Chapter 1135: Chapter 629: Little Home (Two-in-One)

"Dad can’t... beat her."

Dad?

Qin Yue didn’t believe those words.

She wanted to struggle free, but couldn’t move at all. Desperate and helpless, her limbs flailed wildly, fists clenching as she struck around aimlessly, each punch either landing on nothing or hitting Chen Yi without budging him an inch.

Chen Yi smiled wryly. He had held relatives’ children before, had held other people’s babies. At the moment, instead of excitement, his heart was filled with curiosity, and only a small bit of emotion beat at his chest.

This is my daughter...

This is my daughter...

Qin Qingluo raised her head, her eyes were as sharp as lightning, glaring at Chen Yi, like an angry lion king unable to roar.

Facing her gaze, Chen Yi wrapped his arm under Qin Yue to shield her eyes, holding her closer, and lifted her slightly forward.

The tall woman trembled, unwillingly suppressing her overwhelming killing intent.

For a while, she still couldn’t break free, and instead, the tighter she tried to escape, the more trapped she became. Qin Yue’s struggle weakened, and then she heard the person slowly say, "Daddy... Papa can’t beat her, really can’t, so I need you, will you listen quietly to what Daddy says?"

Qin Yue kicked her legs in defiance, still unable to escape. Holding back her tears, she said, "I’m not quiet! Quiet for you to talk, bad! I won’t listen to your bad words, not happy!"

Her words were jumbled; a two-year-old couldn’t express themselves clearly, often only their parents could understand them. Qin Qingluo understood, and Chen Yi understood too.

"If Daddy says good words, and you’re happy, then you’ll listen?" he said with a faint, helpless smile, half-coaxing, half-persuading.

"If you let me go, that’s good words. Father, Father, I’ll find Father, she will listen."

"Then I won’t let you go."

"You’re very bad at talking, don’t listen to bad words, don’t listen."

"Aren’t you still listening now?"

As soon as Qin Yue heard this, she loosened her hand and hurriedly covered her ears, determined not to listen no matter what.

Chen Yi glanced at Qin Qingluo, showing an expression of helplessness.

This expression was casual and gentle, as if there had never been any tension between them, as if they weren’t bitter enemies but a couple who had been together for a long time, helpless when dealing with a child.

Qin Qingluo’s water-like expression showed a hint of relaxation, which she immediately controlled, frowning and saying in a deep voice, "Put her down."

"Put me down!" Qin Yue promptly responded loudly.

Of course, Chen Yi wasn’t going to comply easily; he had a nature that never gave up until he achieved his goal. Instead of defending, he held Qin Yue tighter and took a step back.

Qin Yue was so anxious she started yelling.

The tall female prince’s pupils contracted tightly, like a Jiao dragon whose reverse scales had been touched, furious and about to explode.

Yet, Chen Yi remained unmoved.

Finally, after what felt like using an enormous amount of strength, the tall figure lifted her shoulders, then slowly put them down. She said calmly, "I lost."

As soon as she spoke, Qin Yue struggled hard, "Father didn’t lose, didn’t lose!"

Chen Yi just held her tight, softly saying, "My victory is undeserved."

Qin Yue whimpered twice and finally burst into tears with a "wah," and Chen Yi unexpectedly felt an inexplicable pang in his heart, but he couldn’t cry with her, so he just managed to smile instead.

Qin Yue cried even harder.

As if going against her, Chen Yi laughed even more heartily.

One crying loudly, one smirking meanly.

Qin Qingluo, with a grim expression, watched this scene, unsure of what to think, but she remained silent.

Qin Yue’s cry was loud and full of grievance. In Chen Yi’s arms, she twisted like a pretzel. Chen Yi’s "mean smile" became even more pronounced, his mouth grinning, his eyes arching, as if the daughter’s loud wail was the most amusing performance, and he delighted in it, even with a touch of deliberate mischief. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

He even gently rubbed Qin Yue’s fuzzy head with his chin, the affectionate gesture only provoking the little one’s struggle further.

"Wah, bad! Bad man! Let me go! Father, there’s a tiger!" Qin Yue cried and shouted while reaching her little hands towards Qin Qingluo, futilely.

Qin Qingluo stood there like an ice-cold statue, her expression grave as if a storm was raging inside her heart. Among those emotions might be humiliation, perhaps helplessness, but mostly indescribable... things requiring reflection. She recalled when Qin Yue was one year old, the first time she cut her excess hair and placed it in the sacrificial scroll, burning it in the Grand Ancestral Temple.

She watched Chen Yi bickering with the child, holding that "abomination" with ease. Unspeakable emotions welled up in her throat once more.

Time turned sticky and slow in the sound of Qin Yue’s cries and Chen Yi’s laughter.

Finally, Qin Qingluo’s clenched fists slowly loosened, her knuckles white and stiff from exertion. She took a deep breath, barely perceptibly trembling, her eyes lifting, no longer sharp as lightning but covered with a heavy shadow, resting heavily on Chen Yi, and on the small, tear-streaked face in his arms.

She didn’t speak, just took a step forward.

This step seemed weighted down with a thousand pounds of chains.

Chen Yi’s smile faded slightly, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and his arms holding Qin Yue tensed slightly, as if on guard.

Qin Yue also seemed to sense the change in atmosphere, her cries lessening, sniffling as she looked towards the approaching father king, her little mouth pouting in grievance, her outstretched arms still stubbornly reaching towards her.

Qin Qingluo walked up to Chen Yi, close enough to feel the milk scent and salty tears coming from Qin Yue’s body. She didn’t look at Chen Yi; all her attention was focused on her daughter’s teary face.