The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 132

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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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Chapter 132

 

Sanho was confronting the man who had come to find Soya at the entrance of the pavilion.

 

“I have something I must tell the child. Please, just let me meet the child once.”

 

“My goodness, everyone has gone out to the archery range, so there’s no one in the pavilion right now.”

 

“I’m coming back after confirming the child isn’t there. So please…”

 

Despite Sanho’s refusal, the man was persistent.

 

It happened to be when the Family Head and Young Master were away, making things difficult for Sanho.

 

“Sanho.”

 

At the sound of Soya calling, both Sanho and the man turned to look at Soya simultaneously.

 

“Ah, Young Lady.”

 

A troubled expression appeared on Sanho’s face.

 

“He’s a guest who came to see me, isn’t he? I’ll handle this, so don’t trouble yourself.”

 

“But Young Lady, this person is…”

 

“It’s alright, Sanho.”

 

Soya approached the worried Sanho and said with a gentle smile.

 

At her soft yet firm voice that reassured the other person, Sanho nodded and stepped back.

 

Soya raised her head to look at the face of the man who had come to find her.

 

It was a man with features very similar to Sanyu who had come to find her just yesterday.

 

Yet at the same time, he was also a man who gave her completely different feelings from him.

 

During those three years of waiting alone in silence in the cold Cold Palace, this man never came to find her.

 

The man who never came no matter how long she waited, now comes to find her even when she draws a line telling him not to come.

 

Though she properly received him as the rightful head of the family since Father and Elder Brothers were absent, he would have come to find her again anyway if she hadn’t stepped forward.

 

So it was right for her to cleanly settle her relationship with this man once more without bothering other family members.

 

“I thought we finished all remaining conversations between us yesterday, but I guess that wasn’t the case.”

 

Having finished her thoughts, Soya asked in a calm voice.

 

“What brings the Family Head of the Suzaku Family to find me at such an early hour?”

 

“Soya…”

 

The man, whose gaze had been fixed on the child from the moment Soya appeared, called the child’s name in a rough, cracked voice.

 

Just saying it made his chest ache sharply.

 

This morning, Hwayu had come to report to him.

 

As a result of the investigation, it was confirmed that Soya had left the Suzaku Mansion five years ago and was adopted by that family.

 

Soya had spent the past five years at White Tiger Palace, growing up well as Baek Saeon’s youngest daughter.

 

Though it wasn’t known why Baek Saeon had made such a choice… he heard that Soya was also the one who found the White Tiger’s Sacred Relic.

 

Through that incident, she gained recognition from the White family’s retainers and became a true Young Lady of the White Tiger Family in name and reality.

 

It was nothing particularly special to report.

 

Though there were a few pieces of unknown information, most of it could be sufficiently inferred from what he had seen with his eyes and heard with his ears yesterday.

 

However, the words Hwayu added at the end pierced his heart.

 

[Fortunately, it seems the child didn’t suffer abuse or persecution there. It appears she grew up receiving love from the White Tiger Palace people.]

 

Love…

 

Why did that word feel so painful?

 

It was probably because of that love he had failed to give completely to the child and had taken away.

 

With this realization, Jeok Ayun had no choice but to move to find the child.

 

There was something he absolutely had to tell the child.

 

“…I came because I have something I must tell you, Soya.”

 

Before the child who treated him like a stranger, Jeok Ayun barely managed to speak.

 

“I’m sorry, Soya. I couldn’t say this to you yesterday.”

 

He apologized in an anguished voice.

 

“I regret all those moments when I neglected, turned away from, and hurt you when you were young.”

 

“…”

 

Soya’s mouth shut tight like a clam shell.

 

Even hearing his apology that she might have waited for so long, she felt no emotion. Rather…

 

‘Why do I feel so bad?’

 

Unlike when her heart warmed upon hearing the same words from Sanyu yesterday, she felt her heart grow cold.

 

Soya stared quietly at the man who was rambling apologies to her, then opened her mouth.

 

“You said you’re sorry to me, right? Then return my mother’s ornament that Lili took from me.”

 

“Soya…?”

 

At Soya’s sudden demand, a troubled expression momentarily appeared on Jeok Ayun’s face.

 

“Mother left it for me. But Lili accused me of being a thief and took it away.”

 

“But that’s…”

 

“I didn’t steal anything. But after Lili appeared, I had to live hearing people call me a thieving wench.”

 

“I… I’m sorry…”

 

“Not just words of apology. If you’re truly sorry to me, return that to me. Then I’ll accept the Family Head’s apology.”

 

At Soya’s repeated demand, Jeok Ayun’s face turned ashen.

 

Lili treasured that ornament left by Madam very much.

 

So much so that whenever young servant girls even touched it, didn’t she scream loud enough to turn the entire mansion upside down?

 

Though he hadn’t seen Lili wearing that item in recent years, Jeok Ayun couldn’t bring himself to ask Lili to give it up.

 

“That… has already become Lili’s. I don’t even know if she brought it here. Something else, tell me something else. If there’s anything you want, whatever it may be…”

 

Soya’s expression instantly hardened coldly.

 

It was because she realized why this man’s apology was unpleasant unlike Sanyu’s apology.

 

“What exactly do you want to apologize to me for?”

 

Soya was a little surprised at herself for being able to produce such a cold voice.

 

“Are you talking about taking away my Spirit Core and sending me to the Cold Palace? So that I had to live as a non-existent person for three years? Or are you trying to apologize for making me become Lili’s personal servant and watch you give that child the affection you once gave me?”

 

“…”

 

Each time the wrongs he had committed in the past flowed from Soya’s mouth, Jeok Ayun’s face grew pale.

 

“I… all of those things…”

 

Just as Jeok Ayun was about to apologize for all those incidents.

 

“Lies.”

 

Soya cut off his words sharply.

 

“If you truly think what you all did to me was wrong, you should be able to tell Lili too.”

 

“That’s not it, Soya. Lili is…”

 

“You should be able to say that accusing me of theft and taking my belongings was that child’s fault, so let’s return those things to their owner.”

 

Though Jeok Ayun tried to make excuses, Soya coldly cut off his words and said.

 

“You still don’t think what you did to me was wrong.”

 

“No, Soya…!”

 

“Lili is still your sanctuary, and I’m still an unforgivable fake who stole Lili’s place. So you think it’s natural for me to be accused of theft, assaulted, and have my belongings stolen by Lili.”

 

“That can’t be, I would never…!”

 

“If that’s not it, then why can’t you do it?”

 

“…”

 

At Soya’s question, his mouth shut tight.

 

“You were like that on that day too. Even when Lili screamed and pushed me, you only pitied and worried about Lili rather than me who had fallen.”

 

Soya remembers. The moment Lili pushed her and she fell.

 

[Lili…!]

 

The desperate faces of the Family Head and Young Master as they ran calling her name.

 

When she went limping to apologize to Lili, the Family Head’s indifferent gaze she encountered in that corridor.

 

Even that bleak atmosphere as he passed by her and entered Lili’s room.

 

“And even now. You still think Lili is the most pitiful and precious person in the world.”

 

If those words of apology to her were sincere, he shouldn’t be acting like this.

 

He should have shown sincere actions, not just words of apology.

 

“This way, nothing has changed from five years ago to now.”

 

“No, Soya. I… to you… sincerely…”

 

Jeok Ayun stammered and trailed off.

 

“This isn’t an apology for me, but an apology for yourself. Your desire to apologize is still more important to you than my feelings.”

 

What Soya had wanted from the beginning wasn’t the ornament. I had already taken that away three years ago.

 

What she wanted was only one thing.

 

For this man to show that his words about reflecting on the past by pointing out Lili’s wrong actions were sincere.

 

But in the end, he failed to grasp the last chance I had given him.

 

“So from now on, I’d prefer if you didn’t come looking for me or offer apologies like this.”

 

With that, this relationship was forever over.

 

“I’m also the most precious daughter in the world here. Just like your Lili.”

 

Soya drove the final nail in while facing the man who had frozen in dismay, then slowly turned around.

 

With this, it was a perfect severance.

 

* * *

 

Since meeting Taotie last night, Lili’s heart had become much more at ease and her sharp nerves had softened.

 

Long ago, hadn’t many good things happened after she completed a deal with that being?

 

This time would surely be the same.

 

For instance, finally getting rid of that wicked girl Soya for good.

 

Or perhaps meeting the beautiful His Imperial Majesty and falling into destined love.

 

Lili came outside humming a tune.

 

She looked for Father, but the household members only told her he hadn’t been seen since morning.

 

As she tilted her head and turned to leave, Lili’s steps suddenly stopped at the sound of elderly servant women whispering.

 

“But you know what? That girl, Soya. When I saw her yesterday, doesn’t she look like the Deceased Madam?”

 

“Oh, what are you saying? Why would that girl resemble Madam? Madam’s daughter is our Miss Lili…”

 

“Come to think of it, Miss Lili doesn’t resemble the Family Head or Madam at all. In the past, I thought it was because she was still young so their features weren’t visible, but even now that she’s fully grown…”

 

“Oh my, what dangerous talk! No matter what anyone says, Young Lady has the proof of direct lineage!”

 

Lili, who had been secretly eavesdropping on the servant women’s conversation, felt her previously cheerful mood instantly crash to the floor.

 

“…”

 

If it had been her usual self, she would have immediately run to them, gotten angry, and started hitting them.

 

However, for some reason she couldn’t do that today, and while she was just biting her lower lip repeatedly, she spotted Sanyu walking from the opposite direction.

 

She hesitated.

 

He too stopped in place upon seeing Lili.

 

“Ah, good morning, Elder Brother.”

 

Lili greeted him with an awkward smile.

 

Knowing instinctively that First Elder Brother was somewhat wary of her, Lili couldn’t help but feel tense.

 

But at that moment, Sanyu’s eyes drooped languidly…

 

“Yes. Good morning, Lili.”

 

He greeted her with an affectionate voice.

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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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