Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Since Madam Kangping was the mother of You Nan's original body, Chen Mingzhou granted special permission for General Kangping and his wife to stay in the capital for a longer period, allowing You Nan and his mother more time to reunite.

In a few days, General Kangping would have to return to Kangping City to oversee affairs.

Both General Kangping and his wife were deeply moved by this arrangement.

They were also accommodated in the same estate where You Nan resided.

You Nan felt both joy and anxiety, unable to sleep the entire night.

He was delighted to have met his original body's mother, yearning for that maternal bond, but he also feared she might recognize that he was not her child.

No one knows a child like their mother.

A mother can easily tell if someone is truly her own child.

You Nan curled up in bed with the cat, covering his face with the quilt, only revealing a pair of bright, glistening eyes.

Beside him, 007 yawned, its thick, long tail patting You Nan's quilt to soothe his nervousness. "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I can't sleep," You Nan whispered, careful not to wake the cat, as he chatted with 007. "Madam Kangping is coming to see me tomorrow, but I'm afraid she'll see right away that I'm not the original and think I stole her child's body."

007's eyelids were heavy with sleep, but even so, it snuggled close to You Nan. "Don't overthink it. Your mission is almost complete."

"Besides, you've already fulfilled the original self's exchange requirements tonight, haven't you?"

007 stretched its little paws like tiny plum blossoms, trying to show each tiny toe. "Look, the original self wanted a family, and you've provided that."

"You have the cat, and you have Chen Mingzhou. Now you've found your mother, and she's remarried and found a good man, which means you now have a father too."

The kitten's tiny toes curled, making a "four."

"And the original self's second wish was to become someone who could control others' lives, not letting his own life be controlled by others. You've achieved that too."

"You're the Imperial Consort now! Just a notch below Chen Mingzhou!" 007 struggled to gesture with its tiny toes.

It whispered in You Nan's ear, afraid of being overheard. "Even though it's thanks to Chen Mingzhou's help, we contributed too, right?"

"This credit is deserved, and Chen Mingzhou still owes us a favor!"

As 007 spoke, it began to criticize Chen Mingzhou.

You Nan didn't know whether to laugh or sigh, but his mood had improved considerably.

He rubbed the kitten's head and tucked it into his son's arms. "Go to sleep now."

007 nodded, but it waited until You Nan was lying down with steady breathing before allowing itself to drift into sleep.

As You Nan had expected, Madam Kangping came to visit her child early the next morning.

It was still dark outside when the servant waiting in the corridor gently pushed the door open and softly woke You Nan.

You Nan had just woken up and was still a bit dazed.

"What time is it?"

The servant replied, "It will be dawn in two quarter-hours."

You Nan glanced at the sky outside.

By that measure, it was rather late. The emperor keeps early hours, so Chen Mingzhou had likely been at court for some time.

You Nan wasn't one to oversleep. Knowing that Madam Kangping had come to visit him, he felt excited, and any drowsiness fled.

You Nan lowered his voice to avoid waking the cat and 007 beside him. "Help me with my clothes, and be quiet. Don't wake your young master."

"Yes," the servant replied promptly, quickly getting to work.

By the weak, flickering candlelight, You Nan slipped quietly from bed. Holding his breath, he lifted the quilt, but just as he was about to step down, a small hand—who knew how long it had been waiting—suddenly gripped his white inner robe tightly.

This startled You Nan, and he let out a short cry, only to see the little rascal lying on the pillow with closed eyes and a smug smile.

You Nan chuckled in spite of himself. He reached out and tweaked the child's nose, cutting off his air. "You little trickster, why aren't you sleeping? And now you're teasing your father?"

The child, caught in the act, wasn't afraid. He opened a pair of bright, alert eyes, showing no sign of sleepiness. It was unclear when he had woken up.

The child's voice was filled with laughter. "I woke up a long time ago. Last night, Father couldn't sleep, so I knew something was on his mind."

"That's why I woke up early today to catch Father!"

The child deliberately played cute to cheer You Nan up.

He didn't know what was troubling his father, but he was keenly attuned to his father's mood.

There wasn't much a child could do. He couldn't solve problems like an adult, but he was willing to use his own way to lift his dear father's spirits.

You Nan was deeply moved by his child.

He gathered the child up and kissed his good son on the forehead.

"Your grandmother is here. Your father has found his mother," You Nan said in a gentle voice that the cat loved. "Grandmother is coming to see Father and you."

You Nan explained to the child, "It's early now, and it's cold outside. Father didn't want to disturb your sleep, thinking to bring you to meet your grandmother at noon. I didn't expect you to be so clever and perceptive."

"Father is truly touched. Grandmother is sure to adore you for being so thoughtful."

You Nan gently held the child's small hands. But as he looked at the child's face, a new anxiety stirred in his heart.

Women are observant, especially when it comes to their children and grandchildren.

The cat's face was three-tenths his likeness and seven-tenths Chen Mingzhou's.

Although Madam Kangping didn't know You Nan could give birth, just seeing the cat's face might give her a shock.

You Nan hesitated, debating whether to present the child to her.

The child was truly clever.

He had spent more time with his father than anyone. What his father was thinking, he would bottle up around others, pretending nothing was wrong. But when with him, his feelings would show on his face.

The cat knew this was because his father never put up guards around him.

From You Nan's expression, the cat understood his father's concerns.

But he also genuinely wanted to accompany his father to meet the grandmother he'd never met.

He knew something of what had happened to his father in the past.

Because Elder Chen Mingzhou, before his own father left the palace, would hold him and speak softly into his ear about how hard his father’s life had been, how much he loved him, and how good he truly was.

He told him that when he grew up, he must be filial to his father.

Mimi heard this so often that he naturally remembered it all, especially since his memory was exceptionally good.

He could even recite Chen Mingzhou's words word for word.

Although the child didn’t fully understand these lessons, he still relied on his instincts to do what was right.

He was his father’s child, and one day he was destined to appear before his grandmother.

He couldn’t possibly remain hidden forever, kept a secret from his own grandmother.

If his grandmother didn’t know his father had a child, she might even try to arrange another match for him in the future.

Mimi wouldn’t have that. Mimi wanted his grandmother to know who he was.

He wanted his grandmother to love him.

“Daddy, don’t be afraid. Mimi’s smart—Grandmother will definitely like me,” Mimi said, his round eyes fixed on You Nan. “Because Mimi is Daddy’s child, Grandmother will surely love Daddy’s child!”

You Nan couldn’t withstand such sweet talk, and his heart softened at once.

He picked up the child from the bed.

“Alright then, let’s go see Grandmother together.”

Mimi responded with a sweet, happy reply.

Madam Kangping waited anxiously in the front hall.

She knew she had come too early, but she couldn’t shake her worry for her child who had been living away from home.

She felt terribly guilty toward her child.

All these years, she hadn’t been by his side, and he suffered alone. Never before had she been away from him for so long.

In her distress, Madam Kangping completely forgot that You Nan had actually filled out a bit compared to when he was fleeing with the family.

As her mind raced, she heard someone approaching from outside.

She saw her grown child, and in his arms, he held a small child.

Madam Kangping first felt joy, then confusion.

When You Nan brought the child closer and she got a clear look at the child’s face, she was stunned.

This child bore a strong resemblance to the current emperor.

Madam Kangping gaped at You Nan in shock.

You Nan gave a look to those around him, and all the servants in the front hall left the room.

Leaving the three of them alone in the room.

“My child, you’ve suffered. I’m sorry, it’s my fault. All these years, I haven’t been there for you. I missed you terribly.”

Madam Kangping’s voice choked with emotion, and tears streamed down her face.

Though she wasn’t You Nan’s biological mother, seeing her grief-stricken expression stirred a deep sorrow within him, as if influenced by the original self’s emotions or arising from his own heart.

It felt as though he had fully stepped into the role of the original self.

You Nan let Madam Kangping hold him as she sobbed.

Mother and son embraced, crying together for a long while before Madam Kangping finally composed herself. “My child, what happened to you all these years? Can you tell me?”

You Nan, his eyes red, nodded.

He helped Madam Kangping sit in a chair and took a seat beside her.

Mimi, noticing this, followed closely and leaned against his father’s leg, listening intently to their conversation.

You Nan gently stroked the child’s head as he slowly recounted his experiences, leaving out the tough parts and sharing the good things. Even so, Madam Kangping wept again, heartbroken for him.

Madam Kangping pounded her chest, her eyes red. “The matriarch had already given her approval, but I never imagined they would treat you so poorly. My poor child, to be mistreated like that.”

You Nan patted his mother’s back. “But it also gave me a chance to turn things around. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here with you today.”

Madam Kangping dabbed her tears. “Yes, that’s true.”

Only then did she lower her gaze and turn her attention to the little child. “And this child is…?”

She noticed her child’s expression softened.

“He is my child, mine and Chen Mingzhou’s.”

You Nan’s words left Madam Kangping utterly shocked. She paled. “What do you mean? Surely he didn’t come from your own body?”

Madam Kangping had never encountered such a thing—to her traditional views, it seemed like a fantasy.

You Nan didn’t avoid the question or hide the truth. He admitted directly, “Yes, he was indeed born from my body. He is our family’s own flesh and blood.”

“Mother, Mimi is my only child. I hope you will cherish him.”

You Nan looked down as he spoke, and Madam Kangping’s heart ached at the sight. She quickly picked up the child and helped her son up.

Holding Mimi in her arms, she examined him closely. Mimi, quick with sweet words, called out “Grandmother” affectionately, instantly bridging the gap between them.

Perhaps it was their shared bloodline, or maybe because the child looked so much like her son, but the adorable little one won over his grandmother’s heart at first sight.

Madam Kangping held her precious grandson tightly. Now that she had reunited with her long-lost son and met her grandson, and having achieved her current status, she felt her life was complete, with no regrets.

“Good! You are Grandmother’s dear grandson.”

Just like that, Madam Kangping accepted Mimi.

Watching from the side, You Nan finally felt a weight lift from his heart.

He knew that Madam Kangping had also accepted his relationship with Chen Mingzhou.

For Madam Kangping to reach this point was a big step.