RNP Chapter 148 The Love-Obsessed Mother: A Return to the Starry Night
Chapter 148 The Love-Obsessed Mother: A Return to the Starry Night
Chapter 148 The Love-Obsessed Mother Returns to Xingluo
The few days he spent with his mother in the small mountain village were peaceful and warm, but Dai Youheng knew that the turmoil in Xingluo City would not cease because of his absence. It was time to leave.
On the eve of her departure, Bai Wanning called her son into the room and carefully took out a newly sewn robe from the cabinet. The stitches were fine and even, and although the fabric was not expensive, it was thick and durable. She had finished it under the lamp in the few days that Dai Youheng was away from home.
"Youheng." She handed over the robe, her eyes filled with a complex mix of reluctance and pride. "Mother knows you have ambitions and aspirations. Your brother and I are doing well and peacefully here, so you don't need to worry about us. Going back there, you'll have no more worries. Go ahead and do what you want to do, walk the path you should walk."
Dai Youheng took the clothes and nodded solemnly. "Mother, don't worry. After I've taken care of everything, I will definitely bring you and Luo Li back in style, so you will no longer have to live in hiding and fear."
Bai Wanning smiled with relief, then, as if remembering something, a hint of hesitation and faint expectation flashed across her face, and her voice lowered slightly, "There's one more thing, Youheng. If—if your father is very saddened after learning of my death, could you—could you find an opportunity to quietly tell him the truth? Tell him I'm still alive, tell him we're here, and ask him to come and see me when he has time—"
Her voice carried an almost humble longing. She was devoted to Dai Hao her whole life, and even though she spent most of her time alone in her empty room and rarely saw him, her infatuation never diminished.
She desperately longed to hear from her son that the man showed genuine sorrow because of her departure; that would be the slightest proof of her humble love.
If Dai Hao were willing to come to this mountain village to see her, she would have no regrets even if she died.
Fortunately, in her heart, her son's safety ultimately took precedence over her husband's affections; otherwise, she would not have accepted the current arrangement and stayed in this small mountain village.
Looking at the unrealistic glimmer of hope in his mother's eyes, Dai Youheng sighed silently in his heart. He knew better than anyone that Dai Hao's mind was already preoccupied with matters of state and military affairs; how could he possibly be truly saddened by the "death" of their illegitimate branch?
At most, it would be like what happened with Huo Yun'er, where they would just erect a tombstone to express their feelings.
But he couldn't bear to shatter his mother's last illusions at this moment, so he softened his voice and replied, "I understand, Mother. I will keep an eye on things."
He knew that time would give the cruelest and most truthful answer. When months passed and Dai Hao made no attempt to investigate, Bai Wanning would naturally realize that her expectations were ultimately just a mirage.
Perhaps then she will be able to truly let go.
"A devoted woman and a heartless man!" In the sea of consciousness, the Snow Emperor's cold voice rang out with a rare sigh. "Youheng, your mother is gentle and kind, but unfortunately, she entrusted herself to the wrong person and her luck was rather bad. Her husband is estranged, and her original son is disappointing. Ironically, I think that you replacing the original Dai Youheng, who only knew how to be infatuated with the princess, is not necessarily a bad thing for her. At least now you can give her a truly stable and reliable future."
Dai Youheng remained silent. Although Xue Di's words were cold, they were not without reason. He stood in the courtyard and took one last look at the warm wooden house and Dai Luoli beside him, whose eyes were full of trust for her brother.
"Let's go." He turned around, his tone calm yet firm, as if he had carefully put away the tenderness he had shown just now. "Back to Star Luo City. Everything in that Duke's mansion will be mine sooner or later."
On the misty mountain path, Dai Youheng's figure gradually disappeared into the distance. Ling Ya and Nana followed silently behind, like two most loyal shadows, stepping into the larger and more turbulent power struggles outside the mountains.
Two days later, the towering walls of Xingluo City came into view, and Dai Youheng slowed his pace. He turned his head slightly and whispered to the air behind him, "You must conceal your tracks and not reveal yourselves unless summoned by me."
"Yes, young master." Ling Ya and Nana's voices rang out almost simultaneously, and then the two auras, like ink drops merging into water, quietly dissipated beside the tree-lined road outside the city, leaving no trace.
Dai Youheng walked into the city gate alone. The guards on the city gate obviously recognized him as a celebrity. Their eyes lingered on him for a moment with a hint of barely perceptible sympathy, but they did not stop him.
He did not return directly to the Duke's mansion, but instead turned and headed straight for the palace.
After all, he still has the persona of being in love with a princess.
For over a month, he was away from Xingluo City and theoretically didn't know about the "deaths" of his mother and younger brother. After such a long absence, the first person he wanted to see upon his return was naturally his goddess, Xu Jiujiu—this was behavior consistent with his established persona.
The Imperial Palace, the Princess's Study.
Xu Jiujiu was indeed restless during this period. Duke Dai Hao of the White Tiger had already returned to Xingluo City due to the bad news, but another piece of news he brought made her even more uneasy: Dai Youheng had not gone to the Western Army Group to look for him at all.
This news, intertwined with the tragedy of Bai Wanning and her son, gave her an extremely ominous premonition. If Zhu Man could harm Bai Wanning and Dai Luoli, would she let Dai Youheng, who had repeatedly opposed her and threatened her son's position, go unpunished? Had he also met with misfortune on his journey?
This worry stemmed partly from anxiety about the possibility of losing all her important investments, and partly from the appreciation she had developed after spending more than a year with Dai Youheng and witnessing his talent. Even she herself might not have realized that her worry had been mixed with a genuine feeling that went beyond self-interest.
When the maid rushed in to report that Dai Youheng was requesting an audience, Xu Jiujiu almost immediately stood up from behind her desk, her voice carrying a hint of urgency she herself didn't realize, "Let him in quickly!"
When she saw that familiar figure walk in unharmed, with that slightly ingratiating and longing smile on her face that she had long been accustomed to, Xu Jiujiu felt a sense of relief at first, but then a strange anger surged up again.
"Your Highness, it's been over a month since we last met, I've missed you so much," Dai Youheng said with a smile, her tone as usual.
"Dai Youheng!" Xu Jiu interrupted him, taking a few steps to stand in front of him, her beautiful eyes filled with reproach and lingering fear. "Where have you been for the past month? Do you know how many people I've sent looking for you everywhere! Why didn't you follow your father's orders and go to the Western Army Group? Do you know how worried I was that something might have happened to you!"
Dai Youheng's face showed a slightly embarrassed expression of "being caught red-handed," but his tone was stubborn. "I never intended to really go to him from the beginning. What good would it do? I would just listen to his high-sounding principles, like considering the big picture and brotherly harmony. In the end, wouldn't his goal be to get me to hand over the Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade? Hiding is a silent protest, showing that I will never compromise."
He paused, leaned closer, and his tone softened with apology, "Alright, I'm sorry, Your Highness. It was my fault this time, I made you worry. I promise I won't be so willful again."
He presented a delicate box from his storage soul tool as if it were a treasure. "Look, I brought gifts for you, Mother, and Luo Li. This one is for you. See if you like it?"
Inside the box was an exquisitely crafted sapphire necklace. The gemstone was crystal clear and sparkling, and it was quite valuable, but for a Soul Master, it was all show and no substance.
This gift was a prop he had carefully prepared to introduce the next topic.
Sure enough, when she heard him mention her mother and younger brother, the color drained from Xu Jiujiu's face instantly. She looked at Dai Youheng, who was still very interested and seemed completely unaware of the situation. Her lips moved a few times, but the cruel words stuck in her throat, and she couldn't say them no matter what.
She suddenly realized that she couldn't bear to shatter his happiness at this moment, to tell him the devastating news that Bai Wanning and Dai Luoli were dead, and she couldn't bear to watch him fall from the clouds into hell.
>