125 Unmasking the Identity

When I returned to the Mortal Heaven Pavilion, the baby had already fallen asleep with his aunt, and I was utterly exhausted. After taking my medicine, I drifted off to sleep.

I never expected that once I fell asleep, everything would turn upside down.

I had thought the matter with the violin was merely a warning to Li Yexuan, but I never imagined he would be so brazen. It was my fault for being momentarily distracted—Huangfu Yuan’s sudden appearance had clouded my mind, causing Li Yexuan to further doubt my identity. It seemed that the counterfeit human skin mask had ultimately failed to deceive him.

Despite everything, I slept soundly through the night without any nightmares.

When I awoke, I barely opened my eyes and caught sight of a silhouette.

What was Dongfang Qingyu up to, acting so solemn so early in the morning?

No, that wasn’t Dongfang Qingyu—it looked more like...

Suddenly fully awake, I sat up in bed. Dizzy and disoriented, my vision blurred, and a dreadful premonition crept over me. The night before, I had removed two layers of masks before going to sleep, and the Twelve Killers always took turns watching silently. I hadn’t paid much attention.

The figure before me turned around and looked at me.

He stepped closer, each step seeming to pierce my very heart.

“Mu Fan...” he called out to me—not Huangfu Ziyun, but Mu Fan.

“Your Highness, you have mistaken me for someone else. I never thought you would dare to come to Mortal Heaven Pavilion to seize someone.” If it weren’t for Li Yexuan’s direct intervention, how could the Twelve Killers have allowed me to be abducted? By now, the sun was high in the sky; Mortal Heaven Pavilion must have been frantic searching for me. Hastily, I pushed aside the blanket and got out of bed.

A wave of dizziness swept over me, and I staggered backward, but Li Yexuan caught me firmly.

It seemed I had been drugged last night, yet I hadn’t taken my medicine this morning, and my body could no longer endure the strain.

“You drugged me,” I glared at Li Yexuan.

“My subordinates acted recklessly. Mu Fan, I’m so glad you’re alive. Why didn’t you come looking for me? I thought you...” Li Yexuan wrapped his arms around me from behind.

I summoned all my strength to break free from his grasp and turned away.

“Did you think I was dead? Li Yexuan, Mu Fan died by jumping off a cliff five years ago. Now I am Huangfu Ziyun—no longer Mu Fan.”

Our stubborn gazes met. Li Yexuan looked at me in shock, then smiled.

“As long as it’s you, it doesn’t matter who you are.”

He moved to embrace me again, but I took two steps back.

“Li Yexuan, since you know now, I won’t hide it from you. Five years ago when I was defeated, your care moved me deeply, and I have repaid you in full. Now I have come to reclaim what belongs to me. I hope you won’t stand in my way—if you do, I won’t be polite.”

“Whatever you say,” Li Yexuan said firmly, pulling me into his arms.

“Let go of me... mmph...” A barrage of kisses descended upon me.

His kisses were fierce, like biting and tearing, venting five years of resentment. I bit back hard, the taste of blood spreading, finally breaking free from his hold. I clutched my chest, gasping for breath—he nearly suffocated me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t come any closer.”

We remained locked in that tense stalemate.

“Li Yexuan, you bastard!” Dongfang Qingyu strode over and punched Li Yexuan upon seeing my state.

“Qingyu...”

Hearing my call, Dongfang Qingyu quickly returned and scooped me up in his arms.

“Don’t leave, let me explain.”

“Li Yexuan, do you think Ziyun is someone you can take or discard at will?” Dongfang Qingyu’s voice was cold and sharp—I had never seen this side of him before.

“Take me away...” My senses were already clouding. I clung to Dongfang Qingyu’s clothes.

“All right, we’ll go back...”

“Don’t think you can take her away...”

The Twelve Killers and the Four Envoys blocked Li Yexuan’s path. Dongfang Qingyu carried me away...

Darkness swallowed me, and I drifted into a deep sleep, vaguely arriving at Mortal Heaven Pavilion.

When I awoke, only Dongfang Qingyu was by my side.

“Qingyu...”

“You’re awake. Are you feeling unwell? Here, take your medicine.” Dongfang Qingyu held a black pill to my lips—it was the little Ganoderma pill I usually took.

I obediently swallowed it and drank the water he offered.

“I punished the Twelve Killers—they didn’t know what they were doing and let you be taken. Zijun, Gu Teng, and your aunt have been sent to rest. They guarded you for half a day. Your body is too weak. That bastard drugged you, and your body couldn’t handle it.”

“It’s my fault. I was too complacent. Playing the violin only made him more suspicious of my identity. Now I’ve been exposed. It’s my fault—I’ve endangered Mortal Heaven Pavilion...”

“Don’t blame yourself, Ziyun. Sooner or later, the truth would come out. It’s not your fault.”

“I was too reckless.”

“Enough. It’s done. With me here, what’s there to fear?”

“What about the baby? Has he been discovered?” I grabbed Dongfang Qingyu’s clothes, fearing he would say the child was in danger.

“No, thankfully he slept with your aunt last night. After you were taken, I sent someone to protect him. He should be safe.”

“I’ve been found out. I don’t know how much longer I can keep the child’s identity a secret. What should I do?”

“It’s fine. He’s his father’s son; he won’t harm him.”

“You don’t understand. I’m not afraid Li Yexuan will harm the baby—I’m afraid he’ll fight me for him. But I can’t bear to send the baby away. I don’t know how much longer I can be with him. I truly don’t want to part from him. I promised the baby I’d stay by his side.”

Dongfang Qingyu pulled me into his embrace.

“I have a plan. Not sure if you’ll agree.”

“Tell me.”

“Say the baby is mine, and that he’s only four years old. He’s always looked smaller than other children his age; the difference between four and five isn’t obvious. That way, Li Yexuan will give up on you. It will be hard on you, though.”

“All right. I agree.” After thinking it over, I made the decision. The child did resemble Li Yexuan at first glance—I didn’t know how much longer we could keep the secret.

“We’ll tell the baby the truth later.”

“Thank you, Qingyu. I just remembered—the baby must be anxious since he hasn’t seen me for so long.”

No sooner had I spoken than voices sounded outside the door.

“Is that the baby? Come in, Mommy’s awake.”

A small head peeked inside and then hurried to my bedside.

“Mommy, I missed you so much.”

He tugged my hand.

“You’re heartless—don’t you miss Godfather?”

“Who says? The baby misses Godfather too.” He ran over to Dongfang Qingyu and rubbed against him.

“That kid really is clever,” Dongfang Qingyu said, lifting him up and removing his shoes and socks. Watching Dongfang Qingyu’s perfect profile and his gaze fixed entirely on the baby, I was momentarily stunned. Since the baby’s birth, it had always been Dongfang Qingyu caring for him—he had done far more than Li Yexuan, the biological father.

With practiced ease, the baby was placed on the bed and nestled into my arms.

“Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll ask A’fu to prepare it.”

Dongfang Qingyu looked at me and asked.

“The baby wants pear blossom cake. What about Mommy?”

“Mommy wants pear blossom cake too.”

Dongfang Qingyu smiled and said, “Two greedy cats,” before leaving and closing the door behind him.

“Mommy wants to ask the baby something.”

Perhaps from running earlier, sweat dotted the baby’s forehead, and I wiped it away gently.

“Go ahead and ask, Mommy. The baby is very smart. Today, Uncle even praised me for my handwriting.”

“Well then, Mommy will ask. How old is the baby today?”

“Why ask such an easy question? Five years old, of course.”

“Mommy wants the baby to say he’s four from now on and to call Godfather ‘Daddy.’ Is that okay?”

“Why? Godfather is Godfather. Why call him Daddy? The baby is clearly five. Why lie? The baby will listen to Mommy, but wants to know why.”

He looked at me with curious eyes. I hugged him tighter.

I didn’t intend to hide much from the child. Though young, I believed he understood far more than we adults realized—even things we couldn’t comprehend.

“Mommy met the baby’s real daddy. He’ll probably come looking for him. Didn’t the baby say he didn’t want to know who he was?”

“The baby hates him.”

His small mouth pouted, on the verge of tears.

“Mommy knows the baby hates him. If he comes, he’ll probably take the baby away and separate him from Mommy. Does the baby want to be apart from Mommy?”

“The baby doesn’t want to be apart from Mommy.” Tears streamed down his face, but he held back his sobs, and my heart ached deeply.

“Be good, don’t cry.” I wiped his tears while fighting back my own.

When Dongfang Qingyu returned, he found us both crying.

“What happened here?”

He scooped up the baby immediately.

“Why cry? Boys don’t cry.”

Dongfang Qingyu placed the baby on his lap and wiped his tears.

“The baby doesn’t want to be apart from Mommy or Godfather.”

He clung tightly to Dongfang Qingyu. Perhaps sensing what had happened last night, he cried even harder. Dongfang Qingyu comforted him gently.

“All right, no more crying. No one will separate you from Mommy or Godfather. Stop crying—you’re making Mommy sad.”

The baby glanced back at me and slowly wiped away his tears.

“Godfather, so I should call you Daddy and say I’m four years old?”

As soon as the baby asked, Dongfang Qingyu looked to me. I nodded.

Dongfang Qingyu nodded as well.

“Daddy...”

“Good boy. Look at your Mommy—she’s still sick, and you made her cry just now.”

The baby crawled back to me and hugged me tightly.

“Mommy, the baby was wrong.”

“It’s okay, Mommy just scared you. Hey, where’s the pear blossom cake?”

“...”