Chapter 39: Xiao Hu left!

At this moment, Mo Xiaohu suddenly rushed out, standing in front of Ye Qingran like a little adult protecting her.

"Hello everyone, I'm Mo Xiaohu. I'm not Meiren Sister's child. I got lost with my parents, and Meiren Sister rescued me on the street and took me in!"

Mo Xiaohu showed a cute and handsome smile.

He absolutely must not let his own actions damage Meiren Sister's reputation.

"Ye Qingran, are these words all taught by you? I have to say, you're really clever, trying to confuse us with this! Do you think we're fools?"

Ye Sisi said with a cold smile.

Zhao Shi's eyes shifted.

"Master, didn't Ye Qingran say she was recuperating in a place called Taohua Village? Could this child be hers with a villager from that village?"

Ye Yu, upon hearing this, thought it made sense.

Based on age, this child is very likely Ye Qingran's with a Taohua Village villager.

"Uncles and aunts, look—I don't resemble Meiren Sister at all, which means I must take after my father or be a blend of their looks. I'm this handsome and cute; how could my father be a Taohua Village villager?"

Mo Xiaohu's words were clear and logical; Ye Yu and the servants all found them reasonable.

Mo Xiaohu is not only cute in appearance but also has an outstanding demeanor, clearly of extraordinary background.

How could his father be a Taohua Village villager?

"Ye Qingran, is this child really yours biologically?"

Ye Yu's tone eased a little.

It would be best if he weren't Ye Qingran's illegitimate child, so the Ye Residence's reputation wouldn't be affected.

Ye Qingran, however, gave a mocking smile: "If you think so, then he is." She actually hoped Xiao Hu was her own biological child.

"Master, look, she herself admitted it!"

Ye Yu, on the contrary, believed even more that this child was not Ye Qingran's, because he appeared extraordinary and certainly not like a villager's descendant.

However, he was very dissatisfied with Ye Qingran's attitude.

"Even if this child isn't yours, our Ye Residence cannot keep him; otherwise, spreading the news would only harm our Ye Residence's reputation."

Zhao Shi and Ye Sisi, seeing Ye Yu believe Ye Qingran, were very dissatisfied, but upon hearing Ye Yu want to drive the child away, they felt secretly pleased at his misfortune.

"Exactly, Ye Qingran, I don't care whether this child is yours or not—hurry up and make him leave the Ye Residence quickly!"

"Qingran, for your own reputation's sake and for the Ye Residence's fame, hurry up and abandon this child!"

Zhao Shi said earnestly.

She could see that Ye Qingran and this child had a good relationship; if the child were driven out of the Ye Residence, Ye Qingran would surely suffer a great blow. As long as Ye Qingran is unhappy, she will be happy!

Furthermore, once this child is driven out of the Ye Residence, they would have a chance to exterminate him completely.

A sinister gleam appeared in Zhao Shi's eyes.

Mo Xiaohu lowered his head.

He caught Zhao Shi's phrase 'for the sake of your own reputation'.

Would his presence really bring worldly malice upon Meiren Sister?

Mo Xiaohu suddenly remembered that Meiren Sister was merely an unmarried young lady of a wealthy family; having a few-year-old child by her side would be improper and would surely lead people to suspect she had conceived out of wedlock…

It seems his presence would indeed harm Meiren Sister.

"You don't need to worry about this matter."

Ye Qingran noticed Mo Xiaohu's abnormality, her tone mixed with coldness.

"If he isn't taken away within three days, I will personally take action!"

Ye Yu left those cold words behind, flicked his sleeves, and departed from Ting Yu Xuan.

Seeing Ye Qingran's unpleasant expression, Zhao Shi and Ye Sisi secretly felt pleased.

Until those people had left, Ye Qingran crouched down and stroked Mo Xiaohu's head.

"Xiao Hu, don't take their words to heart; your presence hasn't affected me at all. On the contrary, I'm glad you've appeared in my life, accompanying me."

Mo Xiaohu slowly lifted his head, his eye sockets slightly red.

He was also happy that Meiren Sister appeared in his life, allowing him to stay by her side.

That night, Mo Xiaohu tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

He thought for a long time and finally made a difficult decision.

The next day, Ye Qingran was awakened by Han Xing Leng Yue's scream.

"Miss, it's terrible, Xiao Hu has left!"

"What?"

Ye Qingran shuddered, her heartbeat skipping a beat.

"He left a letter, miss, look."

Ye Qingran hurriedly opened it; the handwriting was crooked like crawling caterpillars, but she still managed to guess and understand its meaning.

The original text roughly reads as follows:

"Dear Meiren Sister, I have left."

"The luckiest thing in Xiao Hu's life has been meeting Meiren Sister. The time spent together, though brief, was wonderful. Xiao Hu will never forget it."

"Xiao Hu is leaving; Meiren Sister, don't think of me, for having me think of you is enough. On the days I'm gone, Meiren Sister must take good care of herself."

"Love, Xiao Hu."

Ye Qingran's eye sockets turned red.

Her tears were almost bursting out.

How could she not know the true reason for Xiao Hu's departure?

He must have felt that his presence was dragging down her reputation, so he chose to leave.

She seemed able to imagine Xiao Hu looking pitiful, the way he would take three steps and look back.

This child, how can they be so well-behaved?!

«Xing Er, Yue Er, quickly send someone to look for Xiao Hu! »

Han Xing Leng Yue received the order and immediately went to look for someone.

Ye Qingran herself was not idle either; she left the Ye Residence and went to search for Mo Xiaohu's traces.

Outside Xiliang City.

Mo Xiaohu took three steps and looked back, reluctantly gazing at that familiar city.

There, he had his most beloved Meiren Sister.

He would never forget how, on that day beneath the fierce horse, Meiren Sister stepped forward, her back view.

It softened all his years.

The brief time spent with Meiren Sister was nevertheless the happiest period of his life.

If possible, he wished everything could be frozen at that moment, becoming eternal.

«Xiao Huihui, I can't bear to part with Meiren Sister! » Xiao Hu's eye sockets were red.

Xiao Huihui drooped his head, dejected: «Me too. »

But although he was reluctant, he knew that day everyone was scolding Meiren Sister because of him.

If his companionship would become a burden to Meiren Sister, he would rather choose to leave.

«Meiren Sister, I will always remember you. »

Mo Xiaohu wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, revealing a pure, innocent smile.

Ye Qingran had never been this flustered before; she almost turned Xiliang City upside down.

Unknowingly, she arrived at the Trading Market.

«Today's harvest is not bad; we caught a little child. Qin Lao says this child has extraordinary aptitude and will surely fetch a good price! »

«Oh? What age? »

«Maybe four or five years old; he looks extraordinary in bearing, likely from a great family that ran away. »

……

A snippet of conversation reached Ye Qingran's ears, and her gaze turned cold.

She flashed her body, following those two people, flying into the Trading Market.

In a corner of the Trading Market, inside a cage forged of Mystic Iron, a small child sat cross-legged, back facing outward.

Fu Qianchen wore a mask, with a blade of dogtail grass in his mouth, arms crossed before him, listless.