The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 119

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“How rude.”

“I told you it would be, didn’t I?”

Despite touching on a sensitive part of family matters, his tone of having asked for understanding beforehand was shamelessly brazen.

‘They say the Golden Dragon Family has three swords.’

Two of them were naturally the outstanding swordsmen, the Golden Dragon couple, and the remaining one referred to Hwang Hyeon-ya, who wielded his three-inch tongue like a sword.

Though he was also from the Medical Academy but not from the same period, Gi Tae-ha, conversing with Hyeon-ya for the first time, now desperately felt why that saying had come about.

“Why should I answer that question?”

“If you don’t want to, then don’t.”

Hyeon-ya shrugged his shoulders.

“The regret won’t be mine.”

At his attitude that seemed ready to leave at any moment without lingering attachment, Gi Tae-ha briefly wondered, ‘Did I request this conversation?’

However, regardless of who wanted it first, the one in need was Gi Tae-ha.

He had such great interest in Hwang Hyeon-ya’s disciple that he could endure his desire to immediately return home with the Snow Scale Flowers.

Gi Tae-ha, swallowing a sigh, answered indirectly.

“I understand you have a deep friendship with Uncle Tae-heum.”

It meant why ask about something already known.

“So it’s true then.”

Fortunately, Hwang Hyeon-ya was merely significantly lacking in manners compared to others, but he wasn’t unable to understand what was said.

“Then let me ask just one more thing.”

Gi Tae-ha watched silently. It didn’t seem like he was the type to shut his mouth if told not to ask at this point.

“Did you see the child who passed away with your own eyes?”

“What are you trying to do now?”

But this time he had crossed the line. Even considering the rudeness he had committed toward the Golden Dragon Family’s child, this was not a level that could just be overlooked.

Though he must have felt the sharply frozen atmosphere, Hwang Hyeon-ya didn’t stop speaking.

“The Elder said he couldn’t see the child directly. When he returned, it was already buried in the ground. I’m asking if it was the same for the Family Head.”

“….”

“Are you certain that the child who left this world was truly your child?”

Gi Tae-ha couldn’t open his mouth. Not because he was angry at Hyeon-ya’s excessive words and behavior, but because he couldn’t give a definitive answer.

Unlike the Medical Academy, which was relatively close to the Imperial Capital, the Qilin Family’s territory was located at the western edge.

When he received the urgent news and returned home from the Imperial Palace, the child’s body had already been taken care of.

As if proving the words that it was a difficult birth and the process of delivering the child had not been smooth, the body was not intact.

Thus, Gi Tae-ha couldn’t even open his mouth to a question he should naturally answer.

‘So they did switch the child on the day of birth.’

Watching Gi Tae-ha maintain his silence, Hyeon-ya became convinced that his speculation was correct.

Elder Qilin had mentioned it before. That the child came too early compared to the due date. Perhaps that had been intentional.

‘If you prescribe too much motherwort or fire water powder, you can hasten delivery. Even with the risks involved, it’s not something that can’t be attempted.’

It meant that the sudden birth that occurred when both the medical chief Gi Tae-heum and Family Head Gi Tae-ha were away might not have been coincidental.

Since both help with childbirth, even if they made excuses about using those medicines after delivery, there would be no fear of suspicion.

Even if someone had doubts, who would think that someone had switched a newborn baby?

Hyeon-ya quietly muttered a curse.

“Damn.”

For it to be called a coincidence, all the pieces fit together far too perfectly.

Honestly speaking, Hyeon-ya didn’t particularly care whether Seo-yu was a child of the Qilin Family or not.

He questioned what kind of mindset one would need to lose a child, and he also didn’t want to confuse Seo-yu, who had become a complete member of the Golden Dragon Family.

‘Hyeon-ya, about Seo-yu’s matter. Shouldn’t we inform the Qilin Family Head?’

‘Sister, do you have faith in a man who couldn’t even protect his own child?’

‘That’s exactly why I’m saying this. How hellish must the hearts of parents who lost their child be.’

‘Do you think so too, Elder Brother?’

‘I can’t say otherwise.’

However, the words he had exchanged with Bi-yeon and Hyeon-rang before coming to the Medical Academy Festival kept pricking his conscience.

Though he had never had a child of his own, he felt he now roughly understood what a parent’s heart was like, which made it even more so.

Hyeon-ya stared intently at Gi Tae-ha.

The man who didn’t show even a hint of anger despite being surely irritated was truly like a block of wood, making him quite unlikeable, but that wasn’t a sin deserving of losing a child he had never even seen once.

Hyeon-ya let out a deep sigh and struck the round table with a sharp thud! Gi Tae-ha’s gaze naturally turned in that direction.

“My disciple was born in winter. We don’t know the exact date, so we decided it arbitrarily, but anyway.”

Winter.

It was the season when Gi Tae-ha had lost his wife and child.

“She’s intelligent and kind. I’m not saying this because she’s my disciple, but she’s truly such an excellent disciple that I wonder if there could be two children as good and diligent as this.”

Thud.

The sound of tapping the table rang out once more.

“And she’s exceptionally talented too.”

“….”

“The Jeongdam Herb that wouldn’t grow no matter what we did for the past five years actually started growing after my disciple began caring for it. There’s no luck like it.”

Thud.

The regular sound continued, but Gi Tae-ha’s gaze no longer remained on the table.

His wavering golden eyes were now fixed on Hwang Hyeon-ya.

“But it seems our Seo-yu isn’t just lucky for us, so I’m trying to confirm something.”

More precisely, toward that mouth speaking unbelievable words.

“I’m saying my disciple seems to be of Qilin bloodline.”

* * *

When everything was finished, it was already evening after the festival had ended.

The end of the festival meant the beginning of vacation, so instead of returning to the dormitory, Seo-yu returned to the longed-for Eastern Lands with her family.

Though it was the homecoming she had waited and waited for, Seo-yu couldn’t be entirely happy.

‘Could it be that I caused some trouble for Master?’

Hyeon-ya, who should have returned home together with them, had for some reason remained at the Medical Academy. Consequently, Li-han’s return home was also delayed.

Seo-yu, who was already worried about what had happened during the day, couldn’t put her mind at ease.

Bi-yeon, who glanced at Seo-yu looking somehow dejected, spoke in a deliberately cheerful voice.

“Seo-yu, shall we sleep together after such a long time? Mother, Yi-ryeong, Li-gon, all of us in one room. How about it?”

“I’d love that!”

Seo-yu’s face, which had been clouded with dark thoughts, brightened instantly. The Twins, who had already been planning to sleep with Seo-yu anyway, naturally agreed.

“Well then, whose room shall we sleep in tonight?”

“My room!”

Yi-ryeong raised her hand high, but Li-gon immediately grabbed her arm and pulled it down.

“No, Hwang Yi-ryeong. Today is the day Seo-yu returned, so we should sleep in Seo-yu’s room.”

“Oh, that sounds good too?”

“Then I’ll invite you all to my room! Ga-ram said she would clean it thoroughly even when I’m not there.”

“Let’s gooo!”

The Twins, who were excitedly about to run off immediately, were caught by the scruff of their necks by Bi-yeon.

“Hey now! Yi-ryeong, Li-gon. What did Mother say you have to do first before going to bed?”

“We have to wash up. I’ll go wash and come back!”

“Ah, but I’m clean.”

“What are you saying. Hwang Yi-ryeong, you threw your medicine pouch and smell terrible. Go quickly and come back.”

“I only smell like the medicine pouch. Hwang Li-gon, you smell like sweat though.”

“I don’t smell! Ah, Seo-yu. I’ll be back quickly. Wait just a little!”

The Twins moved away while bickering with each other. The familiar scene made Seo-yu feel like she had truly returned home, and she giggled softly.

“Shall Seo-yu wash up with Mother?”

“Yes!”

Seo-yu took Bi-yeon’s hand and headed to the bath house. Soaking her body in the warm water after so long, she felt as if all her accumulated fatigue was melting away.

After finishing her bath, Bi-yeon even dried her hair personally. Having enjoyed the gentle touch after so long, Seo-yu lay down first with Bi-yeon under the soft blanket.

As she snuggled close to Bi-yeon’s side, feeling the warm warmth, the inner thoughts she couldn’t bring herself to voice earlier began to slip out.

“What should I do? Because of me, everyone couldn’t properly enjoy the sights.”

Earlier she had been too flustered and surprised to think of anything else, but looking back now, she felt quite regretful.

There were so many places she wanted to introduce and so many things she wanted to show them, but it felt like she had missed everything.

“What do you mean they couldn’t? Everyone enjoyed themselves so much. Li-han said earlier that it would be nice to come again next year.”

“Did Elder Brother really say that?”

At Bi-yeon’s words, Seo-yu’s mood immediately brightened.

“That’s what he said. The medicinal herbs exhibition seemed to appeal to him quite a bit. Your elder brother has always loved reading books. To Li-han, that place probably felt like a living book, don’t you think?”

“A living book, what a wonderful expression!”

Just as Seo-yu burst into giggles, thinking this was something she definitely wanted to tell Yi-eon, the West Hall keeper.

Bi-yeon gently brushed back Seo-yu’s fluffy, dry bangs.

“Seo-yu.”

“Yes, Bi-yeon.”

“It was very difficult, wasn’t it?”

The corners of Seo-yu’s mouth, which had been curved in an arc, gradually turned downward.

Seo-yu’s face became as if she was about to cry. It seemed she could no longer hide the emotions she had been trying so hard to suppress.

“…I’m sorry. You must have been very surprised today, weren’t you?”

The truth was, she had wanted to become a more admirable daughter. A daughter who studied well, made friends easily, and was lacking in nothing wherever she went.

But from the very first day of bringing her parents over, she had gotten them involved in unpleasant matters.

While hearing the familiar harsh words from Su-jeong and being falsely accused were no longer difficult for her, she felt deeply saddened that she couldn’t spend an ordinary day with her family.

She felt even more troubled, as if she had created something her parents didn’t need to experience.

“No. You must have suffered alone in your heart, and I’m even more sorry for not recognizing it. Our Seo-yu, how upset you must have been, unable to even tell us.”

Seo-yu, who had been hanging her head dejectedly, couldn’t resist Bi-yeon’s pulling hand and burrowed into her belongings.

Bi-yeon slowly patted her small back as if she had been waiting for this.

“Those people from that household are really foolish, aren’t they. Our Seo-yu is so kind and pretty, yet they don’t even know that.”

“….”

“Mother is sorry. I should have come to get you sooner. Our daughter must have waited so long.”

Pat pat.

Following the gentle touch, their bodies holding each other swayed slowly.

“No, it’s not. You weren’t late at all.”

Held and swaying in that warm embrace, Seo-yu quietly murmured.

Actually, she had prepared so many things to say.

I’m sorry for startling you, there won’t be such incidents next time, it wasn’t that difficult, I’m fine now…

But being held in Bi-yeon’s belongings, none of those words came out.

For the first time in her life, Seo-yu spoke words that came to mind rather than words she had prepared in advance to be loved.

“Mother, you came… so, so quickly…”

“Hmm?”

“I was happy that Mother and Dad came to pick me up.”

Really.

At her shy additional words, Bi-yeon let out an exclamation.

“Oh my.”

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