Chapter 1415 Mayhem
This harmonious scene continued until the children began to feel drowsy. The Lu twins were the ones who fell asleep first. Their parents, Lu Zihao and Long Jinjing, took them away to their own bedroom. Then the Jin twins started nodding off as well. Iris and Jin Liwei also carried their babies to the master bedroom. Ice Cream followed them.
It was clear that Little Jun was also feeling sleepy, but the child was doing his best to keep awake. He hugged his father's neck and looked like he wanted to stay like that for the rest of the night.
"Time for bed, Little Jun." Jiang Ying Yue tried taking him, but the child refused to let go of his father. "Dada," Little Jun whimpered. "Dada, stay. Junjun want Dada." (Daddy, stay. Junjun wants Daddy.)
Long Hui's eyes were red and suspiciously moist. He also hugged his son and looked like he didn't want to let go.
Jiang Ying Yue was torn. She glanced at Lin Yehan, who looked as helpless as her.
"Lead the way to my son's bedroom," Long Hui told them. "I'll put Little Jun to bed."
She hesitated but eventually nodded and did just that.
Even when they arrived in the child's bedroom, Little Jun continued to act spoiled. He refused to sleep even when he kept on yawning. Long Hui helped bathe his son and even read him bedtime stories. Finally, in the middle of the fourth bedtime storybook, Little Jun could no longer hold on. The little guy eventually fell asleep.
All three adults released big sighs of relief. Long Hui kissed his son's forehead and caressed the child's face. He wanted to stamp this memory in his mind for the rest of his life. This was also the first time in a long time, ever since he and Jiang Ying Yue broke up, that he felt so peaceful.
Feeling peaceful in enemy territory, wasn't it ironic?
He almost laughed out loud—to mock himself.
But he knew that this peace would only last tonight. Everything would return to the shitty, harsh reality tomorrow. He was about to leave but felt a light tug on his shirt. He glanced down and saw that Little Jun was clutching the hem of his shirt tightly with his small hand despite being asleep. Jiang Ying Yue and Lin Yehan both saw the situation. Both felt complicated, especially Jiang Ying Yue. She had a lot of opinions against her ex but seeing her son acting so sticky like this with Long Hui made her feel guilty and terrible. Lin Yehan must have sensed her feelings because he patted her back, trying to reassure her. Long Hui sighed and worked on gently prying his son's little hand to let go of his shirt, but there was a soft yet sad smile on his face. When his shirt was freed, he didn't leave right away. Instead, he stared at his son and kissed the child a few times before leaving with a heavy heart.
Outside Little Jun's bedroom, the atmosphere changed in an instant. "We still need to talk about what your wife did to my son," Jiang Ying Yue announced.
"Alright." Long Hui knew that he couldn't escape this conversation. His expression turned cold, but he didn't bother glaring at Lin Yehan, who stuck close to Jiang Ying Yue. Long Hui felt exhausted after everything that happened today. He didn't have the energy to quarrel with his ex and her new lover tonight. He followed them to a nearby sitting area. Iris and Jin Liwei were already waiting there when they arrived. Long Hui wasn't surprised at their presence. After all, Iris and Jin Liwei were Little Jun's godparents.
The conversation didn't last for too long because none wanted to waste any time. All of them felt exhausted.
When it was over, Long Hui left and drove his own car out of Dragon Palace Home #10. He looked at the palatial mansion looming behind him through his rearview mirror.
As he drove farther and farther away, the weight on his shoulders seemed to return and become heavier and heavier.
For a moment, he didn't want to go back to his wife, to the life he had chosen.
But unfortunately, he couldn't turn back now. It was already too late.
The night sky was still dark. When the sun started to rise tomorrow, the ceasefire would end. And once again, it would be war.
###
The next day was pure mayhem.
It was like watching the aftermath of a volcanic eruption.
Mao Qiuyue was arrested yesterday after she allegedly attempted to physically attack her husband's young son. There were many witnesses to what she did. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow the author on Instagram: @arriacross]
The ones most willing to testify against her were Black Stars. In addition, the child's team of bodyguards who immobilized Mao Qiuyue had clear video footage from their bodycams. Even before these video footages were handed to the police, copies had already been uploaded and spread on the internet to let the netizens judge Mao Qiuyue's deplorable actions. As expected, people were outraged after watching what she did to a child. The fact that she had been called a homewrecker and one-half of the cheating duo with Long Hui by Iris Long not too long ago also contributed to the public hatred against her.
How dare a homewrecker like her to treat her husband's original fiancée like that? So evil!
Poor child. He must have been so frightened.
It was a great thing that Iris Long and CEO Jin had the foresight to provide their godson with a team of bodyguards. If it weren't for the bodyguards, then the evil woman might have succeeded in hurting the poor child. Even the major news programs and papers featured this story for the entire day. By the afternoon, Iris Long's known lawyer, Atty. Hong Shaoqiang, filed an official legal case against Mao Qiuyue for his client, Miss Jiang Ying Yue, the minor's mother involved in the incident.
While the media was having a field day covering this news story, things were even more chaotic when Long Hui finally met with his in-laws. He spent a night at a hotel after leaving Dragon Palace. Surprisingly, he had a great night of sleep—something that he had not experienced for a long time since leaving Jiang Ying Yue and getting together with Mao Qiuyue. Maybe it was because his son and baby nephews provided him with soothing, positive energy that helped refresh his stressed and exhausted psyche.
He left the hotel and drove directly to his in-laws' house.
Pak!
Long Hui's head almost snapped off his neck. His father-in-law slapped him with force so great that he stumbled as soon as he stepped inside the house. "What a great husband you are! Disappearing when your wife needs you the most! Where have you been?! We've been calling and messaging you all night! We didn't sleep a wink because of what happened to our daughter, your wife! Did you spend the night with your bastard son's mother?! Did you get back together with that lowly bodyguard?!"
Mao Qiuyue's parents barraged him with harsh scolding and hundreds of questions. He stayed quiet for the most part. He already expected this kind of reception from his in-laws. There were many times that he wanted to snap at them but had to restrain himself. He couldn't afford to entirely fall out with the Maos. He had already sacrificed too much in exchange for their support.
"I'm sorry, Father and Mother," he forced himself to say. He made his expression and tone as apologetic as possible. "I know that I'm wrong. I'll do everything in my power to save my wife."
"You better do that, or I'll make you regret it!"
Mao Qiuyue's father was enraged and looked like he wanted to beat up Long Hui. Mao Qiuyue's mother was also mad at Long Hui, but not to the same extent as her husband. It was because she was close with Long Hui's mother, Zheng Suyin. She and Zheng Suyin were the ones who paired up Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue. "I already talked to your mother," she told Long Hui. "She's also asking her connections to help my daughter, your wife. But she has been gone from the social scene for too long that her pleas might not be effective. So your mother suggests that you ask your father for help."
Long Hui frowned. "Father?"
"Yes. We already called and asked your father for help, but he didn't promise anything. That's why we think that you should ask your father directly. If it comes from you, I'm sure that he won't be able to reject our request. No matter what happens, you're still his eldest legitimate son."
Even though Long Hui didn't think this plan would go smoothly, he still agreed.
###
Long Ancestral Residence.
The chamberlain had just announced the arrival of the Young Master Hui, who requested to speak with his father, Long Tengfei. Coincidentally, Long Tengfei took a rare weekday off to spend quality time with his wife. She still held some resentment over how Zheng Suyin, his first ex-wife, treated them at Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue's wedding.
Yang Jiahui crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her husband. They were having afternoon tea when the chamberlain interrupted them. The husband and wife already knew what happened yesterday and today after Meimei told them everything. Meimei was usually locked in her studio working on her webtoon. Still, today she sought them to share what Dom told her over the phone. Yang Jiahui was upset after learning what had happened. She doted on Little Jun and the two pairs of twins like her own grandchildren. "If you dare help your son save his bitch of a wife, forget that I'm your wife!"