Where Did Mom Go?

Lin Ran had not noticed at all—or rather, he simply had not cared. Although he had deliberately kept his distance from little Yuhao during the six years since his transmigration, under his subtle influence, Huo Yuhao, who had grown up alongside him, had long since become vastly different from the Huo Yuhao of the Original Work.

A blank sheet of paper was most easily stained with other colors, just as a naïve child was most easily influenced by those around them.

The Huo Yuhao who had grown up with him was already different from the one in the Original Work.

This was also why Huo Yun'er had so easily realized that the reborn Dai Yuhao was not her child.

White Tiger Duke's Mansion.

Smash—

The white teacup shattered across the floor like spilled mercury. Porcelain-white fragments scattered before the guards kneeling on the ground, yet none of them dared dodge in the slightest.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash! It's been so many days already, and you still haven't brought that bitch back!"

The Duchess, her face livid, berated the White Tiger Guard below.

One of the White Tiger Guards hurriedly replied, "Please forgive us, Madam. Your subordinate has already sent people to investigate along the direction Bai Shi Yi tracked. We believe there will be news soon."

"There had better be!" the Duchess snorted coldly.

Just then, the Steward of the Duke's Mansion hurried in and approached the Duchess.

"Reporting to Madam, the Duke has sent someone back, and he also—"

As he spoke, he glanced at the Duchess's gloomy expression and carefully continued, "He also sent Dai Yuhao back."

"Dai Yuhao?" The Duchess frowned, then a cold sneer spread across her face. "I was wondering what that bitch and her bastard could possibly do after fleeing the mansion. So they went looking for Dai Hao. Now they should finally give up! Where is that bitch? Wasn't she sent back?"

The Steward became even more cautious. "No... I did not see her. Only Dai Yuhao returned."

The Duchess abruptly clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. "Good! Very good! Dai Hao! You actually kept that bitch in the military camp! This marriage can't go on!"

Back when she had been pregnant with Dai Huabin, Dai Hao had used the chance to return and visit her after giving birth as an excuse to sleep with Huo Yun'er. She had always bitterly hated him for it, considering it the greatest humiliation of her life.

And now, Dai Hao had kept Huo Yun'er in the military camp again?!

One had to know that even she herself could not remain in the military camp for long!

The Duchess's face twisted. She had completely given up on Dai Hao as well!

"Bring that little bastard up here!" the Duchess ordered darkly.

The Steward felt that Dai Yuhao was likely finished.

Before long, Dai Yuhao was brought in, along with a letter from the White Tiger Duke delivered to the Duchess.

When Dai Yuhao saw the Duchess, profound hatred flashed through his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

During the days he had been sent back, he had calmed down and thought over many things. He soon realized that going to the military camp to find Dai Hao had been far too impulsive.

It would have been fine if Dai Hao truly loved Mother as he had claimed in his Previous Life, but the problem was that he had been deceived.

That meant Mother, who had remained in the Duke's Mansion, would likely suffer even worse torment at the Duchess's hands—her life might even be in danger.

Most importantly, the Duchess would now have her eye on him as well. This would undoubtedly waste a great deal of time and completely squander the advantage of his rebirth. How was he supposed to meet Wu Tong sooner? How was he supposed to make Father-in-law look at him in a new light?

Sometimes, he even thought that perhaps it would be a good thing if Mother died sooner. Then she could be resurrected in the God Realm sooner and enjoy a good life, spared the suffering of being tortured.

Unfortunately, he was still too weak.

So what if the God of Emotion had been reborn? Even the cleverest housewife could not cook without rice. For now, he could only endure and yield.

Endure!

Having been influenced by Father-in-law in his Previous Life, he too had learned this excellent quality of Father-in-law's.

Only after leaving the Duke's Mansion, meeting Tian Meng and the Ice Empress, and entering Shrek Academy would he truly be able to take revenge.

The Duchess took the letter but did not inspect it immediately. Instead, she unleashed a powerful aura that bore down on Dai Yuhao like the sky collapsing.

Dai Yuhao suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and dropped to his knees. Both hands gripped the floor tightly as he clenched his teeth, his once-clear eyes turning blood-red.

The Duchess said coldly, "Since that bitch Huo Yun'er was kept in the military camp by Dai Hao, you will suffer the torment that was meant for her in her place."

Dai Yuhao was stunned and raised his head in confusion.

My mother was left in the military camp?

Before he could question it, however, another overwhelming pressure descended upon him, gradually crushing him to the ground.

Dai Yuhao felt as though every bone in his body had been dislocated. His entire body was pressed to the floor in a twisted posture.

Though the pain pierced deep into his bones, he still clenched his teeth and did not make a sound.

While tormenting Dai Yuhao, the Duchess began to read the letter Dai Hao had written.

When she learned the course of events from the letter and discovered that there was no trace of Huo Yun'er, she was immediately delighted. The way she looked at Dai Yuhao was no longer as gloomy as before.

Just then, another White Tiger Guard entered to report.

"Reporting to Madam, we searched all along the direction Bai Shi Yi had tracked and found only the corpses of Bai Shi Yi and the others. There was no trace of Huo Yun'er."

The Duchess's face darkened. "You're saying that an entire squad of White Tiger Guards still let that bitch get away? Useless! You are all useless!"

The Duchess was beside herself with rage. Her anger made her lose control over the pressure, and with a crack, Dai Yuhao could no longer endure it and let out a scream.

The Duchess swept a cold glance over Dai Yuhao and said icily, "Guards, take him away. Keep him under strict watch. Make sure he doesn't die!"

Dai Yuhao was quickly dragged out and thrown back onto the bed in his room.

He stared blankly at the ceiling, his eyes lifeless, for who knew how long.

It was ruined. His right leg was completely ruined! A comminuted fracture!

He had spent some time in a wheelchair in his Previous Life. Was he going to rely on crutches for the rest of this life?

Why had this happened? Why had he ended up like this after being reborn?

There had to be some way to make himself stand again!

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes! The Lovesick Heartbreak Red could reconstruct a body!

Right. As long as he could pluck the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, he could stand again!

And Life Gold. Life Gold could heal his injuries too!

Hope flared once more in Dai Yuhao's eyes.

He had to find a way to escape the Duke's Mansion as soon as possible. Only then could he make use of the advantages of being reborn.

Having come back to life, he immediately felt pain all over his body. Hunger twisted sharply in his stomach, and weakness lingered in his heart.

He called out instinctively, "Mom, I'm hungry."

Yet only his own echo reverberated through the room.

Then, he suddenly remembered that his mother seemed to have already fled the Duke's Mansion.

It seemed like his mother was gone...

Where had she gone? Where could she have gone?

Looking at the empty room, Dai Yuhao broke down again.

"How could Mom leave the Duke's Mansion and abandon me?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

For a moment, Dai Yuhao actually felt that this world had become unfamiliar, as though it was not the world from his Previous Life at all.

His father and mother had both suddenly become strangers to him. Only the Duchess's hateful face remained unchanged.

Just then, the door was pushed open, and a servant impatiently set a tray of already cold food down on the table.

"Stop calling. Your mom left ages ago."