Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
In this world, looks is everything. Appearance is absolute justice.
Alice started counting with her fingers again. âYou said that Little Yichen likes Youyou⦠Oh, no, he likes Lisa. Lisa likes Youyou⦠Thatâs not right either. She should like Gong Fan. Oh dear⦠Anyway, she likes the combination of Youyou and Gong Fan, I suppose. As for Youyou, he likes Natalia. Anyway, the feelings between these children are intricate and unfathomable.â
Gong Jie shot her a meaningful glance.
She asked, puzzled, âWhy are you looking at me like that?â
âJust something you said.â
Alice fell silent.
âAndâ¦â Gong Jie gave an exasperated smile. âWhy do you seem more worried than their own mother?â
âIâm just treating them as my own!â Alice said matter-of-factly, âAlthough Iâm not their biological mother, isnât this treating them completely like my own?â
It was as if it were a matter of course that she treated these four clowns as her own children. She looked every bit like a proud mother. Even Gong Jie couldnât help but laugh. âWell then, it makes you as productive as that.â
âAs productive? As what?â Alice was confused until she saw Gong Jieâs mocking gaze! âAre you calling me an old sow!?â
âI didnât. It was someone who couldnât wait to claim the title!â
âYouâ¦â Alice clenched her fists in anger and glared at the man.
âOkay, that was my bad.â
It was a rare moment that Gong Jie would admit his own mistake. Given this, Alice didnât make things hard for him. She smiled and said, âDonât underestimate children these days. They start early, but I donât think itâs unreasonably early. Actually, in ancient China, people of Little Yichenâs and Youyouâs age would be close to marriageable age and would be looking to take wives for themselves.â
Gong Jie objected to the idea. âI think youâre over-complicating the relationship between the children.â
âMmmâ¦â
Gong Jie flicked his fingers against her forehead. âWell, donât worry so much. Youâre sleepy, arenât you? Go to bed early! Weâd have arrived by the time you wake up.â
âOh, what about you? Arenât you going to rest?â
âIâm worried. I wonât unless Iâm really sleepy.â
Alice objected. âWhat are you worried about? Lisa will take good care of Gong Fan. Iâve asked her to inform me immediately if anything crops up. You donât have to worry too much. You should rest early too!â
âOkay, alright.â Gong Jie agreed verbally, but when Alice returned to the room, he remained in his seat, his thoughts racing.
His thoughts were not focused and his head felt like mush. It was a mess, as if it was filled with thoughts, but he didnât know exactly what he was thinking. His head felt very heavy.
He simply felt inexplicably anxious. But he did not know specifically what he was anxious about.
Distraught, the man poured himself a glass of wine and slouched back on the sofa.
â¦
Gong Fan was finally too tired to keep his eyes open. He leaned against the sofa and unknowingly closed his eyes.
Lisa saw that he had at last succumbed to sleep, so she fetched a blanket from the side and gently covered him with it.