6.
I took out the tablet, opened the food section, and let Miểu Miểu choose whatever she wanted.
Từ Tri Miểu was a little girl who loved to eat. Whenever she saw something delicious, her eyes lit right up.
In the kitchen, I quickly and skillfully prepared the ingredients.
Before long, the table was laden with four savory dishes and a soup, while the oven gave off the rich, buttery scent of milk and butter.
Từ Tri Miểu sat in her chair and took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling. “Auntie, it smells so good!”
I’d always enjoyed cooking, and with the system’s help, my skills were on par with those of Michelin chefs.
Từ Tri Miểu peeled two cloves of garlic, then scampered over and hugged my leg. “Auntie, can I have a bite first?”
She held out her tiny finger and asked me adorably for permission.
I crouched down and teased her. “Give Auntie a kiss, and I’ll let you have some!”
To my surprise, Từ Tri Miểu didn’t hesitate at all.
She cupped my face and planted three or four smacking kisses on it, then looked at me shyly. “Auntie, I gave you four kisses, so can I have four bites? Please?”
The little cutie melted my heart, so I told her to go upstairs and ask Từ Sâm to come down for dinner. “But I only baked four little rolls. I can give you mine, but go ask Dad if he’ll share his with you, okay?”
Từ Tri Miểu turned and ran upstairs, her small figure brimming with excitement.
The system in my head chimed excitedly too: [Master, you’re amazing!! Từ Tri Miểu’s corruption rate is dropping bit by bit!]
7
The table was covered with an enticing spread of delicious food.
Từ Sâm sat down and picked up a piece of tender, rich braised pork. His eyes lit up.
Từ Tri Miểu ate with her head lowered, pausing now and then to praise the food. “Everything you make tastes better than anything I’ve ever eaten!”
When it was time for dessert, Từ Tri Miểu looked at the four sweet little rolls on the table, hesitating.
She looked over at Từ Sâm. “Dad, you probably don’t like little rolls, right?”
Từ Tri Miểu was so tense that she looked ready to burst into tears if Từ Sâm said he wanted one.
Từ Sâm: “…”
“Go ahead and eat them. I don’t want any.”
Từ Tri Miểu let out a long sigh of relief, and her face brightened again.
She placed two rolls in front of herself and pushed the other two toward me.
“Auntie, let’s share.”
Từ Sâm: “???”
Was that why she hadn’t asked him to share?!
I couldn’t help laughing as I gently patted Từ Tri Miểu’s head. “You have to keep your word. If Dad doesn’t want any, they’re all yours.”
The system in my head was shrieking: [So cute! So cute! I wish I could touch this adorable little girl right now! She’s not an evil villain at all—she’s a little angel!]
I couldn’t agree more. With her clear eyes and sweet, thoughtful manners, it was hard to imagine this little girl as the evil villain from the story.
8
Từ Tri Miểu attended a private, elite kindergarten, and most of her classmates came from wealthy families.
Schools like this did more than provide preschool education; they also served a deeper purpose—exchanging resources and expanding social connections.
Từ Tri Miểu had been isolated in class. Partly because she was withdrawn, and partly because no one knew what kind of family she came from.
Usually, one of the household’s domestic helpers attended Từ Tri Miểu’s parent-teacher meetings, and Từ Sâm had never taken part in any school activities for parents.
That was why Trần Tử Hằng’s mother hadn’t worried about the consequences of offending them. She’d turned a blind eye to her son’s bad behavior, and even with clear evidence against him, she’d remained arrogant and confident.
She simply hadn’t expected this ordinary-looking little girl to be wearing a dress worth hundreds of thousands.
Yesterday’s incident had completely changed the attitude of Từ Tri Miểu’s homeroom teacher and Trần Tử Hằng’s family.
Judging by their behavior yesterday, I didn’t think this was because they’d seen the error of their ways.
The real reason they’d changed their tune was that Từ Sâm’s face frequently appeared in the financial papers.
This morning, I received a transfer of two hundred thousand, clearly marked as compensation for Miểu Miểu’s clothes and medical expenses.
Trần Tử Hằng’s mother even sent me a sincere letter of apology.
I replied politely with a few words and accepted this “apology” without comment.
The homeroom teacher was just as eager to make amends.
She sent me a video of Trần Tử Hằng publicly apologizing to Từ Tri Miểu in class that day.
“Ms. Từ, are you satisfied with how this matter was handled?”
“As Từ Tri Miểu’s homeroom teacher, I feel deeply ashamed about what happened…”
I skimmed the teacher’s long-winded apology letter. It was too long, so I didn’t read it.
9
When I went to pick Miểu Miểu up after school, I saw that while her classmates walked off in little groups, Từ Tri Miểu was still making her lonely way through the crowd.
But today she came out much faster than yesterday. Her little cheeks were slightly flushed, as if she’d run all the way out.
She stood among the crowd, looking around. Then she lowered her head, a little disappointed.
“Miểu Miểu!”
I called her name loudly over the crowd.
Từ Tri Miểu immediately turned around. When she saw me, she raised her hand high and ran toward me.
Her eyes lit up with surprise. “Auntie!”
I opened my arms and hugged her tightly.
On the way home, she told me about her day at school:
She’d learned addition and subtraction with numbers up to one hundred; the leftover rolls from yesterday had been shared with some stray dogs; and several classmates she didn’t know had come up to talk to her that day…
“And Trần Tử Hằng apologized to me today, but I didn’t forgive him.”
“Hm? Why not?”
“The teacher said if I accepted his apology, I’d have to shake his hand and be friends with him. But I don’t like him, and I don’t want to be friends…”
She hadn’t meant to let her true thoughts slip out. She seemed to think they were bad, and her voice gradually grew quieter.
But I supported her. “Miểu Miểu did the right thing. Not every wrong deserves forgiveness.”
“Really?”
“That’s right. So when we know something we do could hurt someone else, we shouldn’t do it.”
Từ Tri Miểu nodded solemnly.
Then I took a bank card and a stack of cash from my bag and handed them to her.
Over the years, Từ Sâm had arranged for someone to take care of nearly all of Từ Tri Miểu’s needs.
Adults might be able to make better choices, but that had taken away Từ Tri Miểu’s right to make her own choices and plans.
Giving children spending money is essential; it helps them develop a sense of ownership over their money.
Money is also a part of love, and one of the things that builds confidence.
“Miểu Miểu, this is the compensation Trần Tử Hằng’s parents sent you. It’s two hundred thousand in all. I’m giving it to you. I exchanged some of it for cash so you can use it easily, and the rest is on this bank card. When we get home, I’ll teach you how to use it. The PIN is your birthday. If you need money for anything, you can withdraw it from here.”
Two hundred thousand was a lot for a six-year-old girl, but her father was a billionaire.
More than saving money, Từ Tri Miểu needed to learn how to spend it.
In wealthy families, spending money was an art, too.
I showed her a stack of cash in denominations from one to one hundred đồng.
For Từ Tri Miểu, who had only just learned addition and subtraction with numbers up to one hundred, amounts in the tens of thousands were practically astronomical.
Her little mouth fell open, and a giant question mark seemed to appear over her tousled head.
Two hundred thousand. Miểu Miểu counted on her fingers the whole way home.
10.
Từ Tri Miểu started sticking closer and closer to me.
For instance, as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom after a shower, I saw a lump of blankets slowly wriggling across the floor.
It scared me so badly I nearly fell over.
Miểu Miểu poked her little head out from under the blanket and blinked at me pitifully. “The weather forecast said there’ll be thunder and lightning tonight.”
“Miểu Miểu is really scared. Can I sleep with you, Auntie?”
Before I could react, I’d barely opened my mouth to say, “Sure,” when Miểu Miểu had already hauled the blankets onto my bed.
Kids always like putting blankets on the floor to play, but sleeping on one like that isn’t hygienic at all.
I got another blanket, and Miểu Miểu and I changed the sheets together.
Miểu Miểu crawled under the covers and curled up tight, looking at me anxiously, as if she was afraid I’d change my mind and refuse to let her sleep with me.
I pulled her into my arms, patted her back, and gently soothed her to sleep.
“Miểu Miểu is the cutest little sweetheart in the world.”
Miểu Miểu’s ears perked up a little. “Am I really that cute?”
“You sure are.”
“Then could you tell me one more time, Auntie?”
“Miểu Miểu is the cutest little sweetheart in the world.”
“I want to hear it again!”
“Miểu Miểu is the cutest little sweetheart in the world.”
“Again!”
“Miểu Miểu is… the cutest little sweetie~”
…
As I kept saying it, Miểu Miểu suddenly began to sob.
She clutched my arm tightly.
Miểu Miểu said, “Your arms are so warm, Auntie.”
“I want to sleep with you every day.”
“Maybe Mom’s arms are just as warm.”
“Mom would praise me gently, in a warm voice. When you hold me tight, Miểu Miểu isn’t scared of nightmares anymore.”
My heart clenched when I heard her ask in a soft, indistinct voice, “Auntie Quý, can I call you Mom?”
She clutched my pajamas anxiously, as if, if I refused, she would become that lonely little kitten she used to be all over again.
I kissed her cheek, met her anxious eyes, and promised firmly, “Being Miểu Miểu’s mom would be the greatest happiness of my life.”
Miểu Miểu’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.
It took her a while to come back to herself.