Yuan Bao’s big eyes, bright and clear, stared directly at Rong Rong.

His expression suddenly darkened.

Rong Rong was startled, realizing she had made a mistake.

Wang An had already told her that discussing Yuan Bao’s mother was strictly forbidden in the East Palace, especially in front of Yuan Bao.

“Yuan Bao, I’m sorry. Did I bring up something sad?”

“Mm,” Yuan Bao nodded after a moment, his usually smiling face now serious. “Auntie Rong Rong, you don’t need to apologize. I’m not angry with you.”

Seeing Yuan Bao like this, Rong Rong felt even more regretful for asking the question impulsively.

“My mother’s name is very beautiful,” Yuan Bao said, “but Master Ping An from Daxiangguo Temple said that my mother didn’t die a natural death.

She has strong attachments, and if her name is mentioned continuously, her soul won’t willingly leave the world.

She won’t be able to reincarnate soon.

Father says that reincarnation is the best for the dead.

So, I don’t mention Mother’s name, and I don’t let anyone else mention it either.”

Rong Rong didn’t expect Yuan Bao’s explanation to be like this, and it made her heartache even more.

“Yuan Bao, you’re such a good child. Although… Auntie envies your mother for having such a wonderful child like you.”

Yuan Bao’s eyes blinked, and his long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

Rong Rong truly envied him; Yuan Bao was kind and handsome.

His mother must have been a beautiful and kind person to be loved so much by the Crown Prince.

Thinking this way, Rong Rong’s jealousy seemed trivial.

After a moment of silence, Yuan Bao spoke again, “Auntie, did you know? I’ve been dreaming about my mother a lot lately.”

“Are they good dreams?” Rong Rong asked.

“They used to be nightmares, but now they’re good dreams,” Yuan Bao said with a smile. “Auntie Rong Rong, there’s something I’ve been afraid to tell you.”

Rong Rong was curious, “What is it?”

“I’ve been dreaming about Mother often, and in the dreams, Mother…” Yuan Bao’s voice trailed off.

Seeing his pained expression, Rong Rong gently patted his head. “It’s okay. If you don’t want to talk about it, we can just sleep.”

Rong Rong tucked Yuan Bao in and watched as he closed his eyes.

After serving the Crown Prince all night, Rong Rong was quickly feeling sleepy lying comfortably on the dragon bed with Yuan Bao.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, a chubby hand with a faint milk scent touched her cheek.

“Auntie Rong Rong, my mother in my dreams looks just like you.”

After saying this, the chubby hand withdrew.

Rong Rong felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

All her sleepiness vanished instantly, and the words “Auntie Rong Rong, my mother in my dreams looks just like you” echoed in her mind.

Just like her?

How could that be?

Was Yuan Bao her child?

No, that couldn’t be.

Yuan Bao didn’t look like her, and he didn’t resemble the Crown Prince much either.

His appearance seemed more like a mix between the Crown Prince and an unfamiliar woman, possibly a foreign one, so Yuan Bao couldn’t be her child.

But what did Yuan Bao’s words mean?

Some children may call someone “mother” or “father” if they are kind to them, but Rong Rong knew Yuan Bao wasn’t that kind of child.

She had seen how Xie Yuanrui’s efforts to please Yuan Bao had no effect.

Even Fu Quan and Wang An, who served him every day, said his personality was as cold as the Crown Prince’s.

Coldness…

The Crown Prince was indeed cold, but when Rongrong first heard this, she couldn’t believe it at all.

How could Yuanbao be associated with coldness?

Yuanbao was clearly a warm, lively, and cheerful chubby child.

Could it be that she had always been mistaken?

Maybe Yuanbao was just not cold to her.

Upon reflection, Yuanbao had always been incredibly good to her from the beginning.

She had merely helped him when he almost fell; it hardly counted as a great favor.

As she thought about this, Rongrong suddenly realized that many things cannot bear close scrutiny.

For example, Yuanbao had to sleep with the Crown Prince at night, and now, Yuanbao could also sleep soundly beside Rongrong.

Could it be… Rongrong’s heart was about to leap out of her chest.

She looked at Yuanbao in terror.

At this moment, Yuanbao was already asleep.

The blanket draped over him rose and fell with his even breathing, his brows and eyes were relaxed in sleep, and even the corners of his lips seemed to be slightly upturned.

Tears immediately welled up and streamed down Rongrong’s cheeks, falling onto the quilt.

Here, here!

When she had first awakened in Xue Rongrong’s body, she had thought about how, in the Eastern Palace, there had been two lives in one body.

Since she could open her eyes in Xue Rongrong’s body, it was likely that the child could also be reborn.

But Rongrong had always wondered how to find her child.

She had the memories of Jing Rong, knowing she had a child, but the child… was still just an infant.

Even if reborn, there were no memories of the mother, nor did she inherit any appearance from her parents.

Even if they met in a crowd, they would be strangers.

But Rongrong never expected that the child could dream, could dream of his mother.

Heaven, in its mysterious ways, had connected them with an invisible thread.

Yuanbao, he was both her child and not her child.

Rongrong remembered that Fuqian had once told her that Yuanbao had been born with a weak constitution.

That must be it; Yuanbao had likely died from illness like Xue Rongrong’s original body, so her child’s soul had transferred into Yuanbao’s body.

It seemed fair enough—Jing Rong was a maid; even if reborn, she remained a maid, while the child, being the Crown Prince’s own son, was reborn into the body of the child of the dying Little Prince.

It was good, at least her child had lived by his biological father’s side, never suffering from hardship since childhood.

The child… her child… was lying beside her…

If Yuanbao weren’t already asleep, Rongrong would have wanted to hold him tightly and cry her heart out.

She could restrain herself from holding him, not waking him up, but she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.

They surged out like a burst dam.

She hurriedly covered her mouth with the blanket, trying not to make any sound.

She couldn’t be too emotional, couldn’t frighten Yuanbao.

She had to endure, to verify further, or she would be considered crazy and thrown out of the Eastern Palace.

…

Yuan Bao slept soundly, resting for a full hour before waking up.

When he opened his eyes, he stretched lazily and noticed Rong Rong lying beside him, looking at him with teary eyes.

“Auntie, what’s wrong?” Yuan Bao quickly reached out to wipe her tears, accidentally touching the wet bedclothes and realizing they were soaked.

He was startled and grabbed a pillowcase to dry Rong Rong’s tears. “Auntie, did you have a nightmare?”

“No,” Rong Rong grasped Yuan Bao’s chubby hand, her voice trembling slightly. “It wasn’t a nightmare; it was a beautiful dream.”

“Then why are you crying?” Yuan Bao asked, puzzled, his childish voice innocent and slightly mischievous.

“Because… because Auntie is very happy,” Rong Rong struggled to say “Auntie” instead of “mother.”

“Is there something to be happy about?”

Rong Rong looked at Yuan Bao with love in her eyes, reaching out to hold his hand. “Just seeing little Yuan Bao makes me very happy.”

“Then you should look at me every day and be happy.”

Yuan Bao’s understanding and sweetness were astonishing.

It was as if he was truly her own child, understanding her feelings and making her happy.

“Yuan Bao, I want to ask you, does your mother in the dream really look like me?” Rong Rong asked, her eyes fixed on his, her heart racing as she feared it might have been a mere dream talk.

Yuan Bao paused, then lowered his eyes and made a small noise. “Yes, maybe I just really like Auntie.”

“Auntie likes Yuan Bao too,” Rong Rong said, realizing she was getting emotional and worried about frightening Yuan Bao.

The idea of soul reincarnation sounded scary, and Yuan Bao was so young.

Mentioning it might upset him.

Moreover, although she was quite certain, she still needed more observation.

Even though she longed for her son, she couldn’t afford to make a mistake.

“Yuan Bao, today let’s keep our conversation a secret. You mustn’t tell anyone about your dream, especially not your father.” If the matter of Yuan Bao’s soul reincarnation became known, it would make Yuan Bao’s position in the royal family even more difficult, and who knows when he would enter the royal genealogy.

Yuan Bao looked thoughtful and troubled. “But can’t I tell Father? I want him to keep Auntie in the Eastern Palace forever.”

Rong Rong was moved to tears.

Only a true child would be so attached to their mother.

Yuan Bao wanting to keep her in the Eastern Palace forever was touching, but she didn’t care about the Eastern Palace; she only wanted to be with her son.

Yuan Bao, though not the legitimate grandson, was the Crown Prince’s eldest son.

If she left with Yuan Bao, how could he live the life of the East Palace?

Moreover, Yuan Bao was not yet in the royal genealogy, indicating the Emperor and Empress did not truly value him.

The Crown Prince loved him only because he was his only son.

When Liang Muchen entered the East Palace and had a legitimate heir, Yuan Bao’s place would be even more precarious.

Rong Rong had seen fallen princes in the palace.

They would bow and flatter even the chief eunuchs.

Rather than letting Yuan Bao end up like that, it was better for them to live happily together.

However, taking Yuan Bao away was not easy. It wasn’t just about getting past the Crown Prince; Yuan Bao was deeply attached to him, and even if she wanted to take him, Yuan Bao might not agree to leave.

After all, blood ties are stronger than foster ties.

Moreover, Yuan Bao didn’t know she was his real mother.

No matter the plans, the priority now was to stay in the East Palace and build a stronger bond with Yuan Bao.

Viewing the same situation from different perspectives can change everything.

For example, when she was just a maid, she was Yuan Bao’s favorite and most trusted auntie, unique in the East Palace.

But if she were in the position of his mother, she would pale in comparison to the Crown Prince.

Yuan Bao’s attachment to the Crown Prince was evident; when Yuan Bao was upset in the imperial garden, she couldn’t comfort him, but the Crown Prince managed to do so easily.

Similarly, while Yuan Bao slept peacefully beside her, he also slept soundly beside the Crown Prince.