CHAPTER 39

The next day, Shu Yanyan resolutely brought Yunmiao back from the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager looked innocent, very aggrieved, and felt a myriad of unpleasant emotions as she watched Yunmiao happily nestled in Shu Yanyan's arms.

However, she also knew that she had monopolized her granddaughter for too long during this period. Yunmiao's biological mother wanted to take her child to live together, and she had no position to disagree. So the Empress Dowager kept silent on the surface, gripping the corners of her clothes with her hands, almost tearing the delicate silk fabric.

Fortunately, Yunmiao hadn't forgotten her doting grandmother.

After getting close to Shu Yanyan, she turned to the Empress Dowager and softly said, "Grandma, Yunmiao will sleep with Mommy tonight. In a few days, Yunmiao will come back to accompany you."

Only then did the Empress Dowager's mood brighten up, and she smiled, saying, "Ah, good!"

She emphasized, "But let's make a deal. Baby will stay with your mommy for these few days, but you can't forget how good grandma is to you."

Yunmiao nodded obediently, "I won't forget! I will also play with grandma and go through all those toys together!"

Finally, the Empress Dowager completely let go of her worries and said, "Hmm, grandma will keep the toys safe and we'll continue playing when the baby comes back."

Chu Yu had been busy outside the palace all day today. When she returned, she saw the heartwarming scene of the whole family interacting, and her heart was filled with satisfaction and contentment. She walked behind Shu Yanyan and quietly massaged her waist.

She remembered when she left in the morning, Shu Yanyan was complaining of a sore waist and weak legs, unable to even put on her clothes properly. Throughout the day, that was the thing she had been most concerned about.

But her concern clearly didn't earn her any gratitude.

Shu Yanyan turned her head and silently glared at her, then took a step forward, completely out of Chu Yu's reach.

Chu Yu was somewhat amused and exasperated.

She thought for a moment and opened up a new topic to blend in with the others, saying, "Let me have someone send a children's bed for Yunmiao. What style does Yunmiao like? Let's pick one together."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shu Yanyan reacted like a startled rabbit, almost jumping in place."No! We don't need to buy a children's bed!"

Chu Yu and the Empress Dowager: "???"

Shu Yanyan gritted her teeth and clearly stated, word by word, "Heh, the bed is so big, Yunmiao can sleep with us."

Chu Yu was a bit troubled.

She had no experience taking care of children, so she asked a very basic question, "If Yunmiao sleeps in our bed, won't she roll off the bed because there are no guardrails on the sides?"

"No." Shu Yanyan looked at her ominously, "She'll sleep in the middle—of—us—"

She deliberately elongated the last few words to show her determination!

Chu Yu figured out her true intention.

She rubbed her nose and said, "Sleeping beside us? Won't we accidentally crush her while we sleep?"

Drawing from past experience, Shu Yanyan responded, "I've been sleeping with Yunmiao for so long and have never accidentally crushed her. However... Ah Yu, you tend to move around a lot in your sleep, so there's a possibility of accidentally pressing on Yunmiao."

Chu Yu wanted to say that she didn't really move much during sleep. From falling asleep until waking up in the morning, she could maintain the position of embracing Shu Yanyan. But when it came to Yunmiao's safety, even if she was confident in her sleeping posture, she didn't dare to make a hasty conclusion at this moment.

So she nodded, accepting this statement as acknowledgment, and then said with some distress, "That's exactly what I'm worried about."

Upon hearing this, Shu Yanyan curled her lips.

She felt very pleased, like a little rabbit finally finding a way to restrain a natural enemy, and she looked somewhat smug. "So, I think you can just sleep in the living room~"

Chu Yu slightly opened her mouth in surprise, "Ah?"

She was not convinced and continued her final resistance, "Isn't that... not a good idea?"

Surprisingly, Shu Yanyan nodded in agreement, "You're right, how could I let you sleep in the living room..."

She tilted her head and pondered, looking very troubled.

Chu Yu thought she saw a glimmer of hope. "Actually, if I pay attention, I shouldn't move around much while sleeping at night. How about we give it a try tonight with the three of us..."

"Or maybe you can go sleep in the guest room tonight." Before she could finish her sentence, Shu Yanyan ruthlessly interrupted her. The little rabbit wore its most innocent expression. "Actually, there are so many rooms in the palace, you can sleep wherever you want."

Chu Yu: "..."

She finally understood that the little rabbit was truly ready to sound the horn of "counter-oppression" this time.

She thought for a moment and adopted a roundabout strategy, looking at Yunmiao, who had been quietly staying in Shu Yanyan's embrace.

"Baby, do you want to sleep with your Mom?" Chu Yu asked.

Yunmiao looked at her, her eyes showing a hint of anticipation.

Although the little girl couldn't understand the strange atmosphere between her two mothers, she was very sensitive and could vaguely sense Shu Yanyan's intention.

So, in the face of her own mother's plea, she buried her head in Shu Yanyan's neck, ignoring Chu Yu's pleading gaze.

"I want to sleep with Mommy."

She loved her Mom very much, but she loved Mommy even more!

It had been a long time since Yunmiao slept with Mommy, and no one could stop her from listening to Mommy tell her bedtime stories tonight!

Shu Yanyan affectionately planted a kiss on Yunmiao's forehead, while Chu Yu withdrew her gaze dejectedly and silently accepted this reality.

Shu Yanyan,  who had won the battle, was in high spirits.

She turned around to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager. "Auntie, we'll head back now. I still need to bathe Yunmiao, and it's getting late, I'm afraid the weather will turn cold."

The Empress Dowager smiled at her. "Hmm, go ahead, go ahead. I already had the toiletries and new clothes prepared for Yunmiao, and the maidservants have delivered them to your place this afternoon. You should be able to see them when you return."

Shu Yanyan nodded. "Thank you, Auntie."

Yunmiao mimicked her. "Thank you, Grandma~"

"Oh my, oh my!" The Empress Dowager was overwhelmed by their cuteness. "Why would you say such things to me? Alright, I won't delay you any longer. If you need any help, feel free to contact me. Go back and freshen up, get ready for bed."

Yunmiao blew her a loud, exaggerated kiss. "Grandma, Mwa~ Bye-bye!"

The Empress Dowager burst into laughter. "Bye-bye~ Bye-bye~"

Shu Yanyan also laughed and then carried Yunmiao away.

After the two of them disappeared from the entrance of the hall, Chu Yu finally reluctantly accepted her miserable fate for the night.

She took a deep breath, mustered her spirits, and approached the Empress Dowager. "Mother, I will also take my leave now. Please rest early."

The Empress Dowager, who was originally cheerful, immediately changed her expression upon seeing her.She let out a cold laugh and said in a sarcastic tone, "The Emperor is truly a busy person."

Chu Yu: "..."

How come she had just been scolded by her partner, and now her own mother was making her uncomfortable?

But both of these individuals were not someone she could provoke. Faced with her mother's anger, Chu Yu didn't dare to breathe loudly and quietly asked, "If it's not too much trouble, do you have any orders?"

"Heh." The Empress Dowager rubbed her temple and unloaded all the complaints she had been brewing since earlier onto Chu Yu, hitting her with a barrage of criticism. "You despicable thing! I can see it now, you truly have some accomplishments! Today, Yanyan was so eager to take the baby away from me, and you are 99% responsible for it!"

"You worked so hard to bring your wife back, why are you so incompetent? How capable you are to make Yanyan, such a good person, so angry! You, you truly have some skills!"

Chu Yu wanted to cry but had no tears.

However, she truthfully defended herself, saying, "It's not my fault that Yanyan took Yunmiao away. We had already agreed to bring Yunmiao back to stay with us for a few days. It's normal for them to miss each other after being separated for so long."

The Empress Dowager was practically pointing her finger at Chu Yu's nose as she scolded, "It's not your fault? Then whose fault is it?"

She started to settle the score, "Then let me ask you, who is the person being banished to sleep in the living room tonight? Ah?" The Empress Dowager was clear in her mind and didn't accuse Chu Yu unjustly at all. "I, your mother, am the one who is being directly affected by your actions! Originally, Yanyan probably would have taken the baby back to me after two or three days, but no, you had to pull this stunt at a critical moment?"

She clapped her hands firmly, not giving Chu Yu any room for negotiation. "Let me tell you, at most! At most one week!"

"If the baby isn't returned after one week, I will tie you up and present you in front of Yanyan, and 'redeem' the baby!"

"One week?!" Chu Yu looked thunderstruck.

She looked at the Empress Dowager and confirmed, "Do you think Yanyan can endure this anger for a whole week?"

The Empress Dowager was amused by her words.

"Oh my, you're still asking me?"

She pointed her finger and poked Chu Yu's shoulder forcefully. "Don't you know your own talent for infuriating people? Do you have no self-awareness that no Omega of the same age dared to approach you after you turned six?"

"And you think she can stay angry for a week? If Yanyan divorced you on the spot, I wouldn't find it strange... Oh no, she hasn't agreed to marry you yet... Ah, it makes me so angry, the more I talk, the angrier I get!"

Chu Yu's gaze flickered uncertainly. "You can't compare it like that. Yanyan is different from those Omegas..." 

The Empress Dowager crossed her arms. "Heh, she has really fallen into a big predicament. Those Omegas only need to endure you once, and once they become smart, they run away. Yanyan has fallen into your hands for the rest of her life."

If Shu Yanyan were still here and heard the Empress Dowager's words, she would probably put down Yunmiao on the spot and give the Empress Dowager a resounding round of applause for five minutes!

Truly a biological mother, her criticisms were precise and harsh!

Chu Yu was truly struck in the heart.

"Mother, I won't allow you to say such things! Yanyan will only experience happiness and joy for the rest of her life with me."

The Empress Dowager glanced at her sideways and continued to sneer. "Oh."

Chu Yu felt frustrated.

The Empress Dowager withdrew her gaze. "Go away now, I get annoyed just by seeing you!"

She didn't forget to remind her, "Don't forget what I said earlier, one week! I'm giving you one week to properly coax her back to me!"

Chu Yu finally regained some spirit.

"Don't worry, it won't take a whole week." A smile appeared on her face. "Yanyan is not someone who holds grudges. Based on my understanding of her, at most three days, and she will calm down."

"And then you'll find an opportunity to provoke her again?"

The Empress Dowager held up three fingers. "Based on my understanding of you, the maximum time you can behave yourself won't exceed three days."

Chu Yu sighed and touched her forehead.

It was difficult to describe the feeling of having her secrets exposed so harshly. She cleared her throat to disguise her embarrassment and decisively turned around. "Ahem, then, Mother, I'll take my leave. Please, get some rest."

The Empress Dowager raised her head, unable to find peace in her heart. "Hurry up and get lost!"

Chu Yu quickly made her way out of the hall.

Walking in the corridors of the palace, she lowered her head and began contemplating the plan to "coax back" her wife.

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