Chapter 81

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Protagonist:

Yan Qianqian

Meanwhile, on the other side, the crowd that had originally gathered to watch the commotion dispersed one after another now that the matter had settled. Qianqian hurriedly ran to Yan Jie's side and asked with concern, "Little brother, are you alright? Did he lay a hand on you?"

Yan Jie was seen saying with a face full of grievance, "Elder Sister, he gave me a hard shove and I fell to the ground, landing squarely on my bottom." Bai Fuzi, who was nearby, rushed over upon hearing this and asked anxiously, "Yan Jie, how are you feeling now? Do you need me to send for a physician to take a look?"

While wiping away tears, Yan Jie replied between sobs, "No need, Fuzi, I'm fine. It's just... Elder Sister, they all say I'm a bastard. I'm really not a bastard, right?"

As he spoke, Yan Jie clutched Qianqian's hem tightly, his eyes filled with helplessness and a longing for affirmation.

After Yan Jie finished answering Bai Fuzi, tears gushed from his eyes like a burst dam. He choked back sobs as he looked at Qianqian, his appearance heartbreaking.

Seeing this, Qianqian hurriedly reached out and gently stroked the top of Yan Jie's head, saying softly, "What he said is all nonsense, you mustn't take it to heart! You are my own little brother, don't be sad over such a trivial thing. Be good and go back to class later, no more wild thoughts!"

Having said that, Qianqian turned her head and said to Bai Fuzi with a sincere face, "Bai Fuzi, this afternoon I'll have to trouble you to keep an extra eye on my little brother." Bai Fuzi smiled and nodded in reply, "Naturally, you can rest assured."

Immediately after, Bai Fuzi leaned close to Qianqian's ear and lowered his voice to tell her quietly, "That Fuzi Qian is actually Song Qi's uncle, so he's bound to favor Song Qi to some extent. This time he merely had you stand punishment for an afternoon; let's consider the matter closed here. In the future, if you see him, it's best to ignore him if you can."

Qianqian verbally agreed to show she understood, but in her heart she had already begun to ponder deeply.

After a good while, Yan Jie's emotions finally calmed slightly. He haphazardly wiped the tear tracks from his face with his sleeve, then followed Bai Fuzi away, returning to the academy to prepare for class.

Come afternoon, Qi Xi and Ai Jiao came to Qianqian's side and comforted her in low voices, "Qianqian, don't be unhappy! The afternoon class isn't taught by Fuzi Qian, it's martial arts. Besides, even if Fuzi Qian punished you to stand this morning, he won't know whether you actually went to stand this afternoon. Let's hurry and go to class together!"

Qianqian parted her vermilion lips and said, "You two go ahead, I'll sneak off to slack off in the classroom in a bit. I'm not stupid enough to go stand punishment! Put your minds at ease." As soon as she finished speaking, the two saw persuasion was hopeless, turned, and left for class, while Qianqian stood punishment at the Sixian Ban gate.

Just then, Fuzi Qian walked over with measured steps. When he caught sight of Qianqian standing punishment, he approached, his expression stern, and said, "The Shangshufang is a place of learning; fighting and troublemaking are strictly forbidden. Considering you have already received the punishment of standing, this matter ends here, but let there be no next time; you must not act so recklessly again." With that, he watched Qianqian quietly, waiting for her response.

However, Qianqian turned a deaf ear to Fuzi Qian's words, continuing as she pleased, not even lifting her head. Seeing this, Fuzi Qian couldn't help feeling somewhat embarrassed and helpless, and could only leave in a huff.

After Fuzi Qian had walked far off, Qianqian finally raised her head, her eyes rolling slyly as a plan formed. She quietly moved from the classroom entrance to the playground behind it.

Looking out, lush, dense thickets of grass grew beneath the playground fence. Qianqian squatted down with great interest and began prying apart the grass clumps one by one. Persistence pays off; after some effort, she finally discovered a small hole just big enough for one person to pass through.

Qianqian first carefully poked her head into the hole, looked left and right, confirmed it was safe, then summoned her strength and wriggled out. Since the hole was just the right size, she didn't expend too much effort and quickly wriggled out of the fence. Afterward, Qianqian lightly patted the dust off her body and walked forward with determination.

After a long trek, Qianqian finally dragged her weary steps back to An Wangfu. Her petite figure had just stepped through the main gate when she sprinted straight for the courtyard where An Wang was. While running, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Father! Father!"

An Wang, currently in the study, at first thought he was hallucinating. After all, by all logic, at this hour his precious daughter Qianqian should be obediently studying in the Shangshufang.

However, when that clear, melodious shouting kept coming, accompanied by rapid footsteps drawing ever nearer, An Wang snapped out of it as if waking from a dream, realizing it truly was his beloved daughter returning.

Qianqian rushed into the room in a whirlwind and immediately spotted An Wang seated at the desk and Wangfei beside him with a gentle smile.

Without the slightest hesitation, she flung herself straight into An Wang's arms like a cannonball and urgently asked, "Father, is Little Brother your biological child? Little Brother is also Qianqian's real little brother, right?"

Faced with his daughter's sudden question, An Wang couldn't help looking perplexed. He gently stroked Qianqian's little head and replied in a mild tone, "Jie'er is of course this King's child. Qianqian, why would you suddenly ask this? Also, shouldn't you be in the Shangshufang right now?"

Although his heart was full of doubts, An Wang's tone revealed not a trace of reproach. Immediately after, that dainty, lovable Qianqian...

... said to An Wang with a face full of grievance, "Father, today at the academy, that Song Qi actually said in front of everyone that Little Brother is a bastard, not your biological child at all. He even poured vegetable soup on Little Brother's clothes, leaving him in a terrible mess.

What's more, he actually shoved Little Brother hard to the ground. Little Brother stood up and kept rubbing his bottom!"

Hearing this, An Wangfei, who had been sitting quietly to the side, was startled. She stared wide-eyed and asked incredulously, "Qianqian, what did you say?"

Seeing An Wangfei so shocked and concerned, Qianqian took a deep breath, steadied her emotions, and then recounted the entire sequence of events in full detail.

By now An Wang's face had turned utterly gloomy, especially when he heard someone dare insult his son as a bastard — that handsome face instantly turned black as a pot bottom.

But when he further learned that Qianqian, for standing up for her brother, had struck that detestable Song Qi and was instead punished to stand by Song Qi's uncle Fuzi Qian, An Wang Ye could no longer suppress his fury; his whole body trembled with rage.

At this moment, An Wang Ye's heart and mind were entirely on how to seek justice for his children; Qianqian's truancy had long been flung to the ninth heaven. He waved his hand and ordered loudly, "Yue Yi, quickly bring this King's fine steed!"

Before long, Yue Yi led a majestic, spirited horse to An Wang. An Wang said no more; with a dark face he scooped Qianqian up, vaulted lightly onto the horse's back, clamped his legs against its flanks, and with a resounding crack of the whip, Yue Ying shot off like an arrow from a bow.