Chapter 131 - Nobody But Him

Shi Qingxue was worried about the strained relationship between Mo Junyang and Dong Hui, but he was leisurely and carefree, so she couldn’t tell him about her worry.

Looking at Mo Junyang’s relaxed face, she was even relieved and forgot the hidden trouble. They watched the flowers and had tea in the backyard.

At the moment, the butler came to report in a hurry that Duke Shi’s wife had come.

Shi Qingxue stood up in astonishment and thought she was done for.

Mo Junyang told the butler to invite Dong Hui in, as if nothing had happened, and looked at Qingxue playfully. “You are so guilty like a thief, as if we are having an affair. No need to be so nervous, right?”

Shi Qingxue was unable to speak a word and thought, “You are having an affair. All of your family members are disloyal!”

She almost shouted at Mo Junyang, but thinking of something, she didn’t say anything. She just lowered her head dispiritedly and fiddled with the teacup in front of her.

Dong Hui came in quickly and said before seeing them, “Your Excellency, thanks for your warm treat. Both Qingxue and I are appreciated…”

Before she finished her words, she shut up when she saw the two people sitting quietly in the distance, as if she saw a ghost.

Shi Qingxue couldn’t bear to see that.

“What are you doing here?” Dong Hui walked to Qingxue rapidly and asked in a cold tone, regardless of etiquette.

Mo Junyang answered naturally, “This is my country house. Is there anything wrong as I am here?”

Dong Hui asked, “Where is Duke Wu’s heir?”

She looked around and wanted to find the people from Duke Wu’s family.

Mo Junyang understood what she was looking for and reminded indifferently, “No need to look for him. He won’t come.”

“Why won’t he? We have an appointment…”

Dong Hui stopped abruptly and looked at Mo Junyang in shock, blurting out, “You have planned everything!”

She said that with certainty and then thought of all the men who broke the appointments. There was surprise or anger on her face, and she shouted at Mo Junyang impolitely, “You were behind the scenes earlier. You…”

“Mother!” Shi Qingxue hurriedly interrupted Dong Hui and defended Mo Junyang in a low voice, “I don’t want to see those men. Junyang didn’t play tricks.”

Dong Hui was furious because Shi Qingxue helped him and cursed without thinking, “Shut up! You don’t have a say in this matter.”

Shi Qingxue was howled at and shrank back, with a blush on her face. She tried her best to hold back her tears, but her eyes were red. However, Dong Hui seemed not to feel sad for Shi Qingxue at all and dragged her forcefully to walk out.

“Wait.” Mo Junyang stood in front of them expressionlessly, looking horrible.

Even though Dong Hui was more than twenty years older than him, she was scared by his expression and moved backward. “What… What do you want?”

She faltered to ask and then got more courageous. She puffed out her chest and spoke loudly. “Your Excellency, I am going to take my daughter back home. Did I ask for too much? Or will you let her go after my husband comes here?”

Dong Hui mentioned Shi Junhe and wanted Mo Junyang to back off. But she apparently underestimated him.

Mo Junyang wasn’t even afraid of the emperor. If not for Shi Qingxue’s sake, he wouldn’t take Duke Shi seriously.

But before he said anything, Shi Qingxue who stood behind Dong Hui waved at him secretly. Her eyes were full of tears and she said “No” with her mouth shape.

She begged pitifully.

Mo Junyang remained silent and stepped backward, make a gesture to say “please” courteously.

Dong Hui seemed not to see that and grabbed Qingxue’s hand rudely, leaving here.

“Mother, mother…” Shi Qingxue was dragged into the carriage, and her fair-skinned wrist was red after being grabbed.

Dong Hui turned a blind eye to it and warned her sullenly, “I will let it pass because you didn’t know that, but in the future, you are not allowed to see Mo Junyang. Do you hear me?”

They had talked about this subject many times, and Dong Hui was more and more forceful. Shi Qingxue didn’t take it to heart in the beginning, and now she just couldn’t believe it.

Shi Qingxue looked at Dong Hui seriously. “Why? When did he offend you? Don’t forget that at Grandma’s birthday banquet last year, he helped us and made it go smoothly, and what happened on the Qingluo Mountain…”

Even if Mo Junyang was not a good person, he did the Shi Family great favors.

Dong Hui’s face got stiffened as Shi Qingxue mentioned what she didn’t want to. She rebuked crossly, “Don’t think that His Excellency loves you sincerely because he did so many things for us. He just tried to coax little girls. Don’t make love blind you.”

Some “little girl” who was almost forty years old from her previous life was speechless.

Shi Qingxue never doubted Mo Junyang’s feelings for her and said firmly, “No. Anybody might lie to me, but only he won’t.”

That was the truth she had found after living twice, but Dong Hui thought the girl lost her mind and was so angry that she even cursed with dirty words, “Fucking love! He gets close to you and makes you happy just because of your father’s power. He intends to win you over so that your father would work for him.

In the past he was generous to help us. He just planned everything on purpose and wanted us to return the favor. He tries to buy us over with some small favors.”

Shi Qingxue looked at Dong Hui incredulously and couldn’t imagine that her mother would think Mo Junyang’s kindness so dirty. She couldn’t bear to hear that anymore.

“What are you talking about? Mo Junyang wouldn’t do something like that!” Shi Qingxue knew better than anyone how arrogant that man was.

In the previous life, Mo Junyang was in the mire and was bullied but refused to lower his head in front of anybody. How could he use such despicable means to get what he wanted? Moreover, she was sure who had made things difficult for him.

Dong Hui just looked confident, seeming to say, “No matter what you will say, I won’t believe you.”

Shi Qingxue took a deep breath and tried to calm down before saying, “What if he wants us to return the favor? The people who give but require no rewards must be suspicious. Moreover, he works for the crown prince. It’s natural for him to win us over in order to maintain the position of the heir to the throne.”

But Dong Hui reproached harshly because of Qingxue’s words, “What do you know? His Majesty scruples about the officials ganging up for private interests, but you want your father to get close to the princes. Do you want to kill him?”

“Of course not.” Shi Qingxue denied.

But if the Shi Family was bound to take sides, they would choose the last winner.

Dong Hui sneered and disdained Mo Junyang obviously. “That’s what you think. He did a lot not for the crown prince, but he has other purposes.”

Shi Qingxue was stunned and seemed to find something from her messy thoughts. She asked cautiously, “Mother, did you hear about some rumors?”

Dong Hui wished to speak out all her complaints to Shi Qingxue so that her stupid daughter would leave Mo Junyang from now on, but looking at the little girl’s cautious expression, she didn’t want her to know something despicable.

She just said coldly, “Don’t ask what I know. Anyway, I won’t lie to you or hurt you. Mo Junyang is ambitious.”

“No way!” Shi Qingxue firmly denied Dong Hui’s unrealistic imagination and said seriously, “Junyang always acts dutifully and won’t be disloyal.”

She pondered for quite a while and wanted to convince Dong Hui with an example, but she found that something couldn’t be explained, so she had to say, “He is just King Rui’s heir. Even if he wants, he is not qualified. He…”

Dong Hui suddenly retorted, “Who said he is not qualified?”

Shi Qingxue was dumbfounded and stared blankly at Dong Hui, with fear in her eyes.

Dong Hui thought she had scared Qingxue and hurriedly added, “Who has said that he wouldn’t want if he is not qualified? Many people in this world covet what doesn’t belong to them.”

Shi Qingxue kept quiet and knew that Dong Hui didn’t mean that. Perhaps Dong Hui had heard of something about Mo Junyang’s birth.

She suddenly remembered that at this time in the previous life, Mo Junyang’s birth was exposed, and he almost died as a result.

There was an atmosphere of tension. Dong Hui didn’t know if Qingxue understood what she meant and had to change the subject abruptly. “I hear that the empress dowager plans to grant your marriage recently. Before the marriage is decided…”

Dong Hui wanted to make Shi Qingxue stay at home, but she thought for a minute and knew that Qingxue wouldn’t be willing, so she said, “You are not allowed to see Mo Junyang again. Otherwise, I will keep you under house arrest and you can’t see anybody. Do you hear me?”

After threatening, Dong Hui was afraid that she would get soft-hearted and left in a hurry, without seeing Shi Qingxue’s sad eyes behind her.

Shi Qingxue was actually hurt by Dong Hui’s autocratic ways. Dong Hui had never treated her like this from her childhood. Even if her mother did that for her good in name, Shi Qingxue couldn’t accept such an attitude.

“My Lady, don’t be sad. Madam is just worried…” Xia Mang wanted to comfort Shi Qingxue, but she couldn’t continue what she was about to say.

She didn’t want to lie, but the truth was hurtful.

Shi Qingxue smiled bitterly and looked at Xia Mang. She concealed the sorrow in her eyes and responded casually, “I know what you want to say. My mother doesn’t doubt me, and she is just unwilling to face anything that might get my father in danger. And…”

She laughed, and the feeling of disappointment couldn’t be hidden in her voice. “Her husband’s safety is more important than her daughter’s happiness, right? If I were her, I would make the same choice.”

It was not difficult to choose rationally, but when it happened to her, she felt pained.

Fortunately, she didn’t have time to bother about it. Shi Baoyou came to visit her again.

Shi Baoyou looked worried. She showed all emotions on her face, like all the upright and pure people, and didn’t pretend. She asked as soon as she saw Shi Qingxue, “Qingxue, I want to beg you for something, okay?”

Shi Baoyou even said “beg”, and it could be seen that she was really determined.

Shi Qingxue didn’t agree or refuse and just asked, “For what?”

Shi Baoyou bit her lower lip and it seemed that it was hard for her to mention it. After a while, she expressed seriously, “I hope you can see my sister for the last time. Can you?”

It was Shi Baojin again.