Chapter 338

Listening Rain Pavilion

Ye Qingran was reading, a slight upward tilt at the corners of her mouth revealing her good mood.

Now that the children have been found, she has no regrets. All that remains is to, without Fu Hanxiu's knowledge, take Lin Xueyan's life; then she can leave Xiliang City, bring the two children and Wuhen to Yaowang Valley to enjoy family happiness.

"Mother, I want to go tell Father this good news!"

After battling the demon little fox for a hundred rounds with no result, Fu Qianchen decided to temporarily give up. Instead of worrying about who will be the older brother and who the younger, what he most wants to do now is tell his father the good news that Ye Qingran is his birth mother.

Ye Qingran stopped reading, and the slight upward tilt at the corners of her mouth gradually faded.

She stared fixedly at Fu Qianchen, a hint of bitterness welling up in her heart.

Fu Qianchen holds deep affection for his father Fu Hanxiu—a fact she has tried to ignore but cannot.

She actually also knows that it would be easy to take the little fox and leave, but little Qianchen...

Indeed, family bliss is not so easily enjoyed.

"Qianchen, I am your birth mother—could you keep this a secret from your father for now?" Ye Qingran bent down, meeting Qianchen's eyes.

In Fu Qianchen's clear, watery eyes, confusion appeared.

"Mother, why keep it secret? You're my mother—this isn't wonderful news? Father will surely be delighted if he knows."

A hint of bitterness curled at the corners of Ye Qingran's lips.

The children's thoughts are ultimately pure and beautiful.

Although Fu Hanxiu is the children's father, their relationship was merely a fleeting encounter, lacking any emotional foundation. She will have her own family someday, and so will Fu Hanxiu.

She and Fu Hanxiu are ultimately two intersecting lines; after a brief encounter, they will drift further apart.

Moreover, Fu Hanxiu is immensely powerful; if he learned of this now, would he take the children away?

She dare not take that risk.

"Qianchen, Mother isn't ready yet. Promise Mother you'll keep this secret for a while, okay? Mother promises you that once she's ready, she'll tell Father this good news."

Although she feels a hundred reluctances and is filled with unease, Ye Qingran does not truly intend to conceal the truth forever—such an act would be selfish and unfair to the children. She will reveal the truth to Fu Hanxiu once she is prepared.

A flash of resolve crossed Ye Qingran's eyes.

"I understand, Mother wants to give Father a surprise, right?" Fu Qianchen's eyes sparkled.

"A surprise?"

"More like a fright."

But since Qianchen understands it that way, she doesn't intend to explain anything further.

"Mother, can you promise me it won't be too long?" He really wants to share this news with Father as soon as possible.

"Mother promises you!"

Fu Qianchen happily nodded, then went on to continue competing with the demon little fox for the older brother position.

"Miss, what should we do?" Watching Qianchen's small back, Han Xing's eyes filled with worry.

This cannot be kept secret forever. Yet if the Emperor of Zhu Lu's Peak learns the truth, will he seize the two children by force?

"Let's give it one month. I'll think of a solution," Ye Qingran said softly.

"One month?" Yue Leng exclaimed softly, "Miss, one month is too short!"

Han Xing also nodded in agreement.

Ye Qingran gently shook her head, "I don't want to disappoint the children; you know, I've already... failed them too much!"

Ye Qingran wore a forlorn expression, "Don't look at the little fox; though he seems carefree, he actually longs for a father. Each time he sees Qianchen so close to his father, he secretly envies them."

Fu Hanxiu is Qianchen's father, and naturally also the little fox's father.

She cannot think only of herself, lest she prevent them from recognizing each other as father and son.

Han Xing and Yue Leng felt a pang of anguish.

"Rest assured, I will absolutely not let this happen! The children are mine; anyone who tries to take them will have to step over my corpse first!"

Without this confidence, how could she become the feared Master of Yaowang Valley?

At that moment, a servant from the Ye household reported that a woman claiming to be Qianchen's birth mother was causing a disturbance at the gate, demanding to see Qianchen.

Han Xing frowned, "Yun Zhi?"

"Yun Zhi's personality probably wouldn't do something like this; surely someone is urging her from behind."

"Miss, do you mean... Lin Xueyan?"

Ye Qingran gave a cold smile, "Whether it's her or not, we'll know if we go check."

At the Ye household gate.

"What's going on? Who is the woman kneeling on the ground?"

"You don't know yet? Supposedly this woman is named Yun Zhi, the birth mother of the National Teacher's son! She came today to see her son, but Ye Qingran seems unwilling."

"What? This woman is the National Teacher's woman? Also the birth mother of the National Teacher's child? Goodness, how enviable!"

"Ye Qingran is going too far! The child isn't hers—by what right does she prevent the birth mother from seeing her own child?"

"However, doesn't Yun Zhi look somewhat like Ye Qingran?"

In front of the Ye household gate, a crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle.

Lin Xueyan stood to the side, a ferocious expression appearing on her face.

Last time at the Ye household gate, she was beaten by Ye Qingran's two lowly maids, nearly losing half her life—she was seriously injured and lost all face! Lin Xueyan, who hails from the exalted Xiji Zhu Lu Peak and holds a lofty status, how could she endure such humiliation?

Thus, she actively sought out Yun Zhi to get revenge. She wants the public to see how Ye Qingran selfishly clings to another's child and refuses to let go! She wants Ye Qingran to be condemned, drowned in the public's scorn.

She looked at Yun Zhi, shook her head and sighed, "Miss Yun Zhi, why put yourself through this? Although you are the child's birth mother, you've missed so many years; now your child is close only to Ye Qingran and listens only to her." The implication: Yun Zhi's child doesn't come to see her because Ye Qingran directed it so.

"Miss Lin, you needn't advise me—I simply don't believe there's still justice in this world. The child is clearly mine; what right does she have to keep me from seeing him?!" Yun Zhi shouted, then called out toward the Ye household interior: "Miss Ye, please return my child to me!"

One cry followed another.

Lin Xueyan gave a glance, and someone in the crowd instantly understood.