Chapter 65
Time flies, and five years have passed in the blink of an eye.
While the snow in the north is still hard to melt, the south is already warm as spring, pink peach blossoms are blooming on the branches, and little people under the trees have already rolled around in the mud.
A boy of about fifteen or sixteen was huffing and puffing while washing his muddy clothes. Seeing this, he ran over in fright, picked up the little boy with disgust, and wailed, "Oh dear! You're doing this again! I must have owed you and your mother something in my past life!"
The chubby little boy laughed heartily, oblivious to the mud on his face. The four-year-old boy had exceptionally handsome features. If Qi Yu were here, she would definitely recognize him as a miniature version of Wu Shiyan.
However, compared to Wu Shiyan, he lacked some of the noble air and had more of a simple and down-to-earth demeanor.
7579 thought to itself, "Isn't it tough? I've never seen such an energetic human cub. When it was just learning to crawl, it had already explored the entire courtyard nestled in the mountains. When it could run, it would drag me all over the mountains and fields to play. It was like flying a kite."
But when she's with Qi Yu, she's incredibly well-behaved. Upon seeing her mother, she pulls the blanket over and runs to her, sweetly declaring, "I want to sleep with Mommy!"
Thinking about this, 7579 was furious. Who was taking care of this brat every day, yet this little brat only remembered Qi Yu?
Qi Yuanling said, "Mother goes down the mountain to work as an accountant every day. She works so hard just so she can hire Uncle Qi to take care of me. Of course I should love Mother even more."
When his mother came back, she taught him to read and sang to him to lull him to sleep.
Although Uncle Qi ate very little at each meal, he was incredibly strong and had boundless energy. He had only seen the other children when he went down the mountain, and compared to Uncle Qi, he felt that his own exercise level was adequate.
Uncle Seven is a good person, but Mother is different in his heart.
7579: "She didn't go to be an accountant, she clearly returned to Qi Yu's original world!"
Qi Yuanling asked curiously, "What is that?"
7579 remained silent, his heart filled with bitterness.
Because of Qi Yu's special circumstances, it specifically reported to the main system and received leniency.
Qi Yu can travel between the two worlds on her own, but she cannot let anyone know that after giving birth to Xiao Yuanling in the modern world, she found a place for Xiao Yuanling to live in this world.
Qi Yu remembered the peach blossom wine and the beautiful scenery here, so she decided to stay at this place during her southern tour, although it was far from Wu Shiyan's residence.
And who does Qi Yu trust the most? Of course, it's 7579!
So it took on the responsibility of caring for the cubs, allowing Qi Yu to focus on her studies.
The courtyard was noisy. As the sun set, a woman pushed open the door and entered. Qi Yuanling, like an arrow released from a bow, rushed down to Qi Yu in a flash.
"mother!"
Qi Yu picked up her baby and bounced him around, then stuffed a milk candy into Xiao Yuanling's mouth.
Five years ago, after witnessing how the new head of the Zhao family expelled her, Zhao Wanyi, she naturally lost all goodwill. She sent a letter to Wu Shiyan and then left alone.
For the past five years, apart from the first year when she returned to the modern world and enjoyed good food and drink, the remaining four years of her life have been exceptionally routine for Qi Yu.
She used the money she had to renovate the house, bought a shop at the foot of the mountain, and found herself the identity of a female shopkeeper.
Wu Shiyan did not make a southern tour during this period, and with the help of the system, it would be difficult for anyone to find her.
After things settled down, Qi Yu considered returning to the capital, but she couldn't hide her daily life. She could fool Qi Yuanling, but when it came to Wu Shiyan and Pei Jin, her inappropriate behavior would be quickly discovered, so she gave up on the idea.
But now five years have passed...
7579 rushed over, chattering incessantly, "Qi Yu, when are you going to take the little brat to find his father? If you keep working like this, I'll give my life to you and your child!"
Isn't destiny a form of fate?
Besides, Qi Yuanling's brain is either inherited from someone else or it's more than the sum of its parts. If we stay any longer, the little brat will soon realize something is wrong.
For example, how could Uncle Qi's appearance never change? For example, how could my mother's routine of leaving early and returning late, working five days a week and resting two days a week...
7579 originally thought that Qi Yu would quickly brush it off, but unexpectedly, Qi Yu thought for a moment and said: "Pack up tonight, and we'll set off tomorrow."
7579 was stunned, but Qi Yuanling's eyes lit up.
He always knew he had a father, but with his mother by his side and his seventh uncle around, he stopped thinking about anything else.
However, Xiao Yuanling still longed for his father. All the children down the mountain had fathers, and this was something that Uncle Qi could not replace.
If 7579 knew that this is what I was thinking, he would definitely curse the little brat for being heartless and forgetting who raised him.
Qi Yu patted Qi Yuanling's head. She also had her own plans. She could return to the modern world at any time, and since there hadn't been many things happening in the modern world recently, she could follow her heart and do whatever she wanted.
Return this brat to his family. After all, there's a real throne for him to inherit. We can't let this opportunity slip by.
Moreover, the scene of father and son recognizing each other didn't even require a blood test. Placing Qi Yuanling next to Wu Shiyan, their similar appearance left no room for doubt.
On the way back to the capital, the three of them spent the entire trip sightseeing.
Qi Yu and the others could have gone even faster. Qi Yu could ride a horse, and the system could create a barrier in front of her to block the wind, so she could have ridden with Qi Yuanling.
But Qi Yuanling couldn't bear to part with his seventh uncle and insisted that his seventh uncle accompany him back. In addition, 7579 had previously told Qi Yuanling that it couldn't ride a horse in order to avoid being lazy. So the group had no choice but to take a carriage to the capital.
Fortunately, the journey was leisurely, so it wasn't a waste of time.
Once they arrived in the capital, since Qi Yu had already bought a house there, they no longer needed to go to an inn.
Qi Yu and Qi Yuanling were eating square cakes, their expressions exactly the same, one big and one small. 7579 asked, "When are you going to find them?"
them?
Qi Yuanling looked up curiously.
Qi Yu was also troubled: "Tomorrow?"
7579 wanted to ask more, but saw that Qi Yu had already gotten off the carriage. It quickly picked up the cub, followed her, and paid the driver.
The house that Qi Yu bought earlier was not large. Because no one took care of it, the courtyard was full of fallen leaves after she opened the door with a key.
7579's expression changed drastically. He took out a long handkerchief, tied it to his face, and began cleaning.
Qi Yu felt a rare pang of reluctance: "How about I invite a few more people?"
Her grudges with the system had long since vanished thanks to 7579's diligent, ox-like care of the calf. Although 7579 often complained, it never let her get involved in any trivial matters.
The same goes for this time.
"No!" Two humans are enough, no more!
7579 grumbled and said with disdain, "This family will fall apart without me. What can you two, with your skinny arms and legs, do?"
Then it accelerated, not wanting Qi Yu and the little cub to wait too long.
Qi Yu took Qi Yuanling out of the alley to eat wontons at a street stall. On their way back, they happened to see a crack in the door of their neighbor's house, where a little girl of about two years old was peeking out.
If I remember correctly, this seems to be the house she left for Pei Jiu.
She bought the two houses together for convenience.
Qi Yu took a closer look at the child and vaguely saw Pei Jiu's shadow on her face.
Pei Jiu?!
While Qi Yu was still in a daze, a young woman grabbed the little girl by the back of her collar and said in a clear voice, "You can't go outside without your parents, and you can't open the door. You're being naughty, little You."
Qi Yuanling smiled. He had always listened to his mother since he was a child, and he was the most obedient child in the world!
The little girl named Xiaoyou spoke slowly, her words still somewhat halting: "Mom, someone's coming."
The young woman looked up and met the gazes of Qi Yu and Qi Yuanling. She had no idea how long the two of them had been watching her.
The woman blushed, both embarrassed and delighted: "Your Majesty!"
This person was Pei Jiu.
When Qi Yu smiled, it was probably because she had fully grown up. Pei Jiu was much prettier than before, and the slight roundness on her cheeks was just right.
Xiao You was picked up and said, "Mother, you're so shameful." How could her mother, who was so old, call someone else "Mother"?
Qi Yu gently rubbed Xiao You's soft cheek with her finger and fed Xiao You a milk tablet.
She looked at Pei Jiu: "Seeing you like this, knowing that you are doing well, I am relieved."
"Your Majesty's spirit is different now." Time has left no trace on Qi Yu; she is still that beautiful woman, but she is more serene than she was five years ago.
Pei Jiu recounted that His Majesty gave her two choices back then: either stay in the palace or be settled in the capital with money. She chose the latter without hesitation.
His Majesty sent the few remaining concubines out of the palace, allowing them to be adopted as goddaughters under the name of the imperial clan, so that they could remarry or travel in the capital in the future. The palace was empty, so what was the point of her staying there?
She couldn't forget the wandering she had experienced before meeting Qi Yu, and all she wanted was a simple and happy life.
However, because she had been following the Empress, her standards had risen considerably, and it took her another two years before she finally set her sights on Xiaoyou's father.
Qi Yu and Qi Yuanling stayed at Pei Jiu's house until it was almost dark before they finally managed to leave.
Qi Yu, holding Qi Yuanling's hand, had only taken two steps with the joy of seeing her friend when she noticed something strange about the area around the house. A person was standing abruptly in front of the door, and a dark carriage was parked to the side.
Qi Yu saw Pei Jin first. Pei Jin frowned as he faced the closed door. He felt a little wronged and didn't know why Qi Yu wouldn't open the door.
Wu Shiyan, sitting in the carriage, secretly resented Pei Jin for getting ahead of him, but the fact that Pei Jin was blocked outside the door made his brows relax somewhat.
For the past five years, he has not dared to touch Pei Jin, fearing that without Pei Jin, Qi Yu would be even less willing to return.
Wu Shiyan, who was spying from the shadows, spotted Qi Yu first and immediately got off the carriage. At the same time, he also noticed the little cub that Qi Yu was holding.
That's... his child!
No doubt about it! Although her eyebrows and lips resemble Qi Yu's, and her expression is similar to her mother's, she also resembles him in some ways.
Qi Yu looked at Pei Jin, but did not notice Wu Shiyan getting off the carriage.
Qi Yuanling looked left and right and was the first to spot Wu Shiyan. The tall man was staring at him so intently that he couldn't help but notice him.
Qi Yuanling blinked, hesitated, and then jogged towards Wu Shiyan.
Uncle Qi said that the only person in the world like him was his father. He felt that his father was exactly like him in terms of height, appearance, and extraordinary presence.
Wu Shiyan squatted down and hugged the little cub. He originally planned to stand up and walk over step by step under Qi Yu's gaze.
After all, they are a family of three.
However, when he looked at Qi Yu, he found that Qi Yu was already smiling faintly at Pei Jin.
Pei Jin was probably awakened by the noise of the little brat running over. He noticed Qi Yu and strode up to her, his emotions so evident that his eyes were red. He glanced at Qi Yu, then pulled her into his arms, his cloak cleverly covering her completely.
Qi Yu's voice was sweet and clear: "I keep my promise and have not forgotten Lord Pei. I have always remembered him."
Pei Jin leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I knew you would come back."
He wasn't a prophet; he was simply telling himself this over the past five years.
Wu Shiyan was furious, but just then, Qi Yuanling started to panic.
The little boy hesitated and asked, "Did I mistake my father for someone else?"
Wu Shiyan gritted his teeth and said, "That's your mother's mistress!"
He is Ayu's husband!
Qi Yu froze when she belatedly realized that Wu Shiyan was also there. The two men looked at her at the same time, one with a smile and the other with displeasure, as if they wanted to see which one she would appease first.
-----------------------
Author's Note: It's finished! There will be a side story from the little kid's perspective later. [cheering emojis]
I'll definitely start writing the next book only after I've saved up some chapters. [procrastinator][procrastinator]
Tip: Come here to find good novels to read!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
