Chapter 97
Wei Herui steeled himself, got up in one go, gathered all his money, slung a small bag over his shoulder, and sneaked out of the house.
Since he didn’t use the main gate but crawled out through a dog hole instead, the servants in the mansion didn’t notice their young master’s departure.
Wei Herui made it to Yongning Marquis’s estate without trouble.
Jiang Yu was startled when he saw Wei Herui limping toward him.
“Wei Herui, what happened to you?” Jiang Yu asked in alarm.
After all, Wei Herui looked utterly miserable, drenched in sweat, and his usual attendant, Zhuzi, was nowhere in sight.
“Jiang Yu, listen—I’m not an ordinary person. I don’t take ordinary paths. I’m running away from home!” Wei Herui rolled his eyes at Jiang Yu’s exaggerated reaction, thinking, How useless.
Still, he figured running away alone would be boring. He needed company.
And who better than Jiang Yu, who shared his woes?
“Huh? Why?” Jiang Yu was puzzled. Could life in the Wei household really be that bad?
But that didn’t make sense. Wei Herui was his parents’ only child, and there weren’t even any concubines around.
Logically, Wei Herui shouldn’t have any reason to feel wronged.
“My mother doesn’t love me anymore!” At this thought, Wei Herui hung his head in misery.
“Huh? Why?” Jiang Yu thought of his own mother—how could she not love him?
She always called him her precious darling.
“She’s going to have another child soon, so she won’t want me anymore.” Wei Herui’s heart ached at the thought.
“Are you sure you’re not mistaken? Even if your mother has another child, you’ll still be just as important to her,” Jiang Yu said hesitantly. His own mother was expecting another child too, but her love for him hadn’t diminished.
Was Madam Wei different?
But from what he remembered, Madam Wei was a gentle woman—not the kind of mother who’d be cruel.
“Look at my butt!” Seeing no one around, Wei Herui turned around and showed Jiang Yu his backside.
Jiang Yu gasped at the sight of the red welts.
That must hurt so much.
“Who did this to you?” Jiang Yu asked cautiously, wondering if it really was Madam Wei.
“My mother!” Wei Herui muttered gloomily.
“Why would she hit you? Just because she’s having another child?” Jiang Yu couldn’t understand. His own mother hadn’t laid a hand on him, even with another baby on the way.
Last time, when he’d nearly been beaten up by that bully at the academy, his mother had just hugged him and cried.
Though she did hit someone—but that someone was his father.
Do pregnant women just start hitting people?
Jiang Yu considered himself lucky—his father was the one taking the hits. Poor Wei Herui had to bear the brunt himself.
“Hmph! If she doesn’t want me, I won’t be her child either!” Wei Herui grumbled.
“But if you run away, won’t your mother be sad?” Jiang Yu asked. Once, when he’d come home late, his mother had been heartbroken. Now, he always told her where he was going—he couldn’t bear to see her upset.
“She won’t care. She’ll have another child soon! Ugh, stop asking. I came to ask you—do you want to run away with me or not?” Wei Herui glared impatiently.
“I won’t go. If I left, my mother would cry herself blind. She doesn’t hit me—just my father. And his skin’s thick enough to take it,” Jiang Yu said seriously.
“Fine, don’t come then. Don’t blame me when you start getting beaten later.” With that, Wei Herui stormed off.
Jiang Yu scratched his head as he watched Wei Herui leave, then glanced toward his mother’s courtyard.
Does pregnancy really make women violent?
Then Father must have been hit a lot…
I should be nicer to him from now on.
The image of Wei Herui’s bruised backside flashed in his mind, and Jiang Yu instinctively rubbed his own bottom, praying, Please don’t let that happen to me!
At dinner that evening, Jiang Yu made a point of placing a chicken drumstick in Jiang Hanhai’s bowl.
“Father, you’ve worked hard. Eat more!” he said, sounding every bit the responsible little adult.
Jiang Hanhai’s eyes welled up with emotion. My son has grown up. He understands his father’s struggles.
Meanwhile, Madam Jin frowned, wondering what exactly this wretched man had done to deserve such sympathy.
Meanwhile, Wei Herui—now outside Yongning Marquis’s estate—wandered the capital streets with his small bundle, pondering his next move. Finally, he decided to seek out Xu Qingshi.
Who better than my sworn rival?
Mother and Father would never guess I’d go to the An Prince’s estate.
With that, he headed toward the An Prince’s residence.
Just as Wei Herui arrived at the gates, Liu Ming happened to return from an errand.
Spotting the disheveled boy approaching on foot, Liu Ming was taken aback. As the estate’s steward, he was well-acquainted with the young masters of noble families—especially those who got along (or didn’t) with his own young lord.
Wei Herui and Xu Qingshi were known adversaries.
So what was he doing here today?
“Where did this little beggar come from?”
The gatekeeper, not recognizing Wei Herui in his messy state, moved to shoo him away.
“Mind your manners! This is Young Master Wei!” Liu Ming quickly reprimanded the servant before turning to Wei Herui with a polite smile. “Young Master Wei, where are you headed?”
Liu Ming wondered if the boy had gotten separated from his family.
“I know you—you’re Steward Liu,” Wei Herui said confidently. As the grandson of Grand Tutor Wei, his memory was impeccable.
“I’m honored you remember this old servant. Have you lost your family, Young Master?” Liu Ming asked, noting the absence of any attendants.
“Steward Liu, where’s Xu Qingshi? I need to talk to him,” Wei Herui said, biting his lip and avoiding the question.
“Ah, what unfortunate timing. The young lord isn’t home today,” Liu Ming replied with a sigh.
In fact, our young master has also run away.
“Where did Xu Qingshi go?” Wei Herui frowned. What rotten luck—he’s not here?
Or is he just refusing to see me?
He shot Liu Ming a suspicious look.
“Young Master Wei, he truly isn’t here. He’s gone to the Li Family,” Liu Ming explained patiently.
Wei Herui sighed. Now what?
If Xu Qingshi isn’t here, where else can I go?
Just then, his stomach growled loudly.
He was starving.
