Side Story 6 Changed Disguise and You Can’t Recognize Anymore
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Li Yuxiang’s eyes slightly narrowed, quickly scanning the room before settling on Xia Yuqing, who was looking at her with anticipation.
Stunned for a moment, after taking in Lu Rui standing beside Xia Yuqing, her expression turned sour. She walked up to Xia Yuqing, her gaze scrutinizing her from head to toe with a near critical look. With a cold snort, she commented, “You’re the wild woman who tried to seduce my Royal Cousin? You don’t even look that great. Look at your pale and emaciated appearance. Clearly, you’re from a poor background, barely able to afford food. You have such a weak and feeble look, as if a gust of wind could blow you over. Are you trying to gain sympathy to seduce men? Ha…”
“…” Xia Yuqing hadn’t even managed to say half a word before she felt like she’d been shot in the face. Her hand unconsciously reached up to her face as she touched it. Well, her skin was still quite smooth. Although she had spent the past few months in the hospital and her dark circles had worsened due to nightmares since the past month, and she had lost some weight, how could she be described as pale and emaciated? Xiang Er’s words were a bit…
Before Xia Yuqing could explain, the Third Princess took over, sneering, “Exactly, look at that flat front and backside. You don’t seem like someone who can bear children easily. Although Little Royal Sister wasn’t well-endowed before, at least she had a well-rounded backside and she could give birth to two children in one go. How could you with your petite frame give birth to children?”
“…Third Royal Sister, with your boldness, I wonder how the Lord Prime Minister can tolerate you.” Xia Yuqing, feeling like her knees had just been shot by two more arrows, couldn’t help but mumble with her head down. This was a prime example of not speaking ill of people behind their backs. Third Royal Sister, although I’m moved that you’re speaking up for me now, I can clearly hear that you’re implying that I was an airport before!
“What are you muttering about?” The Third Princess couldn’t catch what Xia Yuqing was murmuring, raising her eyebrows slightly with a hint of displeasure as she cast a sidelong glance at her.
“Uh… nothing, I didn’t say anything.” Xia Yuqing touched her nose nervously, looking at Xia Muyun with a smile, afraid that she might get whipped if she displeased her.
Dealing with the uproar from her previously closest sisters had a peculiar mix of sour and satisfying feelings. Xia Yuqing gazed at the sky with a mixture of sunshine and melancholy, feeling a complicated blend of joy and sorrow.
However, when she saw Xia Muyun, her heart inexplicably trembled. Others could be dealt with, as they weren’t present a year ago. But Xia Muyun was different; she had been on the cliff that day. She was not so easily deceived. Moreover…
When she fell off the cliff initially, the expression of extreme shock on Xia Muyun’s face upon learning from Xia Mingxuan that she was not truly Xia Yuqing but a lonely ghost that had taken possession of her younger sister’s body is still vivid in her memory. If she knew that the lonely ghost standing before her now was the one who had snatched her younger sister’s body, who knows if she would have instantly turned her into a spinning top and thrown her out for public humiliation.
Contemplating this possibility, Xia Yuheng couldn’t help but shed two wide noodle-like tears. The intention to speak out and explain upon their first meeting was silenced by her rational decision at this moment. Oh, Ultra Seme Lord, please come back quickly! I’m in a situation where saying something is not right, and not saying anything is also not right. I can’t hold on much longer!
On the other hand, Cui Er and Li Yuan, who were following closely behind the two, were not as stimulated as Liu Yixiang. The reason being that they recognized a familiar face in the presence of this unfamiliar woman—Lu Rui.
Feng Tingye’s decision to have Lu Rui attend to this new Niang Niang had taken them all by surprise. After all, since that incident a year ago, while Cui Er and Li Yuan still resided in the palace, they hadn’t served anyone else. They had only stayed in Xiefang Hall, taking care of the two children. Moreover, apart from the Empress Dowager, there was no other woman in the palace who dared to order them around.
That’s why, when Feng Tingye suddenly sent for Lu Rui early in the morning today, Cui Er and the others were quite surprised.
As for not inviting Cui Er, it was probably because Feng Tingye realized that whether it was in the past or the present, Cui Er had always only recognized Xia Yuqing. Now that Xia Yuqing’s appearance had changed, who knew if Cui Er’s attitude towards her would change. But it was different for Lu Rui. She was originally a palace maid, and Feng Tingye had issued the order. Naturally, she didn’t dare to disobey.
But it was only their reluctance. Cui Er and the others were well aware that after so many years of deep feelings, Lu Rui couldn’t possibly treat any other woman with the same genuine care as she did for Xia Yuqing. However, when they had burst into the room just now, they had clearly seen concern for this sudden stranger in Lu Rui’s eyes.
At first, they were a little puzzled, but gradually, they noticed a clue. Unlike Liu Yixiang, they had been with Lu Rui beside Xia Yuqing all this time. Naturally, they were more familiar with Xia Yuqing’s habits and even some small details she herself might not be aware of. Although the woman in front of them had a similar appearance and figure to someone else, she couldn’t hide these small movements from Cui Er and Li Yuan.
Cui Er and Li Yuan exchanged glances, each noticing a hint of surprise in the other’s eyes. In agreement, they nodded to each other, deciding to remain calm and watch what unfolded.
Seeing Xia Yuqing retreat with a stiff expression, Xia Muyun became more convinced that this woman had solely relied on her pitiable appearance to seduce her sister’s husband. Her irritation grew.
She had been unable to save Xia Yuqing before, watching her fall off the cliff with her own eyes. Over the past year, Xia Muyun had been mired in self-blame. She had initially thought that Feng Tingye was a good person, and even though her Little Royal Sister had been gone for so long, he hadn’t shown any interest in other women. But that didn’t last long. Xia Muyun remembered how she had just started to think positively when Feng Tingye slapped her face, allowing a stranger to enter his bedchamber. Thus, inheriting a fine tradition from both the Xia and Ye royal families – Xia Muyun had completely lost her temper.
Thinking about how much in love her sister and Feng Tingye were, she realized that although she understood rationally that, as a man and an emperor, Feng Tingye couldn’t remain celibate for his entire life, as an older sister who loved her sister, she couldn’t accept that her sister’s bones weren’t even cold yet when her husband found a new woman. Therefore, seeing Xia Yuqing like this made her even more furious and torn. She struggled for a while before raising her whip, ready to strike.
Seeing this, Lu Rui hurriedly shouted, “Third Princess, please stop, this is Niang Niang!”
“Heh, you’ve been named Niang Niang so quickly. Quite impressive.” Xia Muyun’s face held a clear trace of mockery. Her whip didn’t retract but rather became more eager, “I don’t care who you are, if you dare to steal my Little Royal Sister’s man, today I’ll deal with someone like you, a vixen!”
As Xia Muyun’s whip swung toward Xia Yuqing, Lu Rui couldn’t help but scream again, “Wait, Third Princess, she’s not just anyone, she’s the former Niang Niang!”
Lu Rui’s panicked scream echoed through the entire Qianqing Palace, causing Xia Muyun’s movement to abruptly halt. The fiery red whip, mid-swing, veered to the side, narrowly avoiding hitting the fish pond.
The expressions of the people in the room visibly changed for a moment. Xia Muyun stared at Xia Yuqing, her eyes wide with disbelief, then turned to Lu Rui, “What did you say? What do you mean by ‘former Niang Niang’? Is she…”
Lu Rui hesitated, nervously looking at Xia Yuqing. She didn’t know how to explain. Just then, a high-pitched voice from outside announced, “The Empress Dowager is here!”
The people in the room were momentarily stunned. After the brief surprise passed, they hurriedly turned and looked at the door.
It was as if Cao Cao had arrived when people were talking about him! Everyone watched as Empress Dowager Zhang Sunshi walked in from outside, flanked by a boy and girl on her left and right. These were undoubtedly the twin siblings Xia Yuqing had given birth to for Feng Tingye.
As soon as Empress Dowager Zhang Sunshi entered, she saw the chaotic scene and couldn’t help but be taken aback for a moment. She looked slightly surprised and asked, “What’s going on?”
Liu Yixiang and Xia Muyun, who had kicked the door open earlier, awkwardly touched their noses, staring at the ceiling in silence.
Zhang Sunshi, seeing their reactions, guessed that they had some suspicions. Her gaze shifted slightly, and she turned to look at Xia Yuqing, whose face was still stiff with shock.
Was this really her son’s new love? She did seem oddly familiar… Could it be…
Zhang Sunshi’s heart tightened, and her expression grew somewhat unpleasant. She knew her own son well; he couldn’t easily shift his affections. But in all things, there was always the possibility of an exception, and that was what she dreaded the most. She was most afraid that her son would excessively yearn for his deceased wife, Xia Yuqing, and see traces of her in other women. After hearing about yesterday’s incident, her first thought had been just that. And now, seeing this so-called new favorite with her own eyes, she was even more certain of her suspicions. While the appearance of this young girl bore little resemblance to her late daughter-in-law, she gave off a feeling that was…
Ah, but the most critical point was this. If this girl was willing, who knew if her intentions were pure? Such a person placed beside Feng Tingye wouldn’t put them at ease. However, if she wasn’t willing, wouldn’t her son be at fault?!
As Zhang Sunshi thought about this, she couldn’t help but sigh deeply, feeling that even at her age, she was still tearing her heart apart for her children. It was truly exhausting.
As soon as Xia Yuqing saw the twin children, her eyes lit up. During the time she was away, aside from Feng Tingye, the people she missed the most were these two children. Although one of the little rascals was mischievous, he was flesh of her flesh, how could she bear to part with him? Especially since she hadn’t even seen them at all during that time.
Thinking of this, Xia Yuqing couldn’t help but feel a bit melancholic as she looked at the children. In the past year, the two children had grown quite a bit and their appearances were becoming more pronounced. Especially the second child, who had lost so much weight in a year. The chubby face had noticeably thinned.
The more Xia Yuqing looked, the more distressed she became. She wanted to rush over and hug the children right then and there. However, Zhang Sunshi’s meaningful gaze suddenly swept over, making Xia Yuqing’s body involuntarily recoil. She instantly understood the crux of the matter.
Uh… what to do now? Would the Empress Dowager and the two children recognize her? Would they accept her as she is now?
As Xia Yuqing felt uneasy and Zhang Sunshi pondered deeply, and as the others looked bewildered, the situation was saved by Big Baby, who stood beside Zhang Sunshi. He was the first to speak, looking up at Xia Yuqing with some reluctance, “Royal Mother, welcome back.”
“!” The moment Big Baby spoke, everyone present was dumbfounded. Their gazes shifted between Xia Yuqing and Big Baby, and Xia Yuqing’s face was equally stunned.
After a moment, everyone snapped back to reality. Just as they were about to speak, they saw Xia Yuqing’s face twist for a moment, and her two dark eyes welled up with tears as she pounced directly toward Big Baby.
“Dudu, you actually recognized Royal Mother with just one look. Royal Mother is truly delighted.”
“!” The people who had finally regained their senses were petrified once again by the scene before them. What was happening now? Why had they, the ones who came here to make a scene, instantly become background characters? They couldn’t understand anything, it was bizarre!
While everyone was momentarily frozen in surprise, Xia Yuqing had already rushed to Big Baby’s side. Her eyes gleamed as she looked at him and said, “Dudu, Royal Mother hadn’t even said a word yet, how did you recognize her so quickly?”
Big Baby looked at his own mother, crouched in front of him, acting silly and cute, and rolled his eyes in silence. He wouldn’t tell these people that in his Royal Father’s study, there were two small wooden figures, except for the male figure picking up soap, the other female figure was exactly the same as the person in front of him.
Combining this with the rumors he heard not long ago, the identity of the person before him was undoubtedly clear. Although he didn’t know how his foolish mother turned into this appearance, it was good that she came back. At least, with her return, Royal Father would be a bit happier. He wouldn’t shut himself in his room all day long and avoid everyone. His little sister wouldn’t keep searching for Mother everywhere, refusing to eat until she found her, and her plump little body wouldn’t keep shrinking bit by bit. Well, for him, okay, he admits he was slightly happy. Just a tiny bit, really just a tiny bit!
However, the now-developing big baby, who was already showing signs of a proud and scheming personality, wouldn’t easily reveal even this tiny bit of joy on the surface. So, in response to Xia Yuqing’s hopeful questions, the big baby calmly said, “Because in this world, no one else can look as foolish as you.”
Xia Yuqing, who had been expecting some deeply touching words, froze with a smile on her face. She was petrified on the spot.
After a moment, the skies darkened above her, and tears flowed like rivers. Indeed… it was true that no matter how much time had passed, this rotten brat was still the same, sigh… my soul has suffered a traumatic injury, please cure me!
Thinking like this, Xia Yuqing decisively shifted her attention to the other side. She tilted her head innocently and looked at her second baby, those big watery eyes still as clean and clear as ever, reflecting her own figure.
Xia Yuqing took a deep breath and tentatively asked, “Dundun, do you still remember Royal Mother?”
“Royal Mother?” Second Baby furrowed his brows, seemingly trying hard to discern the person’s appearance before her.
Second Baby’s apparent unfamiliarity stabbed at Xia Yuqing’s heart. She pursed her lips, and suddenly, a flash of insight came to her. She cleared her throat and said, “Dundun, do you remember the candied hawthorn we had in Xue Kingdom?”
Sure enough, as soon as she heard “candied hawthorn,” Second Baby’s spirit was fully aroused. Her big eyes blinked rapidly as she stared intently at Xia Yuqing. She nearly blinded her with her eager gaze.
Xia Yuqing’s mouth twitched, but her expression remained calm as she continued, “After that time in Xue Kingdom, Royal Mother promised to take Dundun to eat candied hawthorn again, but Royal Mother broke her promise. This time, Royal Mother won’t break her word anymore. In a few days, shall we go eat candied hawthorn together?”
Second Baby froze, her little face drooping in an instant. Under Xia Yuqing’s hopeful gaze, tears welled up in her eyes, and she muttered with a pout, “Royal Mother…”
Xia Yuqing trembled all over, her tears uncontrollably rolling down her cheeks. She stared into Second Baby’s eyes, which were equally teary, and replied in the same manner, “Dundun…”
“Mother…”
“Dundun…”
“Uuu…”
“Uuu…”
“…” Thus, the onlookers witnessed a heartwarming and tearful scene of mother and daughter recognizing each other, albeit with an odd exchange of endearments.
When Feng Tingye and the others arrived, what they saw was the youngest princess of the Royal Family burying herself in the arms of a stranger, sobbing loudly. The woman held the princess lovingly, her tearful eyes softly speaking words of comfort. The onlookers stood by, embracing the heartwarming (utterly baffling!) scene, or rather, they were completely thunderstruck, wearing blank expressions.
After a while, they heard Second Baby in Xia Yuqing’s arms call out with a nasal voice, “Royal Mother.”
Upon hearing her daughter’s voice, full of a slightly nasal and spoiled tone, Xia Yuqing’s heart melted. She responded gently, “Hmm? What’s the matter, Dundun?”
“In compensation for Dundun, Dundun wants to eat two more strings of candied hawthorn.”
“Ha…” Xia Yuqing couldn’t help but burst into laughter at his words. She hugged Second Baby and playfully gnawed at her. Truly, my thoughtful little darling, how can you be so cute?!
The onlookers on the side were once again petrified. Princess, are you really allowing yourself to be bribed with just two strings of candied hawthorn? Could you at least ask for a dozen? Uh… it seems like the focus is off!
Finally regaining her composure from the series of shocks, Liu Yixiang’s face regained its calmness as she stared intently at Xia Yuqing, who was huddled with Second Baby. She whispered, “I think you owe us an explanation, don’t you? Are you really Qing Jiejie?”
As this question was posed, Xia Yuqing, who was still basking in the adorableness of her precious daughter, tensed up. She turned to look at the people behind her, who were glaring at her, and involuntarily swallowed hard. How could she forget that these people were the real key to the situation? What should she do now? Should she tell the truth or continue acting carelessly? Sob sob sob… Ultra Seme Lord, come back quickly, I can’t handle this alone!
Perhaps having heard the heartfelt call from Xia Yuqing’s innermost feelings, in the next moment, the person she was shouting for help from appeared behind her. He crouched down, picked her up, and with a smile at the surprised onlookers, he said, “I think I should explain this matter.”
“!”
A cup of tea later, in the side hall of Qianqing Palace, a room that was quiet and spacious, a cluster of people sat together.
“Royal Brother means that the previous Qing Jiejie was not originally the Little Princess of the Xia Kingdom. No, the physical form indeed belonged to the Little Princess of the Xia Kingdom, but inside was someone else’s soul. The true appearance of that person is actually the present…” Liu Yixiang’s gaze swept over Feng Tingye’s body, turned around in a circle, and finally landed on Xia Yuqing, who was hiding behind him. She paused, unsure of how to address the person before her.
Xia Yuqing seemed to perceive her dilemma and took the initiative to reply, “Um… my former name was also Xia Yuqing.”
“Oh, so the present Qing Jiejie is the same as before?”
It wasn’t just Liu Yixiang; everyone present, except for Xia Muyun and Yan Ran, had never heard of such a bizarre concept before. While Xia Muyun and Yan Ran had heard Xia Mingxuan’s vague explanation, it was not detailed. Later, even though they were curious, they refrained from asking due to Xia Yuqing’s absence and Feng Tingye’s unpredictable temperament. Who dared to ask Feng Tingye about this? That would practically be seeking death. Thus, they were truly amazed to hear Feng Tingye bring up this matter.
It turns out that there really is such a thing as soul transmigration in this world!
Xia Yuqing was feeling uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gazes of everyone. After hesitating for a while, she finally cleared her throat and said, “The Emperor is right. The sequence of events is just like that. At that time, I was struck by lightning…”
She really couldn’t bring herself to say that she was too excited while reading a yellow novel and ended up getting shocked. Ugh… it’s likely these old fogies wouldn’t understand the term “electrocuted,” so I’m just lightening their comprehension load! Definitely not… too embarrassing!
With a self-righteous excuse in mind, Xia Yuqing continued, “My soul left my body and came here through transmigration. Coincidentally, the Xia Kingdom’s Little Princess died by drowning at that time, and her soul was already gone. So, I…”
I’m definitely not going to mention the mishap caused by that plot device! Otherwise, given their seemingly limited psychological tolerance, they might faint on the spot. Cough, cough…
After a moment of contemplation, Xia Muyun looked up as if she had figured something out. She turned her gaze to Xia Yuqing and asked, “In that case, when you chose to perish together with Fourth Royal Brother, did you already know that you wouldn’t die? Did you know you could return to your original body and come back here? If that’s the case, why did you wait so long to return? Were you originally planning to leave and never come back here?”
Xia Muyun’s questions came one after another, and her eyes seemed to clamp onto Xia Yuqing, as if Xia Yuqing saying a single affirmative word would make her immediately pounce over and slam her to the ground, giving her a good beating.
Xia Yuqing was rigid under her gaze, and she laughed awkwardly twice before responding, “No, at that time, I just didn’t want to burden you all, so… I didn’t know if I could return to my original body, let alone come back here. When I went back, I was also troubled. I had no idea how to return, until I recently met a fortune teller who helped me return. It’s not… that I intentionally didn’t want to come back.”
Before Xia Yuqing could finish speaking, there was suddenly a loud thud as someone slapped the table, causing her to jump as if startled, and she dashed into Feng Tingye’s arms. Trembling, she stared at the person who slapped the table. Sob sob sob, I’ve explained everything clearly, how come Third Royal Sister still looks like she wants to devour me? Is she really upset that I took over her sister’s body and deceived her?
Lost in her thoughts, Xia Yuqing suddenly heard Xia Muyun’s voice with an impatient tone, “You fool! You’re silly enough as it is. You were even sillier at the critical moment. We all have martial skills, and we can all protect ourselves. There’s no need for you, a helpless little girl, to show off. You didn’t even know if you could return to your original body, let alone come back here. It was too reckless to act so boldly. What if something had gone wrong? You would have truly died!”
Xia Yuqing was stunned, and she suddenly raised her head to look at the excited woman across from her. “Third Royal Sister…”
“Shut up! I’m not done yet!”
“…… Oh.” Xia Yuqing was taken aback by Xia Muyun’s escalating anger and immediately wilted.
“Let’s say we take a step back. Even if you were sure you could return to your original body and your own world, have you considered what would happen if you couldn’t come back? What about your husband, your children? What about your friends? What about us, your family?”
Xia Yuqing was completely stunned, tears shimmering in her eyes as she felt a pang of guilt. “Third Royal Sister, I’m sorry.”
Feng Tingye tightly held Xia Yuqing in his embrace, his arms wrapped around her waist, silently comforting her. However, he didn’t intervene to stop Xia Muyun, because what Xia Muyun was saying was what he also wanted to say but couldn’t bring himself to.
Leng Ruofeng sat beside Xia Muyun, saying nothing but silently holding her hand. He knew that over the past year, the person before him had been blaming herself.
She blamed herself for not saving Xia Yuqing back then, blamed herself for listening to Xia Mingxuan’s words, and showing such a guarded attitude towards Xia Yuqing, which had caused Xia Yuqing to look at her with that inexplicably mournful gaze as she fell off the cliff. Yet, the person was already gone, and no amount of regret could bring her back. Leng Ruofeng originally thought that this knot might stay with Xia Muyun forever, but he didn’t expect Xia Yuqing to come back. So, he felt joy and optimism about everything before him.
Xia Muyun held Leng Ruofeng’s hand in return and took a deep breath to calm herself before saying, “However… it’s good that you’re back.”
Xia Yuqing tightly pulled at the collar of Feng Tingye’s clothes, self-reflecting with teary eyes. Suddenly hearing Xia Muyun’s words, her whole body stiffened, and she turned her gaze, which had widened to the extreme, towards Xia Muyun, saying, “Third Royal Sister…”
“Hmm? Why are your eyes so wide open? Your face only looks passable because of those eyes. If you keep staring like that and your eyes fall out, you’ll truly be useless.”
“…”
Xia Yuqing hurriedly collected her overt gaze, hesitating, “Third Sister, are you not angry anymore? I… took your royal sister’s…”
Xia Muyun gave Xia Yuqing a deep look, making her feel a bit uneasy. Then she sighed lightly and said, “At first, it was indeed difficult to accept. After all, the sister who had always played and frolicked, suddenly learning that she wasn’t actually my sister, but just a stray ghost, anyone would be surprised and at a loss. But later, when I saw you fall off the cliff, I found that I would still be sad and lost. If what Ruofeng said is correct, the royal family is inherently indifferent. If it were the original Xia Yuqing, she might not have treated us sincerely like we do to each other as sisters.”
As Xia Muyun spoke, she looked deeply at Xia Yuqing and said with great seriousness, “From the beginning, the sister I encountered was you. Before that, I had only heard of my little royal sister’s name, never seen her. So, my little royal sister in my heart is only you, no matter what you have become. Now, I admit that at first, I was angry, and most of it might be because of your concealment. Little royal sister, it’s understandable to tell your family man about such a big matter. However, you were willing to tell the Fourth Prince but not us, your closest people!”
Tears welled up in Xia Yuqing’s eyes, and she stared at Xia Muyun’s eyes, full of heartache. She wiped her tears away, climbed down from Feng Tingye, and hurried to Xia Muyun. She grabbed her hand and acted spoiled, “Third Royal Sister, I was just worried that you wouldn’t be able to accept it for a while. Don’t be mad, okay?”
“Hmph!” Xia Muyun remained unmoved, gave a cold hum, and turned her head away.
“…” Lord Prime Minister, come and collect your Tsundere Princess!
Xia Yuqing glanced at Xia Muyun’s clearly displeased face, wiped the cold sweat from her forehead secretly, and then turned to look at the others. She nervously twisted her hands and asked, “What about you all…”
Cui Er and Lu Rui were the first to snap out of their shock. While they were surprised, their greater emotion was relief—relief that Xia Yuqing had returned safely.
“Niang Niang said that she became the Xia Yuqing of that time from the moment she arrived in Ye Kingdom. At that time, Niang Niang, we had just arrived by your side, so we’ve been with you and served you for so long. We can clearly differentiate who you are.” Cui Er said, and Lu Rui quickly agreed, “Yes, yes, for these years, we’ve truly been with Niang Niang. We don’t care about that strange talk of soul transmigration. In our eyes, we’ve only known and recognized you, Niang Niang.”
Li Yuan let out a sigh after hearing their words and smiled faintly, “I don’t need to say much. If it weren’t for Qing Jiejie, I might have died several years ago. The person who saved me was you, Qing Jiejie, no one else.”
Tears welled up in Xia Yuqing’s eyes as she looked at the most considerate maids by her side. She sniffled and turned her gaze to Liu Yixiang, who had been silent with a somewhat dark expression, “Xiang Er…”
As soon as Xia Yuqing spoke, she saw Liu Yixiang slam her hand on the table and then stand up, walking towards her. Xia Yuqing was so frightened that she immediately took a step back, her face wary as she looked at Liu Yixiang. Is Xiang Er planning to hit me?
Seeing the situation, Yan Ran was a little worried and wanted to get up to help, but he was stopped by Shao Zitang, who was sitting beside him. He looked at Shao Zitang inquiringly, but he gave him a signal with his eyes and turned his gaze to the still and silent Feng Tingye nearby.
Yan Ran was momentarily taken aback but obediently returned to his original seat, not moving around anymore. Fine, if the main person involved isn’t in a hurry, why should they, the “outsiders,” get involved in the commotion?
Liu Yixiang walked up to Xia Yuqing, stood in front of her, leaned closer, and whispered, “Tell me, do you think Royal Cousin and Yan Ran are a good match?”
“Poo…” Yan Ran, lying down but still getting hit, indicated that he was absolutely innocent! Hey, hey, you’re having a conversation here, don’t drag in this Grand Tutor, he’s a married man now!
Xia Yuqing’s eyes suddenly lit up at the question, “Match, match, match! Gorgeous Grand Tutor, the chatterbox with the uke trait, together with the imperial majesty, the Ultra Seme Lord, they’re just too perfect! It should be a passionate and fiery relationship, brewing and fermenting…”
“…” Hey, we’re right here, you know! Yan Ran’s temple throbbed, looking at Xia Yuqing’s face that was currently lost in her own world, showing a blush-inducing expression as if thinking about some explicit stuff. He looked at the person sitting calmly on the main seat with a gaze full of complaints. Come on, control your people, don’t let her blabber like this!
Feng Tingye didn’t pay the slightest attention to Yan Ran’s irritated stare. He watched Xia Yuqing’s face, filled with an expression he hadn’t seen in a long time, with great relish. He used to find that side of her annoying, but now he suddenly felt… it wasn’t without its charm. He really was too deeply poisoned, beyond recovery!
“…” That d*mn wife-slave! Yan Ran looked at Feng Tingye’s overly indulgent expression and once again knelt in front of this peculiar couple.
In fact, under Xia Yuqing’s excited rambles, in her world, any beautiful man should be with another beautiful man, they would match well, be eye-pleasing, and, as a devout fujoshi, she believed that pairing was everything. Even though she was repeatedly suppressed, she wouldn’t easily give up on this life-long ambition!
And Liu Yixiang understood this deeply, which was why she asked such a question.
Hearing Xia Yuqing’s expected response, Liu Yixiang finally confirmed what she had been thinking in her heart. She took a deep breath, tears welled up in her eyes, and she threw herself into Xia Yuqing’s arms with a sense of grievance. She said, “I knew it! How could a person change so drastically before and after falling into water? It’s really because it’s not the same person. Wuu wuu wuu, Qing Jiejie, you’ve finally come back. You don’t know how lonely it was during the time you were away. No one discussed the secrets of the harem with me using code words anymore. They all found me too unreasonable and old-fashioned. It’s true that Qing Jiejie is the best, you understand me!”
“…”
The others felt dumbfounded as they listened to Liu Yixiang’s words. They simultaneously thought, it’s not that we don’t understand, your world is just too complicated. We truly don’t get it!
Xia Yuqing nodded deeply with emotion, “Exactly, exactly! They are indeed too old-fashioned. They can’t understand how beautiful it is to have two handsome men together, how blissful it is in our eyes! “
“That’s right, that’s right!”
Everyone watched Xia Yuqing and Liu Yixiang discussing their shared topic as if they were alone, feeling quite awkward. After a while, Yan Ran and the others coughed slightly, indicating that they were trying to bring the two of them back to the real world.
As if awakening from a dream, Xia Yuqing realized that most of the main characters of her conversation were actually present. She laughed awkwardly and scratched her hair, hastily trying to change the subject and divert attention, “So, what about you esteemed gentlemen…”
Yan Ran and the others looked at the familiar silly smile on someone’s face, and their own faces couldn’t help but show a trace of amusement. However, they were not good at expressing themselves. One kept a straight face without speaking, while the other directly looked up at the sky in a contemplative manner. The only one still in a normal state was Yan Ran, who had just become the subject of Xia Yuqing’s discussion.
Clearing his throat, Yan Ran smiled meaningfully under Xia Yuqing’s hopeful gaze and said, “The person with the most authority to speak hasn’t said much. We, the easily influenced ones, wouldn’t dare to complain. Anyway, welcome back.”
Xia Yuqing was momentarily startled, and it took her a while to understand who Yan Ran was referring to as having the most authority to speak. Her face turned slightly red, and with a bit of embarrassment, she cast a sidelong glance. Finally, she shifted her attention to Zhang Sunshi, who had been sitting silently next to Feng Tingye without speaking.
“Royal Mother, I…”
Zhang Sunshi frowned and scrutinized her for a long time, just like how Xia Muyun had observed her earlier. She made Xia Yuqing feel a chill running down her spine before reluctantly responding, “You seem even smaller than before. With such a petite frame, how can you continue the imperial lineage for Ting Er in the future?”
Xia Yuqing was dumbfounded, and after a moment, she realized Zhang Sunshi’s implication. Her face turned red in an instant, and she stammered, “We already have two, isn’t that enough?”
Zhang Sunshi didn’t agree at all, saying, “How can two be enough? Children, of course, should be born as many as possible. The more, the merrier!
“…” Why does Royal Mother’s suggestion sound like she wants me to have another bunch of children! Somehow, Xia Yuheng suddenly remembered the statement Feng Tingye made back then about having a dozen children. Should I say you two are indeed mother and son? Your thoughts on this matter are exactly the same, it’s really enough!
Feng Tingye looked at Xia Yuqing’s scrunched-up face and naturally guessed what she was thinking. He mischievously chimed in, “Royal Mother is right. While we’re still young, we should definitely have a few more children. Ai Fei, we should work harder for this!”
As Feng Tingye spoke, Xia Yuqing’s face puffed up like a big bun. She glared at the big bad wolf with a smug look, thinking to herself, “Sure, work harder, but it’s not like you’re the one giving birth. You work harder by yourself!”
Seeing Xia Yuqing’s annoyed expression, Feng Tingye’s heart inexplicably softened. Over the past year, how many times had he woken up from dreams, trying to hold onto this person in front of him? Now she was right here, real and alive, crying, smiling, getting angry, and acting cute.
Feeling a touch on her cheek, Xia Yuqing looked up in surprise and met someone’s cautious and joyful gaze. A sudden surge of warmth flowed from the depths of her heart, causing Xia Yuqing to instinctively clutch at her collar, feeling so moved that she wanted to cry.
The awkwardness from earlier had long been thrown into the clouds by Xia Yuqing. Now she just turned her head in a slightly spoiled manner, blushing as she asked, “Um, really?”
“What’s real or fake?”
“Is it really like what Royal Mother and Royal Sister said? My current appearance…”
Feng Tingye was momentarily surprised, understanding that Xia Yuqing was concerned about this. Feeling somewhat helpless inside, he replied seriously, “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”
Xia Yuqing blushed again, unwilling to admit that she felt shy because of someone’s words. She turned her head, glaring at Feng Tingye, wondering if this Ultra Seme Lord meant he thought her current body was not as good as before?
Looking at his adorable pet suddenly bristling with fur, apparently dissatisfied with his answer, Feng Tingye calmly reached out and smoothed down the fur, saying, “Good, no matter how you change, I like it.”
The raised fur of the little pet suddenly drooped down, blushing and no longer resisting.
Zhang Sunshi watched the interaction between her son and daughter-in-law and couldn’t help but chuckle.
The people below also gradually returned to their senses. Yan Ran dramatically covered his eyes and exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, I’m blinded, truly blinded. Completely blinded.”
“Hahaha…”
Everyone was amused by his exaggerated behavior, and laughter filled the room. For the first time since Xia Yuqing’s last departure, such joyous laughter echoed through the air.
Zhang Sunshi laughed enough and seemed to recall something. She turned to Xia Yuqing, who was embarrassed and seemed to want to dig a hole and bury herself in Feng Tingye’s arms, saying, “Now that you’re back, don’t forget to find time to visit Xu Lao. Since a year ago, when he learned about you… Xu Lao has been very sad, shutting himself in the mansion every day, refusing to see anyone. Sigh…”
Xia Yuqing was taken aback, remembering the old man who had treated her as his own and showered her with love. She nodded slightly with a heavy heart. Then she looked at the people in the room, her lips curved into a slightly mischievous smile, and buried her head in Feng Tingye’s embrace. Thankfully, she had chosen to return here, to the people who were always willing to accept her, who were waiting for her.
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
Want to get early access to at least 5 chapters in advance? Go to my Patreon to join now! :)
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
