Chapter 112: This Is My Mother, Not Yours

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. And check out other stories too. 

The moment she saw the red silk ribbon tied in front of the Young Master's eyes, the Princess suddenly felt unbearable pain in her heart.

“Chang’an…”

The unease that had lingered in her heart for days now seemed to have an answer.

In a daze, Li Qiubai did not even know how she had moved her feet to walk up to the Young Master.

Her trembling hand cupped the Young Master's cheek. However, before she could even get a clear look at what lay beneath the red silk, the Young Master had already shrunk back a step.

Only then did the Princess barely steady her mind and shift her gaze to the person standing beside the Young Master.

The two stood shoulder to shoulder. Their similar facial features made it clear at a glance what kind of relationship they shared.

Li Qiubai instinctively blurted out, “Mother.”

That single word stunned Meng Muxin.

The Young Master was also stunned.

Who goes that far on a first meeting, calling someone Mother right away...

A flush instantly climbed up the Young Master’s cheeks. She bit her lip, then came back to her senses and protested aloud, “This is my mother, not yours.”

Li Qiubai lowered her eyes and said gloomily, “Can I not call her that?”

Even though the Young Master could not see the Princess’ expression, she could guess it was that usual pitiful look she always put on.

She could not help but soften again.

“If you really want to call her that, I suppose it is not impossible…”

Worried that her quick compromise might make her seem too spineless, she added with a cold snort at the end, “After all, you are my sister-in-law, so of course you can.”

Seeing the Princess’ face instantly stiffen, Meng Muxin could only raise a helpless hand to her forehead.

If she had not overheard the whole story outside earlier, she truly would not have understood how her dense daughter had managed to win the Princess’ heart.

“I came in a hurry today, so I did not prepare a change of address gift*. I will make it up to you another day.”

*改口礼 (Gǎikǒu lǐ) - a traditional Chinese wedding custom where the newlywed formally addresses their in-laws using familial terms for the first time, signifying their official acceptance into the family. In return, the in-laws typically present the couple with gifts, often in the form of red envelopes containing money or jewelry, as a gesture of goodwill and welcome.

Meng Muxin took hold of the Young Master’s left hand, which was still clutching tightly at her sleeve, and handed it to the Princess. Only when the Princess dazedly accepted her daughter’s hand did Meng Muxin continue, “She was worried something had happened to you and insisted on running out to find you. I still have things to attend to, so I will take my leave first. I shall trouble Your Highness to escort her back to her room.”

Li Qiubai had not yet recovered from hearing the words “change of address gift” before she was already entrusted with the Young Master.

The meaning behind that act needed no explanation.

This unexpected joy nearly made Li Qiubai unable to hold back the tears in her eyes.

She tightly held the Young Master’s hand and solemnly bowed to Meng Muxin.

“Thank you, Mother.”

Meng Muxin smiled and calmly accepted the Princess' bow, then stepped toward the hall’s threshold and directly pulled away Master Zhong, who had been hiding behind the door peeking in, leaving the two children with a moment alone.

With no elders around, the Princess was no longer as restrained as before.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the Young Master’s waist. Carefully avoiding her injuries, she gently rested her forehead against the Young Master’s still-uninjured left shoulder.

Upon seeing her beloved in such a state, the longing in her heart, mixed with the unease and worry of the past few days, finally overwhelmed her.

“Chang’an...”

That heavy nasal tone made the Young Master hear something unusual at last.

“Am I not standing here properly?”

When one could not see, the other senses always grew more sensitive.

The warmth on her shoulder was something the Young Master simply could not ignore.

She had never seen the Princess cry before. Now that she “saw” her heartbroken like this for the first time, the Young Master truly could not bear the ache in her heart.

See? She had said she should not have let the Princess see her looking like such a mess...

Frustrated, the Young Master lowered her head slightly, and her chin brushed against the Princess' hair.

Her right hand could not move freely, so she could only rub lightly against the Princess' hair like this, keeping her face taut on purpose as she said, “Also, I have not even settled the score with you yet. How did you start crying first? Do not think I will forgive you just because you shed tears first.”

If it were in the past, the Princess would never have been fooled by such a clumsy lie from the Young Master.

But now, with her mind unsettled and her heart tied tightly to the Young Master's eyes, upon hearing the Young Master ask this, she actually asked back without thinking, “You heard it all?”

“Yes, I heard it all. I heard that you have coveted me for a long time. I heard about all the traps and schemes you set up for me. I also heard you say that in this life, it must be me and no one else.”

If the Young Master could see at this moment, the Princess would surely be able to see the deep affection in her eyes.

Unfortunately, all that tenderness was now completely hidden beneath a strip of red silk.

Though she could not see the Young Master's eyes, the Princess still picked up a hint of coaxing from those words.

She could not bear to let the Young Master down, so she could only hold back her tears and force a smile as she replied teasingly.

“Is that so? But I did not say ‘in this life it must be you’ just now. Did you hear it wrong?”

She finally smiled.

Only then did the Young Master curve her lips slightly.

“I heard it wrong? Then does that mean Her Highness does not think that way? Alright, then I shall also stop thinking it must be you in this life.”

That mutter sounded like regret and complaint, but the deeper meaning within it—the Princess had already heard it clearly.

This block of wood who usually could not read feelings was actually able to pour out her heart like this for once.

“No!”

The Princess truly smiled through her tears this time. She held the Young Master tightly around the waist and declared, “In this lifetime, do not even think of getting rid of me.”

Meng Chang’an could not help but laugh out loud too.

She directly grabbed the Princess’ hand and guided those fingertips to the ribbon tied before her own eyes, then seriously asked, “But I can no longer see. Do you not mind?”

What was once just a guess had now been confirmed.

Li Qiubai only felt those fingertips burning hot, scorching her until the fire in her heart could not be put out. She almost could not hold back her tears again.

Hatred filled the Princess’ eyes. In that instant, countless ways to torment that culprit—the Prince of Yu—flashed through her mind.

After a long silence, she finally touched the Young Master’s eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice, “If no one can cure you, then I shall be your eyes from now on, alright?”

Meng Chang’an’s nose turned sour, but she suddenly smiled.

Of course, it is not alright.

If truly no one could cure her, then she only wanted to go to a place where the Princess could no longer see her. That way, what the Princess longed for, thought of, remembered, and loved could still be that bright and unrestrained self from childhood, and not this broken body nearing its end, not this blind person who could not even walk on her own.

But she did not dare say such thoughts aloud in front of the Princess.

After a quiet, bitter smile, she then guided the Princess’ hand to her own lips.

“Your Highness, I want to kiss you…”

If it were before, she could easily find where the Princess was and take those red lips herself.

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. And check out other stories too. 

But now, she could not even find her beloved’s lips on her own.

The contrast only made her all the more disheartened.

And this time, the Princess was not like before, always teasing and keeping her hanging just to keep her from getting what she wanted.

Before the Young Master could continue letting her thoughts wander, the Princess had already leaned in urgently and pressed her lips to hers.

That long-lost kiss nearly made the Young Master sigh out loud.

She could not see, so she could only silently part her lips in response, obediently letting the Princess take the lead in this kiss, feeling the restrained desire hidden within the Princess’ breath as they intertwined.

This gentle kiss was unlike the Princess’ usual style.

Lingering between their lips and tongues was also the leftover taste of the Princess’ earlier tears.

That bitter flavor had already let the Young Master feel the Princess’ ache for her.

She dared to cry in front of her mother, yet she did not dare show even the slightest trace of sorrow before the Princess.

It was precisely because she was afraid—afraid that it would only make the Princess feel more distressed, and be even sadder.

Thinking there was no one around, the two of them simply stood in the corridor like that, boldly and recklessly kissing each other.

Yet the few elders who were supposed to have already disappeared from around the main hall, each popped their heads out one after another from behind the nearby rockery.

Zhong Shujin covered her eyes in disgust, yet could not help secretly peeping through the gaps between her fingers.

Ai, she never thought her wicked disciple would turn out to be such a lustful ghost.

“This child is truly causing trouble. Her injuries have not even healed yet, and she is already this impatient… ahem… truly far too eager…”

When there were others present, Zhong Shujin was usually rather reserved.

But suddenly seeing Chang’an like this, she truly could not help muttering a few complaints in secret.

Unfortunately, those who were peeking alongside her were all old friends who knew her through and through.

“Hypocrite.”

The first to speak was Zhou Jinyi in white. Though the sorrow on her face had not yet faded, upon hearing Zhong Shujin say that she still could not help turning around to glare at her, seriously refuting, “When you were young and facing my cousin, you were no better than Chang’an, were you?”

Zhong Shujin: “…”

What did I do this time to offend my wife’s cousin?

Upon hearing this, even Lin Ziyan, who happened to pass by and had been dragged behind the rockery with them, could not help but laugh. She immediately teased, “If the character for lust has a blade over it, then our Sect Leader must have ten blades hanging over her head.”

The meaning was nothing more than—how could someone even more lustful have the nerve to mock Xiao Chang’an?

Zhong Shujin was made to blush by their words. Yet she had no words to refute, so she could only pretend she had not heard the hidden meaning in the two’s words. She turned her gaze to her junior sister Meng Muxin, trying to shift the topic.

“Ahem, junior sister, I have not even had the chance to scold you yet. That thing you said just now, what exactly did you mean? Do not tell me you agreed to the matter between those two already? Then you are really too out of line. You are at least still Chang’an’s birth mother. How could you leave it to just Qingqing and me to beat the mandarin ducks with a stick and be hated by others?”

Meng Muxin turned her head and gave a helpless smile.

“It does not really matter to me. After all, it is rare for Chang’an to become enlightened. As long as she can be happy, that is enough. Whether or not the two of them can walk hand in hand for the rest of their lives, at the very least, Chang’an has now tasted love. That is still better than her being like how she used to be—always pretending to be mature at such a young age. She is still young. Even if she stumbles a few times or picks the wrong person, it is nothing serious. There are plenty of chances to start over. You do not need to worry so much for her either.”

Having said so, Meng Muxin recalled the things she had just heard outside, as well as what Gu Qingyin had told her about the past. She could not help but sigh emotionally, “All the more since someone like this Princess, who is willing to waste her whole life on Chang’an, is truly hard to come by.”

Zhong Shujin: “…”

You might as well just say it outright—that there are not many people in this world who would be blind enough to fall in love with a block of wood like Chang’an.

Master Zhong cast a resentful glance sideways at Meng Muxin, but Meng Muxin merely reached out to pat her on the head, then shifted her gaze toward Gu Qingyin, who had been standing silently behind Master Zhong for a long time. She asked with a look of hope, “By the way, when will…the residual poison in Chang’an’s eyes be completely cleared?”

After all, the two most skilled doctors in the martial world were now both in this villa treating Chang’an’s injuries. Neither Meng Muxin nor Zhong Shujin thought this matter could be difficult for these cousins who are good at medicine.

So now, Meng Muxin was not too worried about the future of those two lovers. She believed that Chang’an’s eye disease was only temporary, and certainly would not become an obstacle. But at this moment, Master Zhong had already begun calculating how many chances of victory the Blood Flame Sect might have if it were to go up against the imperial court.

Gu Qingyin first glanced at Zhou Jinyi. When she met her cousin’s equally hopeful gaze, she could not help but let out a light sigh before saying, “I have yet to come up with a perfect solution. I will think about it a bit more.”

Meng Muxin did not suspect anything, and after smiling and saying thanks, she turned her head back to observe the situation between those two under the corridor.

But Zhou Jinyi beside her had already seen through her cousin’s heavy thoughts.

She did not expose it, merely turned her head back without a change in expression, planning to find a good opportunity later to properly talk with her cousin about the poison in Chang’an’s body.