The End Times as a Song

Chapter 12 Must Not Be Discovered

Xiao Yuanran hugged Huan Ruge tightly, refusing to let go for a long time.

"Alright, alright...! Mother, Huan'er is alright! Huan'er is really alright this time! If you don't believe me, touch my face, there's not a scratch."

Huan Rugo grabbed Xiao Yuanran's hand and placed it on her face.

"You silly girl, talking back! You're always so impulsive! You're always causing trouble. When will you ever grow up, quiet down, and stop worrying your mother so much?!"

"Mother, don't worry, I didn't cause any trouble this time. I went to take care of some important business. Come and see what good things Huan'er brought back for you?"

Huan Rugo quickly took out a small purple handkerchief from a hidden pocket in her chest, held it in her palm, and took Xiao Yuanran's hand, placing it on the handkerchief.

"What's this……?"

Xiao Yuanran's eyes were vacant as she fumbled for something in the small handkerchief, asking a question in confusion.

“Mother! Feel it more carefully, and you should know what it is…”

Huan Ruge handed the contents of her handkerchief to Xiao Yuanran.

"It's a snow lingzhi!"

After repeatedly touching it, Xiao Yuanran looked serious and shouted.

"Hmm...! Yes...! It's Snow Lingzhi!"

Huan Rugo nodded in response to Xiao Yuanran's words.

"You...! What's wrong with you, girl?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanran's face darkened considerably, and she anxiously asked Huan Rugo.

"Aunt...!"

Huan Rugo wanted to explain, but before she could finish, Xiao Yuanran interrupted her.

"You went to the Chifeng Abyss behind my back?"

Xiao Yuanran rebuked Huan Ruge.

"Mother! Actually, I...!"

Huan Rugo clearly sensed Xiao Yuanran's emotional fluctuations. She knew that Xiao Yuanran was really angry this time. She tried to explain, but was interrupted again.

"Don't call me...?"

Xiao Yuanran shouted impatiently at Huan Ruge.

"Mother...! Please don't be angry...!"

Huan Rugo wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and tried to explain again.

"Why? Why won't you listen to your mother...?"

Seeing that Huan Ruge was not being educated and was instead talking back even more aggressively, Xiao Yuanran was furious and suddenly exploded.

"Mother, don't be angry. Please listen to what Huan'er has to say, okay? This time, Huan'er...?"

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Yuanran became agitated, raised her hand, and slapped Huan Rugo hard across the face.

Huan Rugo's face burned with embarrassment, her heart shattering instantly. She stared blankly, her eyes losing their luster. She didn't know what she had done wrong, why she had angered Xiao Yuanran so much. She had only wanted to save her mother, her only family. Was that wrong? Why did this mother, who was both her sister and her mother, not only fail to understand her, but also slap her across the face? She looked at Xiao Yuanran, suppressing her resentment, and tears streamed down her face.

"Huan'er..."

Xiao Yuanran regretted slapping Huan Rugo as soon as she did so. Her eyes were vacant and filled with tears. She raised her hand to touch Huan Rugo, but it seemed so unreachable. She suppressed her heartache and turned her head away.

Xiao Yuanran felt sorry for the child, but she couldn't let the child continue to act so willfully. She withdrew her hand that was about to stroke Huanruge's face, silently thinking to herself.

“I can’t spoil her anymore. If this continues, something bad will happen one day…! How will I face her deceased mother then?”

Xiao Yuanran frowned, silently calculating in her mind. She gritted her teeth, hardened her heart, and shouted.

"Huan'er, kneel down before me...!"

"Mother... listen to me...!"

Huan Rugo was startled and sensed something was wrong, but she couldn't understand what she had done wrong to provoke Xiao Yuanran into such a rage. She was defiant and dared not kneel.

"Huan'er... don't you realize your mistake?..."

Xiao Yuanran repeated her words in a heavy tone. Her imposing manner startled Huan Rugo, who took a few steps back and helplessly knelt down. Xiao Yuanran's raised hand hung in mid-air; she didn't know what to do.

"Wait for me……"

The little bear, who had just transformed into human form, was about to speak, trying to stop Xiao Yuanran's actions.

"Huanhuan...why didn't you wait for me..."

Tu Shanyan stepped into Fangcao Pavilion and saw this scene.

"No... Stop... Mother Ran..."

Tu Shanyan looked flustered. He rushed over and knelt down, spreading his arms to shield Huan Rugo from behind, like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

“Ran’s mother…don’t hit Huanhuan…what did she do wrong to make you angry…”

"Tu Shanyan...you still have the nerve to ask me...how I explained things to you..."

“Ran’s mother…I…”

"Did I ask you to keep an eye on her and not let her leave Fangcao Village...?"

“I…Mother Ran, please listen to me…Huanhuan wasn’t just playing around this time, she did it to save you…”

"To save me... is it really worth risking your own life?"

“Ran’s mother, please calm down…”

Xiao Yuanran was furious.

Tu Shanyan comforted Xiao Yuanran, trying to pull her back to her senses after she had lost her temper.

Huan Rugo remained silent, kneeling there, heartbroken and aggrieved.

"Ran'er-niang, what's wrong with your eyes? You can't see..."

Tu Shanyan tenderly helped Ran's mother to sit on the bench in Fangcao Pavilion. Tu Shanyan noticed that Xiao Yuanran was acting strangely, as if she couldn't see. He waved in front of Xiao Yuanran and tentatively asked her a question.

"I'm fine..." Xiao Yuanran was very strong. She didn't want Tu Shanyan and Huan Ruge to worry, so she pretended to be calm.

"How can you be alright? Let me see, does it hurt..."

“When I woke up… I couldn’t see anything. I was terrified because you weren’t there. There was only darkness all around, endless darkness. I called out to you desperately, but there was no response… And so, I endured this time alone, day and night. I never heard from you. But now that you’re back, I’m glad you’re alright. I was just afraid that you two might have been attacked by that monster.”

With a face full of worry and eyes full of hope, Xiao Yuanran recounted the events of the day she woke up after being poisoned.

"Mother, I'm sorry... I made you worry..."

With tears streaming down her face, Huan Ruge said "I'm sorry" to Xiao Yuanran with remorse.

"Ran'er-niang, I'm sorry... it's all my fault..."

Tu Shanyan felt bad too. If he hadn't indulged Huan Ruge and accompanied her away from Fangcao Village to pick the Snow Spirit Mushroom, perhaps Xiao Yuanran wouldn't have had to suffer this kind of psychological torment.

However, there was no other way at the time, because Huan Rugo insisted on saving the yellow demon and fell into an ambush. Xiao Yuanran took an arrow for Huan Rugo, was poisoned, and remained unconscious, her life hanging by a thread. The village's wounded doctor examined Xiao Yuanran's injury and told them that the Snow Spirit Mushroom might be able to save her.