Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Do you mean the Autumn Palace?” Military Commander Xu asked in bewilderment.
The elderly lady nodded and answered, “Yes, your daughter is there now. I can’t reveal the details.”
“Thank you, Master.”
“Master, can you tell if she’s married now?” Madam Xu probed.
“She’s already married and her other half treats her extremely well. However, now that her fate has been altered, there is a direct impact on her marriage, which is now on the rocks…”
“Thank you very much, Master, thank you…”
They hurriedly left the place. Along the way, Madam Xu was jittery and filled with anxiety. “Hubby, hurry and ask to meet the president. We have to draw the blood of all female servants and run a DNA test. We’ll definitely find her that way,” she said.
Military Commander Xu frowned and answered, “How could it possibly be so easy? Do you know how difficult it would be for Mr. President to give the green light?”
“But we can’t just sit back now that we know where she is. No matter what, we must find her and alter her fate.”
“I’ll head to B City today. Regardless of what the outcome may be, I’ll try meeting the president first.”
“Alright,” Madam Xu consented with a grave expression, at a complete loss of what to do.
She insisted on tagging along when Military Commander Xu headed to B City.
Military Commander Xu could not persuade her and had no choice but to give in.
It was almost evening when they arrived in B City. They decided that it would be more appropriate to visit the president the next morning instead.
—
As soon as Mei Yangyang reached the entrance of her home, she caught sight of Mei Shuangshuang alighting from a Mercedes-Benz, which pulled up right outside her door.
She glanced inside to see that a blonde-haired hunk was riding in the driver’s seat.
Mei Shuangshuang waved him goodbye and said to her sister with a smile, “Did you see that? He’s the dreamboat I’ve just found, he’s extremely wealthy.”
Mei Yangyang rolled her eyes and said, “He’s wealthy just because he drives a Mercedes-Benz?”
Mei Shuangshuang scoffed and entered the house gleefully.
Mei Yangyang followed and closed the door.
“What does that man do?” she asked.
“He helps his father out with their family’s real estate business.”
“What’s his name? I’m going to check if he’s a conman,” Mei Yangyang asked.
Mei Shuangshuang flew into a rage and snapped, “What do you mean? Why must I let you verify if he’s a conman or not? Who do you think you are!?!”
“Fine, I don’t care and I won’t ask again. Suit yourself.” Mei Yangyang told her husband about the matter as soon as she returned to her room.
Long Tianze chuckled and sneered, “Which man is so blind to fancy her?”
“I saw him earlier on. He seems to be rather good-looking. He dyed his hair blonde and drives a Mercedes-Benz.”
“No wonder she doesn’t fancy the men you introduced her to. She’s already found herself another boyfriend. Just wash your hands off of her affairs from now on. She doesn’t know any better.”
“Yes. I don’t wish to care about her anymore either. She can’t tell right from wrong at all.”
“I read on the news today that your Sis is severely injured…”
“It must be fake. To be honest, I really feel the injustice suffered by Sis,” Mei Yangyang remarked, lying on his lap while chewing an apple.
“I feel the injustice for Qingyan too.”
“You don’t understand. I know exactly what kind of a person my Sis is. She will never sleep with anyone casually, let alone compromise her chastity in order to investigate her mother’s incident. She’s willing to endure and sacrifice anything except that,” said Mei Yangyang.
“Are you that confident?”
“Yes, I’m just that confident. I met her at the Gu family home previously and she looked really haggard. She must’ve been distraught. Nowadays, most people choose to believe their own eyes and ears but not their heart.”
He looked down at her and answered, “If you were put in his shoes, you’d probably react the same way too. Humans are not God, there’s no way one can ever handle everything perfectly. Qingyan has gone to visit a psychiatrist because of this matter. He’s on the brink of depression.”
Mei Yangyang sat up straight and asked, “Is it really that serious? How did it turn out that way?”
“God knows.”
“…”
—
Military Commander and Madam Xu could not fall asleep the entire night and stayed awake until daybreak.
They immediately headed to the Autumn Palace once the sky turned bright.
After having a welcome meal, they proceeded to meet Tuoba Rui.
Tuoba Rui thought that it was a serious matter upon hearing how eagerly they wanted to see him. However, he was extremely taken aback after realizing the truth.
“Your daughter is in the Autumn Palace?”
“Yes. She was abducted soon after she was born. It has been 29 years since then. Please lend me a hand, Mr. President,” Military Commander Xu pleaded earnestly.
“In that case, I’m willing to give you a helping hand. Military Commander Xu, you’ve done your best to serve the country all these years. A little help from me is nothing,” Tuoba Rui agreed without hesitation, which was to the surprise of both of them.
They initially thought that it would require a lot of effort to persuade Tuoba Rui. Unlike what they had expected, the latter had agreed right away.
“Thank you so much, Mr. President,” they thanked him agitatedly.
“Don’t mention it.” Tuoba Rui summoned his secretary and instructed, “Retrieve the blood samples of all the females in the palace, aged 20 to 40 years old. Then, send the samples to the DNA genetic database center and carry out matches with Commander and Madam Xu.”
“Yes.”
“The results will probably need some time to process, so please wait patiently. I’ll inform you immediately once the results are out,” said Tuoba Rui.
“Alright, thank you so much,” Madam Xu thanked profusely in agitation.
Tuoba Rui stood by the window after they left.
The reason why he agreed to their request was not only because of what Military Commander Xu had done for the country over the years but also because he could empathize with how they felt, being separated from their daughter.
However, what set him apart from them was the fact that he knew about his daughter’s current living situation, though he could not acknowledge her.
He initially thought that he could finally see her in the flesh on his son’s wedding day. Yet, she was unable to attend the wedding.
Good that she wasn’t, though.
In that case, he would not have to see that face of hers that resembled her mother’s greatly.
That was not too bad of an idea.
“What’s on your mind?” Shi Xiaoyu asked as she entered the room.
Tuoba Rui turned around and answered, “Nothing much.”
“Military Commander Xu and his wife came by so early in the morning. Was there something urgent?”
“Just a trivial matter. Has reconstruction for Danxue’s mansion begun?” he answered calmly.
“They began works yesterday.”
He picked up the teacup to take a few sips of tea before saying, “I’m going out to take a walk.”
“Shall I accompany you?” Shi Xiaoyu suggested.
“There’s no need for that,” he declined.
Shi Xiaoyu was slightly disappointed in his answer. She decided to visit her son’s mansion since she did not wish to remain in her room.
She caught sight of Tuoba Rui as soon as she arrived.
“Why did you follow me here?” Tuoba Rui questioned with a frown.
“I’m here to visit my son and daughter. How is that following you?”
He turned around and continued to walk forward.
Tuoba Danxue and Tuoba Gucheng were in the midst of a game of chess in the living room.
Upon sight of their parents, they immediately stopped playing.
“Not bad,” Tuoba Rui remarked as he took a seat.
“Father, Mother, what brings you here?” Tuoba Gucheng asked.
“Can’t we visit you even when nothing has happened? You’re getting married very soon. Why haven’t you changed the furniture and renovated your place yet?” Tuoba Rui asked with raised brows.
Then who is Xu family’s long lost daughter???
?
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“There’s no rush. It won’t be too late to start tomorrow,” said Tuoba Gucheng, who thought that it would be alright even if things remained as they were.
Tuoba Rui looked at An Xiaoning and asked, “I heard that you were the one who saved Gucheng on the mountains and even got wounded during the process. Is that true?”
“Yes,” An Xiaoning answered, looking down at the ground.
“Has Gucheng rewarded you yet?”
An Xiaoning glanced at Tuoba Gucheng and answered, “Yes, he already has.”
“What did he reward you with?”
“Well…” An Xiaoning did not expect Tuoba Rui to ask for further details. Thus, she answered, “He knows that I adore lilies so he gave me a pot of lilies.”
A look of astonishment formed on Tuoba Rui’s face, and Shi Xiaoyu was just as bewildered.
“Didn’t he reward you with money?”
“She said that she was merely performing her duties and thus did not want any money…” said Tuoba Gucheng.
Tuoba Rui took a few more glances at An Xiaoning and said, “Oh, I see. Do stay by Gucheng’s side and protect him well then.”
“I will.”
Tuoba Rui and Shi Xiaoyu left a short while later. Just as they stepped out of the door, Tuoba Danxue guffawed and mocked, “Mu Ning, are you silly? Why would you pick a pot of lilies over money?”
An Xiaoning remained silent. How could she possibly expose Tuoba Gucheng for failing to reward her with money after she had sustained injuries for the sake of saving him?
The only time she turned his money down was when he gave her 50 thousand dollars in a bid to get her to undergo an abortion.
That happened ages ago.
Well, lilies could be taken as a reward too, I suppose , An Xiaoning thought to herself.
Lilies given by His Highness can’t possibly be the same as those sold on the market.
That was the only way she could comfort herself.
She was called to his room as soon as she arrived upstairs.
They were the only ones in the room. “That pot of lilies was a gift for you, not a reward,” he said.
“I know.”
“What would you like as a reward? I’ll make it up to you.”
An Xiaoning could not think of an appropriate reward.
Since he could not afford to give her what she wanted, what was the point of asking for something she did not need?
“I don’t need any compensation. Just like you said, it was only part of my duty. Thus, it was something I was supposed to do anyway.”
“You’re really the strangest woman I’ve ever met.” He inched closer toward her and asked again, “Is there really nothing you want in particular?”
An Xiaoning looked up at him abruptly and questioned, “Can I really ask for anything?”
“Anything except me.”
An Xiaoning snorted with laughter. Why would he think that I would actually want him as a reward?
Was it really that obvious?
That idea has never crossed my mind, okay!
However, she felt a sudden urge to prank him. After all, if it weren’t for him, there wouldn’t be such a huge misunderstanding between her and Jin Qingyan, although he did not have intentions to sow discord between them.
What was the harm in teasing him a little?
An Xiaoning leaned closer toward him, leaving only inches between them. She raised her head and said, “But I do want you, Your Highness.”
Tuoba Gucheng felt his breathing slow down.
“I already said anything except me.”
An Xiaoning reached a hand out to push him, causing him to fall onto the bed.
She then pounced on him and supported herself up with her arms. Staring at him from above, she said, “Your Highness…”
Tuoba Gucheng was dumbfounded and froze in shock, not daring to look at her at all.
An Xiaoning initially thought he would push her away since she was invading his personal space.
Yet, to her surprise, he remained still as a statue.
They continued to stare at each other.
An Xiaoning began to feel a little awkward. After all, she knew that this man before him was her half-brother from another mother.
He was 26 years old while she was 29.
Forget it, I won’t tease him anymore.
Just as she was about to get off of him, he grabbed her wrist all of a sudden, catching her off guard. She was thrown off balance and fell onto his chest.
She could hear his heart beating rapidly.
An Xiaoning regained her senses and said, “Your Highness…”
“Yes… don’t move,” he spluttered.
She ignored him and tried to sit up straight, but to no avail, for he pulled her into his arms once again.
Damn it, I’ve crossed the line this time by playing with fire and getting myself burned , An Xiaoning thought to herself.
She had merely wanted to tease him. Little did she expect to end up stirring such unnecessary trouble.
“Your Highness, I was just kidding just now. You don’t have to take it to heart.”
“Stop talking, I know what you’re thinking.”
You know nothing at all!
We’re not even on the same page.
He finally let go of her a while later and said, “You may go out.”
An Xiaoning glanced at him and nodded before leaving.
Tuoba Gucheng lay down in bed, thinking to himself that something must have gone wrong with his esthetic standards.
He actually thought that that country bumpkin was pretty.
I must have lost my mind.
I actually even thought of hugging her and not letting her go.
What was wrong with him!?!
Could it be that I had fallen for her?
Nah, it can’t be.
Impossible…
How could he possibly fall for such an ugly face? But then again, why…
A whirlpool of questions flooded his mind.
Tuoba Gucheng leaped up and headed to the bathroom to wash his face.
After staring at his reflection in the mirror, Tuoba Gucheng looked away and walked out of the bathroom.
An Xiaoning made herself a cup of tea to give herself a little boost. However, she was again caught by surprise by an uninvited guest before she could even manage to take a sip.
Tuoba Gucheng closed the door and turned the lock from the inside.
Sitting on the bed, An Xiaoning asked, “Your Highness, what’s wrong with you?”
“Was what you said earlier true?”
An Xiaoning shook her head and answered, “No, I was just trying to tease you.”
He stared at her solemnly and said, “Regardless of whether it’s true or not, don’t spout such things again, lest you implicate yourself in unnecessary trouble. Got it?”
“Yes, Sir! I wouldn’t dare to play such a prank anymore in the future. Please rest assured, Your Highness!” An Xiaoning answered earnestly.
Tuoba Gucheng scanned her from head to toe, thinking to himself that she seemed to be a little neurotic.
He picked up her teacup in a bid to take a sip. She hurriedly stopped him, “Your Highness, this is my cup of tea. If you’d like to have tea, I’ll make you some using your cup.”
“I don’t mind that you’re dirty, how dare you be saliva-conscious with me?”
“No… aren’t you mysophobic? I’m merely sparing a thought for you,” she explained.
He ignored her and downed her entire cup of tea.
He then left her room, just like that…
An Xiaoning had no choice but to brew another cup of tea.
She sat down again quietly, holding the teacup in her hands as she sank deep in thought.
—
It was the 6th of August.
Tuoba Gucheng’s wedding was reported across all media platforms.
They had even filmed a live-stream of the wedding.
It was a joyous occasion for the Royal Family, and the entire nation rejoiced along.
An Xiaoning was dressed in a full-black uniform, just like the other bodyguards.
Being the only female bodyguard by Tuoba Gucheng’s side, she naturally appeared in most of the photos and videos of the wedding.
The first thing she did in the morning was to inform Tuoba Gucheng that she had a sore throat and thus would not be speaking much that day.
Moreover, she had also called the Lin family to inform that while she would not be able to attend the wedding, she would still be sending the monetary wedding gift.
She told Gu Beicheng to deliver it on her behalf.
The Lin family told her that it was alright and instructed her to rest well.
Ever since she woke up in the morning, An Xiaoning had never once stopped walking and constantly followed Tuoba Gucheng throughout the rest of the day.
She would tag along wherever he went.
When it was time to welcome the guests, it was only inevitable to bump into some people.
Such as Gu Beicheng, Lin Mingxi, and Mr. and Mrs. Gu.
Such as the Xu family, Xu Youran, and Gu Dongcheng.
Such as… Jin Qingyan.
