I Thought the Youngest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Family Was Hated - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A chilling voice echoed through the darkness.
“I’ll ask one last time. It would be wise not to test my patience.”
The pressure I had endured until now suddenly multiplied several times over.
“What is your true purpose?”
“….”
I swallowed hard, my throat dry.
I couldn’t answer.
I couldn’t!
‘Haven’t I been honest enough?’
I want to discover where Shibwan Mountain is and save Father.
But Dang Mu-seon wasn’t satisfied.
‘Does he think I have some darker ulterior motive?’
Yet if that were the case, Dang Mu-seon wouldn’t take such interest in me as to summon me to his quarters.
The Dang Family was full of people far more sinister than I.
Then what on earth….
‘This is giving me a headache!’
My true purpose.
What I desperately desire.
How could I possibly say it!
That our entire family will die soon, and I want to save them no matter what!
“The Library Master is being manipulated by the Elder Council. That bastard Dang Seo-o must be behind it. He needs your father out of the way to seize control of the clan.”
Dang Mu-seon spoke with indifference.
So he knew this much.
How long had he known? If it were me, I would have torn this household apart the moment I found out.
‘He has no intention of doing that.’
My brow furrowed involuntarily.
I tried to smooth out my expression, but it wouldn’t cooperate.
“You’d want me to move and eliminate those fools, wouldn’t you? You’re young, so such presumptuous thoughts are understandable.”
He lifted his chin arrogantly.
“You must be angry. You must hate them. But you….”
Dang Mu-seon stared at me again with piercing intensity.
“You’re desperate.”
Being seen through once more made my mood sour.
“Why does a six-year-old know emotions she shouldn’t?”
“…Sir, you truly have no interest in clan matters whatsoever.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer and the words burst out.
His lofty perspective tormenting a child felt far too cruel.
“If you evade my question one more time, I will interrogate you. As you said, I have no interest in this household’s petty power struggles.”
“Neither do I.”
Wrinkles formed between Dang Mu-seon’s brows. He looked bewildered.
‘But it’s the truth.’
I had no interest in, nor affection for, the proud history of the Dang Family rooted in Sungdo.
I simply wanted to be with my Father and my brother.
That was all.
“I just want to be with Father.”
I couldn’t reveal my true purpose, of course.
Instead, I simply spoke what was in my heart at that moment.
“Everything else doesn’t matter. Even if I starve, even if I’m mistreated, even if I suffer greatly—it’s all fine.”
This had to be my most sincere truth.
“Because being together is happier than being apart.”
If this wasn’t the answer he wanted, then so be it.
‘Surely he won’t kill me?’
I stole a glance at Dang Mu-seon’s expression.
‘…Huh?’
I hadn’t expected him to make such a face.
“…”
My words seemed to have pierced his heart like a dagger, and pain flickered across his features.
His trembling eyes were clearly fixed on me.
Yet he was seeing something through me.
For a long moment, he remained captivated by something only he could perceive.
“…Ah.”
Then, as if barely escaping from that reverie, he lowered his head and swallowed hard.
He looked utterly disoriented.
“Why do children always burden their parents so?”
As he brushed back his perfectly arranged hair, his brow furrowed.
“Not realizing it drives nails through a parent’s heart…”
He trailed off with a bitter smile.
This was the first time I’d seen him smile like that. Had he always smiled this way?
With eyes wide open.
Before children who had left him behind.
‘Wait.’
Was he thinking of his other children—the ones who caused him grief—while looking at me?
Ugh! I’m a filial daughter!
“I’m not burdening you!”
I clenched my fists and raised my voice.
“I’m not asking you to repay anything!”
Dang Mu-seon blinked at me repeatedly, as if my words were surprising.
For a moment, he stood there with a dazed expression, as if he’d been struck…
“Young Miss!”
He took a step forward.
Through the dissipating black energy, I heard the voices of Dang Dam and the Poison Expert Branch Master.
“I’m telling you it’s fine. The Elder said he wouldn’t kill the girl anyway.”
“The young lady has a weak constitution. There’s no guarantee of safety!”
Their footprints were scattered all over the ground—evidence of how intensely they’d been arguing.
“This won’t do. We must leave immediately—”
Only then did they confirm that the energy had completely dissipated.
Relief flooded across Dang Dam’s face in an instant.
“Young lady.”
I was about to wave at him when Dang Mu-seon called out to me.
“Care for a bowl of noodles?”
His tone was casual.
As if nothing had just happened.
Grrrrrowl.
Instead of an answer, my stomach growled loudly.
I must have been more tense than I realized.
Everything I’d eaten before coming here had burned away.
Dang Mu-seon smiled crookedly and extended his hand to me.
As I hesitantly grasped it, my body lifted into the air.
“Whoa!”
In an instant, the mountain spread beneath me like a blanket.
Over my frozen shoulders, Dang Mu-seon wrapped a black cloth around me.
It was the long robe he’d been wearing.
“If anyone sees your green robes, it’ll cause a commotion. Keep it wrapped quietly.”
I gazed up at him, fascinated by his practiced, skillful movements.
Somehow, his eyes seemed to have softened slightly.
By the time the wind had chafed my face raw, we’d reached the Market District.
It didn’t seem close to the Clan Residence at all.
“Down we go.”
He set me down and collapsed onto the bench across from me.
I tidied my disheveled hair and glanced around.
“This is…”
A noodle restaurant.
One situated right in the heart of the Market District, no less.
We were sitting on a wooden bench placed outside on the street.
“Shop Assistant, two bowls of noodles, please.”
Dang Mu-seon ordered as if he were a regular, and the Shop Assistant replied without even looking our way.
“Yes, yes. Coming right up.”
It seemed the man had no idea who this customer was.
Not that he would say anything about it.
I studied him cautiously, but Dang Mu-seon simply smiled calmly.
“If my grandson had lived and had children, he would be about that age by now.”
He pointed to the back of the Shop Assistant’s head as he spoke.
“What?!”
My mouth fell open.
The Shop Assistant appeared to be well past thirty, so how old must Dok-jon actually be?
“Still, the noodles here are quite good. It’s an old establishment, after all.”
He smiled and gently pushed my chin upward.
Old? How old exactly?
I noticed the other patrons around us. They ranged across various ages.
If it’s an old place, shouldn’t there be mostly elderly customers?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Dang Mu-seon rested his chin on his hand with an amused expression.
His gaze slid smoothly from me to the other customers.
A father and young son sat together.
Dang Mu-seon looked at them and continued speaking slowly.
“My father brought me here as a child, and when I grew up, I brought my own son. When my son had his grandson, he was delighted to realize he too would have someone to bring here.”
So that’s why there were customers of various ages. They’d all been brought here by their parents.
“That’s why they’ve guarded this place so fiercely. This establishment.”
Lost in memories, he murmured to himself.
Not long after, the noodles arrived.
An old man suddenly emerged from behind the Shop Assistant, who set down the bowls without ceremony.
“Oh my, it’s been so long! Welcome, sir!”
He bowed his head respectfully to Dang Mu-seon.
I thought he might be frightened, but he wasn’t. He was greeting him with genuine warmth.
“Please order anything for my grandson! I’ll prepare it deliciously for you!”
“Your grandson has grown quite a bit.”
“Yes, yes. Thanks to your kindness!”
The old man bowed and his eyes met mine.
Seeing him blink, it was clear the old man was curious about who I was.
“What are you looking at?”
Dang Mu-seon asked the old man, pausing with his chopsticks in hand.
Only then did the old man avert his gaze.
“Oh dear. Oh dear. It’s nothing, sir. Since you were dining alone, I couldn’t help but…”
“This is my grandson.”
Dang Mu-seon answered matter-of-factly.
‘Wait… what did he just say…?’
“Now stop making a fuss and go back inside.”
“Yes, yes! Please do say so. I want to repay your kindness however I can.”
The old man hurried back into the restaurant.
I watched Dang Mu-seon silently as he drank his water.
His gaze kept lingering on the people around us.
A young man cradling a newborn in his arms. An old man returning home, gripping his daughter’s hand tightly.
Now I understood.
I finally grasped why Dang Mu-seon had taken an interest in me.
He had gone into seclusion after losing someone he loved more than life itself.
As time passed here, he must have sealed his heart completely shut.
Because he never wanted to lose someone precious again.
I carried that exact same heart within me.
“Come now, eat while it’s hot.”
He stirred the noodles with his chopsticks, wisps of steam rising delicately from the bowl.
After untangling the noodles thoroughly, he slid the bowl toward me and pulled another in front of himself.
Slurp. He took a bite and his expression twisted sharply.
“That old cook—what’s happened to his palate with age?”
He muttered while glaring toward the back of the restaurant.
I watched him fidget with his chopsticks intently.
I knew it was overstepping, but…
I wanted to draw this old man out into the world.
Because I understood all too well how much he must have suffered while hiding away.
I lifted a few strands of noodles and swallowed them.
“How is it? Does it taste good?”
As I chewed the noodles soaked in the mild broth, Dang Mu-seon asked.
He was already watching my reaction carefully.
I swallowed and spoke.
“It’s delicious, Grandfather.”
…
His chopsticks stilled mid-motion.
Dang Mu-seon lowered his head slowly and spoke.
“Eat quickly. Before it gets cold.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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