Chapter 51 - I love you. It means 'I love you.'
The climate in B City was relatively dry, and the region was warm, so although the winds outside the room were bitingly cold, the inside was as warm as spring.
Song Yuan had to buy several humidifiers to let run at once before finally feeling it was less dry.
By the time she got up, Rong Ting was already practicing calligraphy.
Song Yuan lazily stretched her waist in the living room and pretended to inadvertently say, "It's so dry here, isn't it? I feel like I'm about to have a nosebleed."
Rong Ting placed down his writing brush and rotated his wrist before saying, "Is it? I think it's all the same. When we were over there, the heater was on all day."
A miscalculation.
"Don't you think it's very dusty here in B City?" Although Song Yuan had settled down in B City, she was used to living in her hometown, so she wasn't accustomed to B City.
"It's okay."
Ai, this child wasn't very easily fooled. Song Yuan didn't bother to skirt around the issue and jumped straight to the point. "Um, Gugu, I was thinking, we're not used to life here, so, let's go back?"
She felt that she couldn't stay in B City, but she still had to ask for Rong Ting's opinion.
Was it good for children to move around frequently?
He had finally gotten used to life here and made a few friends at the academy.
Rong Ting looked at her in astonishment. "For what reason do you wish to return? Have we not discussed it?"
"En. Mom is lonely here. No relatives, no friends. Sometimes I miss home."
If it's like that...
Rong Ting looked deep in thought. He walked in front of Song Yuan and took her hand. He said quietly, "I can do either. Empress Mother can decide."
"How are you so good?" Song Yuan was a bit moved. "I wasn't as good as you when I was young."
"I know that all the choices Empress Mother makes are for my own good." The more Rong Ting got to know this time period, the more he knew what Empress Mother had given up for him.
"En!" Song Yuan bent down and pulled him into a hug. Her right hand stroked his head, and she said in a warm and firm voice, "Yes, Mom just wants Gugu to live happy and healthy."
Rong Ting trusted her so much. She thought, in the past five years, he must have had a pampered life and truly was one above ten thousand. In truth, she and he had no previous affection–his sentiments for her were purely that of a child's attachment to his mother. As for true affection, there wasn't much, as it could only be cultivated by living together.
But he still wholeheartedly trusted her and never doubted her. This unreserved trust was probably a given for many mothers. But she'd been absent from his life for many years. To still have this trust made her especially emotional.
Trust should be mutual. She couldn't take it for granted that she was his mother and make all the decisions for him without giving him the right to know and choose.
Song Yuan had decided to tell Rong Ting the truth, but she didn't know how to say it. Her mind was a complete mess.
At noon, Song Yuan received a message from her friend Xie Ya. [Yuanyuan, I heard something! Ji Junpei rejected an offer from a big company here. Yesterday when everyone had a meal together, he said that he was going to B City to develop!]
Song Yuan slowly typed out three question marks and sent.
Xie Ya: [We all know he's going for you! But don't worry, Yuanyuan, I'm not on his side. He asked me for your address, but I didn't give it. I don't know what happened between you two, but I'm a bit angry thinking about how he left to bitterly guard the cold home for a few years.]
[You did the right thing. I've got a long going on right now, and I've lost a lot of hair from stress over the past few days. I really don't have the energy to deal with him right now.]
Xie Ya: [Ai, I get you. When we ate together, there was an upperclassman jie who was blaming you, saying you let Ji Junpei down. Ai, I almost got in a fight with her. Ji Junpei didn't say anything, but I dunno if he thinks the same way. Either way, he didn't say anything then. So disappointing.]
If it were before, Song Yuan definitely would have been furious. But now that she was facing such a big matter, this had become a trivial matter and not worth her anger.
But why was Ji Junpei coming to B City?
She still couldn't figure this out. She was still thinking about it while Rong Ting took a midday nap. Song Haiping was in the middle of making tea. Seeing she was absent-minded, he waved her over.
Song Yuan had to accompany Song Haiping in drinking tea.
"Something making you unhappy?" Song Haiping shot her a glance. "Is it because of Rong Ting's dad? Ai, it's no big deal. Unnecessary, really unnecessary."
"No, Dad, I have a friend..."
"You're still doing this with Dad? Your friend is you, isn't it."
Song Yuan was a bit embarrassed. "Fine, I met a senior in college, and I liked him a lot at the time, but he went abroad to study. These past few years, he's maintained lukewarm relations. He's back now, and he seems to be pursuing me, but I don't like him anymore. Others are saying that he rejected a good job for me, and he wants to come to B City to develop... I can't figure out what he thinks about it."
If Ji Junpei had been one-tenth as active as he was now, she would have been together with him by now.
Song Haiping laughed. "Just this is enough to make you like this? Yuanyuan, this man is more rational when thinking about things. Him coming to B City definitely has something to do with you, but you are certainly not the most important reason. Is this senior's surname Ji?"
"Dad, how did you know!"
"Dad knows everything. You ate together with him often, right? I saw you once, and I was afraid you were being deceived by the poor boy, so I had someone check him out."
Eager to survive, Song Haiping hastily added, "Of course, it's not that Dad wants to spy on you. People's hearts can be vicious and unpredictable; Dad had to look into it a bit more. I know all about you and him, and your mom knows, too."
"Mom also knows!"
Song Yuan was shocked. This entire time, she'd thought she had hidden it well.
"Yuanyuan, Dad hopes you can find someone with similar qualifications. This Ji Junpei has an ordinary family background. He himself isn't bad; he is very capable and has strong self-esteem. It's naturally good for a man to have self-esteem, but too much and you will have a hard time. Whether it's Ji Junpei or Rong Ting's dad, I feel that neither suits you."
Song Yuan was embarrassed and awkward. "It was such a good talk, why did you bring him up?"
"I wanted to give you a wake-up call." Song Haiping straightened out his expression. "Don't just look at other people's good looks, or you'll easily get caught in their plans. If that surnamed Xie doesn't have any ulterior motives, I'll take his last name!"
That surnamed Ji wasn't all that great, but that surnamed Xie was not a good thing.
Song Yuan was anxious. "Dad, keep your voice down! Gugu's still here; what if he hears?"
"Mix it cold." Song Haiping snorted softly, but he didn't continue to scold.
Once Rong Ting woke up from his nap, Song Yuan took him to learn taekwondo and English. Other children packed their bags with snacks; he only packed a thermos and two small bottles of Yakult.
Under the perfect afternoon sun, Song Yun walked down the road, holding hands with Rong Ting.
"Gugu, do you remember your English name?"
"Remember, Lance." Rong Tinge expressed his puzzlement. "Helen laoshi is Chinese, and the classmates are Chinese. We all have our own names. Why choose English names?"
"Maybe to make it more immersive?"
Rong Ting's face puffed up. "I don't like this name. I don't even know who I'm calling."
"You've been learning some simple words recently. Didn't you brag that you never forget? Then I'll test you." Song Yuan pointed to a tree on the side of the road. "What is 'tree' in English?"
"Tree."
Song Yuan quizzed him a few more times, and Rong Ting could quickly answer almost all of them, surprising her a bit. She wasn't smart, and her grades had always been so-so. How was her son so smart! Look at the full potential of a study tyrant!
"The world is big, and there are many different countries. Everyone has different skin colors, languages, and religious beliefs. Gugu, in the future Mom wants to take you to see the wider world."
"The wider world?" Rong Ting had a rare moment of bewilderment.
"Yes. You may not understand it right now. From your view, this world may seem as big as the Great Ye dynasty, but it's not. There are mountains beyond mountains, and people beyond people." Song Yuan felt that the topic strayed a bit. "Okay, let's not talk about this. Let's keep quizzing you. What does 'I love you' mean?"
"Helen laoshi did not teach it." Rong Ting said very calmly. "Empress Mother should tell me what it means, and I will remember."
She didn't teach this?
Song Yuan let out an "oh." "I love you. It means 'I love you.'"
"It does?" Rong Ting quietly concealed his smile. "I remember."
Empress Mother, I love you, too.
Only then did Song Yuan return to her senses and realize that she'd been tricked by Rong Ting!!
Who on earth did this child learn this from? She didn't have enough IQ to face off with this kid!
Could it be that all children raised in the palace were this excellent and black-bellied!
Give her soft and cute, loveable son back!
They quickly arrived at the academy doors. Song Yuan, as usual, reminded him, "Gugu, get along with your classmates. If you don't understand, ask the teacher. I put the towel in your bag, so ask your teacher to help you if you sweat. Otherwise, you'll catch a cold and cough. And also–"
Before she could finish, Rong Ting helplessly spoke over her. "'Drink plenty of water, it's in the thermos. If any classmates give me snacks, even if I don't want to eat them, I should still say thank you.
"'Every time you say thank you to someone, you can write it down in your notebook. When you come home, Mom will give you a like. Every time you say sorry to someone, Mom will give you two likes.'"
Even after Rong Ting hurried into the academy as though he were fleeing, Song Yuan was still thinking. Was she really too naggy?
But she really wanted to talk to him more.
She turned around, ready to return home, when she spotted a familiar person standing by the road.
There was plenty of sunlight in the winter. Rong Heng stood under a tree, his posture calm and relaxed, his hands casually tucked in his coat pocket. He was looking over in her direction.
Chapter 52 - What if one day you found out that I had the wealth of an entire country?
Rong Heng saw her looking over and took the initiative to approach her first.
Song Yuan looked back with some wariness, afraid that Rong Ting would come out again.
Rong Heng saw her behavior and sighed in his heart. "Don't worry. Before you make a decision, I won't contact him first, nor will I tell him I'm his dad. This is something I can still do."
Despite hearing this, Song Yuan didn't relax.
"Let's find a place to talk."
"En."
There was a large shopping mall near the academy. Today was not a weekend, but there were still many people. There was a milk tea shop on the first floor, where many people were queued up. Song Yuan looked at it, initially very excited, but upon seeing the snaking line, she immediately wimped out. When she was in college, she had gone on a tour in Xingcheng with her classmates. It had been peak tourist season at the time, and there had been an extremely popular milk tea shop in Xingcheng. The queue was likely to take about an hour, and she and her classmates had been reluctant to line up, so they could only give up. Later, they all had some regrets thinking about it.
Rong Heng saw the look in her eyes and, understanding everything, considerately went to the back of the long line.
Song Yuan hurriedly joined his side, asking with a frown, "What are you doing?"
"Didn't you want to drink it?" Rong Heng checked his watch. "I happen to be free now. I'll line up and buy you one."
"No need." Song Yuan waved her hand. "There's really no need. There are so many people right now; I'll buy it on a day when there are fewer people."
"Since you want to drink it, drink it now." Rong Heng's tone was flat. "That way you don't always think about it. You go sit over there and wait for me."
"Oh."
By the time Song Yuan reacted, she was already obediently sitting in the resting area.
She was somewhat dazed. What was going on? Why did he use such a commanding tone, and why did she obey! Could it be that she was used to listening to his orders in the ancient times?
Rong Heng's upright posture and outstanding temperament was particularly eyecatching from among the crowd. She stared at him, trying to remember any bits and pieces related to him, but nothing came to mind.
It was very boring, so she took out her phone and played a game. When she looked up, Rong Heng had already gradually reached the front of the line. At this time, there was a long-haired beauty beside him. She didn't know what they were talking about, but he and the beauty looked at her.
The long-haired beauty could barely hide her regret. She rarely met a handsome man who could catch her interest, so she specially stepped forward to ask for his contact information.
The result: this handsome man said he was already married, and his wife was standing by the side.
Why was it that all the handsome men married young!
Rong Heng only bought one milk tea; he wasn't fond of sweet drinks.
It took more than half an hour of standing in line just to buy this one cup of milk tea.
After buying the milk tea, the two of them went to a nearby coffee shop and found a quiet place by the window.
Song Yuan recalled what had happened just earlier and asked him curiously, "What were you saying to that beauty just now?"
"She asked me whether she could cut in line, and I said no."
Song Yuan wouldn't believe this sort of outright lie.
"Anyways, what did you come find me for?" Song Yuan said, "I don't have too much time. I have to go back to pick Rong Ting up when he finishes class."
Rong Heng wasn't used to the coffee here, so he only ordered a cup of water. He held the glass, silent for a moment, before raising his head to look at her. "Mrs. Xie, my biological mother in name, hopes for me to go study abroad. I agreed. I will probably be leaving in a few months, and I won't be coming back very many times during the few years. Miss Song, this is what I think–you don't need to tell Rong Ting that I'm his dad. But while I'm still in China, I want to get closer to you. Will you agree?
"You don't have to go back, since I'll be leaving soon. B City has an excellent educational system, and it's good for his growth. So long as I'm gone, you won't be in danger here."
Needless to say, Song Yuan was moved.
They had found a kindergarten in B City, and the apartment they were living in was within the school district. Naturally, it was best if they could stay in B City. Now, hearing that Rong Heng would be leaving the country shortly, Song Yuan's heart began to jump.
She wasn't skilled at hiding her emotions. Seeing her brows unfurrow in joy, Rong Heng's expression grew deep.
Yes, she had forgotten everything. All those painful memories, but also all her feelings for him. Now, she truly had no feelings for him, an experience he found to be unpleasant.
"Really?" Song Yuan thought, then cautiously asked him, "You're really going to leave?"
Rong Heng held himself back. "En."
Song Yuan was just about to agree right away when she thought of her parents. She sobered up and said reservedly, "I'll go home and discuss with my parents."
"Okay, no rush. I should be staying another two or three months before leaving."
To think that Rong Heng would be leaving in a few months! Song Yuan's heart suddenly opened up.
"Frequently moving residences is said to be not good for children. Sorry, I didn't mean to criticise you. It's just that I think he's still so young, doesn't know anything, and is psychologically more fragile. Wouldn't moving just after he familiarized himself with the environment affect his mental and physical health? Even though I've forgotten everything, when I see him, I feel a closeness and affection for him, as though he's my only worry in this world. So, Miss Song, you don't need to worry. I want to protect him even more than you do."
Song Yuan suddenly had a thought. In the ancient times, Gugu was his only child. They would have been mutually dependent on one another in the palace, right?
Back then, Gugu's only family was him, and his only family was Gugu. Logically speaking, Gugu's feelings for him would probably be greater than his feelings for her.
If she really didn't let father and son recognize each other, wouldn't this not be good for Gugu?
It was Song Yuan's turn to console Rong Heng after seeing his lost and bewildered expression. "I understand. Actually, I didn't want to deceive Rong Ting. I am a person who hates deception. How could I deceive my own child?"
Rong Heng's expression froze. Then, "Thank you for your understanding.
"Oh, that's right." Rong Heng handed over the two paper bags he had brought today. "They're some books that I think are suitable for children, as well as some copybooks."
Song Yuan naturally wouldn't refuse. "You're very considerate."
"It's only expected. That's right, Miss Song, I have something to do, so I'll leave first. The driver is just outside the mall. Shall I give you a ride?"
He was so polite. Despite knowing she had a son, he was never rude; on the contrary, he was as considerate as he was when they first met, and he maintained a comfortable distance. It was precisely because of this that she had doubts about those dreams. If a person lost his memories, his disposition would not be different from before. Right now, he was not the same person as the callous and heartless emperor from the dream.
"No need. I'll sit here a little longer and stop by the supermarket later to buy some food."
"En, that's good. I'll be leaving first. If there's anything you need my help with, you can give me a call." Rong Heng paused. "If I ever want to see Rong Ting in the next two days, I'll give you a call in advance."
"Okay, goodbye."
Her conversation with Rong Heng was clearly friendly, harmonious, and pleasant.
It wasn't as tense as she'd thought; rather, everything was peaceful.
After Rong Heng left the coffee shop, Song Yuan wanted to see what gifts he had left for Gugu, the little cutie. There were a few books in the paper bag. Song Yuan's brain was full of fog after reading the titles. What kind of books were these? The Art of War and 36 Stratagems were understandable, but what about The History and Fall of the Ming Dynasty, The Emperors of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, The Biography of Zhu Yuanzhang, and The Twelve Emperors of the Qing Dynasty!!
Was it really okay to show Rong Ting these books??
Inside the bag was a note that read, "I heard Rong Ting was the crown prince in ancient times. I browsed through the bookstore and thought that he might like these kinds of books, but the contents of the book may be a bit heavy. If he doesn't like them, I'll buy something else next time."...
She hurriedly picked up the other bag, wanting to see what other baffling books were inside, but instead, she found a small, wrapped box.
She initially didn't plan on opening it. After all, it was something he was giving to Gugu. But there was a small piece of paper stuck on the box on which the handwriting said–To Miss Song Yuan.
Oh? It was for her?
Unable to resist her curiosity, Song Yuan opened the box and discovered that inside was a mug. The body of the mug was pink, and the walls seemed to be inlaid with something. Upon a closer look, they seemed to be diamonds.
They wouldn't really be diamonds, right? Song Yuan immediately denied this speculation. If they really were diamonds, then it was at least one carat, if not more. It was crazy to inlay a mug with diamonds.
She'd had one too many Mary Sue dreams.
Sitting in the car, Rong Heng stared out the window, but he was recalling things from the past. Back when their feelings were at their strongest, she used to weave a ring out of foxtail and give it to him giddily, ordering him to place it on her ring finger.
"You really have it easy. Where we're from you have to have a diamond ring to propose, did you know? But forget it, I won't ask you to buy anything. I don't want gems or gold. I've thought about it–I'm not my father and mother's biological daughter, after all, and I don't have such thick skin on my face to ask them for a dowry. How's this: after we get married, you can make more money. As for me, I'll see if I can write a story. I have so many stories in my brain. Later, when we make money, we'll buy a house, one with a courtyard!
"We should plant flowers in the courtyard and install a swing. Houses are so expensive nowadays, I've asked. But first, after we get married, you can't make me be the only one to cook and wash clothes. I won't be an old maid for you; we have to have a clear division of labor. Your hands get rough when washing the dishes and washing clothes, so you can do that. Then I'll be in charge of cooking, but cooking is also annoying. There's so much grease and oil.
"I really want to get rich overnight! Other predecessors can strike it rich, so why don't I have a mind for business? Ai!"
When she said these words, her eyes sparkled.
At that time, he knew that she already had him in his heart, but it was precisely because he liked her that he was so afraid of losing her. He tentatively asked her, "What if one day you find out that I have the wealth of an entire country?"
She froze for a moment, then laughed with joy. "Really? Are you really a rich second generation pretending to be poor? That's great. Hurry and buy a house. The sooner you buy a house the better!"
Later, he asked her what a diamond was.
She said, "A very sparkly and shiny stone. It's especially beautiful. I like them a lot, but there aren't any here."
Later, he searched through the treasury and asked many people to search for one, but he never found the stone she spoke of. It was an immense regret in his heart.
Now, he could finally give one to her.
Chapter 53 - Nothing. I just feel that Emperor Father is acting a bit strange.
When Song Yuan picked up Rong Ting and returned, there was no one at home.
Chen Linjing and Song Haiping had both attended university in B City. It wasn't easy to make a trip, so naturally they wanted to have a get-together with their old classmates.
For some reason, Song Yuan had felt that the matter of Rong Ting's dad transmigrating was a big deal. But seeing her mom and her dad's calm appearance, she suddenly began to think it wasn't such a big deal after all.
The mother and son duo were very leisurely. It was getting dark now, so Song Yuan took out the chicken wings she had been marinating since last night. It was just her and Rong Ting at home, so dinner was relatively simpler–with New Orleans wings as the main dish, stir-fried bok choy, and a steamed egg with minced meat, they could eat very well.
Rong Ting loved to eat New Orleans wings and could eat five or six by himself.
Seeing his cheeks bulging as he ate, Song Yuan felt a sense of accomplishment. One should know that in the three months since he'd transmigrated, he had gained 1-2 kilograms. Those 1-2 kilograms were all thanks to her.
"Don't just focus on the meat. Have some vegetables, too."
"Oh."
Like many children, Gugu liked to eat meat but not vegetables. Song Yuan was the opposite; she didn't enjoy eating meat all that much, but she did enjoy vegetables.
It wasn't that she wasn't worried about Gugu's figure, but thinking about her and Rong Heng's figures... Gugu probably wouldn't become fat?
"Gugu, I want to ask you something."
"En, ask."
"Was there a term like "registered household" in ancient times?"
She had thought about it. Since she had already decided that she couldn't deceive the child, this matter couldn't be dragged out any longer; it was better to tell him earlier. Of course, to prevent him from getting too excited about it, she had to analyze the pros and cons with him, in order to let him understand the potential consequences if the whole thing was known to outsiders.
Rong Ting was happy to see that she was interested in the ancient times. "Of course there is. Every dynasty should have a system of household registration. Otherwise, it would be chaotic."
"Well, what would happen in ancient times if there was no registered household?"
"If you do not have a registered household, then you are a refugee. As far as I am aware, you may not lodge in an inn or take the imperial examination. Even if you search for a job. The innkeeper requires your household registration, and purchasing large items also requires it."
Song Yuan pretended to have a sudden realization. "Then it's not that different from our modern system. Here, too, if you don't have a registered household, you can't stay in a hotel. Taking the high-speed rail or flying is also not doable. Nowadays, you can't even see the doctor if you're sick and you don't bring your ID card to the hospital. In short, it's hard to do anything! Gugu, did you know that your grandpa and grandma put in a lot of effort to get you a registered household? If you didn't have it, you couldn't have gone to school."
"I know. Grandfather said that when I am six years old, I have to go register and apply for an ID card."
"You're very lucky you found me as soon as you transmigrated here. If it were someone else who was sent to the ancient times, I guess they'd end up being treated as a lunatic, or they'd be sent to the police station or a detention center, without an identity."
Rong Ting made a sound of agreement, then raised his head to look at Song Yuan. "Empress Mother has given so much preface. Is it to tell me that Emperor Father does not have a registered household?"
Song Yuan: "..."
"I didn't say he was your Emperor Father."
"The results of the paternity test have come out, no?"
The two spoke at the same time.
Song Yuan was the first to give in. She suddenly discovered that the thing called IQ was probably innate. She couldn't even play a five- or six-year-old child. One could only imagine how desolate she used to be in the rear palace.
"The results came out, and he's indeed your Emperor Father. But!" Song Yuan emphasized, her expression growing serious, "but he took over someone else's identity. The person he replaced is not an ordinary person. His family has money and illegitimate children fighting over the property. If he gets closer to us, and if it's found out by other people that he has a relationship with you, then he will probably end up very miserable through the means of the B City elites."
Rong Ting frowned. "How could..."
In his heart, Emperor Father was omnipotent. In the Great Ye dynasty, everyone's life and death was held in Emperor Father's grasp. When had such an indomitable man's safety ever been hanging by a thread?
"Why not? I've told you many times, this place isn't the Great Ye dynasty. You are not the crown prince, and he is not the emperor. You used to be the crown prince, so you should know what it means to have overwhelming power. Let's make an analogy. Let's say you hadn't transmigrated to find me, and one day a person appeared who looked exactly like me. You thought she was me, but it turned out she was a fake. What would you do?"
Naturally, he would wish to cut her into pieces.
"His current situation is not good. If the Xie family suspects he is wallowing in the mire with us–"
Rong Ting disapprovingly interrupted her. "Empress Mother mustn't misuse the idiom. What 'wallowing in the mire'? It is an incorrect phrase."
"When the Xie family finds out, they will think that we are conspiring together, trying to steal their family's property without lifting a finger. Then we will suffer a calamity. Gugu, how did your Emperor Father teach you before? If you encounter someone who wants to steal your things, what should you do?"
How did Emperor Father teach him?
"Emperor Father once told me that there were emperors who feared death as they grew old. They would be afraid to give up their authority and wouldn't want to let go of the dragon throne, and they would do something muddleheaded. He said he was not sure he wouldn't become like that in the future."
Song Yuan stroked her chin. "He knows himself very well."
"If the time comes, there is no ruler and official, father and son, and the country cannot be placed in the hands of an old, feeble, and dim-witted man. Emperor Father said that no matter what, put the people of the kingdom first. Because that was what he did.
"For the world, for the country, there is nothing that cannot be sacrificed."
Song Yuan was stunned by these words. For a long time, she couldn't react. "You, how old are you? Why was he telling you this..."
It was an evasive answer, but Song Yuan was unable to return to her senses.
Wasn't this teaching the child to become a cold-blooded emperor?
Rong Ting hung his head and said nothing.
Emperor Father and Empress Mother were two completely different kinds of people. Emperor Father told him not to hold unnecessary benevolence for other people, but Empress Mother taught him "do not neglect to do a good because you think it is small; do not commit an evil because you think it is minor."
He hadn't yet determined who was ultimately correct, but he would slowly think about it.
Once he learned more things, and his mind held more knowledge, he should be able to give an answer.
"Let's not talk about this. Now that I've analyzed everything for you, what do you want to do?" Song Yuan sighed again. She wasn't the emperor, and she didn't know how to teach the crown prince, so she couldn't give an evaluation on whether Rong Heng's teaching method was incorrect or not. But now that Gugu had come to modern times, if he had always had this kind of thought, then it should be corrected. She decided–she was going to apply for classes, child psychology courses!
"How did Emperor Father and Empress Mother discuss this?" Rong Ting asked her in turn.
"Your dad said he can act as your Uncle, not letting anyone know about your relationship, but he wants to visit you from time to time. On the basis of not causing trouble for everyone, I can't stop it if he wants to see you and you want to see him."
"Then let us do it that way."
Rong Ting's behavior was beyond Song Yuan's expectations. She thought that he would be pleasantly surprised, and that she would have to persuade him for a long time. She didn't think that the matter would be settled so quickly. What was more surprising was that Rong Ting didn't seem surprised at all.
He addressed her doubts. "I've long known he was Emperor Father, and I had already predicted the outcome."
He even comforted her instead. "Empress Mother, you don't need to be sad. Although Emperor Father cannot accompany you, you still have me."
Song Yuan, helpless: "I'm not sad at all. I was afraid you'd be sad. He's your father, yet you still have to keep a distance from him and call him 'Uncle.'"
Rong Ting shook his head. "I am not sad either."
"Truly!" Rong Ting patted his chest. "I will not lie to Empress Mother."
The mother and son were lovey-dovey for a moment when Rong Ting thought of something. He asked, "Emperor Father does not remember anything either?"
"Yes, I'm guessing he got injured while he was crossing over. Your grandpa also confirmed this. He almost died then and was resuscitated several times. When a person is severely injured, amnesia is possible. When he wasn't aware of his relationship with you, he told me he didn't remember anything."
"Really?"
Song Yuan asked, "Why?"
"Nothing. I just feel that Emperor Father is acting a bit strange."
"Acting strange how? What part?"
Rong Ting was very distressed. "I cannot say. Wait until I have observed a bit and thought some more. When I can say it, I will tell you."
Seeing his serious look, Song Yuan couldn't help smiling and stroking his head. "That's okay. Slowly think about it. There's no rush."
The way the child was solemnly thinking about the problem was extremely cute. He didn't even notice when Song Yuan placed some vegetables in his bowl.
Perhaps she had been affected by Rong Ting's words. That night, Song Yuan searched the Internet for children's psychology books. When she fell asleep, she had another dream.
She was in the palace, sitting in front of a copper mirror. The son of heaven, wearing dragon robes, was drawing eyebrows for her.
This scene should have originally been deeply affectionate, but her forehead was creased in sorrow and grief.
His voice was low and gentle. "Every time there is a war, it is a strain on resources and people, and many people will die. Zhen only hopes you can understand that every person in this world has their own duty. Beneath magnificent military achievements lie the skeletons of soldiers. Zhen sits on that throne, and every decision made is for the sake of this world's people. If Qingrong leads the troops, no one in the army can compare to him. With him on the front lines, zhen can rest assured. Yuanyuan, you wish for your brother and family to be safe, but without a country, can there be a home?
"Do you know the Battle of Dongshe? Old General Meng was seriously injured, but you don't know that many soldiers died. Among them was a deputy general. Zhen has met him once. He had to go to battle just after marrying and having a child. Many people think that winning a war is a joyous occasion. Is it? Not necessarily. How many parents had to send off their children? How many people lost their sons, their husbands and fathers?
"There is no one who can truly stay out of the matter. Zhen does not wish to go to war, nor for the people to live in poverty. The only thing that can be done is to end all the fighting as soon as possible so that the people can recover. Many talents and high-ranking officers are lost in a war. When zhen was still the crown prince, every report was heartbreaking.
"Yuanyuan, zhen is not a sinister or cunning person. Zhen only wishes to be a good emperor, for peace and prosperity.
She listened, but her tears fell like rain.
Chapter 54 - You said 'wife and child,' not me.
Song Yuan woke up deflated.
In her earlier dreams, the emperor was callous and heartless. This time was different; his image seemed to gradually overlap with that of Rong Heng.
What he said was clearly correct, but why did she feel, even after waking up, an indescribable sense of powerlessness?
This dream left Song Yuan more despondent than the previous dreams. She lay in bed for a long time before she managed to calm her mind.
She could feel that the emperor in the dream did not lie, so why did she feel so uncomfortable?
No matter how many dreams she had, as long as she didn't recall bits and pieces about the ancient times, she was like a bystander, always separated by a veil. Even with the dull pain, her mood lasted only half an hour before fading away.
"I had another dream."
Song Yuan sat at the dinner table as she earnestly told Rong Ting, who was in the middle of dining on poached eggs.
To her, Rong Ting was both a son and a friend, someone she could pour her heart out to.
"What dream?" Rong Ting swallowed the poached egg in his mouth before asking.
Song Yuan spoke about the contents of the dream, including the emperor's words, while Rong Ting listened.
"To think Emperor Father would draw eyebrows for Empress Mother."
"Why are you focusing on such an insignificant and trivial thing."
"I don't think it's a trivial matter." Rong Ting squeezed ketchup on a slice of bread, not even raising his head. "It is not surprising that Emperor Father would say such words."
"But my heart feels uncomfortable and suffocated."
"Empress Mother need not force herself to recall such things. You have returned; it's no matter even if you have forgotten them."
Song Yuan grabbed the ketchup in his hand. "You don't think it's sour? Eat less of it. Also, have you forgotten the first time we met? Because I didn't remember you, you threw a big temper, and your eyes were all red."
Rong Ting's expression was uneasy. "That was then, this is now."
After chatting with Rong Ting, Song Yuan concluded that she hadn't recovered her memory, so trying to consider the past from her dreams at all angles was self-inflicted torture, and she was never one to make it hard on herself.
Of course, something that gave her an even bigger headache occurred.
After meeting up with her college classmates, Chen Linjing pulled some strings and managed to get her some interview opportunities with some elite kindergartens in the neighborhood!
Song Yuan also discovered that good kindergartens required reservations, lotteries, and even layers of interviews for both the parents and child...
Originally, Rong Ting was in kindergarten as a transition. There were still more than two months before he turned six. If he wanted to go to elementary school, he needed to wait until after September 1, so it would be best for him to spend the majority of the year in kindergarten.
Song Yuan had recently been deeply influenced by the mom group. She figured that since she had the opportunity to take the interview, she should give it a shot. Maybe she would pass?
This community had many mothers, and Song Yuan spoke to several who had experience in kindergarten interviews. They said that some kindergartens wanted to know how many words the child knew and how many skills they had, as well as the parents' educational backgrounds.
Song Yuan was stunned. She didn't know that the requirements of being a parent were so high now.
She'd only known that the tuition for kindergarten was high; she didn't know that good kindergartens also had high thresholds.
There were only ten days until the interview. Song Yuan, like she had with any other exam before this, chose to cram. Having had long since handed in her English skills to her teacher, Song Yuan had no choice but to pick up the curriculum again in a manner that was somewhat reminiscent of her college entrance exam days.
Don't ask Song Yuan how it felt. It was a headache, a huge headache.
She had read many novels of being reborn into a study tyrant. At that time, she'd thought that, if she could go back in time to when she was little, she would definitely become a study tyrant.
Now...
If you didn't use your brain for too long, it would grow duller, just as if you don't use a pen after graduation for too long, your handwriting would become much uglier. If she was reborn back to her school days, maybe her grades would be much worse than before her rebirth.
When Rong Heng came over, he saw Song Yuan with her hair tied in a round bun, an emaciated look on her face as she memorized English words.
It reminded him of how she looked while under the intense training of the General's madam.
Her expression was exactly the same.
Song Yuan greeted him with a wispy voice. "Hi."
Rong Heng was very curious. "What are you doing?"
"Memorizing words. I heard from the moms upstairs that many of the bilingual kindergartens hold the parent interviews in English. Too hard."
Song Yuan didn't know how it was with others, but in any case, she rarely used English after graduating, and all the suppliers she handled while she was in her uncle's company used Chinese. She knew the words, but her English speaking skills weren't up to par. Coupled with the fact that she hadn't used it for a long time, she was really rusty.
Rong Ting emerged from his room, not looking surprised that Rong Heng was there. As he'd said before, the time for surprise had long passed.
Still, he obediently came in front of Rong Heng. Seeing the look of warning from Empress Mother, he didn't offer a salute, but he still quietly called him Emperor Father.
Rong Heng looked at Rong Ting, his expression dazed, but he quickly responded with a warm smile. "Just call me Uncle."
Rong Ting stared at him. He neither called him Emperor Father nor called him Uncle.
"He's still not used to it." Song Yuan came to the rescue. Rong Heng had said he wanted to see Rong Ting today, so she'd let him come.
"It's okay." Rong Heng wanted to reach out and touch Rong Ting, but the latter subconsciously took a step back and straightened his body.
Rong Heng's hand was left suspended in the air. The man looked rather embarrassed.
It wasn't that Rong Ting didn't want to get close with his Emperor Father. It was just that he was not very close to his Emperor Father in the ancient times, and he had already grown accustomed to this way of living together. Now that Emperor Father was acting like a different person, he had only grown more confused. Emperor Father shouldn't be like this; Emperor Father was acting too strange.
This... Song Yuan wasn't able to salvage this.
She simply acted as though she didn't see.
"Would you like something to drink?" Song Yuan treated Rong Heng as purely a guest. And he indeed was a guest. "There's juice and tea. What would you like?"
Rong Heng smilingly shook his head. "No need, I'm not thirsty. Are Uncle and Auntie not home?"
"My mom is out for business, and my dad is out to buy groceries." Song Yuan saw him place down a box of gifts and had a bit of a headache. "You don't really need to buy anything. My mom and dad will misunderstand you."
"Misunderstand what?"
Song Yuan couldn't say, he was a person from the ancient times, so naturally he didn't know that the things he'd bought weren't fitting for the occasion. He'd bought wine and tea for her dad and what seemed to be silk scarves and jewelry for her mom... it was really misleading. People who didn't know would think that he was her boyfriend having his first meeting with her parents.
"Anyways, you should take it with you later. No need to be polite. If you feel embarrassed, you can buy fruit next time."
As soon as the words were out, Song Yuan froze. Did she really take the initiative to ask for fruit?
"Alright. What fruits do you like?"
"...Gugu likes strawberries! He also seems to be lacking in iron, so he can eat cherries."
"Okay, I'll remember. And you?"
"Don't mind me ah, my dad will buy me any fruits I like."
She said this very frankly. Even if he brought fruit, it was for her son to eat. It had nothing to do with her.
Rong Heng had nothing more to say.
He suddenly discovered that whenever they'd quarreled before, she'd truly given way to him.
Song Haiping returned while they were talking. Although he'd learned from his daughter that Rong Heng would be coming, Song Haiping still wasn't too pleased when he actually saw Rong Heng in their house.
Song Haiping, worried about his daughter and grandson being in the house, put down his groceries and said to Rong Heng, "Your car's blocking the road. Come on, follow me to move the car."
Rong Heng didn't know how to drive; it was the driver who brought him here. His eyes darkened. He knew that Song Haiping had something to say to him.
He couldn't refuse and could only calmly follow Song Haiping out of the house.
As soon as the door shut, Song Haiping couldn't bother to keep pretending. He walked into the elevator and irritably pressed the "close doors" button. "Let's not beat around the bush. You, what are your intentions in the end. Don't tell me that there isn't, it's no use. I'm not Yuanyuan."
Rong Heng's eyelids drooped. "I don't quite understand what you mean."
"You're trying to pursue my family's Yuanyuan ba?" Song Haiping sneered. "You should stop this thinking as soon as possible. I don't care whether or not you have a son together. The road to heaven is wide."
Rong Heng sighed. "Uncle, you seem to have a deep misunderstanding of me. I'm not sure what I did wrong?"
"There's no misunderstanding. I just want my daughter to be safe. You can enjoy your blessings in the Xie family alone; we won't be persistent and hateful relatives." Song Haiping was ruthless. "My daughter is pure and innocent, but her mom and I aren't fools. You can show up any time, but anyone with a conscience knows not to involve his wife and child. You're so good, sticking to them every day. Are you afraid of others not finding out your relationship with us ba?"
"So Uncle is worried about me." Rong Heng understood.
Song Haiping laughed. "Me, worry about you? I can't wait for you to hurry..." up and die.
But considering he was Rong Ting's father, he didn't curse him, even though he thought that way.
"Uncle, you don't need to worry. I won't do anything I'm not sure of. If there is certain danger, I won't come look for them. Uncle, you also said I can't involve my wife and child. I've had my own accident, and I won't put them in danger."
Song Haiping felt that these words weren't right. "The child's your child. What wife ah, who's your wife. You're really pasting gold on your faceah."
"You said 'wife and child,' not me."
Song Haiping felt his teeth itch. His fist also itched.
Just as Song Haiping was about to curse, he heard this shameless person say in a flat voice, "You really don't need to worry. If there are two Xie Hengs who look exactly like, then people would wonder which one was fake. If there is only one Xie Heng, then no one will doubt it."
What did that have to do with this!
Right when Song Haiping was about to open his mouth to speak, he was suddenly shocked. He looked at Rong Heng, his palms unknowingly beginning to sweat. As he reacted, he thought, what did this stinking shameless imposter mean? Could it be that the real Xie family's Crown Prince had died without a sound?
Rong Heng watched Song Haiping sink into a deep contemplation and slowly said, "In short, you don't have to worry. I won't do things that I'm not sure of."
Chapter 55 - Emperor Father actually lied...
When Rong Heng returned to the house, Rong Ting greeted him, still calling him 'Emperor Father.'
"Emperor Father, I have not slacked on my calligraphy practice recently, but I have been at a standstill." Rong Ting pointed to a character on the Xuan paper. "I cannot write this character well. May I receive counsel?"
Rong Heng looked at the calligraphy, then at him, and said in an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry, Rong Ting, I don't remember things from the past, so I won't be able to teach you anymore."
"Emperor Father truly remembers nothing?" Rong Ting looked at him suspiciously. He felt something was off.
"Like I said, you can just call me Uncle. Your mom is very worried about you getting implicated by me."
"Oh." Rong Ting put down his brush, saying with some disappointment, "Emperor Father seems better how he was before."
"What was I like before?" Rong Heng asked him smilingly.
Rong Ting thought for a while and shook his head.
The Emperor Father from before rarely smiled.
Everyone in the harem and the court feared Emperor Father. Some said Emperor Father was despotic, while others said Emperor Father was a wise ruler.
"What are you two talking about?" Song Yuan asked curiously as she came out from the kitchen with washed fruits and saw the father-son duo standing in front of the desk, happily chatting.
Rong Heng very naturally received the platter of fruit in her hand. "Rong Ting wanted me to give him pointers on his calligraphy, but I've forgotten everything. Now, I don't know what to teach him. That's right, you should be able to agree to the thing I mentioned before ba, taking him to see the calligrapher. It'll help him a lot with his calligraphy."
Song Yuan looked at Rong Ting and asked him. "Gugu, what do you think?"
Rong Ting hesitated for a moment. If it were the Emperor Father from before, he would have regarded it as an imperial edict, but now...
"Could I have some time to think about it?" He glanced at Rong Heng as he said this, as though afraid his Emperor Father would be displeased.
"Okay ah! Take your time to think about it. This is your business, so your wishes come first."
Rong Heng had a soft smile on his face as he watched the mother and son interact.
Song Haiping didn't keep Rong Heng behind to eat, and Rong Heng also didn't insist on staying. He tactfully said he had something to do at home and left before dinner. This move of his caused Song Haiping to curse him for being underhanded and cunning. His thoughts were known to everyone, but this imposter was still able to stick around. If Rong Heng were pestering them, Song Haiping would have reason to deal with him, but this person was slippery and didn't give anyone a handle to grab on to!
A few days later, Song Yuan took Rong Ting to the epidemic prevention center to get his vaccines, this time for the Hepatitis B vaccine. Rong Ting knew he had no room for resistance. For other things, so long as he was unwilling, Empress Mother wouldn't press him, but for vaccines, Empress Mother gave off the attitude of not allowing room for discussion.
On this day, Rong Heng came again.
He did not come frequently; ever since he found out the results of the paternity test, he'd only come a few times, truly not coming to bother them.
Rong Ting felt a bit uncomfortable on their way there. He said somewhat awkwardly, "In the Great Ye dynasty, it is extremely inappropriate for a man to bare his skin. It is not what a gentleman would do."
Song Yuan, having long been immune to such words, didn't bother to reason with him again.
In fact, this child was clear in his heart. He knew that this was not the Great Ye dynasty, he was not the crown prince, and he had no privileges. He just wanted to say things like this from time to time. She had taken a child psychology class, and after some analysis she concluded that he was struggling within himself.
Struggle, then, struggle. It was best if he came to terms with reality before he went to elementary school.
Rong Heng, sitting in the passenger's seat, contemplated. "You can't think about the issue too rigidly. People have to adapt to the times. It's inappropriate in the ancient times, but it's very normal here."
Rong Ting froze, then let out a sullen "en."
"He listens to you." Song Yuan was astonished that Gugu behaved so obediently in front of Gugu.
Rong Heng laughed self-deprecatingly. "It's probably because I was too harsh on him in the ancient times. I probably am not a good father."
How could he not like Rong Ting? He was his son, his son he had had with her. It was just that after she had left without a sound, he had gradually become afraid of seeing Rong Ting.
Rong Ting looked so much like her.
He had been even more afraid that Rong Ting would ask him where she had gone.
As ruler, his reason told him that he could not be so deeply influenced by a departed person. But if he could truly be so rational, many things would not have happened, and he would never have come here.
Song Yuan didn't know how to take his words.
After all, from the way Rong Ting acted, he really wasn't close to Emperor Father. He was even fearful.
As soon as they arrived at the epidemic prevention center, they heard the piercing cries of many children.
Song Yuan got ready to pay when she thought of another important thing. "That, should you get a vaccine too?"
Rong Heng was truly stunned this time.
Him? Getting vaccinated?
Yes, you should also get vaccinated. We get inoculated with many vaccines starting from when we're young, such as Hepatitis B and DPT1. Isn't it dangerous if you don't get vaccinated?"
Rong Heng subconsciously took a step back.
Song Yuan turned to face the nurse at the desk. "Can he get vaccinated here?"
"Yes."
Rong Heng managed to stabilize himself. "No need. I didn't bring my ID card today."
Rong Ting stood beside him with a look of confusion. "Emp–Uncle, when you2 bought cake for me just now, I saw your ID card in your wallet. You brought it."
"..."
Children shouldn't speak while adults are speaking. Didn't your father tell you this?
Song Yuan saw Rong Heng's awkward expression and immediately understood what was going on. She quickly said, "If you didn't bring it then forget it. Anyways, you need to remember this and see for yourself which vaccines you need to make up."
She could force her son to get vaccinated, but she couldn't force Rong Heng.
Rong Heng had nothing to do with her.
But in Rong Ting's eyes, it was a very obvious difference in treatment.
Rong Ting was dissatisfied, but he didn't dare to show it in front of Rong Heng. He could only seethe in anger as he sat in the waiting room.
"I'm going out to make a call." Rong Heng was truly embarrassed. He made up a random excuse and left.
After he left, Song Yuan asked Rong TIng, "What's the matter with you?"
Rong Ting saw Emperor Father was no longer present, and his small mouth jabbered nonstop. "Empress Mother is biased. For what reason does Emperor Father not need a vaccine, but I do? Moreover, Emperor Father clearly brought his ID card. He can get them!"
He was quite repulsed by the matter of getting a shot.
Not only did he have to undress, but also once the solution was injected, his arm was extremely sore. He didn't dare to sleep on his side all night.
They were both people from the ancient times. Why was it that Emperor Father didn't need the vaccine, while he did?
Song Yuan was speechless. "If he was my son, I would definitely force him to get it. He's not my relative. Isn't it weird and unreasonable for me to force someone else? Also, if he said he didn't bring his ID card then he didn't bring it. You saw wrong."
"Gu did not see wrongly!" Rong Ting was incensed. "I know what an ID card looks like. He did bring it. It is said that a monarch does not go back on his words, but Emperor Father lied so naturally..."
"Okay, let's not talk about this. It's your turn soon, so get ready to take off your clothes!"
Rong Ting reluctantly took off his down jacket as he muttered, "Emperor Father actually lied..."
"Keep talking nonsense and I'll ask to get you another shot later."
Rong Ting immediately shut up.
The world was finally peaceful. Song Yuan was also satisfied.
The vaccination was not a happy matter for Rong Ting. Although he didn't cry, his expression was definitely not cheerful.
After getting the shot, he didn't deign to respond to people, keeping up a noble and aloof appearance.
Unlike other people, who might experience dizziness or fever as a side effect of the vaccination, he could be sulky for a long time.
Song Yuan could only coax him. "Alright, don't be upset. I'll buy you strawberries later, okay? I'll make chicken wings for you later, okay?"
Rong Ting gave a soft "en." His world view had been revolutionized today. His Emperor Father, who could support the heaven and earth3, who never said anything false, had actually lied so brazenly4...