"It's nice to have you back," Yun Ling said with a deep sigh.

The monks took three days to heal Yue Dongmei's damaged spirit, however, Yue Dongmei remained unconscious even after that. It was only after a day had passed since the monks healed her that Yue Dongmei finally woke up.

Yue Dongmei closed her eyes after looking at Yun Ling. She was incredibly tired and her eyes were heavy. It felt like she had just suffered the worst beating ever in her life because of how tired she was. Never had she felt anything like that before.

When Yun Ling saw Yue Dongmei's state, he immediately said, "Just sleep and take more rest. You need it."

"The young miss?" Yue Dongmei weakly asked. Despite not having recovered yet, the first thing she uttered was about Yun Xia. It made Yun Ling realize just how much Yue Dongmei cared about Yun Xia despite being just Yun Xia's caretaker.

"She's outside meditating with the other children," Yun Ling said, reassuring the woman. "She'll surely be overjoyed when she learns that you finally woke up."

"Is that so? Young Miss... will?" Yue Dongmei asked, though her voice slowly got weaker and weaker.

"I assure you she will," Yun Ling said with a smile. He had seen how heartbroken his daughter was when she learned that something bad happened to Yue Dongmei that was why he was sure that the little girl would surely be happy when Yue Dongmei finally got well.

Yue Dongmei just smiled as she slowly let herself fall asleep.

"Rest well..." was the last thing she heard from Yun Ling's mouth before she succumbed to slumber.

...

"Big sister, where is Mama?" a three-year-old adorable little girl asked Yue Dongmei.

The little girl was none other than Zi Xia. She had been looking for her mother everywhere in their house for a few minutes already after waking up without her by her side. Then, while looking for her mother, she found Yue Dongmei who was heading towards her room instead.

With a sad look on her face, Yue Dongmei responded, "Young Miss, Mistress left this morning for the mission that your grandfather gave to her. She'll be back next week."

"But... but... Mama didn't even say goodbye to Zi Xia. Mama promised Zi Xia yesterday that she would go buy toys with Zi Xia today!" Zi Xia pitifully said with her eyes glistening with tears.

Yue Dongmei let out a sigh. She could understand why her mistress didn't let Zi Xia know that she was leaving. It was because the little girl would surely get sad and make a ruckus to make her stay.

Despite that, however, she didn't like her mistress leaving without even telling Zi Xia. It was unfair to the child.

"What's going on here?"

Zi Xia and Yue Dongmei heard a cold, strict voice, making the former stiffen up as her face was filled with fear.

Yue Dongmei's gaze went cold upon hearing that voice. She turned around and greeted the owner of that voice.

"Good morning, Sect Master," Yue Dongmei greeted perfunctorily.

"G-Good morning, Lord Grandfather," Zi Xia followed after Yue Dongmei's example and greeted her grandfather with a trembling voice.

The sect master's gaze landed on Yun Xia. He saw the tears in her eyes and frowned.

He placed his attention on Yue Dongmei as he asked, "What's her problem?"

Yue Dongmei was silent for a second as she hesitated whether to answer him or not. She knew what his reaction was going to be if she told him the truth, but at the same time, she also couldn't lie to the sect master due to his keen perception.

The sect master wasn't a sect master for nothing after all. He had to face a lot of powerful, conniving people in the sect who were after his seat nearly on a daily basis so detecting a lie from a mere disciple like her was nothing for him.

Seeing that it was taking Yue Dongmei long to give him a response, the sect master turned his attention on Zi Xia as he asked, "Tell me what's wrong."

Zi Xia recoiled back in fear when her grandfather asked her that. Though the sect master looked like he was asking because he was concerned for Zi Xia, that was far from the truth.

"Young Miss just misses her mother, Sect Master," Yue Dongmei finally responded when the sect master asked Zi Xia instead of her.

The sect master's frown deepened.

"What are you crying for? Your mother has a much more important business to do than to babysit you. That is what your caretaker is here for. Babysitting you is her job, not your mother's," the sect master reprimanded with an emotionless voice. "Although part of your blood is lowly, your mother is still a Zi after all. You bear the blood of Zi no matter how small it is. Be strong. Don't cry. Do not bring shame to the name of Zi."

Zi Xia lowered her head dejectedly, trying her best not to cry or else, she would only be reprimanded more by her grandfather.

At the side, Yue Dongmei clenched her fist as she glared at the sect master. Just as Yun Xia was trying her best not to cry, Yue Dongmei was trying her best to hold herself back lest she lashed out in anger and attack the sect master.

That wouldn't be funny if that happened. She would be suppressed in an instant and killed. Even if she wasn't killed, she would be removed from her post. Who would take care of Zi Xia then? She couldn't trust anyone else regarding Zi Xia's well-being aside from her mistress herself.

Yue Dongmei bit her lips.

The sect master was acting like Zi Xia was a grown-up, however, Zi Xia was just three years old. It was understandable that she would be missing her mother especially since they could only barely spend time with each other with all the missions the sect master sent her mistress for.

If anything, the sect master should've consoled Zi Xia since he was her grandfather.

It was unfortunate that the sect master just wasn't that kind of person.

He was a cold-blooded bastard that didn't deserve her mistress or her young miss.