Chapter 014
Chapter 14: Little Sister Cried So Bitterly, My Heart Almost Broke
[When Second Brother leaves the manor to meet his friends, he takes White Tiger Avenue in the western city. On the way, he passes Bright Emerald Lake, where he comes upon a young woman drowning.]
[Moved by compassion, he does not hesitate. He jumps in and saves her.]
[But after she is rescued, the woman miscarries. She was pregnant out of wedlock, abandoned by her lover, and in despair threw herself into the water.]
[Yet when she wakes, she shamelessly points to Second Brother and insists he is the father.]
[There is no proof, and Second Brother does not want to waste time on lies, so he ignores the matter, hoping it will pass.]
[But the woman’s family is not so easy to dismiss. Her parents bring a hundred relatives to the Duke’s Manor, howling at the gates for days and demanding justice. They force Second Brother to marry her.]
[The chaos reaches the emperor and his officials. Our family becomes the butt of court jokes. Father is humiliated. Mother is crushed.]
[Mother does everything she can to suppress the scandal, but fails. In the end, with no other option, she personally arranges the marriage.]
[Second Brother never forgives her. He grows bitter and resentful. The rift widens, and even when Mother later dies, pushed to the edge by Yang Xin’er, he still has not made peace.]
[This woman repays kindness with betrayal. She steals Second Brother’s reputation and crushes his future. His entire downfall begins with her.]
[If I can stop him from leaving today, maybe none of it will happen.]
[Yes, I will cry. I will cry pitifully and cling to him whenever he tries to go. If I wail loudly enough, Mother will not bear it and will make him stay.]
Yun Wan Ning’s little mind whirled with plans. She was so deep in thought that she did not notice how her extraordinarily handsome Second Brother’s expression grew colder by the breath.
[Wait, that is really my fate in the original plot?]
Just as he suspected, Mother and Yun Wan Yao both turned toward him with narrowed eyes.
Yun Wan Ye knew at once.
Besides Mother, Yun Wan Yao could also hear Little Fourth’s heart voice.
To protect himself, he straightened and forced a warm smile. He patted the little milk bun’s soft cheek, then set her carefully back on the bed. He said: “Ah, it is getting late. Elder Brother has to go now.”
“Waaaah—”
Before she even touched the mattress, Yun Wan Ning burst into tears. She wailed with her whole body, tiny hands flailing, tearful eyes fixed on Yun Wan Ye as if her soul begged him to stay.
[Second Brother, look how miserable I am. You do not have the heart to leave me like this, right?]
Pleased with her performance, Yun Wan Ning praised herself in secret.
Madam Yun almost laughed out loud. Covering her mouth, she walked over and gathered the little girl into her arms, then gave her son a solemn look. She said: “Look how much she wants you to stay. Can you not remain home today and comfort her?”
[Yes, yes, Mother’s words are perfect. Stay home and comfort me, Second Brother.]
Little Fourth’s cries grew louder. Her soft arms reached toward him in desperation, her big eyes gleaming with heartbreak. She was the very picture of a pitiful little milk bun abandoned by the one she loved most.
Yun Wan Ye’s heart nearly melted.
Nearly.
He gritted his teeth, set his face in sorrow, and said: “Mother, I have already made plans. My friends are waiting. Once I am out of sight, she will stop crying. Please comfort her for me. I must go.”
Then, before anyone could stop him, he turned and fled.
Gone in a blink.
“…”
What?
He really left?
He really left?
He heard her cries and saw her tiny arms reaching for him, yet he still had the heart to go off and play?
Yun Wan Ning froze. After a beat, fury bubbled up.
[Heartless Second Brother. I worked so hard to save you, and you do not appreciate it at all.]
Madam Yun and Yun Wan Yao stood stunned.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
Was it possible he truly could not hear Little Fourth’s voice? Or was he pretending not to hear?
“Yao’er,” Madam Yun said quietly: “you stay and comfort Little Fourth. Mother just remembered something urgent.”
Yun Wan Yao blinked, then nodded: “All right.”
She took the still-sobbing milk bun and soothed her gently. Yet she sighed in her heart. Mother was clearly going to handle Second Brother’s matter, and though she was still recovering from childbirth, she could not be stopped. She said: “Be careful, Mother. Wear something warm.”
Once Yun Wan Ye was gone, Yun Wan Ning stopped crying. She blinked her damp lashes and watched her mother and sister exchange a meaningful look. Her round eyes filled with confusion.
[Wait, where is Mother going? She is still in recovery.]
[And why does Elder Sister seem to know what Mother is planning?]
[Ugh, does Mother share a deeper bond with Elder Sister than with me? No, no, Elder Sister is just smarter.]
Yun Wan Yao: “…”
Western city, White Tiger Avenue.
Yun Wan Ye rushed down the avenue, no longer pausing to admire spring blooms or listen to street musicians. He was late. Little Sister’s inner voice had slowed him, but now he had to hurry. He wanted to see with his own eyes whether the woman from the so-called story truly existed.
He arrived as the lake came into view.
Bright Emerald Lake shimmered under drooping willows, the water so still it mirrored the sky.
Yun Wan Ye stopped at a distance, his gaze falling on a lone woman standing in a lakeside pavilion. From behind, her figure was slender and graceful. Quite beautiful, at least from afar.
His brow arched a fraction.
Let us see if she jumps.
If she truly jumped, he would believe everything Little Fourth had said.
Splash.
Right on cue, the woman flung herself into the lake, water flying in an arc.
Yun Wan Ye was speechless.
She really jumped.
She thrashed and gasped: “Save me, please, someone help me.”
Yun Wan Ye almost laughed. You leaped into the lake with such force, and now you are crying for help. Were you seeking death, or staging a play?
Hoofbeats rang behind him.
A middle-aged man vaulted from his horse. With lightness skill, he skimmed the water’s skin and dragged the woman ashore with practiced ease. He said with arrogant relish: “I saved this girl, so she is mine. You have a problem with that, brat? Back off.”
He slung the soaked woman over his shoulder like a sack and threw a fierce glare at Yun Wan Ye.