Chapter 319

Husband and wife? When did I get married, according to Zhao Yi Niang?

Zhao Yi Niang wasn't annoyed either, "Qingran, look at what you're saying—although you haven't married, you already have a child. Before, the child's father wasn't here; now he's returned, you two will inevitably be together."

"I've said before, Xiao Hu's Father is already dead." Ye Qingran glanced at the inside of the carriage, her tone sinking a bit.

Both children are still in the carriage. Especially Xiao Hu, who has recently been sensitive to the term "father." She doesn't want to continue this topic in front of the child.

However, Zhao Shi clearly has no intention of letting Ye Qingran off. She intends to make this known throughout the city!

Zhao Shi looked at Li Si and said, "Qingran has returned; if you have anything to say, say it to her now. But I warn you: back then you abandoned her first, so she surely bears a grudge against you now. However, since you are her man, you should properly explain things to her—Qingran is not an iron-hearted person; she will surely forgive you for the child's sake."

Li Si nodded repeatedly, walking over to Ye Qingran while kneeling.

"A Ran, I am Li Si. The past events were my fault toward you and your child. Now I've returned; could you, for the child's sake and considering my limited time left, choose to forgive me? Rest assured, I will use my remaining time to treat you and your child well."

Li Si spoke sweet words, but he was truly too ugly and disheveled; especially compared to the celestial Ye Qingran before him, it gave people a chill.

The crowd was speechless, stunned.

How could Ye Qingran have been so foolish back then to give herself to such a thing?

Ye Qingran lowered her gaze at the beggar before her; a dark hue flickered in her beautiful eyes.

The memory of six years ago flashed again in her mind.

It was a night of the full moon; although she couldn't see the man's face clearly, she could still tell he was a tall, sturdy man, his features softened by moonlight, yet she could tell he was handsome.

How could the man before her now be a thin, ugly beggar?

Who exactly was that man? These years she rarely pondered this question, because she didn't care. After all, it was just a fleeting romance, a dream.

But after finding Xiao Hu, especially upon learning that Xiao Hu also yearned for paternal love, she didn't want Xiao Hu to spend his life with regrets, so she again thought of finding that man.

After all, he is Xiao Hu's biological father!

"Li Si, right? While I'm still not in a bad mood, tell everyone the truth, and I can let bygones be bygones. If I ever get upset, I can't guarantee I'll spare you." Ye Qingran spoke lightly, but Li Si sensed immense pressure from her words.

This made his already guilty heart jolt, and his whole body stiffened.

He instinctively glanced at Zhao Shi, who shook her head at him.

"A Ran, what are you saying? I don't understand. Are you still angry at me for what happened back then? I know I let you down back then. These years I've felt immense guilt, suffering every day, longing to come to your side to apologize. If you don't want to forgive me, I can understand, but you can't deny our past!"

At that moment, a luxurious carriage drove over and stopped in front of the Ye Residence.

Lin Xueyan stepped down from the carriage, glanced at the crowd, and asked, "What's going on? Why such a commotion?"

"It's Lin Family's eldest daughter, Lin Xueyan!"

"Is she the one who returned from Western Extremity?"

"It's said she's about to marry the Emperor Sovereign of Zhu Lu's Peak—no one knows if it's true."

Lin Xueyan's gaze shifted to the beggar Li Si, and she said, "At the grand gate of the Prime Minister's Residence, how is there a beggar kneeling?"

When Zhao Shi saw Lin Xueyan, a glint flashed in her eyes. She then stepped forward with a smiling face, explaining: "Miss Lin, this person is the biological father of my Qingran's child. Back then, after taking Qingran's purity, fearing the Prime Minister's Residence would take action against him, he chose to abandon her and leave. Now, having contracted an incurable illness, he has returned... but Qingran refuses to forgive him no matter what, and still won't acknowledge him as that man from before."

Zhao Shi spoke loudly, as if afraid no one would know about this.

Lin Xueyan's brows rose sharply. "Ah, I see!"

Again, Zhao Shi pleaded with an earnest expression: "Miss Lin, you've come at just the right time. Our Qingran hasn't seen much of the world and doesn't consider things thoroughly. You, however, have returned from Western Extremity Shengyu's Zhu Lu Peak, having seen the wider world, with a broader perspective and a different mindset—please persuade Qingran. She will surely listen to you."

Zhao Shi and Lin Xueyan were playing off each other like this. How could Ye Qingran not realize they had long been in cahoots?

"Madam Zhao, please don't say that—I'm not as outstanding as you claim. But rest assured, I'll do my best. After all, I and Qingran grew up together as close sisters." Lin Xueyan said, shifting her gaze to Ye Qingran, her tone reproachful: "Ye Qingran, this is your fault. Although that man is a beggar, he is still your first man and the child's father—how can you treat him like this? If the child finds out, he'll be heartbroken, right? Even if you don't think for yourself, you should think for the child."

"So, according to Miss Lin's opinion, what should I do?"

Lin Xueyan slightly lifted her chin, maintaining an air of noble bearing from the big city: "Since he's returned and your child is no longer small, the best solution is naturally to marry, so as to give the child a complete home! Ye Qingran, what do you say?"

"Just now Aunt Zhao said Miss Lin returned from the big city, with a broad outlook and wide experience, but looking at it now, she seems no different." Ye Qingran suddenly flashed a mocking expression. Lin Xueyan's face twitched slightly, and then Ye Qingran continued: "Miss Lin, you merely believed the beggar's one-sided story and took his boasts as truth, which makes me wonder whether you're foolish, or whether you hold a grudge because I humiliated you yesterday, and thus seize this chance to slander me—or perhaps this is a scheme you yourself set up, Miss Lin."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand!" Lin Xueyan flatly denied. "I'm only thinking of you and your child; if you don't appreciate it, fine—but why must you deliberately slander me?"

Lin Xueyan put on an innocent look.

Zhao Shi chimed in: "Exactly, Qingran, if you want to blame someone, blame me—I'm the one who asked Miss Lin to persuade you; it has nothing to do with her, it's all my fault."

Ye Qingran's cold gaze fell on Zhao Shi, who immediately shut up, silent as a cicada in winter.

"There's a saying: hearing both sides brings clarity, believing only one side brings darkness. We're all smart people—could we really be believing just the beggar's one-sided account?"

A clear voice rang out from the crowd; everyone turned to see the Young Lord Ling Shaoyang.

"Crown Prince Ling, Ye Qingran is your master, so you'll naturally speak up for her!" a sharp voice came from Mu Qingrou's mouth.

"And what about me? I'm not her disciple, but I still believe Ye Qingran has absolutely nothing to do with that beggar!" Gu Dongliu lightly shook his folding fan, exuding graceful charm and gorgeous beauty.

"Whoever dares to spout nonsense and slander my sister Ran, I'll rip out his tongue!" The hot-tempered Xia Zhimeng, as fiery as a little chili, gripped a whip, radiating the aura that anyone who dares to speak ill of Ye Qingran will be hunted down relentlessly.

Ye Qingran looked at the three of them and gave them a faint smile.