"Ouch, my poor little Yu! How did your face get so red and swollen?"
The old man looked at his grandson, his face full of heartache.
Had someone hit little Yu?
At the thought, the old man's temper flared, and he cursed.
"Xiang! Was this your doing?"
The old man made to hit Cao Xiang, who dodged out of the way.
"Dad, it wasn't me!"
Cao Xiang did not know whether to laugh or cry as he dodged another attack from the old man.
"Then what happened to little Yu?"
The old man's anger had yet to subside, and his face was full of heartache as he looked at Cao Yu.
"Little Yu got kissed."
"Kissed?"
"Dad, it was those girls just now. They were even fighting over who got to kiss our little Yu."
"Little Yu, is that true?"
Remembering the scene earlier, Cao Yu nodded helplessly.
That cheered the old man right up.
"Our little Yu is so popular with the girls. Looks like he won't have to worry about finding a wife someday!"
"Hehe!"
"Little Yu, well done! You've made your grandpa proud, haha!"
"Come along, little Yu. I'll take you to wash your face, then put some medicine on it to bring down the swelling."
"And Xiang, pay more attention next time. Those girls don't know how to hold back with their kisses. Don't let them kiss little Yu for so long."
The old man did not forget to remind Cao Xiang, afraid those girls might kiss little Yu's face into disfigurement.
Who would they turn to for justice if he could not find a wife then?
After washing Cao Yu's face with water, the old man took some ointment and spread it over his face.
It felt cool and smelled rather nice.
"Little Yu, don't eat it!"
After saying that, the old man applied a little more.
Those girls really did not know how to hold back.
Even looking at him made the old man's heart ache a little.
Such a perfectly good little face had been turned into this.
Cao Yu's mother, Luo Lingyun, watched from the side with an equally helpless expression.
Wasn't little Yu a little too popular with the girls?
"Ah! Who knows whether that's a good thing or a bad thing?"
And so, over the days that followed.
Tang Ya, Xu Jiujiu, and Ning Tian all frequently came to the Cao Clan to play with Cao Yu.
Cao Yu felt both happy and helpless.
Every day, several great beauties held him in their arms and lavished sweet kisses on him.
At first, he had been quite happy about it, but later, Cao Yu began to feel a little... afraid!
That was right! He was starting to get scared.
These little beauties fought over him jealously every day, showering his little face with fierce kisses until he could no longer tell whose saliva was on it.
When Xu Jiujiu saw Tang Ya sneak a kiss on little Yu, she cried out in petulant anger.
"Tang Ya! You're shameless! You actually snuck a kiss on little brother Yu. I want a kiss too!"
Then, with a smack, she kissed Cao Yu on the face as well.
Not to be outdone, Ning Tian secretly kissed his other cheek.
"Since the big sisters kissed him, I want to kiss him too!"
"Little Yu, you're so cute!"
"So sweet-smelling. The milky scent on little Yu smells so nice."
"Eeya~ Eeya!"
A wickedly charming smile flashed across Cao Yu's face and vanished before anyone noticed.
You all smell lovely too.
Cao Yu thought with an inward chuckle.
In fact, each of their scents had its own distinctive character.
Xu Jiujiu, for instance, carried the elegant, intoxicating scent of jasmine.
Tang Ya was like a peach blossom, carrying a delicate, lovely fragrance.
Ning Tian, meanwhile, carried the rich, heady fragrance of peonies.
Cao Yu's little face was constantly being "ravaged" by them.
Since I can't resist, I might as well enjoy it!
Only when the old man came over and gave them a few reminders.
Did the girls finally rein themselves in a little.
Still, they kept glaring at one another, none willing to yield.
They secretly watched each other, afraid someone might steal another kiss from Cao Yu.
After all, little Yu was so adorable and so pretty.
How could they let any one of them have him all to herself?
We should get all the kisses we can now. Once little Yu grows up, we might never get another chance.
The girls thought to themselves.
"Tang Ya! I saw you sneaking another kiss on little Yu!"
"I didn't!"
"Don't try to argue your way out of it. I want a kiss too!"
Actually, Tang Ya really had not kissed him this time. Xu Jiujiu was merely looking for an excuse.
"That's right, I saw it too! I want a kiss too!"
Ning Tian did not let this opportunity slip by either.
And so, each of them planted another kiss on little Yu's face.
Cao Yu wanted to cry!
They're all female hooligans!
"My face is already swollen from their kisses, and they're still going?"
In the blink of an eye.
A year had passed.
By then, Cao Yu could already walk and talk.
He wore a white-and-gold fitted outfit in the same style as the old man's, only a miniature version.
As Cao Yu walked out of the Cao residence, the guards outside called respectfully.
"Good morning, young master!"
"Good morning!"
Cao Yu nodded and left the Cao Clan.
Watching Cao Yu's retreating figure, the guards on either side could not help sighing.
"Time really flies. A whole year has passed in the blink of an eye."
"Yes, the little young master has grown up now. Back then, he couldn't even walk."
"The little young master just keeps getting more handsome!"
"Isn't that the truth! Whenever he leaves the Cao Clan, the girls on the street can't help swooning over him."
"What a shame. If only I were as handsome as the young master, I wouldn't have been single for so long."
"I'd be perfectly happy being half as handsome as him."
The guards watched Cao Yu's receding figure with longing on their faces.
Cao Yu made his way to the marketplace.
Pedestrians passed back and forth on either side.
It was a scene of prosperity.
"Is that the Cao Clan's young master? He's getting more handsome by the day."
"Yes. If my daughter weren't several decades older than him, I'd want to arrange that marriage too."
"Oh, give it a rest! I heard the Star Luo Empire's royal family even wants to marry Princess Xu Jiujiu to the Cao Clan's young master. What chance would you have?"
A plump woman rolled her eyes at the man who had spoken.
She carried a shopping basket with several sweet potatoes she had bought, apparently to take home and make soup.
The man ignored her and headed home with a sack of rice over his shoulder.
Then he looked back at Cao Yu several times, reluctant to look away.
How wonderful it would be if he were my son-in-law!
Shaking his head, the man returned home with the sack of rice over his shoulder.
Along the way, Cao Yu drew all sorts of looks.
"Good morning, Young Master Cao!"
"Good morning, uncles and aunties!"
Because Cao Yu often strolled around the marketplace, he had gotten to know quite a few people there.
Acquaintances still greeted one another warmly when they met.
"Young Master Cao, come have some candied hawthorn."
Uncle Wu took several skewers of candied hawthorn from the wooden stand and handed them to Cao Yu.
Uncle Wu had watched Cao Yu grow up, and Cao Yu often came to patronize his business.
Over time, they had become familiar with one another.
In the past, Cao Yu's father had been the one to bring him here.
Cao Yu took a few Copper Soul Coins out of his pocket, but Uncle Wu hurriedly pushed them back.
"Young Master Cao, these are my treat. There's no charge."
"Uncle Wu, how could I do that? If my dad found out, wouldn't he spank my backside until it blossomed?"
"Please take it, Uncle Wu."
"Well... all right."
Seeing Cao Yu insist on paying, Uncle Wu could only accept the Copper Soul Coins and take another skewer of candied hawthorn from the wooden stand.
"This one's for you. Don't give me any more money."
"All right!"
"Goodbye, Uncle Wu!"
"Goodbye, Young Master Cao!"
(End of chapter)