diff --git a/frappe/database/query.py b/frappe/database/query.py
index 7ab65176da..595bd5a3ff 100644
--- a/frappe/database/query.py
+++ b/frappe/database/query.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class Engine:
 		for field in self.fields:
 			if isinstance(field, DynamicTableField):
 				self.query = field.apply_select(self.query)
-			elif isinstance(field, ChildTableFields):
+			elif isinstance(field, ChildQuery):
 				self.query._child_queries.append(field)
 			else:
 				self.query = self.query.select(field)
@@ -304,15 +304,16 @@ class Engine:
 		for field in fields:
 			if isinstance(field, Criterion):
 				_fields.append(field)
+			elif isinstance(field, dict):
+				for child_field, fields in field.items():
+					_fields.append(ChildQuery(child_field, fields, self.doctype))
 			elif isinstance(field, str):
-				if "," in field and "[" not in field:
+				if "," in field:
 					field = field.casefold() if "`" not in field else field
 					field_list = COMMA_PATTERN.split(field)
 					for field in field_list:
 						if _field := field.strip():
 							_fields.append(parse_field(_field))
-				elif "[" in field and "]" in field:
-					_fields.append(parse_field(field))
 				else:
 					_fields.append(parse_field(field))
 
@@ -401,17 +402,6 @@ class DynamicTableField:
 				elif linked_field.fieldtype in frappe.model.table_fields:
 					return ChildTableField(linked_doctype, fieldname, doctype, alias=alias)
 
-		if "[" in field and "]" in field:
-			child_fieldname, child_fields = field.split("[", 1)
-			child_field = frappe.get_meta(doctype).get_field(child_fieldname)
-			child_doctype = child_field.options
-			child_fields = child_fields.rsplit("]", 1)[0]
-			if not child_fields:
-				child_fields = ["*"]
-			else:
-				child_fields = [f.strip() for f in child_fields.split(",")]
-			return ChildTableFields(child_doctype, child_fieldname, child_fields, doctype)
-
 	def apply_select(self, query: QueryBuilder) -> QueryBuilder:
 		raise NotImplementedError
 
@@ -473,18 +463,20 @@ class LinkTableField(DynamicTableField):
 		return query
 
 
-class ChildTableFields:
+class ChildQuery:
 	def __init__(
 		self,
-		doctype: str,
 		fieldname: str,
 		fields: list,
 		parent_doctype: str,
 	) -> None:
-		self.doctype = doctype
+		field = frappe.get_meta(parent_doctype).get_field(fieldname)
+		if field.fieldtype not in frappe.model.table_fields:
+			return
 		self.fieldname = fieldname
-		self.fields = fields + ["parent", "parentfield"]
+		self.fields = fields
 		self.parent_doctype = parent_doctype
+		self.doctype = field.options
 
 	def get_query(self, parent_names=None) -> QueryBuilder:
 		filters = {
@@ -492,7 +484,12 @@ class ChildTableFields:
 			"parentfield": self.fieldname,
 			"parent": ["in", parent_names],
 		}
-		return frappe.qb.get_query(self.doctype, fields=self.fields, filters=filters, order_by="idx asc")
+		return frappe.qb.get_query(
+			self.doctype,
+			fields=self.fields + ["parent", "parentfield"],
+			filters=filters,
+			order_by="idx asc",
+		)
 
 
 def literal_eval_(literal):
diff --git a/frappe/query_builder/utils.py b/frappe/query_builder/utils.py
index 15f62bb44e..af2c871e83 100644
--- a/frappe/query_builder/utils.py
+++ b/frappe/query_builder/utils.py
@@ -82,20 +82,27 @@ def patch_query_execute():
 
 	def execute_query(query, *args, **kwargs):
 		child_queries = query._child_queries if isinstance(query._child_queries, list) else []
-
 		query, params = prepare_query(query)
 		result = frappe.db.sql(query, params, *args, **kwargs)  # nosemgrep
-
-		if result and isinstance(result[0], dict) and result[0].name:
-			parent_names = [d.name for d in result]
-			for child_query in child_queries or []:
-				data = child_query.get_query(parent_names).run(as_dict=1)
-				for row in result:
-					row[child_query.fieldname] = [
-						d for d in data if str(d.parent) == str(row.name) and d.parentfield == child_query.fieldname
-					]
+		execute_child_queries(child_queries, result)
 		return result
 
+	def execute_child_queries(queries, result):
+		if not result or not isinstance(result[0], dict) or not result[0].name:
+			return
+		parent_names = [d.name for d in result]
+		for child_query in queries:
+			data = child_query.get_query(parent_names).run(as_dict=1)
+			for row in result:
+				row[child_query.fieldname] = []
+				for d in data:
+					if str(d.parent) == str(row.name) and d.parentfield == child_query.fieldname:
+						if "parent" not in child_query.fields:
+							del d["parent"]
+						if "parentfield" not in child_query.fields:
+							del d["parentfield"]
+						row[child_query.fieldname].append(d)
+
 	def prepare_query(query):
 		import inspect