When False is Taken for True, the Truth Becomes False

"Mo Shisan, the young master requests your presence!"

At the Mo family's branch estate, a messenger from the main house held an insignia token and repeated flatly: "For this beast clan gathering, the young master has specifically named you to accompany him."

After speaking, he looked Ye Shu up and down, then chuckled.

"Mo Shisan, you're in luck!"

"Indeed I am, as the messenger says."

Ye Shu hurried forward, took the token offered by the other party, and grinned from ear to ear.

Whoa, no way.

This just landed right in his lap?

"Work hard, and the young master won't treat you poorly." The messenger gave a few cursory words of advice before turning around to return and report.

As soon as Ye Shu walked back into the courtyard with the token, Jiang Xin immediately rushed up to him. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, her lips pouted, and she looked thoroughly displeased.

"You're going out again?"

"Not staying with me?"

Seeing how pitiful she looked, like a newlywed bride left behind at home, Ye Shu couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm not leaving forever, just heading out for a while."

"But I miss you~"

Jiang Xin pouted, gently tugging at the corner of his clothes with one hand, swaying it slightly: "Staying home alone is so boring, so, so boring!"

She looked up, her big eyes full of pleading.

"There's nothing I can do about that."

Ye Shu shook his head helplessly.

"A man's got to go out and earn a living. Otherwise, how am I supposed to take care of you? This is work."

"Then let me come with you!"

Jiang Xin immediately clenched her little fists and shouted loudly.

"Do you think this is some kind of game?" Ye Shu said, exasperated. "They said only I'm allowed to go, so it's just me. There's no way I can bring you along."

"Besides, if you come, what about Mingyue?"

Ye Shu pointed to Jiang Mingyue, who was sitting on the stone table: "The kid's still so young. Would you really leave her alone at home with no one to look after her?"

"Absolutely!"

Jiang Xin replied without a moment's hesitation.

Jiang Mingyue, sitting on the stone table, was utterly stunned. This woman was truly prioritizing her love interest over her own child.

What a monster!

Even Ye Shu was caught off guard by her response.

"Wait, is Jiang Mingyue even your real daughter? Feels more like you fished her out of a trash can," Ye Shu said, eyes wide, trying to awaken her maternal instincts.

Jiang Xin blinked: "Maybe she is."

What do you mean, maybe?

Jiang Xin, you absolute...

Ye Shu was completely defeated by his own imperial daughter. He stepped forward, pulled her into his arms, and gently kissed her glossy lips. "I promise I'll be back soon. Just stay home and behave while I'm gone."

With that, he pulled out a handful of candies like a magician.

They were all sorts of colors, dazzling Jiang Xin's eyes.

"F-Fine... for the sake of the candies... I suppose I'll grudgingly stay home."

Jiang Xin hugged the candies, looking reluctant.

At that, Ye Shu lowered his head again and gave her a deep farewell kiss, so intense it nearly left her breathless.

Jiang Mingyue, watching from the table, gritted her teeth so hard they might've cracked.

Why?

How come?

Wasn't she cute enough?

Wasn't she smart enough?

She stared at Jiang Xin, who was blissfully leaning against Ye Shu's chest, her eyes dark and brooding.

This woman was totally forgetting who was really in charge now!

The two of them, lost in their tender moment, naturally didn't notice any of this. After the kiss, Jiang Xin was as dazed as a baby who'd been fed wine, her head spinning — there was no way she could pay attention to the little face beside her growing darker by the second.

"While I'm gone, make sure you don't get cavities from all that candy again."

Ye Shu let go, gave a few careful reminders, then turned and strode out the door.

But after leaving the Mo family's branch estate, he didn't head straight to the main house.

First, he went to a dense forest, stopping by an ancient tree, and let out a sigh.

"Come out. The jealousy is practically dripping in the air."

As his words fell, a white figure appeared not far behind him. Little Fairy Doctor stood under the shade of a tree, a few steps away, silent — just staring at him, her eyes slightly red.

What could be more heartbreaking than watching the man you love being affectionate with another woman?

Even though Ye Shu knew this wasn't fair to many people, there was little he could do about it.

"How about you punch me a couple times?" he suggested tentatively.

Xia Hanmo shook her head.

She extended her index finger and tapped it on her lips.

The meaning was obvious: whatever Jiang Xin got, she had to have too.

"..."

Ye Shu was speechless but went ahead and kissed her.

"Good enough?"

"Not enough." She shook her head, then raised a finger and tapped the other side of her face.

Ye Shu sighed helplessly, leaned in, and gave her another kiss.

Only then did Xia Hanmo break into a delighted smile, her two finely arched brows curving slightly.

"That's more like it."

"Alright, tell me — what did you call me out for?"

"Can't hide anything from you, can I?"

Ye Shu looked at Xia Hanmo with surprise.

"Hmph! As if I don't know you by now?"

At that, Xia Hanmo crossed her arms and let out a cold snort: "When you need something, that's when you come find me — calling me sweetheart, kissing, hugging, coaxing me. But when you don't need me, you forget I even exist entirely."

"Heh, well, I don't have a choice."

Being called out like that, Ye Shu lowered his head in embarrassment, admitting his fault: "I swear, once everything settles down and I get everyone back, I'll definitely make it up to you with all my time!"

Seeing his earnest vow, Xia Hanmo muttered quietly: "I bet it won't just be me you're spending time with then."

But what could she do? She loved this big idiot.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Xia Hanmo felt a pang of grievance but still looked up, forcing a smile: "Go on — what did you call me out for?"

Seeing that, Ye Shu got straight to the point.

"I need you to come with me to the beast clan."

"To the beast clan?"

Xia Hanmo was taken aback.

"But didn't the Mo family want you to accompany Mo Yu? How would I go with you?"

"That's exactly why I came to find you."

Ye Shu said calmly: "This isn't about chasing some lucky break. Sticking by Mo Yu's side wouldn't bring much benefit anyway — I'd be constrained and unable to move freely."

"So?"

"So I need one of your paper puppets."

"That way, while the puppet stays by Mo Yu's side, I can move without restrictions, and at the same time, I'll get intel from his end — killing two birds with one stone."

"Not a bad plan."

Xia Hanmo nodded, then raised a question.

"But if it's a paper puppet, won't the other party see through it?"

"I've already thought of that."

Ye Shu smiled slightly and turned his head to look at his right shoulder.

There, a small figure bathed in golden light, seated on a golden lotus, was meditating with eyes closed.

"What if this paper puppet is also me?"