Wife, Protect Me! - Chapter 17 - Song Mu'er

The carriage traveled along a broad street for about two quarters of an hour before stopping in front of a mansion.

The old madam’s birthday banquet would likely end very late. For safety reasons, Li Nuo would stay overnight at the Song residence. Steward Wu dropped them off at the Song residence and then returned, planning to pick him up early the next morning.

A sixtieth birthday was the most important milestone for ancient people. Even ordinary families would celebrate it lavishly, let alone a powerful and influential family.

This wasn’t Li Nuo’s first time at the Song residence. According to Steward Wu, his father had brought him here once before their marriage, but that was the experience of the other Li Nuo.

The entire Song mansion was adorned with festive red lanterns. The broad street on both sides was lined with carriages and sedan chairs. In front of the main gate, elegantly dressed guests were queuing up to enter the mansion one by one.

At the entrance, an old man smiled and said to Song Jiaren, “Miss, you’re back. The eldest young lady just arrived and has been looking for you everywhere. Please go in quickly…”

On the way there, Li Nuo had learned a bit about the Song family’s situation. The “eldest young lady” mentioned by this Song family servant should be Song Jiaren’s aunt, the only daughter among the Song family’s second generation, who had been married for many years. The old madam of the Song family had five children, and his own wife was born to her third son.

Unlike the Li family, which had only one heir, the Song family was large and prosperous, with many descendants.

After the two entered the Song residence, a wave of discussion arose among the guests queuing at the entrance.

“That must be Lord Song Zhe’s daughter. She’s truly stunningly beautiful, worthy of the name Jiaren.”

“Not only is she beautiful, but at such a young age, she has already reached the Fourth Realm in cultivation. Her future in Martial Arts is limitless.”

“What a pity that such an outstanding Phoenix girl actually married a fool…”

“Shh, watch your words, watch your words…”

“What is there to fear? I’m a military official, I’m not afraid of Li Xuanjing…”

…

Inside the Song residence, it was even livelier than outside.

The courtyard just inside the main gate was filled with various birthday banners and screens.

These banners and screens were inscribed with congratulatory messages such as “Happiness as Vast as the Eastern Sea,” “Longevity Rivaling the Southern Mountain,” “Bright as the Sun and Moon,” and “Eternal Youth like Pines and Cranes.”

The birthday banquet hadn’t officially started yet. Guests were scattered throughout the Song residence, gathering in small groups of two or three, chatting and laughing. Li Nuo didn’t know anyone, so he could only follow closely behind Song Jiaren.

Song Jiaren brought Li Nuo to a table in the courtyard and said, “I’m going to see my aunt. Stay here for now and don’t wander off. We’ll go pay respects to grandmother together later.”

Li Nuo nodded, watching her leave, then casually picked up a piece of pastry from the table and put it in his mouth. Before the birthday banquet began, various fruits and pastries were placed throughout the Song residence for guests to enjoy.

Li Nuo didn’t know anyone in the Song mansion. Leaning bored against a table by himself, he actually didn’t care for lively gatherings. He would much rather stay home reading or sleeping at this late hour, but it was his Niangzi’s grandmother’s sixtieth birthday – it would be impolite for younger generations not to attend.

Just as he picked up his second pastry, a crisp voice suddenly sounded beside him.

“Oh my, I’ve been looking for you everywhere! So you’re here!”

Following the direction of the voice, Li Nuo saw a pretty little girl looking at him with delighted surprise.

The girl appeared to be six or seven years old, exquisitely lovely and adorable. When she smiled at Li Nuo, she revealed two charming little canine teeth.

However, Li Nuo was completely baffled. Did he actually know someone in the Song family?

Seeing Li Nuo’s expression, the girl could tell he didn’t recognize her. Her face fell with disappointment as she pouted and said, “You don’t remember who I am? Have you forgotten? Last time you came to my house, I even shared cookies with you!”

The girl referred to it as “my house,” indicating she was from the Song family and likely one of the hosts – probably the child of one of Niangzi’s uncles.

The girl sighed and said, “Well, if you’ve forgotten, then forgotten it is. Let me tell you again – I’m Song Mu’er. You have to remember this time, or I won’t play with you anymore!”

It seemed Li Nuo hadn’t just known this little girl before, but the two had been quite close – he just couldn’t recall previous events.

The little girl named Song Mu’er proactively took Li Nuo’s hand and said, “Let’s go play shuttlecock kicking…”

Mu’er was quite fond of this older brother she’d only met once before. Not just because he was good-looking, but because he was the only one who would play house and shuttlecock kicking with her, and even help with her homework.

The other brothers in the family never wanted to play house with her.

Even though the homework he helped with was all wrong, resulting in her getting her palms struck by the teacher, she forgave him since he was willing to play house with her.

Although there was more than a ten-year age difference between the little girl and Li Nuo, she interacted with him quite naturally.

Thinking about it, Li Nuo wasn’t surprised. Although his former self had been eighteen, his intelligence might not have surpassed that of an eight-year-old child – just right for playing with this girl who looked only six or seven.

Li Nuo didn’t follow the girl, apologetically saying, “Not today, I’m afraid. We’ll need to pay respects to grandmother soon.”

The girl hugged his arm, gently shaking it as she said, “Just for a little while, please? Just a short while…”

With such an adorable girl clinging to his arm and acting cute, Li Nuo truly couldn’t bring himself to refuse. However, he was also worried that if he went too far, Niangzi might not find him when she returned. So he said, “I can play with you, but we can’t go too far away…”

The girl pointed to an open space not far away and said, “Let’s go over there!”

Li Nuo glanced over – the open area was only about ten meters away. If he kept an eye on their original spot, it probably wouldn’t cause any problems.

Holding Li Nuo’s hand, the girl skipped happily to the open area. Then she pulled an exquisitely crafted shuttlecock from her small bag and said to Li Nuo, “Just like last time – I’ll toss the shuttlecock to you, you kick it back to me, then I’ll kick it back to you…”

Although it was already night, countless lanterns hung throughout the Song residence illuminated the place as brightly as daytime. The young girl tossed the shuttlecock over, and Li Nuo gently kicked it back with his foot.

When the shuttlecock flew toward her, Song Mu’er didn’t rush to kick it immediately. Instead, she nimbly sidestepped, allowing the shuttlecock to pass her and just before it touched the ground, she lightly lifted her foot and tapped it with the sole. The shuttlecock instantly changed direction, tracing a graceful arc in the air as it flew back toward Li Nuo.

Watching the approaching shuttlecock, a peculiar sensation suddenly arose in Li Nuo’s heart.

Then, the young girl across from him gaped in astonishment.

The shuttlecock, following the movements of the older boy opposite her, spiraled and danced in the air without ever falling to the ground. Every motion he made while kicking the shuttlecock was so elegant and effortless, with some techniques she had never even seen before.

Li Nuo himself was somewhat surprised at this moment. The instant the shuttlecock flew toward him, he felt as if everything was under his control.

These highly difficult, almost miraculous fancy shuttlecock kicking techniques were something he personally didn’t know how to do, and his former self probably didn’t either. The reason became obvious – among the four portraits in the Law Codex, only the page depicting Zheng Yuanwai’s concubine was illuminated. Could her special talent be shuttlecock kicking?

Women in this era didn’t have many entertainment activities. Cuju and shuttlecock kicking were the most common pastimes, and whether they were daughters of wealthy families or from humble backgrounds, most could kick a shuttlecock a few times.

However, to reach the level of illuminating the Law Codex through shuttlecock kicking – this woman certainly had something special…

After playing by himself for a while, Li Nuo kicked the shuttlecock back to Song Mu’er. But she had been so focused on watching Li Nuo’s performance that she forgot to receive it, and the shuttlecock landed on the ground behind her.

Before she could pick up the shuttlecock, several voices suddenly came from nearby.

“Hey, isn’t that the Li family’s fool?”

“He came tonight too.”

“What’s he doing at the old madam’s birthday banquet? Isn’t he afraid of making a fool of himself…”

Three young men approached from the side. One of them casually picked up a piece of candy from a table, walked up to Li Nuo and said mockingly, “Little fool, bark like a dog for us. If you do it well, I’ll give you this candy…”

Li Nuo looked at him and asked, “How does a dog bark?”

“You learned this just last time, and you’ve already forgotten? What a fool.” The young man shook his head without thinking much and said, “Woof woof…”

“Show me how to bark two more times.”

“Woof, woof…”

“A few more times then….”

“Woof, woof, woof…”

Li Nuo reached out and gently patted his head, smiling as he said, “Good boy…”

Many guests in the courtyard had turned to look upon hearing the noise, wondering what was happening with this young master of the Song family – why was he inexplicably barking like a dog?

The young man who had been petted on the head by Li Nuo finally realized what had happened after coming to his senses. His face immediately flushed with shame and anger as he shouted, “You little fool, how dare you mess with me?”

If it had been anyone else, he certainly wouldn’t have barked like a dog, but who would be on guard against a fool?

Blinded by shame and rage, he reached out to grab Li Nuo by the collar. But at that moment, a small figure stepped in front of Li Nuo.

Song Mu’er stretched out both arms to block him and said in her clear, childish voice, “Brother Yu, you can’t bully him…”

Song Yu was furious at his own family member siding with an outsider. He said, “Mu’er, step aside. I need to teach this fool a proper lesson!”

Song Mu’er clenched her small fists and declared, “If you bully him, I’ll have to hit you…”

Hearing this, Song Yu trembled and immediately retreated warily.

Although Mu’er was only six years old, she was a genuine Martial Dao Second Realm practitioner. She had been training in Martial Arts with Jiaren since she was two and had already cultivated Inner Qi. Children don’t know their own strength—if her little fists struck him, he’d likely break several bones.

“You little fool, just you wait!” After throwing this threat at Li Nuo, he slunk away with the two others behind him.

Watching them leave, Li Nuo thought to himself that he didn’t seem very welcome in the Song family.

But then again, if he were a member of the Song family, he probably wouldn’t look kindly upon a fool who had married the family’s pride either.

At that moment, Song Mu’er picked up the shuttlecock, patted her small chest, and said to Li Nuo, “Brother Li Nuo, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you and not let them bully you…”