Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 66

The little bun climbed onto the bed. Ying Su looked at Bai Lefu, who was still sitting on the stool, and said, “I’ve already made up the bed in the next room. Go and sleep there!”

Bai Lefu clutched the Rubik’s Cube in her hand, reluctant to leave, watching as the little bun rolled around on Ying Su’s large bed. She hesitated, unwilling to take a step. She also wanted to sleep with Ying Su like Huzi did, but no matter what, she couldn’t bring herself to say it aloud.

In the end, she had no choice but to obediently walk to the room next door. The bed was neatly spread with fresh bedding. Bai Lefu climbed onto the bed, rolled across it the way Huzi did, and thought to herself that it wasn’t a big deal, she slept alone at home anyway, so now she could just as well sleep alone here!

After seeing her tucked in under the blanket, Ying Su blew out the oil lamp, went back to her own room, lay down on the bed, and began telling the little bun the daily bedtime story.

Just as the story reached the exciting part, a sudden bang came from the room next door, as if something had fallen to the ground, followed immediately by Bai Lefu’s cry.

Ying Su quickly got out of bed, lit the oil lamp, and carried it into the next room. The light illuminated the scene, Bai Lefu was squatting on the floor, her little face pale. A chair had fallen to the ground, landing right on her foot.

Ying Su set the oil lamp down, lifted the chair off her foot, and carried her onto the bed. Seeing her toes red and swollen, she asked, “Does it hurt?”

Tears welled up in Bai Lefu’s eyes as she nodded. Ying Su gently rubbed with her fingers and said, “It didn’t crush the bone. It should be fine in a while. Why did you get out of bed?”

Looking pitiful, Bai Lefu cried, “I also want to hear the story… I want to sleep with you…”

After all, she was only a six-year-old child. Her delicate, porcelain-doll face was filled with grievance, making Ying Su feel as though she had done something wrong. Her heart softened a little.

“Alright then, don’t cry.”

Bai Lefu looked up at her in surprise, sniffled, and asked, “You agree?”

Ying Su nodded slightly, but suddenly remembered the strict separation between men and women in ancient times, and couldn’t help but feel a headache. Still, Huzi wasn’t even five, and this little girl was only six. There shouldn’t be a problem! In her eyes, they were just two children.

She carried Bai Lefu onto her bed. The little girl beamed with joy. Ying Su lay down in the middle, with the little bun in her left arm and the little girl in her right, and continued the story.

Before long, the two children fell asleep while listening. Ying Su tucked the blankets snugly around them, kissed the little bun on the cheek, carefully got out of bed, blew out the oil lamp, then felt her way back onto the bed and went to sleep as well.

In Shili Town, at the grandest restaurant on Southeast Street, in the Tianzi Suite, sat a man dressed in a white brocade robe. His face was like carved jade, with starry eyes and sword-like brows, but at this moment his handsome features were darkened with gloom.

The oil lamp on the table, covered with a fine lampshade, lit the whole room brightly, casting shallow shadows across his face, which only made his striking features appear even sharper.

Before him, two men in black were kneeling.

“I told you to secretly protect the young miss, and you actually let her go missing?” A glint of ruthlessness flashed in the man’s dark eyes. Even in his anger, his handsome demeanor retained a trace of elegance.

The two black-clad men knelt in shame. One spoke up, “After the young miss went out, she found a child of similar build to disguise as herself. We were careless and failed to recognize it.” His face grew even heavier with guilt after he finished.

“Once we discovered the young miss was missing, we immediately mobilized our contacts in Jiangnan. Later, we found that she had slipped onto a northbound boat. After investigating, we learned she hadn’t disembarked at any other pier. Someone on the boat said they saw a little girl resembling the young miss being taken off at the Shili Town pier by a middle-aged couple.” The other man spoke, his face pale.

Everyone knew that the young miss was the master’s treasure. Losing her this time meant the two of them would not escape punishment. Their master was known for strict discipline and ruthless methods, he would never forgive them lightly.

The man seated above them was none other than Bai Chuyu, second young master of the Bai family in Jiangnan. Though barely past twenty, he was highly capable and calculating. At a young age, he had already taken control of the vast Bai family, managing its business so well that it flourished.

Though Bai Chuyu had not married, he had a daughter. He cherished this daughter like a pearl, doting on her dearly. Everyone in Bai Manor knew she was his heart and soul. Whatever she wanted, she had only to mention it, and it would appear before her the next day. No matter how unreasonable her demands, he would grant them without condition. One could say that Bai Chuyu spoiled his little miss completely.

It was also because of her resistance that, although many women secretly admired him, the handsome young master had never taken a wife.

Thus, even though the little miss had no mother, not a single person in the Bai estate dared to look down on her, nor did anyone dare gossip about her origins. Once, a thoughtless servant had whispered about her parentage. The little miss overheard, and when Bai Chuyu found out, he had that servant’s tongue torn out and fed to wild dogs.

Now that the little miss had gone missing, the two men likely wouldn’t escape death. Still, loyal to Bai Chuyu, they felt that failing to find her left them guilty beyond redemption.

Bai Chuyu sat quietly in his chair, his refined brows faintly furrowed into a beautiful shape. His long, pale, well-defined fingers tapped lightly on the table, his habitual gesture when deep in thought.

That little girl, Bai Lefu, was always mischievous and clever. This time, it must have been because she hadn’t seen him return to the estate in three months. After asking her maid about his whereabouts, she had the audacity to pull a trick and sneak onto a boat to Shili Town to find him.

If it had been any other six-year-old child, Bai Chuyu would never believe she’d dare to sneak out alone, let alone board a boat from Jiangnan to here. But he knew his daughter well, he had spoiled her from the cradle. She had always been fearless. Even if she caused trouble in Bai Manor, no one would punish her; instead, others would rush to clean up after her.

The trail vanished after Shili Town’s pier. Witnesses said a middle-aged couple had taken the little girl off the boat, claiming to be her parents, and after that, there was no trace.

Bai Chuyu had already ordered his men to search all of Shili Town for her. The longer it took, the more danger she would be in. He had given a death order: even if they had to turn the entire town upside down tonight, they must find Bai Lefu.

Still with no word of her whereabouts, Bai Chuyu couldn’t help massaging his temples.

Just then, an urgent, heavy knocking came at the door, followed by a voice, “Master, there’s news of the young miss!”