Billionaire's Long Journey of Chasing His Love-Chapter 601 - 516: Slit Wrist Suicide (Second Update)
The son and daughter had already learned to sit, but Yi Luowa and Tong Airui were the last ones to know. When they returned, everyone was gathered around the sofa watching the three little ones.
Maizekai chuckled and said, "I thought Pengpeng would be late in everything, but surprisingly, everything’s normal."
Pengpeng seemed rather annoyed by his father’s comment and pounded the sofa forcefully with a rattle.
"Haha... Pengpeng turns out to have quite a temper!" Connie laughed as she walked over.
Pengpeng glanced at Connie and broke into a wide smile.
Sangyu looked at her older brother, reached out, and patted his thigh. Pengpeng froze for a moment before bursting into laughter with a "gurgle."
"Pengpeng really carries himself like an older brother!" This was Long Che’s first time complimenting Ning Mingxi’s grandson.
Yi Luowa, seeing her children showing such progress, was overjoyed, grinning from ear to ear. She took several photos and sent them to Huo Li and Teng Ai Ni.
Not long after, her phone rang. Teng Ai Ni and Huo Li both wanted to video call her to see the kids.
After some busy moments, everyone finally fulfilled the wishes of the two pregnant women.
Tong Airui spent some time with the three children before heading alone to the balcony. Mi Chenxuan and Danton had been out all day without a single call. Although he knew that no news was a good thing, he still felt uneasy.
Mi Chenxuan quickly picked up the call. "Fourth Brother, what’s the matter?"
"Anything happening on your end?"
"No, we’ve been playing all day. We’re about to head back to the tribe; Eldest Brother has arranged a bonfire dinner for Danton."
Tong Airui’s mouth twitched slightly. "A bonfire dinner in this freezing weather? Won’t you be cold?"
"Isn’t there a fire to warm us? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Danton dresses warmly."
"It’s fine to play, but always stay alert and prioritize safety."
"Yes, sir!"
Tong Airui hung up and stood on the balcony staring outside. He wondered how things on Haotian’s side were progressing with the cleanup.
Emperor Haotian and Empress Haotian had indeed been busy. After Kai Di’s death, they immediately began wrapping up the aftermath—clearing and investigating what needed to be cleared and investigated. The more they dug, the deeper it went. Emperor Haotian suddenly realized how foolish he’d been. If it weren’t for his wife secretly suppressing Kai Di’s faction all along, his throne might have already fallen into Kai Di’s hands.
After several consecutive days of dealing with the situation, Emperor Haotian was experiencing headaches. Seeing his wife still hard at work, he stood up and walked over, raising his hand to gently massage her shoulders.
"Your neck has always been bad; you should take a break," he said softly.
Empress Haotian set down the documents in her hands and looked up at him. "I can’t rest. Everything must be sorted out quickly; it’s good for the country and for our children."
Emperor Haotian’s hand paused slightly. "Speaking of the children, about Nancy... How long do you plan to keep her confined?"
Empress Haotian rubbed her forehead. "That child has disappointed me too much. Ai Rui Aldrich—do you know what kind of person he is? Crossing his bottom line means either death or serious injury; Lan Ji and Shi Qing are prime examples. Does she want to become the second Lan Ji or Shi Qing?
Randy, you haven’t seen Ai Rui Aldrich’s love for his wife. Everything he does revolves around her, and his devotion comes from deep within his heart.
I’m not belittling our daughter, but Nancy is nowhere near Yi Luowa in character. Yi Luowa is kind, clever, and incredibly considerate, which is why Ai Rui Aldrich dotes on her so much.
Nancy’s little schemes are nothing worth mentioning compared to Yi Luowa. She needs to stay confined for a while and reflect. Once I’ve sorted out these major matters, I plan to sit down with her and talk. If she doesn’t change, then she’s as good as ruined."
"It’s all my fault. If I had trusted you completely back then and hadn’t driven you away, Nancy wouldn’t have been separated from us. If she had stayed with us, she wouldn’t be the way she is today."
Empress Haotian furrowed her brows slightly. "Randy, what do you think of Xia Rou as a person?"
Emperor Haotian was taken aback. "Why are you asking about her all of a sudden? She’s been with you since she was young; you should know her better than I do."
Empress Haotian let out a bitter laugh. "It’s precisely because I’m not sure anymore that I’m asking you. It’s been years since we’ve been apart, and people change. Nancy’s remarks shocked me. As the daughter of you and me, she’d never say such things. She was raised by Xia Rou, so it’s inevitable that she’d carry some of Xia Rou’s influence."
"Xia Rou’s been back for a while now. Have you noticed any changes in her?"
Empress Haotian let out a soft sigh. "She seems the same as twenty years ago, but I can feel that our hearts don’t connect as closely as they once did."
"Zhi Lan, you’re smarter than me and a better judge of people. Since Kai Di’s incident, I’ve lost all confidence in myself. From now on, whether it’s family or national matters, I’ll defer to you. You decide, and I’ll follow.
So, regarding our daughter, I won’t express any opinion. Regarding Xia Rou’s character, I won’t say much either. If you feel her presence negatively impacts Nancy, then arrange for her to retire somewhere."
Empress Haotian smiled. "Didn’t you say you weren’t going to express an opinion? What was all that just now?"
Emperor Haotian gave a helpless smile. "Seeing how worried you are, I offered a suggestion. The decision is still yours."
"Randy, did you notice Xia Rou’s expression when she grabbed the child from Kai Di’s arms? It wasn’t anger but a warning. That’s what I find most puzzling. Why warn Kai Di? What gives her the right to warn her?"
Emperor Haotian pondered for a moment. "She should have shown more anger, given all the injustices Kai Di caused you. As your servant, she ought to be furious."
"So?" Empress Haotian asked with a smile.
Emperor Haotian laughed. "You already have an answer in your heart. You decide, and I’ll carry it out."
"My family estate is essentially empty, with no one to manage it. I’m thinking of giving the manor to her so she can enjoy her retirement there. If we want to properly teach Nancy, we must separate the two of them. It’s the only solution I could think of."
"Nancy and Xia Rou are so close. Won’t she cause trouble for you?"
"Let her cause trouble. I want to see what other flaws Nancy hides from us. This way, I can better address them and discipline her. I don’t expect her to be as universally loved as Yi Luowa, but at the very least, she shouldn’t embarrass us in public."
"Alright. When are you planning to take action?"
"Once I’ve finished processing this document, I’ll find Xia Rou, inform her, and let her say goodbye to Nancy first." Empress Haotian brushed her forehead lightly. "To tell the truth, it’s hard for me to say this."
Emperor Haotian gently patted her shoulder. "If it’s hard for you, I’ll say it for you."
"You?"
"Hmm, from now on, I’ll be the ’bad guy’ in this family."
Having said that, Emperor Haotian left the room.
He walked straight to Xia Rou’s quarters. Xia Rou saw him coming, quickly bowed, and spoke before he did. "Emperor Haotian, I just came back from Nancy’s quarters and heard that Princess Nancy hasn’t eaten for two meals. If you have time, please persuade her to eat. Don’t let her starve."
Emperor Haotian frowned slightly. He was distressed for his daughter, but this was a lesson she had to learn.
"Xia Rou, I’ll handle this matter. I came here today to discuss something else with you."
Xia Rou was taken aback. She didn’t expect Emperor Haotian, who doted on his daughter so much, to have no reaction upon hearing Nancy hadn’t eaten for two meals.
"Please go ahead." Though annoyed in her heart, Xia Rou kept her expression neutral.
Emperor Haotian smiled and said, "I was chatting with Zhi Lan earlier and brought you up. She mentioned how much hardship you’ve endured over the years. Without you, there would be no Nancy."
Xia Rou smiled faintly. "It’s my duty. After all, Nancy is the Empress’ biological daughter, and I couldn’t abandon her."
"Xia Rou, you have done a great service! To repay you, I’ve decided to grant you the Xia family’s manor. It’s a wonderful place for retirement..."
Xia Rou froze. "Emperor Haotian and the Empress wish to send me away?!"
"It’s not sending you away but arranging a good place for you. Here in the palace, you seldom get peace and quiet, and it pains both Zhi Lan and me."
Xia Rou stared at her shoes, remaining silent for a long time.
Emperor Haotian gave her a deep look. "Tomorrow morning, I’ll arrange transportation to send you there."
He said his piece and left the room.
As she gazed at his tall, retreating figure, Xia Rou took a deep breath.
When Emperor Haotian finished relaying his conversation with Xia Rou to his wife, someone rushed in to report that Nancy was attempting to commit suicide by slitting her wrist.
Empress Haotian furrowed her brows tightly and asked with a cold voice, "Has Xia Rou gone to her?"
"Yes. Madam Xia is currently trying to persuade Princess Nancy."
"Has Nancy already slit her wrist, or is she planning to?" Empress Haotian’s voice grew even colder.
