan’er only has one real mother, and like great-grandmother, she’s gone.” At this point, Lei Pan’er’s expression became dim.

Ren Yaohua pressed her lips together, unable to find words to comfort her.

Lei Pan’er sighed like a little adult, then looked at Ren Yaohua and said, “Sister Yaohua, I’ve thought that it would be good if you or Sister Yaoqi became my mother. I could see you every day, and you could teach me to write and play with me. Although you wouldn’t be Pan’er’s real mother either, Pan’er likes you, and you like Pan’er too. But if you became my mother, would you like Father and not like Pan’er anymore?”

Ren Yaohua: “…”

“Sister, can Pan’er ask you a question?” Lei Pan’er blinked her eyes earnestly.

Ren Yaohua nodded. She hadn’t expected Pan’er to think so much.

“Sister, many people first like father and then like Pan’er as a bonus. What about you? Do you also like Father first and then like Pan’er?” Lei Pan’er’s small face was full of worry.

Seeing her constantly talking about liking this and liking that, Ren Yaohua wanted to cover her mouth. She wanted to put on a stern face and lecture Lei Pan’er to stop her from talking nonsense in the future. But then she thought that Lei Pan’er was still a child, and what she said came from her heart. If she scolded her now, Lei Pan’er might not want to speak honestly with her in the future.

So Ren Yaohua thought about it and said, “I didn’t know your father when I first met you.”

Lei Pan’er’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she immediately grabbed Ren Yaohua’s hand: “Then, sister, do you like Father as a bonus because you like Pan’er first?”

Ren Yaohua couldn’t help but pat Lei Pan’er’s little head: “Nonsense!”

Lei Pan’er thought of something and suddenly widened her eyes, covering her small mouth with her hand: “Sister only likes Pan’er?” Wouldn’t Father be too pitiful then? Lei Pan’er immediately forgot her previous worries, her face full of sympathy.

Ren Yaohua: “…”

Ren Yaohua finally managed to comfort Lei Pan’er, who, despite her young age, loved to overthink things. Finally, she instructed her: “Don’t mention these things in front of others in the future, and don’t pay attention to what others say to you about such matters.”

Lei Pan’er nodded obediently, then, after thinking, she pouted and said: “Pan’er doesn’t like that sister.”

Ren Yaohua was stunned for a moment before realizing Lei Pan’er was talking about Ren Yaoying. She couldn’t help but be curious: “Why don’t you like her?”

Ren Yaoying always gave people the impression of being gentle and fragile. Most of the time, she was more popular than Ren Yaohua, who liked to keep a cold face. Lei Pan’er had only met Ren Yaoying a few times—had she already seen through her true nature?

Lei Pan’er put her finger in her mouth and thought, then said seriously: “She doesn’t want to smile, but keeps smiling at Pan’er. She doesn’t like Pan’er but pretends to like Pan’er. Pan’er’s eyes were almost crammed from watching her.”

Ren Yaohua burst out laughing with a “puchi” sound and held Lei Pan’er in her arms, rubbing her vigorously.

Pan’er didn’t know how she had suddenly pleased Ren Yaohua, but she liked being held in Ren Yaohua’s arms and also laughed foolishly.

Lei Pan’er’s father, Lei Ting, had said before that Lei Pan’er was very clear about who truly liked her and who was being falsely affectionate. This child had an innate sensitivity when perceiving others’ hearts. Just as she could tell early on that Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi’s love and care for her came from the heart, she could also sense the stiffness behind Ren Yaoying’s gentle smile.

“If you don’t like her, stay away from her when you see her in the future. If she still tries to come over and whisper to you, just look at her and cry loudly.” Ren Yaohua, in an excellent mood, taught Lei Pan’er methods to deal with Ren Yaoying.

Lei Pan’er nodded with half-understanding.

When the two had rested enough and Ren Yaohua brought Lei Pan’er to find Li Shi and the others, Lei Pan’er had long since returned to her usual lively and bouncing appearance, without a trace of her previous awkwardness. Even Ren Yaohua couldn’t help but marvel at this.

However, Ren Yaoying’s expression looked somewhat unpleasant when she saw Lei Pan’er happily clinging to Ren Yaohua again, even more intimately than before.

When going down the mountain, Lei Pan’er had walked for a long time and was tired, so she fell asleep. Ren Yaohua entrusted her completely to her wet nurse and walked behind her.

When Ren Yaoying came out of the privy on the mountain, she discovered that all the maids and women she had brought were gone. Only one senior maid who had gone in to serve her remained by her side. Ever since Ren Yaoying had been schemed against by Lin Shi and fallen into a latrine pit, she never went to the toilet without someone beside her.

Ren Yaoying was greatly alarmed and was about to call for people when she saw Ren Yaohua emerge from another path.

Ren Yaoying looked around, secretly on guard, while forcing herself to remain calm: “Third Sister, why are you here? Where are the maids and women I brought?”

She figured that her people must have been sent away by Ren Yaohua, but they were still halfway up the mountain. She had previously deliberately walked behind to avoid Ren Yaohua, and only now did she realize that the location of the privy her maid had brought her to seemed somewhat remote.

Ren Yaoying looked suspiciously at the senior maid beside her, but the maid lowered her head.