A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Little girl, tell your uncle the truth."

Gao Jianjun's eyes, which seemed to see right through people, were fixed on Su Nianci without blinking.

"Who taught you to play chess?"

His words instantly silenced all the noise and discussion.

All eyes were focused on the little girl who had just won the game.

Yes! This move is too unorthodox! It's not something a five-year-old child could play!

Even Lu Zhenguo looked at Su Nianci with a questioning gaze. He was equally curious as to how Wei Guo's daughter could possess such astonishing chess skills.

Su Nianci's heart tightened suddenly.

She knew that this was the first time since her rebirth that she had encountered a flaw that could not be explained by the phrase "a child's intelligence"!

Her chess skills, a fusion of algorithms from countless top AIs of her past life and the essence of thousands of years of human chess records, were a pure, overwhelming, and dimensionally superior attack! How can this be explained?!

Claiming to be a genius? Even geniuses need a mentor!

To claim that you're self-taught? That's utterly absurd!

Her mind was racing, every single brain cell was screaming!

What to do?!

At that critical moment, she saw the crisp military uniforms of Lu Zhenguo and Gao Jianjun, the shining stars on their shoulders, and the respect and remembrance in their eyes for the name "Su Weiguo"...

A single thought, like a bolt of lightning, cleaved through the chaos in her mind!

Su Nianci raised her head, and in her clear eyes rose a proud and open light just like her father's.

"My dad taught me."

What?!

Su Weiguo taught him?!

Gao Jianjun and Lu Zhenguo were startled and exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of confusion in each other's eyes.

They had a life-or-death bond with Su Weiguo, so how come they never knew he could play chess? And with such a bizarre and cunning style?

"Your father?" Gao Jianjun frowned. "I don't remember him playing this kind of chess."

"My dad didn't teach me any specific moves."

"He just held me when I was very young, pointed to the chessboard and told me."

"Nianci, remember this: this chessboard is the battlefield!"

He said, "Red commander and black general are the commanders of the two armies! Your mission is to protect your own commander at all costs, and then eliminate the enemy commander!"

He said, "The chariots, knights, and cannons are your airplanes and artillery! The pawns and soldiers are your infantry! Every piece is your soldier! None of them are useless! You must ensure that every piece plays its greatest role on the battlefield!"

Everyone was completely stunned by these words! This was hardly a chess lesson!

This is clearly instilling the most advanced, ruthless, and practical... war mentality in children!

Gao Jianjun and Lu Zhenguo were completely stunned!

They seemed to see the ace pilot, who always wore a bright smile and created one aerial combat miracle after another at an altitude of 10,000 meters, holding his beloved daughter and passing on the wisdom of war that he had gained with his blood and life in a way that was unique to them as father and daughter!

"Well... well, Su Weiguo..."

Gao Jianjun muttered to himself, his usually imposing face now revealing a near-reverent respect for the first time! "No wonder...no wonder he became 'Sword of the Sky'! This breadth of vision, this insight...I, Gao Jianjun, am convinced!"

Lu Zhenguo's eyes were filled with tears as he looked at Su Nianci, feeling both pride and sorrow.

Weiguo, Weiguo, what kind of "precious treasure" did you leave us?

This little misunderstanding, this quick-thinking lie, perfectly explained Su Nianci's "demonic" nature, and further elevated the image of her father, Su Weiguo, in everyone's mind, shaping him into an almost "god of war"!

That night.

After the commotion subsided, Zhou Yayun tenderly took the two children, boiled two large pots of water, and carefully gave them a hot bath.

After washing away the grime and fatigue, and changing into clean, soft old pajamas, Su Nianci felt as if she had come back to life.

Little did she know, an even bigger surprise awaited her.

In the living room, Zhou Yayun brought out a brand new "Flying Man" brand sewing machine from somewhere.

She then took out two brand-new pieces of fabric, neatly wrapped in oil paper, from the cabinet.

One piece features a small floral pattern, the most popular design right now.

The other piece was a thick, durable, blue khaki cloth.

In the 1970s, these two pieces of cloth were no less than any luxury item in later generations!

"Come here, Nianci, Xiaoshitou, let Mom take your measurements." Zhou Yayun held a soft measuring tape and beckoned to the two children with a loving expression.

Su Nianci was stunned.

Taking dimensions?

She looked at the sewing machine gleaming under the light, at the two brand-new pieces of fabric, and an idea, uncontrollably, popped into her mind.

Aunt Zhou... no, Mom, she's going to... make new clothes for herself and her brother?

"What's wrong? What are you standing there for? Come here!" Zhou Yayun urged with a smile.

Su Nianci walked over stiffly.

Zhou Yayun told her to open her arms, and the soft ruler, still warm from her body, gently touched her shoulder, her chest, and her waist...

The movement was as gentle as if touching a priceless treasure.

Su Nianci's body was stiff from head to toe.

She's not used to it.

In her past life, she was an orphan and wore old clothes issued by the orphanage that were not gender-specific.

In this life, she wore rags that her aunt had taken from the dead or that her cousin didn't want.

In both her lifetimes, never... never has anyone taken her measurements or made her a new dress.

"Our Nianci is truly a beauty in the making! That tiny waist, those long legs—she's definitely going to grow up to be very tall!" Zhou Yayun praised joyfully as she measured her. "Wearing this floral dress, she'll look just like a fairy from a painting!"

After measuring Su Nianci, they went to measure Xiao Shitou.

Little Stone is ticklish; when touched by the soft ruler, he giggles and hides in Zhou Yayun's arms.

Zhou Yayun wasn't annoyed. Instead, she teased him in a loving and indulgent tone, "Oh dear, our little stone is ticklish? A real man shouldn't be ticklish!"

In the living room, under the warm light, the "click-clack" of the sewing machine, mixed with Zhou Yayun's gentle chatter and Xiao Shitou's crisp laughter, intertwined to create the most beautiful and warmest... lullaby.

Su Nianci sat on a small stool, watching the figure busy for her and her younger brother under the lamp, and seeing the heartfelt, happy smile on her face.

She suddenly felt that what she was seeing was unreal.

It was as if she had a beautiful dream that she could have had for two lifetimes and never wanted to wake up from...

That night, Su Nianci slept exceptionally well.

The next morning, when she was awakened by the aroma of food, she opened her eyes and saw two sets of brand-new clothes neatly folded on the headboard.

One set is a pink floral print coat with a Peter Pan collar!

The other outfit was a sky-blue pair of overalls with two large pockets and a light jacket.

The stitches were fine and even, even more exquisite than the ready-made clothes sold in the supply and marketing cooperative!

"Awake?"

Zhou Yayun walked in carrying a bowl of steamed egg custard. She saw Su Nianci staring blankly at the two new outfits and smiled so hard her eyes narrowed into slits.

"Quick! Get up and try it on! Mom spent all night making it! We don't even know if it'll fit!"

Without a word, she pulled Su Nianci out of bed and personally helped her change into that brand-new floral cardigan that smelled of fresh fabric.

Not too big, not too small, just right.

Zhou Yayun then brought out a small mirror and held it up in front of Su Nianci.

"Look! Isn't our Nianci beautiful?"

Su Nianci looked at the little girl in the mirror, a girl who seemed both strange and familiar.

She was wearing a beautiful, brand-new floral dress, her hair was combed into two neat little braids, her face was fair and clean, and her big eyes were bright and sparkling.

She no longer looks like the "little beggar" who rolled in the mud and scavenged for food in the garbage.

She was like...like a real little princess who was loved by everyone.

"Clatter."

A scalding tear, without warning, fell from her eye and dripped onto the brand-new hem of her dress, spreading out a small, dark stain.

she cried.

For this dress, for the woman in front of her, for the motherly love she had longed for for two lifetimes...

"Silly child, why are you crying!" Zhou Ya Yun hugged her tenderly, gently patting her back. "Do you like it? From now on, Mommy will make you new clothes every year!"

"Mother……"

Su Nianci could no longer hold back. She buried her face deeply in Zhou Yayun's warm and soft embrace, and with an almost choked voice, she uttered the first truly heartfelt cry of her life.

At this tender moment, the door to the room was suddenly pushed open.

Lu Zhenguo walked in quickly with a solemn expression, holding a crumpled telegram he had just received.