Chapter 23: I Donât Want to Stay at the Leaderâs Manor Anymore
The First Madam, Guan Meihan, had the temperament of a strong woman who had weathered countless battles. She was beautiful and looked young, but the severity and meanness between her brows made it clear at a glance that she was not someone to be trifled with. Guan Meihan looked up, sizing up Ye Zhile. “You are Minister Yeâs youngest son, Ye Zhile?”
“Yes.” Ye Zhile stood to the side.
Guan Meihan glanced at him. “Since you have registered your marriage with Shuohan, you should call me Mom. What is this ‘Madam’? And sit down, why are you standing?”
“Okay, Mom,” Ye Zhile said obediently. He then looked at the great beauty beside her. “Mom, who is this?”
Guan Meihan put down her teacup and draped her arm around the beauty’s shoulder, speaking in an intimate tone. “This is the daughter of the Duke of the Shen family, Shen Tingyuan.”
“Hello, Miss Shen,” Ye Zhile said.
Shen Tingyuan smiled. “I happened to be drinking tea with Auntie today. Hearing that she was coming to see Brother Shuohan, I tagged along. I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Ye Zhile shook his head and said, “Since Mom and Miss Shen are here, please stay for dinner before you leave.”
Ye Zhile noticed Shen Tingyuan looking upstairs and followed her gaze. “Whatâs wrong, Miss Shen?”
“Did Brother Shuohan go to the Supreme Leaderâs Ministry?”
“Yes, My Lord gets up very early every day,” Ye Zhile said.
“Then when will he be back?” Shen Tingyuan asked again.
“Iâm not sure about that. My Lord leaves early and returns late, with no regular schedule. It could be six o’clock, or it could be the early hours of the morning,” Ye Zhile finished, only to see Guan Meihan scolding him with a stern face.
“Shuohan is your husband, yet you don’t even ask what time your husband comes home? What kind of behavior is that?”
“I…” Ye Zhile was speechless. He usually got along with elders with a smile, and the elders liked him too. Facing a mother-in-law character for the first time, he appeared at a loss.
Uncle Xu intervened in time to relieve him. “My Lord does not like to be disturbed while working. My Lord said his working hours are uncertain, so there is no need to wait for him.”
Guan Meihan looked at Ye Zhile. “You are the other master of the Leader’s Manor. You should also share the burden of the Manor’s affairs. You can’t just leave everything to Uncle Xu to manage alone. For example, you need to know what flowers to plant in the garden for which season.”
Ye Zhile looked confused. “Ah? I have to know these things?”
“Of course. For example, you have to keep an eye on the ingredients coming in and out. What if the servants get lazy and careless?” Guan Meihan looked as if this was only natural. “You have nothing to do at home anyway. What else can you do besides these things? Later on, you can let go and wait for others to do it, but as his First Madam, naturally, you must know how.”
“Mom, I don’t quite understand. Why can I let go and wait for others to do it later?” Ye Zhile asked.
Guan Meihan laughed out loud. Looking at the innocent and simple Ye Zhile, she felt this child was quite cute. She kindly reminded him, “I say, Young Master Ye, it is perfectly normal for the Royal Family to have three wives and four concubines, let alone the Empire’s Supreme Leader. Spreading the lineage and selecting the best heir for the leadership from themâisn’t that normal?”
Ye Zhile couldn’t speak. His heart felt as if someone had clenched it tight. Yet, Guan Meihan continued to provoke him. She took Shen Tingyuan’s hand. “Tingyuan grew up with Shuohan and is the most suitable match. Before long, when Shuohan is done being busy, a wedding will be held for them.”
Ye Zhile felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. No matter how much he forced himself to be calm, he couldn’t quell the shock and grievance in his heart.
Ji Shuohan returned at dinner time. Ye Zhile sat on Ji Shuohan’s right. He buried his head in his meal without speaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Shen Tingyuan looking at Ji Shuohan with a gaze full of adoration.
“Whatâs wrong with you?” Ji Shuohan noticed Ye Zhile’s state wasn’t right. Usually, he was smiling and cheerful, but today he was exceptionally quiet, looking very aggrieved.
Ye Zhile’s eyes instantly turned sour. To prevent losing face by crying in front of everyone, he quickly shook his head and put down his bowl and chopsticks. “I’m full, you guys take your time.”
Crying?
Ji Shuohan stared at his retreating figure going upstairs, and also put down his bowl and chopsticks, losing his appetite.
“Eh?” Guan Meihan watched the two leave one after another. “Not eating?”
Ye Zhile hid in his room. He sat by the bed, shedding tears silently, sad and aggrieved to the extreme.
This was completely different from what he had imagined. He thought marriage meant two people accompanying each other for a lifetime. But now he was told that My Lord would marry others, and more than one. They were not each other’s only one.
Why couldn’t it be like Dad and Father, just one person from beginning to end? It wasn’t good at all. He didn’t want to stay at the Leader’s Manor anymore.
“Wu…” Ye Zhile sobbed out loud.
When Ji Shuohan opened the door and entered, he saw the Omega with a face full of tears. Ye Zhile looked at him stubbornly, crying so hard he couldn’t catch his breath.
Ji Shuohan walked over. He looked down at the Omega’s rosy little face. This was the first time he had seen the Omega so sad, as if the sky had fallen.
“Ye Zhile, what’s wrong?”
Ye Zhile shook his head. He looked up and choked with sobs, “I-I want to go home… wu… I want to go home!”
“I don’t want to stay at the Leader’s Manor anymore…” Ye Zhile cried out. “I don’t want to…”
Ji Shuohan’s heart felt as if it had been stung by a bee, itchy and painful. This was a feeling he had never had before. Ye Zhile crying truly made one soft-hearted and distressed. His thumb wiped away Ye Zhile’s tears. “Ye Zhile, tell me what happened. I will help you.”
Ye Zhile sniffled. Looking at Ji Shuohan’s cold yet revealingly gentle eyes, he slowly said, “Mom said you will marry others in the future… Before long, you will even marry Miss Shen.”
“If, if you are going to marry others…” Ye Zhile picked at his fingers, seemingly making up his mind. “Then I don’t want to be with you anymore…”
Seeing the Omega about to cry again, Ji Shuohan hurriedly comforted him. “Ye Zhile, look up.”
“Mn?” Ye Zhile looked up, seeing Ji Shuohan looking exceptionally serious and earnest.
“I will not marry anyone else, and certainly not Miss Shen. From beginning to end, there is only you.”
Ye Zhile blinked. “Really?”
“Mn. Don’t listen to my mother’s nonsense; she doesn’t know anything at all,” Ji Shuohan said.
Ye Zhile stopped his tears. He lifted his arms. “My Lord, hug me…”
Ji Shuohan paused. Facing Ye Zhile’s innocent and expectant eyes, he hugged him as if guided by supernatural forces. Feeling the Omega lying on his shoulder seeking comfort like a bird returning to its nest, Ji Shuohan’s heart softened into a complete mess.
Ye Zhile let out a weary sigh of relief and fell onto the bed. “I’m so tired from crying…”
“…” Ji Shuohan asked him, “Are you full?”
Ye Zhile shook his head. “I don’t want to eat anymore. I want to sleep.”
“Okay,” Ji Shuohan responded. “Then rest early. Don’t take my mother’s words to heart; I will speak to her.”
“Mn…” Ye Zhile hummed vaguely, having cried until his eyes could hardly open.
Ji Shuohan waited until he was covered with the quilt before going downstairs.
Translatorâs Note: Hello readers! âThree wives and four concubines” mentioned in Chapter 23âthis is a traditional Chinese idiom describing a man with many partners, often used in historical or high-society settings to imply polygamy is the norm. Enjoy the chapter!
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