Chapter 128: Children Fighting

Damn it… Liu Linger was so tempted to drag Chu Sheng over and give him a good beating. Why didn’t he make things clear earlier? He practically pushed me into the fire pit. Is he targeting me because I seem to be living too comfortably? If I had known, I wouldn’t have foolishly claimed I could help save his son.

“Well, Chu Xiaosheng, I’m not your mother. I’m just someone your father hired to treat your illness,” Liu Linger patiently explained.

“You’re lying. If you weren’t my mother, you wouldn’t help me get better. I don’t believe you!” Chu Xiaosheng said firmly, outright refusing to believe Liu Linger. He clung stubbornly to her, making her head ache.

These ancient brat kids were so stubborn, and Chu Xiaosheng was particularly single-minded: “Mother, you’re holding a dagger. You must be my mother. Why don’t you want me? I really want my mother.”

His pitiful look instantly softened Liu Linger’s heart, making her feel as if she truly were a wicked woman who had abandoned her husband and child.

Faced with this hopeless case, she had no choice but to relent. But recalling that a masked man had come here earlier, she felt the bamboo hut was unsafe. No matter what, she had to get Chu Xiaosheng somewhere safe first.

Crouching down, she said to him, “Chu Xiaosheng, let’s put that aside for now. Anyway, I want to save you. Will you come with me to a place where I can treat your illness? It’s not safe here.”

Originally, she thought Chu Xiaosheng wouldn’t follow her, thinking she sounded like a big bad wolf tricking Little Red Riding Hood.

Unexpectedly, he agreed on the spot: “No problem. Mother, wherever you go, I’ll go. If you tell me to go east, I won’t go west. If you tell me to beat the dog, I definitely won’t chase the chicken!”

His little mouth babbled on, leaving Liu Linger stunned. Then she sighed deeply—this kid was like a piece of stubborn chewing gum. She wouldn’t be able to shake him off anytime soon.

Despite her frustration, Liu Linger took Chu Xiaosheng back to the prince’s mansion. She had no better place to arrange for him. She had come with one child but was returning with two, holding one in each hand. This should have been a joyful occasion, yet Liu Linger couldn’t bring herself to smile.

Outside the prince’s mansion, holding one child under each arm, she used her lightness skill to climb over the wall, first glancing around. Seeing no guards nearby, she jumped down inside.

Landing, she nearly fell. The walls of the mansion were tall, and while she had been carrying just Xiao Shuangshuang before, now with Chu Xiaosheng added, it was unexpectedly heavy. Though he looked like a little bean sprout, he was actually quite heavy—one Chu Xiaosheng weighed as much as two Xiao Shuangshuang.

No matter how good your lightness skill was, carrying heavy loads made it exponentially harder.

After sending Xiao Shuangshuang back to Xiao Tao’s place, Liu Linger didn’t know how to arrange things for the little bean sprout. Xiao Tao suggested sending him to Xiao Cui, who had also cared for Xiao Shuangshuang. Both were children, so Xiao Cui had experience taking care of kids.

Back in her room, Liu Linger washed up and collapsed onto the bed, sleeping straight through until dawn. Finally, she didn’t have to get up early to buy breakfast and planned to linger in bed.

But fate was not on her side. Just as she was sleeping soundly, the maid Xiao Cui burst in hurriedly and shouted at her bedside, “Your Highness, something’s wrong! It’s serious!”

Already cranky and still injured, Liu Linger sat up, frowning darkly. “What is it? Get to the point!”

Xiao Cui was so out of breath she couldn’t speak at first. Liu Linger grew anxious, patted her back, and Xiao Cui caught her breath before grabbing Liu Linger’s hand: “Your Highness, come with me quickly—Xiao Shuangshuang and that boy who came yesterday have gotten into a fight.”

What? Liu Linger was stunned. The two kids fighting—why?

Xiao Cui was too anxious to explain clearly. Liu Linger pressed her forehead and decided she had to see for herself. No, she had to hurry. If the guards in the mansion didn’t understand the situation and seized Chu Xiaosheng, it would be disastrous. If Baili Xian found out, things would be even more complicated.

Leaving Xiao Cui behind, Liu Linger quickly dressed, neglecting to freshen up, and rushed to Xiao Cui’s quarters, silently praying not to alert the guards.

Of course, trouble came right on cue. Before she even entered, she saw several rows of guards standing outside Xiao Cui’s room. Her legs went weak, nearly causing her to faint. This kid fight had really stirred up a storm.

Fearing something had gone wrong inside, Liu Linger ignored the guards and charged in. Seeing Baili Xian sitting there motionless with a dark expression, she wanted to turn and run.

But Baili Xian wouldn’t let her off so easily. He barked, “Where are you going? Come in and explain what’s going on! Why didn’t I know you had a son?”

Even the guards outside suppressed their laughter, knowing they mustn’t laugh or else they’d bring bad luck on themselves.

Liu Linger twitched at the corner of her mouth. What’s done is done. You can dodge the first day of the lunar month, but not the fifteenth. She could only obediently step inside.