Volume 1 Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Yao Yu Has Disappeared
"It's nothing much, just some idle gossip. Mother, nowadays Wan er is quite our family's pride! His Majesty listens to all her requests and demands!" Yao Suluan deliberately sent an expression with her eyes, meaning to warn her mother that Yao Mowan was now no longer the same as before; she absolutely couldn't be hit. Dou Xianglan suddenly realized Yao Mowan's current status and couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air. It was lucky that she hadn't flung a slap yet.
"En, His Majesty is really nice and spoils Mowan like Mom did. His Majesty even said that if anyone dared to bully Mowan, he'll chop off the tip of her finger!" Seeing Dou Xianglan's disgusting face, Yao Mowan's heart abruptly turned cold. Her younger sister had probably had to take no small amount of slapping from Dou Xianglan in her previous half lifetime. The future is long, if there was anything that she had, it was time. So there was plenty of time to accompany them to play properly. At the side, Dou Xianglan subconsciously withdrew her hand into her sleeve upon hearing this and her facial color turned so dark it was hard to distinguish from purple.
"Mowan, what brought you here?" Yao Suluan restrained her temper and asked in a gentle voice. Ever since she came back from Guan Osprey Palace, Yao Suluan knew that for the time being she couldn't afford to offend this fool. When the time comes that His Majesty gets tired of playing with her, that will also be the day of Yao Mowan's death.
"Just then Ting Yue said it. It's been a long time since Mowan saw di mother, Mowan has really started to miss di mother ah!" Yao Mowan's face broke into a big smile, but the smile caused Dou Xianglan to feel uncomfortable from head to toe.
"You'd miss me…" Dou Xianglan mumbled as she gave a cold humph.
"What did di mother say? Mowan couldn't hear?" Yao Mowan walked around Yao Suluan until she was directly in front of Dou Xianglan. This move startled Dou Xianglan so much that she hurriedly moved backwards, practically avoiding her as if Mowan was something terrifying. Dou Xianglan believed that if Yao Mowan wasn't a fool, even if she had Yao Suluan's protection she might not be able to come out unscathed.
"No…nothing much!" Dou Xianglan dodged the question. Although Yao Suluan and Dou Xianglan clearly gave tactful signals to Yao Mowan that she wasn't welcomed, Yao Mowan simply insisted on lingering in Pure Flowers Palace. She stayed until after seven in the evening had passed before giving a languid stretch and heading out of the Pure Flower Palace doors.
"That lowly wretch finally left! I seriously don't understand why His Majesty would favor her!" Dou Xianglan heavily exhaled as she spoke resentfully.
"Don't say that this daughter didn't remind you. These days, His Majesty guards her extremely tightly. If you don't have any matters, don't provoke her. If you really rouse His Majesty's temper in the future, even Daughter doesn't have the ability to completely save you." Yao Suluan warned.
"Enough! Originally I was thinking of having you help me get rid of that mongrel Yao Yu. I never expected to end up having to deal with Yao Mowan's mood for half the day. It's already pretty late so just call Cai Ying and the rest back. I'll just go; happy!?" Dou Xianglan held back a bellyful of anger and spoke irritably.
Right at this time, Cai Ying ran into Pure Flowers Palace completely flustered.
"Niang niang! It's not good!" Cai Ying gasped for breath as she stopped in front of Yao Suluan. Her forehead was covered with sweat and her face was as pale as paper.
"What happened? Didn't I have you take Yao Yu to play? Where is he?" Yao Suluan frowned as she looked towards Cai Ying. There was still no sight of Yao Yu following her in.
"This servant doesn't know either. A while ago this servant was still playing hide-and-seek with Little Young Master, but somehow, we were playing and playing and then this servant just couldn't find him anymore!" Cai Ying looked at Yao Suluan fearfully as she nervously reported.
"What? You couldn't find him? You can't even look after a child properly, what use is there feeding you!?" Yao Suluan abruptly stood up upon hearing this and glared furiously at Cai Ying.
"Enough enough, just forget it. If he's lost just let him be lost. Maybe he actually fell into the river by himself. That would be just perfect, saves me the trouble!" At the side, Dou Xianglan objected. She believed to her very bones that between Yao Suluan and Yao Yu, Yao Zhenting would definitely choose her daughter.
"What are you still waiting for? Hurry and send people to look for him! If something bad ends up happening, see how I'll fix you up!" Yao Suluan sternly berated Cai Ying before turning towards her own mother.
"The matter isn't as simple as you think! In any case… Forget it! Telling you has no use! For the time being, you just wait here. Once we find Yao Yu, you can head back together." Yao Suluan looked at her own mother with a helpless expression.
"With a pillar like you, an imperial gui fei, here, I just don't believe that your father dare do anything to me. I'm heading back first. If they can't find him that would be the best. If you find him, don't send him back either!" Dou Xianglan had already had to choke back quite a lot of anger due to Yao Mowan, so naturally, her attitude right now was 'what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over'. Not waiting for Yao Suluan to reply, Dou Xianglan had already left Pure Flowers Palace with large strides.
At the start of dinner, Ye Junqing who was gone the entire day finally showed his face. It was unwillingly, but he was seriously unbearably hungry.
"Who is he?" Ye Junqing walked into the main hall, dressed in white, just in time to see Yao Yu hugging Fluffy and playing next to the table.
"Mowan's younger brother." Perhaps because fellow sufferers feel empathy for each other, Yao Mowan had felt an extreme liking for Yao Yu the moment she saw him. That cute and lovable appearance was rather similar to her own younger sister's.
"Moxin never mentioned that she still had a little brother." Ye Junqing was clearly doubting Yao Mowan's words.
"So Eldest Sister still kept some things from wang ye, isn't that so?" Yao Mowan indifferently replied, her beautiful as the limpid autumn water pupils swept towards Ye Junqing. It was precisely that Yao Mowan wanted to discredit her former self. She wanted to let Ye Junqing know that the woman in his heart also wasn't perfect without a blemish! This way, would he love a little less…
"Ben wang truly doubts whether you really are Moxin's blood-related sister!" Ye Junqing's clear pupils instantly turned biting cold, the expression in his eyes as he looked towards Yao Mowan conspicuously darkened.
"Replacement guaranteed if not genuine(authentic). Yao Yu, come here and eat." Yao Mowan abruptly gave a shallow smile as she pulled Yao Yu casually over and lifted him into her arms, feeding him bite by bite. At the side, Fluffy seemed to have realized the presence of danger. Right after she left Yao Yu's embrace, she immediately withdrew behind Yao Mowan's leg and stared, on high alert, at Ye Junqing.
"Wang ye always has such a cold face, even Fluffy is getting scared." Yao Mowan shot a glance at Ye Junqing as she teased.
"That's because its heart has guilt!" Ye Junqing suddenly realized he was holding a grudge against a cat and immediately retrieved his gaze. Moving to sit down opposite Yao Mowan, he picked up the chopsticks.
"Wan er jiejie(older sister), gege's(older brother) really handsome!" Yao Yu looked towards Ye Junqing and exposed a sparkling smile.
"That's because you're still little and haven't seen much of the world. Once you grow up you'll realize that that face is extremely average." Yao Mowan used a handkerchief to wipe away the rice grains on Yao Yu's face as she lied.
At the opposite side of the table, Ye Junqing's face turned stiff. He took a long time to calm the flames in his heart before he continued to eat. A real man doesn't fight with womenfolk, Ye Junqing just consoled himself this way.
"Wan er jiejie, Yao Yu wants to grow up a little faster." Yao Yu's voice sounded a bit depressed and water droplets surfaced in his eyes.
"Why?" Yao Mowan put down the rice bowl and placed Yao Yu on the chair next to her as she asked.
"Because once Yao Yu grows up, Yao Yu will be able to protect Mother and not let other people bully Mother." Yao Yu's voice carried a thick sobbing tone. Yao Mowan froze for a moment. Then, she slowly extended her hand to tidy Yao Yu's collar before removing a pearl hairpin from her hair and giving it to Yao Yu.
"Yao Yu's almost five, already a proper man. From now on, you have to protect Mother. If there's someone that dares touch a single hair on Mother's head, you just use this to stab them to death!" Yao Mowan pronounced each and every word solemnly.
On this rare occasion, Yao Mowan didn't show her usual sarcasm and teasing but rather looked straight at Yao Yu, her eyes keen as that of a falcon's.
"Remember Wan er jiejie's words. You can't wait until you grow up to protect Mother, because Mother can't wait that long, understand?" Her heart seemed as if it was being gouged by small knives; it pulsed with pain. Yao Yu still had a chance, unlike her. Even if she wanted to stake her life to protect Mother, she already didn't have the opportunity anymore.
"Yao Yu has memorized it. Wan er jiejie, say, would switching the hairpin for an embroidery needle be even better?" Yao Yu blinked his clear shiny eyes and asked in deadly earnest.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Proofread by Scullyhahn
[Chiyomira’s Corner]
Enjoy~