There is a happy inn in the capital.

Li Shuchen waved the golden rattle drum in front of Ping An: "Ding dong, ding dong, little Ping An, look here! Call Shuchen 'Mother'!"

She leaned closer to Xingfu and said, "Little Xingfu, I'm your godmother, the coolest and most powerful one! Call me Shuchen's mom!"

Princess Changning, unable to bear watching any longer, let out a soft snort and joined in, teasing Xingfu with a delicate little bell.

"Happiness, look at this, call Changning Mother."

Ye Bingli sat on a stone bench to the side, slowly plucking the strings of her zither, and smiled faintly upon hearing this.

"You two are too impatient. The child is so young, how can he talk?"

Liang Yuying stood to the side with her arms crossed, nodding: "It will take at least another year."

Gu Ziying watched them vie for the "naming rights," beaming from ear to ear. Sunlight bathed her, creating a serene and beautiful scene.

After some time, Gu Ziying recovered even more fully.

Li Shuchen then suggested

"Come on! I'll take you to my Thousand Flower Manor to relax! You've been cooped up in the palace for half a year, it's time to go out and smell the flowers and see the butterflies!"

In Qianhua Manor, chrysanthemums are in full bloom and osmanthus blossoms are fragrant.

Gu Ziying walked along the flower-lined path, taking a deep breath of the refreshing fragrance. She felt her heart expand, and the fatigue and depression of the past few months seemed to be washed away by the scent of flowers.

Li Shuchen pointed and whispered from the side

"Look over there, those newly cultivated black chrysanthemums! And over there are basil and rosemary for spices! When these two hundred acres are in full bloom next spring, that will be truly spectacular! We'll bring Ping An and Xing Fu along then, to cultivate their aesthetic sense from a young age!"

"it is good"

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, our family has reached its first birthday in peace and happiness.

The first birthday celebration, known as "Zhuazhou," was held in a lively and bustling manner at the Seventh Prince's Mansion.

Cheng Zhian (the newly appointed prime minister) sent someone to deliver a pair of fine Huizhou inkstones and Duan inkstones;

Xu Shaobao (General Zhenguo) presented a pair of small dagger models inlaid with gemstones;

Ruan Jingshang (a well-known businessman) presented two small abacuses made of pure gold;

Even the honest and kind-hearted Chen Shitou asked someone to bring him two grasshopper cages that he had woven himself, symbolizing good fortune.

A large red brocade carpet was laid out in the center of the hall, upon which were displayed various items such as books, seals, writing brushes and ink, abacuses, coins, sword models, jewelry, rouge, and pastries.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the wet nurse placed the two newly dressed little bundles of joy on the blanket.

The older brother, Ping An, opened his big, dark eyes and crawled around. Finally, his chubby little hands grabbed the glittering little abacus, hugged it tightly to his chest, and giggled.

"Wow! You have great taste!" Li Shuchen was the first to applaud. "Like me! I'll definitely be a money-making expert in the future!"

Liang Yuying watched her younger sister be happy.

Little Happiness, with a clear goal in mind, huffed and puffed her way over the rouge and powder, dodged the pastries and snacks, and steadily grasped the little wooden sword model in her little hands. She swung it a couple of times, quite the pose.

Liang Yuying's eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on her composed face: "Good physique and strength in the wrists; you can start building your foundation at three years old."

Li Shuchen immediately came over

"Hey, General Liang, martial arts are fine, but business acumen also needs to be cultivated! I, Li Shuchen, can teach her to use an abacus and read ledgers, and I can also teach her a few self-defense skills! I've reserved this disciple for myself!"

Princess Changning crossed her arms: "Ha, learning martial arts is hard work. Why not learn to recognize treasures and jade with me and cultivate your character?"

Ye Bingli rarely spoke up: "Playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting can also cultivate one's temperament and character."

Gu Ziying watched as her godmothers began arguing over the right to educate their children again, then smiled and pulled her two children into her arms, kissing their sweet, milky cheeks.

"Look at us, safe and happy, so lovable! With so many wonderful mothers loving and protecting us, we're sure to be incredibly blessed children in the future."

After the first birthday ceremony, the guests gradually dispersed.

After delivering the gift, Ruan Jingshang didn't leave immediately. Seizing an opportunity, he grabbed Cheng Zhian, who was about to return to his study, lowered his voice, and looked distressed.

"Brother Cheng, Prime Minister Cheng! When exactly do you plan to go to Miss Li's residence to formally propose marriage? Look at Brother Xiao, his child is already at the age of having his first birthday celebration! My progress here seems to be indefinitely delayed!"

Cheng Zhian, dressed in a moon-white casual suit, possessed a gentle and refined demeanor. Upon hearing this, he merely smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over Li Shuchen, who was standing in the distance with his hands on his hips, gesturing and arguing with Liang Yuying about whether to teach the child first. His eyes softened.

No rush.

"Aren't you in a hurry?!"

Ruan Jingshang was practically jumping up and down. "Princess Changning said that she won't approve of you and Miss Li unless things go smoothly! Brother Cheng, I'm begging you, for my lifelong happiness, please step up your efforts! Just ask if you need any help!"

Cheng Zhian patted his shoulder, his smile still calm: "When it comes to fate, things will fall into place naturally, Brother Ruan, please be patient."

Having said that, he turned and left gracefully, leaving Ruan Jing standing there staring blankly.

Back at the inn, Li Shuchen didn't think about her marriage; after all, no one was pressuring her to get married.

No one doubted Cheng Zhian's gender, which was good.

Her newly opened branch of the Happiness Inn in Youmao City is doing as well as expected, making a fortune every day.

She pondered the numbers in the ledger, her finger tracing patterns on the map, already seriously considering the best location for her third branch.

December 30th, the thirteenth year of the Purple Star Dynasty, at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM)

In the main hall of the Happiness Inn, Li Shuchen had just finished checking the year-end accounts of the tenth branch. The numbers were so impressive that they made him ecstatic.

She stretched lazily, listening to the faint sounds of firecrackers and the laughter of her friends keeping vigil outside, and poured herself a warm glass of grape wine.

"The tenth branch is also secured... Next year, perhaps we can look to expand into the coastal areas..."

She happily made her plans, taking a sip of the sweet wine.

Just then, that cold, electronic voice, which had been silent for so long and disappeared with the debt being paid off, suddenly rang in her mind without warning, but the tone seemed different in some way.

[Start checking the host's progress in completing the 'Household Name' task]

Happiness level ≥

[Profit value ≥ 2 silver]

[Popularity value ≥]

[The host has completed the mission; no further rewards will be given to the host for this mission.]

Li Shuchen was stunned, his hand holding the wine glass frozen in mid-air.

"What? No reward? Little Jizi, what do you mean? I've worked hard for three years, going on diplomatic missions, fighting in wars, farming, and selling flowers. I finally completed my mission, and you're not giving me a reward? What's going on now?"

[Host, please be patient.]

Li Shuchen suddenly stood up.

"What do you mean 'please'? You have to give me the reward today, or I'll reincarnate as a system in my next life to find you and pester you every day until you give me the reward."

Suddenly, a soft golden halo gathered in the air in front of Li Shuchen, gradually outlining a blurry, phantom-like figure of a girl who looked to be about twenty years old.

She wore a cyberpunk-style, sleek leather jacket; her face was delicate, but her eyes held a wisdom and world-weariness that seemed incongruous with her appearance.

Li Shuchen's eyes widened, he slammed his wine glass on the table, pointed at the illusory figure, and stammered...

"You...you are...the Auspicious System? No, you are...a girl?!"