Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 90
Chapter 90 - I Don't Like Her
People came and went in an endless stream on the street.
Chu Hongyu's little mouth was pouting, and at a glance, he looked thoroughly displeased.
A-Mao bent over and whispered, "My Lord, you might as well stroll around for a bit. Otherwise, when the Prince asks, you won't even have an excuse for why you dislike her, right?"
Chu Hongyu raised his head to look at the young woman standing beside him.
This was the prospective princess consort whom many people in the manor had jointly selected for his father—the future mother for him and Changsheng, the Second Young Miss of the Tan family.
He and Changsheng had indeed wanted a mother all along, but not this particular woman in front of them.
This woman was extremely gentle, and her manners and speech were completely free of flaws. Everyone in the household, including his Prince father, was exceptionally fond of her.
Only after everyone else felt thoroughly satisfied did they come to ask him whether this woman could become his mother.
"Yu-ge'er, do you like this sugar figurine?"
Second Young Miss Tan picked up a cute tiger sugar figurine from the stall and handed it to Chu Hongyu.
A gentle smile graced her face as she stooped down, trying her utmost to narrow the distance between herself and the child before her.
"I don't like it! It looks hideous to death!"
Chu Hongyu coldly tossed out those words and strode forward.
Second Young Miss Tan was left feeling somewhat helpless.
She had already racked her brains trying to please the little young master, but the little young master had kept a stony face throughout, looking as though he thoroughly disliked her.
Whether her marriage to the Prince of Pingxi could be finalized depended entirely on whether this little young master liked her or not.
She was only seventeen years old; in truth, she had no desire to be a stepmother to anyone either. However, her father required the Prince of Pingxi's support in order to advance a rank in his official career.
For the sake of her father and her family, she had no choice but to throw caution to the wind.
"Yu-ge'er, what is it that you do like?" Second Young Miss Tan put on her gentle smile once more. "I heard you like crickets. How about I take you to see a cricket match?"
Chu Hongyu felt a pang of temptation, and immediately despised himself in his heart.
Since he did not like this woman, he should not give her any hope, nor should he let his Prince father think that he was willing to let this woman become his mother.
He said coldly, "Miss Tan, you are wasting your effort. No matter what you do, I will never agree to let you marry my father!"
The smile on Second Young Miss Tan's face froze. She drew a deep breath, squatted down, and grasped Chu Hongyu's small hand. "Yu-ge'er, I know you hold some aversion toward me right now, but please believe me. I will treat you as my own flesh and blood, I will cherish you and Changsheng, and I will let you both know how vastly different life is for a child who has a mother... Your father will take a princess consort sooner or later, and whichever one it might be is likely much the same. But I am the only one who can promise you that your father and I will not have any more children; the Pingxi Prince's Manor will only ever have the two of you, Changsheng and you..."
Chu Hongyu bit his lower lip.
He discovered that his heart had actually softened somewhat.
Even he was persuaded by this woman's words; his father would undoubtedly find it even harder to resist.
If no flaws could be found with her, His Imperial Grandfather would surely bestow the marriage immediately, and this woman would genuinely become his mother.
At this thought, intense resistance welled up within Chu Hongyu's heart.
"Yu-ge'er, shall we give it a try, all right?"
Second Young Miss Tan clutched the little fellow's hand, her eyes swimming with absolute clarity.
Right at that moment, Chu Hongyu suddenly let out a piercing shriek and then violently flung Second Young Miss Tan away.
"She pinched me!" The little fellow cried with tear-filled eyes as he scrambled to hide within the embrace of the mama behind him. "She just pinched my hand and threatened me into agreeing to let her be my mother, wuwuwu!"
With that, he burst into loud sobs.
Second Young Miss Tan's eyes widened in shock. She had only gently grasped the little young master's hand, not even daring to use any force; how could she possibly have pinched a child?
Yet before she could offer an explanation, the mama holding Chu Hongyu roared in fury, "Second Young Miss Tan, what massive daring you possess! How dare you treat our little young master in such a manner? You haven't even crossed our threshold yet you threaten the little young master; heaven knows how you will torment the child after becoming the princess consort! This old servant will definitely report this matter truthfully to the Prince!"
Second Young Miss Tan's face drained of color. "Mama, I did not! How could I ever dare to lay hands on the little young master? I truly did not... Yu-ge'er, hurry and explain clearly to Mama, I truly never laid a hand on you!"
Chu Hongyu cried out, "The back of my hand is completely red! You're the one who pinched it! You're a bad person, I hate you!"
The mama took one look, and sure enough, wasn't the little young master's tender, fair hand-back stained a patch of bright crimson?
For the very first time, Second Young Miss Tan understood what it meant to jump into the Yellow River and still be unable to wash oneself clean. Yet even if it was difficult to explain, she had to make it clear...
Just as she was about to speak, she saw a figure enter her field of vision.
Lifting her gaze, she recognized her: the legitimate eldest daughter of the General's Manor, the eldest young miss of the Yun family, currently known as Madam Xie.
Yun Chu had initially had no intention of stepping down from her carriage, but while seated inside, she had witnessed the entire exchange between Yu-ge'er and Second Young Miss Tan with crystal clarity.
Had it been any other child, regardless of how mischievous or deceitful they might be, she would never have intervened.
Yet the child who was lying and framing someone was Yu-ge'er.
He was the child who had secretly sneaked into the Xie residence purely to catch a glimpse of her; the child who had earnestly carved a wooden figurine for her; the child whose thoughts were constantly filled with her... She had no way of standing idly by and remaining indifferent while he strayed into wrongdoing.
"Mama Zheng," Yun Chu exchanged greetings with Chu Hongyu's mama, her gaze falling upon the child huddled in the mama's embrace. "Little Young Master, was your hand truly pinched red by Second Young Miss Tan?"
At the very instant Yun Chu appeared, a brilliant radiance surfaced in Chu Hongyu's eyes, and his instinct was to fling himself into her embrace.
Yet he noticed Yun Chu's expression was exceptionally solemn. Children are remarkably acute, and he sensitively realized that Yun Chu's mood must be connected to him.
He clutched the collar of the mama's tunic, avoiding Yun Chu's gaze, pressing his lips together without offering a reply.
"What does Madam Xie mean by these words?" Mama Zheng knitted her brows. "Could it be that our little young master is framing Second Young Miss Tan?"
"Little Young Master," Yun Chu stared intently at the child. "Didn't I tell you before that making a mistake does not matter, but the most important thing is to admit to your wrongdoing?"
Second Young Miss Tan let out a massive sigh of relief.
She truly had not expected that this Madam Xie would actually risk offending the little young master just to step forward and champion her cause.
If it were anyone else, even upon seeing the little young master frame her, they certainly would not have chosen to stand on her side...
Chu Hongyu bit his lower lip.
He knew he shouldn't frame Second Young Miss Tan, but if he didn't do this, this woman would become his mother.
He didn't want this woman to be his mother.
He looked toward Yun Chu. How he longed for Mother to marry his father, but why had Mother married so early...
Yun Chu softened her tone. "Little Young Master, apologize now that you know you were wrong. I believe Second Young Miss Tan is also willing to forgive you."
"No! I did not do anything wrong!" Chu Hongyu shouted with reddened eyes. "She was the one bullying me, and you're bullying me along with her! I hate you all!"
He leaped down from the mama's arms and plunged headfirst into the crowd.
"Aigo, my little ancestor, stop running around! Don't get lost!" Mama Zheng was frightened out of her wits. "What are you all standing around in a daze for? Go after him!"
The attendants of the Pingxi Prince's Manor surged in a disorderly rush in the direction where Chu Hongyu had vanished.
Without a single second of hesitation, Yun Chu lifted her skirt and gave chase.
Second Young Miss Tan felt as though her head was about to explode. She had been the one who proactively proposed bringing the little young master out for a stroll; if the little young master were to get lost, their Tan family would be utterly finished.