Chapter 27: Living Alone Brings Nightmares

Ye Qingran's deep eyes showed a gentle smile.

Whenever she heard Xiao Hu's voice, her heart would soften.

Ye Qingran rose and went out, while Mo Xiaohu entered Ting Yu Xuan accompanied by Han Xing and Leng Yue.

"Meiren Sister, this place is so beautiful, Xiao Hu really likes it here!"

Xiao Huihui fluttered its tiny wings, happily flying back and forth in the courtyard: "Xiao Huihui also likes this place."

"Meiren Sister, may I stay here?" Mo Xiaohu asked timidly.

Seeing Ye Qingran not answer, Mo Xiaohu lowered his head and said pitifully, "Living alone in Qin Ge, I will have nightmares."

Ye Qingran frowned slightly.

She wasn't unwilling to let Xiao Hu move in; she mainly worried about the Ye family people—none of them are kind. If they took advantage of her inattention, they might harm Xiao Hu…

But seeing Mo Xiaohu so pitiful now, she no longer hesitated.

"If Xiao Hu wants to stay here, let him stay." At worst, she would just put in a bit more effort.

"Yay~" Mo Xiaohu was overjoyed. Thinking that from now on, each morning when he opened his eyes he could see Meiren Sister, and before sleeping he could still see Meiren Sister, he felt so happy, so happy!

He must be the happiest little tadpole in the world, right?

Han Xing and Leng Yue were also overjoyed.

They really liked Xiao Hu a lot.

Xiao Hu was handsome and cute, his head especially clever, his mouth sweet as if smeared with honey, every day coaxing them until they felt almost light-headed.

Who wouldn't like such a cute and handsome little treasure?

Ye Qingran gazed at Mo Xiaohu's delicate, lovely face in the sunlight, and couldn't help but lose herself in thought.

Which fortunate mother could give birth to a child as adorable and clever as Xiao Hu?

A sense of envy welled up in her heart.

She also couldn't help but think of her own child, lost many years ago.

She didn't even know whether her child was a boy or a girl.

If it were a boy, wouldn't he also be as adorable and clever as Xiao Hu?

A hint of melancholy appeared between Ye Qingran's brows and eyes.

How she wished her child could live happily.

Best of all, if Xiao Hu were her child—how wonderful that would be!

That thought suddenly popped up; Ye Qingran froze, then let out a bitter laugh.

What exactly was she yearning for?

"Meiren Sister~" Mo Xiaohu sensed Ye Qingran's faint melancholy and loneliness.

At that moment, his heart ached, and he instinctively hugged Ye Qingran's thigh, gently rubbing his tender face against it.

"Meiren Sister, what's wrong?"

Ye Qingran's eyes slightly reddened as she lifted him from the ground: "I'm fine, just thinking of someone."

Mo Xiaohu stretched out his tender hand to smooth Ye Qingran's brow: "Meiren Sister, Niu Mo Wang uncle said, 'What is constantly remembered will surely receive a response.' Xiao Hu believes you will surely find the person you seek!"

Han Xing and Leng Yue witnessed this scene, their eye corners slightly reddening.

They had been by the young lady's side for five years, knowing how much suffering she had endured over those years.

Xiao Hu was like a ray of light appearing in the young lady's life, injecting new vitality and hope into her.

Truly wonderful.

"Thank you, Xiao Hu, you are truly the most sensible child in this world." Ye Qingran freed a hand and rubbed Xiao Hu's nose.

Xiao Hu chuckled hehe, but secretly wondered: Do you like Xiao Hu?

But he dared not ask, fearing to hear an answer he didn't want.

He would wait a bit longer, waiting until Meiren Sister liked him, then he would ask.

Then Meiren Sister would become his mother!

Ye Qingran did not miss the fleeting gloom in Xiao Hu's eyes.

He must be missing his parents, right?

"Xiao Hu, where are you from? Tell Sister, and Sister will help you find your parents, okay?"

Mo Xiaohu thought, Meiren Sister, I only want you to be my mother.

"Meiren Sister, Xiao Hu comes from Mo Yuan?"

Mo Yuan?!

Ye Qingran and Han Xing Leng Yue both showed surprised expressions.

Mo Yuan is no ordinary place.

Mo Yuan lies in Beimingzhou, very far from the Central Region.

It is said that Mo Yuan is a place of exile, where the Ancient Divine Demon Descendants live, extremely dangerous.

Is Xiao Hu a Divine Demon Offspring?

Ye Qingran didn't find it strange either.

Given Xiao Hu's appearance and demeanor, his parents must also be outstanding. Although Divine Demon Descendants are not accepted by the world, one cannot deny they are truly powerful.

But if he is a Divine Demon Descendant, why would he still leave Mo Yuan to seek his parents?

"Your parents aren't in Mo Yuan?"

"Hu Da Shan said, I was picked up from outside."

Picked up?

Ye Qingran felt a pang in her heart.

It turns out Xiao Hu is an abandoned child!

"Xiao Hu, from now on when you're outside, don't tell others you come from Mo Yuan, got it?" This term Mo Yuan is too sensitive on the continent. Many forces both fear and covet it.

Mo Xiaohu nodded obediently.

Before leaving Mo Yuan, Niu Mo Wang and Hu Da Shan always warned him like this. He had never told anyone else, so he told Meiren Sister.

Because, Meiren Sister had long been regarded by him as one of his own!

"Really good, Sis will take you to eat something delicious, okay?"

Ye Qingran rubbed Mo Xiaohu's head.

Mo Xiaohu and his little sparrow are both little foodies; she knows this very well.

Mo Xiaohu narrowed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Ye Qingran rubbing his head, like a little Shiba Inu.

Xiao Huihui thought to herself: Little master, you don't like having your head rubbed, do you?

"Sure, I want to eat candied hawthorn skewers!"

On Xuanwu Jie, it was bustling with people.

Ye Qingran held Mo Xiaohu's hand as they walked down the street, with Han Xing Leng Yue following behind.

In Mo Xiaohu's free hand, he held a candied hawthorn skewer, eating it with relish.

Suddenly, a stream of scolding came from ahead.

"You stinky beggar, dare to disturb the Princess's phoenix carriage? You're asking for death!"

"Beat him hard!"

……

Along with the scolding came a low, repressed groan.

As Ye Qingran passed by, she glanced over.

A young man in tattered clothes was being beaten by a group of royal guards, while a luxurious carriage stopped beside him, pulled by four pure-white jade-snow-maned horses, its bright yellow pattern especially conspicuous.

It was obvious that the carriage's owner was a member of the Imperial Clan.

The passing crowd avoided the scene, let alone stepping forward to plead for him.

Such incidents happen almost every day, commonplace.

Commoners, especially beggars and servants, are mere weeds in the eyes of the powerful. Their lives are far cheaper than the pets of nobles.

Ye Qingran originally didn't want to get involved. But in the chaos, the youth's unintentional glance made her pupils involuntarily shrink.

A fragment of past memories surfaced in her mind.

In her previous life, she had two younger brothers. They had no blood relation, but after years of living and dying together, they trusted each other, built deep affection, and could entrust their lives to one another.

One of those brothers was named Yun Feng.

Back then he too was beaten up in the street; she saved him out of pity. Later Yun Feng, through his own efforts, became a generation's warlord, renowned across China.

But unfortunately, Yun Feng went missing three years before she arrived here, while participating in a mysterious mission.

She and her other brother searched the whole world, yet found no trace of him.

She would never forget that kind of gaze.

When Yun Feng once looked at her, his gaze was similar.

That was an unwillingness to accept fate, an extraordinary tenacity.

People like that often possess astonishing potential.

"Stop!" Ye Qingran blurted out without thinking.

Her clear, ringing voice echoed throughout the area.

Everyone stared at her in shock, as if they hadn't expected anyone to intervene.

"You don't want to live? Dare to meddle in the Thirteenth Princess's affairs?!"

Ye Qingran ignored him and walked over.

"Can the Princess just casually harm lives?"