Chapter 1400 - 761: Malt Sugar for Three Women (Bonus 3-in-1)

Chen Yi was silent for a moment, attempting to speak several times but ultimately unable to find the words.

Donggong Ruoshu lowered her head and happily ate the candy. It melted almost as soon as it entered her mouth, the malt aroma filling her mouth. She quickly devoured three pieces but still felt it wasn't enough.

At this point, Qin Yue was also lowering her head as she unwrapped her candy. She had just peeled open two pieces and was about to eat them, her tongue already nearing one, when Donggong Ruoshu shifted her gaze and extended her hand,

"I'm still hurting, give me some to eat."

Qin Yue halted her actions and looked at her wide-eyed.

"If you don't give me some candy, I'll keep being in pain. You made me fall, and later I'll tell your father bad things about you and complain to your mother too."

Qin Yue hurriedly spat out the candy in her mouth and placed it in Miss Donggong's hand.

Donggong Ruoshu ate one piece, feeling a bit embarrassed in front of Chen Yi, she returned the remaining candy to Qin Yue, saying, "I'm giving this to you, say thank you."

"...Thanks."

Qin Yue took it, promptly stuffing it into her mouth.

Witnessing this exchange, Chen Yi grew even more silent.

Several times he wanted to speak but held back, thinking discussing such minor matters might be too serious, but not speaking about it left him feeling slightly awkward.

Chen Yi could only quietly sigh, realizing Miss Donggong's temperament was such that she shouldn't be treated like an adult.

He squatted down and reached out to pick up Qin Yue, who called him "Daddy" with a sweet, childish voice. Chen Yi gently rubbed her head, seeing no trace of grievance on his daughter's face, it seemed she was having fun playing with the stupid girl.

Holding his soft daughter in his arms, Chen Yi asked, "Yue'er, do you know where your father went?"

Qin Yue, sucking on her candy, raised her bright eyes upon hearing this, thought for a moment, then shook her head, mumbling, "Don't know."

Chen Yi looked at his daughter's innocent face, paused, then softly asked, "Then can Yue'er tell Daddy if your father has been happy in these past few days?"

This time, Qin Yue didn't even need to think. She nodded vigorously, saying, "Yue'er is happy! Father also took Yue'er to see lanterns, they were so big!"

Chen Yi chuckled, gently wiping away the sticky candy residue from her mouth, patiently saying, "Daddy is asking about your father, not you. Daddy thinks your father… doesn't seem very happy, seems like he's mad at Daddy."

Qin Yue blinked her wide eyes, trying hard to understand, and after a few seconds, she raised her little face and asked, "Is Father mad at Daddy? Why?"

This question momentarily left Chen Yi at a loss for words.

Why? The confusion among them was a tangled mess even to outsiders unaware of the situation, let alone for a child who knew nothing about the world. He opened his mouth but wasn't sure how to explain.

Just as he was racking his brain, searching for a way to gloss over it that a child could understand, Donggong Ruoshu, having finished her candy and wiped her mouth, suddenly interjected:

"Because your daddy has hurt your father."

Qin Yue grasped that part she could understand immediately. Her little brows furrowed, she turned and grabbed Chen Yi's clothes, anxiously asking, "Did Daddy make… make Father fall down?"

Chen Yi chuckled, though his heart felt gently nudged by something, slightly soft and tender, he hugged his daughter tighter, his chin brushing her soft hair, and spoke more softly,

"Yes… Daddy's at fault for making Father fall, in… his heart."

"In his heart?" Qin Yue repeated in confusion.

"Yes, in his heart," Chen Yi nodded, "Sometimes it hurts even more than falling onto the ground."

Qin Yue looked at him with a face full of puzzlement, the concept "pain" was something she could understand.

"Would Yue'er help Daddy give Father some candy?" Chen Yi paused then continued, "I'll give Yue'er five pieces of candy, you give three pieces to Father, and keep two for yourself."

Qin Yue's eyes gleamed brighter, licking her lips, greedily said, "Yue'er, Yue'er wants three pieces."

"Then I won't let Yue'er give them, Daddy will give them himself."

"Yue'er, Yue'er will take two pieces, Yue'er will give them!"

Chen Yi laughed and put Qin Yue down, reaching into his pocket to take out the prepared candies, patting her little shoulder: "Go ahead, Father might be in his study."

Qin Yue nodded, setting off with her short legs, grasping the candies carrying her Daddy's clumsy affection, she ran away with a tap-thud sound.

Chen Yi exhaled, letting his daughter give Qing Luo the candies, this method of his wasn't exactly clever, yet that's precisely why it was.

He took out a piece of candy from his pocket, intending to sweeten his throat with some candy on the eve of the new year, and Donggong Ruoshu's eyes gleamed again. Chen Yi sighed, helplessly unwrapped the candy paper, pinched half with his fingers and offered it to Miss Donggong.

The stupid girl pinched it with her fingers and instantly ate it, even licking her fingers contently.

Chen Yi placed the remaining half of the candy into his mouth.

Then he thought about it…

Chen Yi decided to go find Zhu E.

Before he left, he thought it was also good to ease the little friction between aunts and nephews.

The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, visiting ancestors and preparing offerings, was undoubtedly the busiest day, but by the eve of the new year, things lightened up, with nothing happening within the inner and outer courts of the Prince Mansion. Chen Yi, without even thinking, knew Zhu E was at her private residence.

That was Zhu E's residence before she became a Princess. Before Chen Yi arrived, she lived in the same residence as Qin Qingluo, and afterward, she naturally moved to make room for Chen Yi.

Chen Yi showed up uninvited, and the maids dared not block him, Zhu E certainly wouldn't let them do so. He walked straight into the main hall, where a delicate fragrance wafted in the air.

Inside the hall, the maid asked him to wait first. She then hurriedly went to report, shortly thereafter, another maid came out carrying a silver tray with milk in it.