Their Motives

“Have you thought it through? Got your story straight? If you’re going to lie, you better be ready to lie for the rest of your life.” Ye Mo glared down at a visibly nervous Mo Mo. To see this mighty general looking so tense felt like a win for her. If she could, she’d capture this moment forever.

“We did spend one night together.” Mo Mo lowered his head. Either way, it was better to come clean now than struggle to find the words later.

“Why don’t I have any memory of that night?” Ye Mo’s tone was icy.

“My genes were a bit unstable that day. I told my aide to handle it carefully, to make sure everything was sorted, but I never expected he’d go so far as to erase your memory.” Mo Mo sighed. “And you were drugged that night as well.”

Ye Mo frowned. Without any memory of that night, it was hard for her to piece together what had really happened, but she knew Yu He had something to do with it. That woman was always trying to destroy her.

“Momo, I messed up. I should have handled it myself and come to you sooner.” Mo Mo’s voice was laced with regret. He’d heard about Ye Mo’s involvement with Zhang Yuming and had decided not to pursue her, knowing she was deeply fond of Zhang Yuming.

“And what’s your plan now? Are you only interested in me because of my status as a master?” Ye Mo shot Mo Mo a disapproving look. If she weren’t a master, would he even be here? People are so practical, and she actually felt a little annoyed.

“Ye Mo, I’ve been trying to find you long before I knew about your master status, I swear.” Mo Mo’s voice rose in panic, sensing her judgment. “Ye Mo, I stationed people here to protect you ages ago. Even when you sneaked out to find your father, I was right behind you.”

Ye Mo narrowed her eyes. “You were following me?”

“Ye Mo, I was just trying to keep you safe. You know how dangerous it is out there, especially for a pregnant woman.” Mo Mo hurriedly explained.

“Just go home. I need some time to cool off!” Ye Mo snapped, effectively kicking him out.

“Ye Mo!”

“Leave. I don’t want to see you right now!” Ye Mo turned her back on him.

Mo Mo reluctantly stood up, visibly defeated. “Rest well at home. I’ll wait to hear from you.”

Mo Mo left in his aircraft, knowing she needed space.

Ye Mo, feeling drained, slumped into a lounge chair on the rooftop. What a mess… That part of her memory had been completely wiped, and even with her powers, she couldn’t retrieve it. The techniques of this interstellar age were indeed impressive.

She lay back in the chair, slowly rocking herself to sleep.

Unbeknownst to her, Mo Mo returned once she’d dozed off. He quietly covered her with a light blanket and sat nearby, watching over her.

Mo Mo knew she was upset, and there was no way he could just leave her. He kept his distance, but his eyes never left her. He’d installed a hidden camera in the rooftop garden, one he rarely used, but today it served him well.

Seeing Ye Mo asleep, he quietly returned and covered her with the blanket. She hadn’t altered the defence settings since he left, a small sign that she wasn’t completely shutting him out. That thought brought Mo Mo a flicker of joy. Maybe, if she hadn’t discovered the truth, they could have become a real couple today.

Mo Mo watched her sleep, captivated by her presence, and only left once he sensed she was about to wake up.

Ye Mo woke up on the rooftop feeling surprisingly refreshed. Noticing the blanket over her, she immediately knew it was Mo Mo’s doing. She sighed softly; that guy…

But she had to admit, he knew how to be considerate, and that earned him a point.

Just as she was about to head downstairs, she noticed a group of elderly women causing a ruckus at the villa’s entrance again.

Even though Grandma Yu pretended not to be home, the old women refused to give up and kept calling for the butler to let them in.

Of course, the butler wasn’t about to let them in. He was more concerned about protecting the young mistress from any disturbances, especially given the suspicious nature of these women.

“Please leave; the lady of the house isn’t home,” the butler said curtly before heading back into the villa, unwilling to engage further.

But the women persisted. “Qin Xiang, Qin Xiang, come out!”

Someone whispered nervously, “Do you think she knows why we’re here?”

“But we still haven’t confirmed her exact identity, have we?”

“True, her garden doesn’t look any different from ours. In fact, it’s even less impressive. I don’t think she has anything to do with those two.”

“But remember the first time we visited? We smelled that floral scent. I’m pretty sure it was natural.”

“I thought so too.”

Just then, one woman, clearly annoyed, pulled out a bottle of perfume and sprayed it in front of them. “Smell this.”

“Wow, that smells amazing, like being in nature! So fresh!”

“What is that…?”

“It’s the latest product from Banmi!”

“This smells just like the scent at Qin Xiang’s place!”

“Banmi just launched this today, but we smelled it at her house days ago. What does that tell you?” the woman with the perfume asked pointedly.

“She must have some serious connections! They were using it before Banmi even released it!”

“Exactly, we shouldn’t mess with her. We might be biting off more than we can chew.”

“Let’s just go.”

Eventually, the group of women quietly dispersed.

Watching from above, Ye Mo couldn’t help but marvel at the overactive imaginations of these old ladies. How did they manage to link her home to Banmi?

Oh well, let them think whatever they want, she thought. As long as they don’t figure out her pregnancy, everything would be just fine.

By the time dinner rolled around, Ye Mo finally came downstairs. Grandma Yu looked at her nervously. “Ye Mo, why did you skip lunch?”

“Sorry, Grandma. I fell asleep,” Ye Mo replied with a smile.

“Well, eat up quickly and rest some more afterward.” Grandma Yu urged her to eat and then rest again, worried about the toll pregnancy was taking on her granddaughter. She knew all too well how tough it could be.

As she thought back to her own experiences, Grandma Yu felt a twinge of despair. When she’d given birth to her son, there had been hundreds of expectant mothers on Kamo Star alone. But now, less than forty years later, her granddaughter was the only pregnant woman left on the entire planet. Was the galaxy really spiralling toward ruin?

(End of Chapter)