FRGNM -Chapter 33 Conflict

Just as she had stepped forward, one foot on the windowsill, she hadn’t even reacted before the plump figure collided with her. The three of them tumbled down like dumplings in a boiling pot.

“Waaah!”

The scream echoed, even waking the little ones on the bed, who murmured softly, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

Tilting her head toward the moonlight, Ling Ruoxi smiled faintly and returned to the bed. She gently kissed the foreheads of the two children and held them close as they slept together.

Heaven seemed to enjoy teasing her. She had thought there was only one child in her womb and had named him Zhumeng (Chasing Dreams). But unexpectedly, there were two children—twins, a dragon and a phoenix.

With no advanced medical technology, a cesarean was impossible. She finally understood the agony of childbirth. With the aid of medicine, she endured three days and nights, nearly dying in labor, to bring the two little ones into the world.

As a result, she lost the ability to have more children. Her body had been damaged; these two children were all she would ever have. She cherished them above all else—they were flesh from her own body, and no one was allowed to touch them!

The Ling residence was still magnificent, decorated with red lanterns. Dressed in white with a veil, holding her two children, no one noticed her, nor would anyone recognize her as the former Ling Ruoxi.

“Mommy, where is this? Ling Residence? Is this your home?” Yimeng asked, biting her finger as she stared at the red gate, afraid to enter.

Outside, a servant looked at Ling Ruoxi and asked, puzzled, “Madam, who are you looking for?”

Ling Ruoxi calmly unfolded the red invitation and held it out. The servant took it, looking at her curiously. Even with the invitation, wouldn’t it be ten days early to arrive?

Beside her, Yizhui asked, confused, “Mommy, didn’t you say this is our home? Why do we need an invitation to enter?”

“Home?” The servant’s face darkened as if he had seen a ghost. He looked at Ling Ruoxi in shock. “Y-You… are you the Third Miss?”

They still remembered the Third Miss who disappeared six years ago. But the person before them—she had returned so quickly!

So fast that it left them unprepared.

“I am just a guest, not your Third Miss. The invitation has already been delivered, and gifts will be presented on the wedding day. I hope you like them. Also, please inform Ling Huiru and Ling Hu of this: I will attend the wedding myself.”

She didn’t want to stay in the residence. That one night, that merciless arrow had pierced her entirely, shattering the last bit of warmth in her life.

She wasn’t rebellious—it was unnecessary to acknowledge a father who had always opposed and even tried to kill her. Why should she show him filial respect?

The servant was too stunned to respond, staring at her in disbelief.

Ling Ruoxi smiled faintly, patting Yizhui’s head. “Are you hungry? Mommy will take you to eat something.”

“Mommy, aren’t we going home?” Yimeng widened her eyes, examining the unfamiliar red gate. “Mommy, didn’t you say that after we return, we can live there? Isn’t this our home?”

“Hehe… our home isn’t here. Liuli Island is our home. Wherever we are, there is no home.” Her calm voice made everyone shiver.

Indeed, Ling Ruoxi had long been driven from the Ling residence. There was no home for her anymore.

The old servant felt a pang of sadness and wanted to keep her there. But before he could speak, a striking red figure approached.

“Bang!”

“Ouch!” The red figure cried and stepped back two paces.

Yimeng, who had been struck, fell to the ground, rubbing her bottom, her eyes red. “Mommy! Mommy!”

“Yimeng!” Ling Ruoxi quickly knelt, picking up the child and rubbing her back. “Are you hurt?” The steps were made of cement; for a five-year-old to fall… it must have been painful.

Before Ling Ruoxi could finish speaking, the red figure grew angry, eyebrows raised. She shouted, “Watch where you’re going! Blocking the way with children—get out of here!”

“You hit us!” Yizhui stood his ground, glaring fiercely at the woman.

Ling Huiru was furious. She, soon-to-be Crown Princess, could not tolerate this wild child speaking to her like that. “What wild child dares to stand outside the Ling residence? Get lost!”

Ling Ruoxi’s voice was calm, almost icy. Patting Yimeng’s back, she turned to the towering woman. “We meet again.”

Ling Huiru trembled, eyes wide with shock. Even with a white veil, she recognized Ling Ruoxi. Her face changed, pointing at her. “I-It’s you!”

“Yes. It’s me. I’ve returned. But don’t worry—I won’t cause you trouble. However… you just collided with my child. At the very least, you should apologize to the child.” Ling Ruoxi said coldly.

“Apologize? Hah! You and your children are blind! I’m the Crown Princess! You better show me respect! Otherwise, even if you’re from Liuli Island, I won’t spare you!” Ling Huiru laughed arrogantly.

“Mommy, who is she? So scary…” Yimeng shrank her head, hugging Ling Ruoxi’s neck.

Yizhui nodded, tugging on Ling Ruoxi’s skirt. “Mommy, how can that woman compare to you? She’s like poop in a latrine—stinky and hard. How can the Crown Prince like her?”

“What did you say?!” Ling Huiru’s face turned crimson with rage. Her eyes locked on Yizhui. “You little bastard! Say that again!”

“I’m not a little bastard! I have a mommy!” Yizhui glared at Ling Huiru with fury. He hated being called a bastard more than anything. On Liuli Island, some people had insulted his mother, calling him a bastard. He could never forgive such a thing.

Now, even outside the island, people dared call him a bastard—just because he had no father. That was why they bullied him!

Clenching his fists, Yizhui stepped forward. “Apologize! Apologize to my mommy!”

“Apologize? Ha! You little bastard have some guts. Get lost!” Ling Huiru sneered, raising her hand to slap Yizhui.

An adult striking a child—it was easy to imagine the force.

Yizhui’s face changed, teeth clenched, refusing to submit.

The stubborn look made Ling Huiru hesitate slightly, but her hand came down anyway.

“Slap!”

A slender hand grabbed her wrist coldly. Ling Ruoxi’s eyes were icy. She pushed Ling Huiru back three or four steps.

“Miss, watch your manners. He is my son, not some street brat. I gave birth to him and raised him—no one else has the right to dictate. You are the Crown Princess-to-be; with your current behavior, can you command respect?” Ling Ruoxi said, pulling Yizhui back.

But Yizhui, furious, stomped and kicked Ling Huiru’s thigh. “I’m not a bastard! You are! Catch me if you can, you shameless woman!”

“You… you!” Ling Huiru nearly vomited from anger. “Guards! Someone get this child!”

The servants froze.

Yizhui snorted and ran into the crowd.

Ling Ruoxi’s heart clenched. “Yizhui, don’t run!” But it was too late. The small figure disappeared among the people.

Her heart raced, but seeing her other senior brothers nearby for protection, she calmed slightly. She looked at Ling Huiru coldly. “Miss Ling, control your behavior. If you continue to be arrogant and unruly, I won’t hesitate to ask the Crown Prince whether he would marry a woman like you!”

“You!” Ling Huiru was speechless, fury coiling within her. She had begged for this wedding for so long. Nangong Mo had set a condition: Ling Ruoxi must return before he would agree. She had agreed, summoning this woman back—but after six years, she was even more arrogant and impossible to control.

Ling Huiru’s heart wavered. She no longer knew if summoning her back had been right or wrong. If she told Nangong Mo about the wedding, he might immediately agree and discard her.

So she decided to act ruthlessly. If anything happened to her on the way here, it wouldn’t be her responsibility.

“Senior brother! Yizhui!” After searching several streets with no sign of him, Ling Ruoxi’s heart began to panic. That child was her heart and soul—nothing could happen to him!

Even Yimeng noticed something was wrong. She cupped her hands like a trumpet and called, “Brother Yizhui, where are you? Come out!”

“Yizhui! Yizhui!” Ling Ruoxi nearly lost her mind. The capital was vast, and with so many people, how could she find the familiar little figure? He had nothing with him—how could she locate him?