Side Story 9: Father, Mother Escaped Again, End
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As the scorching sun rose, little by little, it illuminated the distant mountains, and then gradually traced the path along the mountainside, illuminating the entire earth step by step. Even before the sky turned pale, the palace servants of the Xiefang Palace had already begun their busy day.
Lu Rui worked as usual in the small kitchen, bustling about for the morning meal. Behind her, a large dog kept swaying around.
With a “smack,” Lu Rui unabashedly swatted away the paw that reached for the plate of mung bean cake she had just finished.
The person who was hit didn’t feel embarrassed at all. With a mischievous smile on their face, they looked at Lu Rui pitifully and said, “Little Lulu, I’m hungry. Just let me have a piece, please, just one piece.”
“…” Lu Rui, listening to that cringeworthy nickname, shivered with goosebumps. Suppressing the urge to smear the person’s face in front of her with the plate of food, she took a deep breath and pulled out another small plate from a corner.
“Eating pastries so early in the morning is not good for digestion. These are meant for the Empress Niang Niang and the others to snack on after meals. If you’re really hungry, there are a few buns here you can have as a stopgap. We can talk about the rest later.” With that, Lu Rui turned away somewhat awkwardly, pretending to do something else to ease the embarrassment.
Yun Zhongyue was taken aback, looking excitedly at the round, chubby, white steamed buns on the table. He couldn’t wait and grabbed one, only to find that it was the red bean paste bun he liked.
Yun Zhongyue was stunned again, staring at the bun in his hand for a moment, and a certain suspicion arose in his heart. With a pleasantly surprised expression, he turned to the person behind him and said, “Little Lulu, did you prepare this just for me? I’m truly touched!”
Although Yun Zhongyue had imagined that one day Lu Rui would cook for him, it was just a passing thought. After pursuing Lu Rui for years without success, he had lowered his expectations to the minimum. Now he only wished that the person in front of him would agree to be with him; nothing else mattered. But he never expected that in the midst of his despair, a ray of hope would suddenly appear. It was too sudden for him, and he felt a dizziness as if he had been hit on the head.
Lu Rui, her face already blushing awkwardly, dared not look directly at Yun Zhongyue. When she suddenly saw Yun Zhongyue pouncing towards her, she was startled and reflexively picked up the large fan by the side, using it to shoo him out of the kitchen. With a condescending gaze and a red face, she scolded, “Who… who said this was made specifically for you? This is just… just the leftovers from last night. I reheated them because I thought it would be a waste. It’s not what you think. Don’t be presumptuous.”
Having spoken, she slammed the kitchen door shut and was left holding the plate, her other hand covering her blushing face, unable to stop herself from smiling like a fool.
* my favourite couple
As soon as Lu Rui closed the door, she felt like all her strength had left her. She slumped against the door, tilted her head back, and let out a sigh.
Though Lu Rui might be a bit slow in certain matters, she was not stupid. Ever since Yun Zhongyue had confessed his feelings to her, she had been paying deliberate attention to him, whether consciously or subconsciously.
Lu Rui, who usually poured all her energy into taking care of Xia Yuqing and the two children, finally managed to spare a bit of attention for the person beside her. Not only did this attention reveal his actions, but it also revealed that the man who bore the distinguished title of the Sixth Prince of Shu had hidden everything within the everyday details.
For example, when she was sweating profusely while preparing meals for Xia Yuqing and the others, he would hang from the ceiling without disturbing her, fanning her. No wonder she always wondered why a sudden cold wind would blow by from behind, causing her to mess up the cooking temperatures and nearly ruining several dishes.
Another example, when she was in a hurry, he would secretly add salt to the dishes she hadn’t salted yet, although he often confused salt and sugar, resulting in mistakes. No wonder she found it strange before – why did sweet and sour spare ribs turn out salty, while pork rib and lotus seed soup was overly sweet? It turned out this guy was the culprit…
For example, after her daily hard work, he would thoughtfully prepare hot water for her, help her bathe and change, and then hover outside her room window, fluttering about as a sort of protector. No wonder she had seen a black shadow flying back and forth outside her window during that time and thought it was a ghost. She had almost invited a Taoist priest to exorcise it…
Numerous such instances, previously unnoticed, were now being recalled little by little.
It wasn’t that she had turned a blind eye; she just hadn’t considered that angle before. Plus, she wasn’t the type to entertain presumptuous thoughts, so over time, she had unconsciously overlooked it. Now, thinking back, Lu Rui felt an unexpected wave of shock. After all, although most of his efforts seemed counterproductive, she could discern that he was earnestly trying to get closer to her.
For so many years, Lu Rui, who had never been treated so earnestly since entering the palace, was not someone with a heart of stone. Especially in the two years that followed, Yun Zhongyue had stayed by her side without a moment’s rest, showering her with care.
A prince, day after day, running around after a palace maid, going to great lengths to please her. She was just a plain girl with no wealth or looks, and her cooking skills were just passable. If she still couldn’t see his intentions, Lu Rui would truly think she should go back and take her medicine.
But knowing such things was one thing; it was up to the man to make the first move. Otherwise, how could a girl like her…
Lu Rui suddenly realized she was thinking too far ahead and quickly patted her own face, trying to cool down the flush on her cheeks.
After a moment, she managed to regain her composure and looked back at the reflection of the person outside the door. This stubborn guy, she had been so obvious… Humph, forget it. Today, the Shu Emperor and Shu Empress Niang Niang were coming over, and she had to prepare in advance. She couldn’t neglect the guests. She would think about these matters later.
With these thoughts, Lu Rui calmly left the person outside the door and turned back to focus on her work in the kitchen. Unbeknownst to her, Yun Zhongyue outside the door was still laughing to himself about the so-called progress, completely unaware that he had missed another opportunity to confess.
In the blink of an eye, it had been almost a year since Xia Yuqing had returned to Ye Kingdom, and just a few months ago, Yun Xi, who was far away in Shu Kingdom, successfully gave birth to the next heir of Shu. After that, Yun Xi refused to stay in Shu Kingdom any longer. She packed her bags immediately, ignored the persuasions of the Shu Emperor and Shu Empress Niang Niang, and took the child with her to return to Ye Kingdom, accompanied by He Wenqing.
At the sight of Xia Yuqing, Yun Xi burst into tears. Touching Xia Yuqing’s face, tears streamed down her face as she said, “Qing Jiejie, how did your face become this ghostly appearance? Those people are truly despicable! Sob, sob, my poor Qing Jiejie.”
“…” Another ignorant girl deceived by rumors. The people around, including Shao Zitang, looked at Yun Xi with sympathetic expressions.
“…” Is my face really that terrible? Why is everyone picking on my face? Enough already! Xia Yuqing felt that her knees had been shot again.
Anyway, Yun Xi had settled in Ye Kingdom and, in addition, brought along the future heir of Shu Kingdom. This made the two elders of the He family overjoyed.
They only found out about Yun Xi’s identity later, and they were quite surprised. While they weren’t thrilled about their son marrying into another family after raising him, they couldn’t resist the mutual affection between the two and their own fondness for Yun Xi. They had to make a concession and let He Wenqing go back to Shu Kingdom with Yun Xi.
Afterward, when the two elders heard that Yun Xi and He Wenqing had a child, their joy was mixed with more concerns. However, they were aware that the two countries were far apart and traveling between them wasn’t easy. They could only keep writing letters, urging He Wenqing to take good care of Yun Xi and their little grandson.
Later, when Yun Xi gave birth, they thought they would have to wait a while to see the child. However, not long after, Yun Xi and her husband brought the child back. The two elders were overjoyed, looking at the round little grandson. Old Master He’s tough, iron-blooded image had completely softened, not to mention Madam He. They spent their days doting on their grandson, enjoying the happiness of family life.
While the He family was enjoying clear skies and unfettered freedom, the cloud over Yun Zhongli and Helian Mingyue’s side was dense, and the gloom was evident. They had waited so long for their daughter to give birth to their future grandson, but before they could even get used to it, she took their grandson and left. How could the two elders not worry?
Originally, they had thought that Yun Xi and He Wenqing were just going back to see Xia Yuqing and would return to Shu Kingdom after a while. Although they missed their grandson, they weren’t unreasonable people. They were willing to let them stay for some time. But the two elders didn’t expect that after several months, there was no sign of the young couple returning. On the contrary, it seemed like they wanted to settle down in Ye Kingdom. How could they stand for this?! The couple from Yun Zhongli’s family were anxious and upset. They decided to personally go to Ye Kingdom and bring their daughter back.
In the past year, thanks to Feng Tingye’s help in the matter of the Eldest Princess, the relationship between Shu and Ye Kingdoms had improved significantly from the initial state of tension and animosity. This time, when the Shu Emperor and Empress Niang Niang arrived, Feng Tingye and Xia Yuqing naturally went out of the city to welcome them.
However, unlike before, after welcoming them, Yun Zhongli and Helian Mingyue did not immediately check into the inn as they had done last time. Instead, they went straight into the palace with Feng Tingye and Xia Yuqing.
“Aunt Yue, why have you been staring at me all this time? Do I have spots on my face?”
Since getting off the carriage, Helian Mingyue had been staring at her with a profound and inscrutable gaze. Xia Yuqing had started to feel a bit chilly from being stared at for so long.
Helian Mingyue’s gaze eased slightly as she smiled faintly. “This Majesty was just looking at how much you’ve changed compared to before, Qing Er. I couldn’t help but take a few more glances.”
Helian Mingyue’s words made Feng Tingye’s hand, which was holding the tea, pause for a moment. He suddenly remembered that Xia Yuqing had confessed to him back then that this Shu Empress Niang Niang came from the same place as her.
Thinking of this, Feng Tingye’s expression slightly darkened, and a hint of wariness appeared in his eyes as he glanced at Helian Mingyue. He then turned his gaze to Yun Zhongli and found that their expressions were almost the same. The only difference was that the man was looking at the very person they were both concerned about.
Feng Tingye’s eyes flashed slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face. It seemed that this man was not entirely ignorant either.
Xia Yuqing didn’t detect the undercurrents between Feng Tingye and Yun Zhongli. Feeling somewhat awkward, she scratched her face and said, “Aunt Yue, haven’t you heard about the rumors? I ruined my appearance before, remember?”
Helian Mingyue’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t delve any further. She smiled and said, “Now that you mention it, I do remember hearing about that rumor. Ah, you’ve suffered so much. You’ve become the Empress Niang Niang of Ye Kingdom, but you still had to endure so much hardship. Fate can be so cruel.”
As Helian Mingyue finished speaking, her gaze conspicuously shifted toward Feng Tingye for a moment. Anyone with discerning eyes could tell that she was addressing Feng Tingye with her words, subtly blaming him for not protecting Xia Yuqing well enough.
Feng Tingye’s expression changed a bit, and he tightened his grip on the teacup, but he didn’t lose his temper.
Helian Mingyue saw this and realized that she couldn’t continue with the veiled criticism. She cleared her throat and said, “Xi Er has been here for so long, causing trouble for you.”
“Aunt Yue, you’re too polite. I’m so happy that Xi Er came to see me. How could I feel troubled?”
Helian Mingyue reached out and held Xia Yuqing’s hand. “That little one has been spoiled by me and her father. She’s always straightforward in her actions, rarely making big mistakes, though she might make small ones. Over the years, she has come to your place quite often. I appreciate you taking care of her.”
Xia Yuqing felt that Helian Mingyue was acting a bit strange today but had to smile and respond politely, “Oh, not at all. Xi Er is well-behaved here. We all like her, and it’s not like we’re not taking care of her.”
After exchanging a few more pleasantries in veiled terms, Helian Mingyue changed the subject. “I wonder where Xi Er is now?”
“Xi Er is in the side hall right now, while the little one is with his grandparents. Aunt Yue, do you want to see Xi Er first?” Xia Yuqing asked as she heard Helian Mingyue inquire about Yun Xi.
Helian Mingyue smiled and said, “We’ve been on the road for a while, and I’m a bit tired. I’ll rest here for a bit before going over. The Emperor here has been mentioning Xi Er all along, it seems he’s eager to see her. So, how about the Emperor goes to see Xi Er first, and I’ll follow after?”
Yun Zhongli was taken aback by this request and looked at Helian Mingyue with surprise, wanting to say something but stopping himself.
However, Helian Mingyue didn’t give him a chance to speak. Instead, she turned to Feng Tingye with a dignified and gentle smile. “My Emperor isn’t familiar with the palace of Ye Kingdom. If King Ye doesn’t mind, could you take him over to Xi Er’s side?”
Feng Tingye’s eyes flickered, and he put down his teacup, saying with a faint smile, “With pleasure, King Shu. Please, this way.”
As Yun Zhongli began to speak, Feng Tingye signaled to him with a glance. His words changed abruptly: “This emperor and King Ye will go first. Yue Er, rest for a while and join us later.”
At the end of the speech, Yun Zhongli followed Feng Tingye out of the palace gate. At the moment the gate closed, as if the two men had a prearranged agreement, they abruptly turned around and directly pressed against the palace door to eavesdrop.
“I really didn’t expect that the majestic King Ye, who stands above tens of thousands in the Ye Kingdom, admired by the people as a hero, would one day stoop to the point of eavesdropping outside the door. If your subjects were to see you, I wonder what their reaction would be?” Yun Zhongli looked at the man squeezing into the best position next to him and sarcastically remarked. Hmph, this brat really doesn’t understand how to respect elders. At his age, he dares to compete with me for a spot!
Feng Tingye, upon hearing this, sneered as if mocking Yun Zhongli and said, “This Majesty also didn’t expect that the King of Shu, at this age, would still have a penchant for eavesdropping. People can be deceiving. I wonder how your ministers, who are afraid of nothing but chaos in the world, would react if they saw this.”
“You…” Yun Zhongli was infuriated by Feng Tingye’s words, just about to get angry, but then he saw Feng Tingye suddenly make a quiet gesture towards him and pointed inside the room.
Yun Zhongli choked back his words, no longer caring about being upset with Feng Tingye, and quickly bent down to press against the door to eavesdrop.
Once Yun Zhongli and Feng Tingye left, Helian Mingyue immediately dropped her act. She stood up and leaned in close to Xia Yuqing, pinching her face. “Is this your original appearance?”
Xia Yuqing was momentarily taken aback. She wasn’t quite comfortable with Helian Mingyue’s sudden change in demeanor. Looking bewildered, she replied, “Huh?”
“What’s with the ‘huh’? Your excuses might deceive that foolish girl Xi Er, but how could they fool me?” Helian Mingyue huffed coldly, exuding an air of disdain.
Only then did Xia Yuqing realize that Helian Mingyue’s previous words were deliberately misleading. Her intention had been to draw the others away and speak to her alone.
Xia Yuqing chuckled awkwardly and approached Helian Mingyue, grabbing her hand. “Indeed, nothing can escape Aunt Yue’s discerning eyes.”
“Don’t try to feed me those excuses. Just be honest and tell me, what’s going on?” Helian Mingyue gave Xia Yuqing a sideways glance, clearly not buying into Xia Yuqing’s act.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xia Yuqing could only explain the situation truthfully. Although they had only met a few times, because they were from the same place, and because this person was Yun Xi’s biological mother, Xia Yuqing had already seen her as an elder who could share some intimate words that she couldn’t share with others.
For Helian Mingyue, Xia Yuqing was about the same age as Yun Xi and was a trustworthy junior. Moreover, she was one of the few “companions” she had in this world. Friendship that comes from shared suffering naturally develops quickly under such circumstances.
Helian Mingyue listened as Xia Yuqing recounted her experiences of being kidnapped, falling off a cliff, and then returning to the ancient era after a month of struggle. Her expression shifted repeatedly as she heard about the agonizing process of deciding to return to the past.
Most of these events were unknown even to Feng Tingye; today was the first time he was hearing them, let alone Yun Zhongli.
As Yun Zhongli listened to Xia Yuqing’s story, he couldn’t help but turn to Feng Tingye with a complex expression. He said, “King Ye, you are truly fortunate.”
A shiver ran through Feng Tingye’s body, and his right hand unconsciously clenched his robe tightly, as if only by doing so could he calm the turmoil in his heart. He had always known that having Xia Yuqing back by his side was a stroke of luck, and he understood that her choice to return had meant sacrificing much. However, he had never realized the depth of her struggle and what she had gone through before appearing before him again.
Yun Zhongli was right; he was indeed lucky. After experiencing such a loss, he had managed to recover what he had lost. He had this person firmly in his grasp, and he truly was fortunate.
The thoughts outside the hall were varied, while inside the hall, both individuals displayed complex expressions.
After hearing Xia Yuqing’s explanation, Helian Mingyue fell silent for a while, stroking her chin. Suddenly, she reached out and patted Xia Yuqing’s shoulder, asking, “So, you’re saying… you died once, went back to the modern era, and then chose to return to the ancient times? Wait, did you know you could go back when you jumped off the cliff?”
Xia Yuqing nodded, then shook her head.
Helian Mingyue gave her a stern look. “Did you know or not?”
Xia Yuqing answered nervously, “I didn’t know.”
Before she could finish speaking, Helian Mingyue’s hand had already swung forward, landing a resounding slap. She scolded, “You fool! You did all this without knowing? What if something had happened to you? What if you couldn’t go back and ended up really dead?”
Helian Mingyue’s words struck Feng Tingye’s heart like a heavy hammer, causing his complexion to become increasingly unsightly. That incident had left an indelible lesson in his heart.
Rubbing her sore shoulder where she had been slapped, Xia Yuqing muttered softly, “Ouch, ouch, ouch. Aunt Yue, be gentle. Nothing really happened, right?”
“If something did happen, would you be able to stand in front of me and say so much now?” Helian Mingyue said, unable to bear it anymore. She reached out and grabbed Xia Yuqing’s ear, saying, “And, are you stupid or not? Why come back so eagerly? What if you accidentally end up in the wrong place or at the wrong time when you come back? Where will you cry then?”
Xia Yuqing felt a pain in her ear, and the next moment, her poor earlobe fell into the clutches of someone. She couldn’t help but feel like crying. Why does everyone like to tug on her ears when she came back? She’s almost turned into a long-eared rabbit, and it hurts so much, sob…
Enduring the pain on her ear, Xia Yuqing whispered, “Ouch, ouch, ouch, Aunt Yue, be gentle. Didn’t I think about all of this at that time? I just eagerly wanted to come back. Although I was happy to see other friends during that month back there, I always felt a bit empty in my heart, like something was missing. It’s still more reassuring to be back here. Aunt Yue, you talk lightly. Honestly, if you went back, would you not want to come back?”
“!” As soon as Xia Yuqing said this, Yun Zhongli outside immediately pricked up his ears, wanting to hear clearly his wife’s true thoughts.
Because of Xia Yuqing’s words, Helian Mingyue also froze for a moment. Xia Yuqing took advantage of this moment to break free from Helian Mingyue’s clutches, rubbing her ear while looking at Helian Mingyue with anticipation, hoping to get her response.
Helian Mingyue felt awkward for a few seconds, cleared her throat, and said, “Uh, of course, I don’t want to come back. But I’ve already given birth to his child. Even if I don’t care about his face, I have to consider the child’s face, right? Can I heartlessly leave the child behind? Yes, yes, I’m not doing it for him, I’m doing it for the child!”
Seeing Helian Mingyue’s insincere appearance, Xia Yuqing could only reply casually, “Alright, alright, I know you’re doing it for little Xi, not for Yun Xi’s dad. I understand, I understand.”
Helian Mingyue, dissatisfied with Xia Yuqing’s casual attitude, furrowed her brow and approached Xia Yuqing, “You talk as if you didn’t come back for the child. Could it be that the only reason you came back is for…”
Xia Yuqing had indeed come back for Feng Tingye, that much was true. However, while it was a fact, admitting outright that she had returned for a man in front of others was something her face wasn’t thick enough to handle.
Therefore, as she met Helian Mingyue’s teasing gaze, Xia Yuqing, flustered and annoyed, uttered a statement she would later regret: “Right, right, I came back for the child too. If it weren’t for the child, I wouldn’t have come back. Are you satisfied now?”
Outside the hall, Yun Zhongli keenly felt that as soon as Xia Yuqing finished speaking, the aura of the person standing beside him dropped several percentage points. Yun Zhongli, who had just been struck by this revelation, couldn’t help but feel a bit gleeful. He had never liked Feng Tingye much since earlier, so he wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by. He sarcastically commented, “In the end, it seems that King Ye’s place in Ye Empress’s heart is inferior to that of the two children.”
Feng Tingye’s face turned cold. He turned to give Yun Zhongli a disdainful glance and said with a cold smile, “Pot calling the kettle black.”
Yun Zhongli choked for a moment, but he wasn’t one to back down easily. He added, “King Ye, as an elder, I must remind you that while our situations are somewhat similar, it’s a sure thing that Yun Xi is part of my family. However, as for your Empress, although she has already given birth to two children, hasn’t she never experienced motherhood now?”
Feng Tingye clearly understood the implications in Yun Zhongli’s words. His complexion became even more unsightly.
After a moment, Feng Tingye retorted, “You need not worry about this, King of Shu. I have my ways. You shouldn’t trouble yourself with others’ affairs. It would be better to focus on how to manage your own people properly and prevent her from misleading or even kidnapping people she shouldn’t be meddling with.”
Yun Zhongli’s sharp eyes flickered. He turned to look at the closed palace doors in front of him and said in a deep voice, “The same advice goes for you, King Ye.”
“From now on, these two must not be allowed to be together, especially not alone! They are not welcome in Ye Kingdom anymore!” These were the shared sentiments of two possessive men.
Compared to the intense emotions outside the hall, the two people inside were chatting away happily, completely unaware that they had both been completely blacklisted by each other’s men.
Yun Xi and He Wenzhong’s child was nicknamed “Tuan Tuan.” Since their return to Ye Kingdom, Tuan Tuan had been taken care of by He’s elderly parents. Now that Yun Zhongli and Helian Mingyue wanted to take the child back, they had to meet with this couple.
Xia Yuqing initially thought that Yun Zhongli, who was a doting father, would surely cause a huge commotion when he met General He, who had taken his precious daughter. Unexpectedly, these two fathers, who believed in coddling daughters and beating sons to make them successful, not only didn’t fight, but after chatting behind closed doors for half a day, they seemed to develop some sort of camaraderie and mutual understanding. This left Xia Yuqing green-eyed with envy, and she couldn’t help but imagine that these two men might as well engage in a twilight romance. Ahem…
After Yun Zhongli and Helian Mingyue successfully took Yun Xi and the others back, they naturally couldn’t stay in Ye Kingdom for long. Although the elderly members of the He family and Yun Xi were reluctant to part, they also knew that Yun Xi and the others had been in Ye Kingdom for a long time. So, they didn’t make much of an effort to retain them, although they did feel a bit reluctant as they bid farewell.
The only person who was delighted to see this scene unfold and who wished Yun Zhongli and his wife would leave his sight as soon as possible was undoubtedly Feng Tingye.
Watching the carriage gradually move away, Feng Tingye’s inner little devil couldn’t help but grin, a cold, ruthless smile forming. These two people, they’d better not set foot in his territory of Ye Kingdom again. Indeed, in certain aspects, someone with a mind narrower than a pinhole might not be able to forgive Helian Mingyue for misleading Xia Yuqing.
However, heaven must have thought Xia Yuqing had been too idle recently. Just as Yun Zhongli’s group left, Xia Yuqing, Su Wuduan dashed into her sleeping quarters, pleading and even threatening Xia Yuqing to marry Cui Er to him, openly and officially, as his lawful wife.
“Youngest Junior Sister, you can’t be so heartless. You clearly promised to help your Senior Brother. You can’t go back on your word!”
Xia Yuqing looked at the person who was clutching her thigh, sobbing and shamelessly throwing a tantrum, and her mouth twitched. “…Didn’t you say I was like a pig in your eyes?”
“How can that be? Everyone can eat pigs, can everyone eat you, Junior Sister? If that were true, wouldn’t your husband turn the world upside down for you?”
Xia Yuqing’s eyes narrowed suddenly, dangerously. She asked, “What are you implying, Senior Brother? Are you saying I’m worth less than a pig?”
The smile on Su Wuduan’s face suddenly stiffened when he saw the anger on Xia Yuqing’s face. He quickly continued, backpedaling, “How could that be? Junior Sister, you’ve misunderstood. Senior Brother’s intention is that you, with your intelligence, grace, and charm, can’t possibly be compared to those silly and foolish creatures like pigs. Aren’t you lowering your own value by getting angry over this matter?”
“Hmph!” Xia Yuqing didn’t buy into his excuses. She brushed his hand off her clothes and turned around, intending to leave.
Seeing her reaction, Su Wuduan suddenly became nervous. He dashed forward and clung to her thigh again, wailing, “Junior Sister, have some pity on your Senior Brother! Look, how many years have I been chasing after your Senior Sister-in-law? We were finally about to achieve a breakthrough, but so many things happened. Now that things have settled down, you still won’t let go. Your Senior Brother’s life is so miserable. Everyone around has found their match, but I’m still alone. I can’t live without your Senior Sister-in-law! Please help your Senior Brother out. If I can’t marry your Senior Sister-in-law, I might as well hang myself… sob, sob, sob…”
“…” In the end, Xia Yuqing couldn’t bear Su Wuduan’s shameless crying, begging, and even threats. She finally agreed.
It wasn’t because Su Wuduan had truly annoyed her, but she suddenly felt that what he said wasn’t entirely baseless. He had been entangled with Cui Er for so many years. Finally, they were on the verge of success, and she had caused a two-year delay due to her own reasons. No wonder Su Wuduan was getting anxious and upset. Xia Yuqing felt a bit guilty about this and realized that maybe it was time to let go. Moreover, if they continued in this uncertain state, not only would Su Wuduan become anxious and frustrated, but her gentle, accomplished, both in the hall and in the kitchen, good-at-everything Cui Er might end up becoming an old spinster, which was something she couldn’t tolerate.
With these thoughts, Xia Yuqing finally gave in. On the same day, she got Cui Er’s consent and happily went to Qianqing Palace to seek approval from Feng Tingye.
Although Feng Tingye wasn’t very willing to let Cui Er leave Xia Yuqing’s side, he couldn’t help but think that if Cui Er stayed by Xia Yuqing’s side, Su Wuduan would never give up. He would constantly pester Xia Yuqing, and the thought made him irritable. Considering everything, Feng Tingye waved his hand and approved the marriage.
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