Obsessively Raised by My Doll 95

Chapter 95

—My mother’s nephew?

—Calling me cousin?

Lu Dieqing’s little head was spun by these two sentences. Her glistening almond eyes looked at the young man behind her.

The baby-faced young man on the horse still had a friendly smile. Seeing Lu Dieqing look over, he immediately called out to her in a loud voice.

“Cousin!”

The young man’s overly familiar manner made one feel a sense of resistance.

Stop!

Wait!

Don’t call me that!

Lu Dieqing covered her ears with her small hands and quickly retreated into the carriage.

Let me sort this out. What’s going on?

Zheng Xuening clearly knew that her emotions were in a mess at the moment and did not immediately explain. It was only when they stopped at an inn for a meal that she led Lu Dieqing into a private room.

The baby-faced young man, dressed in brocade, also followed silently behind the two of them. But it seemed that he could see that Lu Dieqing did not like him, so he could only rub his nose and follow behind obediently without a word, for a moment like a pitiful little dog, left behind by Zheng Xuening and the other.

As the door to the private room closed, his nose almost hit it, and he was shut out.

Sigh, it seems things are not off to a good start.

Before, in the Shan Kingdom, a scout had sent back a message saying that the Third Aunt was gentle and somewhat aloof from worldly affairs, and that the cousin she had given birth to was also kind and approachable.

Logically, since he was representing the Third Aunt’s relatives on this trip to the Chaoying Kingdom, he should have been warmly welcomed. But he had not expected that this cousin of his did not seem to want to acknowledge him…

Outside the door, the expression on Lu Er’s face changed. When he wasn’t smiling, that baby face didn’t look so naive anymore.

“Whatever you want to ask, I will tell you one by one.”

While the waiter was preparing the meal, Zheng Xuening poured a bowl of tea, brought it close to her and observed it for a moment. After confirming that everything was normal, she handed it to Lu Dieqing.

“Drink some water.” Since she had woken up, the girl had hardly had a drop of water.

Lu Dieqing took it in a daze and took a small sip. But she quickly remembered her previous confusion, put the teacup back on the table, and leaned closer to Zheng Xuening to ask, “Ningning, what’s going on? Why does that person call me cousin?”

Zheng Xuening pulled her over, pinched her cheek, and then slowly said, “He is the envoy from the Shan Kingdom this time.”

Just this one sentence was enough for Lu Dieqing to understand the connection.

“The envoy?”

She murmured to herself.

The envoy from the Shan Kingdom?

My mother’s nephew?

Calling me cousin?

Connected to her by blood, a true sibling?

Such a being was so distant in Lu Dieqing’s impression.

Of course, she knew that in recent days, an envoy would be coming to the Chaoying Kingdom. Her mother had been hoping that their family could be taken back to the Shan Kingdom.

Now that a relative from her homeland had appeared, Lu Dieqing felt as if she were in a dream.

“…I…” Lu Dieqing fell into a state of self-isolation, unable to recover for a moment.

In truth, both her parents had been looking forward to the arrival of the envoy from the Shan Kingdom. She should have been full of anticipation as well.

But for some reason, the thought that the other person shared the same bloodline as her, that they were both descendants of the Shan royal family, made her feel a sense of awkwardness.

He was clearly a stranger she had never seen in her dozen or so years of life, yet he had called out to her so intimately the moment he appeared, as if it were not their first meeting at all.

She felt a little wronged.

And also wronged for her mother.

In these nearly twenty years, no envoy had ever come from the Shan Kingdom. It seemed that no one had ever worried about whether her mother, as a hostage in the Chaoying court, could live a good life.

How was it that the moment she left her homeland, her mother was like a package that had been cast aside, forgotten by everyone?

All these years, Lu Dieqing had lived under the same roof with her parents. Even though she had always been a child, protected, by living with them day and night, she could naturally see the distress in her parents’ hearts.

There were some things she just didn’t think about too much. Because she was powerless, she tried her best not to look. It didn’t mean that she really didn’t understand.

At this moment, her heart was filled with a deep sense of sorrow.

Connected to her by blood, a true sibling?

Such a being was so distant in Lu Dieqing’s impression.

Of course, she knew that in recent days, an envoy would be coming to the Chaoying Kingdom. Her mother had been hoping that their family could be taken back to the Shan Kingdom.

Now that a relative from her homeland had appeared, Lu Dieqing felt as if she were in a dream.

“…I…” Lu Dieqing fell into a state of self-isolation, unable to recover for a moment.

In truth, both her parents had been looking forward to the arrival of the envoy from the Shan Kingdom. She should have been full of anticipation as well.

But for some reason, the thought that the other person shared the same bloodline as her, that they were both descendants of the Shan royal family, made her feel a sense of awkwardness.

He was clearly a stranger she had never seen in her dozen or so years of life, yet he had called out to her so intimately the moment he appeared, as if it were not their first meeting at all.

She felt a little wronged.

And also wronged for her mother.

In these nearly twenty years, no envoy had ever come from the Shan Kingdom. It seemed that no one had ever worried about whether her mother, as a hostage in the Chaoying court, could live a good life.

How was it that the moment she left her homeland, her mother was like a package that had been cast aside, forgotten by everyone?

All these years, Lu Dieqing had lived under the same roof with her parents. Even though she had always been a child, protected, by living with them day and night, she could naturally see the distress in her parents’ hearts.

There were some things she just didn’t think about too much. Because she was powerless, she tried her best not to look. It didn’t mean that she really didn’t understand.

At this moment, her heart was filled with a deep sense of sorrow.

Lu Dieqing pressed her lips together and lowered her small head, not saying much. Just looking at her, she seemed to have been wronged.

Zheng Xuening, seeing that she had been forgotten at the side, her eyes darkened. Then, she placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders, turning her around to face her.

“Feeling wronged?”

Zheng Xuening leaned in a little closer, bending down to see the emotions deep in the girl’s eyes.

Lu Dieqing was already feeling wronged, and now, with someone beside her showing such careful concern, being coaxed made her feel even more so.

The girl was like a wounded little swallow. She threw herself into Zheng Xuening’s embrace and said in a soft, thin voice, “Why is he traveling with us? Since he’s an envoy, shouldn’t he be going to the imperial palace? How did he end up meeting us on the official road?”

Lu Dieqing was only naive, not stupid. Her little mind was quite sharp.

One could figure out with a little thought that for the other person to be able to “chance upon” them like this, and to be able to recognize her so accurately and call her “cousin,” there must be a reason behind it.

Zheng Xuening’s slender hand gently ruffled the girl’s hair.

“He is useful.”

“The forbidden land requires the bloodlines of various royal families.”

The Chaoying Kingdom has her. A little blood doesn’t matter.

But the Shan Kingdom…

Zheng Xuening had a selfish thought. She was unwilling to let the girl she was holding and coaxing in her arms suffer even the slightest bit of harm.

Hearing the explanation, Lu Dieqing had a sudden realization. The wronged look on her face faded, replaced by self-reproach.

“I shouldn’t have been so petty just now. I should be more magnanimous and not take these small things to heart.”

This time, she and Ningning had left the palace together to go to the forbidden land. Her mind was set on finding a clue to the other’s mother’s whereabouts.

On such an important matter, Lu Dieqing would not allow herself to throw a tantrum, lest she delay Ningning.

The Crown Princess had already done so many, many things for her. It was time for her to return the favor.

At this moment, although she had no peaches to offer in return, she should at least do what she could and not become a burden.

After sorting this out, the girl’s clear eyes stared at Zheng Xuening, a little shy, but she promised, “In the future, if there’s anything like this, you should let me know a little. Otherwise, if I’m not up to the task at a critical moment, wouldn’t I ruin your plan?”

As she said this, her two small hands fidgeted. She felt that she was being a little unreasonable.

Ningning is the heir of a nation. What right do I have to ask her to share her plans with me?

After saying this, she wanted to shrink back again, but Zheng Xuening gave her no chance.

“You. Are you being this cute on purpose?”

The Crown Princess’s calloused fingertips caressed the girl’s cheek. Her eyes grew deep, and she curved her lips slightly.

“Sometimes, this Princess even wants to eat you up.”

Away from the palace, heartfelt words became easier to say, no longer so hidden.

Being suddenly praised as cute by the Crown Princess, Lu Dieqing’s cheeks flushed red, and she wanted to twist herself into a little pretzel on the spot.

So embarrassing.

—Eat her?

After all, she was someone who had been bitten a few times already. Lu Dieqing was no longer so afraid.

The girl paused, then hesitantly brought her exquisitely carved face closer and said in a soft voice, “Then, you can have another bite.”