Chapter 120: Dad Does the Laundry

“Dai Mu, where are you going?”

Yun Xiaoyu was sitting obediently on a small stool outside the cabin, chin in hand, gazing at the river. When Yun Qimu reached out to pull him up, Xiaoyu tilted his little head and asked.

“We’re going to Lou Wai Lou for a big meal in a bit,” Yun Qimu replied with a smile, pulling her hand back and spreading her arms. “Want me to carry you there?”

Yun Xiaoyu’s cool little face instantly turned bright red. He turned his head away awkwardly. “No need, I’m a grown-up now, I can walk by myself. Besides, with your skinny chicken arms, I’m afraid I’d crush you.”

He snorted, stood up, grabbed his little stool, and dashed off into the courtyard.

“Where’s Dad? Where did he go?” Yun Qimu watched his tiny figure and the trail of footprints he left in the snow, amused, and followed after him, asking.

Yun Xiaoyu’s voice came from up ahead, a little breathless. “He’s in the bathroom. The water’s hot in there, and it’s Dad’s turn to do the laundry today.”

“Oh.”

Yun Qimu rubbed her nose a little sheepishly—she’d almost forgotten. These days, except for her undergarments, all her clothes were being washed by this father and son duo.

She followed them inside and saw Papa Yun, his big frame squeezed into the small bathroom, squatting on a little stool with a large wooden basin in front of him, diligently scrubbing clothes.

His broad shoulders drooped as he worked, arms straining to knead the fabric. His stern face was set in concentration, lips pressed together, completely unaware of her presence.

If you ignored those innocent, bewildered eyes, he looked just like a sturdy, hardworking father supporting his family—a good dad.

Yun Qimu couldn’t help but feel her eyes sting a little. She forced a smile and called out, “Dad, we’re going out for a big meal today. Are you excited?”

“A big meal?” Papa Yun turned his head, water droplets clinging to his face and dripping down. He looked at her, a little confused.

“Yes, a big meal.” Yun Qimu took out a handkerchief, bent down, and gently wiped his face, smiling warmly. “I’ve opened a restaurant with a partner and hired a chef. The food is delicious. I’ve already reserved a table for us. We’ll go have lunch together.”

“Dad, I’ve already earned enough spirit coins to buy the Holy Elixir for you. Soon I’ll be able to buy it, and then you won’t have those bouts of agitation anymore.”

“In a few days, I’ll be going out on a trade run. You’ll have to take good care of Xiaoyu while I’m gone. I heard you can make a lot of money running trade routes. Once I’ve saved enough, I’ll buy you a recovery pod so your mind can be healed. Dad, I won’t let you stay like this forever.”

As she wiped Papa Yun’s face, Yun Qimu chattered on, making her promises seriously.

“You’re going out on a trade run? But Uncle Massa and the others said it’s really dangerous outside Exile Star,” Yun Xiaoyu said nervously, peeking in from the bathroom door, his little face anxious.

Yun Qimu blinked in surprise. “How did you get here?”

Xiaoyu pouted, looking aggrieved. “I put down my stool and followed you.”

He patted the doorframe with his little hand, looking serious. “We’re talking about you going out on a trade run. Can’t you stay? You can earn lots of spirit coins here in Earth Village too. I’ve already made three thousand spirit coins—I’ll give them all to you.”

He lowered his head to check his game interface, ready to hand over the coins.

The little guy was quite capable—three thousand spirit coins was a lot. Even Luke and the others probably hadn’t earned that much.

Yun Qimu reached out and ruffled his hair. How could her little brother be so lovable?

“No need to give them to me. Keep your spirit coins—you can use them to take Dad out to eat at Lou Wai Lou more often. As for the trade run, I have to go. It’s a mission. If I don’t complete it, I’ll be punished.”

Her expression turned serious, startling Yun Xiaoyu a little.

“Punished? Like how they punish those space pirates?” he asked, eyes wide.

“Mm, even worse. It’ll damage my body, and I’ll end up bedridden again, just like before.”

Yun Xiaoyu’s mouth fell open, tears welling up in his eyes. “But—but isn’t this your superpower?”

“Uh…” Yun Qimu froze, almost forgetting she’d once joked that this game was her ability’s manifestation.

She quickly came up with a reasonable explanation. “Yes, it’s my ability, but it’s too powerful, so there are restrictions. I have to complete certain missions.”

This time, Yun Xiaoyu really started to cry, spinning around in distress. “Then—then what do we do? It’s really dangerous out there.”

Seeing her little brother cry, Yun Qimu panicked too. She used the handkerchief she’d just used on Papa Yun to wipe Xiaoyu’s tears. “Hey, don’t cry. I’ll be fine. I’m really strong, and I won’t be going alone. That pretty boy next door is coming too. His ability is amazing—he’ll definitely protect me.”

Xiaoyu tilted his head, sniffled, and asked, “Pretty boy? But isn’t he really unlucky?”

Yun Qimu’s mouth twitched awkwardly. Even little kids knew about Wu Xingyu’s reputation as the ‘God of Bad Luck.’

But she forced herself to explain, “Exactly! The fact that he’s so unlucky and still alive proves how strong his ability is. Remember how he turned that huge Mengji Beast into a tiny ball? No matter how dangerous someone or some berserk beast is, it’s not a problem. I can punch them all away.”

Xiaoyu imagined the scene and immediately broke into a smile, nodding seriously. “Pretty boy’s ability is awesome.”

After calming the little guy down, the siblings helped Papa Yun finish the laundry, wrung the clothes dry, and hung them under the eaves.

Seeing that it was still early, Xiaoyu didn’t want to wait at the restaurant—he wanted to earn more money.

Yun Qimu thought that was a good idea, so she summoned her white horse and took Papa Yun and Xiaoyu to the mountains to look for green frost stones.

She hadn’t planned on going before, but now that she’d decided to run trade routes, green frost stones were definitely her ticket to wealth—she needed to stock up.

“Hey, Village Chief Yun, are you guys heading to the mountains? We’re going too—want to go together?”

At the village entrance, Pei Yu and his group spotted them right away.

Wu Xingyu looked up at her from below, his face wooden, dark eyes fixed on her. “I want to rent a horse.”

“I know, I know. Didn’t we agree you’d rent it on the day of the trade run? The card’s still mine for now,” Yun Qimu said shamelessly. Even though they’d signed a contract, they hadn’t specified when it would take effect.

“But I can lend you one horse now. I’ll need the other one for when I come back.”

She’d already figured out the Pegasus card: she could summon three horses at different times, each usable for two hours. If she staggered their use, she could get six hours out of them."