Little Pink Starfish

How Would I Know I’m Happy Without Comparison?

Gu Xinglang glanced at his two younger brothers-in-law. Though he didn’t expect much, he still gently said to Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess, maybe don’t tell Their Highnesses so many strange stories in the future?”

Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “Their horizons shouldn’t be limited to just Earth.”

Gu Xinglang asked, “Then where should their eyes be?”

Yu Xiaoxiao pointed out the window. “The stars and the sea.”

Gu Xinglang nodded and continued spoon-feeding the babbling Seventh Prince Yu Ziyi in his arms.

Xianzong glanced at his three sons still eating at the table and asked Gu Xinglang, “What’s this ‘Earth’ thing?”

“It’s the land beneath our feet,” Gu Xinglang explained.

Second Prince Yu Zibai looked up and said, “Sister said we live on a sphere. If I sail straight across the ocean, I’ll circle back to where I started. Father, I want to go overseas to do trade. Sister said there are other continents across the seas, with people living there too.”

Xianzong asked, “So what exactly do you want to do?”

With unwavering determination, the Second Prince declared, “I want to do business with those people!”

A prince wanting to go into business? Xianzong had already given up on that argument. But now the kid was clearly mentally off! Xianzong slammed the table. “Go see the imperial physician!”

“How ambitious!” Yu Xiaoxiao gave her second brother a big thumbs-up. “If you don’t have enough startup money, go partner with Qian Taimo. He’s so poor all he has left is money.”

“Mm,” Yu Zibai nodded seriously. “Don’t worry, Sister. One day I’ll make even more money than Qian Taimo.”

“Sis,” Third Prince Yu Zizhou chimed in, “I’ll grow tons and tons of grain in the future, so everyone can have full bellies!”

“Good!” Yu Xiaoxiao smiled, her eyes crinkling with pride.

First Prince Yu Ziqing wiped the oil from his mouth with the back of his hand. “With me guarding the borders, Sis can travel the world with Brother-in-law.”

“I want to go too!” Fourth Prince Yu Zichu shouted.

“Me too!” Fifth Prince Yu Zishen joined in.

Clap clap! That was the Seventh Prince, smacking his hands together.

Yu Xiaoxiao looked very pleased—see how well she’d educated her little brothers?

Gu Xinglang sighed. They weren’t his sons, so he couldn’t really say anything. He simply continued feeding Yu Ziyi.

Wake up already!

Xianzong wanted to flip the table. Did these kids even know what princes were supposed to do? Shouldn’t they be trying to curry favor with him, deceive him, and plot and scheme to seize the throne? What were they doing now? None of this had anything to do with how things used to work! Xianzong felt completely robbed of happiness.

“You don’t have a son like Jing Mo. That alone should make you feel blessed,” Yu Xiaoxiao said flatly.

Xianzong imagined himself as Jing Mo’s father and shuddered. As hard as his life was, at least he wasn’t watching his sons kill each other. Compared to that, his troubles seemed… almost pleasant?

“Heh…” Xianzong smiled. With a worse point of comparison, he suddenly felt… happy.

Yu Xiaoxiao returned to wrestling with the meatballs in her bowl.

“You just keep farming,” Xianzong said, patting his third son on the head.

“Sigh…” Qinghai, waiting quietly outside the door, let out a soft sigh. The consorts in the harem were truly suffering.

After this hotpot family dinner, Yu Xiaoxiao and the Third Prince headed out to the countryside to experiment with greenhouse farming. This world had no plastic sheeting, so Yu Xiaoxiao substituted with straw mats. In the post-apocalyptic world, climate change had been so extreme that without temperature-controlled greenhouses, humanity would have starved to death long before the zombies got them. As a soldier, Yu Xiaoxiao had heard a lot about greenhouses—she might not have eaten pork, but she’d seen pigs run. She firmly believed that with theory in hand, she could figure it out.

Meanwhile, Gu Xinglang was practicing walking daily. Though Yu Xiaoxiao estimated he’d need a month before running and jumping, within just two weeks, Gu Xinglang was already horseback riding.

After watching her Xiao Gu ride a lap outside the city, Yu Xiaoxiao went home and began packing. Before Mo Wen started causing trouble again, she had to head to Zhu Ri to treat Wuhuan’s injuries.

Gu Xinglang chose a day when the Fourth Prince was studying in the palace and brought a few guards to visit Madam Xu at a secluded courtyard arranged by his brother Gu Xingnuo.

The place was remote. Though the street appeared lined with grand estates, it was eerily quiet. Every house had its gate firmly shut, and there wasn’t a soul in sight. If not for this visit, Gu Xinglang wouldn’t have known this part of Fengtian even existed.

Madam Xu was, as usual, seated cross-legged in front of her shrine, chanting sutras. Only when she heard Gu Xinglang’s footsteps in the prayer room did she stop and turn to look at her youngest son.

Gu Xinglang knelt and saluted her. “Mother.”

Madam Xu quickly moved to lift him up. “You’re really healed?”

Gu Xinglang jumped twice to show her. “Look, I’m fine now.”

Tears streamed down Madam Xu’s cheeks the moment she closed her eyes. “That’s good, that’s very good,” she said, wiping her tears with her sleeve before he could offer a handkerchief. “The Buddha has protected you.”

Gu Xinglang looked around the shrine. “Mother, have you been well lately?”

“I’m fine,” Madam Xu said, still studying her son. “Go light incense and thank the Buddha.”

Gu Xinglang didn’t believe in Buddha, but under his mother’s watchful eye, he had no choice. He lit three sticks of incense and placed them in the burner.

Madam Xu walked to his side and said softly, “As long as you’re sincere, the Buddha will respond.”

Gu Xinglang said nothing.

“You believe what your brother said?” Madam Xu asked.

“Mother,” Gu Xinglang said, “Big Brother only distrusts Yongsheng Temple…”

“Don’t!” Madam Xu suddenly shouted.

Startled, Gu Xinglang fell silent.

“You don’t understand,” she said sorrowfully. “All these years, only I have still remembered your father!”

“Mother,” Gu Xinglang said quickly, “I will avenge Father and kill Gu Li.”

“I want to see your father,” Madam Xu said quietly. “But will he come back if Gu Li dies?”

Gu Xinglang’s voice went dry. “Mother, the dead can’t return. Father’s been gone for years… I’m seventeen now.”

Madam Xu stared at the three sticks of incense in the burner.

“Seeing you doing well makes me feel at ease,” Gu Xinglang said. “I won’t disturb your prayers. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Go,” Madam Xu said. “Now that I know you’re alright, I can rest easy.”

Gu Xinglang hesitated before saying, “Mother, if there’s anything you need here, send someone to the estate. It’s getting cold. I’ll have more charcoal delivered.”

“Go on,” Madam Xu said with a gentle smile. “I know you’re a good son.”