017 The Return of the Crimson Lotus Token

“What?!” Yun Feiyue was so startled she sat bolt upright. She hadn’t expected that fellow to return so quickly.

Lady Murong hurried to steady her. “Yue’er, don’t panic, don’t panic. If you want to see him, I’ll have someone bring him over.”

Yun Feiyue pushed herself up from the bed, frowning. “Mother, if I don’t panic and he leaves before I see him, and the Red Lotus Token is gone for good, don’t blame me.”

At the mention of the Red Lotus Token, Lady Murong’s attitude changed at once; she nearly wanted to toss her daughter straight into the main hall. She half-dragged, half-pulled her up. “Then hurry up and go!”

Yun Feiyue rubbed her forehead. As expected, in front of the Red Lotus Token, a daughter was worth less than dust.

In the main hall of the Yun residence, seated on a pearwood chair, was a youth in ink-black robes adorned with white lotus patterns. His long, slender lashes cast delicate shadows on skin as fine as jade, like a sculpture carved from the purest mutton-fat jade, mesmerizing all the maids who dared not blink in his presence.

Mo Xiangqing sensed someone’s arrival, turned his head, and slowly stood. His tall, elegant figure and fair skin wrapped in black robes were as mysterious as a midnight epiphyllum. He parted lips as pale as cherry blossoms. “Miss Yun, I’ve come to return your possession.”

Yun Feiyue’s face bloomed with a brilliant smile when she saw the blood-red Red Lotus Token resting in his jade-like hand—a wave of affection washed over her. At last, it was home! Never again would she part with it, not even over her dead body!

She quickly composed herself. “I promised you: if you returned the Red Lotus Token, I would grant you a favor. Tell me—what do you wish me to do?”

Mo Xiangqing lowered his gaze in thought, about to reply, when he felt something bump against his leg. Looking down, he saw a child. Little Mumu blinked up at him with innocent curiosity. “Gentle brother, are you here to agree to be my mommy’s boyfriend?”

Boyfriend? Mo Xiangqing considered. “What sort of friend is a boyfriend?”

Little Mumu put his hands on his hips, instantly transforming into a stern little teacher. “A boyfriend is a candidate to be my daddy! You only get one chance—if you miss it and come crying to me later, I might not say yes!”

Yun Feiyue’s face darkened at once; she seized Little Mumu and tossed him aside. “Out, you!”

She coughed. “Children say the silliest things. Don’t take his words seriously—there’s no such thing as a daddy candidate!” She shot Little Mumu a glare. Idiot! How could anyone agree to be a candidate just like that?

Mo Xiangqing only smiled, as if he hadn’t minded at all. The two of them sat facing each other, but conversation eluded them, and an extended silence unfolded…

Lady Murong, who had been enjoying the spectacle, finally couldn’t resist stepping forward. She studied Mo Xiangqing with keen eyes, inwardly exclaiming praises. No wonder Yun Feiyue had given him the Red Lotus Token—handsome, fair-skinned, refined, tall, gentle, cultured. Absolutely son-in-law material!

She approached Mo Xiangqing with a cheerful smile. “Young Master Mo, by any chance, are you from the Hidden Mo Clan?”

Mo Xiangqing did not deny it, nodding slightly. “I am.”

Lady Murong’s smile grew even brighter. Who on the Golden Lance Continent had not heard of the Hidden Mo Clan’s power? To marry into the Mo Clan was to marry into the continent’s most illustrious family.

“Oh my, no wonder I felt at our first meeting that Young Master possessed an extraordinary aura. You are certainly no ordinary child; your nobility shines from within and without.” Lady Murong lavished her praise.

Yun Feiyue quietly withdrew to the side, watching her mother in dismay. She was certain that, in a more liberal society, Lady Murong would have been a master at chasing men.

Mo Xiangqing seemed a little embarrassed by the flattery and responded with only a polite nod.

“So, Young Master Mo, what rank do you hold in the Hidden Mo Clan? I’ve heard that once the children of the clan come of age, there’s a ranking competition, and duties are assigned according to placement?” Lady Murong was eager to dig out every detail of his ancestry.

But Mo Xiangqing could not answer this. “Madam, the Mo Clan has strict rules; one cannot reveal their rank or status lightly. Please regard me as an ordinary member of the clan.”

Receiving nothing more, Lady Murong lost interest, found herself a seat, propped her cheek on one hand, lightly fanned herself with the other, and kept glancing at Yun Feiyue, signaling her to take the initiative.

Yun Feiyue caught her mother’s meaning and stuck out her tongue. “Mother, it’s not convenient to talk with you sitting here.”

Lady Murong pursed her lips with a sly smile, her eyes crinkling. “Understood, understood. I just remembered I have something to take care of. You two chat. If Young Master Mo has time, do stay for a meal—I’ll have someone prepare it.”

With a smile, Lady Murong left the hall, and Yun Feiyue immediately felt relief.

She coughed. “Mo Xiangqing, my mother is always this enthusiastic with my friends. Please don’t mind her! So, you’ve returned the Red Lotus Token—are you sure there’s nothing you want my help with?”

Mo Xiangqing shook his head, a gentle smile on his lips. “There’s nothing I require help with for now. If ever I do, I’ll let you know. But you—” He gazed at her. “Your pulse seems even more chaotic than when we first met.”

Yun Feiyue offered a helpless smile. Caught again. It seemed her physical condition could fool only those with lesser skills; before a true expert, there was no hiding it. Would she be discovered at the Dragon Banquet?

“I haven’t been well these past two days. It’s normal for my pulse to be a little erratic.” Of course, she would never admit how badly her meridians were damaged.

Mo Xiangqing smiled faintly, the corners of his lips lifting ever so slightly. He reached into his robes and produced a white jade bottle. “Your injuries will require special medicines to heal. For now, take this.”

He poured out a single pill, which glowed faintly red in his pale palm—strangely luminous.

Yun Feiyue eyed the pill. “What is this?”

“A Clarity Pill.”

She recalled hearing about this from her master: it was a vital elixir of the Hidden Mo Clan, reserved only for the twelve Hidden Elders. She accepted it, asking warily, “Why are you helping me?”

“For his sake.” Mo Xiangqing took two steps in her direction, his lashes lowered, hiding his expression. He placed the pill in Yun Feiyue’s hand. “Take it soon.”

Yun Feiyue sniffed the pill—a unique fragrance, the same warm, sunlit scent that lingered on Mo Xiangqing himself.

“For his sake? Who? Little Mumu? You’re not… interested in children, are you? As his mother, I won’t just give my son away to anyone.” Yun Feiyue deliberately teased him.

Mo Xiangqing’s expression darkened, his gentle demeanor unable to withstand such a joke. “I…” He started to explain, but then thought better of it. “Miss Yun jests. I only hope you take good care of yourself. In time, you’ll understand my reasons.”

Looking at his earnest face, Yun Feiyue couldn’t help but want to tease him further—a habit she’d never managed to break.

She grinned mischievously. “Don’t tell me you did all this for me? Hm? How about I really let you be Little Mumu’s father?”

Mo Xiangqing’s body stiffened instantly, but he soon replied, “Mo Xiangqing cannot be this child’s father. He bears the Celestial Spirit Body—a fate beset with hardship. Only the strongest can protect him and help him grow.”

Yun Feiyue’s smile vanished, a hint of murderous intent flickering in her eyes. For Mo Xiangqing to see through Little Mumu’s constitution—he would one day become a threat. She could never let him live!

—End of Chapter—

Special thanks to Fox Demon for creating a group for the adorable Black Mumu and his fiery mother, where we discuss the plot, chat, and banter. To join, use the name of any gorgeous character as a passcode. Group number: 310050692.