Chapter 2: What Malicious Thoughts Can a Child Have?

"Yi'er, Yi'er?"

Seeing Chen Yi's pale face, Xia Wanwan couldn't help but feel anxious.

Distracted by her concern, Chen Yi quickly grabbed her collar and forced a smile.

Damn it, I accidentally called out loud.

"You're going to scare your mother to death!"

Xia Wanwan turned her worry into joy, gently pressing her forehead against Chen Yi's.

"Wanwan, is that you here?"

At that moment, a beautiful woman dressed in a brocade skirt, cradling an infant in her arms, approached them.

Xia Wanwan stood up, holding Chen Yi, and greeted her, "Sister WanYi."

Chen Yi discreetly observed the newcomer.

This was none other than the main wife of the Marquis's household, Zhou WanYi, whom he suspected was the true culprit behind his recent troubles.

"We're sisters; there's no need to be so formal," Zhou WanYi said, grasping Xia Wanwan's hand with a look of concern. "I just heard your voice and was worried. Is something wrong with Yi'er?"

Xia Wanwan hesitated before saying, "Yi'er might be hungry…"

"Hungry? That won't do! If he goes into the grabbing ceremony on an empty stomach, he's likely to choose food items," Zhou Wan Yi replied, her tone firm.

"Then, I'll go find the wet nurse to feed Yi'er," Xia Wanwan stammered.

"It's too late for that," Zhou WanYi said, pulling out a small pouch from her brocade dress and handing it to her. "I happen to have some pastries I prepared for Yuan'er. You can feed Yi'er some of these."

"This…" Xia Wanwan started to protest.

"Don't refuse. If you delay any longer, the ceremony will start," Zhou WanYi urged.

Xia Wanwan had no choice but to accept her favor again, lowering her head obediently and saying, "Thank you, Sister WanYi."

"Alright, you take care of Yi'er for now. I'll go look for my husband," Zhou WanYi replied.

"Be careful, Sister," Xia Wanwan said as she watched her leave.

Once Zhou WanYi was gone, Xia Wanwan quickly tore off a small piece of the pastry and carefully fed it to Chen Yi. "Yi'er, be good and eat a little so you won't be hungry."

Chen Yi hesitated for a few seconds before swallowing the pastry. He wasn't worried about the food being poisoned; after all, the system had already indicated that it could absorb toxins.

He realized the entire situation—Zhou WanYi had gone to great lengths to ensure he would grab food during the ceremony!

First, she had used his father's hand to feed him the "Greedy Food Pill," then prepared the pastries in advance to prevent anyone from noticing Chen Yi's unusual behavior.

If it weren't for Chen Yi's memories from his previous life, everyone would have been fooled by her, just like Xia Wanwan, who had been sold out while still remembering her kindness.

Thinking of this, Chen Yi couldn't help but feel angry.

"Since you want to sabotage my grabbing ceremony, then I'll ruin Chen Yuan's instead. That brat wouldn't care about brotherly ties when he grows up anyway…"

"Wait, grow up?"

A light bulb went off in Chen Yi's mind as he quickly looked at the light screen.

"I'm one year old now, and so is Chen Yuan."

"If I can't defeat the sixth-rank Chen Yuan, can't I at least handle him as he is now?"

With this thought, Chen Yi couldn't help but clench his small fists and wave them excitedly. This should be the correct way to activate the reverse system!

Seeing him like this, Xia Wanwan smiled and adjusted his clothing.

"Be careful not to make a scene during the ceremony, or your father will spank you," Xia Wanwan said playfully.

Chen Yi grinned.

"Just wait and see, I won't make a fuss… yeah, right!"

As the noon hour approached, the guests gathered in the main hall, and even the King of Northern border from the Great Wei came personally.

In the center of the room, a cloud-patterned carpet had been laid out with eight small tables arranged in a circle. Each table held a white jade platter, and on each platter were various items for the "grabbing ceremony," including a knife, a sword, a seal, a brush, an abacus, a book, scissors, and a handkerchief.

The four plates on the ground were filled with chicken, duck, and fish.

It was only at this moment that Chen Yi realized.

The items for the grabbing ceremony had been consecrated in the ancestral hall, imbued with the essence of the heroic spirits of the Chen family throughout generations. Each of these items possessed unique abilities.

For instance, the knives and swords primarily enhanced one's innate affinity for weapons.

The seal could grant early wisdom, improving memory and comprehension of texts.

The other items like scissors, handkerchiefs, and abacuses also had remarkable effects.

As for those plates of chicken, duck, and fish, while they looked appetizing, they were the least useful of all the grabbing items.

No wonder the children who chose food during the ceremony attracted ridicule from others.

"Lord Marquis, the auspicious time has arrived."

At that moment, the housekeeper stepped forward to remind him.

Wuan Marquis Chen Taiping immediately raised his wine cup and said,

"Today we hold the grabbing ceremony for Yuan'er and Yi'er. May our ancestors bestow their blessings to ensure that the descendants of the Chen family do not fall short of their ancestors' glory…"

After a lengthy speech, he gestured to Zhou WanYi and Xia Wanwan, saying, "Let Yuan'er and Yi'er proceed with the grabbing ceremony."

"Understood."

Zhou WanYi stepped forward first, placing Chen Yuan at the center surrounded by the grabbing items, then she returned to the main table without hesitation.

Once she returned, Xia Wanwan carefully placed Chen Yi down.

Chen Yi flashed her a reassuring smile, encouraging her not to worry.

Xia Wanwan smiled back, gently touching his cheek before slowly stepping out of the ceremony area.

"Everyone, please wait a moment and witness this event for Yuan'er and Yi'er."

Chen Taiping saw that both of his sons had settled in the center of the ceremony and spoke in a deep voice.

At this moment, even though he held the title of Marquis Wu'an, he felt a twinge of nervousness inside.

The more ancient a family's lineage, the more they value the grabbing ceremony.

This is not only because the grabbing items enhance the descendants' abilities but also represents the orderly transmission of the family legacy.

As the surroundings quieted down, Chen Yuan was the first to make a move.

He scanned the area and his eyes locked onto the pair of small, shiny swords.

Then, he shifted from a sitting position to crawling, using both his hands and feet to wiggle his way over.

Although his speed was not fast, it was enough to elicit smiles from the spectators around.

"Master Yuan has an eye for the right choice!"

"Truly deserving of the Chen family bloodline; his talent for martial arts is extraordinary."

"Now, all eyes are on Master Yi…"

Even Chen Taiping nodded slightly, his previously tense heart finally relaxing.

Zhou WanYi maintained her composure, simply smiling as she watched Chen Yuan.

Only Xia Wanwan felt a twinge of anxiety; why wasn't Yi'er moving yet?

Soon, as little Chen Yuan crawled closer and closer to the jade sword among the grabbing objects, everyone's attention was drawn to him.

"Looks like he's got it!"

"He's just two steps away! little yuan will be able to grab the jade sword!"

Others directly cupped their fists toward the main table, saying, "Congratulations, Lord chen! Congratulations!"

Chen Taiping smiled faintly and said, "It seems that Er'er likes practicing swordsmanship."

Only then did a glow appear on Zhou WanYi's face as she smiled and said, "Husband, Er'er was just lucky. We still have to see Yi'er..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Xia Wanwan joyfully exclaimed, "Yi'er is moving!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou WanYi stopped and looked toward the center of the arena, her pupils narrowing slightly.

Chen Yi truly did not disappoint; he was making his way toward the objects placed before him for the ceremony. His gaze was resolute, and although his small frame seemed to struggle to move, the determination and resolve were evident.

"Yi'er is almost there!" Xia Wanwan's voice was filled with anticipation.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Chen Yi's small hand reached forward, finally touching a delicate item—a finely carved seal.

"Well done!" The onlookers erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

"little yi grabbed the seal; what a rare good omen!"

A look of satisfaction appeared on Chen Taiping's face, filled with hopes for the future of both children. Zhou WanYi's expression, however, became complicated; the significance of the seal was entirely different from that of the sword, and she privately speculated about the impact this scene would have on the family's future.

"Yi'er is really clever, knowing to choose something that will make him wise!" Xia Wanwan beamed with joy, feeling immensely proud of Chen Yi's choice.

"However, while the seal is good, it's not as straightforward as the sword," Zhou WanYi thought to herself.

"It seems that today's grabbing ceremony is indeed quite extraordinary." The guests around them remarked, eager to see how the situation would unfold next.

At this moment, Chen Yi was scrambling toward Chen Yuan, using both his hands and feet.

He had been waiting for this very moment—the instant Chen Yuan was about to grab the item in the grabbing ceremony, and Zhou Wanyi's smile began to bloom.

Originally, when Chen Yi first transmigrated into this world, all he wanted was to grow up quickly and enjoy the carefree life of a noble scion.

He never planned to compete for martial prowess or vie with the eldest for the family inheritance.

However, today he came to a startling realization: "If I don't harm others, they'll end up harming me."

There was no way around it!

"If you're intent on hurting me, then I won't hesitate to let you experience what 'cruelty' really means!"

With this thought in mind, chen yi moved quickly and steadily.

Just before Chen Yuan could grasp the jade sword ceremonial item, Chen Yi pulled him away and, using the momentum, kicked him in the face.

"Go play somewhere else!"

Chen Yuan was sent tumbling backward, landing on the ground, his small face filled with confusion.

"This..."

The onlookers exchanged glances; they had witnessed many ceremonies, but this was the first time they had seen such an unexpected turn of events.

"He... I mean, how did Young Master Yi end up kicking Young Master Yuan..."

"Silence!"

At the main table, the family head of the Marquis of Wu'an frowned as well.

Zhou Wanyi's smile disappeared, her eyes fixed on Chen Yi.

Xia Wanwan looked awkward, wanting to explain for Chen Yi but not knowing how to start, so she helplessly looked to Chen Taiping for help.

"Let's wait and see; the ceremony isn't over yet."

Although Chen Taiping was also left speechless by this scene, he felt somewhat relieved that both of his sons' targets were the jade sword.

However, his sense of relief quickly disappeared.

Chen Yi, after grabbing the jade sword, didn't stop; instead, he turned around and continued to crawl toward Chen Yuan.

He hadn't forgotten that there was still a task to complete.

Anyway, his earlier act of snatching the grabbing item had already been quite rebellious, so what was one more act?

"Yiya."

"Yaaah."

Just like that, the two children hugged each other, rolling around and making playful sounds.

However, Chen Yi was wildly swinging his little fists, and the jade sword in his hand was poking at the soft flesh.

Chen Yuan, on the other hand, was at a loss and could only passively resist.

Before long, he was crying loudly, unable to withstand the attack.

[Task Completed, Reward: Beginner's Swordsmanship]

[Please find a quiet place to receive it]

Noticing the content on the light screen, Chen Yi thought to himself that indeed, the counterattack system could be used this way.

"Darling, hurry, make Yi'er stop!"

At this point, Zhou Wanyi could no longer hold back and spoke up.

Chen Taiping smiled bitterly and shook his head; no one was allowed to intervene during the grabbing ceremony.

This was not a clan rule but a heavenly decree.

Zhou Wanyi then looked at Xia Wanwan, her face anxious as she said, "Wanwan, you, you have to make Yi'er stop. We can't let Yuan'er miss his grabbing ceremony."

Xia Wanwan already felt a bit guilty, so she readily agreed and called out to Chen Yi, "Yi'er, be good, let go of your brother quickly."

Hearing the voice, Chen Yi turned his pure, bright eyes toward Xia Wanquan at the main table.

He wasn't worried at all about being discovered or blamed.

After all, what kind of bad thoughts could a child have? He was just "playing around."

"Come over here to your mother."

Chen Yi smiled but didn't go over. Instead, he crawled to the other side and tore off a chicken leg.

Then, in front of everyone's astonished expressions, he stuffed the chicken leg directly into Chen Yuan's hands and pretended to wipe away Chen Yuan's tears.

That series of actions seemed to be telling them:

"See, it wasn't me who made Brother Yuan cry; he's just hungry.

Otherwise, why would he stop crying the moment he got the chicken leg?"

"Hiss—"

The crowd collectively widened their eyes.

"Since Young Master Yuan has taken the chicken leg, doesn't that mean the grabbing ceremony is over?"

"It is over, and it was Young Master Yi who personally handed the chicken leg to Young Master Yuan. I'm afraid the Marquis…"

Even the King of Northern border, who had been watching from the sidelines, was drawn in by Chen Yi's boldness and secretly smiled.

"Taiping, your two boys are far more promising than you, their old man."

"I'm afraid you'll have headaches with them in the future."

Listening to the comments from the guests around him, Chen Taiping opened his mouth, wanting to smile but unable to; he wanted to be angry but knew it was not the right time.

After a long while, he finally forced a smile and announced, "The grabbing ceremony is concluded today!"

Only then did Chen Yi blink at the visibly displeased Zhou WanYi, wearing an expression of pure innocence.

"Aunt, I believe you must be very satisfied with this result, right?"

(End of this chapter)