Night had fallen by the time Gu Yecheng finished his shift at the noodle shop and finally made his way home.
His house wasn't far from the villa estate—about a 20-minute walk at most.
As he pushed open the iron gate of the small rented house and stepped inside, he found his mother already sitting on their worn-out sofa.
"Mom, why are you home so early today?" Gu Yecheng greeted her politely.
His mother, Gu Yunxi, replied casually, "Madam Ye gave me permission to come back early today."
Then she added with a sharp look, "Did you have a fight with Lingling today?"
"Uh…" Gu Yecheng scratched his head. "Not exactly a fight. She just said she didn't want to talk to me or see me, so I didn't bother her today."
Gu Yunxi grew irritated. "You idiot! Just because she said that, you really left her alone? She spent the entire afternoon thinking about you, waiting for you. Did you even think about how she felt?"
Gu Yecheng paused. Honestly, he hadn't. He'd spent the whole time washing dishes while thinking about that boy named Xiao San. The kid's striking hammer technique—if enhanced with soul power—could be unbelievably powerful.
If that boy's spirit was a hammer, then his skill was like wings on a tiger. Gu Yecheng had even been considering creating a technique or style of his own to enhance his Hellfire Red Lotus spirit for combat. After all, he was more of a support-type Soul Master.
Seeing him spacing out, Gu Yunxi got even angrier. Just like his heartless father, she thought. No care for others' feelings.
She grabbed a mop from the side and charged at him, ready to whack his backside.
Gu Yecheng sighed internally—same old mom. Still trying to hit him even though he was practically grown.
Panicked, he quickly pulled out his freshly issued Soul Master badge and held it up like a shield.
"Mom! Don't come any closer! I'm a Soul Master now! It's not that I can't fight back—I just don't want to hurt you, you know?"
"Oh? Getting cocky, huh? Your wings grown strong enough to fly?" she said with a smile that wasn't really a smile.
Gu Yecheng nodded seriously. "Exactly. I'm a Soul Master now. You're no match for me. Just don't hit me, and we can talk this out. Please don't let the neighbors hear again—so embarrassing."
Gu Yunxi tapped her palm with the mop handle, warming up for a second round. Then her expression turned cold.
"Don't think just because you bought me some makeup, you can sneak away from me!" she snapped.
"Your mother is still your mother. Are you really going to turn out like that heartless man and leave me? And you still have the nerve to call yourself a Soul Master?"
"Oh, so it's amazing being a Soul Master now? I'll beat a Soul Master! Take this—!"
Whap! Bam! Whack!
A flurry of blows followed.
Suddenly—
First Soul Skill: Red Lotus Suppression!
Gu Yecheng activated his first soul skill for the very first time. Though a bit clumsy, the activation was a success.
A soft red glow surrounded his body like a shield. Under its protection, his mother's attacks were completely ineffective.
Raising his hand with exaggerated calm, he said, "Didn't feel a thing. I told you, I'm a Soul Master now. You're wearing yourself out. Go wipe off your sweat, Mom."
Seeing her son acting so smug, Gu Yunxi was about to explode.
"I went easy on you. Round two—let's go!"
"Sigh… what's the point?"
Realizing there was no escaping, Gu Yecheng simply sat down, poured himself a glass of water, and calmly drank while taking the beating.
"Mom, I've already washed my hair. Can you hurry up? I'm not Dou Dou, you know."
"Ugh! You're thick-skinned. I give up. My arms are sore," she finally declared, tossing the mop aside.
Gu Yecheng released his soul skill. Amazingly, it had lasted nearly half an hour with minimal soul power consumption.
This emperor-class support spirit was truly impressive. Regular attacks didn't faze him at all. He wondered if it could hold up against another Soul Master.
As the soft red light faded, he looked at his mother—aging, a bit worn, yet still elegant—and slowly walked over to her.
"Mom, I'm leaving for Tian Dou Royal Academy tomorrow. Please take care of yourself while I'm gone. I'll come back to visit whenever I can."
In such a heartfelt moment, one would expect tearful goodbyes and warm hugs…
But instead, Gu Yunxi smiled slyly and said,
"I don't know about taking care of myself. But you—you'd better take care of yourself."
Gu Yecheng nodded. "Of course. I'll take care of—hey, Mom! Put the broom down! Don't hit me again—"
Whap! Bam! Whack!
Another brutal round.
"Aaaah, that felt good! I just beat up a Soul Master!" Gu Yunxi tossed the broom aside, her black hair fluttering dramatically.
"Invincibility is so lonely."
"Mom! Are you a demon or something?!"
Gu Yecheng could barely stand. His legs were jelly, his face swollen, one eye bruised purple.
Gu Yunxi grew serious.
"I'm not a demon—I'm your mother. And I just want you to remember one thing: Never lie to the people closest to you."
"The way I deceived you just now—that's how you made Lingling feel. Maybe her body isn't hurt, but her heart is."
"Tomorrow, apologize to her. That girl is a keeper. You can go off to school, visit or not, that's up to you. But you must win her heart. Otherwise…"
She reached for the broom again, her expression saying all that needed to be said.
Gu Yecheng could only sigh. He couldn't win. If he lied, he upset Ye Lingling. If he told the truth, he offended his mother-in-law.
And his mom wasn't acting like any normal mother. Other moms ask, 'If your wife and I fell into the river, who would you save first?'
His mother? She teamed up with his wife to beat him down.
"Women… such mysteries. Only Aunt Ye is truly good to me."
The next morning, Gu Yecheng slung a small bag over his shoulder and left the house.
He waited in front of the villa estate for Ye Lingling—they were heading to Tian Dou Royal Academy together.
Touching his empty stomach, he sighed. "Unbelievable… Mom didn't even make me breakfast. Said I needed to learn a lesson. Sigh…"
Not long after, Ye Lingling appeared. She was beautifully dressed, lightly made up, and wearing the skirt he had bought her. Her silver hair was clipped with a leaf-shaped hairpin. She looked stunning.
"What happened to your face?" she asked.
Seeing her trying to suppress a laugh, Gu Yecheng rubbed his bruised eye.
"No idea. My mom just went nuts last night and started hitting me. You… don't know anything about that?"
Ye Lingling shook her head. "How would I know? I'm not you. Let's go."
Turning away, she chuckled softly to herself.
"Wait! Do you have any food?"
For the first time ever, Gu Yecheng initiated a conversation with her. So much for his cold and distant image.
"Oh, I do. Brought plenty of dry rations," she said coolly. "What, trying to mooch off me again?"
"Starting today, I'm not feeding you anymore. You're so good at working part-time—go earn your food."
Gu Yecheng sighed.
Yup, women really know how to hold a grudge. Thought she'd calmed down—she's even more ruthless now.
"Fine. What do you want me to do?"
"Carry me to the carriage station."
"…Hop on."
(End of Chapter)
If you'd like to read advance chapters support me at patreon.com/YugiroTL