Cai Damei knew Ye Yunniang better than she knew herself. With just one glance, she could tell Ye Yunniang was hiding something.
Ye Yunniang realized she couldn’t deceive Cai Damei and finally explained what had happened.
Upon hearing that Ye Yunniang had suffered a pregnancy scare, Cai Damei immediately urged her to go back and rest.
Ye Yunniang obeyed, letting Tong Mo support her as they left.
When she returned to her room, Li Pan and Li An were standing inside, their eyes filled with fear as they glanced around.
The two children were confused—why had their mother and grandmother disappeared when they woke up?
“Pan’er, An’er.”
“Mom!” The two children rushed toward Ye Yunniang.
Tong Mo stepped forward to block them.
Unable to reach their mother, Li Pan pushed Tong Mo hard. “Bad guy, let go!”
Tong Mo remained steady, but Li Pan lost his balance and fell backward, landing on the floor.
“Waaah…” Li Pan burst into tears. “Mom, the bad guy hit me…”
“Kid, be reasonable. When did I hit you?” Tong Mo was exasperated. Children really knew how to twist the truth.
Li An pointed at Tong Mo. “Bad guy! Meanie!”
Ye Yunniang gently pushed Tong Mo aside and pulled the two children into her arms.
“Mom’s stomach isn’t feeling well. Uncle Tong Mo was just worried you might bump into me,” Ye Yunniang explained softly. “It wasn’t right for you to blame him without understanding.”
Li An immediately latched onto the fact that his mother wasn’t feeling well.
“Bed… lie down, lie down…” He tugged at Ye Yunniang’s hand, pointing toward the bed.
Li Pan also grabbed her hand, pulling her in the same direction.
Ye Yunniang let them lead her to the bed and lay down.
“Mom, rest. I’ll take care of little brother,” Li Pan said, making Ye Yunniang’s eyes well up. She reached out and stroked his head.
“Don’t worry, Mom will feel better after a nap.”
“Mom, sleep,” Li Pan urged, while Li An nodded vigorously beside him.
“Alright, Mom will rest. But first, you both need to apologize to Uncle Tong Mo.” Ye Yunniang turned them around to face Tong Mo.
“Say, ‘Uncle Tong Mo, I was wrong.’”
Following her lead, the two children chorused, “Uncle Tong Mo, I was wrong!”
Tong Mo cleared his throat. “Uncle forgives you.”
The children immediately turned back, clustering around Ye Yunniang.
“Mom, we’re good.”
“Good.”
“Yes, you’re both good children.” Ye Yunniang patted their heads.
Grrr… grrr…
Their stomachs growled in unison.
“I’ll get food.” Tong Mo, now happily addressed as “Uncle,” went to fetch their meal.
After eating, Ye Yunniang settled the two children to sleep.
After seven days of rest, Physician Tong said she could move around again.
Ye Yunniang took the children to see Cai Damei.
Cai Damei’s forehead was wrapped in bandages, making her injury look severe. The two children rushed to her, fussing over her with concern.
Cai Damei hugged them tightly, relieved they were unharmed.
The three shared a warm moment before Tong Mo took the children outside to play, leaving the two women alone.
Cai Damei pressed Ye Yunniang for details. “What really happened that day?”
Ye Yunniang told her everything without holding back.
Cai Damei grasped her hand. “I shouldn’t have trusted Li Wenkuo’s family.”
Remembering Aunt Guihua’s attitude when they first returned, Cai Damei sighed. It was true—you never really knew a person’s heart.
“Mom, I’m fine now,” Ye Yunniang reassured her with a relaxed smile.
“But Mom, what happened on the mountain? How did you get so badly hurt?” Ye Yunniang’s eyes filled with worry as she looked at Cai Damei’s bandaged forehead.
At the mention of that day, Cai Damei coughed awkwardly.
Li Wu and Li Nan had tricked her into a mountain cave and locked her inside before leaving.
Cai Damei immediately tore off a piece of her clothing and threw it outside, hoping someone from Bao Min’s group would find it and rescue her.
But no one came for a long time.
Panic crept in, especially as she worried about Ye Yunniang’s safety.
Since no help was coming, she had to rely on herself.
She tried everything to force the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. Exhausted, she slumped against it in defeat.
Clutching Li Jun’s wolf-tooth necklace, she sat there, waiting for death.
But then she thought of Ye Yunniang and the children.
She couldn’t give up.
If she couldn’t escape through the door, she’d search the cave for another way out.
The cave was small, ending quickly with no exit.
Returning to the door, she found—
It was open.
Bao Min stood at the entrance, smiling at her.
“Madam, you’re safe now.” He reached out to help her.
Cai Damei avoided his hand and stepped out on her own.
“How is Yunniang?” she asked urgently.
“With Tong Mo watching over her, she’ll be fine.”
Meanwhile, Ye Yunniang, jostled inside a carriage trunk: “…”
Hearing this, Cai Damei hurried down the mountain—she had to get to the children.
Li Nan had claimed Li Wenkuo wasn’t involved, but Cai Damei didn’t trust it.
“The children are safe. Someone’s looking after them. No need to worry,” Bao Min said, blocking her path.
If she wasn’t going for the children, why were they standing in the middle of nowhere?
“Madam, we’re alone here. Let’s finish the conversation we started on the ship.”
Cai Damei stared at him. Was he out of his mind? Now was not the time for irrelevant talks.
She tightened her grip on the wolf-tooth necklace. “You think this is appropriate?”
“Madam, it’s the perfect time,” Bao Min insisted.
Done with his nonsense, Cai Damei sidestepped him and continued downhill.
She had no patience for people with scrambled brains.
“Madam, wait!” Bao Min grabbed her wrist.
She yanked free but lost her footing.
Her body tumbled uncontrollably down the slope.
Before Bao Min could react, she crashed into a tree, stopping her fall.
Dizzy but desperate, she forced herself up, clinging to the tree for support.
Then she realized—
Where was the necklace?
She searched the area frantically but found nothing. It must have slipped from her grasp during the fall.
She tried to climb back up, but her legs wobbled unsteadily.
Crawling on hands and knees, she scanned every inch of the ground.
Suddenly, the wolf-tooth dangled in front of her. She reached for it—but Bao Min lifted it just out of reach.
Looking up, she saw him holding it.
“Madam, will you sit with me for a while?” He extended his hand.
She took it, stood, then smacked his palm away.
“Bao Min, what do you want?”
“A fair lady is a gentleman’s desire. My intentions are clear—I wish to marry you,” Bao Min declared bluntly.
“Bao Min, are you mocking me?” Cai Damei refused to believe him.
“Madam, I’m sincere. Once we’re wed, I’ll treat Ye Yunniang as my own daughter. I’ll raise Li Pan well, educate him, and teach him reason.”
“Bao Min.” Her voice turned icy.
Normally, she’d brush off his words. But to speak so lightly in front of Li Jun’s necklace? She was furious.
“I truly want to cherish you,” Bao Min insisted earnestly.
“Bao Min, I know you’re just competing with Jiang Mingzhe. I’m not a toy for your games.”
