The next day, Ruan Shu could hardly contain her desire to seek out her father.
To that end, she rose early, hoping to bake some little cakes to bring to him.
Yet, it seemed that her father did not have a particular fondness for cakes.
"What month is it now, Brother?"
"It's August." "Why do you ask?"
Ruan Fengsi walked in carrying a cup of water.
August. Ruan Shu thought about the Mid-Autumn Festival.
She turned to him and said, "It's the Mid-Autumn Festival, the time for mooncakes."
She knew how to make mooncakes herself.
"What festival?"
Ruan Shu was momentarily taken aback. "The Mid-Autumn Festival?"
Ruan Fengsi realized she was referring to a celebration from the world she had dreamed of.
He walked over and gently ruffled her hair.
"Tell me more about it."
Ruan Shu looked at him and softly began to recount the tale of the Mid-Autumn Festival, with the most famous story being that of Chang'e flying to the moon.
As she spoke, she thought of a specific poem about the moon and reunion.
In her past life, due to her introversion, she preferred reading various books, with a particular fondness for crafts and poetry.
"There was a poet in that world named Su Shi." He wrote a beautiful poem about the moon and reunion. Let me recite it for you.
Seeing her older brother nod, Ruan Shu began to recite "Shui Diao Ge Tou" in her gentle, melodious voice: "When will the bright moon appear?" "I raise my cup to ask the sky, not knowing what year it is tonight in the heavenly palaces…"
The allure of ancient poetry transcends worlds.
Though Ruan Fengsi was a man of simple tastes, he could still appreciate the beauty of poetry.
In most civilizations throughout the universe, literature was not a compulsory subject, unlike history and politics.
Nonetheless, Ruan Fengsi was moved for the first time by the strange cadence of the poem, sensing the beauty of literature.
"May we all be blessed with longevity and share the beauty of the moon, even if we are a thousand miles apart."
He murmured along, then marveled, "Such ordinary words, yet their arrangement is so beautiful." "It's true for both the poem you recited and the story you told."
Ruan Shu beamed at him, her little head bobbing as she hummed the tune of "Shui Diao Ge Tou" while continuing to make mooncakes, pulling her older brother into helping her.
Most of the process was handled by the robot servants, so she only needed to prepare the fillings, which was not too tiring.
Once the mooncakes were finished, she eagerly presented the first one to her brother.
Many of the delicacies in this world resemble those from her past life, although there are also differences.
Everyday foods were common, but special festive treats were not.
For instance, qingtuan is traditionally eaten during the Qingming Festival, mooncakes are a popular treat for the Mid-Autumn Festival, zongzi is a must-have during the Dragon Boat Festival, and yuanxiao is enjoyed during the Lantern Festival.
Ruan Shu was not picky with her food, enjoying both sweet and savory dishes, although her family was generally not fond of sweets.
Thus, she made quite a few mooncakes with salted egg yolk and cloud leg flavors.
Evidently, Ruan Fengsi enjoyed these flavors, as he devoured ten mooncakes in one sitting.
Ruan Shu: ...He's about to finish all the mooncakes I made for Father.
She sat beside her older brother, taking small bites of a red bean paste mooncake.
"Big Brother, you promised that after finishing the mooncakes you would take me to find Father." "Don't break your promise to Shu Shu."
Ruan Fengsi quickly finished a cloud leg mooncake and playfully tapped her on the head.
"Of course, I won't deceive you."
Ruan Shu gave him a silly smile and, after finishing her mooncake, hurried to pack the ones she had prepared for Father.
"Is Grandfather also at Father's place?"
It seemed that since the day before yesterday, when Father had sent a message to Grandfather and Cousin, Grandfather had been quite busy.
"Yes."
"Then I should prepare some for Grandfather as well."
She packed two boxes of mooncakes, and Ruan Fengsi helped her carry them while holding her hand to the car.
As soon as she got into the car, Ruan Shu nimbly nestled into her little corner, gazing happily at the big, plush tiger in the driver's seat.
"Brother, put it here."
Ruan Fengsi's eyes wandered slightly. "Not exactly."
He had kept the small item on his desk at work, never allowing anyone to touch it, and then brought it home in the car after work.
In any case, it was simply relocated as necessary.
Moreover, he had even taken a photo of the plushie and posted it on social media, modestly claiming it was a gift from his sister.
Upon seeing the likes and comments from his colleagues, he suddenly understood why Grandfather enjoyed showing off.
Feeling a bit giddy, he decided to post a picture of the mooncakes that Ruan Shu had made for him.
Amidst his various thoughts, Ruan Fengsi drove calmly, saving further conversation for when they arrived.
When the hovercar reached the entrance of the Third Military Department for inspection, the guard checked the driver's credentials and then inspected the interior of the car.
As the rear window rolled down, Ruan Shu's pure blue eyes met the guard's.
The snow-white, soft-looking little bundle sat in the child's seat, nervously fidgeting with her tiny fingers.
Upon noticing the guard's gaze, Ruan Shu tilted her head and offered a sweet, innocent smile.
The guard was momentarily stunned by this sight.
"Knock knock..."
Ruan Fengsi tapped on the car window. "Is everything alright?"
The guard quickly nodded, stood at attention, and saluted.
As the car drove away, the guard remained somewhat dazed.
Ah... That little one looked so soft, like the daughter of his dreams!
"Don't be afraid," she said reassuringly. "This is our own military base; just think of it as home."
Ruan Shu shook her head quickly, her voice soft and sweet. "I'm not scared!" "I'm just a bit nervous because it's my first time at my father's workplace."
After stopping the car, Ruan Fengsi carried his sister out of the back seat and held her hand as they walked to the waiting room.
Ruan Shu held tightly to her brother's hand, walking beside him with wide, curious eyes that took in every detail of her surroundings.
Whenever she encountered someone, she greeted them with a polite and gentle smile, appearing both well-behaved and courteous.
In the military base, where only hardened soldiers usually roamed, the presence of such a delicate and pure little child was a rare sight.
Anyone who passed by couldn't help but glance at her.
At this moment, Ruan Shu was wearing a lovely light blue dress, with her fair and tender arms and short legs exposed, looking simply adorable.
Commander Ruan.
"Is Commander Ruan here to see the Marshal?" "Who might this be?"
Those who recognized Ruan Fengsi couldn't help but greet him and inquire about the little girl.
Although Ruan Fengsi had changed careers, he had spent a significant amount of time in the military department. He still comes here for training every year, occasionally serving as an instructor for new recruits.
Most people knew him.
Ruan Fengsi proudly said, "This is my sister."
In just three words, there was a note of boasting in his tone.
"Is this the Marshal's daughter?"!