"Master... Father?" Qing Jun’s voice carried a hint of disbelief.
"Aunt... Aunt Mao?"
Chen Ye and Mao Qingzhu turned around simultaneously at the sound.
They saw two little girls playing like wildlings, covered in dirt as if they’d been romping in the grass all day.
Only their little faces seemed to have been purposely washed clean, bright and fresh.
Chen Ye said in a deep voice, "Where have you two been playing? Covered in dust, what kind of behavior is this? Hurry and wash up!"
As he spoke, he gently explained to the already petrified Mao Qingzhu,
"Sister Qingzhu, don’t mind them. These two girls are wild by nature. I’m sorry for making you laugh."
Mao Qingzhu smiled softly, her eyes gentle: "Little girls being a bit wild is normal..."
If the two girls were all prim and proper without smiles, Mao Qingzhu would feel uneasy.
Seeing them carefree and mischievous,
she knew that Brother Ye truly doted on these children daily.
"Ugh..." Qing Jun clenched her little fists, pouting, "Aunt Mao, why are you at Master’s home? If Uncle Xu finds out, he won’t be happy!"
"Ahem!" Chen Ye nearly choked, realizing that ever since that day when the third son of the Xu Family, Xu Qingsong, visited, she knew her supposed father was the Uncle Xu she spoke of?
Moreover, Qing Jun didn’t know she emerged from a dragon egg... she might even really believe Xu Buhui is her biological father.
The smile on Mao Qingzhu’s face seemed to shatter, her eyes darting around, speaking incoherently for a moment:
"He... he doesn’t know, no, no, I just came to visit..."
She reached out, wanting to pat Qing Jun’s little head, but halfway, her hand dropped.
"Qing Jun."
Mao Qingzhu said softly, with a hint of unintentional placation in her voice,
"I have nothing to do with your... Uncle Xu. I just came to... to see you."
"See me?" Qing Jun tilted her little head, her bright, alert eyes darting between Mao Qingzhu and Chen Ye, "What for? I’m doing just fine with Master!"
As she spoke, she ran to Chen Ye’s side, hugging his leg like a protective little beast to assert her "territory."
Chen Ye felt as though his leg was tightly wrapped by a soft, fluffy silkworm.
Seeing Mao Qingzhu’s pleading gaze, Chen Ye patted the little girl’s head:
"Qing Jun, because Lisong Valley has been haunted, you’ll sleep with Aunt Mao these few days."
"Huh??" Qing Jun was momentarily stunned; she didn’t dislike Aunt Mao, just disliked her being with Master.
Sleeping with the sweet-smelling Aunt Mao, she would be delighted.
But wouldn’t that mean Aunt Mao would be staying in their master-disciple’s exclusively shared home!
Qing Jun opened her small mouth, wanting to refuse, but seeing Aunt Mao’s expectant gaze, couldn’t bear to directly decline.
So she softly muttered:
"But, then there’ll be no room for Senior Sister! We can’t let Senior Sister sleep there too, can we? Master, you know Senior Sister doesn’t like being close to outsiders..."
A dark-haired little girl also walked to Master’s side at the right moment, looking up with a serious expression:
"Master, Aunt Mao is the wife of the Xu Family Head; how can she stay here? It’s not that Zhiwei dislikes Aunt Mao, nor that Zhiwei doesn’t want Aunt Mao here. But if this gets out, it will be an excuse for others to target you, Master."
She spoke with utmost seriousness, her cool, dark eyes sincerely watching her master.
It seemed that if Master continued stubbornly, her beautiful eyes would reveal extreme disappointment in the next moment.
"Oh? I originally thought, Qing Jun could sleep with Aunt Mao, and then Zhiwei could endure sharing with Master... but if you all oppose this..." Chen Ye sighed.
"!? Who... who objects!"