Chapter 544: Lan Yue

Jin Ling squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll go in first and take a look.”

Jin Ling motioned for the two females to open the door.

Since Jin Ling had said so, Qiao Xixi didn’t insist on going in, simply waiting outside.

The palace doors opened, and the sound of things being thrown about grew clearer.

Qiao Xixi was curious but restrained herself. She was worried that barging in would embarrass the person inside.

After a while, the commotion inside died down. Only then did Jin Ling come out and take her hand again.

“Don’t worry. Mother is just not in a good state of mind.”

“Okay.”

Entering the inner chamber, Qiao Xixi immediately spotted a slender figure sitting on the bed.

She wore a light purple dress made of beast hide, and her long, golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, as smooth and captivating as a flowing waterfall.

Hearing the noise, she slowly turned, revealing a small, palm-sized face hidden beneath her long hair.

Qiao Xixi glanced at the faintly trembling beast ears on her head and her curled-up tail. At that moment, a pair of gilded pupils were staring at her blankly.

Jin Ling led Qiao Xixi forward and was the first to speak. “Mother, this is my mate, Qiao Xixi.”

Lan Yue blinked, looking at Jin Ling, then at Qiao Xixi. A loving smile suddenly appeared on her face as she reached a hand out to Qiao Xixi.

“Come, let Mother have a look at you.”

Jin Ling nodded at Qiao Xixi. Qiao Xixi turned back and walked to Lan Yue, gently taking her outstretched hand.

“Mother, I’m Xixi.”

Lan Yue studied her seriously. Her gentle eyes were so much like Jin Ling’s.

‘I used to think Jin Ling resembled Jin Wei a little, but now I see his good looks are entirely thanks to his mother.’

“Xixi, you’re so beautiful. I can tell at a glance that you’re a very gentle and kind female. Jin Ling is so lucky to have met you. I heard Jin Ling say that you two even have an adorable little cub, is that right?”

“Yes, An’an is a very cute little tiger cub.”

“A tiger cub…”

Lan Yue’s expression changed in an instant. The gentle look in her eyes from a second ago was replaced by terror. She gripped Qiao Xixi’s hand tightly, her eyes full of pleading.

“No, I won’t drink it! Don’t you dare try to harm my cub!”

Startled, Qiao Xixi instinctively grabbed Lan Yue’s hands.

Jin Ling also rushed forward to support her.

“Mother, Mother, don’t be afraid. The cubs are all right now. They’re all safe.”

“My cub… Jin Wei, why did you have to harm my cub…? You monster!”

Tears immediately streamed down Lan Yue’s delicate cheeks. She struggled violently, trying to break free from Jin Ling’s hold, completely deaf to his words.

‘Xiao Yao, what’s going on with Jin Ling’s mother? What’s wrong with her?’

‘Host, her mind was severely traumatized, which is why she’s like this. If you want to cure her, you can use points to redeem psychiatric medication from the store. I’ll pull up the page for you.’

“Okay.”

Qiao Xixi quickly saw the item page. One pill cost 500 points. ‘So expensive!’

But she could see how much Jin Ling cared for his mother. For Jin Ling’s sake, spending the points was worth it.

Soon, Qiao Xixi redeemed the medicine.

She took the pill and handed it to Jin Ling. “Jin Ling, quick, make Mother take this. She’ll be better after she eats it.”

Jin Ling’s head snapped up, a flash of shock in his eyes. After coming to his senses, he took the pill without a moment’s hesitation and put it in Lan Yue’s mouth.

Lan Yue resisted this action vehemently, struggling to spit the pill out.

Qiao Xixi could only hold her hand and say, “Mother, don’t be afraid. Just take it and you’ll be fine. All the cubs will be fine.”

It was unclear whether Qiao Xixi’s words had an effect or if she was simply tired of struggling, but with a swallow, the pill went down.

In just a moment, she fell into a deep sleep.

Jin Ling held her, carefully placing her on the bed and covering her with the blanket. But his hand, clutching the corner of the blanket, didn’t let go for a long, long time.

Qiao Xixi got up and hugged him from behind, pressing her cheek against his back. She could still feel the heavy thud of his heartbeat.

“Jin Ling, don’t worry. Mother will be fine after she gets some sleep.”

Jin Ling raised his hand and held hers.

“Xixi, Mother has already tried so hard.”

Jin Ling explained that in the beginning, when Jin Wei gave her medicine during her pregnancy, she didn’t know it was a forbidden drug. She thought it was medicine to make her cub stronger.

“Later, Mother noticed something was wrong with me. When she went to question Jin Wei, he just used his words to deceive her again.”

This happened until she gave birth to her second litter, Jin Che and the others.

At first, Jin Che and the others showed no abnormalities either. That is, until one day, she discovered three young cubs who had died from an overdose.

“She secretly followed them and learned everything Jin Wei had done from the beast soldiers’ conversation. She was filled with hatred and wanted to break her mate bond with him, making him suffer the backlash.”

“But Jin Wei used us as a threat. If she dared to do it, he would take our lives.”

Lan Yue compromised, and Jin Wei no longer bothered to hide his actions from her.

“After getting pregnant with Jin Yao, Mother tried everything she could to deceive Jin Wei. But… after she learned I had been driven out of Tiger Beast City and had likely died out there…”

Lan Yue’s mind completely shattered.

Jin Ling was her first cub, the child she had anticipated with all her heart at the peak of her maternal love, yet he had been murdered by his own father.

Lan Yue couldn’t accept this reality. That was when her mental problems began.

Qiao Xixi looked at Lan Yue, whose eyes were tightly closed, and couldn’t imagine the pain she must have endured all these years.

“Jin Ling, it’s all in the past. From now on, both you and Mother will have a good life. A very good life.”

Jin Ling turned and pulled her into his arms, letting out a heavy sound of assent.

Just then, Lan Yue’s eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened.

The moment her gaze fell on Jin Ling, she shot up in bed.

“Jin Ling!”

Qiao Xixi gently pulled away from Jin Ling’s embrace and stepped aside.

“Jin Ling, it’s really you, Jin Ling!”

Lan Yue staggered to her feet and excitedly gripped Jin Ling’s hands.

The moment he spoke, Jin Ling’s eyes reddened as well.

“Mother, it’s me.”

“My little cub Jin Ling is okay… This is wonderful, truly wonderful. My little cub Jin Ling is still alive…”

Watching the mother and son, Qiao Xixi felt her own eyes start to burn.

Lan Yue’s choked sobs echoed through the inner chamber until Jin Ling’s voice sounded again.

“It was Xixi who saved me.”

Only then did Lan Yue look up at Qiao Xixi in a daze, instantly sensing the contract energy between them.

“You’re… you’re Jin Ling’s mate.”

Qiao Xixi sniffled and stepped forward. “Mother, I’m Xixi.”

“Xixi, thank you for saving Jin Ling. I thought… I thought I would never see him again.”

As soon as she said this, Lan Yue’s expression changed. She grabbed their hands and started pushing them away. “You can’t stay here. You have to leave, quickly.”